The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is the principal investigative agency of the U.S. federal government. As a component of the Department of Justice, it reports to both the Attorney General and the Director of National Intelligence. The FBI acts as a domestic intelligence and security service and a federal law enforcement agency. Its mission is to protect the American people and uphold the Constitution. The FBI has jurisdiction over violations of more than 200 categories of federal crimes.
The FBI was established on July 26, 1908, originally as the Bureau of Investigation (BOI). It was formed under Attorney General Charles Bonaparte during Theodore Roosevelt's presidency. In 1935, its name was changed to the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The FBI is headed by a Director, appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate, serving a term not to exceed 10 years. The current Director is Kash Patel, who was sworn in on February 21, 2025. The FBI has over 37,100 employees, including approximately 13,700 special agents and 20,100 professionals.
Recent news includes the FBI's involvement in investigating a drug trafficking conspiracy in the Mississippi Delta, a car crash into a Nevada substation, and a accounting fraud scheme involving executives of Mobileum, Inc. The FBI is also seeking information about Stefanie Damron, who was last seen on September 23, 2024, in New Sweden, Maine. The agency maintains a list of its top 10 most wanted fugitives and has recently added Cindy Rodriguez Singh and Giovanni Vicente Mosquera Serrano to the list.