1 00:00:05,440 --> 00:00:09,200 Speaker 1: President phone call I mean a nine fifteen pm East 2 00:00:09,240 --> 00:00:11,200 Speaker 1: some of the time in the US and the nineteenth 3 00:00:11,280 --> 00:00:15,280 Speaker 1: of February twenty fourteen, be as kind to and the Georgescos. 4 00:00:16,960 --> 00:00:21,480 Speaker 2: This is one the Colombian phone call. 5 00:00:21,440 --> 00:00:24,440 Speaker 1: To Flavio on the fourteenth day of My two thousand 6 00:00:24,480 --> 00:00:28,280 Speaker 1: and fourteen at eight am immediately. 7 00:00:29,960 --> 00:00:32,880 Speaker 2: For two years now, Wan's been recording his phone calls 8 00:00:32,960 --> 00:00:37,440 Speaker 2: with the two unrelated George Escus, Flavio and Flavio's friend 9 00:00:37,440 --> 00:00:39,159 Speaker 2: in Los Angeles, Andy. 10 00:00:39,680 --> 00:00:42,360 Speaker 3: He leaves me the name, a phone number, and a 11 00:00:42,440 --> 00:00:43,520 Speaker 3: great message. 12 00:00:43,600 --> 00:00:46,080 Speaker 2: He even records the voicemails. He leads for them. 13 00:00:46,200 --> 00:00:49,960 Speaker 1: Thank you, so call me back. Lizen doesn't man all 14 00:00:50,000 --> 00:00:53,360 Speaker 1: the time. Just call me back. It's one thank you, 15 00:00:54,520 --> 00:00:59,520 Speaker 1: I will plays A call to Flavio is twelve forty 16 00:00:59,560 --> 00:01:01,880 Speaker 1: eight a m. Eastern time on the nice of July 17 00:01:01,920 --> 00:01:02,920 Speaker 1: two thousand fourteen. 18 00:01:05,080 --> 00:01:09,959 Speaker 2: Want's also been keeping a secret. He is Colombian, that 19 00:01:10,080 --> 00:01:13,640 Speaker 2: part's true, but he isn't working for the farc rebel group. 20 00:01:14,840 --> 00:01:17,920 Speaker 2: He's working for the FEDS, and he's trying to build 21 00:01:17,959 --> 00:01:21,400 Speaker 2: a so called narco terrorism case for the Drug Enforcement 22 00:01:21,440 --> 00:01:23,680 Speaker 2: Administration the DEA. 23 00:01:24,040 --> 00:01:28,720 Speaker 1: The local time in eight thirty five pm. Go, I 24 00:01:28,720 --> 00:01:31,000 Speaker 1: about to go to the cafeteria at the Mario Hotel 25 00:01:31,040 --> 00:01:33,160 Speaker 1: to me where the flood and a compani your hairs 26 00:01:33,240 --> 00:01:40,080 Speaker 1: with him. We are right now in for the inn book. 27 00:01:42,640 --> 00:01:44,880 Speaker 2: In some of wants undercover recordings, you can hear his 28 00:01:44,920 --> 00:01:50,320 Speaker 2: Dea colleagues. They're helping Wan create some elaborate theater arms, 29 00:01:50,320 --> 00:02:00,400 Speaker 2: trafficking theater, all designed to ensnare Flavio Georgescu. I'm Trevorarensen 30 00:02:01,000 --> 00:02:04,520 Speaker 2: from Western Sound and iHeart Podcasts. This is Alphabet Boys, 31 00:02:28,400 --> 00:02:39,160 Speaker 2: episode six. The ramp rat Wan sting operation targeting Flavio 32 00:02:40,040 --> 00:02:44,840 Speaker 2: is complex, but this thing isn't unique. It's not some 33 00:02:44,880 --> 00:02:47,960 Speaker 2: sort of one off. It's part of a much larger 34 00:02:48,240 --> 00:02:52,280 Speaker 2: Dea tactic that drug agents adopted during America's post nine 35 00:02:52,320 --> 00:02:55,720 Speaker 2: eleven era. To explain, I need to go on a 36 00:02:55,760 --> 00:02:59,960 Speaker 2: short tangent and tell you about another similar sting. 37 00:03:03,360 --> 00:03:07,840 Speaker 4: Yeah everything, Yeah, sorry. 