Alle afleveringen
276 afleveringen, van nieuw naar oud
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272. The Untold Stories Behind Watergate with Geoff Shepard
2 november 2026 · 1 uur 20 min
Today Justin sits down with Geoff Shepard. Geoff graduated from Harvard Law with honors in 1969 and was selected as a White House fellow shortly thereafter. He then worked at the Department of the Treasury until he was hired in September 1970 to work for John Ehrlichman, assistant to the president for domestic affairs. Geoff worked at the White House for the next five years, including all of President Nixon's second term, the entire Watergate affair, and the beginning of the Ford administration. Afterwards, he went to work as an attorney in the insurance industry, where he remained until he retired in 2011. Since then, Geoff has written three books on the Nixon presidency and Watergate. He's here to discuss his third and newest book, "The Nixon Conspiracy: Watergate and the Plot to Remove the President," which was published in 2021. Lees meer
Connect with Geoff:
shepardonwatergate.com
Check out the book, The Nixon Conspiracy, here.
https://a.co/d/0frsqEdOConnect with Spycraft 101:
Get Justin’s latest book, Murder, Intrigue, and Conspiracy: Stories from the Cold War and Beyond, here.
spycraft101.com
IG: @spycraft101
Shop: shop.spycraft101.com
Substack: spycraft101.substack.com
Patreon: Spycraft 101
Find Justin’s first book, Spyshots: Volume One, here.
Check out Justin’s second book, Covert Arms, here.
Download the free eBook, The Clandestine Operative’s Sidearm of Choice, here.Kruschiki
The best surplus military goods delivered right to your door. Use code SPYCRAFT101 for 10% off!
https://kruschiki.com/Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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271. Escaping FARC: A Father Held Hostage by Colombian Rebels with Miles Hargrove
26 oktober 2026 · 1 uur 25 min
Today Justin talks with Miles Hargrove. Miles has worked for more than 20 years behind the scenes in the film industry as a cinematographer, editor, and camera operator, including on major feature films such as The Last Castle and the Harry Potter series. But long before his start in films, Miles was living with his family in Cali, Colombia, where his father, Thomas Hargrove, worked as a freelance journalist for the agriculture industry. In 1994, Thomas was kidnapped by FARC rebels and held for nearly a year. His wife, children, and friends banded together to negotiate with his captors for his release. Afterwards, their ordeal became the basis for the film Proof of Life, starring Russell Crowe and Dave Morse. Miles filmed everything that year using their home video camera, which he produced as the 2020 documentary Miracle Fishing: Kidnapped in Colombia. Lees meer
Connect with Miles:
mileshargrove.com
miraclefishing.com
Rent or Buy Miracle Fishing on Prime Video or AppleTV, or watch with ads on Tubi.
amazon.com/gp/video/detail/amzn1.dv.gti.bcee2db8-c610-4992-bdc6-2d309ef1317c?ref_=atv_cf_strg_wb
tv.apple.com/us/movie/miracle-fishing-kidnapped-abroad/umc.cmc.71ptbkfw9kutqcx4rumz7zko2
tubitv.com/movies/100015448/miracle-fishing-kidnapped-abroad
Connect with Spycraft 101:
Get Justin’s latest book, Murder, Intrigue, and Conspiracy: Stories from the Cold War and Beyond, here.
spycraft101.com
IG: @spycraft101
Shop: shop.spycraft101.com
Substack: spycraft101.substack.com
Patreon: Spycraft 101
Find Justin’s first book, Spyshots: Volume One, here.
Check out Justin’s second book, Covert Arms, here.
Download the free eBook, The Clandestine Operative’s Sidearm of Choice, here.Kruschiki
The best surplus military goods delivered right to your door. Use code SPYCRAFT101 for 10% off!
https://kruschiki.com/Clandestine Laboratories
Your new favorite fragrance is here.
https://www.clandestinelaboratories.com/fragrancesHosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com f…
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270. A Stanford Student Targeted by China with Elsa Johnson
19 oktober 2026 · 59 min
Today Justin talks with Elsa Johnson. Elsa is a student at Stanford University currently in her senior year. She is majoring in International Relations and East Asian Studies and is fluent in Mandarin Chinese. She is also the former managing editor of The Stanford Review. Two years ago, Elsa was approached online by someone she thought was a fellow student at Stanford. Those contacts quickly took a surprising and even dangerous turn as she realized she'd been identified and targeted by the Chinese Communist Party, which had a firm foothold on campus at Stanford. She worked closely with the FBI, wrote about those experiences in The Stanford Review, and even testified before Congress about foreign espionage activities on university campuses. Elsa is here discuss those experiences and how China has spent years infiltrating universities across the country. Lees meer
Connect with Elsa:
Twitter/X: @elsajohnson
stanfordreview.org
Connect with Spycraft 101:
Get Justin’s latest book, Murder, Intrigue, and Conspiracy: Stories from the Cold War and Beyond, here.
spycraft101.com
IG: @spycraft101
Shop: shop.spycraft101.com
Substack: spycraft101.substack.com
Patreon: Spycraft 101
Find Justin’s first book, Spyshots: Volume One, here.
Check out Justin’s second book, Covert Arms, here.
Download the free eBook, The Clandestine Operative’s Sidearm of Choice, here.Kruschiki
The best surplus military goods delivered right to your door. Use code SPYCRAFT101 for 10% off!
https://kruschiki.com/Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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269. Operation Sparrow: Deceiving Hitler in WWII with Dr. Jason Bell
12 oktober 2026 · 48 min
Today's guest is Dr. Jason Bell. Jason is a professor of philosophy at the University of New Brunswick, who has served as a Fulbright professor in Germany and taught at universities in Belgium, the United States, and Canada. He's here to discuss one of the least known and most important deception operations of World War II, when three OSS officers parachuted into Hungary with one goal in mind: to be taken prisoner and interrogated by German forces. Lees meer
Connect with Jason:
jasonbell.org
Check out the book, Operation Sparrow: The Incredible True Story of the North American Spies Who Tricked Hitler and Won the War, here.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0G4WK8WY6Connect with Spycraft 101:
Get Justin’s latest book, Murder, Intrigue, and Conspiracy: Stories from the Cold War and Beyond, here.
spycraft101.com
IG: @spycraft101
Shop: shop.spycraft101.com
Substack: spycraft101.substack.com
Patreon: Spycraft 101
Find Justin’s first book, Spyshots: Volume One, here.
Check out Justin’s second book, Covert Arms, here.
Download the free eBook, The Clandestine Operative’s Sidearm of Choice, here.Kruschiki
The best surplus military goods delivered right to your door. Use code SPYCRAFT101 for 10% off!
https://kruschiki.com/Clandestine Laboratories
Your new favorite fragrance is here.
https://www.clandestinelaboratories.com/fragrancesHosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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268. China's Cyber Spies: The Cyber Espionage Frontier with Dr. Ahana Datta Fasel
5 oktober 2026 · 53 min
Today Justin talks with Dr. Ahana Datta Fasel. Ahana graduated from University College London with a PhD and is the former cyber chief for the Financial Times media group in London. She has also held senior roles in the United Kingdom government, including with the Ministry of Justice, the Cabinet Office, and the National Cybersecurity Centre. Her editorials have been published in The Financial Times and Columbia Journalism Review. She's here to discuss her book, Full Stack Spies: Cyber Espionage in the Age of US-China Competition, which is available now from Hurst Publishers. In it, she covers the history of cyber espionage among the great powers, how it is being used right now, and what to expect in the near future. Lees meer
Connect with Ahana:
Check out the book, Full Stack Spies, here.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/0197871380Connect with Spycraft 101:
Get Justin’s latest book, Murder, Intrigue, and Conspiracy: Stories from the Cold War and Beyond, here.
spycraft101.com
IG: @spycraft101
Shop: shop.spycraft101.com
Substack: spycraft101.substack.com
Patreon: Spycraft 101
Find Justin’s first book, Spyshots: Volume One, here.
Check out Justin’s second book, Covert Arms, here.
Download the free eBook, The Clandestine Operative’s Sidearm of Choice, here.Kruschiki
The best surplus military goods delivered right to your door. Use code SPYCRAFT101 for 10% off!
https://kruschiki.com/Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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267. Guardian: Real Life in the CIA with Thomas Pecora
28 september 2026 · 55 min
This week Justin talks with Tom Pecora. Tom spent 24 years as a security officer with the Central Intelligence Agency. He served in hotspots all over the world, including Somalia, Iraq, the Philippines, and Pakistan. Tom was the chief of security for CIA operations in Iraq in 2004 and 2005, and later the deputy chief of security for the Counterterrorism Center. He's been awarded the Intelligence Star and the Career Intelligence Medal. He's here to discuss his career with CIA, which he wrote about in his book. Lees meer
Connect with Tom:
LinkedIn: Thomas Pecora, SAS-MP
Check out the book, Guardian: Life in the Crosshairs of the CIA's War on Terror, here.
https://a.co/d/01FzYWf7Connect with Spycraft 101:
Get Justin’s latest book, Murder, Intrigue, and Conspiracy: Stories from the Cold War and Beyond, here.
spycraft101.com
IG: @spycraft101
Shop: shop.spycraft101.com
Substack: spycraft101.substack.com
Patreon: Spycraft 101
Find Justin’s first book, Spyshots: Volume One, here.
Check out Justin’s second book, Covert Arms, here.
