Fat Leonard

​​Leonard Francis, AKA Fat Leonard, is angry, and he's talking for the first time. His explosive story will change the way you look at the U.S. Navy forever.

Leonard Francis became the most powerful military contractor in the Pacific, running a mafia organization at the heart of the U.S. Navy. He's over 300 pounds, and charming. We meet him in jail, and explore why he's talking exclusively to our host, author and journalist Tom Wright. We explore Leonard's troubled childhood. It turns out this isn't his first time in prison.

Out of jail, aged 21, Leonard begins his career as a defense contractor, just as the U.S. embarks on its Forever Wars. Through skill, bribes and luck, we chart the Wolf of Wall Street-like rise of Leonard, on the back of a product called the Ring of Steel. 

We look back at the Tailhook sexual assault scandal of 1991 through the voice of Navy whistleblower Paula Coughlin. The Navy's problem with misogyny is deep seated and it set the stage for Leonard's rise.

How Leonard buys his own warship, the Braveheart, complete with a mercenary army, and deploys it to help fight Al Qaeda. He secretly records orgies with Navy officers, causing one of the U.S.'s worst ever national security breaches.

Michael Misiewicz was a rising star in the Navy before Leonard corrupts him with prostitutes, cash and free travel. We see the descent of one officer into graft and violence through the voice of his wife, Marcy Misiewicz.

Leonard's cruel treatment of his Filipina girlfriend, Morena De Jesus, and their children together, exposes his dark side. A fraught relationship with his own father could hold the key to understanding Leonard.

A cocksure Navy officer called David Schaus takes on Leonard. He's joined by a principled Navy supply official called Teresa Kelly. Finally, they force Navy admirals, who for years have given him cover, to take Leonard's fraud seriously.

Beaten and angry, Marcy Misiewicz makes a decision that will bring down Leonard, and her husband along with him.

With Leonard in jail, the Navy investigates hundreds of officers. But they spare top admirals. Tom's relationship with Leonard reaches breaking point. A major trial of U.S. Navy officers is set to start in February. Watch out for bonus episodes. 

A lot has happened since we wrapped up the first season of the "Fat Leonard" podcast, and host Tom Wright is back with all the updates - the good, the bad and the unexpected. Includes new interviews with whistleblower Marcy Misiewicz, David Loy (Legal Director of the First Amendment Coalition) and Don Christensen (President, Protect Our Defenders). Stay tuned for updates from the trial in the coming weeks.

A jury in San Diego returned verdicts in the trials against several Navy officers implicated by Fat Leonard. Project Brazen founders Bradley Hope and Tom Wright discuss the latest developments in the case and news about a TV series based on the Fat Leonard podcast.

Right now, around the world, there are real life stories unfolding that you wouldn't believe. Stories that are stranger than fiction. In Hidden Worlds, we'll take you inside these stories and into places usually concealed from view. Every few weeks, we'll use this feed to share a new podcast series with you — everything from organised crime to espionage, political corruption to international conspiracies. Subscribe to Hidden Worlds, the home of gripping investigations and unbelievable true stories, and get a brand new series delivered to your favourite podcast app every month. Up first is The Professor, a story of a stolen masterpiece, the Italian mafia, and one man's search for redemption. Listen here, in Hidden Worlds, very soon. For more information, visit brazen.fm/hidden-worlds

Can an accused criminal solve the coldest cold case in the history of art crime? In this special pre-season bonus episode, Brazen co-founder Tom Wright speaks with Simon Willis about his upcoming podcast series, The Professor. Simon shares his experience following William Veres – an art merchant accused of stealing $40 million worth of antiquities – as he attempts to solve a legendary cold case and save himself from jail in the process. The Professor is a story of drug dealers, hitmen, smugglers, spies – even a corrupt prime minister. And in the middle of it all is William Veres's quest to save himself. How? By solving the coldest cold case in the history of art crime – the theft of Caravaggio's Nativity. Episode one of The Professor will be released on 27 November 2023, with new episodes out on Mondays. Don't want to wait for the next episode? Subscribe to Brazen+ on Apple Podcasts or at brazen.fm/plus and binge all four episodes, uninterrupted, on release day.

William Veres is in trouble. In 2018 he was arrested following the largest ever investigation by the Italian police's art squad. They accuse him of running an art-smuggling ring with ties to the Sicilian mafia. He is alleged to have stolen $40 million worth of art and antiquities from Italy – and faces a jail term of up to 20 years. But he has a plan to get out of trouble. In this four-part podcast, host Simon Willis follows him as he puts that plan into action. It's a story that takes listeners deep into the underworld, and into the dark heart of the most famous criminal organization of them all – Cosa Nostra. It is a story of drug dealers, hitmen, smugglers, spies – even a corrupt prime minister. And in the middle of it all is William Veres's quest to save himself. How? By solving the coldest cold case in the history of art crime – the theft of Caravaggio's Nativity. Episode one of The Professor will be released on 27 November 2023, with new episodes out on Mondays. Don't want to wait for the next episode? Subscribe to Brazen+ on Apple Podcasts or at brazen.fm/plus and binge all four episodes, uninterrupted, on release day.

William Veres is arrested in a dawn raid – one of 50 simultaneous raids across Europe to bust his criminal gang. To get out of trouble he agrees a deal with Italian anti-mafia police: if he can help them solve the coldest cold case in the history of art theft, they will help him in his own case. In this episode, we follow Veres as he begins his quest to find Caravaggio's Nativity, believed to be in the hands of Cosa Nostra. Don't want to wait for the next episode? Subscribe to Brazen+ on Apple Podcasts or at brazen.fm/plus to listen to the full series today, and get ad-free listening. For more fearless storytelling, search for the Brazen channel on Apple Podcasts or visit brazen.fm, home to all our podcasts, documentaries and newsletters. At Brazen, we show you how the world really works – from espionage and corruption to deal-making and organised crime, we'll take you inside stories from hidden worlds.

