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- [00:00]
Indra Varma
Wondery plus subscribers can binge full seasons of the Spy who early and ad free on Apple Podcasts or The Wondery app. June 2010 the White House Washington, D.C. fBI Director Robert Mueller is back in the Oval Office. The first time he entered this room, it had the dreamlike feel of a film set. Now coming here feels routine. But there's no nothing routine about this morning's meeting with the president. President Barack Obama stares at Mueller and CIA Director Leon Panetta. His gaze is cool and there's a barely detectable trace of annoyance on his thin face. So you're saying you've spent the last decade just watching as these people work their way into the fabric of this country, going where they wanted, meeting whoever they liked, and you want to act on this now? Just when I'm about to host a visit from Russia's President Obama's not taking the news about Operation Ghost stories and the FBI's plan to arrest Russia's deep cover spy as well. He's sitting almost casually on the edge of his oak wood desk, but his tightly folded arms betray his irritation. Panetta, a kindly presence down to his neat grey hair and rimless glasses, clears his throat. Sir, our source is about to be extracted from Moscow, where he has served us at great personal danger. The moment he leaves, the Russians put all the pieces together and the entire operation will be blown. All these people will go to ground. They'll disappear. That is what they've been trained to do. Mueller allows himself a nod, happy to let Panetta make the case for now. Mr. President, we can't delay the arrests. We shouldn't. We need to round these and we need to expel Russian diplomats. Russia needs to understand there are consequences for placing agents on American soil. Obama suddenly stands and walks around behind his desk. I'm aware of where these agents are, but this isn't the 80s. I don't need this Cold War nonsense. President Dmitry Medvedev's visit is our chance to reset the entire relationship with Russia. Nothing gets in the way of that. Sir. These people are using the stolen identities of dead children. They spying on our nation. They are worming their way into your own administration. I don't want a diplomatic row either, but I also don't want this kept quiet. Mueller threads his fingers together and breaks his silence. There is another option. Obama finally sits down and nods. For Mueller to continue, we propose a swap. A spy swap. We'll still have to arrest them, but then we offer an exchange. They have people we want after all. Obama frowns but tidies papers on his desk, signaling the meeting is all but over. Fine, we offer a swap, but nothing else. I don't want them on trial. I don't want a media circus. No drama, you hear me? Obama nods at his directors. Panetta and Mueller stand and head for the door. And you don't touch them until Medvedev's left our airspace. In the doorway of the Oval Office, Mueller pauses to absorb Obama's orders. The task before him was already daunting. The US Needs to safely extract their Russian mole. Then it has to capture the 10 spies before the SVR notices anything's amiss. And now it can't move on them until Medvedev's left. The operations window just went from days to a matter of hours.
- [04:01]
Unknown
Thumbtack presents the ins and outs of caring for your home out procrastination, putting it off, kicking the can down the road in plans and guides that make it easy to get home projects done out carpet in the bathroom. Like why? In knowing what to do, when to do it, and who to hire. Start caring for your home with confidence. Download Thumbtack today Today, the beverage aisle looks a lot different than it used to. America's beverage companies are working together. We're delivering the options everyone wants. In fact, nearly 60% of beverages Americans buy have zero sugar. You'll find more variety than ever, including more of your favorites now available with zero sugar. You'll also find more sizes and clear calorie information on the front of every can, bottle and pack. We know when it comes to finding balance, the more choices, the better.
