SPYCRAFT 101

Today, Justin sits down with  retired FBI special agent Raymond J. Batvinis, who served in the FBI for 25 years, from 1972 until 1997. Raymond worked primarily in counterterrorism and counterintelligence, and shortly after the 9/11 attacks, he returned to teach the Basic Counterintelligence course at the FBI Academy at Quantico.During his career, he worked on several very high profile espionage cases, including the investigations into Ronald Pelton and the Walker spying. Since retiring, Raymond has worked tirelessly as a historian, author, and researcher. He's published a number of scholarly articles on intelligence history and two books since 2007.Connect with Raymond:fbistudies.comCheck out his book, The Origins of FBI Counterintelligence, here.https://www.amazon.com/Origins-FBI-Counterintelligence-Raymond-Batvinis/dp/0700616535Connect with Spycraft 101:Check out Justin's latest release, Covert Arms, here.spycraft101.comIG: @spycraft101Shop: spycraft-101.myshopify.comPatreon: Spycraft 101Find Justin's first book, Spyshots: Volume One, here.Download the free eBook, The Clandestine Operative's Sidearm of Choice, here.Clandestine LaboratoriesYour new favorite fragrance is here. I'm partial to Novochoc.Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the show

 This week, Juston sits down with Thomas Maier. Thomas is an author and award-winning investigative journalist, having worked at NewDay since 1984. He has also written several historical books, including When Lions Roar about the Churchills and the Kennedys, and Masters of Sex, which was produced as a series on Showtime for four years. His latest book, Mafia Spies, details the inside story the inside story of the relationship between several senior figures in organized crime in the early 1960s and members of the Central Intelligence Agency who wanted Fidel Castro dead, as well as their unlikely and temporary alliance.Connect with Thomas:thomasmaierbooks@gmail.comConnect with Spycraft 101:Check out Justin's latest release, Covert Arms, here.spycraft101.comIG: @spycraft101Shop: spycraft-101.myshopify.comPatreon: Spycraft 101Find Justin's first book, Spyshots: Volume One, here.Download the free eBook, The Clandestine Operative's Sidearm of Choice, here.Clandestine LaboratoriesYour new favorite fragrance is here. I'm partial to Novochoc.Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the show

This week Justin sits down with Kathy Hogue, daughter of World War II OSS agent Doc Hogue. Her father's service includes one of the most important and least understood missions of WWII--the mining of the uranium that built the atomic bomb. Kathy herself is also very accomplished, having worked for the Department of Defense for over a decade, enrolled at the US Navy Postgraduate School, and worked for a private firm doing research for the Pentagon. She brings a uniquely educated inside perspective to her father's work thanks to family stories, documents, and her own experience in the national defense.Doc is featured heavily in Spies in the Congo, a book by Susan Williams. Check it out here.https://www.amazon.com/Spies-Congo-Americas-Atomic-Mission/dp/1610396545/ref=asc_df_1610396545/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=312028586631&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=6320094131748795910&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9051708&hvtargid=pla-467484235344&psc=1Connect with Spycraft 101:Check out Justin's latest release, Covert Arms, here.spycraft101.comIG: @spycraft101Shop: spycraft-101.myshopify.comPatreon: Spycraft 101Find Justin's first book, Spyshots: Volume One, here.Download the free eBook, The Clandestine Operative's Sidearm of Choice, here.Support the show

This week, Justin sits down with author and historian Giles Milton. A fellow of the Royal Historical Society in London, Giles has written 11 nonfiction books and three novels. Today, they focus on his book Russian Roulette to tell the story of the British MI6 spies who stopped Lenin from spreading the communism on a truly global scale after the Bolshevik Revolution.Connect with Giles:gilesmilton.comIG: @gilesmiltonTwitter: @GilesMilton1Check out Russian Roulette here.https://www.amazon.com/Russian-Roulette-British-Thwarted-Revolution/dp/1620405687 Connect with Spycraft 101:Check out Justin's latest release, Covert Arms, here.spycraft101.comIG: @spycraft101Shop: spycraft-101.myshopify.comPatreon: Spycraft 101Find Justin's first book, Spyshots: Volume One, here.Download the free eBook, The Clandestine Operative's Sidearm of Choice, here.Support the show

