Lou Stephens spent eighteen years as a Special Agent of the Federal Bureau of Investigation before founding LF Stephens Inc. in 1987, now Karve Consulting Group. His extensive experience with the FBI involved investigating organized crime, money laundering, Medicare fraud, and terrorism. In the 1980s, he held a supervisory role in the FBI's emerging international terrorism unit, working on high-profile cases such as the hijackings of TWA Flight 853 and the Achille Lauro. He was deeply involved in complex investigations into domestic-based Iranian terrorism and played a crucial role in formulating responses to Libyan threats against the President. One of his significant achievements was contributing to the first major domestic prosecution of an international terrorist organization on arms smuggling charges.