Criminologist Federico Varese joins Chris to talk John le Carré—David Cornwell—and what his fiction got right about power, corruption, and the criminal underside of the modern Russian state. Varese, a co-curator of Oxford’s Tradecraft exhibition at the Bodleian, shares how he first met Cornwell in the early 1990s and later advised him on Our Game and Our Kind of Traitor, drawing directly on his research into Russian organized crime. From there, Varese unpacks the post-Soviet trajectory he traces in Russia in Four Criminals—how “free markets” without a strong rule-of-law state produced predation, oligarchic capture, and ultimately what he calls a “mafia state,” where independent organized crime is squeezed out by a system that fuses political and economic power. The conversation also gets into how Russian security services use criminals for deniable operations abroad and how cybercrime functions as a tolerated ecosystem—until the state needs it—turning hackers into a ready-made tool of hybrid warfare.

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Learn more about Federico and his work: https://federicovarese.com

Order Russia in Four Criminals: https://www.politybooks.com/bookdetail?book_slug=russia-in-four-criminals--9781509563609

Visit the Bodleian Libaries’ John le Carré: Tradecraft exhibition: https://visit.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/lecarre

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Secrets and Spies is produced by F & P LTD.

Music by Andrew R. Bird

Photo by Bodleian Libraries & Federico Varese

Secrets and Spies sits at the intersection of intelligence, covert action, real-world espionage, and broader geopolitics in a way that is digestible but serious. Hosted by filmmaker Chris Carr and writer Matt Fulton, each episode examines the very topics that real intelligence officers and analysts consider on a daily basis through the lens of global events and geopolitics, featuring expert insights from former spies, authors, and journalists.

Former senior CIA officer John Sipher joins Chris to break down what Western audiences get wrong about Russian intelligence—starting with what it’s actually like to operate inside one of the world’s most hostile counterintelligence environments. Sipher explains the KGB-to-Putin throughline, why Moscow treats intelligence as a frontline tool of regime survival, and how “active measures” and reflexive control shape Russia’s political warfare abroad. He also pushes back on myths of intelligence work, digs into how the West misread Russia’s strength and Ukraine’s will to fight, and lays out what containment—and a post-Putin future—might realistically look like. The conversation closes with a sharp look at disinformation, conspiracy culture, and why Hollywood keeps getting espionage wrong.

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More about John and Spycraft Entertainment: https://spycraftentertainment.com/john-sipher

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Secrets and Spies is produced by F & P LTD.

Music by Andrew R. Bird

Photo by Spycraft Entertainment

Secrets and Spies sits at the intersection of intelligence, covert action, real-world espionage, and broader geopolitics in a way that is digestible but serious. Hosted by filmmaker Chris Carr and writer Matt Fulton, each episode examines the very topics that real intelligence officers and analysts consider on a daily basis through the lens of global events and geopolitics, featuring expert insights from former spies, authors, and journalists.

David Tuch, author of The Wireless Operator, joins Chris to tell the stranger-than-fiction story of Harold Derber—a wartime wireless operator who later ran blockade-busting weapons to Israel before reinventing marijuana smuggling in the 1970s. David explains how a loophole created by the 1970 Controlled Substances Act briefly made it legal to hold drugs in international waters—and how Derber exploited it with a “mothership” fleet, offloading tons of marijuana at sea. They break down why Deber’s flagship, the Night Train, became law enforcement’s obsession, built on counter-surveillance and tradecraft designed to keep informants out. The conversation then moves into Miami and Wall Street—money laundering, the Gambinos, and First Jersey Securities—alongside Derber’s documented ties to Cuban intelligence.

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Learn more about David and his work: https://davidtuch.com

Order The Wireless Operator: https://www.iconbooks.com/ib-title/the-wireless-operator/

Audio: https://pod.fo/e/3681a7

YouTube: https://youtu.be/dIYCKH35Y6s

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Secrets and Spies is produced by F & P LTD.

