9 Startling Facts About the FBI Most of Us Didn’t Know Were True

Founded in 1908, the Federal Bureau of Investigation has stood the test of time, dealing with all kinds of criminals. It has long been featured in popular culture, which is where most people see an edited version of what really goes on. From owning their own Bitcoin wallet to investigating Borat to experimenting with extrasensory perception, the FBI has truths that are actually far more broad, diverse, and intriguing than we could’ve imagined.

Bright Side has gathered some interesting facts and stories about the FBI that you might find surprising.

They investigated Borat.

Actor Sacha Baron Cohen had a team of FBI agents tracking his movements following a multitude of complaints when he was filming Borat in the United States. People complained about a “strange, mustached man traveling in an ice-cream van”.

The FBI keeps an eye on the Burning Man festival.

The FBI keeps tabs on the Burning Man festival in Nevada. They admitted to having investigated the counterculture festival in 2010.

They have a Bitcoin wallet

With the rise of cryptocurrency, and its added anonymity being exploited, the FBI has a Bitcoin wallet that contains seized Bitcoins. When Silk Road was shut-down in 2013, they seized 144,000 Bitcoins, but subsequently auctioned them off prior to the surge in worth we’ve seen in recent times. They’re probably kicking themselves now.

Until 2012, the FBI still used paper filing systems.

Until 2012, the FBI was still using paper filing systems. A failed attempt to implement their Virtual Case File system cost taxpayers over $100 million. A new system, code-named “Sentinel,” became active on July 1, 2012.

Napoleon Bonaparte’s great-nephew founded the Bureau.

In 1908, Charles Joseph Bonaparte established what was then known as the Bureau of Investigation, which was renamed the FBI in 1935. He was a U.S. Secretary of the Navy and later a U.S. Attorney General. Interestingly, he was the great-nephew of French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte.

There were only 3 female agents for 50 years.

In 1922, Alaska Davidson (pictured) became the first female special agent in the FBI. Only 2 other women became agents in the 20s, and under pressure from J. Edgar Hoover they all resigned. The FBI didn’t have any female agents again until the end of Hoover’s directorship in 1972.

Their state-of-the-art laboratory began in a single room.

The FBI Laboratory in Quantico, now one of the largest and most comprehensive crime labs in the world, began as a one-man operation in a single room consisting of a microscope, a wiretapping kit, and basic handwriting and evidence analysis tools.

“Cover your webcam”, says James Comey

Ex-director, James Comey said he covers his webcam and recommends everyone do the same to protect their privacy.

Walt Disney once became an FBI informant.

Bonus: Hollywood vs Real Life

FBI agents are often portrayed in movies and TV shows as having exciting, dangerous, and unpredictable lives. While this may be true at times, the reality is not quite as glamorous as Hollywood would like us to believe. Agents work extremely hard to crack cases and keep the worst of the worst off the streets. The FBI recognizes the importance of a work-life balance and offers part-time positions to give their agents time to recuperate.

Which fact about the FBI did you find the most interesting? Have you heard of any others? Please let us know in the comments below.