Assassinations Podcast

Born in Polish Lithuania, Boris Korczak fled from Communism and settled in Denmark. There he became embroiled in Cold War espionage. He worked for seven years as a CIA asset operating within the KGB. After his cover was blown, Korczak sought help from the Americans, including US citizenship - but the CIA had different ideas. In a remarkable radio interview, reenacted here, WRC’s Joel Spivak interviews Boris Korcak about some of his remarkable claims.This is part 1 of 2 about Boris Korczak. In next week’s episode, we’ll learn more about his story, investigate his claims, and unpack some of his bizarre allegations.To learn more about Boris Korczak and the music used in this week’s episode, visit the Assassinations Podcast website.

Georgi Markov died following a strange encounter on the streets of London. But as we discovered in Part 2 of the episode, there were even more unusual - and disturbing - things going on. In the final part of our episode, we examine the contradictory claims associated with the case, and we ask what might really have happened.To learn more about Georgi Markov and the music used in this week’s episode, visit the Assassinations Podcast website.

Bulgarian writer Georgi Markov died following an encounter on the streets of London - the so-called Umbrella Assassination. As the British media speculated as to what exactly caused his death, behind the scenes more strange and disturbing drama unfolded. In Part 2 of our episode, we investigate an attempted murder in Paris, which at first appeared to solve the case … but ended up raising more questions than answers.To learn more about Georgi Markov and the music used in this week’s episode, visit the Assassinations Podcast website.

In one of the most infamous moments of the Cold War, Bulgarian writer Georgi Markov died following a strange encounter on the streets of London. The incident came to be known as the "Umbrella Assassination", after the British press picked up on claims that Markov had been killed by a mysterious man carrying an umbrella. But the truth might be different - and even more shocking - than the lurid media tale. In the first part of our 3 part episode on his death, we meet Markov and learn about his assassination.For more information about Georgi Markov and the music used in this week’s episode, visit the Assassinations Podcast website.

Imperial Japan had overrun much of China by the end of the 1930s. The great city of Shanghai was ruled by a puppet government with its feared secret police. Amidst the horrors of war, a beautiful young woman must use her talents to lure a dangerous and corrupt official to his death.For more information about Zheng Pingru and the music used in this week’s episode, visit the Assassinations Podcast website.

In the world of espionage, truth can be stranger than fiction. The second season of our podcast will uncover the secret plots and deadly gadgets used by spies against their foes. 

Jörg Jenatsch murdered a rival during a period of turmoil in 17th Century Switzerland. Years later, Jenatsch would pay for his crime when he was attacked by a bear with an axe at a party in a pub. Who says Switzerland is boring?

Radama, the king of the island nation of Madagascar, wanted to open up his homeland to the modern world. Supposedly strangled to death by his own troops, a legend flourished that Radama survived - and that he would return some day to reclaim his throne.

Mary's own father, King James V of Scotland, predicted that his daughter and sole heir would bring calamity upon the royal House of Stuart. Though her reign was dramatic and tragic, with scheming and murder aplenty, it actually led to the greatest dynastic triumph for the Stuarts - winning the throne of the "Auld Enemy", England.

Princess Diana's death in a car crash stunned Britain and the world. It did not take long for critics of the official police investigation to ask the question: had Diana, with her boyfriend Dodi Fayed, been murdered by dark forces within the state?This episode contains explicit language. For more information about the people and music featured in this episode, visit the Assassinations Podcast website.