Tracking the Mystery: How a Spy‑Tech Firm Got Involved in Havana Syndrome

The U.S. military is digging into a strange set of health complaints from its spies, and it has turned to an unlikely ally—a private company that once bragged about spying on American officials.

The firm, based in Virginia, sells data gathered from millions of smartphone users worldwide. In a private demo last year, it showed how accurate its tracking could be by following the routes of CIA and NSA employees between home and office.

That same technology is now being used by the Pentagon’s Havana‑Syndrome task force, which investigates reports of neurological symptoms among U.S. intelligence staff.

The Air Force’s contract with the company, worth nearly $6 million and ending in September, is called Project Yellowfin. It asks the firm to use its “location intelligence” skills to map out who might be involved and where events happen.

The contract says the data will help senior leaders see patterns over time and across places, but it does not explain why a spying company was chosen.

Some think the firm’s ability to track foreign military movements—especially those of China and Russia, two nations linked to early Havana‑Syndrome theories—made it attractive.

However, a 2022 report from U.S. intelligence said most agencies doubt the symptoms are caused by enemy action.

Because the Air Force redacted much of its paperwork, it is unclear exactly how the company’s tools will be applied to health investigations.

Both the firm and the Air Force have declined to comment on the details.