From billionaires and ex-presidents to late-night hosts and tech titans — an independent journalist has blown the lid off one of America's most guarded secret societies

MONTE RIO, CALIFORNIA — February 27, 2026

For over 150 years, the Bohemian Club has operated in the shadows — a fiercely private, all-male society whose annual retreat in the dense California redwoods has been the subject of conspiracy theories, failed infiltration attempts, and decades of public fascination. Now, for the first time, the curtain may have been fully pulled back.

Independent journalist Daniel Boguslaw this week published what appears to be the complete 2023 camp membership list for Bohemian Grove — a who's who of American power, prestige, and celebrity, numbering over 2,200 names. The list, authenticated by at least one club member, is organized by the club's distinctive internal groupings known as "camps."

How the List Was Obtained

The story of how Boguslaw got his hands on the document reads like something out of a spy novel. The Massachusetts-based journalist spent weeks in the Bay Area hounding a San Francisco club member for access. While staying in Oakland, he was at a local bar one night when a courier arrived and handed him two manila envelopes — inside was the 2023 camp membership list. Boguslaw published it on Substack without hesitation, saying he was "confident" in his reporting.

The Names That Have Everyone Talking

The leaked roster reads like a who's who of American power. Among the most notable names confirmed on the list are Michael Bloomberg, former New York City mayor and founder of Bloomberg LP; Eric Schmidt, former Google CEO, listed in the "Aviary" camp; Paul Pelosi, venture capitalist and husband of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, assigned to the "Stowaway" camp; and Charles Koch, one of the most powerful conservative donors in the country. The late Jimmy Buffett also appears on the list, as does late-night legend and upcoming Oscars host Conan O'Brien — perhaps the most surprising and widely discussed name to emerge.

Former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger was also apparently a longtime member, and figures like actor and director Clint Eastwood and Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas are rumored to be frequent guests.

What Is Bohemian Grove?

The Bohemian Club is an exclusive, invitation-only social club founded in San Francisco in 1872, originally centered around arts and culture. Over the decades, its summer retreat at a private 2,700-acre compound near the Sonoma County town of Monte Rio expanded to include presidents, generals, business titans, and media moguls.

The club is perhaps best known for its opening ritual, the "Cremation of Care" — a theatrical ceremony where robed participants gather before a 40-foot owl statue to symbolically burn an effigy representing worldly "Care," complete with dramatic lighting, music, and pyrotechnics.

An insider who spoke anonymously described the reality of Grove membership as far less sinister than the conspiracies suggest. "The reality is it is no different than being in any other club. There's liquor, there's music, there's fellowship," the source said, adding that business dealings are strictly forbidden on the grounds and members have been expelled for breaking the rules.

The Club's Response

A Bohemian Club spokesperson told media outlets that the organization does not keep official membership records — a statement met with widespread skepticism given that the leaked document is itself an official-looking internal roster.

Conspiracy Theories Reignited

The leak has predictably sent conspiracy theorists into overdrive, with many drawing connections to Illuminati narratives and claims of shadow governance. The renewed interest has also brought Alex Jones back into the conversation — Jones infiltrated the Grove in 2000 to film what he claimed was evidence of occult practices, though his assertion has been largely debunked. For many, however, the sheer concentration of wealth and power on the newly leaked list is enough to raise eyebrows regardless of what actually happens behind closed doors.

For now, 2,200 of America's most powerful men can no longer claim quite the same level of anonymity they once enjoyed in the California redwoods.