Jonathan Moyle, likely an MI6/CIA asset, died suspiciously in Santiago, Chile, in March 1990, after questioning Cardoen Industries’ alleged military helicopter sales to Iraq. His death, ruled a suicide, showed signs of murder. Wensley Clarkson’s book, which we used as a key source for our episode on this case last year, suggested Cardoen’s role, but new evidence shows Cardoen’s Bell 206 helicopters were civilian, not military, by the end of 1988, as confirmed by FAA-approved inspectors. Moyle’s ...
Apr 20, 2025•32 min•Season 9Ep. 10
Independent journalists Kit Klarenberg and Tim Norman have conducted significant investigations into the alleged 2018 assassination attempt on Sergei Skripal, a former Russian intelligence officer turned British spy, and his daughter Yulia in Salisbury, England. The episode also covers the related death of Dawn Sturgess in nearby Amesbury, which was recently the subject of a UK inquiry. Skripal, who betrayed Russia for MI6 in the 1990s, was settled in Salisbury after a spy swap in 2010. On March...
Mar 17, 2025•1 hr 36 min•Season 9Ep. 9
Jonathan Moyle, once an RAF pilot and editor of the specialist trade journal Defense Helicopter World , died under suspicious circumstances in Santiago, Chile, in 1990. Was his death linked to his investigation of an arms deal involving Carlos Cardoen and Saddam Hussein's Iraq, focusing on converting civilian Bell helicopters for military use? Moyle’s aggressive questioning at an arms fair seems to have made him a likely target. But was was there more going on? While his death was ruled a suicid...
Dec 07, 2024•1 hr 20 min•Season 9Ep. 8
With the US election upon us, host Niall takes a look at this year’s political drama, including two apparent attempts on the life of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump. Things often aren’t quite what they seem—especially in the world of high-level politics—and this might be no exception. To find out more about the people and music featured in today’s episode, visit the Assassinations Podcast website, www.AssassinationsPodcast.com While there, you can check out our Bookstore, where we...
Oct 29, 2024•16 min•Season 9Ep. 7
When the United States decided to extend its “manifest destiny” across the Pacific Ocean to the Philippines at the end of the 19th century, Antonio Luna helped to defend his country. His assassination at the hands of his fellow Filipinos dealt a mortal blow to the independence movement. To find out more about the people and music featured in today’s episode, visit the Assassinations Podcast website, www.AssassinationsPodcast.com While there, you can check out our Bookstore, where we recommend so...
Oct 10, 2024•31 min•Season 9Ep. 6
In the conclusion of our look at the assassination of John Lennon, we discover that it is a virtual impossibility that the man who has spent the last 44 years behind bars for the crime, Mark Chapman, could have done it. While Chapman confessed to the crime — and may truly believe he committed murder — the evidence simply does not support this, as Niall discusses with David Whelan, the author of Mind Games: the Assassination of John Lennon . To find out more about the people and music featured in...
Jul 11, 2024•1 hr 28 min•Season 9Ep. 5
In the first of a two-part look at the murder of John Lennon, we look at the life and work of the former Beatle, and the strange story of the man who was convicted of killing him, Mark Chapman. Host Niall speaks with author David Whelan about his fascinating new book Mind Games: The Assassination of John Lennon , which contains important and surprising fresh insight on the case. To find out more about the people and music featured in today’s episode, visit the Assassinations Podcast website, www...
Jul 08, 2024
A Fairfax, Virginia based computing journalist who had turned his hand to deep-dive investigative journalism, in the early-1990s Casolaro was looking into an alleged theft of cutting-edge software by the US Government, which led him down a rabbit hole of seemingly bizarre conspiracy theories — thanks to disinformation fed to him by a shady self-professed tech expert — a project that Casolaro called “The Octopus”. His dead body was found in the bathtub of a hotel room in a small town in West Virg...
May 04, 2024
Alexander Odeh was a Palestinian who had moved to the United States in the 1970s. While engaged in political activism in support of Arab people, both in the Middle East and in the USA, he was killed in a bombing attack widely attributed to a Jewish American terrorist cell. The alleged perpetrators subsequently fled to Israel in order to evade murder charges. One of the potential murderers, Andy Green / Baruch Ben-Yosef, is back in the news as he seemingly leads protests aimed at preventing essen...
Mar 26, 2024•27 min•Season 9Ep. 2
A legend and a mystery in his own lifetime, the decades following his death have only added to the mystique — and confusion — about who Jan Erik Hanussen really was and what his role in the rise of the Nazis might have been. We find out about the various dubious accounts that have shaped public perception about this once-famous mesmerist and clairvoyant, and how an entire subcategory of popular history was born — Occultism and the Nazis. To find out more about the people and music featured in to...