- [05:04]
Indra Varma
From Wondery I'm Indra Varma and this is the spy who in the last episode, Russia's flamehead spy Anna Chapman moved from London to Manhattan. And Alexander Potiev, the FBI's mole in the SVR, called on the CIA to get him out of Russia. Now the FBI's Operation Ghost Stories team must perfectly time the arrest of the illegals or risk them going to ground. But with President Barack Obama barring any arrests until after Russian President Dmitry Medvedev's visit to America, the FBI has got just hours to bust the spies or watch 10 years of work go up in smoke. This is episode 3 ghostbusting June 17, 2010 Six days after the meeting with Obama, the Achilles Hotel, Larnaca, Cyprus in the hotel lobby, an undercover Cypriot police officer pretends to read a newspaper as he watches a man checking in. Thin and gray haired, this man is Christopher Metzos. The FBI has asked friendly law enforcement agencies around the world to keep watch for Metzos So when the Cypriot police received notification that Metzos had entered their country, they decided to investigate. The Cypriot agent gets a good look at Metzos as he heads to his room and then texts his superiors. Target confirmed. Later that day, the FBI field Office, New York City. FBI agent Maria Richie enters the secure room for a meeting with the Operation Ghost Stories team. The countdown to the arrests is underway and the FBI must arrest all ten illegals within a tight six hour window. Alan Kohler, the head of the New York team, waits for Richie to sit and then begins the briefing. We've received confirmation that Christopher Mesos is in Cyprus. Metzos would be a big catch for us. We know all about the other illegals, but Metos could provide us with fresh intel. So we need to coordinate with the Cypriot police to have him arrested and ultimately extradited. Richie interjects. Won't this complicate the arrests? It's worth the risk. The timeline still works. Our human source should reach friendly territory on the Saturday. Since it's the weekend, our hope is the SVR won't realise he's MIA until Monday, Moscow time. What if they realize before then? Then we're going to have problems. The President will not sanction arrests until President Medvedev is on his way back to Russia. This is expected to happen on the Sunday evening around 7. Everyone does the maths. 7pm on Sunday is 3am Monday in Moscow. If Medvedev's flight is delayed, the window for the arrests will shrink even further. Kola senses the unease in the room about possible flight delays. Weather forecasts look to be in our favor. Once Medvedev's out of North American airspace, we arrest all the illegals at once. The timing's tight. Donald Heathfield and one of his sons up in Massachusetts are due to fly to Russia on vacation. The night we grab them, Ritchie's colleague Derek Piper speaks up. So we need teams watching them all day. Yes, and one final complication. Anna Chapman. We need actual evidence of her spying to bring her in. Without that, she'll just be an ordinary Russian who's in the country on a legitimate visa. Piper replies, he and the team have already discussed this problem. We think that our best approach is to have one of the team pose as a representative from the Centre requesting an urgent meeting. Chapman's been having technical problems with her laptop. We tell her we're taking it in for repair. Then we get her to deliver a fake passport for us and arrest her when she makes the delivery. Kola weighs this idea for a moment. Okay, what if she alerts the Russians, then the whole ops toast. But given how little time we have, we need to stage some kind of intervention. All right, do it. So, one weekend. Plenty of moving parts. No room for error. There's a lot at stake here, people. Let's get this done. One week later Thursday, June 24, 2010 Three days until the planned arrests of the Russian spies Raise Helberger Arlington, Virginia In a cramped fast food joint, President Obama is treating Dmitry Medvedev to lunch. The Russian president is in town for talks about how to improve relations between the two countries, which soured after Russia's invasion of Georgia in 2008. Ray's is one of Obama's favorite restaurants, and the image of the Russian president chowing down on a hamburger will play well with the media. Obama eats his cheeseburger, fully aware that the FBI and CIA are about to spark a fresh diplomatic row with Russia. He bats the thought away and watches as juice drips from Medvedev's burger. The only thing about these burgers is you've got to watch out for your tie. If you like that tie, be careful. Medvedev shrugs and laughs. I have plenty of ties. Yesterday I worked in jeans. That was good. Everybody said you look very good in them. As they finish eating, Obama offers to pay the tab. He and Medvedev are getting along well. He just hopes that when the arrests come this weekend, it won't undo his efforts to charm the Russian leader. Two days later, Saturday the border between Belarus and Ukraine. Alexander Potiev sits in a cramped train carriage and stares at the gray world rushing