Former Waynesboro man writes book about what it’s really like in the FBI

Hanover man William Larsh once convinced a diplomat from a foreign country to spy on his homeland for the United States government. President Bill Clinton’s Secretary of State was briefed twice on the information gathered. 

It is the case he is most proud of out of his 28 years serving in the FBI, from 1984 to 2012. 

Larsh, who lived in Waynesboro for about five years until this summer, tells that story and more in his book, “The FBI: They Eat Their Young,” available now on Amazon. He will appear locally at a book signing at 5 p.m. Dec. 1 at Gallery 50, 50 Main St., Waynesboro. 

The title of the book is a play off of what he called “an old joke in the FBI”: “What’s the difference between the FBI executive management and sharks? Sharks don’t eat their young.”

“Sadly, this was no joke,” he added.

In the book, Larsh illustrates what he believes it’s really like in the nation’s top law enforcement agency.

The disbelief and amusement expressed by friends and family to whom he told his work stories was what inspired him to write the book.

Larsh, 55, grew up in Perry Hall, Maryland, a suburb of Baltimore. Inspired by a golf partner once telling him about his son joining the FBI, Larsh entered the agency after graduating college in 1984, working as a file clerk at the headquarters in Washington D.C.

He was promoted to a narcotics analyst, and then to an intelligence research specialist, before being promoted to a special agent in 1987. He was then named a supervisory special agent in 1995. 

“I worked a multitude of different kinds of cases during my career,” Larsh said. “I was involved in drug investigations, fugitives, kidnappings, white collar crime, foreign counterintelligence, espionage, public corruption, civil rights and internal affairs matters.”

Larsh wrote down stories from throughout his career after retiring, but they set unused until a good friend and former colleague from the bureau wrote a book in 2015 and encouraged the former Waynesboro man in his efforts.

Larsh alleged that many current and former FBI agents have told him they relate to the stories shared in his book, particularly the negative experiences with management.

“Some said I had beaten them to the punch in writing this expose, while many others have said they quit the FBI because of management, or were forced out by management,” he said. “Some of these individuals are now high-ranking officers and/or CEOs in prominent corporations – great talent lost from the FBI due to uncalled-for, vindictive and retaliatory behavior by FBI management.”

Larsh described how the outlook of the FBI expanded to include more intelligence-gathering following criticism after 9/11. He added that he believes the FBI’s reputation was damaged under the leadership of former director Jim Comey, who was fired by President Donald Trump in May, in part due to his decision to not send the case on Hillary Clinton’s private email server to the Department of Justice. 

More information about Larsh and his book can be found at https://www.amazon.com/Mr.-William-Alan-Larsh/e/B01NBOLLUA. 

Additional book signings are planned at: 6 p.m. Dec. 5, Paul Smith Library, 80 Constitution Ave., Shrewsbury; 6 p.m. Dec. 13  at Arthur Hufnagel Public Library, 32 Main St., Glen Rock; 6:30 p.m. Jan. 16, Guthrie Memorial Library – Hanover’s Public Library, 301 Carlisle St., Hanover 

 

This story comes to us through a partnership between WITF and The Chambersburg Public Opinion.