FBI eases background rules on prostitution, theft and past bestiality cases

The FBI announced a softening of its background-screening rules, removing automatic bans for candidates who admit to hiring sex workers, stealing from an employer, or having engaged in bestiality as minors. The new guidance, circulated in a June 16 internal memo, permits applicants who hired prostitutes fewer than three times and not within the past ten years, and those whose theft took place more than three years ago, to proceed in the hiring process.

Bestiality incidents that occurred before the individual turned 18 are also no longer categorical disqualifiers, though the agency will still probe the circumstances during polygraph interviews. The policy shift comes as the bureau grapples with the loss of over a thousand special agents in 2025 and a broader recruiting crunch. Former FBI agent James Davidson and attorney Mark Zaid argue the relaxations signal a shrinking talent pool and raise concerns about future agents’ susceptibility to blackmail. FBI Director Kash Patel has defended the revisions as part of a larger effort to modernize hiring standards without lowering overall suitability.