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SpyCast

SpyCast
CIA
Espionage
Russia
China
FBI
National Security
Counterintelligence
Ukraine
Cybersecurity
World War II
Cold War
United States
NATO
Iran
Afghanistan
Artificial Intelligence
Intelligence Community
James Bond
Egypt
President's Daily Brief

SpyCast, the official podcast of the International Spy Museum, is a journey into the shadows of international espionage. Each week, host Sasha Ingber brings you the latest insights and intriguing tales from spies, secret agents, and covert communicators, with a focus on how this secret world reaches us all in our everyday lives. Tune in to discover the critical role intelligence has played through... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes761Founded20 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
HistoryNews

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Latest Episodes

Retired Colonel Justin Sapp was a Green Beret detailed to the CIA after the September 11th terrorist attacks. He was part of Team Alpha, the first eight Americans to drop behind enemy lines into the mountains of Afghanistan. At 29, Justin was its you... more

YouTube

Graphic content warning: Not recommended for younger listeners. This episode contains material that may be triggering to some audiences, including violence and harm, medical and bodily content, sexual abuse, sexual enslavement, and forced medical exp... more

YouTube

In 2017, journalist Katie Sanders discovered an episode of a radio program called This Is Your Life. It was a scratchy recording from 1949, and she heard the voice of 2nd Lt. Murray Simon, her grandfather, for the first time. In the episode, Murray ... more

YouTube

You might find Meredith Cavan playing music in an Irish pub. But long before her first album dropped, she clocked more than 20 years at the CIA. One of her jobs there was Southeast Asia Department chief, where she oversaw covert action, intelligence ... more

YouTube

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Accepts Sponsors
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Recent Guests

Justin Sapp
Retired Colonel, green beret detailed to the CIA after 9/11
CIA/Team Alpha
Episode: 25 Years After 9/11: The CIA's First Moments Behind Enemy Lines in Afghanistan
Jenny Chan
Co-founder of Pacific Atrocities Education
Pacific Atrocities Education
Episode: Japanese Surveillance, Enslavement, and Experimentation in Wartime China
Katie Sanders
Journalist and co-author of Ortiz's War
Writer for Ortiz's War
Episode: Peter Ortiz: The WWII Marine Who Foreshadowed Modern-Day Special Forces
Nicholas Reynolds
Former CIA historian and co-author
Ortiz's War
Episode: Peter Ortiz: The WWII Marine Who Foreshadowed Modern-Day Special Forces
Meredith Cavan
Former Southeast Asia Department Chief, CIA
Central Intelligence Agency
Episode: What It Takes to Run the CIA's Southeast Asia Department
Peter Lapp
Retired FBI Special Agent, author of Queen of Cuba
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Episode: Cuba's Spies, Defectors, and the Ex-FBI Agent Who Met Them All
Rory Cormac
Author of Fakers, a top secret tale of phantoms and forgeries on the disinformation front line
Independent historian/author
Episode: Smears, Fakes & Phantoms: Cold War Britain's Secret Propaganda Department
Nigel West
Historian and author, co-author of The Assassination of Leon Trotsky, Espionage, Scandal, and the Crime of the Century
Author/Researcher
Episode: Murder in Mexico City: The Assassination of Leon Trotsky
Damien Van Puyvelde
Author of The DGSE and longtime analyst on French intelligence
Author, DGSE history expert
Episode: The Triumphs and Failures of France's Foreign Intel Service

Hosts

Sasha Ingber
Host of SpyCast; affiliated with International Spy Museum
Dr. Mark Jacobson
Host of SpyCast; affiliated with International Spy Museum

Reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars from 2.5k ratings
  • Brilliant

    There are any one of a number of podcasts devoted to espionage and intelligence and spying. This is the best and Sasha Ingber continues the tradition.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Ziusudra
    United States24 days ago
  • The new host is more polished but I miss Andrew.

    The new host is more polished but I miss Andrew.

