
Cops and Writers Podcast
Cops and Writers is a podcast hosted by retired police sergeant and author, Patrick O'Donnell. The podcast provides valuable insights and humor for crime writers who want to create accurate and believable police stories. O'Donnell conducts in-depth interviews with members of law enforcement and civilian experts, discussing police procedures and culture. He also interviews crime fiction writers and writers from different genres, discussing what works in the ever-changing landscape of book sales and publishing. The podcast offers candid stories told with cop humor and technical details about the world of law enforcement.
Cops and Writers Podcast
214 FBI Special Agent Turned Whistleblower Zach Schoffstall. Exposing Government Corruption at The Highest Levels & Paying The Ultimate Price For Doing The Right Thing. (Part Two)
Welcome back to the conclusion of a special two part show with former FBI Special Agent, Zach Schoffstall.
You never embarrass the bureau! The truth and facts of a case be damned! That is what happened to my guest at the end of his FBI career.
Let’s take a closer look at my guest on the show today. Zach started serving his country as an intelligence officer in the United States air force where he was stationed in Iraq and Afghanistan for four years. He then continued to serve his country transitioning from his military career to becoming a special agent in the FBI where he served for 16 years.
While at the FBI, Zach rose to the rank of Supervisory Special Agent working at a variety of work locations throughout the United States and variety of assignments including, teaching practical applications, tactics, and firearms, SWAT operator and team leader, being on the Joint Terrorism Task Force, Safe Streets Gang Task Force, DEA Narcotics Task Force, and Virginia State Police Narcotics Task Force, and eventually Provided leadership as the Supervisory Senior Special Agent in charge of all counterterrorism and criminal investigations in North Idaho.
Due to a series of events that were politically motivated, and illegal, his life was turned upside down and was eventually terminated for upholding the law and doing the right thing.
This is a story of corruption and abuse of power that went to the top of the FBI food chain. Zach and his family were punished for him standing up to his corrupt supervisors who bent to political pressure, instead of following the law and doing the right thing. Zach never imagined that “Never embarrass the bureau” mantra would have cost him so much and forced him into being a whistleblower, and eventually costing him his distinguished career.
This week’s episode will dive deeper into the ugly circumstances that cost this good man his career. Never embarrass the bureau, Zach never thought by standing up and doing the right thing would send his career into a tailspin and cost him his job and much more.
In today’s episode we discuss:.
· The summer of 2022 pride event in Idaho. The FBI monitoring general threat traffic.
· A threat of ANTIFA.
· A call came in that a group of individuals were coming in a U-Haul wearing masks and carrying shields and poles. The chief arrested everyone for conspiracy to riot with no probable cause.
· The next few days you were doing updates with HQ and the US Attorney’s office. There was an Assistant USA whose daughter was going through transition and wanted to throw the book at them.
· Counter terrorism was aware of this group and they were known to be non-violent.
· The three-way call between you, FBI management, and US Attorney’s office. Including FBI HQ rep.
· Behind all of this was an AUSA, FBI management, and Female FBI supervisor were scheming to have a female FBI agent to swear to the warrant, even though she didn’t know the facts.
· Zach was taken off the case and they handed it off to another group of FBI agents. Ordered not to talk about it.
· What retaliation from the FBI looks like.
· “You don’t embarrass the bureau.”
Visit Zach on Instagram at zach_schoffstall
Check out the new Cops and Writers YouTub
What would you do if you lost the one you loved the most? How far would you go to quench your thirst for vengeance?
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