Ep. 4: A Life of Lies

The Crimes of Putin’s Trader

Eamon Javers interviews veteran CIA clandestine operator Jim Olson, who worked for the agency in Moscow at the height of the cold war. Olson explains how the CIA tries to recruit Russians, like Klyushin, to turn on their country by using money, ideology, and ego. He also reveals spy tactics used by the CIA, such as the promise of U.S. college admissions for defector’s children and access to top notch healthcare for sick family members. Olson also gives listeners a course in how U.S. spies are taught to operate undercover.