Summary Robert Wittman (Website; Twitter) joins Andrew (Twitter; LinkedIn) to discuss his career and the FBI’s Art Crime Team. Bob recovered over $300 million worth of stolen art and cultural property over the course of his career. What You’ll Learn Intelligence How the FBI’s Art Crime Team (ACT) was formed The intelligence angle when investigating provenance Living and working undercover abroad Museums & Intelligence Reflections The importance of cultural property Questions of ownership and bel...
Dec 05, 2023•1 hr 12 min•Ep 614•Transcript available on Metacast Summary Dina Rezk (LinkedIn) joins Andrew (Twitter; LinkedIn) to discuss Egyptian intelligence. Dina is an Associate Professor of Modern Middle Eastern History at the University of Reading. What You’ll Learn Intelligence Egyptian leadership & intelligence The intelligence landscape of Egypt Egypt’s relationship with neighboring countries Ashraf Marwan’s story from the Egyptian perspective Reflections Leadership, power, and opposition International perspectives and changing views And much, much m...
Nov 28, 2023•1 hr 3 min•Ep 613•Transcript available on Metacast Summary Rear Admiral Tim Woods (Biography) joins Andrew (Twitter; LinkedIn) to discuss his role as Britain’s Defence Attaché to the United States. Tim previously served as the British Defence Attaché in Kyiv, Ukraine. What You’ll Learn Intelligence What does a Defense Attaché do How intelligence impacts military strategy Admiral Woods’ experience of the 2021 Russian invasion of Ukraine What it’s like to constantly be surveilled Reflections The power of relationships and connections Sacrificing p...
Nov 21, 2023•1 hr 5 min•Ep 612•Transcript available on Metacast Summary Laura Tohe (Website) joins Andrew (Twitter; LinkedIn) to discuss the stories of the WWII Navajo Code Talkers. Laura is a Diné author and the Poet Laureate of the Navajo Nation. What You’ll Learn Intelligence How the Code Talking units were formed How the Navajo people used their language as a weapon Laura’s father, Benson Tohe’s story Did the Japanese ever break the code? Reflections The relationship between language and the state Storytelling and the power of oral history And much, much...
Nov 14, 2023•1 hr 4 min•Ep 611•Transcript available on Metacast Summary Andrew leads a SPY Museum panel discussion between four experts on the most damaging mole in FBI history, Robert Hanssen. This program was in collaboration with CBS/Paramount on their new podcast “Agent of Betrayal" What You’ll Learn Intelligence The story of Robert Hanssen How his colleagues reacted to his betrayal A psychological analysis of Hanssen How the Hanssen case has impacted the FBI and U.S. intelligence Reflections Disillusionment and betrayal “The child is father of the man” ...
Nov 07, 2023•59 min•Ep 610•Transcript available on Metacast Summary Col. (Ret.) Shlomo Mofaz (LinkedIn) and Col (Ret.) Zohar Palti (Wikipedia) join Andrew to discuss their respective careers in the Israeli Defense Forces and the Mossad. What You’ll Learn Intelligence Israel’s relationships with neighboring countries The role of intelligence within the Intifadas Israel and the Lebanon War Hezbollah, Hamas, and other groups that pose threats to Israeli security Reflections Pressure and power Dealing with constant threats And much, much more … Episode Notes...
Oct 31, 2023•2 hr 50 min•Ep 609•Transcript available on Metacast Summary Lt. Col. (ret.) Aviram Halevi (LinkedIn) joins Andrew (Twitter; LinkedIn) to discuss Israel’s top secret commando unit, Sayeret Matkal. Aviram formerly served as Deputy Commander-in-Chief of Sayeret Matkal. What You’ll Learn Intelligence The origins of Sayeret Matkal Collaboration across Israeli intelligence Operation Spring of Youth & the Entebbe Raid Intelligence & hostage retrieval Reflections The value of teamwork No room for fear And much, much more … Episode Notes This week on SpyC...
Oct 24, 2023•1 hr 13 min•Ep 608•Transcript available on Metacast Welcome to a very special bonus episode of SpyCast, coming to you directly from the stage of the International Spy Museum. Last month, we hosted a live panel discussion in collaboration with our friends at Goat Rodeo who produced the new podcast, Spy Valley: An Engineer’s Nuclear Betrayal, a series by Project Brazen and PRX. The riveting series tells the true story of James Harper, a Silicon Valley engineer turned spy who sold nuclear secrets to the Soviet Bloc. The series takes listeners on a j...
