Robert is joined by Danl Goodman to discuss Jack Idema, the greatest conman of The Afghan War.




Footnotes:
Operation Desert Fraud
Bad company: 'Jack' Idema and the bounty hunters of Kabul
Vigilante Torturer Dies in Mexico
Osama-Hunter Only the Latest Terror-Fightin' Wannabe
Man Who Hunted Bin Laden With a Sword Now Jailed on a Gun Charge
The Man Who Believed Himself
The Shadow Warrior: Jack Idema
Freelance Terrorist Hunter
Tin Soldier
Convicted Torturer, Vigilante in Mexican Stand-Off
Jack Idema
Jack Idema, jailed for torturing Afghans, reportedly dies in Mexico

 Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

Robert is joined by Danl Goodman to discuss Jack Idema, the greatest conman of The Afghan War. Footnotes:<ol>
<li><a href="https://nymag.com/nymetro/news/people/features/10121/">Operation Desert Fraud</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/bad-company-jack-idema-and-the-bounty-hunters-of-kabul-552747.html">Bad company: 'Jack' Idema and the bounty hunters of Kabul</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.wired.com/2012/01/vigilante-dies-in-mexico/">Vigilante Torturer Dies in Mexico</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.wired.com/2010/06/osama-hunter-only-the-latest-terror-fightin-wannabe/">Osama-Hunter Only the Latest Terror-Fightin' Wannabe</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.wired.com/2011/12/gary-brooks-faulkner-jail/">Man Who Hunted Bin Laden With a Sword Now Jailed on a Gun Charge</a></li>
<li><a href="https://nation.time.com/2012/02/01/the-man-who-believed-himself/">The Man Who Believed Himself</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/the-shadow-warrior-jack-idema-232967/">The Shadow Warrior: Jack Idema</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.nbcnews.com/id/18045004/ns/world_news-south_and_central_asia/t/freelance-terrorist-hunter-be-released/#.XsNI9hNKhp9">Freelance Terrorist Hunter</a></li>
<li><a href="https://archives.cjr.org/fiftieth_anniversary/tin_soldier.php?page=all">Tin Soldier</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.wired.com/2010/08/convicted-torturer-vigilante-idema-in-mexican-stand-off/">Convicted Torturer, Vigilante in Mexican Stand-Off</a></li>
<li><a href="http://theorlandoslantnel.blogspot.com/2011/01/jonathan-keith-idema-jack-black-jack.html">Jack Idema</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.mcclatchydc.com/news/nation-world/world/article24722962.html">Jack Idema, jailed for torturing Afghans, reportedly dies in Mexico</a></li>
</ol> Learn more about your ad-choices at <a href="https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com">https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com</a>

There’s a reason the History Channel has produced hundreds of documentaries about Hitler but only a few about Dwight D. Eisenhower. Bad guys (and gals) are eternally fascinating. Behind the Bastards dives in past the Cliffs Notes of the worst humans in history and exposes the bizarre realities of their lives. Listeners will learn about the young adult novels that helped Hitler form his monstrous ideology, the founder of Blackwater’s insane quest to build his own Air Force, the bizarre lives of the sons and daughters of dictators and Saddam Hussein’s side career as a trashy romance novelist.

There’s a reason the History Channel has produced hundreds of documentaries about Hitler but only a few about Dwight D. Eisenhower. Bad guys (and gals) are eternally fascinating. Behind the Bastards dives in past the Cliffs Notes of the worst humans in history and exposes the bizarre realities of their lives. Listeners will learn about the young adult novels that helped Hitler form his monstrous ideology, the founder of Blackwater’s insane quest to build his own Air Force, the bizarre lives of the sons and daughters of dictators and Saddam Hussein’s side career as a trashy romance novelist.

Everything you don't know about History's greatest monsters

Behind the Bastards

Part One: Jack Idema: The War On Terror's Dumbest Grifter

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/b47547cd-ef90-430f-b6f2-ae28016c8485/transcript

Robert explains how Jeffrey Epstein became increasingly pilled on right-wing media and even started funding race science to further his eugenics-laced views.

