Music1956–1977
Elvis Presley
Most of Elvis's FBI file concerns threats made against him, plus correspondence with the Bureau.
Victim or threat reportRead the guide
Category
Celebrity FBI Files & Famous Public Records
You have probably heard that famous people had FBI files. Famous Files explains what is actually in those records, why the file exists, and what people often get wrong. Browse musicians, Hollywood stars, athletes, writers, political figures, and other public names found in FBI Vault files and historical public records.
27 files
Music1943–1985
Frank Sinatra
One of the largest celebrity files at over 1,200 pages, covering decades of associations and threats.
Unclear or mixedRead the guide
Music1993–2005
Michael Jackson
The released file mostly tracks extortion threats and FBI assistance to local agencies during the abuse investigations.
Mentioned in recordsRead the guide
Hollywood & TV1922–1978
Charlie Chaplin
Chaplin was investigated for alleged Communist ties and under the Mann Act.
InvestigatedRead the guide
Hollywood & TV1940s–1950s
Lucille Ball
Ball's file centers on a 1936 voter-registration card listing her as a Communist.
Background checkRead the guide
Music1969–1970
Jimi Hendrix
A short file tied to a 1969 Toronto drug arrest and routine name-check requests.
Mentioned in recordsRead the guide
Music1992–1996 (direct references); family files extend earlier
Tupac Shakur
Released records focus on threats and an extortion plot against him before his 1996 death.
Victim or threat reportRead the guide
Music1997–2000s
The Notorious B.I.G.
Records relate to the unsolved 1997 murder investigation in Los Angeles.
Victim or threat reportRead the guide
Music1964–1980
The Beatles
Most of the file concerns John Lennon; the band itself appears in connection with tours and threats.
Mentioned in recordsRead the guide
Hollywood & TV1960s–1990s
Elizabeth Taylor
Most entries cover threats, kidnapping plots, and extortion attempts against Taylor and her family.
Victim or threat reportRead the guide
Hollywood & TV1950s–1970s
Sammy Davis Jr.
Includes threats tied to his interracial marriage and reports on his political associations.
Unclear or mixedRead the guide
Hollywood & TV1960s–1970s
Steve McQueen
Records reflect that McQueen was reportedly named on the Manson Family's target list.
Victim or threat reportRead the guide
Political & Historical Figures1956–1968
Martin Luther King Jr.
One of the most extensive FBI surveillance campaigns ever conducted against an American citizen.
InvestigatedRead the guide
Music1971–1975
John Lennon
The FBI and Nixon administration tried to deport Lennon over his anti-war activism and influence on young voters.
InvestigatedRead the guide
Hollywood & TV1955–1962
Marilyn Monroe
The FBI monitored Monroe for suspected Communist ties after her relationship with playwright Arthur Miller.
InvestigatedRead the guide
Political & Historical Figures1932–1955
Albert Einstein
The FBI compiled a 1,427-page file on Einstein, suspecting him of Communist sympathies and possible espionage.
InvestigatedRead the guide
Hollywood & TV1940–1966
Walt Disney
Unlike most celebrities in FBI files, Disney actively worked with the Bureau as an informant during the McCarthy era.
CorrespondenceRead the guide
Athletes & Cultural Figures1964–1971
Muhammad Ali
The FBI monitored Ali over his conversion to the Nation of Islam and his refusal to serve in the Vietnam War.
InvestigatedRead the guide
Writers & Media1942–1961
Ernest Hemingway
The FBI monitored Hemingway for years, contributing to the paranoia that plagued his final years.
InvestigatedRead the guide
Political & Historical Figures1940s–1963
John F. Kennedy
Unlike most figures here, Kennedy does not have a standalone FBI Vault profile page. The primary public records are the JFK Assassination Records Collection at the National Archives, alongside FBI investigative materials from before and after his presidency.
InvestigatedRead the guide
Music1967–1971
Jim Morrison
Morrison's FBI file lists ten arrests and documents the Bureau's concern about his provocative performances.
InvestigatedRead the guide
Music1988–1999
Whitney Houston
Houston's FBI file documents extortion attempts and threatening fan mail, not criminal investigation.
Victim or threat reportRead the guide
Athletes & Cultural Figures1946–1972
Jackie Robinson
The FBI monitored Robinson's civil rights activism and political involvement after his groundbreaking baseball career.
InvestigatedRead the guide
Writers & Media1991
Steve Jobs
Jobs' FBI file is a background check from when he was considered for a presidential appointment.
Background checkRead the guide
Political & Historical Figures1920s–1960s
Helen Keller
The FBI tracked Keller because of her socialist politics, support for birth control, and co-founding of the ACLU.
InvestigatedRead the guide
Music1954–1986
Liberace
Liberace's 400-page FBI file covers a major jewel robbery, extortion attempts to expose his sexuality, and illegal gambling.
Victim or threat reportRead the guide
Hollywood & TV1968–1970s
Andy Warhol
The FBI investigated Warhol over the alleged obscenity of his film Lonesome Cowboys.
InvestigatedRead the guide
How to read these files
FBI files and public records may include verified facts, allegations, third-party claims, redactions, press clippings, public complaints, surveillance notes, or correspondence. A file does not always mean the person was investigated or accused of wrongdoing.
Browse other categories