Oct 20, 2023•2 hr 33 min•Transcript available on Metacast Summary Uri Bar-Joseph (LinkedIn) joins Andrew (Twitter; LinkedIn) to discuss the intelligence failure of the Yom Kippur War. Uri is an author and professor emeritus at Haifa University. What You’ll Learn Intelligence How Israel failed to predict the Yom Kippur War Egyptian spy Ashraf Marwan’s role in the War How Israeli intelligence evolved post-War Israeli leadership’s accountability for the failure Reflections Learning and adapting from mistakes Catastrophe and national trauma And much, much ...
Oct 17, 2023•1 hr 14 min•Ep 607•Transcript available on Metacast Summary Uzi Arad (Wikipedia) joins Andrew (Twitter; LinkedIn) to discuss intelligence and policy at the highest level. Uzi was also a former foreign policy advisor to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Director of Intelligence for the Mossad. What You’ll Learn Intelligence National security in Israel Israel’s position within the Middle East State leaders as consumers of intelligence Uzi’s relationship with PM Netanyahu Reflections Handling intense pressure Power, proximity, and influence And ...
Oct 10, 2023•1 hr 22 min•Ep 606•Transcript available on Metacast Summary Brig. Gen. (res.) Erez David Maisel (Twitter, LinkedIn) joins Andrew (Twitter; LinkedIn) to provide a crash-course in Israeli Intelligence history. Erez is a researcher and former head of the IDF’s International Cooperation Division. *FULL SHOWNOTES & FULL TRANSCRIPT HERE* What You’ll Learn Intelligence Early history of intelligence in Israel The origins of Israeli intelligence organizations Preparing for a Nazi invasion of British Palestine The shift from British to American influence o...
Oct 03, 2023•2 hr 30 min•Ep 605•Transcript available on Metacast Summary Letitia “Tish” Long (LinkedIn) joins Andrew (Twitter; LinkedIn) to discuss her time as the Director of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency. Tish was the first woman to be appointed director of an American intelligence agency. What You’ll Learn Intelligence GEOINT & its importance Tish’s recollection of the Bin Laden raid The differences between NGO and NGA Information sharing between spy chiefs Reflections The value of mentorship Being the first, but certainly not the last And mu...
Sep 26, 2023•1 hr 3 min•Ep 604•Transcript available on Metacast Summary Vappala Balachandran (Wikipedia) joins Andrew (Twitter; LinkedIn) to discuss his career and the ancient roots of espionage in India. Bala formerly served as Special Secretary for India’s Cabinet Secretariat. What You’ll Learn Intelligence India’s Research and Analysis Wing The Tamil Tigers’ threat to Indian national security Intelligence considerations within India-Pakistan relations Lessons in intelligence from Ancient India Reflections Intelligence, the 2nd oldest profession Transition...
Sep 19, 2023•1 hr 5 min•Ep 603•Transcript available on Metacast Summary Michael McElgunn (LinkedIn) joins Andrew (Twitter; LinkedIn) to discuss intelligence in the Republic of Ireland. Michael is the Assistant Commissioner of An Garda Síochána’s Crime and Security Intelligence Service. What You’ll Learn Intelligence The history of An Garda Síochána The intelligence components of the Garda The present state of Northern Ireland relations Current threats to Irish national security Reflections The value of collaboration Evolving alongside a changing world And mu...
Sep 12, 2023•1 hr 2 min•Ep 602•Transcript available on Metacast Summary Brigadier General (Ret.) Wilson Boinett joins Andrew (Twitter; LinkedIn) to discuss Kenyan intelligence. Wilson is the former Director of Kenya’s National Intelligence Service. What You’ll Learn Intelligence The effect of colonialism on intelligence The organization of Kenya’s National Intelligence Service Wilson’s role in adapting and reforming Kenyan intelligence The Nairobi bombings and effects on East Africa Reflections Institutional insurgency The courage to push for and enact chang...
