Drycleanercast: Espionage, Terrorism & Geopolitics

Remy Osman joins Chris to unpack the strange, high-stakes world of Putin’s “shadow fleet”—the tankers and ghost ships helping Russia move oil and dodge sanctions. Remy traces how he got into ship-spotting during quarantine in Singapore, then explains how open-source sleuths identify suspicious vessels: “zombie” identities, odd tracking behavior, evasive paperwork, and patterns that don’t match legitimate trade. They dig into why Singapore sits at the center of global maritime traffic, what makes these aging tankers an environmental time bomb, and why enforcement is so legally and politically messy even when everyone can see what’s happening in plain sight. Subscribe and share to stay ahead in the world of intelligence, global issues, and current affairs. Follow Remy on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sgshipspotting Please share this episode using these links Audio: https://pod.fo/e/36dfd8 YouTube: https://youtu.be/8gIaVW7FzWs Support Secrets and Spies Become a “Friend of the Podcast” on Patreon f

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 co-curator of Oxford’s Tradecraft exhibition at the Bodleian, shares how he first met Cornwell in the early 1990s and later advised him on Our Game and Our Kind of Traitor, drawing directly on his research into Russian organized crime. From there, Varese unpacks the post-Soviet trajectory he traces in Russia in Four Criminals—how “free markets” without a strong rule-of-law state produced predation, oligarchic capture, and ultimately what he calls a “mafia state,” where independent organized crime is squeezed out by a system that fuses political and economic power. The conversation also gets into how Russian security services use criminals for deniable operations abroad and how cybercrime functions as a tolerated ecosystem—until the state needs it—turning hackers into a ready-made tool of hybrid warfare. Subscri

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 most hostile counterintelligence environments. Sipher explains the KGB-to-Putin throughline, why Moscow treats intelligence as a frontline tool of regime survival, and how “active measures” and reflexive control shape Russia’s political warfare abroad. He also pushes back on myths of intelligence work, digs into how the West misread Russia’s strength and Ukraine’s will to fight, and lays out what containment—and a post-Putin future—might realistically look like. The conversation closes with a sharp look at disinformation, conspiracy culture, and why Hollywood keeps getting espionage wrong. Subscribe and share to stay ahead in the world of intelligence, global issues, and current affairs. More about John and Spycraft Entertainment: https://spycraftentertainment.com/john-sipher Please share this episode using t

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. Subscribe and share to stay ahead in the world of intelligence, global issues, and current affairs. Learn more about David and his work: https://davidtuch.com Order The Wireless Operator: https://www.iconboo

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

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. Subscribe and share to stay ahead in the world of intelligence, global issues, and current affairs. Follow Dr. Kuzio on X: x.com/TarasKuzio Read Dr. Kuzio’s recent reporting on Ukraine "Ukrainian Corruption Investigation Reveals Derkach’s R

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:

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

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

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: http

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

Chris is under the weather this weekend, so in place of Espresso Martini we’re sharing his conversation with former CIA analyst Yaya Fanusie. They dig into the national security and geopolitical stakes of central bank digital currencies, the broader evolution of crypto, and China’s push to build a state-controlled system. Matt and Chris will return with a new Espresso Martini the first weekend of December. 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 Subscribe to our YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDVB23lrHr3KFeXq4VU36dg For more information about the podcast, check out our website: https://secretsandspies

Shane Harris joins Matt to discuss his recent piece in The Atlantic, “Europe Is Answering Putin’s Challenge.” From drone incursions over the Baltic to Trump’s transactional diplomacy, Shane unpacks how European leaders are rearming, coordinating, and preparing for a future where Washington may no longer be the continent’s security backstop. They explore NATO’s shifting balance of power, the uneasy courtship between Trump and Europe’s leaders, and whether the alliance can endure in an age of populism and uncertainty. Subscribe and share to stay ahead in the world of intelligence, global issues, and current affairs. Read Shane’s piece: https://www.theatlantic.com/national-security/archive/2025/10/nato-putin-trump-europe-ukraine/684592/ More of Shane’s reporting: https://www.theatlantic.com/author/shane-harris/ Follow Shane on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/shaneharris.bsky.social Follow Shane on X/Twitter: https://x.com/shaneharris Please share this episode using these links Audio: https://pod.fo/e/34

In this special conversation, Chris speaks with Reality Winner — the former Air Force linguist and NSA contractor who leaked evidence of Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. election and served the longest prison sentence ever imposed for an unauthorized disclosure. Winner reflects on her decision, the weaponization of the Espionage Act, her years in prison, and the struggle to rebuild her life after release. It’s an unfiltered discussion about truth, power, and the personal cost of dissent in modern America. Subscribe and share to stay ahead in the world of intelligence, global issues, and current affairs. Order Reality’s memoir, I Am Not Your Enemy: https://www.spiegelandgrau.com/i-am-not-your-enemy Please share this episode using these links Audio: https://pod.fo/e/3487b4 YouTube: https://youtu.be/i9T0FijQDjo 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/60934

