In response to a FOIA request filed by Emma Best back in June, the Federal Bureau of Investigation has located close to 22,000 pages of records on Adler Berriman “Barry” Seal, a notorious drug smuggler with ties to the Central Intelligence Agency, whose life was most recently fictionalized in the 2017 film American Made.
The Bureau is asking for $655 in duplication fees for the release of the files, and owing to their historical importance, Best has opened the request up for crowdfunding.
As Best summarizes:
Barry Seal, a pilot and major smuggler for the Medellin cartel, became a DEA informant before being assassinated on the orders of Pablo Escobar in 1986. In 1988, House Judiciary Committee testimony revealed that Seal took part in a sting operation in which CIA installed cameras on his plane, allowing him to photograph Escobar and other members of the Medellin Cartel load large amounts of cocaine for transportation with the help of the Sandinista Minister of the Interior. These photographs were used by President Reagan as part of his effort to raise support for the Contras.
The FBI’s found 21,826 pages of records on Seal, whose life touched on some of the most significant narcotics cases – and one of the biggest political scandals – of the 20th century.
Every dollar raised helps release dozens of pages, so even a small donation helps. Contribute below, or via the request page.
Image via Pajiba