Veres goes to Belgium to meet a contact who he believes can help him obtain vital information about the Caravaggio painting. The contact agrees to act as Veres's go-between, connecting Veres with senior figures in the mafia hierarchy. Meanwhile, host Simon Willis delves into the past investigations of the case, and finds out why the official investigation went nowhere: it was closed down after it uncovered links between the Caravaggio theft and Mafiosi close to Italian politicians. Don't want to wait for the next episode? Subscribe to Brazen+ on Apple Podcasts or at brazen.fm/plus to listen to the full series today, and get ad-free listening. The Professor is a series for Hidden Worlds, the home of unbelievable true stories and gripping investigations into shadowy places. Subscribe to Hidden Worlds and get brand new series delivered to your favorite podcast app year-round. One podcast, endless stories. For more, visit brazen.fm/hidden-worlds. For more fearless storytelling, search for the Brazen channel on Apple Podcasts or visit brazen.fm, home to all our podcasts, documentaries and newsletters. At Brazen, we show you how the world really works – from espionage and corruption to deal-making and organised crime, we'll take you inside stories from hidden worlds.

Veres gets word that the mafia are willing to talk about returning stolen art. He meets a group of middlemen in Naples, who tell him there's a canvas on offer. As Veres negotiates the return of the painting, we begin to doubt Veres and Brand's account of how they recover stolen art. It looks like they risk breaking the law to get the painting back. In his quest to get himself out of trouble, is Veres getting himself deeper into it? Don't want to wait for the next episode? Subscribe to Brazen+ on Apple Podcasts or at brazen.fm/plus to listen to the full series today, and get ad-free listening. The Professor is a series for Hidden Worlds, the home of unbelievable true stories and gripping investigations into shadowy places. Subscribe to Hidden Worlds and get brand new series delivered to your favorite podcast app year-round. One podcast, endless stories. For more, visit brazen.fm/hidden-worlds. For more fearless storytelling, search for the Brazen channel on Apple Podcasts or visit brazen.fm, home to all our podcasts, documentaries and newsletters. At Brazen, we show you how the world really works – from espionage and corruption to deal-making and organised crime, we'll take you inside stories from hidden worlds.

Veres receives some photographs of parts of the Caravaggio canvas. He follows the lead to a source in Belgium, who is close to the Sicilian mafia. The source provides crucial new information about what happened to the painting. And it points to one man: a mafioso who has been on the run for thirty years. Subscribe to Brazen+ on Apple Podcasts or at brazen.fm/plus to get ad-free listening. The Professor is a series for Hidden Worlds, the home of unbelievable true stories and gripping investigations into shadowy places. Subscribe to Hidden Worlds and get brand new series delivered to your favorite podcast app year-round. One podcast, endless stories. For more, visit brazen.fm/hidden-worlds. For more fearless storytelling, search for the Brazen channel on Apple Podcasts or visit brazen.fm, home to all our podcasts, documentaries and newsletters. At Brazen, we show you how the world really works – from espionage and corruption to deal-making and organised crime, we'll take you inside stories from hidden worlds.

Thanks for listening to The Professor. There will be a brand new Hidden Worlds series coming soon. In the meantime, we wanted to share The Burden — a new investigative true-crime podcast from Orbit Media. The show tells the story of Detective Louis Scarcella, once celebrated for his prowess in solving tough cases in 1990s New York City. But then a group of convicted murderers-turned-jailhouse lawyers made a startling discovery that linked all their cases: Scarcella was the cop who helped put them away. They said they were innocent — and that Scarcella coerced witnesses. They made a vow: Take down Scarcella. And with the help of a relentless New York Times reporter, they did just that. Twenty people Scarcella helped put behind bars have since walked free. In the media, he's known as the disgraced, rogue cop who hoodwinked an entire system. But was this really the workings of one person? The Burden is out now. To listen to the rest of the series, search for The Burden wherever you listen to podcasts.

Thanks for listening to The Professor. If you're looking for a podcast to dive into next, we have something that you might like. It's a called Death of an Artist: Krasner and Pollock, from Pushkin Industries. You've heard of Jackson Pollock, but you may have never heard of Lee Krasner. Krasner was an artist, Pollock's wife, and the woman who made him famous. She also changed everything about the landscape of modern art.Death of an Artist: Krasner and Pollock is a story about love, power, alcoholism and an ill-timed death. Hosted by curator, author, and broadcaster Katy Hessel, this 6-episode series from Pushkin Industries and Samizdat Audio offers an inside look into two of the greatest artists of the 20th century, and how their vision impacts ours. To listen to the show, search for Death of an Artist in your favorite podcast player.

This is The Illuminator - coming November 11, from Brazen. Subscribe to get early releases and listen ad-free. http://brazen.fm/plus Mark Lombardi, a conceptual artist on the cusp of international success, had everything to live for. So why was the 48-year-old found hanged and deemed suicidal? Was his death the ultimate conceptual art, an afterlife laugh at those who doubted his brilliance? He did, after all, carry business cards eerily portending "death defying acts of art and conspiracy."  Or was he ultimately overwhelmed by the subject of his work: the financial networks connecting some of the most powerful and corrupt people on earth?  His intricate drawings traced hot money, from Cold War funding to the heroin trade. But his most dogged scrutiny fell on the Bank of Credit and Commerce International, a global money laundry bankrolling fraudsters, smugglers, and CIA operations abroad. Since his death, Lombardi's masterwork on the rogue bank has been held at the Whitney Museum of American Art. Could it be responsible for his demise? The answer can only be found within Lombardi himself. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://brazen.fm/plus/

Photojournalist Laurel Chor travels to the suburbs of Kyiv to meet ordinary Ukrainians who have joined the war effort by becoming soldiers. Journalist Artem and lawyer Oleksandr guard a military checkpoint. PE teacher and two-time war vet Vladimir finds his farm completely destroyed by Russian forces as payback. Ecologist, beekeeper and drag queen Arthur recalls being stationed in Bucha and witnesses the horrific aftermath of senseless killings. ~ “RESISTANCE: Stories from Ukraine” is a harrowing and inspirational journey across Ukraine in the first weeks of Russia's invasion. While the military wages war on the frontlines, everyday citizens are picking up whatever weapons they can, including their smartphones, computers, sewing needles, and guitars. Photojournalist Laurel Chor travels to cities across the country, finding extraordinary stories that go beyond the headlines. For more reporting, and a complete transcript of this episode, please visit: https://projectbrazen.com/resistance

