Al Capone FBI File: What's Actually in the Declassified Records

In 1929 Capone failed to appear before a federal grand jury in Chicago, claiming he was too ill to travel. Investigators established that he had been seen at racetracks, on trips, and in public during the period he claimed to be bedridden. That work produced a contempt-of-court conviction. Separately, Treasury agents built the tax evasion case that led to his 1931 conviction and an eleven-year sentence. The file also tracks his imprisonment at Atlanta and Alcatraz, his declining health, and his release in 1939. Reading the file is a useful corrective to the movie version: the federal government put Capone away with paperwork, not shootouts.

• ▸Investigative reports on Capone's failure to appear before a federal grand jury in 1929 and the evidence that he was not actually ill
• ▸Surveillance notes on his movements, travel, and public appearances
• ▸Records concerning his 1931 tax evasion conviction and sentencing
• ▸Prison-related correspondence covering his time in Atlanta and at Alcatraz
• ▸Material on his 1939 release and deteriorating health
• ▸Correspondence and clippings reflecting the enormous press interest in the case

• ✗"The FBI took down Capone." The tax case that convicted him was built mainly by Treasury investigators, not the Bureau.
• ✗"Capone was convicted of murder or bootlegging." He was convicted of tax evasion and contempt of court — never of the violence he is famous for.
• ✗"Eliot Ness's team is the story in the file." The Untouchables worked Prohibition enforcement under a different agency; the federal file reads far more like an accounting case.

1. 1929
   Capone fails to appear before a federal grand jury, claiming illness; investigators document his public activity.
2. 1931
   Convicted of tax evasion and sentenced to eleven years in federal prison.
3. 1934
   Transferred to Alcatraz, where his health continues to decline.
4. 1939
   Released from federal custody; he dies in 1947.

Was Al Capone investigated by the FBI?

Yes. The Bureau of Investigation ran a contempt-of-court case against him, though Treasury built the tax evasion prosecution.

What was Al Capone actually convicted of?

Contempt of court and federal tax evasion — not murder, racketeering, or bootlegging.

Does the file cover the St. Valentine's Day Massacre?

The massacre was a local Chicago matter; the federal file focuses on the contempt and tax questions, not that case.

Where can I read Al Capone's file?

The records are published in the FBI Vault, linked from this page.

Always consult the primary source. Public records may include redactions, allegations, and unverified informant claims.

Note: FBI Vault document previews sometimes fail to load. If the preview is stuck, use the “Download PDF” button on the FBI page.