Episodios

  • S10 Ep20: Espionage and Drug Trafficking: The Life of Harold Derber with David Tuch

    S10 Ep20: Espionage and Drug Trafficking: The Life of Harold Derber with David Tuch
    Dec 17 2025
    David Tuch, author of The Wireless Operator, joins Chris to tell the stranger-than-fiction story of Harold Derber—a wartime wireless operator who later ran blockade-busting weapons to Israel before reinventing marijuana smuggling in the 1970s. David explains how a loophole created by the 1970 Controlled Substances Act briefly made it legal to hold drugs in international waters—and how Derber exploited it with a “mothership” fleet, offloading tons of marijuana at sea. They break down why Deber’s flagship, the Night Train, became law enforcement’s obsession, built on counter-surveillance and tradecraft designed to keep informants out. The conversation then moves into Miami and Wall Street—money laundering, the Gambinos, and First Jersey Securities—alongside Derber’s documented ties to Cuban intelligence.

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    Learn more about David and his work: https://davidtuch.com

    Order The Wireless Operator: https://www.iconbooks.com/ib-title/the-wireless-operator/

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    Secrets and Spies is produced by F & P LTD.
    Music by Andrew R. Bird
    Photo by David Tuch, Ted Akey, Wolfson Archives & Icon Books

    Secrets and Spies sits at the intersection of intelligence, covert action, real-world espionage, and broader geopolitics in a way that is digestible but serious. Hosted by filmmaker Chris Carr and writer Matt Fulton, each episode examines the very topics that real intelligence officers and analysts consider on a daily basis through the lens of global events and geopolitics, featuring expert insights from former spies, authors, and journalists.
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    59 m
  • S10 Ep19: The Fourth Intelligence Revolution with Anthony Vinci

    S10 Ep19: The Fourth Intelligence Revolution with Anthony Vinci
    Dec 13 2025
    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 citizens are now on the front lines. Anthony walks through three past “intelligence revolutions” and argues we’ve entered a fourth, driven by China and AI: intelligence expanding beyond war and politics into economics and tech, a “whole-of-society” competition that pulls in companies and universities, and a shift from targeting governments to targeting entire populations. They discuss “inanity of evil” disinformation operations, China’s push toward a global panopticon, the case for treating economic espionage as tier-one national security, and the coming collision of AI, autonomy, and trust—ending with what it means to “think like an intelligence officer” without becoming the thing we’re fighting.

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    Order The Fourth Intelligence Revolution: https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250370907/thefourthintelligencerevolution/

    Learn more on Anthony’s website: https://www.anthonyvinci.com/

    Subscribe to Anthony’s Substack: https://anthonyvinci.substack.com/

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    Secrets and Spies is produced by F & P LTD.
    Music by Andrew R. Bird
    Photo by Joy Asico

    Secrets and Spies sits at the intersection of intelligence, covert action, real-world espionage, and broader geopolitics in a way that is digestible but serious. Hosted by filmmaker Chris Carr and writer Matt Fulton, each episode examines the very topics that real intelligence officers and analysts consider on a daily basis through the lens of global events and geopolitics, featuring expert insights from former spies, authors, and journalists.
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    55 m
  • S10 Ep18: The Putin Factor Trump Keeps Ignoring with Dr Taras Kuzio

    S10 Ep18: The Putin Factor Trump Keeps Ignoring with Dr Taras Kuzio
    Dec 10 2025
    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 obsession with history and identity, the existential stakes the war now holds for the Kremlin, and the political, economic and social pressures that make genuine negotiation nearly impossible. They unpack the Trump administration’s pro-Russian tilt, European hesitation, the resilience and innovation of Ukraine’s defence sector, and the deep divisions within the global Russian diaspora. The conversation also looks ahead to what 2026 may bring, the risks of a post-Putin Russia, and why the West urgently needs a coherent strategy if it hopes to shape the outcome of this conflict.

