The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) on Thursday released the background check it conducted on Steve Jobs more than 20 years ago, and like many profiles of the Apple co-founder, it painted him as highly intelligent and driven, but a bit of a jerk.
The FBI was looking into Jobs because he was being considered for a position on then-President George H.W. Bush's Export Council. Agents interviewed at
least three dozen people about Jobs, from family and friends to co-workers and enemies.While the majority of those interviewed acknowledged his intellect and business savvy, they noted that his "reality distortion field" was often in full effect.
"Several individuals questioned Mr. Jobs' honesty stating that Mr. Jobs will twist the truth and distort reality in order to achieve his goals," the 191-page document states.
Several of those interviewed also mentioned the fact that Jobs essentially abandoned his daughter, Lisa Brennan-Jobs, for many years before reconciling years later. They also answered questions about his drug use.
The names of those interviewed were redacted, though it's possible that one individual is engineer Daniel Kottke. The FBI notes that this person, who worked with Jobs at Apple, was bitter about his relationship towards Jobs because he "did not receive any stock." As detailed in a recent Jobs biography by Waler Isaacson, Jobs coldly declined to provide Kottke with any stock despite the role he played in the early days of Apple.
The individual said Jobs was "an honest and trustworthy individual, however, his moral character is questionable."
Another former Apple exec interviewed by the FBI, meanwhile, said that "even though he does not consider Mr. Jobs to be a friend, he possesses the qualities to assume a high level political position [because] honesty and integrity are not required to hold such a position."
Jobs "possesses integrity as long as he gets his way," said another.
Overall, the interviews left the FBI with the impression that Jobs was "strong-willed, stubborn, hardworking, and driven, which is why [those interviewed] believe he is so successful."
As for that drug use, one person noted that "during the late 1960s and early 1970s, Jobs may have experimented with illegal drugs having come from that generation." Jobs himself later confirmed that.
The paperwork, meanwhile, revealed that Jobs was not a Communist, had never been arrested, or been a drug dealer. And while he might have been a visionary, he was not a straight-A student. His GPA at Homestead High School was a 2.65 on a 4.0 scale.
1985 Bomb Threat
The file also includes details about a 1985 bomb threat against Jobs and other Apple execs. In February 1985, a man called Apple's Cupertino offices several times, insisting that he had planted bombs at the homes of Jobs and others. If Apple did not pay a $1 million ransom by 2:30pm that day, the bombs would go off.
The file also includes details about a 1985 bomb threat against Jobs and other Apple execs. In February 1985, a man called Apple's Cupertino offices several times, insisting that he had planted bombs at the homes of Jobs and others. If Apple did not pay a $1 million ransom by 2:30pm that day, the bombs would go off.
The caller said instructions about the drop were in a note under a table at the San Francisco Airport Hilton, but when agents arrived, no note was found. The call was traced to an airport parking lot pay phone and fingerprints were taken, but the caller was not apprehended.
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