Episodes

  • 383: Harry Samit – Arresting Zacarias Moussaoui, The "20th Hijacker"
    Jan 8 2026

    Retired agent Harry Samit reviews his investigation of Zacarias Moussaoui. Harry was assigned the case after the FBI's Minneapolis Division had been contacted by a flight school that reported its suspicions about Moussaoui, who had paid $8,000 in cash for a flight simulator course to fly a commercial Boeing 747 aircraft even though he had no background in aviation. Harry's investigation of Moussaoui as a potential threat to commit a terrorist act was stymied by program managers at FBI Headquarters. Moussaoui was later charged, convicted, and sentenced to life in prison as a co-conspirator of the September 11 terrorist attacks. He provides his thoughts on whether Moussaoui was going to be al-Qaeda's "20th hijacker," assigned to crash a plane into the White House. Harry is the author of The Zacarias Moussaoui Matter: The Arrest and Trial of a 9/11 Al Qaeda Operative. Harry Samit served in the FBI for 21-years. Check out the episode show notes, photos, and related articles: https://jerriwilliams.com/383-harry-samit-arresting-zacarias-moussaoui-the-20th-hijacker/



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    1 hr and 53 mins
  • 382: Michael Clarke and Jack McFarland – Disrupting The Commission, U.S. Virgin Islands
    Dec 24 2025

    Retired FBI agent Michael Clarke and retired DEA agent Jack McFarland review their 2004 joint FBI and DEA investigation of "The Commission," a violent criminal gang operating in the U.S. Virgin Islands which includes St. Thomas, St. John, and St. Croix, whose members were convicted in federal court for racketeering, murder, and drug trafficking. The case was conducted under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program, the Safe Streets Task Force initiative, and the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) program. Mike and Jack both served as agents for 32 years. Check out episode show notes, photos, and related articles: https://jerriwilliams.com/382-michael-clarke-and-jack-mcfarland-disrupting-the-commission-us-virgin-islands/




    Join my Reader Team to get the FBI Reading Resource - Books about the FBI, written by FBI agents, the 20 clichés about the FBI Reality Checklist, and keep up to date on the FBI in books, TV, and movies via my monthly email. Join here. http://eepurl.com/dzCCmL



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    Check out my FBI books, non-fiction and crime fiction, available as audiobooks, ebooks and paperbacks wherever books are sold. https://jerriwilliams.com/books/

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    1 hr and 15 mins
  • 381: William Peterson – Kenya Kidnapping, Most Wanted Terrorist Sajid Mir
    Dec 18 2025

    Retired agent William Peterson reviews two cases, his kidnapping investigation where two American businessmen in Kenya where held for ransom and his assistance in the capture and identification of terrorist Sajid Mir, a senior member of the Pakistan-based Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) Lashkar-e-Tayyiba (LeT). Mir is on the FBI Most Wanted list for his leading role in the planning, preparation, and execution of the November 2008 terrorist attacks in Mumbai, India. These were just two of the significant investigations Peterson worked during his FBI counterterrorism and international law enforcement career. He served in the FBI for 23 years.

    Check out episode show notes, photos, and related articles: https://jerriwilliams.com/381-william-peterson-kenya-kidnapping-most-wanted-terrorist-sajid-mir/

    Join my Reader Team to get the FBI Reading Resource - Books about the FBI, written by FBI agents, the 20 clichés about the FBI Reality Checklist, and keep up to date on the FBI in books, TV, and movies via my monthly email. Join here. http://eepurl.com/dzCCmL

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    Check out my FBI books, non-fiction and crime fiction, available as audiobooks, ebooks and paperbacks wherever books are sold. https://jerriwilliams.com/books/

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    1 hr and 2 mins
  • 380: James Gaylord - China's Family of Spies (Part 2) Chasing Chi
    Dec 11 2025

    In part two of this two-part episode, retired agent Jim Gaylord reviews the resolution of his investigation and the prosecution of Chi Mak and family members as spies for the People's Republic of China (PRC). Chi was an engineer who had immigrated from Kwang-Tung, China, and was employed with a U.S. company designing sensitive U.S. military and commercial technologies. Jim was assigned to investigate whether Chi was stealing U.S. Navy secrets from his employer. This case highlights the bureaucratic friction that jeopardized efforts to break the string of espionage failures. Check out episode show notes, photos, and related articles: https://jerriwilliams.com/380-james-gaylord-chasing-chi-chinas-family-of-spies-part-2/




    Join my Reader Team to get the FBI Reading Resource - Books about the FBI, written by FBI agents, the 20 clichés about the FBI Reality Checklist, and keep up to date on the FBI in books, TV, and movies via my monthly email. Join here. http://eepurl.com/dzCCmL


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    Check out my FBI books, non-fiction and crime fiction, available as audiobooks, ebooks and paperbacks wherever books are sold. https://jerriwilliams.com/books/

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    1 hr and 2 mins
  • 379: James Gaylord - China's Family of Spies (Part 1) Chasing Chi
    Dec 4 2025

    In part one of this two-part episode, retired agent Jim Gaylord reviews his espionage investigation and the prosecution of Chi Mak and his family members as spies for the People's Republic of China. Chi was an engineer who had immigrated from Kwang-Tung, China, and was employed with a U.S. company designing sensitive U.S. military and commercial technologies. Jim was assigned to investigate whether Chi was stealing U.S. Navy secrets from his employer. Jim is the author of Chasing Chi: The FBI's Groundbreaking Pursuit of China's Most Prolific Spy Family. He served in the FBI for 31 years.

