U.S. Department of Justice
Federal Bureau of Investigation
For Immediate Release Washington, D.C. September 30, 1999 FBI National Press Office
The Federal Bureau of Investigation announced today that it has added the following new subject matters to the Historical Interest, Famous Persons, and Violent Crime categories of its Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Electronic Reading Room:
HISTORICAL INTEREST Bowtie (The Profumo Matter) 1150 pages
Bowtie was the FBI's code name for the case of British War Minister John Profumo and London call girl Christine Keeler, who was also involved with a Soviet Military Attache. Profumo resigned his office in June, 1963, when the relationship was revealed.
FAMOUS PERSONS
Bertolt Brecht 369 pages
1940's internal security investigation of Bertolt Brecht, author and poet, due to his affiliation with Soviet officials and other known communists.
Armand Hammer/Occidental Petroleum 658 pages
Noted entrepreneur and art collector Armand Hammer had extensive import-export dealings with the Soviet Union and personally negotiated with Premier Lenin during the 1920's. He later went into the oil business and became head of the Occidental Petroleum Corporation.
John Steinbeck 94 pages
Although the Pulitzer Prize winning author was never the subject of an FBI investigation, his name came to the FBI's attention on several occasions during the 1940's through 1960's as a result of his association with communist front groups.
J. Edgar Hoover 1662 pages
Official Personnel File of J. Edgar Hoover, Director of the FBI from May 10, 1924, until his death on May 2, 1972.
VIOLENT CRIME
Sam Giancana 186 pages
1960 report from the anti-racketeering investigation of Sam Giancana, Chicago organized crime boss.
There are now a total of 64 subject matters available to the public on this website. These documents are a representative sampling of those in the FOIA Reading Room located at FBI Headquarters. Portions have been blacked out to protect personal privacy, confidential sources, national security, etc., in accordance with the exemption provisions of the FOIA. The FBI plans to add several new subjects to the Electronic Reading Room on a monthly basis.
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