Photojournalist Laurel Chor meets those fighting back with the weapons we all carry in our pockets…our smart phones. We begin in Kyiv with Anastasiya at the country's largest children's hospital and Andriy Dubchak from @Donbas.Frontliner. Both Anastasiya and Andriy use their phones to capture different aspects of the conflict. Anastasiya shares images of civilians wounded by the war, while Andriy is on the frontlines capturing the conflict up close. In Lviv, we meet with young hackers bringing the experiences of war to everyday Russians through cyberspace…and dick pics. ~ “RESISTANCE: Stories from Ukraine” is a harrowing and inspirational journey across Ukraine in the first weeks of Russia's invasion. While the military wages war on the frontlines, everyday citizens are picking up whatever weapons they can, including their smartphones, computers, sewing needles, and guitars. Photojournalist Laurel Chor travels to cities across the country, finding extraordinary stories that go beyond the headlines. For more reporting, and a complete transcript of this episode, please visit: https://projectbrazen.com/resistance

Voices of those resisting Russia's invasion through the very ways they think, speak, and sing. In Kyiv, songwriter and producer Denis Musaev makes music to inspire his country's victory, and Olga, a linguist and English teacher, has abandoned her first language of Russian to embrace Ukrainian instead. Elsewhere in the capital, we meet with Yarmak, a rapper-turned-soldier who has gone from fighting Russian aggression with his lyrics to taking up arms with the Ukrainian military. ~ “RESISTANCE: Stories from Ukraine” is a harrowing and inspirational journey across Ukraine in the first weeks of Russia's invasion. While the military wages war on the frontlines, everyday citizens are picking up whatever weapons they can, including their smartphones, computers, sewing needles, and guitars. Photojournalist Laurel Chor travels to cities across the country, finding extraordinary stories that go beyond the headlines. For more reporting, and a complete transcript of this episode, please visit: https://projectbrazen.com/resistance

A new film puts a face to the devastation and resilience of everyday Ukranians finding life in the midst of war. Announcing “RESISTANCE: Returning Home”, a documentary film that gives a visual connection to the gripping stories we've been hearing across this podcast series. In the film, Laurel Chor travels to the liberated towns outside Kyiv in the days following Russia's withdrawal. It was a raw, difficult time. We witness the heartrending images of Bucha, travel with a couple from Irpin as they return home to their neighborhood for the first time, and we see the absolute destruction caused by the aerial bombardment of Borodyanka. To see the full film, visit: www.projectbrazen.com/resistance ~ “RESISTANCE: Stories from Ukraine” is a harrowing and inspirational journey across Ukraine in the first weeks of Russia's invasion. While the military wages war on the frontlines, everyday citizens are picking up whatever weapons they can, including their smartphones, computers, sewing needles, and guitars. Photojournalist Laurel Chor travels to cities across the country, finding extraordinary stories that go beyond the headlines.

War stories from four neighbors who fought the Russian occupation despite being impossibly outnumbered and outgunned. The adrenaline from the battle has barely worn off and this is the first time they share what they lived through. With the war still raging, most people fighting in Ukraine haven't had the chance to tell their stories yet. But Russian forces have retreated from the small town of Borodyanka, so we hear from four of the town's defenders. ~ “RESISTANCE: Stories from Ukraine” is a harrowing and inspirational journey across Ukraine in the first weeks of Russia's invasion. While the military wages war on the frontlines, everyday citizens are picking up whatever weapons they can, including their smartphones, computers, sewing needles, and guitars. Photojournalist Laurel Chor travels to cities across the country, finding extraordinary stories that go beyond the headlines. For more reporting, and a complete transcript of this episode, please visit: https://projectbrazen.com/resistance

Underground artists fueling Ukraine's wartime production. Laurel meets seamstresses sewing bulletproof vests, artists welding anti-tank obstacles and even advertising executives using online targeted ads to break through Russian propaganda. Some work alone, in their kitchens or home studios. Others are more organized, building production lines in community halls and co-working spaces. All over the country, people are contributing whatever skills they have to offer. ~ “RESISTANCE: Stories from Ukraine” is a harrowing and inspirational journey across Ukraine in the first weeks of Russia's invasion. While the military wages war on the frontlines, everyday citizens are picking up whatever weapons they can, including their smartphones, computers, sewing needles, and guitars. Photojournalist Laurel Chor travels to cities across the country, finding extraordinary stories that go beyond the headlines. For more reporting, and a complete transcript of this episode, please visit: https://projectbrazen.com/resistance

Under devastating Russian shelling in Ukraine's second largest city, a community fights to survive. Explosions from weapons that could range from Grad rockets and artillery shells to phosphorus and thermobaric bombs have destroyed much of Kharkiv, the second largest city in Ukraine. It's only 30 miles from the Russian border. Laurel meets with the locals surviving these attacks. In one apartment complex, a family clears broken glass after the windows are blown out by a recent blast. Downtown, a youth pastor shelters parishioners in the basement of his church. And in one of the worst-hit neighborhoods in the city, volunteers rush to evacuate a disabled woman who has been unable to leave her apartment even as the shelling collapses buildings around her. ~ “RESISTANCE: Stories from Ukraine” is a harrowing and inspirational journey across Ukraine in the first weeks of Russia's invasion. While the military wages war on the frontlines, everyday citizens are picking up whatever weapons they can, including their smartphones, computers, sewing needles, and guitars. Photojournalist Laurel Chor travels to cities across the country in the midst of the Russia-Ukraine war, finding extraordinary stories that go beyond the headlines. For more news, and a complete transcript of this episode, please visit: https://projectbrazen.com/resistance

