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Artwork for Whale Hunting

Whale Hunting

Brazen
Cybercrime
1MDB
Stuxnet
Jasmine Loo
COM
National Security
Digital Warfare
Jho Low
Money Laundering
Female Drug Traffickers
Cryptocurrency
Hacking
Zero Day Exploits
Iran
Data Integrity
Cybersecurity
Najib Razak
Pras Michel
Sam Bankman-Fried
Violence

This is WHALE HUNTING, a weekly podcast that pulls back the curtain on the hidden worlds of money and power, hosted by investigative journalists Tom Wright and Bradley Hope. Previously long-time reporters for the Wall Street Journal, Tom and Bradley now run Project Brazen, a journalism studio that’s published stories on everything from US Navy corruption to spycraft in Silicon Valley and embezzlem... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes53Founded2 years ago
Categories
News CommentaryNewsSociety & Culture

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Artwork for Whale Hunting

Latest Episodes

Thanks for listening to season three of Whale Hunting. We've heard from the biographer of the world’s most secretive billionaire, the man running a TV network under the Taliban, the undercover agent who exposed the world’s most corrupt bank, and so m... more

A rare opportunity arises when global financial institutions implode: a brief window into how the world really works. There’s an opportunity to learn how money is laundered and where it’s coming from, which financial instruments or jurisdictions are ... more

YouTube

For the right price, a billionaire can buy almost anything in the private intelligence industry. Investigators will covertly dig through bins, pose as friendly faces to deceptively extract information, and even coordinate offensive hacking attacks to... more

YouTube

Iran’s war with Israel and the U.S. has been waged through numerous proxies — Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis in Yemen — but more recently, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, or IRGC, have been “outsourcing” their operations on foreign soil to less... more

YouTube

Key Facts

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Recent Guests

Ryan Faulkner-Hogg
Host of A Curious Worldview
Episode: From A Curious Worldview: How did MBS rise to power?
Robert Mazur
Former DEA Special Agent and author
Episode: How did federal agents infiltrate the world’s dirtiest bank?
Alexi Mostrous
Partner and editor at Tortoise Media; reporter behind the investigation titled Elon's Spies.
Tortoise Media
Episode: Why does Elon Musk need private spies?
Cassell Bryan-Low
Features Editor at Reuters, involved in investigations into Iranian plots
Reuters
Episode: What does Iran achieve by outsourcing assassination attempts in the West?
Lawrence Rinder
Art curator and museum director
Whitney Museum
Episode: Why was the FBI fascinated by the artist Mark Lombardi?
Axel Gordh Humlesjö
Award-winning investigative journalist at SVT
SVT
Episode: How did the FSB infiltrate one of Sweden’s biggest banks?
Duncan Mavin
Business journalist and author of 'Meltdown, Scandal, Sleaze and the Collapse of Credit Suisse'
Episode: How did Credit Suisse become the most scandal-ridden bank of all time?
Stephanie Baker
Longtime investigative reporter at Bloomberg and author of Punishing Putin
Bloomberg
Episode: How do you stop Putin’s war machine?
Atossa Araxia Abrahamian
Journalist and author of "The Hidden Globe"
Episode: Are hidden jurisdictions rewriting the rules of power?

Hosts

Bradley Hope
Co-host of Whale Hunting, he is an investigative journalist and co-founder of Project Brazen, focusing on stories of corruption and power dynamics.
Tom Wright
Co-host of Whale Hunting, he is an investigative journalist and co-founder of Project Brazen, covering issues around global finance and corruption.

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 58 ratings
  • Genuinely interesting in a time of boring

    You’ve probably realised it’s hard to find good, worthwhile podcasts or any media post-covid if you have half a brain, as everything’s been dumbed down and lost its identity, but this is fun and refreshing.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Dorito Noscope
    Australiaa year ago
  • Fantastic!

    We need more independent, journalist founded and run new sources like this!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Royce1629
    United Statesa year ago
  • Good

    Good show, bad theme music.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    KellyThoreson
    United States2 years ago

Listeners Say

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

Listeners appreciate the in-depth and thought-provoking content that challenges mainstream narratives.
Overall, the show is praised for its engaging hosts and the quality of its guests.
The investigative nature of the discussions is seen as a refreshing alternative to typical media coverage.

Chart Rankings

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

Apple Podcasts
#126
Singapore/Society & Culture
Apple Podcasts
#226
Ireland/Society & Culture

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

What does Iran achieve by outsourcing assassination attempts in the West?
Q: Does it feel to you almost like the, even though there is some plausible deniability by having these remote-controlled thugs and things, it does seem like the trail is leading back to Iran pretty fast?
Yes, US law enforcement views indicate they have success in connecting these attempts back to Iranian officials, despite the structure of outsourcing.
What does Iran achieve by outsourcing assassination attempts in the West?
Q: Could you walk us through the best example of one of these operations?
One case involved an alleged plot in Greece targeting a Jewish center, where the ringleader recruited a local to carry out an attack with discussions via WhatsApp about methodologies and compensation for the hit.
How did Credit Suisse become the most scandal-ridden bank of all time?
Q: What are some examples of the scandals that contributed to Credit Suisse's downfall?
Examples include the Chiasso affair, Nazi past exposures, Flaming Ferraris scandal, and most notably the Mozambique Tuna Bond scandal.
How did Credit Suisse become the most scandal-ridden bank of all time?
Q: Can you kind of contextualize Credit Suisse and its place in Swiss banking?
Credit Suisse was a major global bank, known for its secrets and private banking, but also had a risky investment bank component. The collapse exposed long-standing cultural issues within the organization.
Why was the FBI fascinated by the artist Mark Lombardi?
Q: Did you look at the work differently in the aftermath of 9/11?
Yes, the artwork felt suddenly relevant and alive with new significance after the 9/11 attacks.

Audience Metrics

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

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

Frequently Asked Questions About Whale Hunting

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

This weekly podcast focuses on the intricate and often obscured intersections of money, power, and corruption. Hosted by seasoned investigative journalists, it offers a unique perspective on current events, underworld scandals, and the bizarre behaviors of the wealthy and influential. With topics ranging from U.S. Navy corruption to espionage in Silicon Valley, each episode provides a mix of narrative storytelling, reports from the field, and discussions with experts across various domains. Expect eye-opening insights that reveal how the world operates behind the scenes, appealing to those interested in investigative journalism and the darker aspects of global affairs.

Where can I find podcast stats for Whale Hunting?

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How many listeners does Whale Hunting get?

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What are the audience demographics for Whale Hunting?

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How many subscribers and views does Whale Hunting have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Whale Hunting 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.

Which podcasts are similar to Whale Hunting?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Whale Hunting:

1. The Underworld Podcast
2. Secrets and Spies Podcast: Current Affairs | Global Issues | Intelligence
3. Easy Money: The Charles Ponzi Story
4. In The Dark
5. Devil in the Desert

How many episodes of Whale Hunting are there?

Whale Hunting launched 2 years ago and published 53 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 Whale Hunting?

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 Whale Hunting?

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

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What guests have appeared on Whale Hunting?

Recent guests on Whale Hunting include:

1. Ryan Faulkner-Hogg
2. Robert Mazur
3. Alexi Mostrous
4. Cassell Bryan-Low
5. Lawrence Rinder
6. Axel Gordh Humlesjö
7. Duncan Mavin
8. Stephanie Baker

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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