Palantir, the CIA-backed company that recently emerged "from the shadow world of spies and special ops to take corporate America by storm" is about to announce a new round of funding that values the company at about $9 billion, reports the Wall Street Journal.

Palantir, the CIA-backed, Hobbit-inspired, probably-spying-on-you startup worth billions, has one hell of a leader. Forbes profiles Alex Karp in its latest issue, and he is a drug-smoking, sex-loving, curly-haired star. Is this Silicon Valley's zaniest exec?