FBI Case File Review

Former agent Larry Wansley, one of the FBI's first long-term deep undercover agents, reviews the early years of the FBI's undercover program when, starting in1973 he and a handful of agents, including the equally legendary Joe Pistone, began using the investigative technique forbidden by FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover. They were part of a behavioral sciences study to establish standards for UC Agent selection qualifications and operations. Larry also reviews his most life-threatening assignment, which took place in rural Texas. He went undercover to prove Tom Welch, the elected Sheriff of Gregg County, Texas, was essentially a redneck southern crime boss. Welch and his deputies were charged and convicted of conspiracy to commit murder, civil rights violations, and facilitating illegal gambling. Larry is the author of Tough Streets, Rough Skies and Sunday Sidelines. His memoir covers not only his time as an FBI agent but also his post-FBI career with the Dallas Cowboys and American Airlines. Larry served in the FBI for 10 years. Check out episode show notes, photos, and related articles: https://jerriwilliams.com/392-larry-wansley-early-days-of-undercover-program-corrupt-texas-sheriff/ 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/

Retired agent 4erry Bianchi reviews several investigations he worked as a technically trained agent in the Philadelphia Division, including surreptitious entries into a mob attorney's law office, Philly mob boss John Stanfa's luncheonette, Philly mob boss Ralph Natale's penthouse apartment and the former Garden State racetrack to install court-authorized electronic surveillance recording devices. Gerry appears in the Netflix documentary Mob War: Philadelphia vs. The Mafia, a three-part series where he discusses how the tech squad contributed to the successful prosecution of organized crime cases. He also shares true stories where he and his tech agents installed cameras and bugs in a judge's chambers in Philadelphia City Hall, in the DRPA Walt Whitman Bridge toll collections counting room, and a prison chapel at the Lewisburg Penitentiary, a case in which I played an undercover cameo role. Gerry served in the FBI for 36 years. Check out episode show notes, photos, and related articles: https://jerriwilliams.com/391-gerry-bianchi-tales-from-a-tech-agent-mob-wars-and-more/ 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/

Retired agent Geoffrey Kelly reviews his 22-year investigation of the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum heist where 13 masterpieces worth over $500 million were stolen and have never been recovered. He shares his insights and theories about the infamous theft, and his thoughts about armchair detectives and journalists with their own speculations involving international culprits and government conspiracies. Geoff is the author of Thirteen Perfect Fugitives: The True Story of the Mob, Murder, and the World's Largest Art Heist, the behind-the-scenes true story about the case. Geoffrey Kelly served in the FBI for 28 years. Check out episode show notes, photos, and related articles: https://jerriwilliams.com/390-geoffrey-kelly-isabella-stewart-gardner-museum-heist-thirteen-perfect-fugitives/ 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/

Retired agent and FBI-certified polygraph examiner George Olivo reviews his polygraph examination of Korina Flores Sanchez, who was suspected of murdering her live-in boyfriend. It was one of the first high-stakes examinations George conducted as a brand-new polygrapher. George is also interviewed about the truths and untruths surrounding polygraphs, what true crime media often gets wrong about polygraphs, and his TV appearance on another season of Lie Detector: Truth or Deception, which premieres on A&E and Hulu on March 12 and 19. George served in the FBI for 22 years. Check out episode show notes, photos, and related articles: https://jerriwilliams.com/389-george-olivo-polygraph-exam-of-female-murderer-ae-lie-detector-series/ 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/

Retired agent Jerry Spurgers reviews his investigation of the mysterious disappearance of federal witness Susan Cooper from Malvern, Arkansas. The case involved drug conspiracy, witness intimidation, and murder. Jerry investigated the case with a team of local officers, sheriff's deputies, and an intelligence analyst by using traditional police skills and new technologies. As a former member of the Little Rock Division's Evidence Response Team and an experienced death investigator, he also reviews the steps taken to collect evidence at a murder or accidental death. Jerry is the author of Murder at Midnight: The FBI's Battle with Violence and Drugs in a Small Southern Town, a true crime book about the investigation. He served in the FBI for 24 years. Check out episode show notes, photos, and related articles: https://jerriwilliams.com/388-jerry-spurgers-disappearance-and-murder-of-federal-witness-death-crime-scenes/ 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/e