Sep 05, 2023•1 hr 9 min•Ep 601•Transcript available on Metacast Summary David Petraeus (LinkedIn) joins Andrew (Twitter, LinkedIn) to discuss his strategic analysis of the war in Ukraine. General Petraeus is a former Director of the CIA. What You’ll Learn Intelligence General Petraeus’ appraisal of the situation in Ukraine What victory would look like for each side What role intelligence is playing in the War General Petraeus’ time as Director of the CIA Reflections The power of narrative Organizational culture *EXTENDED SHOW NOTES & FULL TRANSCRIPT HERE* Ep...
Aug 29, 2023•1 hr 23 min•Ep 600•Transcript available on Metacast Summary Bill Britton (LinkedIn) joins Andrew (Twitter; LinkedIn) in a discussion about cybersecurity and cyber awareness. Bill is the Director of the California Cybersecurity Institute and CIO at Cal Poly. What You’ll Learn Intelligence How to better protect your online information Why cybersecurity is more important now than ever How Cal Poly is addressing cybersecurity challenges The state of cyber in California and America Reflections Confronting our learned habits Lifelong learning *EXTENDED...
Aug 22, 2023•1 hr 2 min•Ep 599•Transcript available on Metacast Summary Keith Michaels (LinkedIn) and James Lockhart (LinkedIn) join Andrew to discuss intelligence in an unlikely place: Casinos! James and Keith have collectively over 30 years of experience within Las Vegas gaming surveillance. What You’ll Learn Intelligence How casinos conduct surveillance Collaboration between casinos and intelligence organizations The mob origins of Las Vegas Nation-state intelligence threats in casinos Reflections It’s just the luck of the draw…or is it? Playing your card...
Aug 15, 2023•1 hr 3 min•Ep 598•Transcript available on Metacast Summary Eamon Javers (Twitter, LinkedIn) joins Andrew (Twitter, LinkedIn) to discuss China’s Corporate Spy War. Eamon is the Senior Washington correspondent at CNBC. What You’ll Learn Intelligence Why go after corporate secrets? What’s at stake for the United States The case of Yanjun Xu and GE Aviation Military implications of economic espionage Reflections The innovation nation Simple twists of fate And much, much more … ***FULL SHOWNOTES AVAILABLE HERE*** Episode Notes This week on SpyCast, A...
Aug 08, 2023•1 hr 10 min•Ep 597•Transcript available on Metacast Summary Steve James (IMDb) joins Andrew (Twitter; LinkedIn) to discuss his new film, A Compassionate Spy. 18-year-old Ted Hall was the youngest physicist working on the Manhattan Project in Los Alamos. What You’ll Learn Intelligence Soviet-American relations during WWII The Manhattan Project and the development of the Atomic Bomb Motivations for atomic espionage The life and story of Theodore Hall Reflections With great power … comes great responsibility State allegiance vs. personal conscience ...
Aug 01, 2023•1 hr•Ep 596•Transcript available on Metacast Summary Michael Vickers (Website) joins Andrew (Twitter; LinkedIn) to discuss his remarkable career and memoir. He was formerly the Undersecretary of Defense for Intelligence. What You’ll Learn Intelligence His specialized training to wear a “Nuclear Backpack” (yes, literally!) Overseeing a multibillion-dollar CIA covert action program against the Soviets Planning the Osama Bin Laden raid Retooling defense intelligence for the 21st century Reflections Finding a narrative that unites the various ...
Jul 25, 2023•1 hr 13 min•Ep 595•Transcript available on Metacast Summary Jorhena Thomas (LinkedIn) joins Andrew (Twitter; LinkedIn) to discuss her career as an analyst and passion for intelligence education. Jorhena spent 8 years in the FBI as an Intelligence Analyst. What You’ll Learn Intelligence What makes a great analyst Her thoughts on the “Intelligence Cycle” The Robert Levinson case How the FBI adapted after 9/11 Reflections Teamwork and collaboration The importance of education Episode Notes Andrew is joined by Jorhena Thomas: educator, mentor, and an...
Jul 18, 2023•1 hr 13 min•Ep 594•Transcript available on Metacast Summary Leta McCollough Seletsky (Website; Twitter) joins Andrew (Twitter; LinkedIn) to share the story of her father, the famous “Kneeling Man” – The man knelt next to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. at his assassination at the Lorraine Motel in 1968. Leta is a litigator turned essayist and memoirist. *Nominate SpyCast for a People’s Choice Podcast Award HERE!* What You’ll Learn Intelligence The life and times of Marrell “Mac” McCollough The CIA connection between father and daughter Black power and...