Download the free eBook, The Clandestine Operative’s Sidearm of Choice, here.Kruschiki
The best surplus military goods delivered right to your door. Use code SPYCRAFT101 for 10% off!
https://kruschiki.com/Clandestine Laboratories
Your new favorite fragrance is here.
https://www.clandestinelaboratories.com/fragrancesHosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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266. Brian Franks: The Man Who Saved the SAS with Tim Spicer
21 september 2026 · 1 uur 5 min
Today, Justin welcomes back Tim Spicer. Tim served for 20 years in the British Army, where he rose to the rank of lieutenant colonel and saw active service in Northern Ireland, The Falklands Campaign, The Gulf War, and the Balkans, as well as serving in the Far East, Cyprus, and Germany. This is Tim's third appearance on the podcast. Today, he's back to discuss the story of Brian Franks, one of the original officers of the Special Air Service who served behind enemy lines during World War II and who continued to support British covert operations long after the war ended Lees meer
Check out Tim's first appearance on ep 200: From Biffy to Bond: The Real Spy Who Inspired “From Russia, with Love” and his latest sharing the stories of his own career on ep 206: Behind the Lines from Belfast to Sierra Leone.
Connect with Tim:
timspicerauthor.com
IG: @timspicerauthor
Check out the book, An Axe and Four Balloons, here.
https://amzn.eu/d/03uFZnJn
Connect with Spycraft 101:
Get Justin’s latest book, Murder, Intrigue, and Conspiracy: Stories from the Cold War and Beyond, here.
spycraft101.com
IG: @spycraft101
Shop: shop.spycraft101.com
Substack: spycraft101.substack.com
Patreon: Spycraft 101
Find Justin’s first book, Spyshots: Volume One, here.
Check out Justin’s second book, Covert Arms, here.
Download the free eBook, The Clandestine Operative’s Sidearm of Choice, here.Kruschiki
The best surplus military goods delivered right to your door. Use code SPYCRAFT101 for 10% off!
https://kruschiki.com/Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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265. From Israel's Spycraft to Hollywood's Spotlight: The Arnon Milchan Saga with Joseph Gelman
14 september 2026 · 1 uur 16 min
This week Justin sits down with Joseph Gelman. Joe served for three years in the Israeli army as a paratrooper. He's also worked as a private consultant on political campaigns, speech writing, government relations, international marketing, and as a columnist. He's here today to discuss his book: Confidential. It's the story of Arnon Milchan, who went from the owner of a struggling chemical business in Israel to a major procurer of advanced weaponry, an agent of Israel's Lakam Bureau, and later a billionaire Hollywood film producer. Lees meer
Connect with Joe:
Check out the book, Confidential, here.
https://www.gefenpublishing.com/products/confidentialConnect with Spycraft 101:
Get Justin’s latest book, Murder, Intrigue, and Conspiracy: Stories from the Cold War and Beyond, here.
spycraft101.com
IG: @spycraft101
Shop: shop.spycraft101.com
Substack: spycraft101.substack.com
Patreon: Spycraft 101
Find Justin’s first book, Spyshots: Volume One, here.
Check out Justin’s second book, Covert Arms, here.
Download the free eBook, The Clandestine Operative’s Sidearm of Choice, here.Kruschiki
The best surplus military goods delivered right to your door. Use code SPYCRAFT101 for 10% off!
https://kruschiki.com/Clandestine Laboratories
Your new favorite fragrance is here. I'm partial to Novochoc.
https://www.clandestinelaboratories.com/fragrancesHosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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264. CIA in Moscow: Behind Russian Lines with Gene Coyle
7 september 2026 · 1 uur 17 min
Today, Justin talks with Gene Coyle. Gene graduated from Indiana University in Bloomington with a Bachelor's degree in 1973, followed by a Master's degree in 1974. He then joined the Central Intelligence Agency, where he served for 30 years, including in six overseas assignments. After retiring from CIA, Gene returned to Indiana University as an adjunct professor of intelligence studies. He has also written a series of spy novels in recent years. He's here to discuss his assignment to Moscow in the mid-1980s, where he took part in one of the most high-risk, high-reward operations of the entire Cold War, tapping underground communications cables in Moscow while dodging surveillance by the KGB, for which he received the CIA's Intelligence Medal of Merit. Lees meer
Connect with Spycraft 101:
Get Justin’s latest book, Murder, Intrigue, and Conspiracy: Stories from the Cold War and Beyond, here.
spycraft101.com
IG: @spycraft101
Shop: shop.spycraft101.com
Substack: spycraft101.substack.com
Patreon: Spycraft 101
Find Justin’s first book, Spyshots: Volume One, here.
Check out Justin’s second book, Covert Arms, here.
Download the free eBook, The Clandestine Operative’s Sidearm of Choice, here.Kruschiki
The best surplus military goods delivered right to your door. Use code SPYCRAFT101 for 10% off!
https://kruschiki.com/Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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263. Infiltrating the Cartels with Robert Mazur
31 augustus 2026 · 1 uur 18 min
Today Justin sits down with Robert Mazur. Robert is a world-renowned authority on money laundering techniques. He spent 27 years working as a US federal agent, including five years undercover, followed by 17 years in the private sector working as an expert witness, consultant, and investigator for both defense counsels and governments. He's also published two books about his biggest investigations. Robert is here to discuss his first book, which tells the story of his two-year undercover operation targeting bankers, traffickers, and drug lords in the late 1980s. The Infiltrator was adapted into a 2016 feature film starring Bryan Cranston as Robert Lees meer
Connect with Robert:
robertmazur.com
Facebook: Robert Mazur
Check out the book, The Infiltrator, here.
https://a.co/d/0awTlwvUConnect with Spycraft 101:
Get Justin’s latest book, Murder, Intrigue, and Conspiracy: Stories from the Cold War and Beyond, here.
spycraft101.com
IG: @spycraft101
Shop: shop.spycraft101.com
Substack: spycraft101.substack.com
Patreon: Spycraft 101
Find Justin’s first book, Spyshots: Volume One, here.
Check out Justin’s second book, Covert Arms, here.
Download the free eBook, The Clandestine Operative’s Sidearm of Choice, here.Kruschiki
The best surplus military goods delivered right to your door. Use code SPYCRAFT101 for 10% off!
https://kruschiki.com/Clandestine Laboratories
Your new favorite fragrance is here. I'm partial to Novochoc.
https://www.clandestinelaboratories.com/fragrancesHosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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262. France's Secret Weapon Against the Nazis with Nicholas Reynolds
24 augustus 2026 · 53 min
Today, Justin talks woth Nicholas Reynolds. Nick has had a very enviable career. After graduating from Oxford University in the 1970s, he served in the US Marine Corps as an infantry officer and later as a historian. He retired from the reserves as a colonel and the officer in charge of field history. He also served with the Central Intelligence Agency, including as the historian for the agency's museum at their headquarters in Langley. You might remember Nick from his first appearance on the podcast for episode 102 when we discussed his book Need to Know. Now he's back with his newest book, Ortiz's War, which he co-wrote with Katie Sanders. It's the story of Peter Ortiz, a legendary Marine Corps officer who served with the Office of Strategic Services behind enemy lines in France during World War II. Lees meer
Check out Nick's first appearance on Ep 102: The Rise of American Intelligence with Nicholas Reynolds here.
https://bleav.com/shows/spycraft-101/episodes/102-the-rise-of-american-intelligence-with-nicholas-reynolds/Connect with Nick:
nicholasreynoldsauthor.com
Connect with Spycraft 101:
Get Justin’s latest book, Murder, Intrigue, and Conspiracy: Stories from the Cold War and Beyond, here.
spycraft101.com
IG: @spycraft101
Shop: shop.spycraft101.com
Substack: spycraft101.substack.com
Patreon: Spycraft 101
Find Justin’s first book, Spyshots: Volume One, here.
Check out Justin’s second book, Covert Arms, here.
Download the free eBook, The Clandestine Operative’s Sidearm of Choice, here.Kruschiki
The best surplus military goods delivered right to your door. Use code SPYCRAFT101 for 10% off!
https://kruschiki.com/Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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261. Inside the Minds of Soviet Defectors with Kevin Riehle
17 augustus 2026 · 1 uur 11 min
Today Justin sits down with Kevin Riehle. Kevin earned his Bachelor's degree in Russian and Political Science at Brigham Young University, his Master's degree in Strategic Intelligence at the Joint Military Intelligence College, and his PhD in War Studies from King's College London. Kevin worked for more than 30 years in the US National Security Community, including for the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the National Counterintelligence Center, and other organizations. He also served in the US Navy Reserve, retiring at the rank of commander. He's currently a lecturer in intelligence and security studies at Brunel University in London. He's here today to discuss his book, which tells the story of the earliest wave of Soviet defectors, how they were handled and mishandled by Western intelligence agencies, and the reprisals they faced from Stalin's government Lees meer
Connect with Kevin:
kevinriehle.com
Check out the book, Soviet Defectors: Revelations of Renegade Intelligence Officers, 1924-1954, here.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1474467237?ref_=cm_sw_r_ffobk_cp_ud_dp_EA66JST8SRZGKEC4YTZD&bestFormat=trueConnect with Spycraft 101:
Get Justin’s latest book, Murder, Intrigue, and Conspiracy: Stories from the Cold War and Beyond, here.
spycraft101.com
IG: @spycraft101
Shop: shop.spycraft101.com
Substack: spycraft101.substack.com
Patreon: Spycraft 101
Find Justin’s first book, Spyshots: Volume One, here.