Dec 23, 2023•43 min•Season 9Ep. 1
Blown up while sailing on his fishing boat along the coast of County Sligo in Ireland in 1979, the assassination of Lord Mountbatten resulted in international condemnation of the IRA, which claimed responsibility for the blast. Three other people — two teenaged boys and a woman in her eighties — were also killed. Many wondered why the IRA had chosen to kill Mountbatten, an old man who had long ago retired from public life, and who regularly summered in Ireland. It was especially strange that the...
Aug 29, 2023•1 hr 34 min•Season 8Ep. 9
On the 5th of November, 1605, a dastardly plot to assassinate King James and the English parliament was foiled. Many of the conspirators, most famously Guy Fawkes, were captured, tortured, and brutally executed. But might they have been mere pawns in some else’s game, part of a devious design to flush out enemies of the state and test the strength of England’s alliance with a foreign power? To find out more about the people and music featured in today’s episode, visit the Assassinations Podcast ...
May 26, 2023•49 min•Season 8Ep. 8
Did Crown Prince Dipendra of Nepal single-handedly nearly wipe out his dynasty, including his own parents and siblings? Or maybe he was a patsy, a pawn in someone else’s game … someone who stood to benefit most from one of the bloodiest moments in the country’s history. To find out more about the people and music featured in today’s episode, visit the Assassinations Podcast website, www.AssassinationsPodcast.com. While there, you can also check out our Bookstore, where we recommend some great ep...
Oct 04, 2022•18 min•Season 8Ep. 7
One of the most vocal opponents and the State of Israel, Faisal lavished money on Palestinian causes. Following the 1973 Ramadan / Yom Kippur War, the Saudi king instituted an oil embargo against the United States and other countries that backed Israel. Other Muslim oil-producing countries joined the embargo, leading to the Energy Crisis, which had a damaging impact on the global economy. When Faisal was assassinated in 1975, many in the Muslim world thought that he had been targeted by the Amer...
Sep 07, 2022•57 min•Season 8Ep. 6
Long before the House of Saud became synonymous with fabulous wealth flowing from their oil rich kingdom, they were tribal warriors who aspired to unite the Arabian Peninsula — and control the holy cities of Mecca and Medina — under their flag and guided by their obscure interpretation of the Islamic faith. Before we look at the details of the assassination of King Faisal, this episode considers the origins of the Saudi royal family, including their connection to British intrigues in the Middle ...
Aug 31, 2022•31 min•Season 8Ep. 5
We look at the life and death of another Alexander — this time it’s Tsar Alexander II of Russia. A reformer who granted freedom to some 23 million serfs, he was on the brink of signing into law a program of changes to the Russian system of government that could have set the empire on a democratic and constitutional route. But a team of assassins from a shadowy political group killed the tsar before he could sign the reforms into law, thus ushering in a period of political reaction that ultimatel...
Jun 28, 2022•32 min•Season 8Ep. 4
The slaying of the Yugoslavian king on the streets of Marseille, France, in 1934 sent shockwaves throughout Europe. His assassination by a squad of Croatian and Macedonian nationalist militants was part of an international conspiracy by more powerful forces that sought to reshape the map of Europe. After a narrative historical recounting of events, host Niall discusses the case with Dr. Chris Millington of Manchester Metropolitan University. To learn more about Chris and his work, go to: https:/...
May 31, 2022•1 hr•Season 8Ep. 3
From a narrative historical account of the slaying of the Macedonian king, we move on to look at the fortunes of his son, Alexander the Great. And we ask the question: What might the world look like if Philip had lived? To find out more about the people and music featured in today’s episode, visit the Assassinations Podcast website, www.AssassinationsPodcast.com. While there, you can also check out our Bookstore, where we recommend some great episode-related books and reading material, and shop ...
May 01, 2022•32 min•Season 8Ep. 2
Before we start on Season 8 of the show, which will focus on the theme of royal assassinations, we take the opportunity to look at the life and death of the controversial Ukrainian nationalist figure. To find out more about the people and music featured in today’s episode, visit the Assassinations Podcast website, www.AssassinationsPodcast.com. While there, you can also check out our Bookstore, where we recommend some great episode-related books and reading material, and shop our Merch Store to ...
Mar 29, 2022•30 min•Season 8Ep. 1
Following on from last week’s conversation on the use of assassination by the US during the Cold War, culminating in the “Season of Inquiry” during the Ford administration, historian Luca Trenta discusses the evolving policy on assassination under successive presidents to the present day. Part 2 of 2. Check out producer Lindsey’s exciting new project, Vorpalab, which offers alternate reality games on blockchain: www.vorpalab.com To find out more about Luca Trenta’s work, visit the Assassinations...