Escaping a city so close to the Russian border – and the stories of those who choose to stay. In Ukraine's second largest city, Kharkiv, a community fights to survive devastating Russian shelling. Laurel continues following the journey of Larisa, a disabled woman being evacuated from her apartment in one of Kharkiv's most dangerous neighborhoods. Volunteers race Larisa to the train station for her onward journey to Poland, in hope of refuge and a better future. In a surgical hospital in Kharkiv, Laurel meets civilians recovering from injuries inflicted by shelling. Sheltering in a metro station deep under the city, Violeta, a new mother, explains to Laurel why she stays in the city. ~ “RESISTANCE: Stories from Ukraine” is a harrowing and inspirational journey across Ukraine in the first weeks of Russia's invasion. While the military wages war on the frontlines, everyday citizens are picking up whatever weapons they can, including their smartphones, computers, sewing needles, and guitars. Photojournalist Laurel Chor travels to cities across the country in the midst of the Russia-Ukraine war, finding extraordinary stories that go beyond the headlines. For more news, and a complete transcript of this episode, please visit: https://projectbrazen.com/resistance

Tom Wright sits down with Laurel Chor to hear the backstory on the making of her podcast RESISTANCE: Stories from Ukraine. In this audio interview, Laurel shares the experiences she had on the ground as Russia invaded Ukraine and how the conflict continues. She also talks about the surprising similarities she sees in what's happening in Ukraine today and in her home in Hong Kong, while giving advice to other journalists heading to conflict zones. This is the final episode of RESISTANCE: Stories from Ukraine. Stay tuned for more series from Project Brazen in the months to come. And, as always, you can follow our latest reporting in our newsletter, Whale Hunting. Thank you for listening. ~ “RESISTANCE: Stories from Ukraine” is a harrowing and inspirational journey across Ukraine in the first weeks of Russia's invasion. While the military wages war on the frontlines, everyday citizens are picking up whatever weapons they can, including their smartphones, computers, sewing needles, and guitars. Photojournalist Laurel Chor travels to cities across the country in the midst of the Russia-Ukraine war, finding extraordinary stories that go beyond the headlines. For more news, and a complete transcript of this episode, please visit: https://projectbrazen.com/resistance

Bradley Hope sits down with host Nelufar Hedayat to chat about Project Brazen's upcoming podcast, Kabul Falling. In this exclusive audio interview, Nelufar talks about what it's been like working on Kabul Falling, an eight-part series on the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan last year, and what makes her connection to it — as an Afghan-born journalist—so personal and important.  She shares her own experiences of leaving Afghanistan with her family as a young child, and how the Taliban's takeover has affected Afghans in the country and around the world. Stay tuned for KABUL FALLING, coming 1st August. And, as always, you can follow our latest reporting in our newsletter, Whale Hunting. Thank you for listening.

In August 2021, the Taliban regained control of Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan. The takeover sent shockwaves throughout the country. It forced thousands of Afghans to leave their old lives behind and embark on a hellish journey for survival. In this eight-episode podcast, Afghans themselves will tell you how it happened. You'll hear stories about big risks, close calls, and unexpected moments of kindness — or luck — that changed everything. You'll meet Afghan women and men from different walks of life, and even a young man who chose to fight with the Taliban — in his eyes, to protect the country he loves. This is the story of a home ripped apart — and of a courageous new beginning. KABUL FALLING, coming August 1.

On August 15, 2021, the Taliban regained control of Kabul, nearly 20 years after the US Army and Coalition Forces  had cast them out of power. To many Afghans and observers watching from abroad, the fall of Kabul came as a shock. The news thrust thousands of Afghans into a terrifying journey to flee the country, leaving their old lives behind. In this episode, you'll hear from Ogai Wardak, a young journalist at a women's TV station, and Abdul, a former CIA interpreter and father of four, describing how they began planning their escape as Taliban fighters patrolled the streets. For a transcript of this episode and additional material, visit: https://www.kabulfalling.com

With the Taliban back in power, Kabul's streets were mobbed with traffic as thousands rushed to escape, many heading towards the capital's airport. At particular risk of retribution were Afghans who had worked with the US Army or the international community, those who'd served in Afghanistan's government and women who had pursued full lives outside the home. In this episode, you'll hear how quick thinking — and chance — helps former CIA interpreter Abdul and TV journalist Ogai Wardak evade Taliban fighters and pass through checkpoints towards Kabul airport. Amidst the chaos, Tariq, a young father and former US contractor, walks for 8 hours across the blisteringly hot city to get his son from kindergarten and then tries to take his family to the airport. But with huge crowds of desperate Afghans surrounding the gates, there is no easy way in. For a transcript of this episode and additional material, visit: https://www.kabulfalling.com

As the US and NATO prepare to withdraw all forces from Afghanistan by the deadline of August 31, the evacuation of Afghan allies and partners quickly spins out of the control of Western governments. There is chaos as desperate crowds try to enter the airport in Kabul, where final evacuation flights are departing. Those lucky enough to make it over the high cement walls wait for hours on the tarmac under the hot sun with no food or water. This includes Fatima Faizi, an Afghan journalist working for the New York Times. Informal networks of foreign volunteers quickly spring up to help their Afghan friends and colleagues navigate the chaos and evacuate the country. Ultimately, for many Afghans, getting out comes down to who is in their WhatsApp contacts list. We want to hear from you. Please get in touch via our website, kabulfalling.com, where you can send a voice message, or tweet using hashtag #kabulfalling. For a transcript of this episode and additional material, visit: https://www.kabulfalling.com