    Check out episode show notes, photos, and related articles: https://jerriwilliams.com/379-james-gaylord-chasing-chi-chinas-family-of-spies-part-1/




    Join my Reader Team to get the FBI Reading Resource - Books about the FBI, written by FBI agents, the 20 clichés about the FBI Reality Checklist, and keep up to date on the FBI in books, TV, and movies via my monthly email. Join here. http://eepurl.com/dzCCmL

    Buy me a coffee - https://www.buymeacoffee.com/JerriWilliams



    Check out my FBI books, non-fiction and crime fiction, available as audiobooks, ebooks and paperbacks wherever books are sold. https://jerriwilliams.com/books/

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    1 hr and 10 mins
  • 378: John Schachnovsky – FBI in Thailand, Death of Famous Actor, Frozen Body Parts
    Nov 27 2025

    Retired agent John Schachnovsky recounts his role in the investigation of the suspicious death of the actor David Carradine, the identification of frozen body parts discovered in a freezer in Bangkok, and a fraudulent financial transaction which originated in Memphis, Tennessee, but was resolved in a local Thai bank. John wrote about these investigations and many more in his memoir, Beyond the Badge: Crime, Justice, and the FBI in Thailand, available for pre-order now and in stores on December 9, 2025. John served in the FBI for 20 years.

    Check out the episode's show notes, photos, and related articles: https://jerriwilliams.com/378-john-schachnovsky-fbi-in-thailand-death-of-famous-actor-frozen-body-parts/





    Join my Reader Team to get the FBI Reading Resource - Books about the FBI, written by FBI agents, the 20 clichés about the FBI Reality Checklist, and keep up to date on the FBI in books, TV, and movies via my monthly email. Join here. http://eepurl.com/dzCCmL


    Buy me a coffee - https://www.buymeacoffee.com/JerriWilliams



    Check out my FBI books, non-fiction and crime fiction, available as audiobooks, ebooks and paperbacks wherever books are sold. https://jerriwilliams.com/books/

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    1 hr and 7 mins
  • 377: Séamus McElearney - Flipping Capo, How the FBI Dismantled the Real Sopranos
    Nov 20 2025
    Retired agent Séamus McElearney reviews his investigation of the DeCavalcante crime family—infamously known as "the real Sopranos"—and how he convinced Anthony Capo, a violent soldier in the DeCavalcante family to become the first made member in the family's century-long history to cooperate with law enforcement. Séamus is the author of Flipping Capo: How the FBI Dismantled the Real Sopranos. He served in the FBI for 21 years. Check out the episode show notes, photos, and related articles: https://jerriwilliams.com/377-seamus-mcelearney-flipping-capo-how-the-fbi-dismantled-the-real-sopranos/

    Also listen to this Philly Prime Podcast episode about the Netflix documentary series - Mob War: Philadelphia vs The Mafia

    https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mob-war-philadelphia-vs-the-mafia/id1499361133?i=1000733364125

    Join my Reader Team to get the FBI Reading Resource - Books about the FBI, written by FBI agents, the 20 clichés about the FBI Reality Checklist, and keep up to date on the FBI in books, TV, and movies via my monthly email. Join here. http://eepurl.com/dzCCmL

    Buy me a coffee - https://www.buymeacoffee.com/JerriWilliams Check out my FBI books, non-fiction and crime fiction, available as audiobooks, ebooks and paperbacks wherever books are sold. https://jerriwilliams.com/books/
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    1 hr and 11 mins
  • 376: Brian Herrick and Mike Levy – TV News Anchor Computer Hacking Case
    Nov 13 2025

    Retired agent Brian Herrick and retired Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) Michael Levy review the computer hacking investigation and prosecution of former Philadelphia CBS affiliate news anchor Larry Mendte who hacked into the email accounts of his co-anchor Alycia Lane and leaked private information about her to the media. Mendte was charged with intentionally accessing a protected computer without authorization. Brian Herrick served with the FBI for 20 years.

    Check out the episode's show notes, photos, and case-related articles: https://jerriwilliams.com/376-brian-herrick-and-mike-levy-tv-news-anchor-computer-hacking-case/

    Join my Reader Team to get the FBI Reading Resource - Books about the FBI, written by FBI agents, the 20 clichés about the FBI Reality Checklist, and keep up to date on the FBI in books, TV, and movies via my monthly email. Join here. http://eepurl.com/dzCCmL

    Buy me a coffee - https://www.buymeacoffee.com/JerriWilliams

    Check out my FBI books, non-fiction and crime fiction, available as audiobooks, ebooks and paperbacks wherever books are sold. https://jerriwilliams.com/books/

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    1 hr and 20 mins