Music by Andrew R. Bird

Photo by David Tuch, Ted Akey, Wolfson Archives & Icon Books

Secrets and Spies sits at the intersection of intelligence, covert action, real-world espionage, and broader geopolitics in a way that is digestible but serious. Hosted by filmmaker Chris Carr and writer Matt Fulton, each episode examines the very topics that real intelligence officers and analysts consider on a daily basis through the lens of global events and geopolitics, featuring expert insights from former spies, authors, and journalists.

Former chief technology officer of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, Dr. Anthony Vinci, joins Matt to explain why intelligence has broken out of the classified world—and why everyday citizens are now on the front lines. Anthony walks through three past “intelligence revolutions” and argues we’ve entered a fourth, driven by China and AI: intelligence expanding beyond war and politics into economics and tech, a “whole-of-society” competition that pulls in companies and universities, and a shift from targeting governments to targeting entire populations. They discuss “inanity of evil” disinformation operations, China’s push toward a global panopticon, the case for treating economic espionage as tier-one national security, and the coming collision of AI, autonomy, and trust—ending with what it means to “think like an intelligence officer” without becoming the thing we’re fighting.

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Order The Fourth Intelligence Revolution: https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250370907/thefourthintelligencerevolution/

Learn more on Anthony’s website: https://www.anthonyvinci.com/

Subscribe to Anthony’s Substack: https://anthonyvinci.substack.com/

Audio: https://pod.fo/e/365bae

YouTube: https://youtu.be/D4ZagwI5Z3o

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Secrets and Spies is produced by F & P LTD.

Music by Andrew R. Bird

Photo by Joy Asico

Secrets and Spies sits at the intersection of intelligence, covert action, real-world espionage, and broader geopolitics in a way that is digestible but serious. Hosted by filmmaker Chris Carr and writer Matt Fulton, each episode examines the very topics that real intelligence officers and analysts consider on a daily basis through the lens of global events and geopolitics, featuring expert insights from former spies, authors, and journalists.

In this episode, Chris speaks with Dr Taras Kuzio about the deeper forces shaping Russia’s war against Ukraine and the faltering U.S.-Russia-Ukraine peace talks. Kuzio explores Vladimir Putin’s obsession with history and identity, the existential stakes the war now holds for the Kremlin, and the political, economic and social pressures that make genuine negotiation nearly impossible. They unpack the Trump administration’s pro-Russian tilt, European hesitation, the resilience and innovation of Ukraine’s defence sector, and the deep divisions within the global Russian diaspora. The conversation also looks ahead to what 2026 may bring, the risks of a post-Putin Russia, and why the West urgently needs a coherent strategy if it hopes to shape the outcome of this conflict.

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Follow Dr. Kuzio on X: x.com/TarasKuzio

"Ukrainian Corruption Investigation Reveals Derkach’s Role" | The Jamestown Foundation

"Ukraine Aspires to Become Arsenal to the West" | The Jamestown Foundation

"Russia’s War Transforms Ukraine into a World-Leading Military Producer" | RealClear Defense

Audio: https://pod.fo/e/3635f0

YouTube: https://youtu.be/dJYDvmwGLns

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Secrets and Spies is produced by F & P LTD.

Music by Andrew R. Bird

Photos by Ozan Kose/AFP/Getty Images

Secrets and Spies sits at the intersection of intelligence, covert action, real-world espionage, and broader geopolitics in a way that is digestible but serious. Hosted by filmmaker Chris Carr and writer Matt Fulton, each episode examines the very topics that real intelligence officers and analysts consider on a daily basis through the lens of global events and geopolitics, featuring expert insights from former spies, authors, and journalists.

