Rephonic
Artwork for John Kiriakou's Dead Drop

John Kiriakou's Dead Drop

John Kiriakou & Alan Katz
CIA
Central Intelligence Agency
Abu Zubaydah
Espionage
Sofia
Al Qaeda
Counterterrorism
Pakistan
Iraq
Saddam Hussein
Bulgaria
Saint Alexander Nevsky Cathedral
Soviet Union
Bahrain
George H.W. Bush
Aldrich Ames
Intelligence Operations
Kuwait
Greece
Hezbollah

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

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes39Founded9 months ago
Number of ListenersCategories
DocumentaryHistorySociety & Culture

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for John Kiriakou's Dead Drop

Latest Episodes

THE BLURB: Already a succesful, best-selling author when the CIA put John in prison, he quickly realized that his writing - his words - were going to be his super power. John wasn't worried about his fellow prisoners; his training as a spy gave him a... more

THE BLURB: Frederich Nietsche warned us about staring into the abyss and becoming the monster we most feared. He could have been talking about being in prison. Or being a spy. In this episode, John tells how he increasingly relied on the rules of spy... more

THE BLURB: While, on the one hand prison is NOT the place you go to make friends, once you're there, you need to have (and be able to rely on) a tight circle of friends just to survive. In the last episode, John introduced you to some of that tight c... more

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

Key Facts

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Number of Listeners
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Recent Guests

Marty Gottesfeld
Activist connected to Anonymous, involved in CMU discussions
Unspecified in episode
Episode: S1E27 Prisoner Ex
Adonis Reynolds
Donnie Reynolds Jr.'s son
Family of Donnie Reynolds
Episode: S1E27 Prisoner Ex
Donald Ray Reynolds, Sr.
Donnie Reynolds Sr.
Reynolds family
Episode: S1E27 Prisoner Ex
Janice Reynolds
Donnie Reynolds Sr.'s wife
Reynolds family
Episode: S1E27 Prisoner Ex
Donnie Reynolds, Jr.
Donnie Reynolds Jr.
Individual prisoner
Episode: S1E27 Prisoner Ex
Alan Katz
Co-writer and producer of Dead Drop
Costart and Touchstone
Episode: S1E26 Did John Le Carre Invent The Modern Spy?
Glenn Carle
Former CIA officer, counter-terrorism operations veteran, national security and foreign policy expert
Former CIA, veteran intelligence professional
Episode: S1E23 Good Company, Bad Company
Barry Eisler
Former CIA officer and multi-time best-selling author
Episode: S1E11 Have Human Spies Become Obsolete?
Fred Burton
Former State Department counterterrorism deputy chief and DSS agent
Episode: S1E4 Good Spies, Bad Endings

Host

John Kiriakou
Host of Dead Drop, former CIA officer, known for personal storytelling and forensic recollections of intelligence work.

Reviews

4.9 out of 5 stars from 2k ratings
  • Phenomenal Story Telling

    I first found you on TikTok and I listened to every clip that came on my FYP. I wanted to hear more and this Podcast has fulfilled my want. I usually lose interest quick, but not when listening to you John. I listen every evening now and it’s the best way to end my day and I thank you. If I ever had a chance to meet you, I would give you a hug! Thank you again and I really really hope you get the pardon that you so deserve!

    Best regards,

    Jennifer F - Bonita Springs, FL

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    mustanggirl2019
    United States11 days ago
  • Amazing

    i absolutely devoured this podcast in the span of a few weeks. John is such a talented storyteller and the stories themselves are so captivating! Thank you for this wonderful podcast John and team!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Jonathan Jonson Jon
    Canada11 days ago
  • Amazing pod about an amazing true story

    I listened to John on both the JRE pod and Theo Vons pod, and the story never gets old to me. Hearing John’s experiences in jail is extremely detailed to the point to where you feel like you’re bunking with him. Undoubtedly, John never deserved to serve any time and his story highlights the reasons why citizens have a hard time trusting government agencies in an era of disclosure in which we are experiencing. Thanks John for sharing your story and being a steward of truth in the face of so many... more

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Zschultz225
    United States12 days ago
  • A Story Telling Machine

    I’ve really grown to love John’s story telling. His experiences recount working at CIA during the beginnings of the war in the Middle East. His tone and tenor make listening to him easy on the ears and he’s well worth listening to because the guy can tell as story like few can.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    KurtA.
    United States12 days ago
  • From Greek to Greek

    As a Kalymnian, I was very pleased by your backstory and also because my Pappou’s was from Rhodes, and as an American, your espionage stories are very enticing to listen to.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Byzantine boy
    United States13 days ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Highly engaging storytelling and empathy from the host.
Very addictive and well-produced with strong historical context.
Listener feedback highlights credibility and compelling guests.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#12
United States/History
Apple Podcasts
#185
Canada/Top Podcasts
Apple Podcasts
#9
Canada/History
Apple Podcasts
#35
United Kingdom/History
Apple Podcasts
#28
Australia/History
Apple Podcasts
#53
Germany/History

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

S1E26 Did John Le Carre Invent The Modern Spy?
Q: May I ask both of you a question about that?
The guests discuss whether Le Carré's portrayal of spies and his character Smiley redefined the modern spy, highlighting the balance between realism and narrative craft as key to his influence.
S1E24 Moment Of Truth
Q: Have you seen waterboarding firsthand, and what was your experience?
Yes, I experienced waterboarding, found it to be a harrowing and inhumane process, and I later concluded it should not be used.
S1E24 Moment Of Truth
Q: So you did not go through the torture training, correct?
Correct, I did not go through the training and ultimately declined to participate in it.
S1E11 Have Human Spies Become Obsolete?
Q: Do you believe that there's still a role for human intelligence?
Eisler argues that while human intelligence may seem less relevant with advancements in technology, there is still a vital role it plays in understanding cultural nuances and human behavior.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About John Kiriakou's Dead Drop

What is John Kiriakou's Dead Drop about and what kind of topics does it cover?

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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These podcasts share a similar audience with John Kiriakou's Dead Drop:

1. DeProgram with Ted Rall and Jamarl Thomas
2. Julian Dorey Podcast
3. Julian Dorey Daily
4. Danny Jones Podcast
5. The Joe Rogan Experience

How many episodes of John Kiriakou's Dead Drop are there?

John Kiriakou's Dead Drop launched 9 months ago and published 39 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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What guests have appeared on John Kiriakou's Dead Drop?

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. Alan Katz
7. Glenn Carle
8. Barry Eisler

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