38 00:03:09,600 --> 00:03:10,840 Speaker 1: Time, no no problem. 39 00:03:10,960 --> 00:03:14,520 Speaker 2: How I'm sitting in a conference room in Lower Manhattan. 40 00:03:14,960 --> 00:03:17,880 Speaker 2: I'm here to interview Joshua dre Tell, a criminal defense 41 00:03:17,960 --> 00:03:23,440 Speaker 2: lawyer specializing in terrorism cases. So so topically, I want 42 00:03:23,480 --> 00:03:24,880 Speaker 2: to talk to you about the kind of narco terrorism 43 00:03:25,240 --> 00:03:28,280 Speaker 2: things in general, and also this idea of the Southern 44 00:03:28,280 --> 00:03:32,560 Speaker 2: District being kind of the world Police. And then and 45 00:03:32,600 --> 00:03:35,920 Speaker 2: then also about the Jamal Yusuf case. Sure in particular, 46 00:03:37,160 --> 00:03:41,400 Speaker 2: one of Joshua's clients was a man named Jamal Yusuf, and. 47 00:03:41,480 --> 00:03:46,560 Speaker 5: Jamal Yusseff was a hustler, a successful hustler. The parlayed 48 00:03:46,840 --> 00:03:51,200 Speaker 5: knowledge of certain geographical regions such as the Middle East 49 00:03:51,200 --> 00:03:56,160 Speaker 5: and Latin America into being an effective broker for many 50 00:03:56,960 --> 00:04:00,520 Speaker 5: deals that were mostly hustles. 51 00:04:01,720 --> 00:04:06,040 Speaker 2: Jamal, like Flavio, was targeted in a so called narco 52 00:04:06,160 --> 00:04:11,280 Speaker 2: terrorism sting operation. Neither Flavio nor Jamal had anything to 53 00:04:11,280 --> 00:04:16,120 Speaker 2: do with drugs or really narco terrorism. Now, the DEA 54 00:04:16,160 --> 00:04:19,719 Speaker 2: is meant to be investigating cases involving drugs, that's obvious, 55 00:04:20,600 --> 00:04:23,600 Speaker 2: But the DEA built cases around both Jamal and Flavio 56 00:04:24,240 --> 00:04:27,440 Speaker 2: that centered on the idea that they were supporting terrorism 57 00:04:27,960 --> 00:04:30,800 Speaker 2: by attempting to sell weapons to people who earned money 58 00:04:31,240 --> 00:04:35,200 Speaker 2: running drugs. In this episode, I'm going to explain how 59 00:04:35,240 --> 00:04:39,240 Speaker 2: people like Jamal and Flavio, no real connections to terrorists, 60 00:04:39,560 --> 00:04:43,919 Speaker 2: no real connections to drugs, could become in the DEA's 61 00:04:43,960 --> 00:04:49,719 Speaker 2: eyes narco terrorists with the help of course of informants 62 00:04:49,720 --> 00:04:55,240 Speaker 2: like jan Jamal Yusuf was born and raised in Lebanon, 63 00:04:55,800 --> 00:04:59,320 Speaker 2: but he was a Syrian citizen. His background is shadowy 64 00:04:59,560 --> 00:05:03,600 Speaker 2: and suggest possible connections to Syrian intelligence. As a young man, 65 00:05:03,839 --> 00:05:08,840 Speaker 2: Jamal lived and worked in several countries, including Greece, Nigeria, Germany, 66 00:05:09,160 --> 00:05:10,520 Speaker 2: and the United Arab Emirates. 67 00:05:11,040 --> 00:05:15,080 Speaker 5: You could trace his evolution through the geographical areas that 68 00:05:15,160 --> 00:05:18,560 Speaker 5: he basically burned bridges and could go back to. 69 00:05:19,640 --> 00:05:22,200 Speaker 2: At some point, Jamal moved to Norway, where he ran 70 00:05:22,320 --> 00:05:25,880 Speaker 2: several small businesses, including a restaurant, a store selling baby 71 00:05:25,920 --> 00:05:29,240 Speaker 2: clothes and cosmetics, and a kiosk offering cigarettes and candy. 