With the evacuation deadline looming, Afghans race to Kabul airport in hopes of getting on a flight and escaping the Taliban regime. With help from Jake, an ex-Marine Corps officer, Tariq and his family manage to get in and board their plane for evacuation, after spending a harrowing night outside in a desolate yard. Abdul and his family also make it out — just hours before a suicide bomber detonates his explosive belt, killing at least 170 Afghan civilians and 13 members of the United States military. You'll also hear from newlyweds Mohammed and Taara as they confront the possibility that they will be separated, as only Taara has the proper paperwork to flee Afghanistan and fly to the US. We want to hear from you. Please get in touch via our website, kabulfalling.com, where you can send a voice message, or tweet using hashtag #kabulfalling. For a transcript of this episode and additional material, visit: https://www.kabulfalling.com

With security now on high alert at the Kabul airport, it is nearly impossible for Afghans to fly out of the country to escape the Taliban takeover. Danna Harman, the journalist who profiled Rodaba Noori and her all-girls robotics team, comes up with a wild plan to evacuate the women to Tajikistan by bus, along with a group of female cyclists. Tajik journalist Anahita Saymidinova is waiting on the other side to receive them. But they have to work with the Taliban to bring the women out of Afghanistan and over the border — putting them face to face with the very men they're afraid of. Meanwhile, Mohammed is turned away from one of the very last evacuation flights leaving Afghanistan and must say goodbye to his wife. We want to hear from you. Please get in touch via our website, kabulfalling.com, where you can send a voice message, or tweet using hashtag #kabulfalling. For a transcript of this episode and additional material, visit: https://www.kabulfalling.com

With the US Army and allied forces gone, Taliban fighters are consolidating control over Afghanistan. The regime's leaders make assurances that there will be no retribution for their enemies, but the reality on the ground is different. With the help of journalist Danna Harman, Muhammad Javed Khan, who had worked for the Afghan government, reaches the Tajik border but must then turn around and make a last-minute journey back to Kunduz to retrieve a batch of passports. In order to escape, he must come face to face with the Taliban, members of whom had arrested and tortured him just weeks earlier. We want to hear from you. Please get in touch via our website, kabulfalling.com, where you can send a voice message, or tweet using hashtag #kabulfalling. For a transcript of this episode and additional material, visit: https://www.kabulfalling.com

A young Taliban member, radicalized by the US invasion of Afghanistan, shares why he left social work and NGO employment to join the militant group. Obaidullah Baheer, a former lecturer in transitional justice at the American University of Afghanistan and the grandson of a feared warlord, reflects on the possibility of reconciliation with the Taliban. We want to hear from you. Please get in touch via our website, kabulfalling.com, where you can send a voice message, or tweet using hashtag #kabulfalling. For a transcript of this episode and additional material, visit: https://www.kabulfalling.com

In this episode, we catch up with Afghan refugees to hear about life after evacuation. How is the fall of Kabul still impacting them? Who do they feel is responsible for the Taliban takeover? What could have been done differently? You'll hear how many Afghans feel abandoned as the world's attention moves to Ukraine and the ensuing refugee crisis in Europe. Famine grips Afghanistan and the Taliban's harsh reign faces little international scrutiny. But Afghans continue to fight: for their freedom, for the truth to be heard and for accountability from those who let them fall. We want to hear from you. Please get in touch via our website, kabulfalling.com, where you can send a voice message, or tweet using hashtag #kabulfalling. For a transcript of this episode and additional material, visit: https://www.kabulfalling.com Correction: In this episode, we stated that an earthquake hit the provinces of Paktia and Khost in Afghanistan in June. This is an error. The earthquake occurred in the provinces of Paktika and Khost.

Siddhartha Mahanta sits down with composer Arson Fahim to chat about his soundtrack for Kabul Falling, the latest podcast from Project Brazen. In this exclusive audio interview, recorded live at the PRX Podcast Garage in Boston, Arson talks about what drew him to the project, and what makes his connection to it—as an Afghan-born composer and musician—so personal and important. He shares his own experiences of leaving Afghanistan just two weeks before the Taliban takeover last year, and how Afghan musicians around the world can use their craft as a form of resistance, ensuring that the nation's music continues to flourish in difficult circumstances. Thanks for listening. You can find Kabul Falling on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music or wherever you get your podcasts. Make sure to subscribe to Project Brazen Originals – there'll be more bonus episodes coming soon.

Lucy Woods, Managing Producer of Kabul Falling – Project Brazen's series following the Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan – interviews an Afghan family torn apart by the chaos. Hakim Shakib was separated from his wife Paimana, and his young daughters Neyo and Seto, in July 2021. In this bonus interview, the family charts the anxiety of their separation as Kabul fell to the Taliban – trapping Hakim, an employee at Afghanistan's Ministry of Interior Affairs – in the city. The Shakibs describe the tireless work that went into reuniting them, the challenges of resettlement, and their fears and hopes for Afghanistan's future. Thanks for listening. You can find Kabul Falling on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music or wherever you get your podcasts. Make sure to subscribe to Project Brazen Originals for more – and, as always, you can follow our latest reporting in our newsletter, Whale Hunting. 

Original reporting you've come to expect from Project Brazen—extraordinary stories from around the world, told without fear or favor Project Brazen is a global journalism studio based in London and Singapore investigating some of the biggest scandals and stories of our time. Stay subscribed. Learn more: https://projectbrazen.com/

The reporting team behind “RESISTANCE: Stories from Ukraine” shares updates on the changing face of war in Ukraine and what they see for the future of the conflict. ~ Nicholas Brennan, Executive Producer of “RESISTANCE: Stories from Ukraine”, sits down for an interview with Laurel Chor and Arman Dzidzovic, the host and producers of the series. Laurel and Arman talk about how the situation in Ukraine has changed since RESISTANCE first aired, and share an update on some of the stories featured in the podcast. They also reflect on the ongoing resistance of the population, and what they see for the future of the conflict. Thanks for listening. You can find “RESISTANCE: Stories from Ukraine” on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music or wherever you get your podcasts. Make sure to subscribe to Brazen Presents for more – and, as always, you can follow our latest reporting in our newsletter, Whale Hunting. www.projectbrazen.com