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    Follow Dr. Kuzio on X: x.com/TarasKuzio

    Read Dr. Kuzio’s recent reporting on Ukraine "Ukrainian Corruption Investigation Reveals Derkach’s Role" | The Jamestown Foundation

    "Ukraine Aspires to Become Arsenal to the West" | The Jamestown Foundation

    "Russia’s War Transforms Ukraine into a World-Leading Military Producer" | RealClear Defense

    Order Dr. Kuzio’s books Russia and Modern Fascism: New Perspectives on the Kremlin’s War Against Ukraine

    Russia's War on Ukraine: The Four Roots of Putin's Invasion

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    Secrets and Spies is produced by F & P LTD.
    Music by Andrew R. Bird
    Photos by Ozan Kose/AFP/Getty Images

    Secrets and Spies sits at the intersection of intelligence, covert action, real-world espionage, and broader geopolitics in a way that is digestible but serious. Hosted by filmmaker Chris Carr and writer Matt Fulton, each episode examines the very topics that real intelligence officers and analysts consider on a daily basis through the lens of global events and geopolitics, featuring expert insights from former spies, authors, and journalists.
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    1 h y 6 m
  • S10 Ep17: Espresso Martini | DC Guard Tragedy, Ukraine’s ‘Final’ Offer, Venezuela, ISIS, and Russian Spy Pigeons

    S10 Ep17: Espresso Martini | DC Guard Tragedy, Ukraine’s ‘Final’ Offer, Venezuela, ISIS, and Russian Spy Pigeons
    Dec 6 2025
    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 partners once the war ends. They then turn to Trump’s latest “final” Ukraine peace offer and growing frustration in Europe as Moscow drags the war out on its own terms. The focus shifts to Venezuela, where Russian advisors, new air defenses, cartel politics, and U.S. forces raise the risk of conflict—and to post-Assad Syria, where ISIS is quietly regrouping amid a tenuous recovery. Finally, listener questions bring them to Pete Hegseth’s alleged no-quarter order, Tom Nichols’s case for accountability, and the long, dark tradition of animal spies—and some reflections on ten years of Secrets & Spies and where the show goes next. Subscribe and share to stay ahead in the world of intelligence, global issues, and current affairs Please share this episode using these links Audio: https://pod.fo/e/36128f YouTube: https://youtu.be/yr-CKl1Z6Tk Support Secrets and Spies Become a “Friend of the Podcast” on Patreon for £3/$4: https://www.patreon.com/SecretsAndSpies Buy merchandise from our Redbubble shop: https://www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/60934996 Buy us a coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/secretsandspies Subscribe to our YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDVB23lrHr3KFeXq4VU36dg For more information about the podcast, check out our website: https://secretsandspiespodcast.com Articles discussed in today’s episode "Fellow Unit Member Says Alleged D.C. Shooter Felt Abandoned by CIA" by Kevin Mauer | The Rolling Stone: https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-features/alleged-dc-national-guard-shooter-felt-abandoned-cia-1235474835/ "The Ukraine peace deal has stumbled yet again over an inevitable obstacle: Putin" by Andrew Roth | The Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/dec/03/the-ukraine-peace-deal-has-stumbled-yet-again-over-an-inevitable-obstacle-putin "Russian General In Venezuela Leading Advisory Mission: Ukraine’s Intel Chief" by Howard Altman | The War Zone: https://www.twz.com/news-features/russian-general-in-venezuela-leading-advisory-mission-ukraines-intel-chief Islamic State Wages a Guerrilla Insurgency Throughout Eastern Syria | The Soufan Center Intelbrief: https://thesoufancenter.org/intelbrief-2025-october-28/ "Pete Hegseth Needs to Go—Now" by Tom Nichols | The Atlantic: https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2025/12/pete-hegseth-pentagon-department-defense/685098/ "Russia Launches First Brain-Chipped Bird Drones for Surveillance Over Cities" by Roman Kohanets | United24 Media: https://united24media.com/latest-news/russia-launches-first-brain-chipped-bird-drones-for-surveillance-over-cities-13769 Connect with us on social media Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/secretsandspies.bsky.social Instagram: https://instagram.com/secretsandspies Facebook: https://facebook.com/secretsandspies Spoutible: https://spoutible.com/SecretsAndSpies Follow Chris and Matt on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/chriscarrfilm.bsky.social https://bsky.app/profile/mattfulton.net Secrets and Spies is produced by F & P LTD. Music by Andrew R. Bird Photo by AP & Taylor Crul/USAF Secrets and Spies sits at the intersection of intelligence, covert action, real-world espionage, and broader geopolitics in a way that is digestible but serious. Hosted by filmmaker Chris Carr and writer Matt Fulton, each episode examines the very topics that real intelligence officers and analysts consider on a daily basis through the lens of global events and geopolitics, featuring expert insights from former spies, authors, and journalists.
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    1 h y 43 m
  • S10 Ep16: Chasing Chi with Jim Gaylord

