
Join ex-CIA officer John Kiriakou on a very personal deep dive into what makes a spy tick. One of the most famous spies in the whole world, John - a spy with a conscience - ratted out the CIA's torture program after the war on terror and spent 23 months in federal prison for it. As John explains, no spy is ever an "ex-spy". Why is that so? Listen to the podcast and you'll understand why.
Hosted o... more
| Publishes | Weekly | Episodes | 36 | Founded | 8 months ago |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of Listeners | Categories | HistoryDocumentarySociety & Culture | |||

THE BLURB: In prison, nobody helps anybody. Except their friends. In this episode, John will introduce you to his circle of friends, some of whom remained his friend long after they all got out of prison. Relationships that would probably never have ... more
THE BLURB: One thing about prison, there are rules upon rules. Upon rules. In this episode, John realizes that he's going to have to live by his own rules in order to survive. Those rules will be entirely based on the rules John learned - and had to ... more
THE BLURB: In season one, we told the story of how CIA counter terrorism officer John Kiriakou chose to tell ABC journalist Jonathan Ross the truth - that the CIA had tortured and waterboarded detainees like Abu Zubaydah. The CIA went on the warpath ... more
THE BLURB: Having been a prisoner despite not deserving that fate, John is extremely interested in others similarly incarcerated. To that end, back before the 2024 election, we put together an episode of a podcast called "Prisoner Ex" where we told t... more
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Absolutely love this series. John shines a light in to the shadows of the secret world of spy’s. Fascinating stories from behind the headlines. I’m totally hooked.
Great show, very interesting, but it’s so irritating that the show is interrupted mid sentence, to play an advertisement!
Enjoying the series. However, in my opinion, in episode 23 Glenn Carle is trying to equivocate away his own participation in torture. Feeling it was wrong during its occurrence doesn’t assuage your guilt. His poor judgement is evident in his refusal to admit he was fooled into believing Trump was comprised by Russian Intelligence during the 2016 election.
John is a uniquely compelling storyteller. He makes you understand everything that he talks about, and keeps you hooked.
John is a drop dead amazing story teller . Can’t recommend highly enough , thoroughly enjoyed
Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.
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Apple Podcasts | #60 | |
Apple Podcasts | #121 |
Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.
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A sharp, intimate look at intelligence work, ethics, and personal cost, anchored by a former CIA officer who often places human stories at the center of high-stakes history. Across episodes, listeners hear first-person narratives about counterterrorism, interrogations, and the moral ambiguities of policy decisions, with recurring threads on accountability, institutional politics, and the toll of secrecy on families and careers. The host blends candid confessions with historical context, offering a rare, morally nuanced perspective on espionage, loyalty, and the line between duty and conscience. Notable strengths include vivid on-the-ground storytelling, tackling controversial topics with nuance, and a consistently engaging delivery that inv... more
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4. Danny Jones Podcast
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John Kiriakou's Dead Drop launched 8 months ago and published 36 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.
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Recent guests on John Kiriakou's Dead Drop include:
1. Marty Gottesfeld
2. Adonis Reynolds
3. Donald Ray Reynolds, Sr.
4. Janice Reynolds
5. Donnie Reynolds, Jr.
6. Barry Eisler
7. Alan Katz
8. Glenn Carle
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