Whistleblowers

Kathryn Bolkovac arrived in Bosnia in 1999. The nation still bore scars from the recent war, and as a new member of the UN's Police Task Force, she was keen to help the country heal. Before long, though, she realized that some of her colleagues had different priorities. When she discovered evidence of abuse and child trafficking at their hands, she spoke up, and paid the price. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dazzling young entrepreneur Elizabeth Holmes had a big idea. She claimed to have developed a new healthcare diagnosis technique that could change lives. But when junior lab employees Erika Cheung and Tyler Shultz joined her company, they realized that something was very wrong. Eventually, they exposed one of the biggest scandals in Silicon Valley's history. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

When Vladimir Bukovsky was arrested in 1961, he braced himself for a violent stint in prison. But his punishment turned out to be much worse. Vladimir, like many other Soviet dissidents, was diagnosed with ‘symptomless schizophrenia', force-fed drugs and sent to a psychiatric hospital. He spent many of the next 15 years of his life locked up, until he found a way to tell the world about his country's secret weapon: political psychiatry. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

When David Shayler and Annie Machon became British MI5 intelligence officers in the 1990s, they were excited to make a difference in the world. But just a few months into their new roles, they began to lose faith in their government. They believed the security services were spying on politicians, failing to stop terrorists and even plotting assassination attempts. Frustrated, they took drastic action, and spent the next three years on the run. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the late 1960s, detective Frank Serpico discovered widespread corruption in the New York Police Department. But when he blew the whistle, his fellow officers turned on him. He was even the victim of a shooting at work that he believes was a set-up. Miraculously, Serpico survived and continued his efforts, eventually transforming the NYPD. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Monica Lewinsky first met colleague Linda Tripp at the Pentagon, and the pair quickly became close friends. So close that Monica felt comfortable sharing her biggest secret: she was having an affair with the President of the United States. When Linda blew the whistle on the relationship, Clinton was left facing impeachment and Monica Lewinsky ended up in court. Her last words on the stand? "I hate Linda Tripp.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Just weeks into Michael Woodford's new job as president of Olympus, he made a worrying discovery. The company was embroiled in a billion dollar fraud scandal. He tried to investigate the claims, but his colleagues quickly turned on him. And when he learned the Yakuza could be involved, Michael began to fear for his life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This is the mysterious story of Mark Felt, the high-ranking FBI agent who took on U.S. President Richard Nixon. Mark put his own career and reputation on the line in order to help reveal one of the biggest cover ups in U.S. history: Watergate. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

When Mark Whitacre turned informant against his own company in 1992, he helped the FBI expose international, multi-million dollar fraud. Most people would be praised as heroes for such a service, but when the investigation unearthed Mark's own dark and bizarre secrets, he was sentenced to nine years in jail. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On May 20th, 2013, U.S. Intelligence Consultant Edward Snowden called in sick to work. He then packed up his belongings, kissed his girlfriend goodbye, and boarded a plane to Hong Kong. Within a few days his face was all over the news. Overnight, he became famous for leaking highly classified information to the press, exposing illegal mass surveillance programs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On November 13th 1974, lab technician Karen Silkwood set off to meet a New York Times journalist. With her was a dossier of damning information about the health and safety practices of the nuclear industry. But Karen never made it to her meeting. In this episode of Whistleblowers, we find out how Karen's story changed the industry forever. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

