Answer ยท confidence: thin
Where were CIA money records from early 1970s kept, and were any moved?
Research question: What do federal records schedules and National Archives accession records show about where CIA financial files from the early 1970s were stored, and were any of them transferred to another repository?
The verified facts do not specifically address CIA financial files from the early 1970s, so no direct answer about their storage location or transfer is available 1. The general practice described is that many CIA records were stored by higher Government agencies at the Washington National Records Center and remained the depositing agency's property until offered to the National Archives 7. The CIA says it sends its records to its own Agency Archives and Records Center rather than to Federal Records Centers 3, and it has not transferred inactive temporary analog records to another facility because it has found no center meeting its security and recall requirements 2. The newest relevant fact is from 2024, about two years before October 2026 12.
Checked 2026-10-21. Only documented and supported facts are used.
Dig deeper on this questionSources
[1] documented
The CIA's Agency Archive and Records Center (AARC), a CIA-maintained facility on U.S. government-owned property, stores about 120,000 cubic feet of analog records. The report does not mention early 1970s financial files specifically.
"The CIA records center (i.e., the Agency Archive and Records Center) is a facility maintained by CIA on property owned by the U.S. Government that currently stores approximately 120,000 cubic feet of records in analog format."Archives
[2] supported
The CIA has not found any Federal Records Center or commercial records center that meets the security and recall requirements for records stored at the AARC, so it has not transferred inactive temporary analog records to such a facility.
"CIA has not identified a FRC or commercial records center that meets the security and recall requirements applicable to records stored at the AARC (whether in preparation for accessioning or digitization, or because there is a continuing business need for access to such records)."Archives
[3] supported
The CIA does not send its records to Federal Records Centers; it sends them to its own Agency Archives and Records Center (AARC).
"The Agency does not send its records to Federal Records Centers but rather sends them to the Agency Archives"CIA Reading Room 05496171: LETTER TO MICHAEL J. KURTZ FROM <SANITIZED> (W/ ATTACHMENTS) (2001)
[4] supported
Because many of the records contain Controlled Access Program information, they must be kept in a facility with special security requirements.
"Due to the Controlled Access Program (CAP) information present in many of the records, they must be stored in a facility that meets special security requirements."Archives
[5] documented
CIA negotiated an agreement with NARA to keep its permanent records for 50 years, rather than 30, before transferring them to NARA for classified storage.
"In addition, CIA negotiated an agreement with NARA to retain our permanent records for 50 years rather than 30 years before transferring them to NARA for classified storage as appropriate."CIA Reading Room 05496171: LETTER TO MICHAEL J. KURTZ FROM <SANITIZED> (W/ ATTACHMENTS) (2001)
[6] supported
Records of CIA Item 125 (CIA Job 65-S-72, Washington OSS Communications records) were transferred to the National Security Agency for disposition in 1997.
"The Agency transferred these records to the National Security Agency for disposition on 25 May 1997."CIA Reading Room 05496173: LETTER TO MICHAEL J. KURTZ FROM <SANITIZED> (W/ATTACHMENTS) (2002)
[7] supported
Many CIA records are stored by higher Government agencies at the Washington National Records Center, and they remain the property of the depositing agency until offered to the National Archives for appraisal and accessioning.
"Many such records are stored by (igher Government agencies at the Washington National Records Center, but until such time as these records are offered to the National Archives for final appraisal and accessioning, they are the property of the agency which deposited them at the Records Center."CIA Reading Room cia-rdp05-01476r000100010003-6: INFORMATION CONTROL -- ARCHIVES, HISTORY, AND RECORDS (1972)
[8] supported
Records under Item 106 (CIA Job 61-949, Strategic Services Unit Liaison Control of Records) were transferred to the National Archives (NARA) under CIA Job 80-168.
"These records were transferred to NARA under CIA Job 80-168."CIA Reading Room 05496173: LETTER TO MICHAEL J. KURTZ FROM <SANITIZED> (W/ATTACHMENTS) (2002)
[9] supported
Washington OSS Communications records under Item 122 (CIA Job 62-S-460) were reportedly destroyed in May 1980, and the circumstances could not be reconstructed.
"Agency records indicate that these records were destroyed in May 1980."CIA Reading Room 05496173: LETTER TO MICHAEL J. KURTZ FROM <SANITIZED> (W/ATTACHMENTS) (2002)
[10] documented
Some OSS operational records pertaining to China and French Indochina had already been accessioned by the National Archives from Agency holdings.
"Some materials, OSS operational records pertaining to China and French Indochina, have already been accessioned by the National Archives from the Agency holdings."CIA Reading Room cia-rdp05-01476r000100010003-6: INFORMATION CONTROL -- ARCHIVES, HISTORY, AND RECORDS (1972)
[11] supported
133 cubic feet of FBIS records in Record Group 263 (Central Intelligence Agency) were turned over to the National Archives after FBIS became a unit of the CIA, with the latest accessioning in 1951.
"RecordsGroup 263 (Central Intelligence Agency) is also comprised of FBIS records, 133 cubic feet of which were turned over to the National Archives after FBIS became a unit of. the CIA (the latest accessioning action occurred in 1951)."CIA Reading Room cia-rdp05-01476r000100010003-6: INFORMATION CONTROL -- ARCHIVES, HISTORY, AND RECORDS (1972)
[12] supported
The CIA has deposited collections of copies of selected documents on special topics in the National Archives, usually redacted for information sensitive at the time.
"In addition to original records, the CIA has deposited collections of copies of selected documents relating to special topics in the National Archives."Using FOIA to Access Intelligence Community Records