72 00:05:30,160 --> 00:05:32,839 Speaker 5: And he had a good history of disappearing himself and 73 00:05:32,880 --> 00:05:35,880 Speaker 5: then appearing somewhere else in a different identity or in 74 00:05:35,920 --> 00:05:37,920 Speaker 5: a different context. That's how he got out of the 75 00:05:37,960 --> 00:05:39,080 Speaker 5: Middle East in the first place. 76 00:05:39,960 --> 00:05:43,080 Speaker 2: Eventually, by two thousand and six, Jamal makes it to 77 00:05:43,120 --> 00:05:47,200 Speaker 2: Latin America, where he starts a new hustle. He negotiates 78 00:05:47,240 --> 00:05:49,400 Speaker 2: a deal to borrow two hundred thousand dollars from a 79 00:05:49,400 --> 00:05:53,640 Speaker 2: group of Mexican men connected to organized crime. Jamal said 80 00:05:53,640 --> 00:05:57,240 Speaker 2: he could repay the loan with weapons secretly shipped from Lebanon. 81 00:05:58,360 --> 00:06:00,760 Speaker 2: Jamal has this picture of himself in front of a 82 00:06:00,839 --> 00:06:04,200 Speaker 2: room full of military grade weapons. He shows the photo 83 00:06:04,360 --> 00:06:07,560 Speaker 2: to the Mexicans as proof of the weapons that he 84 00:06:07,560 --> 00:06:12,880 Speaker 2: can deliver. But what the Mexicans don't know is Jamal 85 00:06:13,200 --> 00:06:17,640 Speaker 2: is talking to someone else, the FBI agent stationed at 86 00:06:17,640 --> 00:06:23,839 Speaker 2: the US embassy in Mexico City. It's a complicated web 87 00:06:23,880 --> 00:06:29,680 Speaker 2: of people around the world. To sound familiar, but there's more. 88 00:06:31,560 --> 00:06:34,240 Speaker 2: Jamal claims to the FBI agent that the weapons in 89 00:06:34,279 --> 00:06:37,120 Speaker 2: the photo belonged to the US military and that they 90 00:06:37,120 --> 00:06:40,520 Speaker 2: were stolen by American soldiers in Iraq. He says those 91 00:06:40,560 --> 00:06:44,120 Speaker 2: soldiers then sold the weapons to the Hesbala terrorist group 92 00:06:44,240 --> 00:06:45,320 Speaker 2: in Lebanon. 93 00:06:45,960 --> 00:06:50,479 Speaker 5: As any sophisticated hustler would do. Jamal's trying to play 94 00:06:50,480 --> 00:06:51,000 Speaker 5: both sides. 95 00:06:52,440 --> 00:06:55,599 Speaker 2: Jamal also tells the FBI agent that he has a 96 00:06:55,640 --> 00:07:00,080 Speaker 2: deal to sell those weapons to some Mexican guys, and 97 00:07:00,960 --> 00:07:03,799 Speaker 2: he's willing to cooperate with the US government. 98 00:07:04,800 --> 00:07:08,200 Speaker 5: He's trying to ingratiate himself to the government so he 99 00:07:08,240 --> 00:07:11,960 Speaker 5: has protection, which is why he operated overseas all the time, 100 00:07:12,000 --> 00:07:15,320 Speaker 5: you know, in his original environment, and when that played out, 101 00:07:15,520 --> 00:07:16,880 Speaker 5: you know, to the point where he couldn't do it anymore. 102 00:07:16,880 --> 00:07:19,160 Speaker 5: He wound up in Latin America, so he's just doing 103 00:07:19,200 --> 00:07:19,880 Speaker 5: the same thing. 104 00:07:20,960 --> 00:07:23,800 Speaker 2: But the deal with the Mexicans falls through. They don't 105 00:07:23,800 --> 00:07:27,880 Speaker 2: provide any money and no weapons are shipped. In two 106 00:07:27,920 --> 00:07:31,240 Speaker 2: thousand and six, Jamal is arrested in Honduras on charges 107 00:07:31,280 --> 00:07:35,080 Speaker 2: of using a fake passport and possessing a handgun, and 108 00:07:35,280 --> 00:07:38,239 Speaker 2: by two thousand and eight, two years into his prison sentence, 109 00:07:38,880 --> 00:07:43,280 Speaker 2: Jamal is desperate, so he comes up with a new hustle. 