    S10 Ep16: Chasing Chi with Jim Gaylord
    Nov 29 2025
    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 spy ring inside America’s Navy industrial base. They walk through how a vague tip evolved into a full counterintelligence operation—trash pulls, covert entries, FISA surveillance, and a race to grab the Chi’s conspirators at LAX before stolen submarine and radar secrets left the country—and what the case reveals about China’s modern espionage threat.

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    Learn more about Jim and the Chi Mak case: chasingchibook.com

    Order Chasing Chi: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Chasing-Chi/James-E-Gaylord/9781493091966

    Please share this episode using these links Audio: https://pod.fo/e/35c7dc
    YouTube: https://youtu.be/OxzTwaS5W5M

    Send in audience questions for the next Espresso Martini by December 4th! Email secretsandspiespodcast@gmail.com, or reach out on social media via the links below.
    Please include your first name and general location if you’re comfortable.

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    Secrets and Spies is produced by F & P LTD.
    Music by Andrew R. Bird
    Photos by Prometheus Books

    Secrets and Spies sits at the intersection of intelligence, covert action, real-world espionage, and broader geopolitics in a way that is digestible but serious. Hosted by filmmaker Chris Carr and writer Matt Fulton, each episode examines the very topics that real intelligence officers and analysts consider on a daily basis through the lens of global events and geopolitics, featuring expert insights from former spies, authors, and journalists.
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    1 h y 15 m
  • S10 Ep15: The Dogs of Mariupol with Tom Mutch

    S10 Ep15: The Dogs of Mariupol with Tom Mutch
    Nov 26 2025
    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 decision to stay during the invasion to the daily logistics of moving, sourcing, and staying alive. They dig into the resilience of Ukrainians under fire, the reach of Russian propaganda, and the social fractures between those who fought and those who fled. Tom also reflects on why documenting these stories matters and how Ukraine’s future could be shaped by the ingenuity and grit he’s seen on the ground.

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    Order The Dogs of Mariupol: https://www.bitebackpublishing.com/books/the-dogs-of-mariupol

    Please share this episode using these links Audio: https://pod.fo/e/35a2eb
    YouTube: https://youtu.be/yZQz7bUms3E

    Send in audience questions for the next Espresso Martini by December 4th! Email secretsandspiespodcast@gmail.com, or reach out on social media via the links below.
    Please include your first name and general location if you’re comfortable.

    Support Secrets and Spies Become a “Friend of the Podcast” on Patreon for £3/$4: https://www.patreon.com/SecretsAndSpies
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    Secrets and Spies is produced by F & P LTD.
    Music by Andrew R. Bird
    Photos by AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka, AFP & Madison Tuff

    Secrets and Spies sits at the intersection of intelligence, covert action, real-world espionage, and broader geopolitics in a way that is digestible but serious. Hosted by filmmaker Chris Carr and writer Matt Fulton, each episode examines the very topics that real intelligence officers and analysts consider on a daily basis through the lens of global events and geopolitics, featuring expert insights from former spies, authors, and journalists.
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    1 h y 7 m
  • S10 Ep14: The Man Who Sold Honours with Stephen Bates

    S10 Ep14: The Man Who Sold Honours with Stephen Bates
    Nov 22 2025
    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 original cash-for-honours scandal. They unpack how Gregory monetised access to power, became the only person ever prosecuted under the 1925 law aimed at stopping the sale of honours, and what his story reveals about the long, murky history of buying peerages. The conversation then jumps to today’s political funding battles—from parties’ dependence on wealthy donors to recent cash-for-honours rows and Boris Johnson’s approach to transparency—to ask what all this says about the health of British democracy.

