True Spies: Espionage | Investigation | Crime | Murder | Detective | Politics
True Spies takes you inside the world's greatest espionage and detective operations. Our hosts Hayley Atwell, Vanessa Kirby, Sophia Di Martino and Daisy Ridley talk to the real spies behind the missions. What do they know? What are their skills? And what would you do in their position? We explore and investigate real life thrillers, mysteries and crimes - stories that prove truth is stranger than fiction! These stories cover lies, murder, theft, sex, drugs and rock ‘n roll. You’ll meet experts from the top intelligence agencies including FBI, CIA, MI5, MI6 (SIS), KGB, GRU, Mossad and many others. You’ll discover characters who spied because of money, ideology, coercion or just plain old ego. And, if you’d like to dig deeper into the world of secrets, and test your own secret intelligence skills, head over to spyscape.com for articles, games, experiences, puzzles and videos. A Cup & Nuzzle production. Series producers: Gemma Newby, Joe Foley. Music: Nick Ryan.
Episodes
April 30, 2024 • 56 mins
Just how influential is the 'white noise' of information, and disinformation, emanating from Russia?
In this second and final episode on the phenomenon of modern disinformation, hear from author and former Executive Director of the US Disinformation Governance Board: Nina Jankowicz. She shines a light on how small acts of manipulation, made on the other side of the world, can pit fellow Americans against themselves...
From SPYSC...
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April 23, 2024 • 47 mins
Just how influential is the 'white noise' of information, and disinformation, emanating from Russia?
In this first of two special episodes on the phenomenon of modern disinformation, Ukrainian-British journalist and author Peter Pomerantsev, reveals the evolution of the dark tactics the modern Russian state uses to cripple both neighbouring countries, and dissenters within its own borders.
From SPYSCAPE, the HQ of secrets. A Cup An...
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April 16, 2024 • 52 mins
Born to the British upper-crust - devoted to the Revolution. Harold 'Kim' Philby was the ultimate Soviet superspy.
For decades, Philby sold secrets to the Russians from inside the upper echelons of MI6. Inspired by an unpublished memoir recently acquired by Spyscape, we bring his fascinating story to life.
In Part 2, Rhiannon Neads follows the trail of booze, bad luck and betrayal that brought Philby down.
From SPYSCAPE, the HQ of ...
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April 9, 2024 • 52 mins
Born to the British upper-crust - devoted to the Revolution. Harold 'Kim' Philby was the ultimate Soviet superspy.
For decades, Philby sold secrets to the Russians from inside the upper echelons of MI6. Inspired by an unpublished memoir recently acquired by Spyscape, we bring his fascinating story to life.
In Part 1, Rhiannon Neads details Philby's rise to the top - and the fateful decisions that will lead to his undoing.
From SPYS...
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April 2, 2024 • 47 mins
Nestled in the mountains of Myanmar, there's a nation that you won't find on the map. The mysterious, controversial Wa State is what journalist Patrick Winn calls a 'Narcotopia' - a country whose main source of income is the international drugs trade.
In Part 2, we learn more about Saw Lu's dangerous entanglement with the US Government. Listener discretion is advised.
From SPYSCAPE, the HQ of secrets. A Cup And Nuzzle production. S...
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March 26, 2024 • 50 mins
Nestled in the mountains of Myanmar, there's a nation that you won't find on the map. The mysterious, controversial Wa State is what journalist Patrick Winn calls a 'Narcotopia' - a country whose main source of income is the international drugs trade.
In Part 1, Patrick tells the story of his journey to Wa State, and his chance meeting with one of the most powerful figures in its history, Saw Lu - a man whose vision for the isolate...
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March 19, 2024 • 49 mins
Bigamist. Fantasist. Betrayer. Betrayed.
Known only as Agent Sniper, Polish double-agent Michal Goleniewski sold secrets to the USA from behind the Iron Curtain. But this complex, ambitious man was no match for his American handlers.
In this episode of True Spies, author Tim Tate reveals a life full of romance, tragedy and Cold War intrigue.
From SPYSCAPE, the HQ of secrets. A Cup And Nuzzle production. Series producer: Joe Foley. ...
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March 12, 2024 • 42 mins
It's 2003, and the USA is on the brink of war. Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein has been issued a deadline - leave the country, or face a full American invasion. In the event of his refusal, the CIA has a plan to strike Saddam's Dora Farms compound - potentially stopping the war in its tracks.
The operation is overseen by the head of the Agency's Iraq Operations Group - Luis Rueda. In this episode of True Spies, the former CIA heavywe...
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March 5, 2024 • 44 mins
The Chevalièr d'Éon, was an 18th century war-hero, an indispensable spy and a famous diplomat. But today, they're best known for their pioneering approach to gender boundaries.
Historian Gary Kates pulls back the curtains on this fascinating True Spy. Hear the groundbreaking story of d'Éon's life - from undercover geopolitical manipulation in the Russian court, and plotting Louis XV's French invasion of England, to being recognize...
