The FBI’s investigation of Steve Jobs has finally cracked open

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) today released its file on Apple co-founder Steve Jobs, detailing its investigation into the company’s talismanic leader in 1991 and unearthing some interesting facts.

The FBI started investigating Jobs because he was being considered for a presidential position in the then President George H.W. Bush’s office. Whilst it doesn’t state what job he was to be offered it does note that he would have taken a position in the President’s Export Council.

Gawker grabbed the release and noted some of the interesting snippets, including Jobs’ past drug use and his uncanny ability to invoke his Reality Distortion Field:

Several individuals commented concerning past drug use on the part of Mr. Jobs.

Several individuals questioned Mr. Jobs’ honesty stating that Mr. Jobs will twist the truth and distort reality in order to achieve his goals. They also commented that, in the past, Mr. Jobs was not supportive of [redacted] (the mother of his child born out of wedlock) and their daughter; however, recently has become supportive.

According to the file, Jobs was also the subject of a bomb threat in 1985. It also appears he wasn’t fired from Apple in the same year, he “left a job for other reasons under unfavorable circumstances.”

To be honest, the report doesn’t really paint Jobs in a very favourable light at all, the sources that the FBI used for character assessments noted that he couldn’t be trusted:

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[Redacted] advised that he has been acquainted with Mr. Jobs since [redacted]. He characterized Mr. Jobs as a deceptive individual who who is not completely forthright and honest.

With another adding:

[Redacted] advised that he is no longer friends with Mr. Jobs. He feels bitter toward and alienated by Mr. Jobs based on his association with Mr. Jobs at ACI. He characterized Mr. Jobs as an honest and trustworthy individual; however, his moral character is questionable.

We are guessing that Jobs would have referred the FBI to people that would have taken an oath to portray the Apple co-founder in an honest light. Either Jobs wasn’t aware of what the people thought of him or he wasn’t too perturbed by what they would share.

Two of Jobs’ acquaintances did say he was “strong willed, stubborn, hardworking and driven, which they believe is why he is so successful” — it appears that got that right, given Apple’s huge success and judging by his biography.

The document is 191 pages long, with most of it detailing his personal information and registration. It’s an interesting read. Perhaps not as entertaining at his official biography, but if you have a spare few hours, download a copy and have a look into when Steve Jobs was being considered for a government position.