by outside. His heart is thumping. Potiev has spent the past 11 years spying for the US while working for Russia's Foreign Intelligence Service. But now the risk of discovery has grown too great. So he's making his escape. He left Moscow yesterday evening for Belarus, using a fake passport provided by the CIA. But Belarus is an ally of Russia, and until he's outside its territory, he's still in danger. The train pulls up to the border. Pot hears guards entering the carriage. He tries to quash the adrenaline and terror racing through his body. He pulls the fake passport from his pocket. He flicks through its pages, checking his hands and fingers remain steady. A guard arrives at his seat. Passport. Potiev hands him the passport. He reminds himself he's done this a thousand times before. It's just routine. The guard examines the passport and checks the photo, then hands it back and moves on down the carriage. A few moments later, the train shunts forward into Ukraine and to Safety Kotiev would kill for a drink. Eight hours later, it's noon and an undercover FBI agent heads through the streets of downtown Manhattan towards a busy Starbucks. He's here to meet Anna Chapman. He phoned the Russian spy yesterday and told her his name was Roman and he works at the Russian Consulate. Using information gathered from the FBI's investigation, he gave her the correct code phrases to convince her he's from the svr, then requested a face to face meeting. She agreed the FBI needs undeniable proof that she's working for Russian intelligence and it's running out of time to get it before the arrests. Through the window of Starbucks, Roman sees Chapman waiting in line to order. She stands out amongst the office workers grabbing lunch. She's wearing fancy sunglasses and her striking red hair is tied back in a ponytail. Roman takes a deep breath and heads inside. The success of Operation Ghost Stories depends on this meeting going to plan. Anna, I'm Roman. Hi. We should get drinks. As Chapman orders, Roman notices that she's fidgeting with her phone and shifting her weight back and forth between her feet. Not good. Nervousness might complicate things. Roman guides Chapman to a window seat where she'll be in direct view of the FBI's video surveillance. Before we talk, I need more information about you. It's clear she's having second thoughts about this meeting. Roman has to judge this just right. I work in the same department as you, but at the consulate. There is a situation I need your help with tomorrow. Which is why this can't wait until your usual contact. On Wednesdays, he sees Chapman visibly relax. Every Wednesday, she uses her laptop to communicate with her SVR contact. Roman's mention of it has reassured her that he's also svr. Chapman mentions the problems she's having with her laptop. Roman offers to take it back to the consulate to have it checked out. Or, he gambles, she could take it back to Moscow herself. The consulate would be better, I think. Less of a hassle. Chapman produces the laptop from her bag and she passes it over to him quickly. He starts to talk about why they had to meet today. He tells her she needs to deliver a false passport to another operative tomorrow. But when he hands over the passport, Chapman's unease seems to return. She looks around for people listening in. Honestly, it took me three hours to get here. We're fine. Behind her sunglasses, Chapman's eyes narrow. Who instructed you to do this today? Roman pauses for a second, considering the best approach. I don't have answers, only instructions. You know how it is. As Roman gets up to leave, he notices just how frightened she looks, arms crossed tightly, as if she's holding herself together. Then he walks out through the office workers with Chapman's laptop in his bag. Things are lining up nicely. A few hours later, an FBI car races through Manhattan, traffic, lights flashing, trying to reach Brooklyn fast as it can. At the wheel, FBI agent Derek Piper checks in with the team tailing Chapman. Where is she now? She just left the Verizon store. We think she bought a burner phone. Damn it. Damn it. I'm on my way. Keep me informed on your location. Piper grits his teeth. A few hours ago, he and the rest of the Operation Ghost Stories team thought they had the arrests in hand. But now Chapman's gone rogue. Instead of going home after meeting Roman, she got a train to Brooklyn. That was the first warning sign in the six months that the FBI have been watching her, she's never visited Brooklyn. So now the FBI is scrambling to keep track of her without doing anything that will alert her to its presence. But her buying a burner phone is bad news. It means she's suspicious about Roman and wants to make a call that the FBI can't listen into. And if she calls the center to check that Roman's for real, she could expose Operation Ghost Stories and give the other illegals a chance to escape. As Piper's car approaches the bridge to Brooklyn, his radio crackles into life again. It's confirmed. Chapman has bought a burner phone. Repeat, Chapman has a burner phone.