Check out Justin’s second book, Covert Arms, here.
Download the free eBook, The Clandestine Operative’s Sidearm of Choice, here.Kruschiki
The best surplus military goods delivered right to your door. Use code SPYCRAFT101 for 10% off!
https://kruschiki.com/Clandestine Laboratories
Your new favorite fragrance is here. I'm partial to Novochoc.
https://www.clandestinelaboratories.com/fragrancesHosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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260. Al Qaeda's Second Wave Plot: A Deep Dive into Post-9/11 Investigations with Michael Lebowitz
10 augustus 2026 · 1 uur 27 min
Today, Justin is joined by Michael Lebowitz. Michael served as a paratrooper in the Army's 101st Airborne Division and later as a judge advocate in the US Army Reserve, currently at the rank of lieutenant colonel. As a civilian, he's worked as a trial attorney in private practice and as a prosecutor for the Department of Justice's National Security Division. Michael is here to discuss the investigations, arrests, and trials of terror suspects following the 9/11 attacks, which he wrote about in his new book, available this week from Diversion Books. Lees meer
Connect with Mike:
lebowitzbooks.com
LinkedIn: Mike Lebowitz
Check out the book, Second Wave: Inside Al Qaeda's Post-9/11 Attack Plan and America's Secret Effort to Stop It, here.
https://a.co/d/0buuFYIKConnect with Spycraft 101:
Get Justin’s latest book, Murder, Intrigue, and Conspiracy: Stories from the Cold War and Beyond, here.
spycraft101.com
IG: @spycraft101
Shop: shop.spycraft101.com
Substack: spycraft101.substack.com
Patreon: Spycraft 101
Find Justin’s first book, Spyshots: Volume One, here.
Check out Justin’s second book, Covert Arms, here.
Download the free eBook, The Clandestine Operative’s Sidearm of Choice, here.Kruschiki
The best surplus military goods delivered right to your door. Use code SPYCRAFT101 for 10% off!
https://kruschiki.com/Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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259. Superbills: The Secret Service's Global Counterfeiting Odyssey with William Gage
3 augustus 2026 · 1 uur 4 min
Today Justin sits down with William Gage. Bill graduated from the Virginia Military Institute with a Bachelor's Degree in History and received his Master's Degree in Criminal Justice from Boston University. He worked for more than 11 years as a special agent in the US Secret Service, where he performed a wide variety of roles related to protecting US government senior leaders and counterfeiting investigations. Bill is here to discuss his career and, in particular, his work on investigating ultra-high quality counterfeit $100 notes, known as Superbills, that originated in North Korea and which have circulated worldwide for nearly four decades. Lees meer
Connect with Bill:
safehavensecuritygroup.com
LinkedIn: William G.Connect with Spycraft 101:
Get Justin’s latest book, Murder, Intrigue, and Conspiracy: Stories from the Cold War and Beyond, here.
spycraft101.com
IG: @spycraft101
Shop: shop.spycraft101.com
Substack: spycraft101.substack.com
Patreon: Spycraft 101
Find Justin’s first book, Spyshots: Volume One, here.
Check out Justin’s second book, Covert Arms, here.
Download the free eBook, The Clandestine Operative’s Sidearm of Choice, here.Kruschiki
The best surplus military goods delivered right to your door. Use code SPYCRAFT101 for 10% off!
https://kruschiki.com/Clandestine Laboratories
Your new favorite fragrance is here. I'm partial to Novochoc.
https://www.clandestinelaboratories.com/fragrancesHosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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258. Lawless Agent Running: Britains Biggest Informants in Northern Ireland with John Ware
27 juli 2026 · 56 min
This week's guest is John Ware. John is an award-winning investigative journalist with over four decades experience reporting on security, intelligence, and public accountability. He's a former BBC Panorama correspondent who has led major investigations into policing, national security, and state power, including extensive reporting on Northern Ireland. He's here to share the story of two of the most significant informants working for British intelligence during The Troubles in Northern Ireland Lees meer
Connect with John:
Check out the book, Neither Confirm Nor Deny, here.
https://a.co/d/03hklpTn
Connect with Spycraft 101:
Get Justin’s latest book, Murder, Intrigue, and Conspiracy: Stories from the Cold War and Beyond, here.
spycraft101.com
IG: @spycraft101
Shop: shop.spycraft101.com
Substack: spycraft101.substack.com
Patreon: Spycraft 101
Find Justin’s first book, Spyshots: Volume One, here.
Check out Justin’s second book, Covert Arms, here.
Download the free eBook, The Clandestine Operative’s Sidearm of Choice, here.Kruschiki
The best surplus military goods delivered right to your door. Use code SPYCRAFT101 for 10% off!
https://kruschiki.com/Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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257. [ARCHIVE] Solving the Murder of a CIA Case Officer with Michael Pullara
20 juli 2026 · 1 uur 38 min
This week, Justin revisits episode 61 with trial lawyer Michael Pullara. Michael is a practicing trial lawyer from Texas who has spent more than 40 years representing an incredibly wide variety of clients. In the courtroom, he squared off against Italian mobsters, the U.S. Department of Defense, and giant telecom companies, among many others. He's here to talk about one of his most incredible endeavors: when he represented the family of Freddie Woodruff, a CIA case officer who was shot to death while on assignment in the former Soviet Republic of Georgia in 1993. Lees meer
This became a personal crusade for Michael as he was embroiled in the search for the truth behind Freddie's death for more than 10 years. As he dug further and further into the shooting, the capture of the alleged murderer, and his subsequent prosecution and conviction, Michael found that almost every single thing reported by Georgian authorities about what happened to Freddie was false. Michael's work eventually led him to personally confront the president of Georgia about Freddie's death in order to shed light on the event and try to bring the perpetrators to justice. In 2018, he published a book about his investigation into what really happened that day.
Connect with Michael:
simonandschuster.com/authors/Michael-Pullara
By his book, The Spy Who Was Left Behind, here.
https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1501152149?tag=simonsayscom
Connect with Spycraft 101:
Get Justin’s latest book, Murder, Intrigue, and Conspiracy: Stories from the Cold War and Beyond, here.
spycraft101.com
IG: @spycraft101
Shop: shop.spycraft101.com
Substack: spycraft101.substack.com
Patreon: Spycraft 101
Find Justin’s first book, Spyshots: Volume One, here.
Check out Justin’s second book, Covert Arms, here.
Download the free eBook, The Clandestine Operative’s Sidearm of Choice, here.Kruschiki
The best surplus military goods delivered right to your door. Use code SPYCRAFT101 for 10% off!
https://kruschiki.com/Clandestine …
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256. The Operational Life of a SEAL from Vietnam to Central America with Michael Walsh
13 juli 2026 · 1 uur 29 min
Today, Justin sits down with Michael Walsh. Mike served in the US Navy for more than twenty-six years, most of it spent as a SEAL. He completed five tours of duty in Vietnam, including working on the Phoenix Program, running agents and targeting Viet Cong infrastructure. He also participated in the invasion of Grenada and was involved in Panama during the rein of Manuel Noriega. Mike spent years operating throughout Central and South America, Europe, and the Middle East. He's here discuss his career and the lessons he learned along the way, which he wrote about in his autobiography, first published in 1994. Lees meer
Connect with Mike:
Check out the book, SEAL!: From Vietnam's Phoenix Program to Central America's Drug Wars, here.
https://a.co/d/05Al9E8gConnect with Spycraft 101:
Get Justin’s latest book, Murder, Intrigue, and Conspiracy: Stories from the Cold War and Beyond, here.
spycraft101.com
IG: @spycraft101
Shop: shop.spycraft101.com
Substack: spycraft101.substack.com
Patreon: Spycraft 101
Find Justin’s first book, Spyshots: Volume One, here.
Check out Justin’s second book, Covert Arms, here.
Download the free eBook, The Clandestine Operative’s Sidearm of Choice, here.Kruschiki
The best surplus military goods delivered right to your door. Use code SPYCRAFT101 for 10% off!
https://kruschiki.com/Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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255. CIA Case Officer to Tesla's Security Innovator with Charles Finfrock
6 juli 2026 · 1 uur 10 min
Today's guest is Charles Finfrock. Charles served in the Navy for four years as a military policeman and investigator. He then joined the Central Intelligence Agency in the summer of 2001 and was in training when the September 11th attacks took place. He spent the next 18 years with the agency as a case officer working primarily overseas. After leaving the agency, he worked as a senior manager at Tesla's insider threat program for three years before he founded his own company in 2021, Vigilance. Charles join the podcast to discuss his career as a CIA officer and what it's like to transition from government service into private business. Lees meer
Connect with Charles:
vcci.io
charlesfinfrock.com
myprivacylife.com
Connect with Spycraft 101:
Get Justin’s latest book, Murder, Intrigue, and Conspiracy: Stories from the Cold War and Beyond, here.
spycraft101.com
IG: @spycraft101
Shop: shop.spycraft101.com
Substack: spycraft101.substack.com
Patreon: Spycraft 101
Find Justin’s first book, Spyshots: Volume One, here.
Check out Justin’s second book, Covert Arms, here.
Download the free eBook, The Clandestine Operative’s Sidearm of Choice, here.Kruschiki
The best surplus military goods delivered right to your door. Use code SPYCRAFT101 for 10% off!
https://kruschiki.com/Clandestine Laboratories
Your new favorite fragrance is here. I'm partial to Novochoc.