    Apple Podcasts
    4
    DWLNO60
    Canada3 months ago
  • Interesting But Not Brilliant

    Interesting topics but Sasha Ingber should learn to properly pronounce some names. Richard Sorge’s name is pronounced with a hard g. Also, does Palmer Luckey really think the past tense of drag is drug? Home schooling, eh?

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    VampireDugout
    Canada4 months ago
  • Embarrassing how far it has fallen

    This was the real deal under previous hosts, especially Dr. Hammond - now it’s kinda embarrassing for the Spy Museum. Clearly no one really knows what they are doing.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    JoeFalcon11
    United States6 months ago
  • Mike

    I enjoy all of your stories! Thank you !

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    fred436798
    United States8 months ago

Listeners Say

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

Some reviews note a decline in depth or bias after a host change.
Audience often cites variety of expert guests and archival insights.
Listeners praise in-depth guest conversations and high production quality.

Chart Rankings

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

Apple Podcasts
#168
United States/History
Apple Podcasts
#194
United Kingdom/History
Apple Podcasts
#182
Australia/History
Apple Podcasts
#183
Germany/History
Apple Podcasts
#62
New Zealand/History
Apple Podcasts
#95
Singapore/History

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Peter Ortiz: The WWII Marine Who Foreshadowed Modern-Day Special Forces
Q: What made the first meeting between Ortiz and Murray so pivotal?
Their meeting in a fortified safe house set the stage for a coordinated escape plan, with Ortiz offering a daring route that would outmaneuver German patrols and keep Murray safe while continuing to support resistance operations.
Peter Ortiz: The WWII Marine Who Foreshadowed Modern-Day Special Forces
Q: Can you tell us about what Ortiz was doing and about Operation Carpetbagger?
Ortiz operated as an undercover Marine major who helped train and arm local resistance groups, conducted espionage by eavesdropping on Nazi networks, and supported the Allies by blowing up Axis infrastructure, all while guiding safe insertions of agents and supplies.
Japanese Surveillance, Enslavement, and Experimentation in Wartime China
Q: What makes the US involvement after the war particularly controversial?
The US shielded key scientists from prosecution in exchange for access to data, which raises ethical questions about justice for victims and the long-term impact on how these histories are understood and addressed.
Japanese Surveillance, Enslavement, and Experimentation in Wartime China
Q: Why is there a gap in publicly accessible records about these wartime activities?
Declassification happened mainly in the late 1990s and early 2000s, but many documents were destroyed or remained unusable, and accountability for perpetrators has been inconsistent and often substituted by archival release rather than full acknowledgment or reparations.
What It Takes to Run the CIA's Southeast Asia Department
Q: What is a day like in that job?
A typical day blends reviewing ongoing analysis, representing CIA at White House policy meetings, guiding collection priorities, and coordinating with case officers to shape operations across multiple countries.

Audience Metrics

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

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Frequently Asked Questions About SpyCast

What is SpyCast about and what kind of topics does it cover?

SpyCast offers in-depth conversations with former spies, historians, journalists, and current and former security professionals about intelligence history, espionage tradecraft, and contemporary covert operations. Recent episodes center on Cuban intelligence, Cold War propaganda, high-profile counterintelligence cases, cyber espionage, and dramatic insider-defection stories, providing granular operational detail and human-centered storytelling. The show often blends archival context with current implications for national security, making it a compelling listen for professionals in security, policy, and research who want thoughtful, widely sourced perspectives on intelligence history and practice.

Where can I find podcast stats for SpyCast?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for SpyCast. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to SpyCast and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does SpyCast get?

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What are the audience demographics for SpyCast?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for SpyCast, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does SpyCast have?

To see how many followers or subscribers SpyCast has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

How many episodes of SpyCast are there?

SpyCast launched 20 years ago and published 761 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact SpyCast?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for SpyCast?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for SpyCast from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

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How do I access podcast episode transcripts for SpyCast?

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What guests have appeared on SpyCast?

Recent guests on SpyCast include:

1. Justin Sapp
2. Jenny Chan
3. Katie Sanders
4. Nicholas Reynolds
5. Meredith Cavan
6. Peter Lapp
7. Rory Cormac
8. Nigel West

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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