When a Dutch crime reporter makes an unbelievable discovery, a small-town murder case begins to look like an international assassination plot.

For more from the FT, sign up for the FT Edit App. To listen to Hot Money ad free, subscribe to Pushkin+.

When a Dutch crime reporter makes an unbelievable discovery, a small-town murder case begins to look like an international assassination plot.
For more from the FT, sign up for the <a href="https://ftedit.onelink.me/Ju3k/uea0bgn7" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://ftedit.onelink.me/Ju3k/uea0bgn7&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1701959522822000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2AfgEHHJ2RnCMThfAwnP4H">FT Edit App</a>. To listen to Hot Money ad free, subscribe to <a href="http://www.pushkin.fm/plus" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.pushkin.fm/plus&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1701959522822000&amp;usg=AOvVaw20IgYCeyfuXud-xgxZNBOU">Pushkin+</a>.

In 2020, the Financial Times exposed a €2 billion fraud at Wirecard, a high-flying German fintech. Many thought that was the end of the story. But for reporter Sam Jones, it was just the beginning.

This season on Hot Money: Agent of Chaos, Jones investigates Wirecard’s chief operating officer, who vanished just as Wirecard collapsed. And turned out to also be a Russian spy.

From an Ibizan sting operation to an attempted takeover of the Austrian intelligence service, his reporting spirals into a world of warlords, espionage, and disinformation.

All in an attempt to answer one question: Who is the real Jan Marsalek? And what does his secret life reveal about the powerful forces he serves?

In 2020, the Financial Times exposed a &euro;2 billion fraud at Wirecard, a high-flying German fintech. Many thought that was the end of the story. But for reporter Sam Jones, it was just the beginning.
This season on Hot Money: Agent of Chaos, Jones investigates Wirecard&rsquo;s chief operating officer, who vanished just as Wirecard collapsed. And turned out to also be a Russian spy.
From an Ibizan sting operation to an attempted takeover of the Austrian intelligence service, his reporting spirals into a world of warlords, espionage, and disinformation.
All in an attempt to answer one question: Who is the real Jan Marsalek? And what does his secret life reveal about the powerful forces he serves?

Hot Money: Agent of Chaos

Episode 1 - Murder Brokers

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/de1c1ffa-3a64-4ae2-baf0-b0ce00f89803/transcript

Valley of Shadows is a new Pushkin true crime podcast that digs into a nearly 30-year old secret buried in the California desert. On June 11, 1998, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department deputy Jon Aujay went for a run in California’s Devil’s Punchbowl park...and never came back. Nearly 30 years later, the mystery surrounding his disappearance has only deepened. Some say Aujay is just another missing hiker, claimed by the inhospitable landscape of the Southern California desert. Some say he took his own life out there. But there’s another theory that many of Aujay’s friends and LASD colleagues are convinced is true—that he was the victim of foul play, and that his own department is covering it up. Through exclusive interviews, revealing wiretaps, and buried police files, investigative reporters Hayley Fox and Betsy Shepherd uncover vestiges of the Wild West in a small California town, where outlaw biker gangs crank out methamphetamine and local cops operate on both sides of the law.

(00:01:04) Find Valley of Shadows wherever you get podcasts. Binge the entire season of Valley of Shadows, ad-free, by subscribing to Pushkin+. Sign up on the Valley of Shadows show page on Apple Podcasts or at Pushkin.fm/plus.

<a href="https://lnk.to/VOSPushkin">Valley of Shadows</a> is a new Pushkin true crime podcast that digs into a nearly 30-year old secret buried in the California desert. On June 11, 1998, Los Angeles County Sheriff&rsquo;s Department deputy Jon Aujay went for a run in California&rsquo;s Devil&rsquo;s Punchbowl park...and never came back. Nearly 30 years later, the mystery surrounding his disappearance has only deepened. Some say Aujay is just another missing hiker, claimed by the inhospitable landscape of the Southern California desert. Some say he took his own life out there. But there&rsquo;s another theory that many of Aujay&rsquo;s friends and LASD colleagues are convinced is true&mdash;that he was the victim of foul play, and that his own department is covering it up. Through exclusive interviews, revealing wiretaps, and buried police files, investigative reporters Hayley Fox and Betsy Shepherd uncover vestiges of the Wild West in a small California town, where outlaw biker gangs crank out methamphetamine and local cops operate on both sides of the law.
(00:01:04) <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/valley-of-shadows/id1858046983">Find Valley of Shadows</a> wherever you get podcasts. Binge the entire season of Valley of Shadows, ad-free, by subscribing to <a href="https://www.pushkin.fm/join-pushkin">Pushkin+</a>. Sign up on the Valley of Shadows show page on Apple Podcasts or at Pushkin.fm/plus.

Introducing Valley of Shadows: Corruption in California’s Mojave Desert

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/74457ac0-fb1a-47e0-8385-b3cd016df428/transcript

In our season finale, Sam discovers a different narrative about Marsalek’s life in Russia. And a tip from long ago resurfaces. 

In our season finale, Sam discovers a different narrative about Marsalek&rsquo;s life in Russia. And a tip from long ago resurfaces.&nbsp;

Episode 8: Matryoshka

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/8948f211-365d-4a46-9c2c-b32801784d62/transcript

A Marsalek-backed ring of operatives goes on trial in the UK for espionage. A treasure trove of text messages reveals their inner workings.

Get ad-free access to the entire season of Hot Money: Agent of Chaos by subscribing to Pushkin+ on Apple Podcasts or Pushkin.fm. Access ad-free episodes, exclusive binges, full audiobooks, and bonus content for all Pushkin shows with Pushkin+.

Subscribe on Apple: apple.co/pushkin
Subscribe on Pushkin: pushkin.fm/plus

A Marsalek-backed ring of operatives&nbsp;goes&nbsp;on trial in the UK for espionage. A treasure trove of text messages&nbsp;reveals&nbsp;their inner workings.
<hr>
Get ad-free access to the entire season of Hot Money: Agent of Chaos by subscribing to Pushkin+ on Apple Podcasts or <a href="http://pushkin.fm/" data-stringify-link="http://Pushkin.fm" data-sk="tooltip_parent">Pushkin.fm</a>. Access ad-free episodes, exclusive binges, full audiobooks, and bonus content for all Pushkin shows with Pushkin+.
Subscribe on Apple:&nbsp;<a href="http://apple.co/pushkin" data-stringify-link="http://apple.co/pushkin" data-sk="tooltip_parent">apple.co/pushkin</a> Subscribe on Pushkin:&nbsp;<a href="http://pushkin.fm/plus" data-stringify-link="http://pushkin.fm/plus" data-sk="tooltip_parent">pushkin.fm/plus</a>

Episode 7: From Russia With Love 

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/c76afbf3-58df-45e1-9adb-b322000379a6/transcript

Episode 1 - Murder Brokers

In 1 playlist(s)

Hot Money: Agent of Chaos

Social links

Follow podcast

Recent clips