In our final Espresso Martini of the year, Chris and Matt reflect on the DC National Guard shooting, the alleged Afghan CIA-linked gunman, and what the case says about how America treats its wartime partners once the war ends. They then turn to Trump’s latest “final” Ukraine peace offer and growing frustration in Europe as Moscow drags the war out on its own terms. The focus shifts to Venezuela, where Russian advisors, new air defenses, cartel politics, and U.S. forces raise the risk of conflict—and to post-Assad Syria, where ISIS is quietly regrouping amid a tenuous recovery. Finally, listener questions bring them to Pete Hegseth’s alleged no-quarter order, Tom Nichols’s case for accountability, and the long, dark tradition of animal spies—and some reflections on ten years of Secrets & Spies and where the show goes next.

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Audio: https://pod.fo/e/36128f

YouTube: https://youtu.be/yr-CKl1Z6Tk

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"Fellow Unit Member Says Alleged D.C. Shooter Felt Abandoned by CIA" by Kevin Mauer | The Rolling Stone: https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-features/alleged-dc-national-guard-shooter-felt-abandoned-cia-1235474835/

"The Ukraine peace deal has stumbled yet again over an inevitable obstacle: Putin" by Andrew Roth | The Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/dec/03/the-ukraine-peace-deal-has-stumbled-yet-again-over-an-inevitable-obstacle-putin

"Russian General In Venezuela Leading Advisory Mission: Ukraine’s Intel Chief" by Howard Altman | The War Zone: https://www.twz.com/news-features/russian-general-in-venezuela-leading-advisory-mission-ukraines-intel-chief

Islamic State Wages a Guerrilla Insurgency Throughout Eastern Syria | The Soufan Center Intelbrief: https://thesoufancenter.org/intelbrief-2025-october-28/

"Pete Hegseth Needs to Go—Now" by Tom Nichols | The Atlantic: https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2025/12/pete-hegseth-pentagon-department-defense/685098/

"Russia Launches First Brain-Chipped Bird Drones for Surveillance Over Cities" by Roman Kohanets | United24 Media: https://united24media.com/latest-news/russia-launches-first-brain-chipped-bird-drones-for-surveillance-over-cities-13769

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Secrets and Spies is produced by F & P LTD.

Music by Andrew R. Bird

Photo by AP & Taylor Crul/USAF

Secrets and Spies sits at the intersection of intelligence, covert action, real-world espionage, and broader geopolitics in a way that is digestible but serious. Hosted by filmmaker Chris Carr and writer Matt Fulton, each episode examines the very topics that real intelligence officers and analysts consider on a daily basis through the lens of global events and geopolitics, featuring expert insights from former spies, authors, and journalists.

Former FBI Special Agent Jim Gaylord joins Matt to discuss Chasing Chi, his inside account of the multi-year hunt for Chi Mak, the low-key Southern California engineer at the center of a major Chinese spy ring inside America’s Navy industrial base. They walk through how a vague tip evolved into a full counterintelligence operation—trash pulls, covert entries, FISA surveillance, and a race to grab the Chi’s conspirators at LAX before stolen submarine and radar secrets left the country—and what the case reveals about China’s modern espionage threat.

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Learn more about Jim and the Chi Mak case: chasingchibook.com

Order Chasing Chi: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Chasing-Chi/James-E-Gaylord/9781493091966

Audio: https://pod.fo/e/35c7dc

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Email [email protected], or reach out on social media via the links below.

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Secrets and Spies is produced by F & P LTD.

Music by Andrew R. Bird

Photos by Prometheus Books

Secrets and Spies sits at the intersection of intelligence, covert action, real-world espionage, and broader geopolitics in a way that is digestible but serious. Hosted by filmmaker Chris Carr and writer Matt Fulton, each episode examines the very topics that real intelligence officers and analysts consider on a daily basis through the lens of global events and geopolitics, featuring expert insights from former spies, authors, and journalists.

Chris is joined by journalist Tom Mutch to discuss The Dogs of Mariupol and the realities of reporting from Ukraine’s front lines. Tom shares what it takes to work inside an active war zone—from the decision to stay during the invasion to the daily logistics of moving, sourcing, and staying alive. They dig into the resilience of Ukrainians under fire, the reach of Russian propaganda, and the social fractures between those who fought and those who fled. Tom also reflects on why documenting these stories matters and how Ukraine’s future could be shaped by the ingenuity and grit he’s seen on the ground.

