9 episodes
Agent of Betrayal: The Double Life of Robert Hanssen CBS News
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- True Crime
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4.8 • 57 Ratings
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Amid the nuclear threat of the Cold War, America's prized secrets were falling into the hands of its sworn enemy. The FBI's hunt for the leak led to an astonishing discovery—the mole was one of its own, special agent Robert Hanssen. For two decades, Hanssen masqueraded as a devoted patriot while ruthlessly selling out his country, trading classified intelligence to the Soviet Union and later Russia, in exchange for cash and diamonds. He was a whirlwind of contradictions—a self-proclaimed patriot and a traitor; a family man who sexually betrayed his wife; an ardent man of God and a sinner. Through interviews with Hanssen’s family, friends, and colleagues, CBS News Chief Washington Correspondent Major Garrett (Host of “The Takeout”) delves into the double life of Robert Hanssen and unravels the chilling truth about the most damaging spy in FBI history in “Agent of Betrayal: The Double Life of Robert Hanssen”.
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The Spy Next Door
Robert Hanssen lived in suburbia with six kids and his wife Bonnie. They had a dog, a nice house and went to church on Sundays. Outwardly, it appeared to be an ordinary life. And for the most part, it was. Until Hanssen, an FBI special agent, turned and offered his services to the Soviets.
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Ramon Garcia
1985 was “The Year of the Spy.” The FBI arrested a raft of traitors spying for the USSR and other foreign governments. But that didn’t stop Robert Hanssen - or his KGB alias “Ramon Garcia.” Hanssen had developed an obsession with espionage and the result would be deadly.
Drop us a line: agentofbetrayal@cbsnews.com
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. -
Priscilla
Priscilla Sue Galey was a dancer at a strip club about a 15 minute walk from the White House. Robert Hanssen told her that he'd never seen such grace and beauty. He gave her sapphires and diamonds, a Mercedes, a trip around the world. But what did Hanssen want in return? Even more surprising than an FBI agent’s emotional affair with a dancer: the voyeurism in Hanssen's bedroom at home.
Drop us a line: agentofbetrayal@cbsnews.com
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. -
Plain Sight
How did the FBI allow a spy to operate in its midst for more than 20 years and do such devastating damage? Robert Hanssen’s tradecraft was good, but far from perfect. In fact, the FBI missed several chances to nab him.
Drop us a line: agentofbetrayal@cbsnews.com
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. -
Wrong Man
The intelligence community knew it had a mole problem. It couldn’t account for lost assets and blown operations. So the FBI and CIA set out on another mole hunt – and this time, there was one suspect who fit better than the rest. He was a career CIA officer who had been around important cases that went sideways. The FBI tailed him for two years and then squeezed him and his family for almost two more. Just one problem: he wasn’t the mole.
Drop us a line: agentofbetrayal@cbsnews.com
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. -
The Art Dealer
A Russian businessman arrived in New York in mid-2000, eager to export art to the United States. His counterpart in the deal, an American, appeared ready to do business, too. But neither man was exactly who they purported to be. Their encounter may have been just the break FBI mole hunters were looking for.
Drop us a line: agentofbetrayal@cbsnews.com
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Customer Reviews
Fascinating Podcast
I’m an Australian, so I didn’t know much about Robert Hanssen’s story.
Hanssen does seem like a very complex man and as his psychiatrist states, he is very compartmentalised….very much so. He seems to have struggled with his compulsions. His relationship with Priscilla is perplexing.
Great podcast it was intriguing and very informative
Listen all the way through.
Good work! Excellent research and production. Must have been a difficult story to explore and get the all round perspective. I feel you have done a great job of separating the investment of time, energy and the hunger to publish, with the need to really comprehend the story. Journalism is not a business, publishing is…
I Like the lack of opinionated narration, the words of the interviewed telling the story. I like the attention to the timeline. A story of such duration can be lost in the detail of what happened when. Great edit too.
This story gives a window into the psyche of a certain type of human being. Thankfully an exception, rather than the rule.The Malignant Narcissist….. They have arisen a number of times in history and have inflicted misery upon those around them. The extraordinary thing is how we fail to recognise them, before they leave a crater in our society, despite our increasing understanding of our species. Ring any bells???
The Dr.
Excellent
Very interesting and I enjoyed the extensive interviews and topics. Multidimensional and thorough investigation.