Yes, typing itanimulli.com (“Illuminati” spelled backwards) into your browser redirects to the official website of the National Security Agency (NSA) at nsa.gov. This has been true since at least 2009 and remains the case as of December 21, 2025. However, it’s not evidence of a secret society or government conspiracy—it’s a simple prank set up by a private individual.

The Origin: A Harmless Joke

The domain itanimulli.com was registered in November 2002 by John Fenley, a resident of Provo, Utah. Fenley, who has no affiliation with the NSA or any government agency, purchased the domain because he noticed it spelled “Illuminati” backwards. Years later, he decided to redirect it to nsa.gov as a joke—comparing it to a “rickroll” (redirecting to Rick Astley’s video) combined with a shock site.

In interviews (including with Snopes in 2009), Fenley explained:

“I decided to forward the domain Itanimulli.com to the NSA as a joke… kind of like a rickroll + shock site. When I had the idea, I couldn’t pass it up and couldn’t stop laughing.”

The redirect is a basic HTTP 301 command—anyone with domain ownership can set it up in minutes, without permission from the target site.

Current Status (2025)

• The domain is still owned privately (via GoDaddy, with privacy protection).
• It continues to redirect to gov.
• No evidence links it to the NSA or Illuminati.

Fact-checking sites like Snopes and Factly rate the conspiracy claims as false, confirming it’s a longstanding prank.

Why It Fuels Conspiracy Theories

The redirect plays into popular tropes:

• Illuminati as a shadowy cabal controlling governments.
• NSA as a surveillance overlord (exposed by Snowden in 2013).

Combined, it seems “too perfect”—but it’s just coincidence + a bored domain owner with a sense of humor.

The NSA: What It Actually Is

The National Security Agency is a U.S. intelligence agency responsible for:

• Signals intelligence (SIGINT).
• Cryptography and cybersecurity.
• Global monitoring for national security.

It’s controversial for programs like PRISM, but has no connection to secret societies.

A Modern Internet Classic

Like the De Loys ape hoax or the Eltanin Antenna mystery, itanimulli.com shows how simple tricks can spark enduring myths. John Fenley’s joke, now over 20 years old, lives on as a reminder: not everything suspicious online is a conspiracy—sometimes it’s just someone having a laugh.

Next time you try it, smile—it’s a rickroll for the tinfoil-hat crowd.