Secrets and Spies Podcast
1) S10 Ep22: John le Carré and the Russian Mafia with Federico Varese
Criminologist Federico Varese joins Chris to talk John le Carré—David Cornwell—and what his fiction got right about power, corruption, and the criminal underside of the modern Russian state. Varese, a...Show More
2) S10 Ep21: Myths and Realities of Russian Intelligence with John Sipher
Former senior CIA officer John Sipher joins Chris to break down what Western audiences get wrong about Russian intelligence—starting with what it’s actually like to operate inside one of the world’s m...Show More
3) S10 Ep20: Espionage and Drug Trafficking: The Life of Harold Durber with David Tuch
David Tuch, author of The Wireless Operator, joins Chris to tell the stranger-than-fiction story of Harold Durber—a wartime wireless operator who later ran blockade-busting weapons to Israel before re...Show More
4) S10 Ep19: The Fourth Intelligence Revolution with Anthony Vinci
Former chief technology officer of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, Dr. Anthony Vinci, joins Matt to explain why intelligence has broken out of the classified world—and why everyday citize...Show More
5) S10 Ep18: The Putin Factor Trump Keeps Ignoring with Dr Taras Kuzio
In this episode, Chris speaks with Dr Taras Kuzio about the deeper forces shaping Russia’s war against Ukraine and the faltering U.S.-Russia-Ukraine peace talks. Kuzio explores Vladimir Putin’s obsess...Show More
6) S10 Ep17: Espresso Martini | DC Guard Tragedy, Ukraine’s ‘Final’ Offer, Venezuela, ISIS, and Russian Spy Pigeons
In our final Espresso Martini of the year, Chris and Matt reflect on the DC National Guard shooting, the alleged Afghan CIA-linked gunman, and what the case says about how America treats its wartime p...Show More
7) S10 Ep16: Chasing Chi with Jim Gaylord
Former FBI Special Agent Jim Gaylord joins Matt to discuss Chasing Chi, his inside account of the multi-year hunt for Chi Mak, the low-key Southern California engineer at the center of a major Chinese...Show More
8) S10 Ep15: The Dogs of Mariupol with Tom Mutch
Chris is joined by journalist Tom Mutch to discuss The Dogs of Mariupol and the realities of reporting from Ukraine’s front lines. Tom shares what it takes to work inside an active war zone—from the d...Show More
9) S10 Ep14: The Man Who Sold Honours with Stephen Bates
Chris Carr sits down with author Stephen Bates to discuss The Man Who Sold Honours and the extraordinary life of Maundy Gregory—actor, fixer, conman and sometime MI5 asset at the heart of Britain’s or...Show More
10) S10 Ep13: How Digital Currency Impacts National Security with Yaya J. Fanusie
On today’s episode, Chris and former CIA analyst Yaya Jata Fanusie explore the evolution of digital currencies, focusing on central bank digital currencies (CBDCs), Bitcoin, and the implications for n...Show More