SPYCRAFT 101

Justin Black
  • 4.9 (304)
  • HISTORY
  • UPDATED WEEKLY
SPYCRAFT 101

Welcome to your clandestine classroom.

  1. 3D AGO

    189. Marguerite Harrison: Socialite, Reporter, and Military Intelligence Operative with Janet Wallach

    Today Justin sits down with Janet Wallach. Janet attended New York University and her work has been published in The Washington Post Magazine, Smithsonian Magazine, and other periodicals. She's the author of 10 books and has written extensively about notable women in history, including Queen Noor of Jordan, Coco Chanel, and Gertrude Bell, among others. Janet is here today to discuss Marguerite Harrison, dubbed the socialite spy, and the story of her double life as a reporter and a spy for U.S...

    59 min

  2. MAR 17

    188. Cuban Exiles vs. Guevara's Forces in the Congo with Frank Villafana

    This week's guest is Frank Villafana. Frank was born in Havana, Cuba, and moved to the United States after graduating high school to attend the University of Alabama, where he earned his Bachelor's and Master's degrees in engineering. He spent the next three decades working in various positions in the field of engineering before retiring in 1998. Afterwards, he devoted himself to writing and is now the author of 10 books, primarily dealing with Cuban history and themes. Today he's here ...

    40 min

  3. MAR 10

    187. The Wagner Group: Rise and Fall of a Russian Mercenary Collective with John Lechner

    Today Justin talks to John Lechner. John graduated from Georgetown University with a master's degree in foreign service. He speaks several languages, including Russian, French, Turkish, and Georgian. He now works as an independent journalist and his reporting has been featured in The New York Times, The Atlantic, The Washington Post, BBC, and many more. He's here to discuss the story of the rise of the Wagner Group, a Russian mercenary private military company that grew in a few short years f...

    1h 14m

  4. MAR 3

    186. Defeating Noriega: Inside Operation Just Cause with Rick Yell

    This week Justin talks with Rick Yell. Rick served as a civilian agent with the Naval Investigative Service, later renamed the Naval Criminal Investigative Service. In 1986, he was assigned to the resident agency at Fort Amador, Panama. He was present along with his family before, during, and after Operation Just Cause, when the U.S. military ousted Panamanian dictator Manuel Noriega. Rick is featured as one of the primary subjects of the new book, Ghosts of Panama by Mark Harmon and Leon Car...

    1h 25m

  5. FEB 24

    185. The Invisible Battlefield: Subversion in the Age of Information with Andreas Krieg

    This week Justin interviews Andreas Krieg. Andreas is a senior lecturer at the School of Security Studies at King's College London and at the Royal College of Defense Studies. He spent more than 10 years living, studying, and working across the Middle East and North Africa, including in Lebanon, Syria, and Qatar. He is a co-author of the book, Surrogate Warfare: The Transformation of War in the 21st Century, which was published in 2019. He also works as a geo strategic consultant through his ...

    52 min

  6. FEB 17

    184. How to Deliver a Ransom with Rob Phayre

    Today Justin sits down with Rob Phayre. Rob served for seven years in the British Army as a helicopter pilot and commander. After leaving the service, he moved to Kenya and opened his own business before moving into a second career in security and crisis management a few years later. Much of his time involved responding to Somali piracy and hostage taking in East Africa. He's helped resolve nearly 40 hostage incidents, both on and offshore, across Africa. Two of those ransoms have...

    1h 10m

  7. FEB 10

    183. My Life As a Canadian Spy with Andrew Kirsch

    Today Justin sits down with Andrew Kirsch. Andrew grew up in Toronto, Canada, and is a graduate of Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island. He worked as an investment advisor in London before applying for a position with the Canadian Security Intelligence Service or CCIS. He spent nearly 10 years as an intelligence officer working in several positions, including analyst, investigator, and as a special operations team leader. He now runs the Kirsch Consulting Group, a risk advisory firm b...

    54 min

  8. FEB 3

    182. The Most Damaging Espionage Case in History with Joe Navarro

    Today Justin talks to retired Special Agent Joe Navarro. Joe spent 25 years with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, primarily working on counterintelligence investigations. He is also a founding member of the National Security Division Behavioral Analysis Program, which focused on the behavior of spies, terrorists, and criminals. During his career, Joe developed tremendous expertise in nonverbal communication and body language, and after retiring, went on to write the international bestsell...

    43 min
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About

Welcome to your clandestine classroom.

Information

  • Creator
    Justin Black
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2025
  • Episodes
    193
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2025 SPYCRAFT 101
  • Show Website
    SPYCRAFT 101

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