This week, Justin chats with Dr. Paul. O'Hara. Paul is an associate professor at Xavier University in Cincinnati, Ohio, teaching a wide range of compelling history courses.  Paul and Justin discuss the Pinkerton Detective Agency, the most famous and most notorious detective agency in us history. From its origins to its scandals, near downfalls, and recent activities, The Pinkertons have helped shape American history from antebellum to the modern day. Much of what's covered today take place in the mid and late 1800s, but the Pinkertons are still around.Connect with Paul:xavier.edu/history-department/directory/stephenpaul-oharaCheck out Paul's book, Inventing the Pinkertons, here.https://www.amazon.com/Inventing-Pinkertons-Spies-Sleuths-Mercenaries-ebook/dp/B01K996N8O/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=Connect with Spycraft 101:Check out Justin's latest release, Covert Arms, here.spycraft101.comIG: @spycraft101Shop: spycraft-101.myshopify.comPatreon: Spycraft 101Find Justin's first book, Spyshots: Volume One, here.Download the free eBook, The Clandestine Operative's Sidearm of Choice, here.Support the show

This week, Justin sits down with trial lawyer Michael Pullara. Michael has faced formidable foes in the court room, from the US Department of Defense to criminals with connections to the Italian mob. But today, Michael and Justin discuss the case of CIA case officer Freddie Woodruff, who was shot and killed on assignment in the former Soviet Republic of Georgia. Michael knew Freddie's family and began investigating his implausible situation on their behalf, but soon became determined to uncover the truth. In 10 years of research, ventures overseas, and deep digging, Michael uncovered deception at the hands of Georgian authorities whose reports on the incident were entirely false. He even confronted the president of Georgia himself. Finally, in 2018, Michael published a book about Freddie's unfortunate fate--and the truth.Connect with Michael:simonandschuster.com/authors/Michael-PullaraBy his book, The Spy Who Was Left Behind, here. https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1501152149?tag=simonsayscomConnect with Spycraft 101:Check out Justin's latest release, Covert Arms, here.spycraft101.comIG: @spycraft101Shop: spycraft-101.myshopify.comPatreon: Spycraft 101Find Justin's first book, Spyshots: Volume One, here.Download the free eBook, The Clandestine Operative's Sidearm of Choice, here.Support the show

Spycraft 101 is back!In this episode, Justin sits down with former smoke jumper and Continental Air Services employee, Toby Scott. They dive in to all things smoke jumping and discuss his work in Southeast Asia during the secret war in Laos. Toby was also involved in Operation Cold Feet in the Arctic Circle, among many other daring missions and and global events. He was close friends fellow smoke jumper, Continental Air Services employee, and eventual CIA case officer Jerry Daniels. Justin and Toby discuss Jerry's unfortunate fate, and the events that led him there.Justin was interviewed on Mark of the Maker this week! Give it a listen here:Mark of the Maker Episode 89https://markofthemaker.com/2022/09/04/episode-89-justin-black-of-spycraft101/Connect with Spycraft 101:Check out Justin's latest release, Covert Arms, here.spycraft101.comIG: @spycraft101Shop: spycraft-101.myshopify.comPatreon: Spycraft 101Find Justin's first book, Spyshots: Volume One, here.Download the free eBook, The Clandestine Operative's Sidearm of Choice, here.Support the show

This week, Justin releases a quick public service announcement to let listeners know of a short upcoming hiatus.Connect with Spycraft 101:Check out Justin's latest release, Covert Arms, here.spycraft101.comIG: @spycraft101Shop: spycraft-101.myshopify.comPatreon: Spycraft 101Find Justin's first book, Spyshots: Volume One, here.Download the free eBook, The Clandestine Operative's Sidearm of Choice, here.Support the show

This week, Justin talks with author Henry Schlesinger on the topic of a notorious espionage strategy: the honey traps. Honey traps utilized seduction, from male or female spies, to glean information, create scandal, or acquire money. They've been used in intelligence for centuries--perhaps even millennia. Henry shares several stories of some of the mist influential espionage seductions in history, from femme fatales to purposeful scandals designed to distract the public.Connect with Henry:Twitter: @SpiesVespersConnect with Spycraft 101:Check out Justin's latest release, Covert Arms, here.spycraft101.comIG: @spycraft101Shop: spycraft-101.myshopify.comPatreon: Spycraft 101Find Justin's first book, Spyshots: Volume One, here.Download the free eBook, The Clandestine Operative's Sidearm of Choice, here.Support the show

In this episode, Justin describes espionage activity in the decades-long race to the stars between the United States and the Soviet Union. The two superpowers devoted significant time, resources, and manpower to outshining each other in technological advancement in aerospace. So much occurred in this time period that it would be impossible to cover it all in one episode, so Justin highlights particularly riveting stories, anecdotes, and events that have piqued the interest of curious minds. He hopes to return to this topic in the future, ideally with an expert guest.Connect with Spycraft 101:Check out Justin's latest release, Covert Arms, here.spycraft101.comIG: @spycraft101Shop: spycraft-101.myshopify.comPatreon: Spycraft 101Find Justin's first book, Spyshots: Volume One, here.Download the free eBook, The Clandestine Operative's Sidearm of Choice, here.Support the show