SpyTalk SpyTalk, Jeff Stein

Veteran CIA ops officer Jim Lawler talks about the tricks of the trade with host Jeff Stein.

Former DHS Intel Chief John Cohen on the Butler, Pa. fiasco with guest host Michael
Isikoff.

“Mafia Spies” is based on a 2019 book by the same name by veteran investigative reporter Thomas Maier, with the subtitle, “The Inside Story of the CIA, Gangsters, JFK, and Castro.” Which in turn was based largely on declassified files relating to the 1963 assassination of President John F. Kennedy. The TV series includes dramatic recreations of critical moments in the plots, lively, insightful commentary with longstanding experts on Cuba, Castro and the Kennedys, as well as on-camera interviews with a few, still living relatives and associates of the key gangsters in the conspiracies, Johnny Rosselli and Sam Giancana.

The series sheds new light on the grisly demise of Giancana and Rosselli before they were able to spill all the beans about the demonic—and sometimes comic failures—of the Castro assassination efforts.

Reuters reporter Aram Roston with Jeff Stein on the Proud Boys resurgence.

Frank Figliuzzi talks with Jeff Stein about the Bureau’s dizzying challenges.

Fat Leonard was “a maritime fixer who provided harbor protection, barges, cranes, food, fresh water, sewage collection, and anything else a nuclear powered aircraft carrier might need.” It’s absolutely astonishing how easily Leonard corrupted so many ranking Navy officers by providing them with prostitutes, booze, cash and airline tickets.