- [18:00]
Unknown
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- [19:30]
Indra Varma
Sunday, June 27, 2010. Midnight in Moscow. 27 hours until the arrests. In his apartment in the Russian capital, Swish Raminky district, Anna Chapman's father, Vasily Kushenko, is woken with a start by his ringing phone. He fumbles in the dark for the phone and sees it's a caller from North America. He answers. Hello? Papa. Kushenko snaps awake. He can tell from his daughter's voice something's wrong. He props himself up in bed. This isn't your usual number. It's a burner. What's wrong? I got a call from a man from the consulate. I mean, he said he was from the consulate. He knew the codes, he knew my laptop had problems and asked for a meeting. I met him, but I think something's off about it. Kushenko reaches for a pad of paper to take notes. This is serious. What did he want? He offered to fix my laptop. And of course you didn't. I. I gave him the laptop. Anna, what were you thinking? What is this man's name? Roman. Kushenko is growing impatient, his mind whirling with dark possibilities. Roman what? I don't know. He just said it was Roman. Listen. Do not move. Do not use this phone. I need to speak to someone. Kushenko hangs up and immediately calls SVR headquarters. Two and a half hours after Chapman's call, the FBI field office, New York City. In a secure room, FBI agent Maria Richie and the Operation Ghost Stories team wait nervously by a computer. They got lucky. After Chapman bought her burner phone, she tossed the bag in the trash. The FBI fished the bag out of the trash can, and inside it was a receipt with a burner phone number. Number. Within 10 minutes, the FBI had the number tapped. Now they are waiting to see what happens when Chapman's father in Moscow phones her back. The message flashes on the screen. An incoming call from Moscow on Chapman's burner phone. Papa, I can't get hold of anyone. It's the weekend. What do I do, though? What do I. It will be okay. Here's what you do.
- [21:51]
Unknown
You.
- [21:51]
Indra Varma
You go to the police first thing tomorrow morning. The police? Just listen to me. You go to the police. You say this scary Russian man cornered you in a cafe and asked for your laptop. You were frightened, so you gave it to him. What if they arrest me? What for? You have committed no crime. Have You. You are the victim of a crime, reporting how this man stole your laptop. Richie and the team look at each other. The SVR is onto them yet, but with President Obama refusing to allow arrests before Russia's president leaves American airspace, they're going to have to find a way to stop Chapman causing more headaches before the arrests can happen. Noon the next day Sunday, June 27, 2010 First Precinct Police Station, Lower Manhattan Chapman's just finished giving her statement about her stolen laptop to a uniformed police officer. He finishes his notes and offers an encouraging smile. Don't worry, we've got this. Let me check with a colleague who knows this stuff better than me. Meantime, can I get you anything? Coffee? Sure. Milk, two sugars. The police officer leaves the interview room, but he's not actually a cop. He's an undercover FBI agent. He enters the next room along. Inside, two colleagues are watching Chapman through the one way mirror. She's drumming her fingers on the desk and looking impatient. The fake police officer checks the clock. It's midday. How long do we need to keep her here? Medvedev won't be gone until seven. Orders are that we have to arrest her last. Seven. She's reporting a 10 cent crime and we've had her here for an hour already. Yeah, but you've got to keep stringing her along. If she gets fed up and walks, we don't want her calling Moscow again. Three hours later a supermarket in Montclair, New Jersey. FBI agents Richie and Derek Piper hurry through the entrance and inside. Richie stands, arms wide to embrace the cool of the air conditioning on her skin. Ah, that feels so good. While Chapman stews in the police station, Richie and Piper are leading the team tasked with arresting Cindy and Richard Murphy. But until the arrests get the go ahead, they've been left waiting in this supermarket parking lot, sat in suits and black SUVs while baking in the intense summer sun. Could they have picked a hotter place for us to sit around all day? Piper doesn't reply. His