The CIA Gave a Crime Boss Daily Doses of LSD for a Year in a Mind-Control Experiment

In a dark chapter of American history, the CIA embarked on a series of mind-bending experiments known as MK-ULTRA, aiming to transform mind control into a weapon. This covert program, which unfolded during the 1950s and 60s, involved a range of unethical experiments designed to manipulate human behavior through drugs.

While the idea of CIA mind control might sound like something straight out of a conspiracy theory, the agency was indeed serious about making it a reality. Stephen Kinzer, a journalist who dedicated years to investigating MK-ULTRA, highlighted the work of chemist Sidney Gottlieb. Gottlieb was at the forefront of these experiments, subjecting individuals to a variety of methods, including electroshock therapy, psychological torture, and, notably, the administration of mind-altering drugs.

According to Kinzer, Gottlieb's goal was to seize control of people's minds, which he believed required a two-step process. "First, you had to blast away the existing mind. Second, you had to find a way to insert a new mind into that resulting void," Kinzer explained. While the CIA made little progress on the second part, they certainly made strides in the first.

The subjects of MK-ULTRA were a mixed bag. Some were unwitting patients who had no idea they were being dosed with drugs that would alter their mental state, while others were prisoners who were misled into believing they were participating in legitimate medical trials. Among these prisoners was none other than James Joseph Bulger Jr., better known as 'Whitey Bulger'. In 1956, Bulger was incarcerated for armed robbery and hijacking a truck.

Bulger, along with 18 other inmates, volunteered for an experiment that was presented as an effort to find a cure for schizophrenia. In exchange for their participation, they were promised reduced sentences. However, it quickly became clear to Bulger that the daily doses of LSD he was receiving were not aimed at curing any mental illness.

Instead, the experiments were designed to investigate the long-term effects of LSD on individuals. Bulger later recounted the harrowing experience, describing how he felt as if he was losing his sanity. He developed a "morbid fear of LSD," convinced that further use of the drug would push him over the edge. He characterized the ordeal as "nightmarish," taking him "to the depths of insanity."

Having signed up for the experiment in hopes of reducing his prison time, Bulger soon found himself trapped in a nightmare. He feared that discussing the full impact of the experiments would lead to his permanent commitment to a mental institution. He was particularly concerned that if he mentioned hearing voices or the other psychological tolls the drugs were taking on him, he would be "committed forever." In a chilling comparison, he likened the doctor overseeing the LSD program to "a modern-day Dr. Mengele."

After his release from prison, Bulger would go on to become a notorious crime boss, later turning informant for the FBI. His life took a dramatic turn as he spent 16 years on the run before being apprehended at the age of 81 in 2011. He faced trial for 19 counts of murder, along with charges of racketeering, extortion, narcotics distribution, and conspiracy to commit money laundering.

As for Gottlieb, he eventually concluded that mind control was an unattainable goal. He shifted his focus from secretly drugging individuals to developing poisons and gadgets that CIA agents could utilize in the field. The legacy of MK-ULTRA remains a haunting reminder of the lengths to which the CIA was willing to go in the name of national security, leaving a trail of damaged lives in its wake.