The CIA is known for its secrecy, meaning the public often knows far less about its operations than they might assume. Since its establishment in 1947 , the Central Intelligence Agency has carried out missions in complete confidentiality, relying on its agents' ability to work undercover. However, leaks and whistleblowers have, at times, exposed brief glimpses of its covert activities.
Now, let’s take a closer look at some of the CIA’s most closely guarded secrets.
The CIA spent $20 million on Operation Acoustic Kitty
In the 1960s, the CIA undertook a peculiar mission: using cats to listen in on critical conversations. Yes, you read that correctly— cats . To clarify, it was just one feline involved before the project was scrapped, but that doesn’t make the concept any less strange.
During a one-hour procedure, the CIA implanted a microphone, transmitter, and antenna wire inside the cat, intending for it to complete its task without arousing suspicion. However, the mission faced major challenges, mostly related to the animal’s training—or the lack thereof. The cat often disregarded its mission, choosing to follow its natural instincts instead.
Called Operation Acoustic Kitty, the initiative was officially terminated in 1967, but not before the CIA had already spent $20 million learning what most people already knew: cats will always do as they please.
The only Starbucks where you don't need to give your name
CIA agents work long hours, so it's not surprising that the agency's headquarters in Langley, Virginia, has its own Starbucks. But this Starbucks is different than the average franchise you find in other places.
The staff here are trained to identify faces instead of using names, and they go through much tougher security checks than the average Starbucks employee.
Agents' names are kept on a secret memorial
Many people may not realize that the CIA has a memorial dedicated to agents who have died in the line of duty. Located at the agency’s headquarters in Langley, Virginia, the memorial features a star for each fallen agent, with a new one added for every loss. Currently, there are 140 stars on the memorial.
Interestingly, many of these stars are not accompanied by names, preserving the secrecy of the agents even after their deaths.
Using popular music for... torture?
The CIA and its agents are certainly no strangers to weird and controversial activities related to torture. Out of the methods we know about, the strangest is arguably the use of popular music. What's more, it's not just one type of music that's used.
According to a report dubbed Out of the Darkness , songs by Irish pop group Westlife was used to torture a man at a "black site." Another report , this time by Human Rights Watch, also detailed the use of songs by rappers Eminem and Dr. Dre, with it having also been reported that music from the Red Hot Chili Peppers has also been played.
The latter's music features heavy guitar riffs, which are said to cause distress among those held captive.
Is the CIA to blame for the Unabomber?
Ted Kaczynski, infamously known as the Unabomber, stands as one of America's most notorious criminals . During the 1970s and 1980s, he mailed homemade bombs across the country, instilling widespread fear until his eventual capture in the 1990s.
One fascinating element of Kaczynski's background is his involvement in a CIA-funded study during his sophomore year at Harvard. In this study, undergraduate students were instructed to articulate their personal beliefs and write essays, which were then analyzed by an anonymous reviewer while their physiological reactions were closely monitored.
Ted's brother, David Kaczynski, has speculated that this experience may have influenced his later criminal behavior.
The CIA only confirmed Area 51's existence in 2013
The infamous secretive military facility known as Area 51 has captivated conspiracy theorists for decades, though its existence wasn't officially acknowledged until 2013. Over the years, speculation ran rampant that the site served as a central hub for studying and storing extraterrestrial life and advanced alien technology.
To the dismay of many worldwide, the official disclosure revealed the base to be nothing more than a testing ground for classified military aircraft and aerial systems. In 2019, the CIA may have second-guessed acknowledging its existence when over two million people jokingly planned to Naruto -run into the facility to "free the aliens," creating a nationwide security concern.
The CIA may have hired Saddam Hussein
Some people think the CIA hired Saddam Hussein in the 1950s, hoping to eventually make him the leader of Iraq. Back then, the U.S. government was concerned that Iraq's Prime Minister, 'Abd al-Karīm Qāsim, might support Communist ideas, and they wanted to remove him from power to prevent that.
United Press International reported this story after speaking with former diplomats, U.S. intelligence officials, and scholars. Notably, the CIA declined to comment on the matter.
Giving unsuspecting individuals illicit substances
The CIA has a well-known history with the hallucinogenic substance LSD (think Project MKUltra ). The agency is also known for its interest in the human mind and for setting out to see if someone could actually be mind-controlled. It merged the two in the 1950s to form a project codenamed "Operation Midnight Climax."
To witness its effects of LSD without directly acting illegally, the agency hired female street workers in San Francisco, California, to administer the substance for them . The women would bring unsuspecting male customers back to safe houses, where they'd secretly dispense the substance to the victim, before engaging in their activities. To observe the effects, each location had mirrors that agents could watch through.
As could be expected, the operation had serious ethical issues, with the CIA ultimately abandoning this avenue of research in 1963.
Using Viagra as a bargaining chip
In exchange for information, the CIA has a long list of payment methods that can be used as an alternative to money. An example of this comes from the Vietnam War , when Vietnamese farmers hired by the agency were paid in tools, rather than money, as the items were of more use.
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Another notable example occurred during the War in Afghanistan, with agents offering an Afghan chieftain Viagra in exchange for information on Taliban activities in the region. This was a much safer option than money and weapons, as the latter could fall into the wrong hands.