12 Famous People The FBI Kept Files On

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12 Famous People The FBI Kept Files On

The FBI is under scrutiny with its recent search on the Trump estate, with right-wing extremist Marjorie Taylor Greene calling to defund them.  This inspired us to take a look back on the times the FBI investigated other notable public figures.

The FBI has a public record of declassified files. Some of the FBI files of public figures, like Elvis or Betty White, include primarily attempts to steal from or extort them, meaning the FBI saw them as the victims. But some files, are truly strange. The most shocking ones are from under J. Edgar Hoover’s COINTELPRO, which was only exposed to the public after activists broke in and stole documents. The illegal program targeted feminist, anti-Vietnam, independence, Indigenous, environmental, and civil rights organizations and even armed a right-wing militia against Anti-War activists.

From using a photo that wasn't even John Lennon in Lennon's file to confusing KISS with The Who, we don’t have much faith that the FBI could be capable of what so many conspiracy theorists dream of. (Not to mention, the institution has an undeniable conservative bias, tracing back to its inception.) But, hey, they almost managed to pull off COINTELPRO without the mainstream media realizing it, and this is only the redacted, declassified information.

John Lennon

CRACKED.COM THE FBI HAD FILES ON... JOHN LENNON The FBI started a file in 1971 when the former Beatle traveled to New York on a visa to meet up with anti-war activists. The FBI proposed that Lennon should be arrested, if at all possible, on possession of narcotics charges which would make him more immediately deportable. The file includes a wanted poster for Lennon, but, despite having one of the most famous faces, they used a photo of another guy who had similar glasses.

Source: NPR

The Monkees

GRAGKED.COM THE FBI KEPT FILES ON... THE MONKEES The FBI started a file on the made-for-TV pop group in 1967 after they showed pictures and messages protesting Vietnam during a concert. There's a second document that's fully redacted that the last living member of the group is filing a lawsuit in order to see.

Source: CNN

The Grateful Dead

GRAGKED.COM THE FBI KEPT FILES ON... THE GRATEFUL DEAD The FBI files are pretty well-redacted but accuse the rock group of some sort of selling LSD in 1984.

Source: FBI Vault

Jackie Robinson

GRAGKED.COM THE FBI KEPT FILES ON... JACKIE ROBINSON The baseball legend's files include his work for the civil rights movement and supposed potential Communist ties (that he publicly denounced).

Source: FBI Vault

Aretha Franklin

CRACKED.COM THE FBI KEPT FILES ON... ARETHA FRANKLIN The FBI spent years surveilling Franklin's involvement in the civil rights movement. The Queen of Soul performed and attended events organized by the NAACP and SCLC. Her father C.L. Franklin, a close friend of Martin Luther King, Jr., was also closely monitored.

Source: NPR

Lucille Ball

GRAGKED.COM THE FBI KEPT FILES ON... LUCILLE BALL The FBI had a 156-page file on the comedian. In 1936, she registered as a Communist Party member. During Hollywood's Red Scare, this haunted her career.

Source: FBI Vault

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