SpyCast, the official podcast of the International Spy Museum, is a journey into the shadows of international espionage. Each week, host Sasha Ingber brings you...
Sidney Gottlieb was one of the CIA’s star chemists during the Cold War. As head of MKUltra, he ran a brazen—and deadly—program aimed at mind control.
Gottlieb and fellow scientists tried to keep the work secret by destroying files, but historian John Lisle has new details from the six boxes that remained untouched. He shares insights and reflections straight from the mouths of MKUltra’s perpetrators and victims.
John’s new book, Project Mind Control, sheds light on one of the CIA’s darkest moments which still haunts the agency. Available now for pre-order.
If you liked this episode, check out these links:
The Dirty Tricks Department with John Lisle
THE SOUND: Mystery of Havana Syndrome
Subscribe to Sasha's Substack, HUMINT, to get more intelligence stories: https://sashaingber.substack.com/
And if you have feedback or want to hear about a particular topic, you can reach us by E-mail at SpyCast@Spymuseum.org.
This show is brought to you from Goat Rodeo, Airwave, and the International Spy Museum in Washington, DC.
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25.03.2025
33:44
From Covert to Overt: Valerie Plame on political retaliation
Valerie Plame’s clandestine life made headlines in 2003 after her CIA cover was leaked to the press. Her husband, an ambassador, had gone to Niger to investigate whether yellowcake uranium had been transferred to Iraq to make weapons of mass destruction.
He publicly challenged the Bush administration on what we now know was false intelligence. Valerie’s unmasking was seen as retaliation. Now, over 20 years later, she reflects on the political scandal, and where her concerns lie today.
If you liked this episode, check out these links:
Author Debriefing: Burned with Valerie Plame
National Security Now: An Evening with Gina Bennett and Peter Bergen
Join Valerie aboard the Spies at Sea cruise August 30 - September 8, 2025! On this 10-day voyage across the Mediterranean, you’ll explore beautiful sights and ancient cities while immersing yourself in the world of espionage with exclusive seminars. Learn more here: https://www.spiesliesnukes.com/spies-at-seas-2025
Subscribe to Sasha's Substack, HUMINT, to get more intelligence stories: https://sashaingber.substack.com/
And if you have feedback or want to hear about a particular topic, you can reach us by E-mail at SpyCast@Spymuseum.org.
This show is brought to you from Goat Rodeo, Airwave, and the International Spy Museum in Washington, DC.
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18.03.2025
32:58
Eyes on The Ground: The National Resistance Front in Afghanistan
After the Taliban took back control of Afghanistan, the National Resistance Front rose up to defy them. We spoke with their leader Ahmad Massoud, who has overseen hundreds of military and intelligence-gathering operations. He’s following the footsteps of his father, who led his own resistance group, the Northern Alliance, until members of Al Qaeda assassinated him two days before they conducted the September 11 terrorist attacks.
Fast forward to the mid-2000s, International Spy Museum executive director Chris Costa, then a human intelligence officer, worked with that group to develop intel on the Taliban and Al Qaeda.
Now, in the wake of the U.S. withdrawal and Afghanistan’s collapse, Costa says the U.S. is losing an opportunity to support Massoud and the National Resistance Front.
If you liked this episode, check out these links:
Spy Chat with Chris Costa | Guest: Ali Maisam Nazary
Spy Chat with Chris Costa | Guest: Christine Abizaid
Subscribe to Sasha's Substack, HUMINT, to get more intelligence stories: https://sashaingber.substack.com/
And if you have feedback or want to hear about a particular topic, you can reach us by E-mail at SpyCast@Spymuseum.org.
This show is brought to you from Goat Rodeo, Airwave, and the International Spy Museum in Washington, DC.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
11.03.2025
31:25
From NFL to Espionage: The Story of Ernest Cuneo
He was an American spy before an American spy agency existed. NFL player Ernest Cuneo, a little known first generation Italian American, worked with British intelligence to convince the United States to join World War II, and helped lay the groundwork for modern day espionage. Thomas Maier traces Cuneo’s extraordinary life in his new book, The Invisible Spy, out March 25th.
If you liked this episode, check out these links:
Agent Link: The Spy Erased from History | With former FBI Counterintelligence Expert
The Dirty Tricks Department with John Lisle
Operation Underworld with Matthew Black
Subscribe to Sasha's Substack, HUMINT, to get more intelligence stories: https://sashaingber.substack.com/
And if you have feedback or want to hear about a particular topic, you can reach us by E-mail at SpyCast@Spymuseum.org,
This show is brought to you from Goat Rodeo, Airwave, and the International Spy Museum in Washington, DC.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
04.03.2025
27:33
Debriefing from the Ukrainian Front
A fourth year of war in Ukraine begins. But for Lt. Col. Kyrylo Berkal, who’s been fighting since Russia first invaded in 2014, the battle for his country has raged much longer. Now, he’s second in command of the elite Third Assault Brigade, which has played a major role in critical battles against Russia and continues to develop new technologies to both gather intelligence and enhance combat techniques.
Kirt spoke to us between missions. During the conversation, he revealed his firsthand insights and experiences of the war as Ukraine keeps up the fight for independence.
If you liked this episode, check out these links:
An Evening with General David H. Petraeus
Spy Chat with Chris Costa | Guest: Ambassador Roger D. Carstens
SpyCast - “Zelensky, Ukraine & Intelligence” – with Simon Shuster
Subscribe to Sasha's Substack, HUMINT, to get more intelligence stories:
https://sashaingber.substack.com/
And if you have feedback or want to hear about a particular topic, you can reach us by E-mail at SpyCast@Spymuseum.org,
This show is brought to you from Goat Rodeo, Airwave, and the International Spy Museum in Washington, DC.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
SpyCast, the official podcast of the International Spy Museum, is a journey into the shadows of international espionage. Each week, host Sasha Ingber brings you the latest insights and intriguing tales from spies, secret agents, and covert communicators, with a focus on how this secret world reaches us all in our everyday lives. Tune in to discover the critical role intelligence has played throughout history and today. Brought to you from Airwave, Goat Rodeo, and the International Spy Museum.
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