A story going viral online claims the FBI is punishing whistleblowers instead of protecting them. At the center of this story is a former FBI Special Agent named Valentine Fertitta. His case has raised big questions about how the FBI treats its own agents—especially when those agents speak up about problems inside the bureau.
Let’s break down what really happened and what it means.
It started in 2021, when Fertitta returned from an overseas deployment. He came back with injuries that made it harder for him to keep up with his usual workload. According to his wife, Emily Fertitta, who also used to work at the FBI, his boss didn’t like that. Instead of helping him recover, his supervisor allegedly used Fertitta’s lower productivity as a reason to block him from getting a promotion. That’s when Fertitta believed the FBI was breaking its own rules and possibly federal law.
Fertitta decided to file a whistleblower complaint. That means he officially reported what he believed was wrongdoing by his employer. In this case, he believed the FBI was violating protections for injured veterans and disabled workers. But after filing that complaint, things reportedly got worse for him.
His wife says he got his first-ever bad performance review. He was also denied access to training opportunities and asked to hand over sensitive medical records—not just from the past, but also for the future. These requests felt invasive and unfair. So Fertitta took his case to the Office of Attorney Recruitment and Management, known as OARM. This is an internal watchdog group inside the Department of Justice that’s supposed to protect whistleblowers.
Less than a month after he filed with OARM, the FBI started investigating whether Fertitta should still have a top-secret security clearance. That’s a big deal. FBI agents need that clearance to do their jobs. If they lose it, they can be suspended or even let go without being officially fired.
According to the Fertittas’ lawyer, Matthew Crotty, this was not a coincidence. He believes the FBI used the security clearance investigation as a way to punish Fertitta for speaking out. During this time, Fertitta’s pay was suspended, and his wife Emily was called in for a three-day interview—without a lawyer. She says it felt like the FBI was trying to turn her against her husband. Eventually, she quit her job at the bureau.
Today, Fertitta’s security clearance is still under review, and he and his wife are suing the FBI in civil court. But they’re not the only ones. According to data from OARM, there have been over 100 whistleblower complaints in the last 10 years. Only nine of those led to a finding of retaliation. That means most whistleblowers don’t get much help, even if they feel targeted.
Emily Fertitta says this is a much bigger problem than just her husband’s case. She believes the FBI has a long history of punishing people who speak up. Their lawyer agrees and says the FBI’s internal review systems are often used to silence critics instead of protect them.
Crotty also points out that Congress could fix this. Right now, FBI employees can’t take their whistleblower complaints to federal court like other government workers can. Instead, they’re stuck in the FBI’s own system, which many say is broken.
Some hope the new administration will make changes. The Biden administration, according to Emily Fertitta, didn’t take the issue seriously enough. Now, with a new president in office, there’s a chance for reform—but only if lawmakers act.
The FBI didn’t respond to questions about the Fertitta case.
At the end of the day, this story isn’t just about one man’s fight with his employer. It’s about whether one of the most powerful law enforcement agencies in the country can be held accountable when it turns against its own people. And it’s a reminder that even when someone tries to do the right thing, the system doesn’t always make it easy.