Undaunted.Life: A Man's Podcast by Kyle Thompson SCOTT PAYNE | Going Undercover to Expose America's Nazis (Ep. 734)
26 snips
Mar 25, 2025 
Scott Payne, a retired FBI Special Agent with 28 years of experience, shares gripping tales from his undercover days infiltrating neo-Nazi and white supremacist groups. He recounts the intense psychological toll of maintaining his cover, the absurdities he faced in the KKK, and the complexities of today's extremist ideologies like accelerationism. Payne also emphasizes the importance of mentorship in law enforcement and reflects on the moral dilemmas of confronting hate while navigating his own safety after retirement.
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Undercover Work is Voluntary
- Be a case agent first, and consider collateral duties like undercover work later.
- Undercover work is voluntary and requires extensive training and psychological resilience.
The Nature of Undercover Work
- Undercover work involves building relationships to betray them for justice.
- It requires balancing acting and authenticity to avoid becoming the persona or getting caught.
Building Relationships Undercover
- Scott Payne built strong relationships while undercover, leading some suspects to express respect despite arrests.
- This demonstrates the effectiveness of building trust even in deceptive situations.
