The FBI is known for uncovering large criminal networks, solving some of the most challenging cases in the world, and protecting America’s national security. But what about their own deep, dark secrets? Not all of the FBI’s agendas are good, and not all of their operations reach the public eye, so here are 15 secrets that the FBI keeps tucked behind its curtain.
Family Trees Could Jeopardize Your Privacy
Just because you wanted to know who was part of your family tree, you might’ve just given over your DNA to the FBI. Many genealogy services can be used by the FBI if they’re looking for a murderer and suspect his DNA could be among the records of a specific company. But just because they can use it for good doesn’t mean it’ll always stay that way.
FBI Employees Aren’t Above The Law
FBI agents aren’t above the law and can still rack up serious legal trouble if they step out of line. There have been many cases of FBI employees dabbling in illegal activities, whether that be drugs or prostitution. The worst part is that some agents have security clearances, meaning that the FBI could’ve missed something about an employee and unknowingly sent someone with prior misconduct to serve the public.
They’ll Know If You’re Lying
Polygraph tests might be accurate, but normal FBI agents are known to be able to detect a liar without any equipment. Agents are taught many psychological methods, interrogation tactics, and body language cues to detect if you’re lying. Their analysis is deep, and their perception is masterful, so there’s no use in lying because they’ll eventually find out what you’ve been hiding.
ESP Investigations
The FBI considered ESP (extra-sensory perception) an alternate gateway for international spying. Their main worry was that these methods could be used to create more advanced spying techniques that even they couldn’t accurately identify. These concerns were later dismissed after studying ESP, but we don’t know if their conclusion is merely just a smokescreen to stop others from delving into ESP.
Ruby Slippers Took Them Decades To Find
One pair of ruby slippers worn by Dorothy in “The Wizard of Oz” (there are around four pairs in existence) was stolen in 2005. It took the FBI over 10 years to locate and retrieve these ruby slippers, and they even formed task forces and sent out massive operations to retrieve the pair successfully. We don’t know why the FBI looked so diligently for the slippers, but many theories have been thrown around about them in the past.
Ronald Reagan Was an Agent
While serving as the president of the United States, Reagan also served as the Screen Actors Guild’s leader. This gave him influence in almost all of the acting world in America, which the FBI exploited for national security. Since they were fiercely against Communism, the FBI used Reagan to provide names of actors they believed might be Communist sympathizers, which allowed them to secretly blacklist or investigate these individuals.
John Lennon Was a Suspect
In the 60s and 70s, America was all for war, as its military might trumped any nation out there. In turn, the anti-war sentiment grew, especially among influential people like Elton John. He became a suspect of the FBI after releasing anti-war songs, which the FBI thought were deeply unpatriotic, and thus they began investigating him. In the end, nothing of value arose, but this was just one way the FBI tried to hush public anti-war sentiments.
Going Digital Took Longer Than Expected
The FBI may be renowned as one of the world’s top intelligence agencies, but they were still late to the digital age. The FBI used its outdated systems up to 2012, which included mainly paper files and fax machines. Luckily, their massive budget made it possible to switch over to digital, but only after 3 years of coding problems and more than $450 million spent.
FBI’s Most Wanted Go for Distinctive Looks
Although there are many criminals on the FBI’s most wanted list, have you ever wondered why most criminals stand out? The FBI purposefully put the most memorable thugs on the cover of their most wanted lists—those with distinctive looks, tattoos, jewelry, and anyone who stands out in a crowd. Not only does this help the average person easily identify them, but it also means the criminal won’t be able to hide in plain sight.
They Have Your Fingerprints
You don’t have to do much for the FBI to get hold of your fingerprints. Most of us have licenses, some have served in the military, and others have bought a gun. Little did you know that all these ways of giving your fingerprints away might result in them landing in the FBI’s files. With the FBI’s system currently holding hundreds of millions of fingerprints, yours can be among them.
Agents Can Have a Past History With Recreational Drugs
Although the FBI once had a strong dislike of recreational drugs, many recruiters are seeing less and less issue with past recreational drug use. One of the most common drugs is marijuana, which many agents openly admitted to using in the past. Remember, FBI agents still have to pass screenings, adhere to guidelines, and take care not to be irresponsible, so if they can show their past drug use doesn’t affect them anymore, there’s little to worry about.
The Song ‘Louie Louie’ Was Investigated for a Year
The FBI spent over a year investigating the song “Louie Louie” by The Kingsmen. The FBI probed the song for obscenity, as they worried that the lyrics might contain sexual content that was too explicit for the public. After the investigation and countless failed audio analyses, they dropped the case and determined the lyrics were too intelligible to accurately condemn.
Walt Disney Served as an Informant
Walt Disney served as an informant for the FBI for more than 25 years. Much like Ronald Reagan, Walt Disney provided information on suspected Communists within the ranks of Hollywood or anything that wasn’t American enough. He masterfully blended his entertainment career with that of an informant and maintained a good relationship with the FBI until his death.
They Don’t Get Along With The CIA
Although both departments are working toward better national security, they don’t always see eye to eye. In fact, due to miscommunication—especially during 9/11—and many clashes in investigations, the two departments can’t seem to work well together. The egos of those in both departments often cloud the main mission, which can be dangerous to the entire nation’s security.
You Can Read Your FBI File Online
You can easily pull up your, and many other people’s, FBI files online. Many celebrities like Marilyn Monroe and Steve Jobs also have profiles in the FBI’s archive, so you might as well request your file if you want to see what has been collected about you. But remember, this might not be all the information the government has on you, so it might only be that they’re willing to share this much before they give too many secrets away.
