15 Messed Up Facts You Didn’t Know About The Lindbergh Kidnapping

5. Lindbergh’s Fame Immediately Brought Incredible Attention To The Case

Left without any hardcore evidence that could help track down his child’s kidnappers, Charles Lindbergh began using his considerable influence to find whatever information possible that might help his son safely come home. In addition to New Jersey police, including famed general Norman Schwarzkopf, Sr. and several other notable war heroes at the time, Lindbergh also had the aid of supporters worldwide writing supportive letters to local newspapers. Though kidnapping was then considered a local crime, Lindbergh’s notoriety attracted the attention of J. Edgar Hoover and the Bureau of Investigation, which would officially evolve into the FBI before the case was closed. Presidents Hoover and Roosevelt also both took personal interest in finding Lindbergh’s kidnapper, all because they, along with the whole world, could sympathize with the terror of losing a child. In the aftermath of the subsequent trial, the “Lindbergh Law” was passed, making kidnapping a federal crime, ensuring this treatment wouldn’t just be given to celebrities.

6. There Were Suspected Ties To The Mob From The Start

This is where things start getting a little weird. For reasons that aren’t entirely clear, from the very beginning, Charles Lindbergh and his associates believed the mafia was somehow responsible for his child’s disappearance. Lindbergh asked two speakeasy owners to ask around for information, a request that was soon granted by pretty much everyone in the organized crime world. There was a catch, however, in that none of them actually knew anything, and were most likely just pretending, so authorities would cut them slack on earlier crimes. For example, infamous gangster Al Capone wrote a letter from his Chicago prison cell stating the full forces of his crime family would help the Lindberghs find their baby… with the small favor of his unconditional release from jail being all he wanted in return. Knowing how gangsters operate, lying and trickery are hardly surprising behaviors, but it hasn’t stopped conspiracy theorists from believing the mob was genuinely in on it all along.