Whale Hunting

Once upon a time, in a land far away, corporate interests didn't rule the political roost. It's hard to imagine today, when Big Oil, Big Tech and Big Finance (among other 'bigs') all muscle in on US democracy, grappling for the attention and affections of elected representatives. Indeed, a whole industry has sprung up to mediate this muscling, and you can find it on K Street. Home to Washington DC's lobbyists, K Street is also the topic of Brody Mullins' new book, The Wolves of K Street. This week on Whale Hunting, host Bradley Hope chats to Brody about the book, which he co-authored with his brother, Luke Mullins, and what they uncovered on their deep dive into the world of American corporate lobbying. Together, they discuss why lobbying came about in the first place and how powerful forces have changed over time, from the influential civil rights and environmental groups of the 1970s to today's big players on K Street. From mysterious deaths to dirty tactics and signs of change on Capitol Hill, Brody unravels this filthy rich industry, its biggest personalities, and its most questionable practices.Brody and Luke Mullins' book, The Wolves of K Street, is out now. You can find it online and in all good bookshops.Want more from Whale Hunting? Head to our website at whalehunting.projectbrazen.com to subscribe to our newsletter delving into the murky worlds of money and power. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSupport our show by becoming a premium member! https://brazen.fm/plus/

We’re back and we’re kicking off season two with a bang! This week on Whale Hunting, host Tom Wright is joined by Jane Perlez, long-time Beijing bureau chief for The New York Times, and now host of the new podcast FACE OFF: The US vs China. The show dives into the defining issues of the US-China rivalry, from espionage to technology, nuclear arms and cultural exchange – because there's nothing wrong with a bit of healthy competition, right? Chatting with Tom, Jane shares details of her years reporting on the ground in Beijing, the threats of military escalation in today's geopolitical climate, and President Xi's vision for China. Together, they consider whether China and US were always going to end up as foes, and what the future could hold for this rocky relationship. Face Off: The US vs China is out now, available wherever you get your podcasts. And remember, if you’re enjoying Whale Hunting, make sure to visit our website at whalehunting.projectbrazen.com, where you can also subscribe to our newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSupport our show by becoming a premium member! https://brazen.fm/plus/

Thanks for listening to season one of Whale Hunting! The podcast will be back very soon with brand new episodes on everything from President Xi of China to corporate lobbying in Washington, Furry subculture, female Narco bosses, and much more. In the meantime, we wanted to share an episode from one of our favourite shows: the 404 Media podcast. The team at 404 Media report from the frontier of tech, covering everything from hacking to AI, surveillance and cybercrime – and their weekly podcast is a great way to catch up on their new stories. In this episode, 404 journalist Joseph Cox shares his latest investigation into the Com, the nebulous online entity and culture that is linked to some of the most high profile and brazen data breaches in recent history. Joseph sat in their chatrooms while rival hackers and criminals doxed and physically robbed one another. You’ll also hear from 404’s Jason Koebler as he breaks down why some researchers are calling out Google on some of its AI science research. Enjoy!For more on 404 media, head to 404media.co. And remember, you can subscribe to the Whale Hunting newsletter as well as the podcast by visiting whalehunting.projectbrazen.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSupport our show by becoming a premium member! https://brazen.fm/plus/

The consequences of Jho Low's colossal fraud continue to be felt on several continents. In Malaysia, the trial of former Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak has entered its fifth year, with new testimony from ex-1MDB lawyer Jasmine Loo. In Switzerland this month, two PetroSaudi execs, Tarik Obaid and Patrick Mahony, have insisted to a judge that their company was not a sham set up to siphon money from the sovereign fund. In the US, former Fugees rapper Pras Michel is appealing his conviction for political conspiracy after doing Jho Low's political bidding in America. This week, on a special edition of Whale Hunting live from Brazen's new London studio, hosts Tom Wright and Bradley Hope share their take on all the latest 1MDB drama. Together, they answer questions submitted by live listeners – including those about Jho Low's potential arrest and where the saga could be headed next.For more from Whale Hunting, follow the podcast wherever you listen – and you can subscribe to our newsletter at whalehunting.projectbrazen.com.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSupport our show by becoming a premium member! https://brazen.fm/plus/

If your loved one was kidnapped by a terror group like ISIS, your first instinct might be to scream for help from the rooftops. This, Daniel Levin says, would not be a good move. Daniel has spent years working on all kinds of conflict resolution, from freeing hostages to bringing political adversaries to the table or helping countries recover after civil war. This week on Whale Hunting, host Tom Wright talks to Daniel about his remarkable experience in the art of track three diplomacy. Together, they discuss how off-the-record dialogues can shape the fate of nations, and how Daniel’s work with the Liechtenstein Foundation for State Governance is taking an innovative approach to society building and global crises.To find more of Daniel’s work, head to www.daniellevinauthor.com, where you can order his books and find his latest writing, including The Guardian opinion piece discussed in this episode. For more from Whale Hunting, follow the podcast wherever you listen – and you can subscribe to our newsletter at whalehunting.projectbrazen.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSupport our show by becoming a premium member! https://brazen.fm/plus/