Sources:

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lifestyle/lifestyle-news/strange-saga-jeffrey-epstein-s-link-brock-pierce-1240462/

https://protos.com/brock-pierces-dark-and-disturbing-friendship-with-jeffrey-epstein/

https://protos.com/new-epstein-files-reveal-contact-with-bitcoin-dev-andresen-before-cia-briefing/

https://www.btcc.com/en-US/square/NodeS4mur4i/1476425

https://www.politico.com/news/2026/01/30/jeffrey-epstein-files-bannon-musk-00758613

https://www.garbageday.email/p/here-s-how-epstein-broke-the-internet

https://decrypt.co/348724/jeffrey-epstein-bitcoin-crypto-taxes-steve-bannon-emails

https://www.garbageday.email/p/here-s-how-epstein-broke-the-internet

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/feb/02/epstein-files-trump

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/31/us/epstein-powerful-men.html

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/crime/lifestyles-of-the-rich-and-famous-star-robin-leach-appears-in-epstein-files-dump/ar-AA1Voj3M

https://www.politico.com/news/2026/01/30/jeffrey-epstein-files-bannon-musk-00758613

https://www.politico.com/news/2025/09/26/musk-bannon-thiel-epstein-documents-00582627

https://www.cryptobreaking.com/how-crypto-figures-in-epstein/

 https://bsky.app/profile/picklebee.bsky.social/post/3mdss63eemc2n

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/31/us/epstein-powerful-men.html

https://www.the-independent.com/news/world/americas/crime/epstein-files-elon-musk-prince-andrew-richard-branson-b2911945.html

https://medium.com/@areidross/neoliberalism-is-not-the-final-boss-and-it-never-was-63918dc68a51

https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%2010/EFTA01761115.pdf

https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%2010/EFTA01968406.pdf

https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%209/EFTA00824843.pdf`

https://bsky.app/profile/msmaxwellmusic.bsky.social/post/3mdsxo35qo222

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/fbi-tip-alleged-trump-witnessed-epstein-victims-baby-being-killed-dumped-in-lake-michigan/ar-AA1T5KJc

https://www.cnn.com/2026/01/31/politics/new-documents-trump-epstein

https://barthsnotes.com/2026/02/01/conspiracists-focus-on-murder-and-sra-adjacent-allegations-in-epstein-document-release/

https://www.news.com.au/world/north-america/jeffrey-epstein-files-reveal-dinner-image-with-tech-billionaires-zuckerberg-and-musk/news-story/8a640c675dcabf36f6a972254bd1dc8c

https://www.thedailybeast.com/mark-zuckerbergs-wild-dinner-with-epstein-revealed-in-files/

https://transnews.network/p/epstein-backed-prominent-anti-trans-figures?modal=login

https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/peteraldhous/jeffrey-epstein-john-brockman-edge-foundation?utm_campaign=epstein-backed-billionaires-dinner-network-of-prominent-anti-trans-figures&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=transnews.network

https://www.edge.org/about-edgeorg

https://transnews.network/p/epstein-backed-prominent-anti-trans-figures?modal=login

https://www.totalprosports.com/motor-sports/ex-nascar-star-exposed-sexually-explicit-convo-jeffrey-epstein-email-release/

https://www.the-independent.com/news/world/americas/crime/epstein-files-elon-musk-prince-andrew-richard-branson-b2911945.html

https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%2010/EFTA01894969.pdf

https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%2010/EFTA01972089.pdf?utm_campaign=here-s-how-epstein-broke-the-internet&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=www.garbageday.email

https://archive.is/ObiDP#selection-917.2-925.110

https://www.newsweek.com/white-supremacist-wants-more-control-over-women-after-girlfriend-missing-1834188

https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%209/EFTA01249566.pdf?utm_campaign=here-s-how-epstein-broke-the-internet&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=www.garbageday.email

https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%2011/EFTA02382770.pdf?utm_campaign=here-s-how-epstein-broke-the-internet&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=www.garbageday.email

https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2016/05/07/bills-sex-accusers-echo-trump-hillary-enabler/

https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%209/EFTA00782408.pdf

https://www.justice.gov/epstein

https://www.garbageday.email/p/here-s-how-epstein-broke-the-internet

https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%2011/EFTA02394746.pdf

https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%2010/EFTA01615377.pdf

https://www.justice.gov/epstein/search

https://www.webcitation.org/6159jR9pC?utm_campaign=here-s-how-epstein-broke-the-internet&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=www.garbageday.email

https://maxread.substack.com/about

https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%2010/EFTA01761115.pdf

https://www.thegamer.com/jeffrey-epstein-call-of-duty-microtransactions/

https://kotaku.com/jeffrey-epstein-files-bobby-kotick-activision-ghislaine-maxwell-2000665456

