logo
episode-header-image
Dec 2022
56m 14s

76. Death and the Dangers of Clandestine...

Justin Black
About this episode
In this solo episode, Justin dives into some of the most intriguing and suspicious deaths related to espionage in the last 80 years. While the USA and the USSR never saw combat with each other during the Cold War, their clandestine operations resulted in many casualties and fatalities over the years. Apparent suicides, murders without explanation, and plane ... Show More
Up next
Yesterday
240. A Czech Spy Turned Little League Coach with Zach Dorfman
Today Justin is joined again by Zach Dorfman. Zach is a national security reporter whose work has appeared in Politico, The Atlantic, Wall Street Journal, The Los Angeles Times, and many other publications. He received his vachelor's degree from Skidmore College and a Master's de ... Show More
47m 50s
Mar 16
239. Cyberwarfare: How Nations Hack and Spy in the Digital Age with Allie Mellen @hackerxbella
Today Justin sits down with Allie Mellen (@hackerxbella). Allie is a leading industry analyst who advises global 2000 organizations on cybersecurity policy and practice with a focus on detecting and responding to nation state attacks. Previously she held engineering and research ... Show More
54m 29s
Mar 9
238. [ARCHIVE] An International CIA Pilot with Lee Gossett
This week continues our tribute to Lee Gossett with his second Spycraft 101 episode. Not only did he appear on the podcast twice, but he and Justin were regularly in contact via email from 2021 and on. He was an avid listener to the podcast and on many occasions had some inside k ... Show More
59m 18s
Recommended Episodes
Mar 2024
Fatal Neutrality: Lumumba, the CIA, and the Cold War
In 1960, the Congo gained independence from Belgium. Patrice Lumumba was elected prime minister and Joseph Kasavubu president. Within a year, Lumumba was deposed and assassinated. This week on Deconstructed, executive editor of Foreign Affairs and author Stuart Reid joins Ryan Gr ... Show More
46m 10s
Jul 2025
The (Faked?) Death of an Argentine Tycoon
“Power is having impunity.” In January 1997, a photojournalist is found murdered on the side of the road in General Madariaga, Argentina. The investigation into his death becomes a cultural flashpoint, exposing a sprawling conspiracy with ties to some of the most powerful forces ... Show More
43m 58s
Oct 2024
Cold War Spy Stories - The True Story of Jack Downey, America's Longest-Held Prisoner of War
tail spinning
46m 42s
May 2025
49. The Man Who Tried To Kill The KGB: A Traitor in the Kremlin (Ep 1)
The Cold War may have ended, but the hunt for dangerous secrets never truly stops. What happens when a disillusioned KGB archivist decides to betray his masters? How did he manage to steal masses of top-secret files from the heart of the Soviet Union? And what did the CIA miss th ... Show More
45m 48s
Sep 2024
Pinochet Part 3: Searching for the Disappeared
Pinochet consolidates control, creating a terrifying new secret police force. The dictator’s war on communism extends abroad, as Chile joins Operation Condor. But how long can Pinochet’s global allies allow him to go unchecked? And will the families of the murdered and the disapp ... Show More
49m 53s
Sep 2024
Pinochet Part 2: The Caravan of Death
September 11th, 1973. The touchpaper is lit. President Allende realises he’s been double-crossed. Pinochet keeps his cards close to his chest. A loyal naval admiral finds his cars sabotaged and his phone lines cut. And as Allende and his bodyguards prepare to defend the palace, t ... Show More
40m 11s
Dec 2024
247 - The Mysterious Death of Wladyslaw Sikorski
<p>In this episode, we are uncovering one of the great enigmas of the war: the tragic death of General Władysław Sikorski.</p> <p>Sikorski was a towering figure in the Polish government-in-exile, a man who held together the hopes of a nation during its darkest days. His sudden de ... Show More
41m 43s
Nov 2025
E223 - The Wagner Group and the New Era of Private War w/ John Lechner
Danny and Derek welcome journalist and author John Lechner to discuss his book, Death is Our Business: Russian Mercenaries in the New Era of Warfare. The conversation cuts through the mainstream narrative of the Wagner Group to explore the true history of Yevgeny Prigozhin, from ... Show More
1h 6m