logo
episode-header-image
Oct 2024
38m 49s

Pedo guy | Elon's Spies Ep1

The Observer
About this episode

In 2018, Vernon Unsworth is at the centre of a global news story. He plays a crucial role in rescuing a young football team who became trapped in a flooded cave system. Overnight, he is a hero. But there’s a darker side of his story that’s less well known. That’s where Elon Musk and his private investigators come in. 


You can find out more about Tortoise:



Download the Tortoise app - for a listening experience curated by our journalists




Subscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free content




Become a member and get access to all of Tortoise's premium audio offerings and more




If you want to get in touch with us directly about a story, or tell us more about the stories you want to hear about contact hello@tortoisemedia.com




Reporter: Alexi Mostrous


Producer: Gary Marshall


Original Music & Sound design: Tom Kinsella


Podcast artwork: Jon Hill 


Executive producer: Ceri Thomas



Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Up next
Aug 5
Myths and monsters | The Lab Detective Ep4
Rachel Sylvester travels to Greece to investigate whether genetic science could change the story in the case of Roula Pispirigou – a mother who was convicted of killing her three young children just last year.Our thanks to The Francis Crick Institute for sharing recordings and in ... Show More
34m 33s
Jul 29
Science versus the law | The Lab Detective Ep3
Scientist Carola Vinuesa and her team test their extraordinary genetic discovery in a court of law.Our thanks to The Francis Crick Institute for sharing recordings and insights. Reporter: Rachel SylvesterProducer: Gary MarshallMusic supervisor: Karla PatellaSound design: Rowan Bi ... Show More
33m 32s
Jul 22
The eureka moment | The Lab Detective Ep2
Kathleen Folbigg is just trying to survive. She’s a grieving mother, sentenced to life in jail for killing her four infant children. That is, until a small group of people start to question whether she might be the victim of a terrible miscarriage of justice.Our thanks to The Fra ... Show More
38m 29s
Recommended Episodes
Oct 2024
Introducing...Elon's Spies
Introducing...Elon's SpiesElon Musk is one of the most powerful men in the world. He's a billionaire, the founder of SpaceX, Tesla and more. To his followers, he's a hero; to his critics, a far-right rabble rouser. But for someone so public, there’s one part of his life that’s le ... Show More
40m 45s
Oct 2024
Introducing...Elon's Spies
Introducing...Elon's SpiesElon Musk is one of the most powerful men in the world. He's a billionaire, the founder of SpaceX, Tesla and more. To his followers, he's a hero; to his critics, a far-right rabble rouser. But for someone so public, there’s one part of his life that’s le ... Show More
40m 45s
Oct 2024
Introducing ...Elon's Spies
Introducing...Elon's SpiesElon Musk is one of the most powerful men in the world. He's a billionaire, the founder of SpaceX, Tesla and more. To his followers, he's a hero; to his critics, a far-right rabble rouser. But for someone so public, there’s one part of his life that’s le ... Show More
40m 45s
Oct 2024
Introducing...Elon's Spies
Introducing...Elon's Spies Elon Musk is one of the most powerful men in the world. He's a billionaire, the founder of SpaceX, Tesla and more. To his followers, he's a hero; to his critics, a far-right rabble rouser.  But for someone so public, there’s one part of his life that’s ... Show More
40m 45s
Sep 2023
Sliding doors
Kirat is a successful marketer and radio presenter. Online, she’s contacted by a man she vaguely knows called Bobby, and they start chatting. Slowly, they become close… and she’s reeled in to a scam of epic proportions.All 6 episodes are available to listen now.To get exclusive a ... Show More
31m 2s
Jan 2025
Jordan Peterson and the making of man
Jordan Peterson is a controversial figure, but he is also a man with a long-standing appeal to a particular demographic. What does his popularity tell us about a possible crisis in young men today? Reporter: Stephen ArmstrongProducer: Matt RussellArtwork: Lola WilliamsSound desig ... Show More
40m 51s
Aug 25
The Kid in the Cornfield | 1
17-year-old Danny Violette vanished in the fall of 1998. 11 days later, his body was found in a cornfield with signs of foul play. His case has gone unsolved for over 25 years, but some renewed interest could help unravel this mystery. Follow Culpable on our socials @CulpablePodc ... Show More
43m 9s
Nov 2024
The world’s loneliest penguin
An emperor penguin has turned up on a surfers beach in southwestern Australia, more than 2000 miles away from its natural habitat in the Antarctic. How did it end up so far off course?  Writer and producer: Claudia WilliamsEpisode photography: Jon JonesExecutive producer: Rebecca ... Show More
8 m
Aug 20
Trapped in the Tropics: Stranger to Saviour
A chance encounter with an enigmatic stranger presents Warren Macdonald with the adventure opportunity of a lifetime. But deep in Queensland’s Hinchinbrook Island, a bizarre accident changes everything. Smashed to pieces and immobilised, Warren has to pin all his hopes on a man h ... Show More
54m 2s
Aug 27
Earthquake in India: Buried Alive
A young master’s student studying in the US travels back to India to visit loved ones. It’s a welcome break from his studies. But one morning Viral Dalal is awoken - suddenly and violently - by a devastating earthquake. Trapped in a coffin-sized air pocket beneath the rubble, all ... Show More
55m 14s