Quick Changes and Pen Cameras: Jonna Mendez, a Female Pioneer in the CIA

“I’m not sure we’re on the same side of the fence.” Jonna Mendez, the author and former Central Intelligence Agency’s Chief of Disguise, started her keynote presentation with a laugh at the 35th Annual ACFE Global Fraud Conference. “In your world, we (the CIA) would be considered the fraudsters,” Mendez said. “We used to say, comparing ourselves to the FBI, that they were the cops, and we were the robbers.” Despite these non-parallels in career objectives, Mendez pointed out the similarities when it comes to gender roles. Mendez had a remarkable 27-year career in the CIA, despite the “man’s world” many thought the CIA to be at the time. She pointed out how the same gender dynamics exist in the fraud investigation field and the challenges they present even to this day.  

During Monday afternoon’s general session, Mendez highlighted her career at the CIA, which started as a secretary overseas in Europe. However, that was not the job she wanted, but rather, the one that got her foot in the door. Mendez later transitioned into a photo operations officer at the CIA. During her presentation, she showed one of the tools of her trade back then: a pen that had capabilities beyond writing. It could take photos using small film inside the pen’s cylinder. These pens were only provided to CIA staff members who were within the inner circles of investigation subjects. It required a level of closeness to discreetly snap photos of agendas, calendars and more when the subjects weren’t paying attention. 

“The purpose of the CIA is to collect intelligence on the plans and intentions of our enemies,” Mendez said. “That was the intention then. That’s the intention now. What are they going to do? Think of the world we are in. What’s going to happen in Ukraine? What are the Chinese up to? Everywhere around the world, what are they going to do?” 

Mendez also described a tool that was used in areas and situations that would have been dangerous for assets: dead drop rats. Vital items would be placed inside these dead rats’ bodies, and a signal was sent to agents nearby. Since no one else wanted to touch the dead vermin, these were safe storage areas hiding in plain sight.  

Mendez pointed out how the CIA often worked with Hollywood production studios because “their business is to create the deceptions and illusions.” When CIA agents were being followed, they had to determine how to fool people and get away from them with the help of disguises, such as “quick changes” on the run. She described quick change as the ability to change appearance, while out in the street, and within around 37 seconds. The goal was to make people think you disappeared and not just think you escaped. 

Mendez eventually was promoted to Chief of Disguise, the last role she held before retirement. She ended her presentation with several photos of her in disguise – her with blonde hair, as an elderly man and more. As she said earlier, she admitted to being on the other side of the fence.  

“We were fraudsters. We were breaking rules, but we were breaking rules overseas. We were breaking them for a good cause, which was collecting intelligence for our policymakers to make informed decisions,” Mendez said. “I left the CIA proud of the work that we had done.”