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254. Code Name Puritan: The Legacy of Norman Holmes Pearson with Dr. Greg Barnhisel
29 juni 2026 · 1 uur 23 min
Today's guest is Lees meer
today is Dr. Greg Barnhisel. Greg is a graduate of Reed College, New York University, and the University of Texas at Austin. He is now a professor of English at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He is the editor of The Bloomsbury Handbook to Cold War Literary Cultures, Pressing the Fight: Print, Propaganda, and the Cold War, and the scholarly journal Book History. Greg has written three books as well, including Cold War Modernists: Art, Literature, and American Cultural Diplomacy, and James Laughlin: New Directions and the Remaking of Ezra Pound. He's here discuss his newest book, Code Name Puritan, which is available now from the University of Chicago Press. It's about the life of Norman Pearson, an author, poet, professor, and member of the Office of Strategic Services during World War II.
Connect with Greg:
Bluekky: @gbarnhisel.bsky.app
Instagram: @gbarnhisel
Check out the book, Code Name Puritan, here.
https://press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/chicago/C/bo233208318.htmlConnect with Spycraft 101:
Get Justin’s latest book, Murder, Intrigue, and Conspiracy: Stories from the Cold War and Beyond, here.
spycraft101.com
IG: @spycraft101
Shop: shop.spycraft101.com
Substack: spycraft101.substack.com
Patreon: Spycraft 101
Find Justin’s first book, Spyshots: Volume One, here.
Check out Justin’s second book, Covert Arms, here.
Download the free eBook, The Clandestine Operative’s Sidearm of Choice, here.Kruschiki
The best surplus military goods delivered right to your door. Use code SPYCRAFT101 for 10% off!
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253. The Plot Against Trotsky with Josh Ireland
22 juni 2026 · 1 uur 10 min
Today Justin talks with Josh Ireland. Josh has a master's degree in history from the University of York. After graduating, he worked as an editor at Headline and Quercus, two of Great Britain's leading publishing companies. Josh has ghostwritten numerous books for A-list celebrities, sports stars, politicians, oligarchs, and adventurers, including five Sunday Times bestsellers. He's also the author of two previous nonfiction titles under his own name. Josh is here todY to discuss his third and newest book,The Death of Trotsky: The True Story of the Plot to Kill Stalin's Greatest Enemy which is available now from Penguin Random House. Lees meer
Connect with Josh:
joshireland.co.uk
Twitter/X: @JoshJohnIreland
Check out the book, The Death of Trotsky, here.
https://a.co/d/08n7PeB3Connect with Spycraft 101:
Get Justin’s latest book, Murder, Intrigue, and Conspiracy: Stories from the Cold War and Beyond, here.
spycraft101.com
IG: @spycraft101
Shop: shop.spycraft101.com
Substack: spycraft101.substack.com
Patreon: Spycraft 101
Find Justin’s first book, Spyshots: Volume One, here.
Check out Justin’s second book, Covert Arms, here.
Download the free eBook, The Clandestine Operative’s Sidearm of Choice, here.Kruschiki
The best surplus military goods delivered right to your door. Use code SPYCRAFT101 for 10% off!
https://kruschiki.com/Clandestine Laboratories
Your new favorite fragrance is here. I'm partial to Novochoc.
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252. Unearthing War Crimes and Mass Graves Through Geospatial Intelligence with Sam McKnight
15 juni 2026 · 42 min
Today Justin sits down with Sam McKnight. Sam is a graduate student at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland. He's also the founder and director of Khthon, a non-governmental organization that uses open source intelligence, satellite imagery, and digital analysis to document war crimes and locate mass graves in conflict zones. Sam founded Khthon in 2022, and since then, it has grown to include more than 100 volunteers dedicated to uncovering and reporting mass graves. He's here to discuss Khthon’s work worldwide, their successes, and their plans for the future. Lees meer
Connect with Sam and Khthon:
khthon.org
Substack: McKnight Reports
IG: @khthonorg
IG: @mcknight.reportsConnect with Spycraft 101:
Get Justin’s latest book, Murder, Intrigue, and Conspiracy: Stories from the Cold War and Beyond, here.
spycraft101.com
IG: @spycraft101
Shop: shop.spycraft101.com
Substack: spycraft101.substack.com
Patreon: Spycraft 101
Find Justin’s first book, Spyshots: Volume One, here.
Check out Justin’s second book, Covert Arms, here.
Download the free eBook, The Clandestine Operative’s Sidearm of Choice, here.
Kruschiki
The best surplus military goods delivered right to your door. Use code SPYCRAFT101 for 10% off!
https://kruschiki.com/
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251. Unveiling Gladio: Cold War Secrets and Italian Intelligence with Niccolò Petrelli
8 juni 2026 · 1 uur 11 min
Today Justin sits down with Dr. Niccolò Petrelli. Niccolò is a research scholar at the Center for International and Strategic Studies at LUISS in Rome, Italy. He earned his Bachelor's degree in Political Science, his Master's degree in International Relations, and his PhD in Political Science, all from Roma Tre University. He has also published many papers and journal articles on counterterrorism, counterinsurgency, and intelligence matters. He's here to discuss the relationship between US and Italian intelligence during the Cold War, and in particular, the Gladio operation, which armed, trained, and funded personnel intended to operate behind enemy lines in the event that World War III broke out in Europe. The Gladio teams were also suspected of being employed to suppress communism in Italy. Lees meer
Connect with Niccolò:
LinkedIn: Niccolò Petrelli
Connect with Spycraft 101:
Get Justin’s latest book, Murder, Intrigue, and Conspiracy: Stories from the Cold War and Beyond, here.
spycraft101.com
IG: @spycraft101
Shop: shop.spycraft101.com
Substack: spycraft101.substack.com
Patreon: Spycraft 101
Find Justin’s first book, Spyshots: Volume One, here.
Check out Justin’s second book, Covert Arms, here.
Download the free eBook, The Clandestine Operative’s Sidearm of Choice, here.
Kruschiki
The best surplus military goods delivered right to your door. Use code SPYCRAFT101 for 10% off!
https://kruschiki.com/
Clandestine Laboratories
Your new favorite fragrance is here. I'm partial to Novochoc.
https://www.clandestinelaboratories.com/fragrances
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250. CIA and MI6 in Post-War Albania with Dr. Stephen Long
1 juni 2026 · 1 uur 25 min
Today’s guest is Dr. Stephen Long. Stephen earned a PhD in US foreign policy and intelligence from the University of Birmingham and is an assistant professor of international relations at Shan Xiaotong Liverpool University. He's published articles in many professional journals, including Intelligence and National Security, International History Review, Cold War History, H-Diplo, and American History. He was also a lead contributor to the BBC Radio 4 program, "The Albania Operation," for the BBC's Document series. He's here today discuss the story of one of the CIA's first covert action operations performed jointly with MI6 in the late 1940s and the lessons they learned from it, often at great cost to the operatives themselves. Lees meer
Connect with Steven:
steve.long@xjtlu.edu.cn
Check out the book, A Rich Harvest of Bitter Fruit, here.
https://amzn.eu/d/01R8Udo1Connect with Spycraft 101:
Get Justin’s latest book, Murder, Intrigue, and Conspiracy: Stories from the Cold War and Beyond, here.
spycraft101.com
IG: @spycraft101
Shop: shop.spycraft101.com
Substack: spycraft101.substack.com
Patreon: Spycraft 101
Find Justin’s first book, Spyshots: Volume One, here.
Check out Justin’s second book, Covert Arms, here.
Download the free eBook, The Clandestine Operative’s Sidearm of Choice, here.
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249. From the Brazilian Navy to Strategic Intelligence with Luis Fernando Baptistella
25 mei 2026 · 1 uur 13 min
Today Justin speaks with Luis Baptistella. Luis is a specialist in intelligence and counterintelligence, and a retired officer of the Brazilian Navy, where he attained the rank of captain during a distinguished 35-year career. He also served on a US Navy ship in the late 1990s during the conflict in the Balkans, studied at the National Defense University in China, and served as a military attaché in West Africa. Lees meer
In November 2020, he founded Bravus Consultoria, a consulting firm focused on business intelligence and corporate counter intelligence for the Brazilian market. He’s here to discuss his career in the Navy and his later work as a private intelligence consultant. He has also written about intelligence threats, history, and strategies in his book, which is available now.
Connect with Luis:
IG:@luisfernandobaptistella
LinkedIn: Luis Fernando Baptistella
Check out the book, Counter & Intelligence 4.0, here.
https://a.co/d/06Pk1jObConnect with Spycraft 101:
Get Justin’s latest book, Murder, Intrigue, and Conspiracy: Stories from the Cold War and Beyond, here.
spycraft101.com
IG: @spycraft101
Shop: shop.spycraft101.com
Substack: spycraft101.substack.com
Patreon: Spycraft 101
Find Justin’s first book, Spyshots: Volume One, here.
Check out Justin’s second book, Covert Arms, here.
Download the free eBook, The Clandestine Operative’s Sidearm of Choice, here.
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248. The Secrets of British Black Propaganda with Rory Cormac
18 mei 2026 · 56 min
This week Justin talks with Rory Cormac. Rory is a professor of International Relations at the University of Nottingham in the United Kingdom, specializing in covert action and secret statecraft. He's also given presentations at Number 10 Downing Street, the UK Ministry of Defense, the US State Department, and the Pentagon. Besides his teaching career, he has authored or co-authored many books focusing on British history, covert action, and statecraft. You might remember Rory from his first appearance here on the podcast when we discussed his book Disrupt and Deny. Now, Rory is back to talk about his newest book, Fakers, which covers the British government's Information Research Department, a Cold War era organization dedicated to producing and disseminating black propaganda worldwide. Lees meer
Check out Rory's first appearance in Ep 107: British Covert Action.