Retired agent Phil Andrew shares how his experience surviving one of the nation's first school shootings when he was a twenty-year-old college student impacted his FBI career as a hostage negotiator. Phil reviews a kidnapping case where he negotiated with a member of the terrorist organization behind the Mumbai attacks and a case where he attempted to broker the release of New York Times reporter David Rohde, who was being held captive for ransom by the Taliban in Afghanistan. These case reviews are examples of how Phil turned tragedy into purpose, dedicating his life to keeping communities safe. Phil served in the FBI for 21 years. He is currently a 2026 candidate for the United States Congress in Illinois's 9th Congressional District. Check out episode show notes, photos, and related articles: https://jerriwilliams.com/387-phil-andrews-ny-times-reporter-kidnapped-by-taliban-hostage-negotiation/ Also listen to Episode 038: Kidnapped Grandma - https://jerriwilliams.com/toni-chrabot-kidnapped-grandma-hostage-negotiations/ Buy me a coffee - https://www.buymeacoffee.com/JerriWilliams 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 Check out my FBI books, non-fiction and crime fiction, available as audiobooks, ebooks and paperbacks wherever books are sold. https://jerriwilliams.com/books/

Retired agent Barry Black reviews two bombing cases he worked as a special agent bomb tech (SABT) assigned to the Oklahoma City Division. The first case covers the detonation of a bomb at a University of Oklahoma football game in 2005, where the subject used a type of homemade explosive that had only been used by international terrorists. The second is an undercover investigation code-named Operation Mischief Mayhem Barry worked just before he retired, where he thwarted the subject's plan to build and deploy a 1000-pound device similar to the one Timothy McVeigh used to bomb the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building. These cases are included in Barry's new book, Hazardous Devices: Memoir of an FBI Bomb Technician, Accountant, and Sniper. He served in the FBI for 31 years. Check out the episode show notes, photos, and related articles: https://jerriwilliams.com/386-barry-black-hazardous-devices-fbi-special-agent-bomb-tech/ 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/

FBI Case File Review celebrates the 10th anniversary of the podcast with a solo show featuring the host and producer, retired agent Jerri Williams. That's me! I released my first episode on January 22nd, 2016. Today marks my ten years as an FBI-focused storyteller. In this episode, I talk about why I started the podcast and how I create each episode. I also answer 25 "Ask Me Anything" questions sent in by listeners. Check out the episode show notes, photos, and related articles: https://jerriwilliams.com/385-jerri-williams-10th-anniversary-show-and-listener-q-and-a/ Buy me a coffee - https://www.buymeacoffee.com/JerriWilliams 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 Check out my FBI books, non-fiction and crime fiction, available as audiobooks, ebooks and paperbacks wherever books are sold. https://jerriwilliams.com/books/

Retired agents Bob Anderson and Carl Larsen review the major role Lou Peters, the owner of a Cadillac dealership in Lodi, California, played in the takedown of mobster Joseph Bonanno, Sr. In 1977, Bonanno had a mob associate approach Lou Peters with an offer to buy his Cadillac dealership to launder illegal funds. Peters instead met with Bob Anderson, who was assigned the case. Carl Larsen was the technical agent who wired Lou and his undercover apartment for sound. We also invited Lou's daughter, Lori Peters, to review the case with us. She's the author of God, the Mafia, My Dad, and Me. Bob and Carl joined the FBI in the 1960s. In recognition of Lou Peters' contribution to this case, the Society of Former Special Agents of the FBI annually presents the Louis E. Peters Memorial Award to private citizens who selflessly dedicate their time and service to assist the FBI in uncovering wrongdoing. Check out episode show notes, photos, and related articles: https://jerriwilliams.com/384-bob-anderson-and-carl-larsen-citizen-hero-lou-peters-bonanno-crime-family/ Buy me a coffee - https://www.buymeacoffee.com/JerriWilliams 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 Check out my FBI books, non-fiction and crime fiction, available as audiobooks, ebooks and paperbacks wherever books are sold. https://jerriwilliams.com/books/e

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/ Buy me a coffee - https://www.buymeacoffee.com/JerriWilliams 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. http://eepurl.com/dzCCmL Check out my FBI books, non-fiction and crime fiction, available as audiobooks, ebooks and paperbacks wherever books are sold. https://jerriwilliams.com/books/

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 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/

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 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/

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 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/

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/

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/