A fragile ceasefire in Gaza, the collapse of a UK spy trial, and a damning new report on China’s exploitation of U.S. defense research—Chris and Matt unpack a pivotal few weeks in global politics and intelligence. They assess the Trump-brokered truce between Israel and Hamas, the role of Jared Kushner, Qatar, and Tony Blair in the deal, and why Netanyahu’s legal troubles could upend it all. In London, they break down how a high-profile Chinese espionage case unraveled, exposing gaps in the Official Secrets Act and Britain’s uneasy relationship with Beijing. And in Washington, Matt digs into a new Congressional report on U.S. taxpayer-funded defense research benefiting the PLA—from hypersonics, quantum computing, and AI—and the bipartisan effort to close those loopholes. 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/3441b1 YouTube: https://youtu.be/N3XqFtU7TXY Articles discussed in t

Chris speaks with historian Dr. Jessica Douthwaite, co-curator of John le Carré: Tradecraft at Oxford’s Bodleian Library. They explore how le Carré—born David Cornwell—approached his extensive research, the selection process for the exhibition, and the political evolution reflected in his works. Jessica emphasizes le Carré’s identity as a writer who was also a spy, the collaborative nature of his writing process with his wife, and the contemporary relevance of his themes. They also discuss his novels’ impact on literature and society, and how le Carré’s creative legacy has reshaped modern spy fiction. Subscribe and share to stay ahead in the world of intelligence, global issues, and current affairs. Find more about John le Carré: Tradecraft: https://visit.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/lecarre Buy the exhibition book, Tradecraft: Writers on John le Carré: https://bodleianshop.co.uk/products/tradecraft-writers-on-john-le-carre Please share this episode using these links Audio: https://pod.fo/e/33f804 YouTube: https:/

Former FBI agent Tim Carpenter led the Bureau’s Art Crime Team, chasing down everything from stolen masterworks to looted antiquities. In this conversation, he joins Chris to discuss his new book The Grave Robber, a gripping account of the biggest stolen artifacts case in FBI history. Tim recounts the investigation into Don Miller, an amateur collector who raided archaeological sites and kept human remains in his Indiana home, and reflects on how the FBI sought justice and cultural restoration in the aftermath. Subscribe and share to stay ahead in the world of intelligence, global issues, and current affairs. Order The Grave Robber: https://www.harpercollinsfocus.com/harper-horizon/grave-robber/ Find more about Tim and his work outside the FBI: https://arguscpc.com/about/ Connect with Tim on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tim-carpenter-271856202/ Please share this episode using these links Audio: https://pod.fo/e/33dcbf YouTube: https://youtu.be/ocW9TgUT0u0 Support Secrets and Spies Become a “

CNN’s Jake Tapper joins Matt to discuss his new book Race Against Terror, a gripping true story of the US hunt and prosecution of an al-Qaeda fighter named Spin Ghul. They trace the case’s origins in Italy and Afghanistan, its lessons about justice and accountability after 9/11, and what it reveals about how America wages its “forever war.” Tapper reflects on writing trauma without spectacle, the moral limits of the War on Terror, and the investigators who quietly uphold the rule of law amid politics and fear. Subscribe and share to stay ahead in the world of intelligence, global affairs, and current events. Order Race Against Terror, and see Jake’s tour schedule: https://www.simonandschuster.com/p/jake-tapper-books Follow Jake on Twitter/X: https://x.com/jaketapper Follow Jake on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/jaketapper.bsky.social Please share this episode using these links Audio: https://pod.fo/e/33b7d5 YouTube: https://youtu.be/xgvzA0bCOKw Support Secrets and Spies Become a “Friend of the Pod

This week, Chris and Matt break down Pete Hegseth’s speech at Quantico, where he and President Trump summoned 800 generals and admirals for what turned out to be a culture-war lecture on grooming standards and “wokeness.” They examine what it says about civil-military relations in Trump’s second term and the risks in treating the armed forces as a political prop. Then they turn to the Secret Service’s discovery of a massive SIM-card farm in New York linked to swatting threats and fraud, and what it reveals about the intersection of cybercrime, sabotage, and telecom vulnerabilities. From there, they look at how the US government shutdown is playing out inside the intelligence community—why frontline missions continue while contractors and support staff face furloughs that erode resilience. Finally, they discuss MI6’s launch of a new dark-web tool called Silent Courier, designed to encourage potential sources to walk in virtually, and weigh the promises and dangers of this digital era of espionage. Subscribe a

On todays special podcast, Chris is joined by Gavin Stone and James Foster to discuss “Spy-Q,” a tradecraft-for-civilians training event that turns elicitation, deception detection, influence, behavioural profiling, resilience, and memory techniques into practical tools you can actually use.  Find out more information about SpyQ and register: https://www.spyq.co.uk/ Use this discount code for 10% off - SECRETS&SPIES10 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 Subscribe to our YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDVB23lrHr3KFeXq4VU36dg For more information about the podcast, check out our website: https://secretsandspiespodcast.com 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: