From impoverished childhood to investigating terrorists and overseeing security at a Vegas resort

Las Vegas, Nevada

From a childhood marked by poverty to a career spent tracking international terrorists and protecting one of the world’s most high-profile destinations, James Carl Stern shares an extraordinary life story in his new autobiography, Seven Years From Boy To Man.

In this compelling memoir, Stern recounts his rise from humble beginnings to becoming a respected agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation. He was involved in critical national and international investigations with cases ranging from bank robberies to tracking down terrorists and administering polygraph tests around the world.

After retiring from federal service, Stern embarked on a new chapter in the private sector, overseeing security operations for legendary casino developer Steve Wynn. In Las Vegas, he applied decades of investigative and counterterrorism expertise to safeguard one of the most visible and high-value resort environments in the world.

Seven Years From Boy To Man offers readers a rare behind-the-scenes look at global investigations, high-stakes security operations, and the personal resilience required to navigate both. It is a story of perseverance, duty, leadership, and transformation—charting the journey of a boy shaped by hardship into a man entrusted with national and international security.

Private investigator and former FBI Special Agent James Carl Stern investigated cases ranging from bank robberies to tracking down terrorists and administering polygraph tests around the world.

His inspiring journey as a Japanese American is described in his new autobiography, Seven Years From Boy To Man: The True Story of an FBI Agent, available from Amazon.

Starting with an impoverished childhood near Los Angeles, Stern overcame teachers and peers who underestimated him, made major achievements with the FBI, and, as a security executive at a famous Las Vegas casino resort, worked with VIP celebrities.

Now a Japan-based security consultant and US-based polygraph examiner and investigator, Stern joined the Wynn corporation in Vegas as a security executive in 2007 after a 25-year career as an FBI Special Agent. He investigated FBI cases and administered lie detector tests in the United States, Asia, the Middle East, and Europe.  One of the chapters in his book is entitled, “I Can Tell When You’re Lying.”

His many critical FBI assignments included being one of the case agents investigating the 9/11 terrorist attacks, Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl’s kidnapping and murder in Pakistan, polygraphing Saddam Hussein’s bodyguard, being assigned to the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, investigations in Afghanistan, and following up leads in the 1982 Chicago area Tylenol poisoning case.

In his book, he describes legendary casino developer Steve Wynn as “absolutely wonderful to work for.”

Stern’s 12 years at Wynn Resorts involved security work in Las Vegas, Massachusetts, and Macau. This included assisting various A-list celebrities who visited Wynn properties, such as Mariah Carey, Tom Cruise, Prince Harry, and Paris Hilton. Once, he had to quickly navigate through TSA regulations so that singer Neil Diamond could fly on a private jet from the Bahamas to Las Vegas.

Stern was born in 1957 at a U.S. Army hospital in Tokyo, Japan. After his American father, a U.S. Army Sergeant, abandoned the impoverished family, he and his two sisters were raised by their dedicated mother, Toshiko Kawai, in San Pedro, California.

Stern served in the United States Army where his duties included assignments overseas at NATO in security and intelligence. After his military service, he attended the University of Southern California and earned a BA degree in International Relations.

 During his FBI career, his fluency in Japanese led to success as an undercover agent working to eliminate Yakuza organized crime in Hawaii. He was recognized for his achievements in a TV program called “Deep Undercover” (https://fawesome.tv/tv-shows/10594329/s01-e42-operation-tropical-storm-japanese-meth-ring-deep-undercover).

His current work in Japan includes assisting the Japanese government and private Japanese companies on security strategies for future resort casinos there.

Stern has also written numerous children’s books about his four dachshunds, Peanut, Butter, Jelly, and Honey. Those books are also available on Amazon, and he has donated copies to children’s hospitals and schools.

He is a life-long Los Angeles Dodgers fan and happily follows the accomplishments of star pitcher and designated hitter Shohei Ohtani.

Seven Years From Boy To Man: The True Story of an FBI Agent by James Carl Stern can be ordered from Amazon at https://www.amazon.com/s?k=Seven+Years+From+Boy+To+Man&crid=16A8XJOB96U8O&sprefix=seven+years+from+boy+to+man%2Caps%2C871&ref=nb_sb_noss.