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Former CIA officer explains disturbing symptoms of 'Havana syndrome' as government launch investigation

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Published 11:17 14 Jan 2026 GMT

Former CIA officer explains disturbing symptoms of 'Havana syndrome' as government launch investigation

Investigations attempt to reveal the mysterious condition's origin

Harry Boulton

Harry Boulton

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Featured Image Credit: MSNBC / YouTube
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One former CIA agent has revealed the horrifying symptoms he faced as part of a mysterious illness known as 'Havana syndrome', as the government reveals an ongoing investigation into its origin and causes.

Despite significant advancements in modern medicine there are still plenty of illnesses and debilitating health conditions that remain unexplained, and that becomes especially concerning when geopolitics enters the mix.

Among these is something that's referred to as an anomalous health incident (AHI), as an alarming number of US diplomats have suffered from a condition known as 'Havana syndrome' after it first emerged in Cuba back in 2016.

As shared by UNILAD, instances of the mysterious condition have been noted worldwide in locations like Russia, China, Australia, and Colombia, and while it's not necessarily classed as a legitimate health condition, there remains an probe into its origin.

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Marc Polymeropoulos first developed Havana syndrome while on a business trip in Moscow (Sergei Guneyev/Getty Images)
Marc Polymeropoulos first developed Havana syndrome while on a business trip in Moscow (Sergei Guneyev/Getty Images)

Former government officer Marc Polymeropoulos, who worked with the CIA for 26 years, is one of the unlucky individuals to have seemingly dealt with Havana syndrome, and he's relayed his horrific experience with the condition in a shocking tale.

Polymeropoulos was on a business trip to Moscow in December 2017 when he suddenly became 'violently ill' after waking up with 'a start' in his five-star hotel room.

He recalls that "the room was spinning, the vertigo would not stop, and I had tinnitus — terrible ringing in my ears," adding that he "could not get up without falling to the floor. I felt like I was going to throw up and pass out at the same time. It was terrifying and I was in serious distress."

As a consequence of this mystery illness he was forced to spend the rest of his trip holed up in his hotel room, but the symptoms continued after returning home with some remaining with him to this day.

Alongside chronic pain, Marc now suffers from brain fog, insomnia, sleep apnea, and even issues with his long-distance vision to the point where he sometimes is unable to drive.

He initially suffered an extreme illness alongside tinnitus, which then developed into chronic pain and sleep issues (Getty Stock)
He initially suffered an extreme illness alongside tinnitus, which then developed into chronic pain and sleep issues (Getty Stock)

He was eventually diagnosed with a mild traumatic brain injury (TBI), severe sleep apnea, anxiety, incomic, cervical pain, and cervicogenic headaches at the Walter Reed National Military Center's National Intrepid Center of Excellence (NICoE) but the origin still remains unexplained.

NICoE allegedly suggested that it could have been caused by an 'external exposure event', and the Department of Defense has reportedly been testing a device made with Russian components that some think could use radio waves to cause the illness.

It remains under investigation and others are skeptical that this is linked to Havana syndrome, but Polymeropoulos argued that "if the [US government] has indeed uncovered such devices, then the CIA owes all the victims a f***ing major and public apology for how we have been treated as pariahs."

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