eyes are fixed towards the back of the supermarket. They've got a freezer aisle. The two FBI agents rush over and open the doors to bask in the sub zero temperature. The call to arrest the illegals can't come fast enough. Four hours later the FBI field Office, New York Kohler paces the operations room. He's waiting for the call confirming that Russian President Dimitri Medvedev has left American airspace. Alexander Potiev's flight from Germany has already landed on US soil in Cyprus. The police are standing by to arrest Christopher Metzov across the usa, FBI teams are ready to pounce and arrest Russia's deep cover spies. Kohler checks his watch. It's just past 7pm Medvedev should be out of American airspace any moment now. The phone rings. Kola grabs the receiver. Kola Medvedyev. Kohler slams down the phone and radios the arrest team. All teams go, go, go. Ten minutes later, Cambridge, Massachusetts Russian spies Donald Heathfield and Tracy Foley toast their eldest son Tim's 20th birthday along with their 16 year old Alex. The SVR approved their family vacation to Moscow a few weeks ago. Heathfield and Tim will soon leave for their flight. Foley feels good knowing that soon her children will finally get to experience their real homeland, even if they don't realize it. Heathfield looks surprised, expecting anyone? The boys shake their heads. Foley smiles. Maybe it's some of your friends coming to surprise you. She heads to the door and opens it. Outside she sees a squad of armed FBI agents. FBI we have a warrant. Step aside. Foley steps backwards. FBI agents file into her house. One of the agents turns Foley to face the wall, tells her she's under arrest and cuffs her. From inside the house, she hears her son Tim's confused voice. What the hell is this? Some birthday prank? A few minutes later, Montclair, New Jersey After a long day of waiting and after years of watching from a distance, Richie finally rings the doorbell at the Murphys residence. Richard Murphy aunts with a beer in his hand. His face falls on seeing her and the dozen or so FBI agents in arrest jackets stood behind her. Richie looks into the eyes of the spy whose life she knows almost as well as her own. Murphy's wife, Cindy appears at the door a second later. Honey, was that. Cindy's cheery exterior vanishes, transforming into the stony frown of the SVR colonel she really is. While her colleague Derek Piper deals with Cindy, Richie leads Murphy into the house. Couldn't you have waited a bit longer? I just opened a beer. We do like to plan it like that. Despite what's happening, Murphy can't help but laugh. Richie runs through the required checks before she will take him into custody. Are you on any medications you'll need while in custody? Is it too late to start taking medical marijuana? Yeah, you missed that boat. Richie's surprised. Under surveillance, Murphy seemed downbeat. But now it seems like a weight's been lifted from him. But then he glances at his daughter's drawings on his fridge. I we. What's going to happen to our daughters? They'll be taken care of. I promise. Richard tries to smile again. But falters. Lisa, our youngest, is upstairs sleeping. Can you make sure she gets her medicine? I can show you where we keep it. Richie nods, although she already knows. When's Katie back from her pool party? Richard looks momentarily stunned by the FBI's knowledge of his family. How do you not for a while. Can we be here when she gets back? I'm afraid. Afraid not. But I've made sure the kids won't go to welfare. Murphy meets her gaze and holds it. Thank you. Richie cuffs Murphy and leads him outside. By now the neighbors have gathered to watch. Piper is shutting Cindy in the backseat of the car that will take her away for questioning. Do you need the code for the garage? Nope, we've got that already. As the cars drive away with two spies, the Murphy's 11 year old daughter Katie, wearing a bathing suit and holding an animal floater, arrives home. Richie watches this confused girl trying to make sense of an unfamiliar world. And then she walks over to comfort her. Five minutes later first Precinct Police Station, Lower Manhattan Anna Chapman sits fuming in the interview room as the two cops who have spent the day showing her endless mugshots and bombarding her with meaningless questions re enter the room. No, I do not want more