FBI Arrests Former Army Employee for Sharing Classified Information

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has arrested a former U.S. Army employee in North Carolina, accusing her of leaking classified information to journalists.

Courtney Williams, aged 40, worked for the Special Military Unit (SMU) from 2010 until 2016. Allegedly, she engaged with a journalist about “information related to the SMU for articles and books” that were in progress between 2022 and 2025. This information comes from a press release by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ).

During her tenure at SMU, Williams obtained a top-secret security clearance. The press release noted that she received training on handling and protecting confidential information and had signed a non-disclosure agreement.

According to the DOJ, the journalist published multiple books and articles citing Williams as a source, with some statements attributed to her containing classified national defense information.

From 2022 to 2025, Williams reportedly communicated frequently with journalists, utilizing phone calls and text messages. The pair had over ten hours of phone conversations and exchanged more than 180 messages. At one point, the journalist identified himself and requested information to support an upcoming publication. Following these discussions, sources claimed that several pieces featuring Williams’ name and quotes were published, containing sensitive information. Furthermore, Williams also allegedly shared unauthorized defense information through her social media accounts.

On the day of one publication, she messaged journalists, expressing her “concern about the large amount of confidential information being disclosed.” In another message, she mentioned feeling she might be arrested for leaking classified material. When referencing potential legal consequences for speaking out to journalists, she indicated, “I’ve known this all my career,” mentioning it was frequently discussed in her environment. In yet another message, Williams ominously stated, “I’m probably going to get a life sentence.”

Roman Rosavsky, Deputy Director of the FBI’s Counterintelligence and Espionage Division, remarked:

Courtney Williams was committed to safeguarding national secrets, but she allegedly betrayed that trust by divulging classified information to media outlets, potentially endangering national security, combatants, and allies.

The press release did not disclose the identity of the journalist, though reports suggest that Williams’ name appeared in a book published in August 2025. According to NBC News, she was mentioned in “The Fort Bragg Cartel: Drug Trafficking and Murder in Special Forces” by Seth Harp and also in a Politico article released on August 12.

The FBI Director Kash Patel took to Twitter to commend the work of the FBI’s divisions involved in the case. He noted that a former SOCOM employee had been detained on suspicion of leaking classified information to the media.

Patel declared, “Let this be a message to leakers: We are actively pursuing these cases and making arrests. The FBI will not tolerate those who jeopardize our country and endanger the American public.”