Lewis A. Kaplan has been a district court judge for almost 30 years, but even he was staggered by the audacity of Sam Bankman-Fried. “When he wasn’t outright lying, he was evasive, hairsplitting, dodging questions,” Kaplan said when he handed the FTX fraudster a 25 year prison sentence last week. Zeke Faux, a reporter for Bloomberg, was there to watch the sentencing. He's met SBF a few times – before and after his multi-billion dollar scam came crashing down. This week on Whale Hunting, host Tom Wright chats to Zeke about Kaplan's fury, how SBF reacted to his sentence and why his victims still aren’t happy. They also discuss the surprising bounce-back of FTX's assets, and how crypto's 'number go up' mentality just won't quit.You can find Zeke’s book, Number Go Up, online and in all good bookshops. To hear the story of Sam Bankman-Fried and his rival, Changpeng Zhao, from the very beginning, check out Project Brazen’s podcast Crypto Kingpins, available wherever you listen to podcasts. For more from Whale Hunting, follow the podcast wherever you listen – and you can subscribe to our newsletter at whalehunting.projectbrazen.com.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSupport our show by becoming a premium member! https://brazen.fm/plus/

We all know that advertisers are snapping up our digital data: what we buy, the websites we visit, the content we consume – even where we are at any given moment. But fewer people know that this data isn’t just being bought by companies trying to sell us things. It’s also being bought by the government and intelligence agencies. These mass data purchases (often via shadowy middlemen) is what investigative journalist Byron Tau set out to investigate in his new book, Means of Control: How the hidden alliance of tech and government is creating a new American surveillance state. This week on Whale Hunting, host Bradley Hope talks to Byron about how the US government dispensed with the need for warrants and secret court orders – opting to buy personal information from private companies instead. Luckily, Byron also shares his tips on how to protect yourself from sweeping digital surveillance and explains how US lawmakers could be on the precipice of cracking down on the sale of citizens' data to the government. For more from Whale Hunting, follow the podcast wherever you listen – and you can subscribe to our newsletter at whalehunting.projectbrazen.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSupport our show by becoming a premium member! https://brazen.fm/plus/

Imagine a digital virus that could destroy your computer. Not crash its system, but actually wreck the physical hardware – say, melt the motherboard or burn up the hard drive. It might sound dystopian, but in fact, this kind of virus was discovered in Iran in 2010. And it wasn’t just wrecking a humble laptop – it was sabotaging Iranian nuclear infrastructure. The virus (or worm) became known as Stuxnet, and investigative journalist Kim Zetter has been following it ever since. This week on Whale Hunting, host Bradley Hope speaks to Kim about the uncovering of Stuxnet and what its groundbreaking technology meant for digital warfare – as well as the early death of the intelligence mole who deposited Stuxnet on Iranian systems.To read more of Kim’s work, make sure to follow her on Twitter at @kimzetter or find her regular posts at zetter-zeroday.com. For more fromWhale Hunting, make sure to follow the podcast – and you can subscribe to our newsletter at whalehunting.projectbrazen.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSupport our show by becoming a premium member! https://brazen.fm/plus/

Hollywood movies would have you believe Interpol is something like the world’s police force. The reality is quite different. This week on Whale Hunting, host Bradley Hope talks to Jane Bradley about what Interpol is really for, and the complicated politics at play within its ranks. Jane is the New York Times’ reporter for the UK and along with Pulitzer and Orwell prize nominations, she also holds the accolade of almost being thrown out of Interpol's last conference for asking difficult questions. She explains more about Interpol's upcoming elections for a new secretary-general, as well as the organization’s color-coded notice system — and why it’s proven a favorite tool of authoritarian regimes around the world. For more from Whale Hunting, make sure to follow the podcast – and you can subscribe to our newsletter at whalehunting.projectbrazen.com.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSupport our show by becoming a premium member! https://brazen.fm/plus/

Most of the time, drug wars happen in the shadows, in underworld deaths and disappearances. But when journalists and lawyers start getting gunned down on the streets of Amsterdam, and burning cars are crashed into newspaper offices — well, you’ve got all the makings of a European narco state. This week on Whale Hunting, host Bradley Hope sits down with Mitch Prothero to discuss the sentencing of the merciless kingpin at the heart of the chaos: Ridouan Taghi. A reporter and host of the podcast Gateway: Cocaine, Murder and Dirty Money in Europe, Mitch has spent years following the explosion of European cocaine markets, giving him a front row seat Taghi’s rise. Together, Bradley and Mitch dig into the details of this story, from the King of Morocco’s role in Taghi’s capture to his mega-trial in ‘ze Bunker’ — and why shows like Narcos no longer capture the reality of modern cocaine trafficking.To discover Ridouan Taghi's story from the very beginning, search for Gateway: Cocaine, Murder and Dirty Money in Europe wherever you listen to podcasts. For more from Whale Hunting, make sure to follow the podcast – and you can subscribe to our newsletter at whalehunting.projectbrazen.com.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSupport our show by becoming a premium member! https://brazen.fm/plus/