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-04-17/childrens-video-games-addictive-features-gaming-report/105136744

https://www.bbc.com/news/business-65372710

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/bitlicense-5-timeline-york-landmark-140100043.html

https://web.archive.org/web/20140812110838/https://www.dfs.ny.gov/about/press2014/pr1407171-vc.pdf

https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%2010/EFTA01916226.pdf

https://www.cbtnuggets.com/blog/technology/networking/l1-l2-vs-l3-whats-the-difference

https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%2011/EFTA02604992.pdf

https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%2011/EFTA02367627.pdf

https://x.com/Acquired_Savant/status/2018160077769789584?s=20

https://www.msn.com/en-us/technology/cryptocurrencies/epstein-files-spark-false-claims-linking-disgraced-financier-to-bitcoin-control/ar-AA1VvfOf

https://archive.is/7tNPw#selection-1551.152-1551.226

https://techcrunch.com/2026/01/24/sec-drops-lawsuit-against-winklevoss-twins-gemini-crypto-exchange/

https://www.reddit.com/r/Buttcoin/comments/17t6txf/how_bad_would_a_bank_run_have_to_be_to_push/

https://blocknuggets.com/news/tether-crash-threatens-crypto-world/

https://protos.com/new-epstein-files-reveal-contact-with-bitcoin-dev-andresen-before-cia-briefing/

https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/steve-bannon-once-guided-a-global-firm-that-made-millions-helping-gamers-cheat/2017/08/04/ef7ae442-76c8-11e7-803f-a6c989606ac7_story.html

https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2000-may-07-mn-27448-story.html

https://www.aol.com/news/child-star-turned-millionaire-brock-155613028.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly9kdWNrZHVja2dvLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAKtPluqCxdqV4VcHB6HTxIxjXR83tFW5Uav6fNBwHvED7ZM4EnkIlshTjQmsCe4DushIa2m8yCN1LOOag1v5Da1JRt4Vg60GG-hCcHRAFaXNUQ0J_hgM9vJoWYu5FjwTJesqS6sFyF2S9UYAhKGh-gVahFSwfsqay3pKzyv3rKvw

Part Three: How Jeffrey Epstein Helped Build the Modern World

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/4ff4c970-386d-4550-810d-b3fa01773546/transcript

Robert explores how Jeffrey Epstein used his friendship with Brock Pierce and his influence with Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick to push for micro transactions in video games to "indoctrinate" children.

Robert explores how Jeffrey Epstein used his friendship with Brock Pierce and his influence with Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick to push for micro transactions in video games to "indoctrinate" children.

Part Two: How Jeffrey Epstein Helped Build the Modern World

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/d918458c-e5b8-4165-a00c-b3f50140e645/transcript

Robert begins to explore the new Epstein files with Andrew Ti and unveils a conspiracy that crosses cryptocurrency, right-wing political power and, believe it or not, video game micro transactions.

(4 Part Series)

Sources:

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lifestyle/lifestyle-news/strange-saga-jeffrey-epstein-s-link-brock-pierce-1240462/

https://protos.com/brock-pierces-dark-and-disturbing-friendship-with-jeffrey-epstein/

https://protos.com/new-epstein-files-reveal-contact-with-bitcoin-dev-andresen-before-cia-briefing/

https://www.btcc.com/en-US/square/NodeS4mur4i/1476425

https://www.politico.com/news/2026/01/30/jeffrey-epstein-files-bannon-musk-00758613

https://www.garbageday.email/p/here-s-how-epstein-broke-the-internet

https://decrypt.co/348724/jeffrey-epstein-bitcoin-crypto-taxes-steve-bannon-emails

https://www.garbageday.email/p/here-s-how-epstein-broke-the-internet

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/feb/02/epstein-files-trump

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/31/us/epstein-powerful-men.html

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/crime/lifestyles-of-the-rich-and-famous-star-robin-leach-appears-in-epstein-files-dump/ar-AA1Voj3M

https://www.politico.com/news/2026/01/30/jeffrey-epstein-files-bannon-musk-00758613

https://www.politico.com/news/2025/09/26/musk-bannon-thiel-epstein-documents-00582627

https://www.cryptobreaking.com/how-crypto-figures-in-epstein/

 https://bsky.app/profile/picklebee.bsky.social/post/3mdss63eemc2n

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/31/us/epstein-powerful-men.html

https://www.the-independent.com/news/world/americas/crime/epstein-files-elon-musk-prince-andrew-richard-branson-b2911945.html

https://medium.com/@areidross/neoliberalism-is-not-the-final-boss-and-it-never-was-63918dc68a51

https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%2010/EFTA01761115.pdf

https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%2010/EFTA01968406.pdf

https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%209/EFTA00824843.pdf`

https://bsky.app/profile/msmaxwellmusic.bsky.social/post/3mdsxo35qo222

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/fbi-tip-alleged-trump-witnessed-epstein-victims-baby-being-killed-dumped-in-lake-michigan/ar-AA1T5KJc

https://www.cnn.com/2026/01/31/politics/new-documents-trump-epstein

https://barthsnotes.com/2026/02/01/conspiracists-focus-on-murder-and-sra-adjacent-allegations-in-epstein-document-release/

