A former high-ranking CIA analyst, once dubbed the "Queen of Torture" for her role in the hunt for Al-Qaeda, has reemerged years after retiring from clandestine service as a life coach in Virginia's Shenandoah Valley.
Alfreda Frances Bikowsky, who now goes by Freda Scheuer, lives with her husband, former CIA officer Michael Scheuer, on a two-acre property in Virginia. Scheuer, 61, is reportedly reluctant to discuss her past career, which included leading the CIA unit tasked with destroying Al-Qaeda and overseeing interrogations of terror suspects. She retired from the agency in 2021.
Controversial Past
Scheuer's career was marked by controversy. Critics have blamed her for intelligence failures preceding the September 11 attacks and for defending harsh interrogation methods. According to government reports, she allegedly failed to alert authorities that two individuals who later became 9/11 hijackers had entered the United States. While Scheuer has denied withholding information, the 9/11 Commission reportedly found her account to be false.
During the War on Terror, Scheuer was involved in overseeing interrogations that included waterboarding and other "enhanced interrogation techniques." She was reportedly present during the interrogations of high-profile detainees such as Abu Zubaydah and Khalid Sheikh Mohammed. Human rights advocates have criticized her involvement in these practices, with some arguing that she has not faced adequate accountability.
Despite the criticism, Scheuer rose through the CIA ranks and retired with several of the agency's top honors. She has defended her actions, stating in a past interview that she "never saw anything that constituted torture, period" and that her methods "100% saved lives."
Hollywood Portrayals and New Career
Scheuer's intense career reportedly inspired characters in popular culture, including Jessica Chastain's role as Maya in the 2012 film "Zero Dark Thirty" and a character in Hulu's miniseries "The Looming Tower." Scheuer has previously stated that "Zero Dark Thirty" is not based on her life.
After leaving the CIA, Scheuer launched an online beauty site, YBeUBeauty.com, which has since been replaced by YBeU Life Coaching. The coaching business offers "certified life and leadership coaching" to women, drawing on her experience leading teams in a male-dominated field. Her coaching sessions cost $397 for three sessions, and her online presence features motivational messages.
Her husband, Michael Scheuer, who founded the unit Scheuer worked in, has become a commentator and blogger who has espoused controversial views, including calls for martial law after the 2020 election. Freda Scheuer declined to comment on her husband's ideas in a 2022 interview but stated they debated some issues.
Neighbors in Virginia reportedly keep their distance, with one commenting that Scheuer has "too many skeletons in her closet to be any kind of self-help guru." Human rights advocates continue to express disappointment over a lack of accountability for her past actions within the CIA.