{{Short description|American law enforcement officer (born 1976)}} {{Use American English|date=January 2026}} {{Use mdy dates|date=January 2026}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Christopher Raia | image = Deputy Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation Christopher Gilbert Raia.jpg | caption = Official portrait, 2026 | office = Co-Deputy Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation | alongside = Andrew Bailey | president = Donald Trump | term_start = January 12, 2026 | term_end = | predecessor = Dan Bongino | successor = | birth_name = Christopher Gilbert Raia | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1976|4|17}} | birth_place = Illinois, U.S. | death_date = | death_place = | party = Republican | spouse = {{marriage|Kristen Mason|2003}} | children = 3 | education = United States Coast Guard Academy (BS) | branch = United States Coast Guard | service_years = 1998–2003 | rank = Lieutenant }} '''Christopher Gilbert Raia''' (born April 17, 1976) is an American law enforcement officer who has served as Deputy Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation since 2026.<ref>{{cite web |url= https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/head-fbis-new-york-field-office-serve-deputy-129071989 |title= Head of FBI's New York field office to serve as co-deputy director |website=ABC |date=January 9, 2026 |access-date=January 22, 2018}}</ref> Raia served as the assistant director in charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation's New York City field office from March 2025 to January 2026, before being sworn in as deputy director.

==Early life and education (1976–1998)== Christopher Gilbert Raia<ref name="MarriageCertificate">{{Cite document |title=Christopher Gilbert Raia in the Indiana, U.S., Marriage Certificates, 1960-2012 |publisher=Marriage Certificates}}</ref> was born on April 17, 1976,<ref>{{Cite document |title=Christopher G Raia in the U.S., Public Records Index, 1950-1993, Volume 1 |publisher=Public Records Index}}</ref> in Illinois.<ref name="MarriageCertificate"/> He attended Michigan City High School in Michigan City, Indiana<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/vidette-messenger-of-porter-county-roger/188539942/ |title=Rogers outslugs Kouts, 12-11 |date=April 28, 1994 |work=Vidette-Messenger of Porter County |access-date=January 9, 2026}}</ref> and the United States Coast Guard Academy.<ref name="TTWFieldOffice">{{Cite web |url=https://ticklethewire.com/fbi-names-new-leaders-of-new-york-and-washington-field-offices/ |title=FBI Names New Leaders of New York and Washington Field Offices |date=April 10, 2025 |last=Neavling |first=Steve |work=Tickle the Wire |access-date=January 9, 2026}}</ref>

==Career== ===United States Coast Guard (1994–2003)=== He graduated from the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in 1998.<ref name= "USCGAA">{{Cite web |url=https://www.cgaalumni.org/s/1043/21/interior.aspx?sid=1043&gid=1&pgid=7966&cid=21513&ecid=21513&crid=0&calpgid=5806&calcid=15042 |title=COCS, PROMOTIONS & HONORS |date=April 2025|work=US Coast Guard Academy Alumni Association |access-date=February 3, 2026}}</ref> He then served in Florida as a United States Coast Guard Lieutenant.<ref name= "USCGAA"/><ref name="NYTimesDirector">{{Cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/09/us/politics/fbi-deputy-director-christopher-raia.html |title=New F.B.I. Deputy Director Chosen After Bongino's Departure |date=January 9, 2026 |last1=Barrett |first1=Devlin |last2=Rashbaum |first2=William |last3=Feuer |first3=Alan |work=The New York Times |access-date=January 9, 2026}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.fbi.gov/news/press-releases/christopher-g-raia-named-assistant-director-in-charge-of-the-new-york-field-office |title=Christopher G. Raia Named Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office |date=April 9, 2025|work=Federal Bureau of Investigation |access-date=January 23, 2026}}</ref>

===FBI Counterterrorism Division (2003–2026)=== In 2003, Raia joined the Federal Bureau of Investigation as a special agent.<ref name="TTWFieldOffice"/> He was an early informant of the 2011 alleged Iran assassination plot by a Drug Enforcement Administration agent.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/houston/article/How-a-plot-to-kill-Saudi-ambassador-goes-from-5997273.php |title=How a plot to kill Saudi ambassador went from fiction to fact |date=January 7, 2015 |last=Schiller |first=Dane |work=Houston Chronicle |access-date=January 9, 2026}}</ref>

Raia was involved in the investigation into the 2025 New Orleans truck attack.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/02/us/new-orleans-terror-truck-attack.html |title=New Orleans Attacker Most Likely Acted Alone, Officials Say |date=January 2, 2025 |last1=Bogel-Burroughs |first1=Nicholas |last2=Taft |first2=Isabelle |last3=Levenson |first3=Michael |work=The New York Times |access-date=January 9, 2026}}</ref> In March 2025, Kash Patel, the director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, fired James Dennehy, the assistant director in charge of the New York City field office. Raia succeeded Dennehy.<ref name="NYTimesDirector"/> He led the prosecution of the pro-Palestinian activist Tarek Bazrouk<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/07/nyregion/nyc-protests-hate-crime-charge-bazrouk.html |title=Man Is Charged With Federal Hate Crimes in Assaults on Jewish Protesters |date=May 7, 2025 |last=Stack |first=Liam |work=The New York Times |access-date=January 9, 2026}}</ref> and the 2025 NBA illegal gambling prosecution.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/live/2025/10/23/nyregion/nba-illegal-gambling-arrests |title=U.S. Charges N.B.A. Coach and Players in Gambling Schemes |date=October 23, 2025 |last1=Nerkar |first1=Santul |last2=Cramer |first2=Maria |last3=Ganguli |first3=Tania |last4=Bromwich |first4=Jonah |work=The New York Times |access-date=January 9, 2026}}</ref>

==Deputy Director of the FBI (2026–present)== In January 2026, ''The New York Times'' reported that Raia had been named as the deputy director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, succeeding Dan Bongino.<ref name="NYTimesDirector"/>

== Personal life== In 2003, Raia married Kristen Mason;<ref name="MarriageCertificate" /> they have three children.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Christopher G. Raia Named Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office |url=https://www.fbi.gov/news/press-releases/christopher-g-raia-named-assistant-director-in-charge-of-the-new-york-field-office |access-date=2026-01-10 |website=Federal Bureau of Investigation |language=en-us}}</ref>

==References== {{Reflist}}

{{FBI Deputy Directors navbox}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Raia, Christopher}} Category:1976 births Category:Federal Bureau of Investigation agents Category:Law enforcement officials from Indiana Category:Living people Category:United States Coast Guard Academy alumni