PH II 12.13.24

Dear FOIA Officer:

You are receiving this correspondence as a request under the Freedom of Information Act, 5 U.S.C. subsection 552. I am requesting the following:

Copies of all Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) records, documents, and communications responsive to Pieter van der Hurk, aka Peter Hurkos (May 21, 1911 – June 1, 1988). Mr. Hurkos was a Dutch immigrant and psychic who maintained a public profile between the years of 1956 and 1988. During this period, he claimed to have extrasensory perception and that he used this ability to assist law enforcement on cases ranging from the arrest of Albert DeSalvo, aka the Boston Strangler, to Charles Manson. Mr. Hurkos was himself arrested by the FBI on February 9, 1964, for impersonation of an FBI agent; he was found guilty and fined $1,000.

Proof of death is not required as Mr. Hurkos's date of birth was over 100 years ago.

I am asking you waive any fees associated with this request. I am a member of the news media. My bylines, which include Unicorn Riot, Covert Action Magazine, and the Geopolitical Economy Report, can be found in both print and electronic publications, and I am sending this request in coordination with Muckrock, an award-winning and nationally-recognized news organization. Please take note of the Office of Management and Budget guidelines published March 27, 1987 (52 FR 10012) that include electronic publications and other nontraditional publishers as representatives of the news media.

A fee waiver is appropriate in situations where "disclosure of the requested information is in the public interest because it is likely to contribute significantly to public understanding of the operations and activities of the government, and is not primarily in the commercial interest of the requester,” 5 U.S.C. § 552(a)(4)(iii). As noted above, Mr. Hurkos was a public figure arrested for impersonating a federal agent. Records pertaining to this investigation and the government's handling of it, along with any of Mr. Hurkos's other activities, would be of public interest.

This request is not being made for commercial purposes.

All documents will be provided to the general public without charge.

In the event that there are fees, I am willing to pay up to $100. I would prefer the request filled electronically, by e-mail attachment if available or CD-ROM if not.

I look forward to your response within 20 working days, as the statute requires. If access to the records I am requesting will take longer, please contact me with information about when I might expect copies or the ability to inspect the requested records.

If you deny any or all of this request, please cite each specific exemption you feel justifies the refusal to release the information and notify me of the appeal procedures available to me under the law.

Sincerely,

Robert Skvarla, Jr.

To Whom It May Concern:

I recently received correspondence, attached, in response to FOIPA request 1655020-000, for records pertaining to Pieter van der Hurk, aka Peter Hurkos (May 21, 1911 – June 1, 1988). The correspondence states that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is turning over some, but not all, material responsive to my request, and directed me to follow up at this email address if the released records did not satisfy my request.

Please consider this communication confirmation of my intention to continue with this FOIPA request. I am still very much interested in obtaining all FBI records pertaining to the Mr. Hurkos.

Thank you for your guidance through the FOIPA process.

Best,
Robert Skvarla, Jr.

Good morning,

I am willing to reduce the scope of this request. Please process all subsequent releases under the small processing track.

Thank you for your guidance through the FOIPA process.

Sincerely,

Robert Skvarla, Jr.