coffee. How much longer is this going to take? The policeman she first met steps forward. Not long. Anna Chapman, we're from the FBI and you're under arrest. Chapman blinked in shock as she becomes the last of the 10 illegals on US soil to be placed in custody. But there's still one more target to arrest. Two DAYS later Larnaca, Cyprus In a courthouse, the pale figure of Christopher Mezos stands in the dock. This morning the Cypriot police arrested him at the airport as he attempted to catch a flight to Hungary. Now he is facing extradition to the United States. The judge looks at the Russian spy now facing charges in his courtroom. Bail is set at €20,000. Metzos leans over and whispers to his lawyer. I have that in my Cypriot bank. I can withdraw it immediately. Metzos lawyer addresses the judge. Your Honor, my client requests that the police take him to his bank so he can post bail. The judge consults and then nods his approval. Very well, Mr. Metzos. Bail conditions are that you surrender your passport, you must remain in Cyprus and report to the police station every evening until your hearing. Do you agree to these terms? The faintest of smiles creeps onto Metzos face as he hands over one of his many passports.
- [32:03]
Unknown
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- [33:29]
Indra Varma
29, 2010 the day of Christopher Mezos's arrest in Cyprus the Prime Minister's office Moscow Prime Minister Vladimir Putin's usually unreadable face flashes with anger. The SVR chief, Mikhail Fradkov, has just informed him of the arrest of 10 deep cover spies in the US along with another in Cyprus. How did this happen? In his long career, Fratkov has never seen Putin so enraged. We believe the Americans had a mole. Colonel Alexander Poteev, a deputy in Directorate S. Putin tries to settle his temper by stacking loose papers on his desk and squaring the edges. Fradkov clears his throat and continues. He failed to show up for work yesterday and we have not been able to trace him. We suspect he has fled the country with American assistance. In a sudden rage, Putin stops squaring his papers and throws them across the room. Mole? You mean traitor. That Judas will rot. He will rot. Putin takes a moment to regain his cool. These people sacrifice their entire lives to serve our nation. Now some squalid little man destroys everything and the Americans use it to humiliate us and make Medvedev look like a fool. You will track Potiyev down, but first you will get our agents back. Fix this. Later that day, SVR Headquarters, Moscow In a secure room, Fratkov listens quietly as the voice of CIA Director Leon Panetta comes through the speakerphone. Sitting in the mirror, Mr. Fradkov, we've been following these people of yours for a decade. We know they are your people. We know more about them than they do. If we prosecute them, it could be very embarrassing for you. Fratkov would usually deny all knowledge, but Putin wants these spies back. And Fradkov needs to salvage something from this disaster. Besides, the CIA called him. That suggests the Americans hope to strike some kind of deal. Fratkopf decides to negotiate. Yes, they are our people. Fradkopf waits for the CIA director to play his hand. Good. Then I propose a trade. Fradkoff feels relieved. He was right. The Americans want to do a deal. The spy swap is on. The following day. The Achilles Hotel, Lanaka, Cyprus. The police officers outside Christopher Metzos's hotel room knock on the door. The Russian spy has failed to report to the police station as required by his bail conditions, so the police have come to rearrest him. Police. Open up. Mr. Metzos. There is no response. The officers pull their guns and signal for the hotel manager to unlock the door. The police enter the hotel room, guns raised, but there's no one inside. Metzos, the most valuable of the FBI's arrest targets, has vanished, taking his secrets with him. July 8, 2010. A secure area inside LaGuardia Airport, New York City. After several days of talks, the CIA and SVR have agreed to the terms of the spy swap. The 10 Russian spies have spent the past week in jail following their arrests. Now they sit in their prison clothes, waiting to board a chartered flight to Vienna, where they are to be exchanged for four Russian prisoners. The spies seem bewildered at the speedy turn of events and unsure about