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Order The Dogs of Mariupol: https://www.bitebackpublishing.com/books/the-dogs-of-mariupol

Audio: https://pod.fo/e/35a2eb

YouTube: https://youtu.be/yZQz7bUms3E

Email [email protected], or reach out on social media via the links below.

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Secrets and Spies is produced by F & P LTD.

Music by Andrew R. Bird

Photos by AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka, AFP & Madison Tuff

Secrets and Spies sits at the intersection of intelligence, covert action, real-world espionage, and broader geopolitics in a way that is digestible but serious. Hosted by filmmaker Chris Carr and writer Matt Fulton, each episode examines the very topics that real intelligence officers and analysts consider on a daily basis through the lens of global events and geopolitics, featuring expert insights from former spies, authors, and journalists.

Chris Carr sits down with author Stephen Bates to discuss The Man Who Sold Honours and the extraordinary life of Maundy Gregory—actor, fixer, conman and sometime MI5 asset at the heart of Britain’s original cash-for-honours scandal. They unpack how Gregory monetised access to power, became the only person ever prosecuted under the 1925 law aimed at stopping the sale of honours, and what his story reveals about the long, murky history of buying peerages. The conversation then jumps to today’s political funding battles—from parties’ dependence on wealthy donors to recent cash-for-honours rows and Boris Johnson’s approach to transparency—to ask what all this says about the health of British democracy.

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Order The Man Who Sold Honours: https://www.iconbooks.com/ib-title/the-man-who-sold-honours-2/

Find more about Stephen: https://www.stephenbateswriter.com

Audio: https://pod.fo/e/357dd4

YouTube: https://youtu.be/RkBRVAO8kXY

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Secrets and Spies is produced by F & P LTD.

Music by Andrew R. Bird

Photos by Icon Books, Hooman R./Unsplash & Gert Lucas/PhotoHound

Secrets and Spies sits at the intersection of intelligence, covert action, real-world espionage, and broader geopolitics in a way that is digestible but serious. Hosted by filmmaker Chris Carr and writer Matt Fulton, each episode examines the very topics that real intelligence officers and analysts consider on a daily basis through the lens of global events and geopolitics, featuring expert insights from former spies, authors, and journalists.

On today’s episode, Chris and former CIA analyst Yaya Jata Fanusie explore the evolution of digital currencies, focusing on central bank digital currencies (CBDCs), Bitcoin, and the implications for national security and global financial systems. They discuss the rise of China's digital currency, the concept of programmable money, and the potential for cryptocurrencies to challenge traditional financial systems and government control. The conversation also touches on the importance of data in geopolitical power and the regulatory landscape surrounding cryptocurrencies.

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The Programmable State: The e-CNY and China’s Quest for Smarter Surveillance by Yaya J. Fanusie & Emily Jin | Lawfare: https://www.lawfaremedia.org/article/the-programmable-state--the-e-cny-and-china-s-quest-for-smarter-surveillance

On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yaya-jata-fanusie-87901738/

On X/Twitter: https://x.com/SignCurve

Yaya’s Substack recomendation, Crypto is Macro Now: https://www.cryptoismacro.com/

Yaya’s book recommendation, Read Write Own: https://readwriteown.com/

Audio: https://pod.fo/e/353357

YouTube: https://youtu.be/mCoqSv_RE20

Email [email protected], or reach out on social media via the links below.

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Secrets and Spies is produced by F & P LTD.

Music by Andrew R. Bird

Photos by Yaya J. Fanusie & Canva

Secrets and Spies sits at the intersection of intelligence, covert action, real-world espionage, and broader geopolitics in a way that is digestible but serious. Hosted by filmmaker Chris Carr and writer Matt Fulton, each episode examines the very topics that real intelligence officers and analysts consider on a daily basis through the lens of global events and geopolitics, featuring expert insights from former spies, authors, and journalists.