110 00:07:45,320 --> 00:07:49,320 Speaker 2: Jamal meets a Colombian who claims to represent get this, 111 00:07:50,240 --> 00:07:54,080 Speaker 2: the FARK rebel group. He shows the guy another photo 112 00:07:54,160 --> 00:07:56,880 Speaker 2: of a room full of guns, and Jamal tells the 113 00:07:56,880 --> 00:08:02,400 Speaker 2: Colombian that he can deliver these weapons. But this photo 114 00:08:03,520 --> 00:08:07,800 Speaker 2: it's not real, at least not real to Jamal. It's 115 00:08:07,840 --> 00:08:09,560 Speaker 2: an image that he found online. 116 00:08:10,360 --> 00:08:12,080 Speaker 5: Yeah, it was just a photo of a room full 117 00:08:12,120 --> 00:08:15,360 Speaker 5: of like RPGs and stuff in boxes, you know, crates, 118 00:08:15,400 --> 00:08:17,840 Speaker 5: like typical kind of armament crates, and had a couple 119 00:08:17,840 --> 00:08:20,400 Speaker 5: of stray aks and things like that lying around. It 120 00:08:20,440 --> 00:08:21,800 Speaker 5: was on the internet. 121 00:08:22,040 --> 00:08:25,360 Speaker 2: Jamal arranges to sell these weapons to the FARC, but 122 00:08:25,400 --> 00:08:29,080 Speaker 2: the Colombians don't know that Jamal's trying to run a scam. 123 00:08:29,400 --> 00:08:32,440 Speaker 2: Once he gets the advanced payment, he plans to bounce 124 00:08:33,200 --> 00:08:34,439 Speaker 2: with no weapons delivered. 125 00:08:35,160 --> 00:08:37,280 Speaker 4: Unfortunately, he was being hustled at the same time. 126 00:08:40,640 --> 00:08:44,280 Speaker 2: This might not be surprising now, but the Colombians, like 127 00:08:44,320 --> 00:08:49,280 Speaker 2: Flavio's friend Juan, aren't really with the FARC. They're with 128 00:08:49,720 --> 00:08:52,959 Speaker 2: the DEA. And once the DEA has built its case 129 00:08:52,960 --> 00:08:56,160 Speaker 2: against Jamal, armed agents grab him off the street and 130 00:08:56,240 --> 00:08:59,560 Speaker 2: hounder us throw them into an suv and speed toward 131 00:08:59,600 --> 00:09:00,000 Speaker 2: the airport. 132 00:09:00,760 --> 00:09:03,200 Speaker 5: He thinks he's being killed, you know, guys with automatic 133 00:09:03,240 --> 00:09:06,920 Speaker 5: weapons hooded in the back of a suv hurtling down 134 00:09:06,920 --> 00:09:09,640 Speaker 5: the highway and openly gets to the airport and he 135 00:09:09,679 --> 00:09:11,640 Speaker 5: gets thrown on a plane to the US. 136 00:09:12,080 --> 00:09:12,920 Speaker 1: That's how it's started. 137 00:09:13,360 --> 00:09:16,040 Speaker 5: Even though we have an extradition treaty with the hunters, 138 00:09:17,000 --> 00:09:17,920 Speaker 5: this is how it's stuck. 139 00:09:25,640 --> 00:09:29,160 Speaker 2: Jamal's taken to Manhattan, where federal prosecutors charge him with 140 00:09:29,280 --> 00:09:34,599 Speaker 2: conspiring to provide material support to terrorists. Jamal's charge was 141 00:09:34,600 --> 00:09:39,040 Speaker 2: supporting FARC, even though in his case, FARC wasn't really FARK. 142 00:09:39,600 --> 00:09:42,280 Speaker 2: They're the DEA, and he's brought to New York to 143 00:09:42,320 --> 00:09:46,600 Speaker 2: face those charges even though the alleged crime didn't happen 144 00:09:46,600 --> 00:09:52,640 Speaker 2: in New York or even in the United States. Under 145 00:09:52,679 --> 00:09:55,280 Speaker 2: federal conspiracy law, a defendant doesn't need to help an 146 00:09:55,360 --> 00:09:59,880 Speaker 2: actual terrorist, he just needs to think he's helping a terrorist. 