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February 27, 2024 • 43 mins
Two-time Pulitzer Prize winning journalist James Risen, details the life and work of Frank Church - the man who forever changed the US intelligence community.
From humble Idaho beginnings, through to his lofty Presidential ambitions, we delve into who Church really was, and his tireless devotion to serving American ideals of transparency and accountability - culminating in the Church Committee. However, Church learnt that you can't...
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February 20, 2024 • 48 mins
No one takes on the cartel and comes away unscathed. Miriam Rodriguez understood that from the start.
In the second and final part of this extraordinary True Spies story, The New York Times’ Azam Ahmed picks up the story of the housekeeper who sought revenge on Mexico’s notorious Zetas.
Having discovered the grim truth of what happened to her kidnapped daughter, Miriam Rodriguez makes it her life’s mission to bring down the crimin...
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February 13, 2024 • 40 mins
In this two-part True Spies story, The New York Times’ Azam Ahmed tells the unbelievable tale of Miriam Rodriguez, a 56 year-old housekeeper turned rogue agent – and thorn in the side of one of Mexico’s most feared gangs.
In Part One, we meet Miriam as her world is turned upside down by news of her daughter’s kidnapping. Soon, she embarks on a quest for answers and for vengeance. It will bring her face to face with the Zetas – a po...
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February 6, 2024 • 30 mins
During the cryptocurrency boom of the 2010s, those who held their assets made huge fortunes. Among them was James Zhong - a young man who'd amassed an unbelievable virtual treasure trove. But he'd come across his fortune illegitimately - by executing an audacious one-man heist against the most notorious black market on the Dark Web.
Sophia Di Martino joins IRS Criminal Investigation agent Tyler Hatcher, whose digital detective work...
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January 30, 2024 • 39 mins
The Silk Road was one of the most notorious black markets on the internet. Run by the notorious, anonymous Dread Pirate Roberts, this online bazaar allowed its users to trade cryptocurrency for illegal drugs, items and services. But, buried beneath layers of digital proxies, the Silk Road was almost impenetrable to law enforcement.
Almost.
Sophia Di Martino joins former FBI Special Agent Chris Tarbell to tell the story of how a com...
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January 23, 2024 • 33 mins
Ursula Kuczynski, AKA Agent Sonya, is one history's most effective spies. As an intelligence gatherer for the Soviet military, she helped to usher in the age of Mutually Assured Destruction during the bloody 1940s.
In 2020, a newly declassified document muddied the waters - who was Sonya really working for?
In this two-part True Spies story, a new theory deepens the mystery of her life and work.
In Part 2, Sophia Di Martino and Pro...
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January 16, 2024 • 28 mins
Ursula Kuczynski, AKA Agent Sonya, is one history's most effective spies. As an intelligence gatherer for the Soviet military, she helped to usher in the age of Mutually Assured Destruction during the bloody 1940s.
In 2020, a newly declassified document muddied the waters - who was Sonya really working for?
In this two-part True Spies story, a new theory deepens the mystery of her life and work.
In Part 1, Sophia Di Martino joins P...
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January 9, 2024 • 42 mins
Emily Anderson was the best codebreaker you've never heard of. Fiercely devoted to secrecy, she served Britain's interests in two World Wars - mastering five languages along the way.
In this remarkable True Spies story, Sophia Di Martino and historian Jackie Ui Chionna give Anderson a much-deserved moment in the limelight.
From SPYSCAPE, the HQ of secrets. A Cup And Nuzzle production. Series producer: Joe Foley. Produced by Max Bow...
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January 2, 2024 • 43 mins
The tools in a spy's arsenal are more varied than you might think. But they all come under one name: Tradecraft.
In our eighth round of insights from the world of espionage, Sophia Di Martino looks back on lessons drawn from masters of disguise, daring civilian spycraft, and nail-biting undercover work.
From SPYSCAPE, the HQ of secrets. A Cup And Nuzzle production. Series producer: Joe Foley. Produced by Alex Burnard. Music by Nick...
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December 26, 2023 • 36 mins
The tools in a spy's arsenal are more varied than you might think. But they all come under one name: Tradecraft. In our seventh round of insights from the world of espionage, Sophia Di Martino revisits an audacious gambit in Iraq, evades surveillance behind the Iron Curtain, and learns how to create a convincing cover story in Canada.
From SPYSCAPE, the HQ of secrets. A Cup And Nuzzle production. Series producer: Joe Foley. Produce...
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December 19, 2023 • 49 mins
In the early 1950s, Iran elected a forward-thinking new leader. But where previous regimes had played ball with British and American oil companies in the country, Mohammed Mossadegh refused. In response, Western intelligence services mounted a deadly coup.
Sophia Di Martino and historian Ervand Abrahamian unpick the shocking downfall of Iran's last democratic leader.
From SPYSCAPE, the home of secrets. A Cup And Nuzzle production. ...
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