Connect with Rory:
LinkedIn: Rory Cormac
Check out his book, Fakers, here.
https://a.co/d/08lUc74v
Connect with Spycraft 101:
Get Justin’s latest book, Murder, Intrigue, and Conspiracy: Stories from the Cold War and Beyond, here.
spycraft101.com
IG: @spycraft101
Shop: shop.spycraft101.com
Substack: spycraft101.substack.com
Patreon: Spycraft 101
Find Justin’s first book, Spyshots: Volume One, here.
Check out Justin’s second book, Covert Arms, here.
Download the free eBook, The Clandestine Operative’s Sidearm of Choice, here.
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247. Captured by Russians in Ukraine with Kirillo Alexandrov
11 mei 2026 · 52 min
Today Justin sits down with Kirillo Alexandrov. Kirillo grew up in the United States, but moved to Kherson, Ukraine in 2018. In April 2022, following the Russian invasion and occupation of eastern Ukraine, Kirillo was taken prisoner. He was held for 37 days on charges of espionage, but was rescued by a small privately funded team led by Brian Stern. After a harrowing 20-hour journey across Ukraine, Kirillo crossed into Poland before safely returning to the United States. He’s here to discuss his capture, detention, and rescue, which resulted in indictments of four Russian service members by the Department of Justice on charges of war crimes. Lees meer
Connect with Kirillo:
Instagram: @thecactuswatch
Substack: @thecactuswatchConnect with Spycraft 101:
Get Justin’s latest book, Murder, Intrigue, and Conspiracy: Stories from the Cold War and Beyond, here.
spycraft101.com
IG: @spycraft101
Shop: shop.spycraft101.com
Substack: spycraft101.substack.com
Patreon: Spycraft 101
Find Justin’s first book, Spyshots: Volume One, here.
Check out Justin’s second book, Covert Arms, here.
Download the free eBook, The Clandestine Operative’s Sidearm of Choice, here.
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246. The Ottoman Empire’s Cloak and Dagger with Dr. Emrah Safa Gürkan
4 mei 2026 · 59 min
Today’s guest is Dr. Emrah Safa Gürkan. Emrah received his bachelor's and Master's degree from Bilkent University in Ankara, Turkey, and graduated with a PhD from Georgetown University in 2012. He's worked as a consultant for historical television series and co-hosted the Ottoman History Podcast with Chris Gian beginning in 2011. He also hosts the YouTube History Channel, Omnibus Live, which currently has nearly half a million subscribers. He's here today to discuss Ottoman intelligence operations throughout the Mediterranean. Lees meer
Connect with Emrah:
ottomanhistorypodcast.com
YouTube: @OMNIBUSLIVE
Check out the book, Spies for the Sultan, here.
https://a.co/d/06c9iIqRConnect with Spycraft 101:
Get Justin’s latest book, Murder, Intrigue, and Conspiracy: Stories from the Cold War and Beyond, here.
spycraft101.com
IG: @spycraft101
Shop: shop.spycraft101.com
Patreon: Spycraft 101
Find Justin’s first book, Spyshots: Volume One, here.
Check out Justin’s second book, Covert Arms, here.
Download the free eBook, The Clandestine Operative’s Sidearm of Choice, here.
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245. Tales of A Cuban Exile: The Story of Angel Benitez with Eduardo Barreto
27 april 2026 · 1 uur 8 min
Today Justin sits down with Eduardo Barreto. Eduardo is a high school teacher at Gulliver Prep School and an adjunct professor of English composition at Miami-Dade College. He's married with five children and lives in Miami, Florida. Eduardo has published several books and various subjects, including both fiction and non-fiction. He's here to discuss the life and wars of his "uncle" Angel Benitez, who he has written about in his book. Eduardo was also joined during this interview by Mercedes Benitez, Angel's wife of more than 60 years. You may hear her contribute to the conversation here and there. Lees meer
Connect with Eduardo:
theteacherwriter.net
Check out the book, Rebel with a Cause: A Cuban in the Congo, here.
https://a.co/d/0cwKm2hT
Connect with Spycraft 101:
Get Justin’s latest book, Murder, Intrigue, and Conspiracy: Stories from the Cold War and Beyond, here.
spycraft101.com
IG: @spycraft101
Shop: shop.spycraft101.com
Substack: spycraft101.substack.com
Patreon: Spycraft 101
Find Justin’s first book, Spyshots: Volume One, here.
Check out Justin’s second book, Covert Arms, here.
Download the free eBook, The Clandestine Operative’s Sidearm of Choice, here.
Kruschiki
The best surplus military goods delivered right to your door. Use code SPYCRAFT101 for 10% off!
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244. Fighting Russian Intelligence with Sean Wiswesser
20 april 2026 · 52 min
Justin's guest for today is Sean Wiswesser. Sean is a graduate of the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, where he earned a Bachelor's degree in History and Russian and Slavic Linguistics. He also has a Master of Strategic Studies degree from the Air War College. Sean is a former senior operations officer and former Chief of Station with the Central Intelligence Agency and has served multiple overseas tours, including in war zones during his career. He's here to discuss his career with CIA, working inside and against the Russian Intelligence Services, which he has written about in his new book. In it, he details lessons learned from more than 30 years in the intelligence community, working up close with Russian spies, dissidents, and defectors. Lees meer
Connect with Sean:
LinkedIn: Sean Wiswesser
Check out the book, Tradecraft, Tactics, and Dirty Tricks: Russian Intelligence and Putin's Secret War, here.
https://a.co/d/0ckwvi9m
Connect with Spycraft 101:
Get Justin's latest book, Murder, Intrigue, and Conspiracy: Stories from the Cold War and Beyond, here.
spycraft101.com
IG: @spycraft101
Shop: shop.spycraft101.com
Patreon: Spycraft 101
Find Justin's first book, Spyshots: Volume One, here.
Check out Justin's second book, Covert Arms, here.
Download the free eBook, The Clandestine Operative's Sidearm of Choice, here.
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243. From Radicalization to Redemption: Undercover in the Toronto 18 with Mubin Shaikh
13 april 2026 · 1 uur 7 min
Today Justin sits down with Mubin Shaikh. Mubin grew up in Toronto, Ontario in a family of Indian Muslim immigrants. As a young man, he was drawn down the path of radicalization after traveling to India and Pakistan and encountering Taliban fighters there. However, in 2004, he experienced a change of heart and soon began working with the Canadian Security and Intelligence Service to identify potential jihadis in Canada. In 2006, Mubin was the key witness in Canada's biggest ever homegrown terror investigation, which resulted in nearly 20 convictions. He's here today to discuss his experiences undercover with a terror group that later became known as the Toronto 18, which he wrote about in his book. Mubin's work was instrumental in securing convictions for the participants, but living a double life for more than two years also came at great personal cost to him. Lees meer
Connect with Mubin:
parents4peace.org
LinkedIn: Mubin Shaikh
Check out the book, Undercover Jihadi: Inside the Toronto 18, here.
https://a.co/d/06jRj4HA
Connect with Spycraft 101:
Get Justin's latest book, Murder, Intrigue, and Conspiracy: Stories from the Cold War and Beyond, here.
spycraft101.com
IG: @spycraft101
Shop: shop.spycraft101.com
Patreon: Spycraft 101
Find Justin's first book, Spyshots: Volume One, here.
Check out Justin's second book, Covert Arms, here.
Download the free eBook, The Clandestine Operative's Sidearm of Choice, here.
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242. Inside France's Spy World with Dr. Damien Van Puyvelde
6 april 2026 · 1 uur 15 min
Today Justin talks with Dr. Damien Van Puyvelde. Damien is an associate professor and head of the Intelligence and Security Group at the Institute of Security and Global Affairs at Leiden University, Netherlands. Before joining Leiden University, he led the Scottish Center for War Studies at the University of Glasgow. He is the author or co-author of several books, and co-editor. His work has also been featured in outlets such as Le Monde and The Washington Post. He's here to discuss his newest book, The DGSE: A Concise History of France's Foreign Intelligence Service, which is available now from Georgetown University Press. Lees meer
Connect with Damien:
Twitter/X: @DamienVanP
Bluesky: @dvanp.bsky.social
LinkedIn: Damien Van Puyvelde
Check out the book, The DGSE, here.
https://press.georgetown.edu/Book/The-DGSE
Connect with Spycraft 101:
Get Justin's latest book, Murder, Intrigue, and Conspiracy: Stories from the Cold War and Beyond, here.
spycraft101.com
IG: @spycraft101
Shop: shop.spycraft101.com
Patreon: Spycraft 101
Find Justin's first book, Spyshots: Volume One, here.
Check out Justin's second book, Covert Arms, here.
Download the free eBook, The Clandestine Operative's Sidearm of Choice, here.
Kruschiki
The best surplus military goods delivered right to your door. Use code SPYCRAFT101 for 10% off!
