“Fat Leonard” is the most shocking unknown tale of our era: Leonard Francis, a 350-pound defense contractor, bribed U.S. Navy officers with cash, prostitutes and luxury items in return for fraudulent multi-million-dollar deals. Eventually the NCIS set up an off-the-books operation to entrap Leonard. As details of his fraud became clear, the Navy moved to protect its senior ranks. In “Fat Leonard,” the debut podcast from Project Brazen (the content studio created by “Billion Dollar Whale” co-authors and former Wall Street Journal reporters Bradley Hope and Tom Wright), Leonard himself, detained since 2013, is talking for the first time -- and he’s angry. Host Tom Wright has spent hours with Leonard, but also recording scores of other voices, including the brave women who exposed the fraud. The alarming and sordid details in “Fat Leonard” lay bare the misogyny and sexual abuse that persist in the U.S. military and could destabilize the biggest trials yet of Navy officers in this case, set to begin in 2022. “Fat Leonard” will change the way you look at the Navy forever.
Spy Valley: An Engineer's Nuclear Betrayal
This week on Brazen Presents, we’re sharing a special preview of Spy Valley: An Engineer's Nuclear Betrayal. This new series uncovers Silicon Valley’s origins as a laboratory for espionage.
At the dawn of the hi-tech age, Moscow’s spies opened up shop in San Francisco and Silicon Valley. In this podcast, you’ll get to know the group of FBI spy hunters who assembled to stop them—and solve the case of a lifetime.
Hosted by national security journalist Zach Dorfman, Spy Valley will walk you through a maze of technology theft, double agents, and unbelievable events that put an American engineer at the center of it all.
There are new episodes of Spy Valley out now. To keep listening, search for Spy Valley: An Engineer's Nuclear Betrayal, wherever you get your podcasts.
To listen ad-free and get early access to new episodes, subscribe to Brazen+ in the Apple Podcasts app, or visit brazen.fm/plus to subscribe on other platforms.
8/15/2023 • 13 minutes, 4 seconds
Introducing Ritually: Exploring spirituality in a secular world
This week on Brazen Presents, we’re sharing a special preview of the first episode of Ritually, a brand new Brazen podcast exploring what spirituality looks like for our secular world.
Join journalist-turned-guinea pig Nelufar Hedayat as she tries a new ritual in every episode. From sacred readings of Harry Potter to tarot cards, Nelufar dives in with the help of a different spiritual guide each week to see if these practices can actually make us feel better. In episode one, Nelufar struggles with patriarchal interpretations of Islam and decides to enlist the help of feminist spiritual practitioner Sarah Zaltash. She tries a new ritual to deepen her connection to Islam: following the daily call to prayer. It’s a practice that unites 1.8 billion Muslims around the world. But this version is different — radical, actually! — because it’s in a woman’s voice.
There are new episodes of Ritually out now. To keep listening, search for Ritually, wherever you get your podcasts. To listen ad-free and get early access to new episodes, subscribe to Brazen+ in the Apple Podcasts app or at brazen.fm/plus.
For more, visit ritually/fm.
7/19/2023 • 38 minutes, 35 seconds
Two Journalists, Two Regimes, Two Trumped-Up Arrests
In May, Project Brazen released a podcast about Evan Gershkovich, the Wall Street Journal correspondent who was arrested by Russian authorities back in March. Evan was falsely accused of espionage, and he’s being held in a Moscow prison until his trial date in August.
In that episode, we explored questions around press freedom, journalist safety and security, and the future of foreign correspondence in an increasingly polarized and hostile world. For this episode, reporter Neha Wadekar spoke to another journalist - one who probably can relate to Evan’s situation better than anyone.
Jason Rezaian moved to Tehran in 2009 and became the Washington Post correspondent and Tehran bureau chief there. In 2014, Jason and his wife - who was also a journalist - were arrested on charges of espionage. Jason was held for 544 days and convicted of espionage, before finally being released and returning to the United States.
We interviewed Jason about the similarities and differences in the two cases and asked him to share a message for Evan Gershkovich.
7/5/2023 • 18 minutes, 57 seconds
How the US Women’s Soccer Team scored their victory for equal pay
This week on Brazen Presents, we’re sharing a special preview from our new series of The Closer — the podcast that tells the inside story of deals that changed the world.
The Closer returns this summer with six dramatic new stories of groundbreaking deals. An epic fight from soccer's biggest stars, a private equity redemption story, the end of a toy empire, and so much more.
In episode one, The Closer takes a look at the US Women's National Soccer Team. It’s among the most decorated teams in the game but, until recently, it was paid a fraction of what the men took home. When the players decided to take up the fight for equal pay, they turned to sports attorney Jeffrey Kessler, who built a career out of representing some of the most high-profile athletes in labor disputes with professional leagues. He takes us inside the team’s strategy and reveals how they got the deal done.
To keep listening, search for The Closer wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe to Brazen+ on Apple Podcasts to unlock new episodes before everyone else, as well ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content.
6/22/2023 • 45 minutes, 34 seconds
The Man For Whom the Underworld Shivers
This week on Brazen Presents, we’re sharing a special preview of the first episode of Gateway: Cocaine, Murder & Dirty Money in Europe, Project Brazen’s podcast that takes you inside the hidden world of cocaine.
In this six-part podcast series from Project Brazen, host Mitchell Prothero explores Europe’s cocaine crisis through the dramatic stories of cartel leaders, cops, journalists, and the victims caught in the middle. From RPG attacks on newspaper offices to the slaughter of entire families, the war on drugs has arrived on Europe’s shores. And a lot of people are making a lot of dirty money. Reporting from Antwerp and Amsterdam, Project Brazen goes deep inside this crazy under-reported story.
There are new episodes of Gateway out now. To keep listening, search for Gateway: Cocaine, Murder & Dirty Money in Europe, wherever you get your podcasts. To listen ad-free and get early access to new episodes, subscribe to Brazen+ in the Apple Podcasts app.
For more, visit brazen.fm/gateway.
6/20/2023 • 22 minutes, 55 seconds
Reporting True Crime During the Crime: Meet Mitchell Prothero
This week on Brazen Presents, we’re bringing you a special bonus interview with the host and lead reporter of Brazen’s latest podcast: GATEWAY: Cocaine, Murder, & Dirty Money in Europe.
Launching 5 June 2023, GATEWAY is hosted by journalist Mitchell Prothero, and in this bonus episode he shares the inside story of the new six-part series exploring Europe’s cocaine crisis through the dramatic stories of cartel leaders, cops, journalists, and the victims caught in the middle. From RPG attacks on newspaper offices to the slaughter of entire families, the war on drugs has arrived on Europe’s shores. And a lot of people are making a lot of dirty money.
To listen to episode one, search for GATEWAY wherever you listen to podcasts.
Plus, subscribe to Brazen+ on Apple Podcasts and get early access to new episodes, along with ad-free listening and bonus content from the show.
www.brazen.fm/gateway
6/7/2023 • 15 minutes, 14 seconds
ORIGINALS: Inside the Secret Industry Fueled By Oligarchs, Foreign Intelligence and the Ultra-Rich
How can journalists, activists, opposition figures, and even lawyers and business leaders protect themselves from the threat of private surveillance? In this Project Brazen Originals bonus episode, co-founder Bradley Hope sits down with Oscar Zero, the managing director of a private counter-surveillance company, to uncover the secrets of a shadowy industry frequently weaponised by intelligence agencies and the ultra-rich.
To watch the full documentary, visit: www.projectbrazen.com/hiddenworlds
