This week, former Director of the US’s Federal Bureau of Intelligence (FBI), James Comey , was indicted on federal charges in the state of North Carolina after posting a picture of seashells arranged to spell “86 47” on Instagram last May. Prosecutors have accused Comey of threatening US President Donald Trump . Who is James Comey, what are the charges against him, and what does the term “86 47” he used in his post signify? We explain. Comey has been in Trump’s crosshairs since the latter’s first presidential term (2017-21). As FBI Director (2013-17), Comey had led an investigation into whether Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign had colluded with Russia to get Trump elected. Trump fired Comey in May 2017 and since then, Comey has been an outspoken critic of the US President. In May 2025, Comey posted a photo on Instagram with the number “86 47” formed by seashells on a beach. The caption read: “Cool shell formation on my beach walk”.…