    Subscribe and share to stay ahead in the world of intelligence, global issues, and current affairs.

    Order The Man Who Sold Honours: https://www.iconbooks.com/ib-title/the-man-who-sold-honours-2/

    Find more about Stephen: https://www.stephenbateswriter.com

    Please share this episode using these links Audio: https://pod.fo/e/357dd4
    YouTube: https://youtu.be/RkBRVAO8kXY

    Send in audience questions for the next Espresso Martini by December 4th! Email secretsandspiespodcast@gmail.com, or reach out on social media via the links below.
    Please include your first name and general location if you’re comfortable.

    Support Secrets and Spies Become a “Friend of the Podcast” on Patreon for £3/$4: https://www.patreon.com/SecretsAndSpies
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    Secrets and Spies is produced by F & P LTD.
    Music by Andrew R. Bird
    Photos by Icon Books, Hooman R./Unsplash & Gert Lucas/PhotoHound

    Secrets and Spies sits at the intersection of intelligence, covert action, real-world espionage, and broader geopolitics in a way that is digestible but serious. Hosted by filmmaker Chris Carr and writer Matt Fulton, each episode examines the very topics that real intelligence officers and analysts consider on a daily basis through the lens of global events and geopolitics, featuring expert insights from former spies, authors, and journalists.
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    47 m
  • S10 Ep13: How Digital Currency Impacts National Security with Yaya J. Fanusie

    S10 Ep13: How Digital Currency Impacts National Security with Yaya J. Fanusie
    Nov 15 2025
    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 national security and global financial systems. They discuss the rise of China's digital currency, the concept of programmable money, and the potential for cryptocurrencies to challenge traditional financial systems and government control. The conversation also touches on the importance of data in geopolitical power and the regulatory landscape surrounding cryptocurrencies.

    Subscribe and share to stay ahead in the world of intelligence, global issues, and current affairs.

    The Programmable State: The e-CNY and China’s Quest for Smarter Surveillance by Yaya J. Fanusie & Emily Jin | Lawfare: https://www.lawfaremedia.org/article/the-programmable-state--the-e-cny-and-china-s-quest-for-smarter-surveillance

    Connect with Yaya On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yaya-jata-fanusie-87901738/
    On X/Twitter: https://x.com/SignCurve

    Yaya’s Substack recomendation, Crypto is Macro Now: https://www.cryptoismacro.com/
    Yaya’s book recommendation, Read Write Own: https://readwriteown.com/

    Please share this episode using these links Audio: https://pod.fo/e/353357
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    Send in audience questions for the next Espresso Martini by December 4th! Email secretsandspiespodcast@gmail.com, or reach out on social media via the links below.
    Please include your first name and general location if you’re comfortable.

    Support Secrets and Spies Become a “Friend of the Podcast” on Patreon for £3/$4: https://www.patreon.com/SecretsAndSpies
    Buy merchandise from our shop: https://www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/60934996
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    For more information about the podcast, check out our website: https://secretsandspiespodcast.com

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    Secrets and Spies is produced by F & P LTD.
    Music by Andrew R. Bird
    Photos by Yaya J. Fanusie & Canva

    Secrets and Spies sits at the intersection of intelligence, covert action, real-world espionage, and broader geopolitics in a way that is digestible but serious. Hosted by filmmaker Chris Carr and writer Matt Fulton, each episode examines the very topics that real intelligence officers and analysts consider on a daily basis through the lens of global events and geopolitics, featuring expert insights from former spies, authors, and journalists.
    Más Menos
    57 m