When biochemist Jeffrey Wigand took a job in the tobacco industry, he hoped he could improve it from the inside, and develop a ‘healthier' cigarette. But before long, Jeff discovered deadly truths that Big Tobacco had tried to hide. He was faced with a dilemma: Should he stay quiet, and keep collecting his generous salary? Or blow the whistle, and make a life-changing sacrifice? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In 2013, animal trainer Phil Demers was accused of plotting to kidnap an 800lb walrus named Smooshi. The accuser was Phil's former employer: an aquatic amusement park in Niagara Falls, Canada. The park's management claims he's a disgruntled ex-employee with a penchant for fame. While Phil insists he's an industry whistleblower trying to expose malpractice. This is their still-unfolding story. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In late August 2001, Minneapolis FBI agents predicted a major terrorist attack. They raced against the clock to try and stop it, but came up against a wall of bureaucracy. When their worst fears were realized on 9/11, the agents felt that something had to change. In the end, only the bravest would speak up and criticize the government of a grieving nation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nuclear lab technician Frits Veerman first met officemate Abdul Qadeer Khan in 1971. The two quickly became fast friends. But then Frits began to suspect that Abdul had dark intentions. When he tried to blow the whistle, he was silenced and accused of being a spy. In the end, Frits' suspicions turned out to be just the tip of the iceberg. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Princess Diana shocked the world when, in 1995, she appeared on BBC TV and spoke about her failing marriage, her husband's affair, and an alleged royal campaign against her. The public were mesmerized by the Princess's honesty. And the journalist who interviewed Diana, Martin Bashir, was praised for landing the scoop of the century. It wasn't until twenty five years later that the world learned about the web of lies and deception behind the interview. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Kray twins were the kings of East London in the early 1960s. With their string of glamorous bars and casinos, they attracted the attention of the rich and famous. Behind closed doors, they were violent gangsters who would do anything for power and money. They relied on a circle of close associates to help run their empire. But when they began to take those associates for granted, their crowns began to slip. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In 2010, U.S. soldier Chelsea Manning leaked thousands of explosive military documents to WikiLeaks. At first, it seemed like she'd gotten away with her crime. So why did she confess to a complete stranger a few weeks later?  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Just like Romeo and Juliet, Vitaly Stepanov and Yuliya Rusanova were never supposed to be together. He was an anti-doping officer and she was a drug-taking athlete. But their turbulent love story led them to expose one of the biggest scandals in Russia's sporting history. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In 2021, U.S. Intelligence Agent Lue Elizondo made headlines when he told the world about worrying UFO sightings. Sightings that he said the government had ignored. Lue claimed that he had been the director of a secret UFO department at the Pentagon, but when his colleagues denied that he'd ever worked there, Lue's credibility began to crumble. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the 1990s, China's poorest communities could make good money by selling their blood to government plasma stations. When Dr. Shuping Wang discovered these stations were the source of a Hepatitis C epidemic, she thought things couldn't get any worse. But then she realized the blood banks were spreading an even deadlier virus to the country's poorest people. When she spoke up, she paid dearly. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In 2020, Facebook employee Frances Haugen came across shocking internal reports. Reports suggesting that Facebook's platforms could be far more dangerous than the public realized. Reports that mentioned teen suicide, human trafficking, and even genocide. Reports that Frances would go on to share with the world. This is the story of one woman's battle with one of the most powerful companies on the planet.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dr. Oscar Simonson had great hopes for his future when he started working under famous supersurgeon Paolo Macchiarini. But by the end of their working relationship, Oscar's career was in ruins, hearts were broken and several lives had been lost forever. Oscar was left asking himself: Was Paolo more con man than genius? This is a story that even the Pope, Elton John, and the Obamas were unwittingly dragged into. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Bikram Choudhury was once Hollywood's favorite yoga guru. His life-changing hot yoga classes attracted celebrities like Madonna, Lady Gaga, and David Beckham. But when his closest assistant started to suspect that Bikram wasn't as holy as he claimed, she started digging. That's when his true colors started to show…  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the fall of 1966, public health worker Peter Buxtun overheard a conversation in the work canteen that changed his life forever. He found out that for the last 30 years, the U.S. government had funded a racist and unethical experiment that had left hundreds of black, Southern men ill or dying. And his colleagues in public health had no plans to shut it down. When Peter set out to discover why, he uncovered the most shocking health scandal in America's history. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Have you ever discovered something you wished you hadn't? A secret… a lie… a crime, even? What if that discovery opened up a Pandora's box of corruption… corruption that was harming hundreds, even thousands of people? And what if sharing that discovery would put you and your family in danger? Would you keep your mouth shut? Or take the risk, and blow the whistle? Whistleblowers is a new Spotify Original from Parcast where we explore some of the most bizarre lies in history, through the eyes of the people who risked everything to expose them. Starting January 18th. New episodes weekly. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices