FBI File on Steve Jobs: Reality Distortion, Sculley Fight and More

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has posted a 191-page file on its website concerning the background investigation of the founder of Apple, Steve Jobs.

Jobs was being considered for a presidential appointment to the President's Export Council of George Bush Sr. in 1991.

The document opens with several pages of personal information including Jobs' residences, employers and social security number. After initial biographical information, the document specifies the purpose of the investigation. Here's what it says:

The Bureau has been requested to conduct an expedite background investigation of the above-captioned subject, who is being considered for presidential appointment. You are requested to check appropriate indices based upon available information covering subject, employment, and all close relatives. It is requested that the results of your check, whether positive or negative, be indicated in the spaces below, and relayed to the special inquiry unit [REDACTED] ..., via routing slip marked 'urgent.'

The background check reveals several facts about Jobs' life including the fact that he was the subject of a bomb threat in 1985. It also specifies that the failure of the LISA computer was not intentional, and that the class action suit brought against Apple because of a failed product is fairly common in Silicon Valley.

An FBI source, whose name is redacted in the file, told the FBI, the company and Jobs acted in good faith and were not able to predict what would happen after the LISA was introduced.

In other interviews, all contained in the 191-page document, Jobs was portrayed as a manipulative person. On page 38 of the document, the FBI wrote:

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 more supportive.

The document goes into detail about Jobs departure from Apple Computers, Inc., citing differences in management style and philosophy between himself and [REDACTED] of the company. This is presumably John Sculley, whose stressed relationship with Jobs is chronicled in the Steve Jobs biography written by Walter Isaacson.

There are several instances in the document where Jobs is considered to be of good moral character and good character and integrity. Many of the subjects interviewed said that they could recommend Jobs as a government employee in good faith.

We're still trudging through this lengthy document, but as far as we can tell, this is extremely similar to the Walter Isaacson biography of Jobs. The FBI even went as far as gathering information about Jobs' reality distortion field. The fight with Sculley and the lack of support for his daughter Lisa are all things most Jobs fans have read about before.