Jul 11, 2023•1 hr 13 min•Ep 593•Transcript available on Metacast Summary Ryan Zimmerman (MLB Stats; Wikipedia) and Marc Polymeropoulos (Twitter; LinkedIn) join Andrew to discuss intelligence and America’s pastime. From the SpyCast Field of Dreams. What You’ll Learn Intelligence Sign-stealing and codebreaking Glue guys and teamwork Ethics in baseball and espionage Clutch and pinch hitters in espionage and baseball Reflections Daring to fail Stepping up to the plate of life And much, much more… Episode Notes Buy me some peanuts and crackerjack. Few things in th...
Jul 04, 2023•1 hr 5 min•Ep 561•Transcript available on Metacast Summary Ioanna Iordanou (Twitter; LinkedIn) joins Andrew (Twitter; LinkedIn) to discuss Venice’s Secret Service. Her research on “centralized intelligence” during the Italian Renaissance has secured her two entries in Guiness World Records! What You’ll Learn Intelligence The origins of centralized intelligence “The Council of Ten” - Venice’s spy chiefs “The Inquisitors of the State” - Venice’s counterintelligence body Venetian power in the Eastern Mediterranean Reflections The rise and fall of e...
Jun 27, 2023•1 hr•Ep 592•Transcript available on Metacast Summary This week on SpyCast, Andrew (Twitter; LinkedIn) is joined by former DPRK Agent Kim, Hyun Woo. This is the first time Dr. Kim has stepped out from the shadows to speak. *EXTENDED SHOW NOTES & FULL TRANSCRIPT HERE* What You’ll Learn Intelligence The organizational structure of North Korean intelligence The journey of a defector The training and skills needed to be a DPRK agent North Korean intelligence priorities in the East Reflections Bravery and courage in the face of danger State conf...
Jun 20, 2023•1 hr 4 min•Ep 591•Transcript available on Metacast Summary Calder Walton (Website, Twitter) joins Andrew (Twitter; LinkedIn) to discuss the 100-year intelligence war between the United States and Russia. Calder is the author of the new book, SPIES. *EXTENDED SHOW NOTES & FULL TRANSCRIPT HERE* What You’ll Learn Intelligence The epic clash of intelligence systems Russia’s assassination program then and now The roots of Putinism China as “the Soviet Union on steroids” Reflections Cold War 2.0 Could it have been otherwise? And much, much more … Quot...
Jun 13, 2023•1 hr 9 min•Ep 590•Transcript available on Metacast Summary Cory Graff (Website, LinkedIn) joins Andrew (Twitter, LinkedIn) to discuss the D-Day deception operation to mask the landings at Normandy. Cory is a Curator at The National World War II Museum in New Orleans, Louisiana. What You’ll Learn Intelligence Deception tactics used by the Allies The core deception operations BODYGUARD and FORTITUDE The German secret agents who became British “double agents” The “Ghost Army” and General Patton’s fictitious First U.S. Army Group Intelligence in the...
Jun 06, 2023•1 hr 10 min•Ep 589•Transcript available on Metacast Summary Noah Hurowitz (Twitter; LinkedIn) joins Andrew (Twitter; LinkedIn) to discuss infamous drug kingpin El Chapo. A weak link in his cybersecurity set-up would help bring him down. What You’ll Learn Intelligence El Chapo’s internal surveillance operation The cartel’s use of cryptography to keep communications covert How cybersecurity enabled then brought down El Chapo The role of the infamous DFS – a corrupt and now disbanded intelligence agency Reflections Technology – early adopters vs. co...
May 30, 2023•59 min•Ep 535•Transcript available on Metacast Summary Curators Alexis (LinkedIn) and Andrew (Twitter; LinkedIn) use James Bond artifacts in SPY’s collection to discuss all things 007. This year marks the 70th anniversary of the first Ian Fleming novel, Casino Royale. What You’ll Learn Intelligence Bond vs. Real Life Spies The birth of James Bond Ian Fleming’s intelligence past Bond and MI6 Reflections What makes a character timeless? Pop culture mirroring real life And much, much more … *FULL SHOWNOTES & FULL TRANSCRIPT HERE* Episode Notes ...
May 23, 2023•47 min•Ep 588•Transcript available on Metacast 