what kind of future awaits them in Moscow. FBI agent Maria Richie hands the people she knows as the Murphy's their passports. You'll get your children's documents, including birth certificates, on the plane. Cindy Murphy nods, betraying no emotion in the manner she has assumed since her arrest. But her husband, Richard Murphy, looks worried. Where are our daughters? They will be waiting for you in Moscow. Richie softens a little as she sees Murphy's concern for his kids. Don't worry, they're safe. Richie lingers. It's an odd moment for her. She has so many questions she wants to ask Murphy. After following his and his family's lives so intimately for nearly a decade, it feels strange to be saying goodbye. I've watched your kids grow up. I know you better than I know some of my own relatives. In that case, maybe you've been working too hard. Richie laughs. She wonders if Murphy regrets the life he chose. She wonders if any of the deep cover agents do. I still can't get used to the idea that you're now Vladimir and Lydia. Before Murphy can respond, Anna Chapman butts in. Can I have my British passport back? Richie looks at her in disbelief. No, we're keeping that one. Really? Yes, really. Chapman looks crestfallen. Ritchie wonders if she's finally realizing that the glamorous life she led in the west is gone for good. Richie's boss, Alan Kohler appears at the gate. It's time people. The plane's ready. Having said goodbye to the Murphy's, Richie watches as the plane leaves, tracking it through the gray Manhattan sky until it's out of sight. She always imagined she'd get to interrogate these spies properly and learn more about what it's like to live a lie for so long. But now that chance for answers is gone. The next day, Vienna, Austria. The plane carrying the Russian spies is parked on the tarmac at Vienna International Airport. Inside, Kohler is sitting with representatives of the CIA and MI6 who are there to collect their spies in the swap. The US could only think of two people they wanted from the Russians, so they added two people that Britain wanted released to the list. They're all now waiting for the signal for the spy swap to begin. Pulled up next to their flight is another plane. It's flown in from Moscow. And on board are the four spies Russia has agreed to exchange to get its illegals back. Kohler takes a last walk down the central aisle after a long transatlantic flight. He wonders if the spies feel more chatty now they're almost home free. He notices an MI6 officer trying to engage with Chapman. She spent the flight in a rage after seeing that her ex husband sold nude photos of her to Britain's tabloid newspapers. She glares at the MI6 man. I'm not interested in your deal. I don't want to be a spy for your queen. I want to go home to Russia. Kola walks on to where Vladimir Guryev, the man who was Richard Murphy, is chatting with one of his FBI colleagues. Did you really have microphones in my house all that time? Yep. Guryv looks thoughtful, perhaps considering the notion that he's had no privacy at all for years. Kohler moves on towards Michael Zertoli, the deep cover spy who lived in Seattle. He's been quiet throughout the whole flight, staring out of the window even when there's little to see. Kola stops next to him. Hey, listen, I'm curious. After all this time, what was it actually like to live in the United States as a spy. Zatoli takes a deep breath. I always knew this day would come. But the longer I lived in the United States, the less and less I thought about it. We lost this one and you won. Next time, who knows? The CIA man near the plane door signals to Kola it's time for the exchange to begin. One by one, the 10 deep cover spies file out of of the plane, led by Donald Heathfield and his wife Tracy Foley, who are still dressed in their orange prison jumpsuits. A minute later, Kohler sees the four spies they were traded for arriving at the other end of the plane. One of them is a solidly built man in a tracksuit. One of the CIA officers greets him. Welcome aboard, Mr. Skripal. Three hours later Domojedovo Airport, Moscow in the arrivals hall, 16 year old Alex Foley stands next to his older brother Tim. Two tiny figures in the vast echoing room. It's been 12 days since the FBI arrested Alex's parents, bringing his comfortable childhood to an abrupt end. Now he and Tim are waiting to