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241. From Russia with Secrets: The Defection of an FSB Officer with Janosh Neumann
30 maart 2026 · 1 uur 19 min
Today Justin sits down with Janosh Neumann, known as Jay. Jay was born in Russia under a different name and joined the Federal Security Service, known as the FSB ,as a counterintelligence officer in 1996. Over the next few years, he investigated international money laundering and other crimes. In 2008, he and his wife, Victoria, who was also an FSB officer, traveled to the Dominican Republic where they walked into the US Embassy and offered to defect to the United States. This was the start of a years long relationship with the US government, which helped relocate the couple to the United States to start a new life with many ups and downs along the way. He's here today to discuss his life story, which has been made into a graphic novel series called Almost American by Aftershock Comics in 2022. Lees meer
Connect with Janosh:
realspycomics.com
info@realspycomics.com
Twitter/X: @RealSpyComics_
Check out the comic book of his life, ALMOST AMERICAN, here.
https://a.co/d/0aTyO0lv
Connect with Spycraft 101:
Get Justin's latest book, Murder, Intrigue, and Conspiracy: Stories from the Cold War and Beyond, here.
spycraft101.com
IG: @spycraft101
Shop: shop.spycraft101.com
Patreon: Spycraft 101
Find Justin's first book, Spyshots: Volume One, here.
Check out Justin's second book, Covert Arms, here.
Download the free eBook, The Clandestine Operative's Sidearm of Choice, here.
Kruschiki
The best surplus military goods delivered right to your door. Use code SPYCRAFT101 for 10% off!
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240. A Czech Spy Turned Little League Coach with Zach Dorfman
23 maart 2026 · 48 min
Today Justin is joined again by Zach Dorfman. Zach is a national security reporter whose work has appeared in Politico, The Atlantic, Wall Street Journal, The Los Angeles Times, and many other publications. He received his vachelor's degree from Skidmore College and a Master's degree in International Relations and Affairs from the University of Chicago. Zach is a former senior fellow at the Carnegie Council for Ethics and International Affairs. He's also the host of the Spy Valley Podcast from Project Brazen about a Cold Wars era spy in the heart of Silicon Valley. You might remember Zach from his previous appearance when he discussed operation entering a highly successful and never before reported operation against Soviet Block Intelligence operatives targeting US technology in the early 1980s, which Zach uncovered and reported about. Now he's back to talk about another previously unknown Cold War spy story about a Czech spy living in San Francisco at the end of the Cold War, and how he navigated the collapse of the government that sent him here to spy on the US. Lees meer
Check out Zach's first appearance on ep 160: How the FBI Sabotaged Soviet Tech Spies here.
Connect with Zach
thebrushpass1@protonmail.com
Twitter/X: @zachsdorfman
Spy Valley Podcast: brazen.fm/podcasts/spy-valley
Check out Zach's Politico story: "They Came to Spy on America. They Stayed to Coach Little League" here.
https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2026/03/07/soviet-spy-america-cold-war-00755831
Connect with Spycraft 101:
Get Justin's latest book, Murder, Intrigue, and Conspiracy: Stories from the Cold War and Beyond, here.
spycraft101.com
IG: @spycraft101
Shop: shop.spycraft101.com
Patreon: Spycraft 101
Find Justin's first book, Spyshots: Volume One, here.
Check out Justin's second book, Covert Arms, here.
Download the free eBook, The Clandestine Operative's Sidearm of Choice, here.
Kruschiki
The best surplus military goods delivered right to your door. Use code SPYCRAFT101 for 10…
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239. Cyberwarfare: How Nations Hack and Spy in the Digital Age with Allie Mellen @hackerxbella
16 maart 2026 · 54 min
Today Justin sits down with Allie Mellen (@hackerxbella). Allie is a leading industry analyst who advises global 2000 organizations on cybersecurity policy and practice with a focus on detecting and responding to nation state attacks. Previously she held engineering and research roles at multiple early stage technology startups. She's also spent years conducting research at MIT and Boston University and supported the University of Oxford Business Leaders Program as a cybersecurity expert. Allie is here today discuss the ever-shifting balance of power online, which she has written about in her new book. Lees meer
Connect with Allie:
hackerxbella.xyz
Substack: substack.com/@hackerxbella
LinkedIn: Allie Mellen
Twitter/X: @hackerxbella
IG: @hackerxbella
Check out the book, Code War: How Nations Hack, Spy, and Shape the Digital Battlefield, here.
https://a.co/d/09dtr4sY
Connect with Spycraft 101:
Get Justin's latest book, Murder, Intrigue, and Conspiracy: Stories from the Cold War and Beyond, here.
spycraft101.com
IG: @spycraft101
Shop: shop.spycraft101.com
Patreon: Spycraft 101
Find Justin's first book, Spyshots: Volume One, here.
Check out Justin's second book, Covert Arms, here.
Download the free eBook, The Clandestine Operative's Sidearm of Choice, here.
Kruschiki
The best surplus military goods delivered right to your door. Use code SPYCRAFT101 for 10% off!
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238. [ARCHIVE] An International CIA Pilot with Lee Gossett
9 maart 2026 · 59 min
This week continues our tribute to Lee Gossett with his second Spycraft 101 episode. Not only did he appear on the podcast twice, but he and Justin were regularly in contact via email from 2021 and on. He was an avid listener to the podcast and on many occasions had some inside knowledge of the events that we discussed. Today's interview originally aired as episode 75. In late 2022, Lee came back to discuss life after Laos, including his time in Central America and Somalia, and his work with early UAV programs. Even with the many stories he has shared, we likely only know a fraction of his true adventures all over the world. Rest in peace, Lee. Lees meer
Check out Lee's book, Smoke Jumper to Global Pilot: a True Odyssey, here.
https://www.amazon.com/Smokejumper-Global-Pilot-True-Odyssey/dp/0578614715
Connect with Spycraft 101:
Get Justin's latest book, Murder, Intrigue, and Conspiracy: Stories from the Cold War and Beyond, here.
spycraft101.com
IG: @spycraft101
Shop: shop.spycraft101.com
Patreon: Spycraft 101
Find Justin's first book, Spyshots: Volume One, here.
Check out Justin's second book, Covert Arms, here.
Download the free eBook, The Clandestine Operative's Sidearm of Choice, here.
Kruschiki
The best surplus military goods delivered right to your door. Use code SPYCRAFT101 for 10% off!
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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237. [ARCHIVE] From Forest Fires to CIA Resuppliers with Lee Gossett
2 maart 2026 · 48 min
This week, Spycraft 101 returns to the archives to say goodbye to one of our earliest guests. Lee Gossett got his start as a smoke jumper with the US Forest Service in the late 1950s and later served with Air America and Continental Air Services during the Secret War in Laos. He worked and flew all over the world for the Central Intelligence Agency and various special operations units. He appeared twice on the podcast. Although these interviews were recorded several years ago, Lee and Justin stayed in touch on at least a monthly basis, and he's been a regular listener since that time. Lees meer
He was a friend as well, and we'll miss him. But we're grateful that we had the chance to get to know him in the first place. Rest in peace, Lee.
Check out Lee's book, Smoke Jumper to Global Pilot: a True Odyssey, here.
https://www.amazon.com/Smokejumper-Global-Pilot-True-Odyssey/dp/0578614715
Connect with Spycraft 101:
Get Justin's latest book, Murder, Intrigue, and Conspiracy: Stories from the Cold War and Beyond, here.
spycraft101.com
IG: @spycraft101
Shop: shop.spycraft101.com
Patreon: Spycraft 101
Find Justin's first book, Spyshots: Volume One, here.
Check out Justin's second book, Covert Arms, here.
Download the free eBook, The Clandestine Operative's Sidearm of Choice, here.
Kruschiki
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236. Imprisoned in China: The Hainan Island Incident with Shane Osborn
23 februari 2026 · 46 min
This week Justin sits down with Shane Osborn. Shane is a veteran of the US Navy and a graduate of the University of Nebraska Lincoln. From 2007 until 2011, he served as the treasurer for the State of Nebraska. He's also the founder of the Nebraska Soldiers Foundation, which helps soldiers and their families cope with post-traumatic stress disorder. In early 2001, Shane was serving as a pilot with Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadron one based in Okinawa on April 1st of that year while flying a mission over the Pacific Ocean. His EP3E Orion was involved in a mid-air collision with a Chinese fighter jet. Shane was forced to land his badly damaged aircraft on a Chinese island where he and his crew were detained and interrogated for 11 days in an event that made headlines worldwide as The Hainan Island incident. He's here today discuss his career in Navy aviation, the near fatal collision over the Pacific, and his time in the custody of the Chinese government, which he wrote about in his book. Lees meer
Connect with Shane:
Check out the book, Born to Fly, here.
https://a.co/d/0bld5G8Z
Shane is currently supporting African Educational Support here:
https://www.africaneducationalsupportinc.org/
Connect with Spycraft 101:
Get Justin's latest book, Murder, Intrigue, and Conspiracy: Stories from the Cold War and Beyond, here.
spycraft101.com
IG: @spycraft101
Shop: shop.spycraft101.com
Patreon: Spycraft 101
Find Justin's first book, Spyshots: Volume One, here.
Check out Justin's second book, Covert Arms, here.
Download the free eBook, The Clandestine Operative's Sidearm of Choice, here.
