Thursday, September 30, 2010

EP & OPFOPEN - A House of Cards?

UPDATE (11-11-10):  At some point I hope to post a full analysis and commentary on the OPFOPEN case based on my discussions with the retired FBI agent who initiated and worked undercover on the case.  For now, however, there are several key pieces of information to consider, all of which come straight from this FBI agent:

1.  Elvis Presley was not involved in any way with OPFOPEN.  In fact, Elvis never knew about OPFOPEN.

2.  Vernon Presley did not know about OPFOPEN until after Elvis's death on August 16, 1977, which means that while Elvis was alive, neither Vernon nor Elvis knew of this active FBI investigation.

3.  Elvis Presley's life was never in danger due to the OPFOPEN case, nor was he threatened by anyone involved in this case.

These three points are critical in evaluating the many claims pertaining to Elvis's alleged (mythical) role in federal law enforcement, especially in the last year or so of his life. 

9/30/10:  Elvis fans for years have suggested Elvis was actively involved in the FBI's OPFOPEN case—an acronym for the FBI’s international undercover case called, “Operation Fountain Pen”—and in 1977 he was in fear for his life. The claims, stories, and myths are numerous and the tales of intrigue never-ending.

But is the story true?  Did Elvis help Bureau undercover agents pursue certain Organized Crime and White-Collar-Crime figures determined to use “offshore banks” and “bogus” securities to bring about economic havoc here, in the United States, and abroad?  Was Elvis working behind the scenes on the JetStar deal gone awry?  Speaking with the retired FBI agent who initiated and worked undercover on the OPFOPEN case, the short answer is "No."  But, he said, there are details Elvis fans might be interested in learning.