147 00:10:00,800 --> 00:10:04,040 Speaker 2: Jamal's scam attempt caught him in what's known as a 148 00:10:04,120 --> 00:10:08,960 Speaker 2: narco terrorism sting. These things occur exclusively outside the United States, 149 00:10:09,400 --> 00:10:13,240 Speaker 2: using paid informants employed by the DEA, and then the 150 00:10:13,280 --> 00:10:16,080 Speaker 2: person caught is sent to Manhattan to be prosecuted, even 151 00:10:16,120 --> 00:10:19,880 Speaker 2: though there is no connection at all between the crime 152 00:10:20,040 --> 00:10:22,800 Speaker 2: and New York City. The Southern District of New York 153 00:10:23,120 --> 00:10:27,280 Speaker 2: in Manhattan, the most influential and powerful US Attorney's office 154 00:10:27,320 --> 00:10:31,439 Speaker 2: in the nation, has turned narco terrorism stings into its 155 00:10:31,440 --> 00:10:33,440 Speaker 2: own little cottage industry. 156 00:10:34,600 --> 00:10:37,040 Speaker 4: They're imagined an event and ambitious in that way. And 157 00:10:37,080 --> 00:10:38,240 Speaker 4: I don't mean that in a bad way. 158 00:10:38,280 --> 00:10:39,520 Speaker 1: I mean that in a way of like. 159 00:10:40,600 --> 00:10:42,640 Speaker 5: We're going to do these things, and we're going to 160 00:10:43,120 --> 00:10:46,560 Speaker 5: cultivate a group of FBI and DA people who will 161 00:10:46,600 --> 00:10:49,120 Speaker 5: master this and bring all the cases to us, will 162 00:10:49,200 --> 00:10:52,400 Speaker 5: own the informants, Our network will be hours. 163 00:10:53,080 --> 00:10:57,160 Speaker 2: Joshua, the defense lawyer, says that narco terrorism stings aren't 164 00:10:57,160 --> 00:11:03,199 Speaker 2: really about stopping narco terrorism. They're about numbers, arrests, prosecutions, convictions, 165 00:11:03,760 --> 00:11:07,720 Speaker 2: which to federal law enforcement agents mean paychecks and promotions. 166 00:11:08,559 --> 00:11:13,520 Speaker 5: They cultivated the informants and they cultivated the people overseas 167 00:11:13,280 --> 00:11:17,600 Speaker 5: as a reliable actor in the process. 168 00:11:17,800 --> 00:11:18,920 Speaker 4: You're not wasting your time. 169 00:11:19,520 --> 00:11:21,840 Speaker 5: You are going to get convictions, you're going to get paid, 170 00:11:22,880 --> 00:11:24,680 Speaker 5: and you're going to have work next time. 171 00:11:26,440 --> 00:11:29,360 Speaker 2: Jamal Yusuf pleaded guilty in his case and served ten 172 00:11:29,440 --> 00:11:34,160 Speaker 2: years in prison. His ultimate crime making the mistake of 173 00:11:34,160 --> 00:11:39,400 Speaker 2: trying to scam a much more powerful scammer, the US government. 174 00:11:47,120 --> 00:11:51,400 Speaker 2: So what does this have to do with Flavio? A lot, actually, 175 00:11:51,800 --> 00:11:54,840 Speaker 2: and I'll get to that, But first I need to 176 00:11:54,840 --> 00:11:57,800 Speaker 2: tell you about the guy who was Flavio in his crosshairs, 177 00:11:58,520 --> 00:12:05,160 Speaker 2: the guy running the governments Wan, the wide bellied, brash Columbia. 