be reunited with their parents. Around Alex and his brother stand strangers who speak a language they don't understand and the handlers who accompany them everywhere. He wonders whether his parents will be different people now that they're no longer pretending to be Donald and Tracy, but are once again Andre and Yelena. The plane with their parents landed a few moments ago. Nearby, Alex watches as a woman stands with two confused looking young girls. Clearly two more kids swept up in the same mystery that upended his own life and identity. With a rumble, the door to the jet bridge opens. Alex looks to his older brother and takes his cue from Tim's stoic expression. And so the children of the Russian illegals prepare themselves to meet their unmasked parents. The deep cover spies were treated as heroes upon their return to Russia. Within days of their return, they found themselves meeting Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin. Anna Chapman is now a Russian celebrity and businesswoman. Her former British husband, Alex, died of a drug overdose in 2018. In 2024, she published her biography in Russia. In it, she alleges Alex committed sexual violence against her. Mikhail Kucyk, the spy who used the name Michael Zatoli, went on to work for the Russian energy giant Gazprom. Vladimir Guriev and Lydia Gurieva, who lived as Richard and Cindy Murphy, were reunited with their two young daughters in Russia. Andrei Bezrukov became a lecturer at the Moscow State Institute of International Relations. Tracy Foley, real name Yelena Vavilova, wrote a fictionalized account of her spying career called the Woman who Can Keep Secrets. Their sons Tim and Alex went to court to keep their Canadian citizenship and won. Christopher Mezos hasn't been seen since his disappearance in Cyprus. The FBI have offered a fifty thousand dollar reward for information leading to his arrest. In 2011, a Russian court found Alexander Potiev guilty of high treason in absentia. In 2020, a Russian plot to assassinate him in Florida was foiled. He is now thought to be living under an assumed identity somewhere in the usa. Sergei Skripal, who was traded back to the UK as part of the spy swap, was the victim of an assassination attempt in Salisbury by Russian intelligence in 2018. You can hear his story in our season the Spy Putin Poisoned Join us in the next episode as Charlie Higson sits down with Jack Barski, one of the most successful Russian operatives to pose as an American citizen. For nearly two decades he lived a double life, but that was before everything turned upside down. Jack reflects on the ethics of espionage and reveals what he might have accomplished had his cover not been blown. Wondery plus subscribers can binge full seasons of the Spy who early and ad free on Apple Podcasts or the Wondery app.
- [46:39]
Unknown
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- [46:57]
Indra Varma
Have you got a spy story you'd like us to tell? Email your ideas to the spy whoandry.com from Wondry this is the third episode in our season, the Spies who Invaded Suburbia. A quick note about our dialogue we can't know everything that was said or done behind closed doors, particularly far back in history, but our scenes are written using the best available sources. So even if a scene or conversation has been recreated for dramatic effect, it's still based on biographical research. We used many sources in our research for this season, including Russians Among Us by Gordon Carrera and Spy Swap by Nigel West. The Spy who is hosted by me, Indra Varma. Our show is produced produced by Vespucci with writing and story editing by Yellowant for Wondery for Yellowant. This episode was written by Christian Donlon and researched by Louise Byrne, with special thanks to Valeria Cortez. Our managing producer is Jay Priest. For Vespucci, our senior producers are Ashley Clivery and Philippa Gearing. Our sound designer is Iver Manley. Rachel Byrne is the supervising producer. Music supervisor is Scott Velasquez for Frisson Sync. Executive producers for Vespucci are Johnny Galvin and Daniel Turkan. Executive producer for Yellowant is Tristan Donovan. Our senior producer for Wondery is Theodora Luludis. And our senior managing producer is Rachel Sibley. Executive producers for Wondery are Estelle Doyle, Chris Bourne, Morgan Jones Jones and Marshall Louie.