https://www.news.com.au/world/north-america/jeffrey-epstein-files-reveal-dinner-image-with-tech-billionaires-zuckerberg-and-musk/news-story/8a640c675dcabf36f6a972254bd1dc8c

https://www.thedailybeast.com/mark-zuckerbergs-wild-dinner-with-epstein-revealed-in-files/

https://transnews.network/p/epstein-backed-prominent-anti-trans-figures?modal=login

https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/peteraldhous/jeffrey-epstein-john-brockman-edge-foundation?utm_campaign=epstein-backed-billionaires-dinner-network-of-prominent-anti-trans-figures&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=transnews.network

https://www.edge.org/about-edgeorg

https://transnews.network/p/epstein-backed-prominent-anti-trans-figures?modal=login

https://www.totalprosports.com/motor-sports/ex-nascar-star-exposed-sexually-explicit-convo-jeffrey-epstein-email-release/

https://www.the-independent.com/news/world/americas/crime/epstein-files-elon-musk-prince-andrew-richard-branson-b2911945.html

https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%2010/EFTA01894969.pdf

https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%2010/EFTA01972089.pdf?utm_campaign=here-s-how-epstein-broke-the-internet&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=www.garbageday.email

https://archive.is/ObiDP#selection-917.2-925.110

https://www.newsweek.com/white-supremacist-wants-more-control-over-women-after-girlfriend-missing-1834188

https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%209/EFTA01249566.pdf?utm_campaign=here-s-how-epstein-broke-the-internet&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=www.garbageday.email

https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%2011/EFTA02382770.pdf?utm_campaign=here-s-how-epstein-broke-the-internet&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=www.garbageday.email

https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2016/05/07/bills-sex-accusers-echo-trump-hillary-enabler/

https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%209/EFTA00782408.pdf

https://www.justice.gov/epstein

https://www.garbageday.email/p/here-s-how-epstein-broke-the-internet

https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%2011/EFTA02394746.pdf

https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%2010/EFTA01615377.pdf

https://www.justice.gov/epstein/search

https://www.webcitation.org/6159jR9pC?utm_campaign=here-s-how-epstein-broke-the-internet&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=www.garbageday.email

https://maxread.substack.com/about

https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%2010/EFTA01761115.pdf

https://www.thegamer.com/jeffrey-epstein-call-of-duty-microtransactions/

https://kotaku.com/jeffrey-epstein-files-bobby-kotick-activision-ghislaine-maxwell-2000665456

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-04-17/childrens-video-games-addictive-features-gaming-report/105136744

https://www.bbc.com/news/business-65372710

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/bitlicense-5-timeline-york-landmark-140100043.html

https://web.archive.org/web/20140812110838/https://www.dfs.ny.gov/about/press2014/pr1407171-vc.pdf

https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%2010/EFTA01916226.pdf

https://www.cbtnuggets.com/blog/technology/networking/l1-l2-vs-l3-whats-the-difference

https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%2011/EFTA02604992.pdf

https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%2011/EFTA02367627.pdf

https://x.com/Acquired_Savant/status/2018160077769789584?s=20

https://www.msn.com/en-us/technology/cryptocurrencies/epstein-files-spark-false-claims-linking-disgraced-financier-to-bitcoin-control/ar-AA1VvfOf

https://archive.is/7tNPw#selection-1551.152-1551.226

https://techcrunch.com/2026/01/24/sec-drops-lawsuit-against-winklevoss-twins-gemini-crypto-exchange/

https://www.reddit.com/r/Buttcoin/comments/17t6txf/how_bad_would_a_bank_run_have_to_be_to_push/

https://blocknuggets.com/news/tether-crash-threatens-crypto-world/

https://protos.com/new-epstein-files-reveal-contact-with-bitcoin-dev-andresen-before-cia-briefing/

https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/steve-bannon-once-guided-a-global-firm-that-made-millions-helping-gamers-cheat/2017/08/04/ef7ae442-76c8-11e7-803f-a6c989606ac7_story.html

https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2000-may-07-mn-27448-story.html

https://www.aol.com/news/child-star-turned-millionaire-brock-155613028.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly9kdWNrZHVja2dvLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAKtPluqCxdqV4VcHB6HTxIxjXR83tFW5Uav6fNBwHvED7ZM4EnkIlshTjQmsCe4DushIa2m8yCN1LOOag1v5Da1JRt4Vg60GG-hCcHRAFaXNUQ0J_hgM9vJoWYu5FjwTJesqS6sFyF2S9UYAhKGh-gVahFSwfsqay3pKzyv3rKvw

Part One: How Jeffrey Epstein Helped Build the Modern World

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/10d10708-21e2-4120-8e37-b3f40006cfb1/transcript

Part One: Jack Idema: The War On Terror's Dumbest Grifter

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