The Closer: Deals Change the World

“The past is never dead. It's not even past.” Silicon Valley is an espionage innovator—it has been since its inception. During the dawn of the high-tech age, an engineer named James Harper begins his industrious climb. But as Silicon Valley blossoms into what it is today, so too does the dark side of all this newfound wealth and ambition—right as the cold war reaches its final crescendo. As Harper works to build his fortune, his ambition endangers his nation’s safety. He sells nuclear secrets to the Soviet Bloc—intelligence that might still help Moscow in a nuclear exchange today. It would become the chase of a lifetime for San Francisco’s FBI spy hunters. In this series, we’ll walk you through a maze. One of nuclear spying, technology theft, and double agents, and the too wild-to-be-believed events that placed James Harper at the center of this story. And you’ll hear that story from James Harper–the Soviet Bloc spy–himself. Spy Valley is a Project Brazen production. For more fearless storytelling, search for the Brazen channel on Apple Podcasts or visit brazen.fm, home to all our podcasts, documentaries and newsletters. At Brazen, we show you how the world really works – from espionage and corruption to deal-making and organised crime, we’ll take you inside stories from hidden worlds. Don’t stay in the dark. Subscribe to Brazen+ on Apple Podcasts or at brazen.fm/plus and get exclusive bonus episodes for Spy Valley and all our shows, as well as ad-free listening and early access to new podcasts. For the latest from Brazen delivered straight to your inbox, subscribe to our newsletters at brazen.fm/newsletters. Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://brazen.fm/plus/

Corinna and the King is the unbelievable true story of a love affair that brought the Spanish royal family to its knees. When Corinna, a worldly and well-connected businesswoman, fell in love with Juan Carlos I, the king of Spain, he seemed too big to fail. Their secret romance stretched across continents, but its unraveling would open a window into a dangerous world of greed, corruption, and crime. Vast pools of hidden wealth; international espionage and conspiracy; scandal, elephant hunting, and unstoppable lust… all tracing back to one of the most secretive royalties in the world. This is Corinna and the King, a co-production by Brazen, PRX and La Coctelera Music. Este podcast también está disponible en español. Para escuchar, busca Corinna y el Rey en tu plataforma de podcasts favorita. Corinna and the King is a Project Brazen production. For more fearless storytelling, search for the Brazen channel on Apple Podcasts or visit brazen.fm, home to all our podcasts, documentaries and newsletters. At Brazen, we show you how the world really works – from espionage and corruption to deal-making and organised crime, we’ll take you inside stories from hidden worlds. Don’t stay in the dark. Subscribe to Brazen+ on Apple Podcasts or at brazen.fm/plus and get exclusive bonus episodes for Corinna and the King and all our shows, as well as ad-free listening and early access to new podcasts. For the latest from Brazen delivered straight to your inbox, subscribe to our newsletters at brazen.fm/newsletters. Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://brazen.fm/plus/

This is Wonder, a five-minute audio experience designed to transport you far away from the chaos of life. With each weekly episode, you’ll discover a new element of the natural world, from extraordinary creatures to otherworldly places and phenomena. You’ll discover something about yourself, too, through five minutes of mindfulness and escape from the everyday. So put your headphones on, close your eyes, and let us lead you through a rich, serene soundscape, giving you a chance to breathe – and wonder.  Wonder is a Brazen production. For more from Brazen, check out our podcast channel in Apple Podcasts or visit our website at brazen.fm. Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://brazen.fm/plus/

This is WHALE HUNTING, a weekly podcast that pulls back the curtain on the hidden worlds of money and power, hosted by investigative journalists Tom Wright and Bradley Hope. Previously long-time reporters for the Wall Street Journal, Tom and Bradley now run Project Brazen, a journalism studio that’s published stories on everything from US Navy corruption to spycraft in Silicon Valley and embezzlement at the heart of Spain’s royal family.  Now, on the Whale Hunting podcast, you can join them as they share what’s got them talking this week, from the headlines to underworld gossip. Each episode will offer something different, but you can expect obscene tales of corruption, insights on the bizarre habits of billionaires, and conversations with reporters, spies, hostage negotiators, cops, authors, and the occasional criminal. Think of it as dropping in on the watercooler chat at Project Brazen’s office.  So join us. Subscribe to Whale Hunting, and find out how the world really works.  For more, or to sign up to our newsletter, visit whalehunting.projectbrazen.com. Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://brazen.fm/plus/

It’s the most shocking unknown tale of our era: a defense contractor who bribed Navy officers with cash, prostitutes and luxury items in return for multi-million-dollar deals. Now, under arrest and battling cancer, ​Leonard Francis, AKA Fat Leonard, is angry, and he’s talking for the first time. His explosive story will change the way you look at the U.S. Navy forever. With exclusive access to Leonard Francis himself, Fat Leonard reveals the true story of the misogynistic men at the heart of the Navy and the brave women who brought them down. To access all episodes of the Fat Leonard podcast, subscribe to Brazen+ on Apple Podcasts, or on other podcast apps by visiting www.brazen.fm/plus. Subscribing will not only unlock Fat Leonard, but it’ll also give you early access to new Brazen shows, as well as ad-free listening and exclusive subscriber-only content across all podcasts in our network. For more, visit: www.fatleonardpodcast.com Fat Leonard is a Project Brazen production. For more fearless storytelling, search for the Brazen channel on Apple Podcasts or visit brazen.fm, home to all our podcasts, documentaries and newsletters. At Brazen, we show you how the world really works – from espionage and corruption to deal-making and organised crime, we’ll take you inside stories from hidden worlds. For the latest from Brazen delivered straight to your inbox, subscribe to our newsletters at brazen.fm/newsletters. Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://brazen.fm/plus/

For 50 years, Douglas Latchford was the world’s premier expert on Cambodian art, supplying priceless statues to Western museums and rich collectors. But his fame masked a dirty secret. Douglas had colluded with the Khmer Rouge, a genocidal regime, to loot Cambodia’s entire cultural heritage. As the country descended into bloodshed, Douglas stole almost everything. A network of art world cronies were on hand to help him sell these blood statues, including a senior curator at the Metropolitan Museum in New York. When a band of art sleuths get on their case, Douglas and his co-conspirators mount a rearguard action to save themselves. This is a story the art world doesn’t want told. Unlike the Elgin Marbles, and other brewing controversies over stolen art, our story isn’t ancient history. This tale is happening now. For more information, visit dynamitedoug.com. To learn more about looted antiquities held by the world’s most venerated institutions, check out thelootmuseum.com. Dynamite Doug is a Project Brazen production. For more fearless storytelling, search for the Brazen channel on Apple Podcasts or visit brazen.fm, home to all our podcasts, documentaries and newsletters. At Brazen, we show you how the world really works – from espionage and corruption to deal-making and organised crime, we’ll take you inside stories from hidden worlds. Don’t stay in the dark. Subscribe to Brazen+ on Apple Podcasts or at brazen.fm/plus and get exclusive bonus episodes, as well as ad-free listening and early access to new shows. For the latest from Brazen delivered straight to your inbox, subscribe to our newsletters at brazen.fm/newsletters. Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://brazen.fm/plus/