Early Origins and Name Changes (1908–1935)

Creation

Attorney General Bonaparte hired an initial group of 34 investigators—including some former Secret Service agents—after Congress prohibited the Department of Justice from borrowing Secret Service personnel

Early Focus

Agents initially investigated antitrust violations, land fraud, white-collar crimes, and enforced the Mann Act (prohibiting the transport of women for immoral purposes).

Evolution

The agency became the Bureau of Investigation in 1909, was renamed the Division of Investigation in 1933, and officially adopted the name Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in 1935.