How did an Ivy League activist become a global fugitive? In this bonus audio episode, Bradley Hope, co-founder of Project Brazen, recounts his first encounter with Adrian Hong, who led an underground organization to undermine the Kim Jong-un regime by helping top North Korean diplomats defect. After a fake kidnapping of a top North Korean diplomat in Madrid went awry, a wanted poster for Adrian was circulated by the U.S. Marshals, sending him into hiding. This episode of BRAZEN PRESENTS features an exclusive interview with Christopher Ahn, the only person to be arrested after the botched kidnapping in Madrid. Christopher describes meeting Adrian over ten years ago and how he got involved with his underground group. In 2017, Christopher played a key role in ferrying Kim Han-sol, the nephew of Kim Jong-un, to safety after his dad Kim Jong-nam was assassinated in Malaysia. Christopher's life has been upturned in the aftermath of the Madrid incident, and he is currently fighting extradition to Spain. The Rebel and the Kingdom is out 1 November 2022. To learn more about the unbelievable story of Adrian, Christopher and Free Joseon, and to pre-order the book, visit www.rebelandthekingdom.com. Audiobook and e-book versions are also available. Make sure to subscribe to Brazen Presents for more – and, as always, you can follow our latest reporting in our newsletter, Whale Hunting. www.projectbrazen.com

Reporter Susie Armitage speaks to Ukrainian journalist Bogdan Logvynenko, founder of Ukrainer.net, a multilingual publication covering the war and all things Ukraine. In this episode, Bogdan shares stories from his travels around the country interviewing Ukrainians in recently liberated areas, plus two music videos his team created with Ukrainian rappers Alyona Alyona and Palindrom celebrating the resilience of cities still occupied by Russia. Thanks for listening. You can find “Resistance: Stories From Ukraine” on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music or wherever you get your podcasts. You can follow Bogdan on Instagram at @logvynenko and Ukrainer at @ukrainer_en. Make sure to subscribe to Brazen Presents for more – and, as always, you can follow our latest reporting in our newsletter, Whale Hunting. www.projectbrazen.com

This week on Brazen Presents, we share the trailer for Corinna and the King, a new eight-part series from Project Brazen and PRX. When Corinna, a worldly and well-connected businesswoman, fell in love with Juan Carlos I, the King of Spain, he seemed too big to fail. Their secret romance stretched across continents, but its unraveling would open a window into a dangerous world of greed, corruption, and crime. Vast pools of hidden wealth; international espionage and conspiracy; scandal, elephant hunting, and unstoppable lust… all tracing back to one of the most secretive royalties in the world. The podcast will be available in both English and Spanish. In English, Corinna and The King is narrated by “Vida” and “Riverdale” star Mishel Prada. The Spanish-language version, Corinna y El Rey, is narrated by “Orange is the New Black” actress Laura Gómez. Subscribe to Corinna and the King, coming November 7th, 2022. To find out more, visit www.corinnaandtheking.com

This week on Brazen Presents, we share an exclusive listen to episode one of Corinna and the King, a new eight-part series from Project Brazen and PRX. You can find the full series by searching for Corinna and The King, wherever you get your podcasts.  It's February 2004, and 39-year-old businesswoman Corinna zu Sayn-Wittgenstein attends an aristocratic hunting party in the Spanish countryside. The host? Juan Carlos I, the king of Spain. An expert in guns, Corinna catches the king's attention, and he later invites her for lunch at the Madrid hunting lodge Corinna would come to call their casita. The king makes his intentions clear — he might be married, but he wants to be more than friends. Soon after, hundreds of hand-written letters and bouquets of flowers arrive at Corinna's door. But as her romance with Juan Carlos intensifies, she discovers a darker side to the palace, hidden from the public. Thanks for listening. You can find Corinna and The King and the Spanish-language version, Corinna y El Rey, on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music or wherever you get your podcasts. Make sure to subscribe and for more information visit: www.corinnaandtheking.com

A Ukrainian refugee shares the story of his fraught escape from Russian-occupied Kherson. ~ A strategically important port in the south of Ukraine near the Black Sea, Kherson was the first major city to fall into Russian hands in the early days of the war. But last week, after more than eight months of occupation, Russia withdrew its forces and Ukrainian soldiers entered the city, greeted by cheering locals. It's a triumphant moment for Ukraine, but along with the celebrations, there's a long road ahead to restoring normalcy. Around 300,000 people lived there before the invasion, but Ukrainian authorities estimate that more than half have now fled. As they share their stories, we're beginning to get a fuller picture of what life looks like for the Ukrainians trapped behind Russian lines. In this interview, Alex, a Ukrainian refugee, speaks with producers Susie Armitage and Alex Gendler about his experience under occupation, and what it took to escape. Thanks for listening. You can find “Resistance: Stories From Ukraine” on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music or wherever you get your podcasts. Make sure to subscribe to Brazen Presents for more – and, as always, you can follow our latest reporting in our newsletter, Whale Hunting. www.projectbrazen.com

This week on Brazen Presents, Project Brazen co-founders Bradley Hope and Tom Wright share the first audio instalment of ‘Where Is Jho Low', the live investigation to track down the Malaysian fugitive at the heart of the 1MDB scandal. In this episode, they recap on Jho Low's crimes and his time on the run, as well as sharing new evidence indicating he may still be doing business out of Taiwan. If you're interested in the hidden worlds of wealth and power, this is a story for you. Not only is $8bn in stolen funds still missing, but Jho Low remains at large – even as former Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak faces 12 years behind bars. This investigation began its life as a YouTube series, and we will continue to post new video episodes. So, if you'd like to watch as well as listen, check out the Where Is Jho Low series on Project Brazen's YouTube channel.