178 00:12:06,400 --> 00:12:31,880 Speaker 2: That's after the break. One is a Dea informant, but 179 00:12:32,040 --> 00:12:38,200 Speaker 2: one isn't his real name. That's Alex Diaz. The current 180 00:12:38,200 --> 00:12:41,960 Speaker 2: whereabouts of Wan or Alex are difficult to pin down. 181 00:12:42,720 --> 00:12:47,640 Speaker 2: He's lived at various times in Florida, Georgia, New Jersey, Kansas, 182 00:12:47,840 --> 00:12:52,120 Speaker 2: and Colorado. The most recently available public records suggest that 183 00:12:52,200 --> 00:12:54,959 Speaker 2: one lives at least part of the time in a 184 00:12:55,040 --> 00:13:00,960 Speaker 2: condo in Centennial, Colorado, a suburb of Denver. I'm in 185 00:13:01,000 --> 00:13:04,720 Speaker 2: a large middle class complex of three story buildings, each 186 00:13:04,880 --> 00:13:09,120 Speaker 2: with wood paneledy accents on the outside. Wan's condo, or 187 00:13:09,679 --> 00:13:15,560 Speaker 2: what I think is Wan's condo, is here seven. His 188 00:13:15,679 --> 00:13:23,320 Speaker 2: unit is on the third floor of the building. The 189 00:13:23,360 --> 00:13:27,640 Speaker 2: doormat reads welcome to the shit Show, which seems fitting 190 00:13:27,640 --> 00:13:35,000 Speaker 2: for Wan. No one's answering, so I leave a note, 191 00:13:35,320 --> 00:13:37,640 Speaker 2: tucking it slightly under the welcome to the shit Show Matt. 192 00:13:39,840 --> 00:13:41,720 Speaker 2: In the note, I write that I'm searching for Wan 193 00:13:42,200 --> 00:13:44,920 Speaker 2: or Alex ds and then I want to discuss his 194 00:13:45,000 --> 00:13:50,320 Speaker 2: work for the DEA. Jan has never contacted me, which 195 00:13:50,360 --> 00:13:54,760 Speaker 2: honestly isn't surprising. Federal drug agents pay him lots of 196 00:13:54,760 --> 00:13:59,079 Speaker 2: money not to talk to journalists like me. Want's a 197 00:13:59,160 --> 00:14:04,559 Speaker 2: seasoned hand for the DEA. His specialty narco terrorism cases. 198 00:14:06,679 --> 00:14:12,560 Speaker 2: Narco terrorism. It sounds scary, right. Take two of the 199 00:14:12,559 --> 00:14:19,120 Speaker 2: world's most villainous evildoers, drug runners or narcos and terrorists, 200 00:14:20,000 --> 00:14:25,040 Speaker 2: and well combine them you get narco terrorists. They must 201 00:14:25,040 --> 00:14:29,760 Speaker 2: be the world's super villains, right, or maybe and hear 202 00:14:29,800 --> 00:14:35,880 Speaker 2: me out, maybe they don't exist, not really, maybe they're 203 00:14:35,920 --> 00:14:41,840 Speaker 2: just inventions. To understand how American law enforcement might have 204 00:14:41,920 --> 00:14:45,320 Speaker 2: conjured up so called narco terrorists, you really have to 205 00:14:45,360 --> 00:14:47,560 Speaker 2: go back to the so called war on drugs. 206 00:14:48,880 --> 00:14:53,520 Speaker 6: America's public enemy Number one in the United States is 207 00:14:53,720 --> 00:14:57,800 Speaker 6: drug abuse. In order to fight and defeat this enemy, 208 00:14:58,040 --> 00:15:02,160 Speaker 6: it is necessary to wage a new, all out offensive. 209 00:15:03,640 --> 00:15:05,960 Speaker 2: In nineteen seventy one, well in the middle of a 210 00:15:05,960 --> 00:15:10,400 Speaker 2: fight for his political life, President Richard Nixon formally announced 211 00:15:10,520 --> 00:15:15,160 Speaker 2: the War on Drugs. In hindsight, now a half century later, 212 00:15:15,960 --> 00:15:18,840 Speaker 2: the rhetoric was clearly the product of a moral panic, 213 00:15:19,720 --> 00:15:23,280 Speaker 2: but it was being pushed by America's highest elected officials. 