A look at the most infamous cases handled by the FBI

The work being done by the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation has gained much attention in both news and pop culture throughout the many years since its founding. Many documentaries, TV series, and movies have lauded, romanticized, and followed the many gritty cases the FBI has pursued. Let’s list down some of the most notorious and infamous of these elaborate cases and mysteries.

Among the many cases the FBI has handled since its inception, the kidnapping of famous aviator Charles Lindbergh’s son in 1932 stands out. The family received a series of ransom notes which Charles and his wife readily complied with. Sadly, the decomposed body of the boy was found by May of the same year, just a few miles away from the pilot’s home. The FBI did succeed in apprehending the criminal, carpenter Bruno Richard Hauptmann, who was eventually executed via the electric chair.

Another particularly well-documented case is that of Al Capone. Although Capone would eventually be arrested by the FBI for tax evasion, by then the gangster had already unleashed horrific crimes in Chicago including the grim Valentine’s Day massacre of 1929.

The case of another gangster named Machine Gun Kelly likewise gained national attention, when the machinegun-toting Memphis native kidnapped oil magnate Charles F. Urschel in 1933. This case was of particular significance to the career of J. Edgar Hoover, as having solved it would contribute to and catapult him to the position of FBI director. Kelly was placed in Alcatraz following the guilty verdict and died in prison in 1954.

Ada, Quirk is a law enforcement veteran with expertise in several fields. He regularly volunteers at Circles of Support, where he helps people coming out of prison find gainful employment and meet needs such as housing, clothing, and transportation. More on Adam’s work and advocacies here.