Kruschiki
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235. Secrets of a Spy Master: Your Guide to Influence with Jules Fisher
16 februari 2026 · 1 uur 14 min
Justin's guest for today is Julian Fisher, a former British intelligence operative espionage specialist and author of Think Like A Spy. Following a stint in government service, Julian headed up Africa operations for a private military company and then founded his own intelligence boutique specializing in Africa. In 2017, he was the lead trainer on the Channel Four reality series Spies, which put 16 ordinary members of the public through a series of challenges to find out if they had what it takes to be a spy. Julian has led an unusual life in his time. He's seen off camel wrestlers in Somalia, faced down gun toting soldiers in Congo, trained a newly formed intelligence service in South Sudan, and been invited to help plot a coup in West Africa, which he declined. Julian can show you how to take the hard lessons learned over centuries of international espionage and use those same strategies to accomplish your goals in almost any environment or context. Lees meer
Connect with Jules:
julesfisher.com
LinkedIn:
Check out the book, Think Like A Spy, here.
https://a.co/d/0ecDQ3sm
Connect with Spycraft 101:
Get Justin's latest book, Murder, Intrigue, and Conspiracy: Stories from the Cold War and Beyond, here.
spycraft101.com
IG: @spycraft101
Shop: shop.spycraft101.com
Patreon: Spycraft 101
Find Justin's first book, Spyshots: Volume One, here.
Check out Justin's second book, Covert Arms, here.
Download the free eBook, The Clandestine Operative's Sidearm of Choice, here.
Kruschiki
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234. The Swedish "Assassin" and the Killer Cop with Paula May
9 februari 2026 · 56 min
Today's guest is Paula May. Paula graduated from Appalachian State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice, and later a Master's degree in Public Administration. She worked for more than 35 years in law enforcement, primarily in Waga County and then in King, North Carolina. She spent more than 20 of those years in major crime investigations, and the last 10 as Chief of Police directing major criminal incident response and investigations in King. Since retiring, she has also served on the board of directors and as the interim director of the North Carolina Association of Chiefs of Police. Paula is here this week to discuss a major case she investigated beginning in 1993 with the murder of Viktor Gunnarsson in North Carolina. Lees meer
Years before his death, Viktor was a suspect in the assassination of Swedish Prime Minister Olaf Palma, which we previously discussed on episode 155 of the podcast. Now Paula can tell us how that investigation changed Viktor's life and what happened to him here in the United States at the hands of a local police officer. She also wrote two books about the case.
Connect with Paula:
amazon.com/stores/Paula-May/author/B08687TSC1
Check out the book, FIRST DEGREE RAGE, here.
https://a.co/d/0aOaxDHS
Connect with Spycraft 101:
Get Justin's latest book, Murder, Intrigue, and Conspiracy: Stories from the Cold War and Beyond, here.
spycraft101.com
IG: @spycraft101
Shop: shop.spycraft101.com
Patreon: Spycraft 101
Find Justin's first book, Spyshots: Volume One, here.
Check out Justin's second book, Covert Arms, here.
Download the free eBook, The Clandestine Operative's Sidearm of Choice, here.
Kruschiki
The best surplus military goods delivered right to your door. Use code SPYCRAFT101 for 10% off!
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233. From Cracking Watergate to Revolutionizing Private Intelligence with Michael Hershman
2 februari 2026 · 1 uur 18 min
Today Justin talks with Michael Hershman. Michael served as a special agent with US Army Intelligence beginning in the late 1960s. He then went to work as an investigator for New York City, New York State, and then as a senior staff investigator for the Senate Watergate Committee led by US Senator Sam Ervin. Later, he joined the Federal Election Commission as chief investigator and was responsible for audits and investigations of candidates and their campaign committees. Lees meer
After leaving government service, Michael founded the Fairfax Group. For the past 40 years, Fairfax Group has helped tackle complex and sensitive challenges related to crisis and risk management, compliance and security all over the world. He's here today to discuss his military service, his work as a US government investigator, and the world of high stakes, private investigations, consulting and risk management.
Connect with Michael and Fairfax Group:
fairfaxgroup.us
Connect with Spycraft 101:
Get Justin's latest book, Murder, Intrigue, and Conspiracy: Stories from the Cold War and Beyond, here.
spycraft101.com
IG: @spycraft101
Shop: shop.spycraft101.com
Patreon: Spycraft 101
Find Justin's first book, Spyshots: Volume One, here.
Check out Justin's second book, Covert Arms, here.
Download the free eBook, The Clandestine Operative's Sidearm of Choice, here.
Kruschiki
The best surplus military goods delivered right to your door. Use code SPYCRAFT101 for 10% off!
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232. My Uncle D.B. Cooper with Lisa Story
26 januari 2026 · 1 uur 38 min
Today Justin sits down with Lisa Story. Lisa graduated from the University of Nevada - Las Vegas, where she studied Communications and Journalism. Since then, she has worked in and around Nevada as a public relations professional. She's the author of two books, both of which focus on her uncle Walter Reca. Walt was an airborne soldier, professional, skydiver, occasional criminal, and conman possible CIA operative, and one of the primary candidates suspected to be D.B. Cooper, the infamous American skyjacker. She's discuss her latest book covering Walt's life, his exploits, and the evidence against him. Lees meer
Connect with Lisa:
Facebook: D.B. Cooper Story
Check out the book, BETTER DEAD THAN POOR, here.
https://a.co/d/dW4M0cL
Connect with Spycraft 101:
Get Justin's latest book, Murder, Intrigue, and Conspiracy: Stories from the Cold War and Beyond, here.
spycraft101.com
IG: @spycraft101
Shop: shop.spycraft101.com
Patreon: Spycraft 101
Find Justin's first book, Spyshots: Volume One, here.
Check out Justin's second book, Covert Arms, here.
Download the free eBook, The Clandestine Operative's Sidearm of Choice, here.
Kruschiki
The best surplus military goods delivered right to your door. Use code SPYCRAFT101 for 10% off!
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231. Decoding Battlefield Intelligence with Tim Scherrer
19 januari 2026 · 1 uur 13 min
Today Justin talks with Tim Scherrer. Tim earned his Bachelor's and Master's degrees in History from Truman State University and is a Distinguished Military Graduate of the Army ROTC program. He served as a military intelligence officer in the Army Reserve for 28 years. His assignments included an intelligence briefer to the commander in chief of US Transcom during Operation Desert Storm, basic training company commander and chief of the asymmetric threat division at US Transcom. After the 9/11 attacks, he later taught at the Army Reserve Command and General Staff College until he retired in 2015. Tim is now the Dean of Academics at Friar Tolton Catholic High School in Columbia, Missouri. He's also the author of seven books. He's here today to discuss how different disciplines of military intelligence work together to provide a complete picture of the battlefield and allowed US commanders to win the fight and then preserve the peace afterwards. Lees meer
Connect with Tim:
lulu.com/spotlight/timscherrer
Check out the book, Spy Catchers, here.
Connect with Spycraft 101:
Get Justin's latest book, Murder, Intrigue, and Conspiracy: Stories from the Cold War and Beyond, here.
spycraft101.com
IG: @spycraft101
Shop: shop.spycraft101.com
Patreon: Spycraft 101
Find Justin's first book, Spyshots: Volume One, here.
Check out Justin's second book, Covert Arms, here.
Download the free eBook, The Clandestine Operative's Sidearm of Choice, here.
Kruschiki
The best surplus military goods delivered right to your door. Use code SPYCRAFT101 for 10% off!
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230. Tortured and Held Hostage in Venezuela with Matthew John Heath
12 januari 2026 · 1 uur 1 min
Today Justin sits down with Matthew John Heath. Matthew served in the US Marine Corps from 1999 until 2003, including a combat deployment to Iraq. Afterwards, he worked with the US State Department as a private contractor in Afghanistan. In 2020, Matthew was arrested inside Venezuela, near the Colombian border, and charged with multiple false offenses, including treason and arms trafficking. He spent more than two years captive in prison in Caracas before he was released in a prisoner exchange in October, 2022 along with several other American citizens. He's here today to discuss his service in the Marine Corps, his time working in Afghanistan and elsewhere, his arrest and imprisonment in Venezuela, and readjusting to life back home after the ordeal. Lees meer
Connect with Matthew:
matthewjohnheath.com
hostageus.org
Connect with Spycraft 101:
Get Justin's latest book, Murder, Intrigue, and Conspiracy: Stories from the Cold War and Beyond, here.
spycraft101.com
IG: @spycraft101
Shop: shop.spycraft101.com
Patreon: Spycraft 101
Find Justin's first book, Spyshots: Volume One, here.
Check out Justin's second book, Covert Arms, here.
Download the free eBook, The Clandestine Operative's Sidearm of Choice, here.
Kruschiki
The best surplus military goods delivered right to your door. Use code SPYCRAFT101 for 10% off!
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229. In the Shadows: US Naval Intelligence in the Indo-Pacific with Dr. Brian J. Ellison
5 januari 2026 · 54 min
Today Justin sits down with Dr. Brian J. Ellison. Brian has a Master's degree in International Security from American University and a PhD in War Studies from King's College London. He's worked as a senior research scientist at the Center for Naval Analysis and at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory where he has specialized in Chinese strategic affairs, naval warfare and intelligence. His work has led to significant policy, operational, and institutional changes within the Office of the Secretary of Defense, the Navy, the Marine Corps, and the overall intelligence community. In 2014, Brian was awarded the commendation for Meritorious Civilian Service by Commander Mar Fork Pack for his research and analysis of the Marine Corps's organizational challenges in the Indo-Pacific. He's here today to discuss human intelligence operations by the US Navy in the Pacific Theater of Operations, which he details in his new book. Lees meer
Connect with Brian:
brian.j.ellison@gmail.com
Check out the book, Quiet Wars: U.S. Naval Human Intelligence Operations during Crises with China, 1931–1965, here.
https://a.co/d/7CS3Gs9
Connect with Spycraft 101:
Get Justin's latest book, Murder, Intrigue, and Conspiracy: Stories from the Cold War and Beyond, here.
spycraft101.com
IG: @spycraft101
Shop: shop.spycraft101.com
Patreon: Spycraft 101
Find Justin's first book, Spyshots: Volume One, here.