The saga of Sam Bankman-Fried, former CEO of FTX, is unfolding every day like a TV drama. After his crypto company imploded in November, the 30-year-old was arrested in the Bahamas on charges of wire fraud and money laundering, and could face up to 115 years in prison. SBF, as he's often called, was denied bail and is now awaiting extradition in Fox Hill, the only prison on the Bahamas. It's a short drive from his $30 million penthouse on the island, but a long way from the life of luxury he once enjoyed. Back at the end of November, as SBF's empire fell apart, Brazen reporter Georgia Gee got a rare glimpse inside Albany, the upscale resort where he and FTX were based. In this Brazen Presents dispatch, Georgia shares what she found there — and how locals are reacting to the scandal. Thanks for listening. You can find Brazen Presents on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music or wherever you get your podcasts. Make sure to subscribe to Brazen Presents for more – and, as always, you can follow our latest reporting in our newsletter, Whale Hunting. www.projectbrazen.com

This week on Brazen Presents, we're excited to share a bonus episode from our latest show, Corinna and The King. The podcast tells the story of the explosive love affair between King Juan Carlos I of Spain and businesswoman Corinna zu Sayn-Wittgenstein, and the fraud, espionage, and mysterious €65 million gift that came with it.  The series was produced by Project Brazen in two languages, hosted by actors Mishel Prada (“Vida,” “Riverdale”) in English, and Laura Gómez (“Orange is the New Black”) in Spanish. In this bonus episode, we get an exclusive listen to our two narrators in conversation, discussing what it was like to tell this unbelievable true story of corruption, conspiracy and love gone wrong at the heart of the Spanish royal family.  Thanks for listening. If you'd like to listen to the series in full, you can find Corinna and The King and the Spanish-language version, Corinna y El Rey, on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music or wherever you get your podcasts. Make sure to subscribe and for more information visit www.corinnaandtheking.com  www.projectbrazen.com

Journalist Nicky Woolf speaks with Project Brazen co-founder Tom Wright about his upcoming investigative podcast, THE SOUND: Mystery of Havana Syndrome. Nicky shares his experience following the unexplained phenomenon from Havana to Washington DC, Miami, London, and beyond. He talks about meeting victims of the devastating illness, efforts to understand the science that could have caused it — even building his own device — and how new cases of the syndrome continue to appear to this day. THE SOUND is a story about spycraft, technology, and the brain. It's a story where, at every turn, you're never quite sure what's real and what's an illusion. It's a story about how the Cold War, maybe, never really ended. Make sure you don't miss an episode by subscribing to THE SOUND: Mystery of Havana Syndrome, wherever you listen to podcasts. If you want an unrivalled glimpse into the shadowy worlds of espionage, novel technologies and global conspiracies, this is a story for you. Find out more at www.soundistheweapon.com www.projectbrazen.com

This is a preview of Project Brazen's latest investigative podcast, The Sound: Mystery of Havana Syndrome. To listen to the rest of this episode, search for THE SOUND: Mystery of Havana Syndrome, wherever you get your podcasts. In December 2016, a US official in Havana reported a debilitating and confounding  illness. The symptoms included headaches; nausea; hearing loss; problems with memory and vision. Soon, a second official came down with the same symptoms. Then a third. Then a fourth. By the time the story went public in summer 2017, dozens of US diplomats, as well as some Canadians, had come down with what was becoming known as “Havana Syndrome.” In this deep dive investigation, journalist Nicky Woolf peels back the layers of one of the most bizarre mysteries of the modern age. THE SOUND is a story about spycraft, technology, and the brain, and how the Cold War, maybe, never really ended. New episodes will be dropping in THE SOUND feed on Mondays, so subscribe there now to make sure you don't miss an episode.

This week on Brazen Presents, we're sharing perspectives on abortion and reproductive rights from the Middle East via the People Like Us podcast.  Fifty years ago, the US Supreme Court made a landmark decision in the case of Roe v. Wade, which enshrined abortion as a constitutional right. Last June, the court overturned that decision. In this episode of People Like Us, host Kim Ghattas asks her guests: How do the new restrictions on abortion in the US impact the battle for reproductive rights in the rest of the world? And what does “My Body My Choice” mean in the Middle East? In this episode we hear from Nana Abulseoud from RESURJ, in Cairo, on the global battle to preserve progress made on women's reproductive rights in the last two decades. Kim also speaks with Sandrine Atallah, Lebanon's first doctor in sexual medicine, about her efforts to bring sex education to social media, and Sura, one of the anonymous co-founders of Mauj, a sexual awareness and education online platform, tells me why they created Deem, a vibrator for Arab women everywhere. If you'd like to hear more, search for People Like Us wherever you listen to podcasts, or check out People like Us on Instagram and Twitter @peoplelikeuspod.

An exclusive preview of The Closer, a new podcast from Project Brazen that takes you inside the deals that changed the world. To hear the rest of this episode, search for The Closer wherever you listen to podcasts. Landmark deals can change everything. They can transform how we live. They can alter the course of the economy. The Closer asks: Who made these deals, and why? This is a preview of episode one, which goes behind the scenes of the 2013 merger between American Airlines and US Airways. The deal created the world's largest airline, but it also marked the ascent of one of the American labor movement's most visible faces. Find out more at thecloser.fm

Reporter Georgia Gee speaks with Peter Pomerantsev, a Kyiv-born expert in propaganda and disinformation. His books Nothing Is True and Everything Is Possible and This is Not Propaganda outline how Russia and others have weaponized the perception of truth. Today, Russia is waging two wars against Ukraine. One is on the ground. The other is being fought online, on the internet and television. Even before launching its full-scale invasion last February, the Kremlin spent years propagating narratives about Ukraine. For example: Putin pushed the idea that Ukrainians and Russians were really just one people. That Ukrainian wasn't really a language. And that the country was just a puppet of the west, and didn't deserve to be a sovereign state. Russia uses these narratives to try to justify its violence in Ukraine — to its citizens and the rest of the world — and according to Pomerantsev, we need to find new ways to fight back. Make sure to subscribe to Brazen Presents for more – and, as always, you can follow our latest reporting in our newsletter, Whale Hunting. For ad-free listening, exclusive bonus content and early access to Project Brazen podcasts, subscribe to our channel on the Apple Podcasts app. You can try the subscription free for 7 days by going to apple.co/brazen www.projectbrazen.com

