Chicago U.S. Attorney Andrew Boutros acknowledges 'mistakes' in 'Broadview 6' case but says sanctions, special counsel aren't needed. From @schuba.bsky.social: chicago.suntimes.com/crime/2026/0...
Boutros acknowledges 'mistakes' in 'Broadview 6' case but says sanctions, special counsel aren't needed
Chicago's top federal prosecutor noted in a court filing that his office has already dropped charges in the case, implemented “robust root-cause changes” and started the process of reviewing over 1,00...
chicago.suntimes.com
![ORDER
On January 8, 2024, we affirmed the district court’s denial of Thompson’s motion for acquittal on two counts of making “false statement[s]” to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1014 after a jury convicted him on those counts. See generally United States v. Thompson, 89 F.4th 1010 (7th Cir. 2024). On appeal, Thompson had argued the evidence was insufficient to convict him on the two counts because it showed only that he made misleading statements and not literally false statements. Id. at 1016–17. But our case law dictated affirmance. In United States v. Freed, 921 F.3d 716, 723 (7th Cir. 2019), we held that § 1014 criminalized statements that were misleading and not just statements that were literally false. And the evidence was sufficient to support that Thompson had made at least misleading statements to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, so we affirmed the district court’s denial of his motion for acquittal on the two counts. Thompson, 89 F.4th at 1017–18.
Thompson petitioned the Supreme Court of the United States for a writ of certiorari to determine whether § 1014 criminalized misleading statements, and the Supreme Court granted certiorari on October 4, 2024. Thompson v. United States, 145 S. Ct. 116 (Mem) (2024). On March 21, 2025, the Supreme Court held that § 1014 “does not criminalize statements that are misleading but true.” Thompson v. United States, 604 U.S. 408, 418 (2025). Instead, under the statute, the statement “must be ‘false’” to sustain a conviction. Id. Accordingly, the Supreme Court vacated the judgment of this Court and remanded for further proceedings.
Pursuant to Circuit Rule 54, the government asked that we evaluate the sufficiency of the evidence with the aid of additional briefing to determine whether Thompson’s statements were literally false and not merely misleading. Thompson, on the other hand, “submits that the district court, which heard the evidence at trial, is best positioned in t…](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:elipdmmf5istuvtyituspske/bafkreidszdoj45752hv4ydvihow33ycqikrzeashtdd3pe2tddenk45q5u)
![CONCLUSION
The Court denies Ahmed’s Motion to Join [110], without prejudice. No relief, including
access to sealed discovery, will be granted unless and until Defendant is arraigned, in-person, before
this Court. If Ahmed submits to the Court’s jurisdiction, he is given leave to renew his Motion to
Dismiss the Indictment on prosecutorial misconduct grounds.
IT IS SO ORDERED.
Date: 7/16/2026
Entered: _____________________________
SHARON JOHNSON COLEMAN](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:elipdmmf5istuvtyituspske/bafkreig5pfglerkqdjktdhcagwvtpzowc5cfejugnzsp7orm43lskus6oq)
![were done specifically as it relates to the redactions, were done intentionally or with a desire to mislead the Court.6
5-21-26 Tr. at 50:23-51:2 (emphasis added).
Perhaps the most troubling statement by U.S. Attorney Boutros regarding is the message
he sent to all employees in the U.S. Attorney’s Office, literally within just a few hours of leaving the courtroom where this Court made clear its severe displeasure with the misconduct that occurred in this matter, and Mr. Boutros was forced to dismisss this case with prejudice. Rather than being chastened by all that had been exposed to date, immediately thereafter the U.S. Attorney wrote an office-wide email to publicly commend the conduct and actions of the AUSAs at the center of this self-created storm:
[T]oday was an important day for the Office. We saw three courageous prosecutors ...fight long and hard for a case they inherited when a colleague departed the Office. These prosecutors fought for the rule of law . . . Our Prosecutors were strong and courageous.
May 21, 2026 email from U.S. Attorney Boutros to all employees at U.S. Attorney’s Office (emphasis added). Thus, the public record created by U.S. Attorney Boutros regarding this case demonstrates he not only does not see or comprehend the grave misconduct committed by his prosecutors over the past nine months in directly deceiving this Court (among other things), but that he is actually sending the message to all the young (and old) prosecutors in the Office that the behavior of these prosecutors should be praised and thought of as “strong,” “courageous,” and having “fought for the rule of law,” when exactly the opposite should have been the message delivered from the lead law enforcement official in our district. The government’s general
6 Notably, U.S. Attorney Boutros offered to share with the Court (and presumably the public) why he holds such a sincere belief, “And if Your Honor wants to hear more about that, I'm happy to come back and explain why that…](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:elipdmmf5istuvtyituspske/bafkreiexjvx6mbs7rbcammuffh5riept5lajt4w2ckjmp2mtsqw3tcm2ei)
![agreement to write a check should not cause the Court to divest its authority to bring to light the web of misconduct that has now only begun to be exposed.
This goal of transparency and further investigation, moreover, is one which U.S. Attorney Boutros has publicly stated he “fully supports” because he is “confident that upon careful, unbiased consideration, [no] misconduct by the United States Attorney” will be found. See supra n.3 (quoting U.S. Attorney Boutros). The Court should accept this invitation from the U.S. Attorney and complete the process that is required to bring this matter to a just and public-confidence- restoring conclusion.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:elipdmmf5istuvtyituspske/bafkreiddokialo5hnyi2bluu45542lbob7syj2m6vdfmxnotzezzcl5acy)