Check out Justin's second book, Covert Arms, here.
Download the free eBook, The Clandestine Operative's Sidearm of Choice, here.
Kruschiki
The best surplus military goods delivered right to your door. Use code SPYCRAFT101 for 10% off!
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228. Data, Privacy, and Power: How Commercial Information Became the Next Frontier of Global Intelligence with Mike Yeagley
29 december 2025 · 1 uur 2 min
This week Justin talks with Mike Yeagley. Mike is a graduate of St. Lawrence University and is currently the Chief Strategy Officer for cohort.ID. For the past decade, Mike has been working in a variety of positions to understand and reveal how advertising and marketing data can be both an asset and a detriment in intelligence and targeting operations. He's here today to discuss his work regarding the many ways that data can be bought, sold, and used worldwide, and how anyone can effectively understand change and reduce their own data profiles. Lees meer
Connect with Mike and cohort.ID:
LinkedIn: cohort.ID
Connect with Spycraft 101:
Get Justin's latest book, Murder, Intrigue, and Conspiracy: Stories from the Cold War and Beyond, here.
spycraft101.com
IG: @spycraft101
Shop: shop.spycraft101.com
Patreon: Spycraft 101
Find Justin's first book, Spyshots: Volume One, here.
Check out Justin's second book, Covert Arms, here.
Download the free eBook, The Clandestine Operative's Sidearm of Choice, here.
Kruschiki
The best surplus military goods delivered right to your door. Use code SPYCRAFT101 for 10% off!
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227. My Husband the Cuban Spy with Ana Margarita Martinez
22 december 2025 · 1 uur 19 min
This week Justin sits down with Ana Margarita Martinez. Ana fled to the states at age six as a Cuban political refugee, and settled in South Florida as part of the Cuban Exile community. In 1992, she met Juan Pablo Roque, a Cuban Air Force pilot, who had recently arrived in Miami after defecting. They dated for three years and then married in 1995. A year later, Juan Pablo suddenly disappeared and Ana discovered that he had really been a spy for the Cuban government all along. She's here today to discuss her life, her marriage, and the shocking betrayal that turned her world upside down. Lees meer
Connect with Spycraft 101:
Get Justin's latest book, Murder, Intrigue, and Conspiracy: Stories from the Cold War and Beyond, here.
spycraft101.com
IG: @spycraft101
Shop: shop.spycraft101.com
Patreon: Spycraft 101
Find Justin's first book, Spyshots: Volume One, here.
Check out Justin's second book, Covert Arms, here.
Download the free eBook, The Clandestine Operative's Sidearm of Choice, here.
Kruschiki
The best surplus military goods delivered right to your door. Use code SPYCRAFT101 for 10% off!
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226. Biologics, Guns, and Secrets: A Deep Dive into the Larry Ford Case with Sheldon Fung
15 december 2025 · 1 uur 9 min
Today Justin talks to retired FBI Special Agent Sheldon Fung. Sheldon has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Biochemistry from the University of California Davis, and a Master's Degree in Criminology and Weapons of Mass Destruction from Indiana University of Pennsylvania. spent more than 21 years with the FBI as a bomb technician and a WMD coordinator. He's here to discuss one of the biggest WMD cases he ever worked on, which began in Irvine, California in March, 2000, after a local man named Dr. Larry Ford attempted to have his business partner killed in a professional hit. Sheldon and his team became involved when the investigation took a shocking turn when biological agents and a buried arms cache were discovered in his home, along with evidence that connected Ford to the South African government and even the Central Intelligence Agency. Justin covered this case himself already for episode 93 of the podcast back in May 2023, which you might remember if you're a longtime listener, but today we'll hear from one of the primary investigators. Lees meer
Connect with Spycraft 101:
Get Justin's latest book, Murder, Intrigue, and Conspiracy: Stories from the Cold War and Beyond, here.
spycraft101.com
IG: @spycraft101
Shop: shop.spycraft101.com
Patreon: Spycraft 101
Find Justin's first book, Spyshots: Volume One, here.
Check out Justin's second book, Covert Arms, here.
Download the free eBook, The Clandestine Operative's Sidearm of Choice, here.
Kruschiki
The best surplus military goods delivered right to your door. Use code SPYCRAFT101 for 10% off!
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225. How the FBI Caught China's Most Prolific Spy Family with James Gaylord
8 december 2025 · 1 uur 24 min
Today, Justin welcomes retired FBI supervisory special agent James Gaylord. Jim spent nearly 32 years with the FBI, including six years supervising a counterintelligence squad at the Los Angeles Field Office's Santa Ana Resident Agency. If you're a longtime listener of the podcast, you might remember Jim as one of our earliest guests from episode 12, recorded nearly four and a half years ago. Today he's back to talk about two of the most famous cases he ran as case agent. It's the story of The FBI's hunt for China's most prolific spy family. Chi Mak, his family, and Greg Chung were US citizens operating at the behest of the People's Republic of China government and its intelligence services, targeting some of the most sensitive American military knowledge in use at the time. Lees meer
Catch Jim's original appearance on Ep 12: Life in FBI Counterintelligence here.
Connect with Jim:
chasingchibook.com
LinkedIn: James Gaylord
Check out the book: Chasing Chi, here.
https://www.amazon.com/Chasing-Chi-Groundbreaking-Pursuit-Prolific/dp/1493091964
Connect with Spycraft 101:
Get Justin's latest book, Murder, Intrigue, and Conspiracy: Stories from the Cold War and Beyond, here.
spycraft101.com
IG: @spycraft101
Shop: shop.spycraft101.com
Patreon: Spycraft 101
Find Justin's first book, Spyshots: Volume One, here.
Check out Justin's second book, Covert Arms, here.
Download the free eBook, The Clandestine Operative's Sidearm of Choice, here.
Kruschiki
The best surplus military goods delivered right to your door. Use code SPYCRAFT101 for 10% off!
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224. Secrets, Scandals, and Salvation: Spying for China with Gregg Bergersen
1 december 2025 · 1 uur 25 min
Today Justin sits down with Gregg Bergersen. Gregg spent 19 years in the Department of Navy's office of Naval Intelligence as an intelligence research specialist. He was then asked to join the Department of Defense as a weapons systems policy analyst at the Defense Security Cooperation Agency in Arlington, Virginia, where he oversaw complex command control, communication, computer intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance foreign military sales programs managed by the Army, Navy, and Air Force. In February, 2008, Gregg was arrested on charges of espionage for which he was later sentenced to 57 months in prison. Lees meer
While serving his sentence, Gregg dedicated his life to the Lord and now works to provide hope to prisoners through spiritual development courses. Over the past 10 years, he served as the director of a Texas prison ministry with nearly 100 volunteers providing hope to the lost and the least in our society at dozens of prisons. Over 20,000 prisoners have graduated from his courses. Gregg is here today to discuss his work as a civilian analyst for the Office of Naval Intelligence, Navy International Programs, and Defense Security Cooperation Agency, as well as the personal relationship which slowly transformed into espionage and incarceration that changed his life for the better.
Connect with Gregg:
houstonprisonministries.com
Connect with Spycraft 101:
Get Justin's latest book, Murder, Intrigue, and Conspiracy: Stories from the Cold War and Beyond, here.
spycraft101.com
IG: @spycraft101
Shop: shop.spycraft101.com
Patreon: Spycraft 101Find Justin's first book, Spyshots: Volume One, here.
Check out Justin's second book, Covert Arms, here.
Download the free eBook, The Clandestine Operative's Sidearm of Choice, here.Support the show
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223. A Former Marine Held Hostage in Yemen with Sam Farran
24 november 2025 · 1 uur 58 min
Today Justin sits down with Sam Farran. Sam moved to United States from his birth place in Lebanon and joined the US Marine Corps in 1978. He was later trained as an interrogator and worked on orders with the Defense Intelligence Agency and as an at attache officer. After retiring from the Marine Corps, he worked as a civilian contractor all over the Middle East and in particular in Yemen. In 2015, Sam was captured by Houthis Fighters in Sanaa shortly after they took over the capital city. He was held for nearly six months before finally being released to return home. Sam is here discuss his work all over the Middle East and his months of captivity by the Houthis in Yemen in 2015, which he wrote about in his book. Lees meer
Connect with Sam:
Facebook: Sam Farran
LinkedIn: Sam Farran
Check out his book, The Tightening Dark, here.
https://a.co/d/cAlX6il
Connect with Spycraft 101:
Get Justin's latest book, Murder, Intrigue, and Conspiracy: Stories from the Cold War and Beyond, here.
spycraft101.com
IG: @spycraft101
Shop: shop.spycraft101.com
Patreon: Spycraft 101Find Justin's first book, Spyshots: Volume One, here.
Check out Justin's second book, Covert Arms, here.
Download the free eBook, The Clandestine Operative's Sidearm of Choice, here.Kruschiki
The best surplus military goods delivered right to your door. Use code SPYCRAFT101 for 10% off!Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.
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