This week on Brazen Presents, reporter Neha Wadekar interviews Mohsin Mohi Ud Din, leader of Me We International, an organisation that uses art to help refugees around the world heal from trauma, reframe their narratives, and author their futures. To follow Me We International and learn more about their work, please visit www.meweintl.org. You can find them online at @meweinternational on Instagram and @meweintl on Twitter. For ad-free listening, exclusive bonus content and early access to Project Brazen podcasts, subscribe to our channel on the Apple Podcasts app. You can try the subscription free for 7 days by going to apple.co/brazen

One year after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, how has the war changed the daily lives of Ukraine's youngest generation? Brazen reporter Susie Armitage highlights how the war is impacting Ukrainian children. In this episode, kids share audio and video diaries that offer a glimpse into their daily routine: lessons interrupted by air raid alerts, jokes about nuclear war, and volunteer work to support the Ukrainian army. Thanks for listening. You can find “Resistance: Stories From Ukraine” on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music or wherever you get your podcasts. Make sure to subscribe to Brazen Presents for more – and, as always, you can follow our latest reporting in our newsletter, Whale Hunting. www.projectbrazen.com

This is a preview of Project Brazen's latest podcast, Dynamite Doug. Hosted by Ellen Wong (of Netflix's GLOW and Scott Pilgrim), the 6-part series delves into the New York Metropolitan Museum's acquisition of stolen art. It's based on a trove of emails and secret recordings and uncovers the inside story of how a wealthy British collector plundered war-torn Cambodia and its cultural heritage during one of the worst genocides in history. To keep listening, search for Dynamite Doug wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to the entire series in full today by subscribing to Project Brazen on Apple Podcasts, visit apple.co/dynamitedoug

This week on Brazen Presents, we're bringing you an episode from the investigative podcast Motive from WBEZ Chicago. Chicago gangs: Real people. Real stories. A way forward. The new season of Motive from WBEZ Chicago explores violence on the streets of Chicago and the former gang members working to stop it. In episode 1, host Patrick Smith and Cecilia Mannion, takes listeners out to the streets where workers are desperately trying to prevent shootings and help the victims of gun violence. Mannion, a former gang member herself, works for a nonprofit organization called Enlace. Her title is victim advocate. Basically, if you're shot in Little Village, she shows up to try and help, to minimize the harm. She helps families navigate health care, funerals, counseling, she acts as a conduit between victims and cops, talks people out of retaliating, whatever is needed. You can listen to the whole series wherever you get your podcasts – just search for Motive and subscribe. 

This week on Brazen Presents, we're revisiting our series Resistance: Stories from Ukraine. The show, hosted by photojournalist Laurel Chor, documented how ordinary Ukrainians have been resisting the Russian invasion — whether that meant taking up arms, or supporting the war effort in other ways. Now, nearly one year after Russia launched its full-scale invasion, Ukrainians are still fighting for their freedom. So we're re-sharing one of the episodes, ‘Defending Borodyanka', about four men who fought the Russian occupation of their small town, despite being impossibly outnumbered and outgunned. If you enjoyed this episode, you can catch up on the rest of the series by searching for Resistance: Stories from Ukraine, wherever you get your podcasts.

This week on Brazen Presents, we're going back to Borodyanka, Ukraine. Laurel Chor travelled there for the first time last year when she was hosting our podcast “Resistance: Stories from Ukraine.” The series documented how ordinary Ukrainians have been resisting the Russian invasion. Now, she brings us this story about how Borodyanka and the people she met there are doing today. If you enjoyed this episode, you can catch up on the rest of the series by searching for Resistance: Stories from Ukraine, wherever you get your podcasts. For ad-free listening, exclusive bonus content and early access to Project Brazen podcasts, subscribe to our channel on the Apple Podcasts app. You can try the subscription free for 7 days by going to apple.co/brazen www.projectbrazen.com

This week on Brazen Presents, we're sharing a special edition of The Closer Weekly. Last month, Project Brazen launched The Closer, a new podcast sharing the inside stories of the deals that changed the world. Then, just as season one wrapped, signs came of a potential banking crisis, and we realised the story was just getting started. Enter: The Closer Weekly. Like The Closer, this new weekly edition will delve into the deals that shape the world around us, but with a fresh focus on the biggest stories shaking up business today.  In episode one, The Closer Weekly dives into the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank with Financial Times journalist Tabby Kinder, one of the first to report on weaknesses at the bank. To keep listening, search for The Closer wherever you get your podcasts. For ad-free listening, exclusive bonus content and early access to Project Brazen podcasts, subscribe to our channel on the Apple Podcasts app. You can try the subscription free for 7 days by going to www.apple.co/thecloser

This week on Brazen Presents, we're sharing a preview of Night of Show, the latest podcast from Project Brazen. To listen to the rest of this episode, search for Night of Show, wherever you get your podcasts. In Night of Show, accomplished concert promoter Adam Wilkes joins music industry legends as they share behind-the-scenes stories about the pressures superstar artists faced when staging some of their biggest performances. Most Prince fans forget he was once in the wilderness after his 1980s heyday. He'd walked away from his record contract and had released a slew of albums that didn't chart. Then, with John and Paul as promoters, he stages a major comeback. Don't want to wait for the next episode? You can listen to the full series, ad-free, by subscribing to Project Brazen's channel on the Apple Podcasts app. Subscribe at: apple.co/night-of-show nightofshow.com

How did Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich end up wrongfully imprisoned in Russia, and what happens now? On March 29, Russian authorities arrested Evan and accused him of spying on Russia on behalf of the US government. Evan was imprisoned in Moscow's Lefortovo prison, where he remains today. In this special episode from Project Brazen, you'll hear from those close to Evan — his friends, newsroom colleagues, even his former soccer coach — about his shocking arrest, efforts to bring him home, and how he became the journalist he is today. Evan is the first American reporter to be charged with espionage in Russia since the Cold War. The charge, which The Journal vehemently denies, can carry a sentence of up to 20 years. To support the campaign for Evan's release or send him a message of support, visit www.freegershkovich.com.