Jerry Falwell Jr. is accusing his critics of engaging in a 'criminal conspiracy' against him

Liberty University President Jerry Falwell Jr. is not happy.

Falwell told The Hill on Tuesday that he is now sharing information with the FBI, alleging a "criminal conspiracy" was orchestrated against him by former board members of the conservative, evangelical university. He said his former colleagues stole emails that were school property and shared them with reporters in an effort to damage his reputation and wrest control of the university from him.

The accusations come just a day after Politico published a sweeping story filled with anonymous sources, at least one whom used a burner phone to communicate, who said they were uncomfortable with some of Falwell's real estate ventures and workplace behavior. The story cited the internal emails Falwell and his attorneys alleged were stolen.

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In the piece, the employees and board members told Politico that Falwell had instilled a culture of fear on campus that even seeped into the town of Lynchburg, Virginia, where the school is located. Those who spoke to Politico anonymously did so out of fear of retribution, which — in light of Falwell allegedly getting the FBI to investigate his critics — looks like it may have been a smart move. Read more at Politico and The Hill.