Feb 08, 2022•1 hr 9 min•Season 7Ep. 26
An academic at the University of Swansea, Dr Trenta discusses his research into America’s use of assassination as a tool of foreign policy during the Cold War and the development of the so-called ban on assassinations, which was instituted through an executive order by President Gerald Ford in 1975. The conversation between Luca and host Niall continues and concludes next week. Check out producer Lindsey’s exciting new project, Vorpalab, which offers alternate reality games on blockchain: www.vo...
Feb 01, 2022•54 min•Season 7Ep. 25
Kit has extensively looked into the alleged attempted assassination of Sergei and Yulia Skripal in England in 2018. In this interview he shares his thoughts on the case, as well as more recent developments and a potential connection with another other high-profile alleged chemical weapons attack that year. Thanks to Kit Klarenberg for joining us for this episode. His work can be found via: https://kitklarenberg.substack.com/ and https://twitter.com/KitKlarenberg To find out more about the people...
Dec 27, 2021•1 hr 2 min•Season 7Ep. 24
A former British Army officer and private security contractor, Le Mesurier helped to found the Syrian Civil Defense, aka the White Helmets. Embroiled in scandals in the last months of his life, was his death an accident, suicide, or murder? In this episode we talked about an organization called ARK. It’s website is: https://www.ark.international To find out more about the people and music featured in today’s episode, visit the Assassinations Podcast website, www.AssassinationsPodcast.com While t...
Nov 06, 2021•57 min•Season 7Ep. 23
In this mini episode we consider the life and death of the Lebanese leader, whose extensive business interests and political activities made him a friend, confidante, and rival to some of the most powerful - and dangerous - people on earth. To find out more about the people and music featured in today’s episode, visit the Assassinations Podcast website, www.AssassinationsPodcast.com While there, you can check out our Bookstore, where we recommend some great episode-related books and reading mate...
Sep 14, 2021•18 min•Season 7Ep. 22
One was a Nazi torturer, protected by the United States. The other was a Marxist guerrilla, hunted by the Bolivian government. Their paths would cross in one of the most infamous episodes of the Cold War. Assassinated, Guevara would become a countercultural icon. Meanwhile Barbie would go on to commit many more crimes before his final date with destiny. This episode is brought to you by EarlyBird. To find out how to benefit from their special listener offer, just go to partners.getearlybird.io/p...
Aug 04, 2021•1 hr•Season 7Ep. 21
Though authorities blamed an outlawed far-left militant group called the Red Army Faction for the assassination of this prominent West German businessman, there is good reason to think that other forces might have been behind the hit. This episode is brought to you by Omio. Use the link https://omio.sjv.io/c/2544961/1078765/7385 and promo code OMIO5 at checkout to receive a discount on your purchase. Offer ends July 31, 2021. To find out more about the people and music featured in today’s episod...
Jul 19, 2021•15 min•Season 7Ep. 20
Gerald Bull had been developing “super guns” for decades, culminating in his work for the Iraqi government of Saddam Hussein. Assassinated in 1990, it is unclear if Bull was killed by the Israelis, the Iranians, some other covert agency … or by the Iraqis themselves. This episode is brought to you by Omio. Use the link https://omio.sjv.io/c/2544961/1078765/7385 and promo code OMIO5 at checkout to receive a discount on your purchase. To find out more about the people and music featured in today’s...
Jul 05, 2021•30 min•Season 7Ep. 19
For our 100th episode, we travel back to the thirteenth century to hear a story about the most feared killers of their age: the Order of Assassins, led by the mysterious Old Man of the Mountains. To find out more about the people and music featured in today’s episode, visit the Assassinations Podcast website, www.AssassinationsPodcast.com While there, you can check out our Bookstore, where we recommend some great episode-related books and reading material, or shop our Merch Store to nab a logo t...
Jun 01, 2021•49 min•Season 7Ep. 18
Our 100th episode, which comes out next week, will bring us face to face with the OG assassins of yore. To find out more, visit the Assassinations Podcast website, www.AssassinationsPodcast.com While there, you can check out our Bookstore, where we recommend some great episode-related books and reading material, or shop our Merch Store to nab a logo tee or tote bag. You can also contact us through the website - we love to hear your comments, questions, corrections, and suggestions! You can find ...
May 25, 2021•2 min•Season 7Ep. 17
Host Niall is joined this week by historian Sue Woolmans, the co-author of a book on the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, the heir to the Austrian throne who was killed in Sarajevo in 1914 - the event that sparked the First World War. This episode is brought to you by Brüush. Follow this link and use promo code POD15 to get 15% off your order: www.bit.ly/3xe5g7S To find out more about the people and music featured in today’s episode, visit the Assassinations Podcast website, www.Assass...
May 01, 2021•40 min•Season 7Ep. 16