214 00:15:24,520 --> 00:15:26,320 Speaker 4: Drugs are menacing our society. 215 00:15:26,800 --> 00:15:29,880 Speaker 7: They're threatening our values and undercutting our institutions. 216 00:15:30,440 --> 00:15:31,920 Speaker 4: They're killing our children. 217 00:15:33,040 --> 00:15:35,640 Speaker 2: In nineteen eighty six, as part of the Just Say 218 00:15:35,640 --> 00:15:40,080 Speaker 2: No campaign, President Ronald Reagan boasted in a televised address 219 00:15:40,120 --> 00:15:44,520 Speaker 2: from the Oval Office that thirty seven federal agencies were 220 00:15:44,560 --> 00:15:47,960 Speaker 2: engaged in the War on drugs and that funding for 221 00:15:48,080 --> 00:15:53,560 Speaker 2: drug related federal law enforcement had tripled. The drug war 222 00:15:53,840 --> 00:15:57,360 Speaker 2: was a feeding frenzy, an alphabet soup of dozens of 223 00:15:57,360 --> 00:16:00,320 Speaker 2: federal agencies all seeking a spot at the time table, 224 00:16:01,040 --> 00:16:04,280 Speaker 2: and the FBI, at the time, not tasked with investigating 225 00:16:04,360 --> 00:16:08,080 Speaker 2: drug crimes, was left out. The Bureau saw all that 226 00:16:08,120 --> 00:16:11,800 Speaker 2: government money flowing to much smaller agencies, including the Drug 227 00:16:11,880 --> 00:16:16,760 Speaker 2: Enforcement Administration the DEA, and so around the time that 228 00:16:16,760 --> 00:16:20,840 Speaker 2: Reagan gave this national address, the FBI muscled in on 229 00:16:20,880 --> 00:16:24,600 Speaker 2: the drug war, successfully lobbying Congress to give the Bureau 230 00:16:24,840 --> 00:16:30,080 Speaker 2: concurrent jurisdiction with the DEA over drug crimes. Undercover stings, 231 00:16:30,400 --> 00:16:32,680 Speaker 2: in which federal agents pretended to be drug buyers or 232 00:16:32,720 --> 00:16:37,240 Speaker 2: drug sellers, became one of the FBI's primary tools, racking 233 00:16:37,320 --> 00:16:42,160 Speaker 2: up arrests, prosecutions, and convictions. There were so many cases 234 00:16:42,360 --> 00:16:45,440 Speaker 2: and so many prosecutions that the war on drugs became 235 00:16:45,720 --> 00:16:49,600 Speaker 2: self fueling. The moral panic meant more law enforcement funding. 236 00:16:50,080 --> 00:16:53,440 Speaker 2: More law enforcement funding meant more undercover stings and more arrests. 237 00:16:53,960 --> 00:16:58,640 Speaker 2: More stings and more arrests meant more hysteria. A cycle. 238 00:17:02,120 --> 00:17:06,400 Speaker 7: This This is crack cocaine. 239 00:17:06,480 --> 00:17:09,720 Speaker 2: In nineteen eighty nine, President George H. W. Bush gave 240 00:17:09,760 --> 00:17:12,320 Speaker 2: a national address from the Oval Office in which he 241 00:17:12,320 --> 00:17:15,120 Speaker 2: held up a bag containing crack cocaine. 242 00:17:15,920 --> 00:17:19,879 Speaker 7: Seized a few days ago by drug enforcement agents in 243 00:17:19,960 --> 00:17:23,080 Speaker 7: a park just across the street from the White House. 244 00:17:24,480 --> 00:17:27,600 Speaker 2: America's panic about drugs at the time made President Bush's 245 00:17:27,640 --> 00:17:31,520 Speaker 2: claim seem believable. A drug dealer was selling crackouts at 246 00:17:31,520 --> 00:17:35,399 Speaker 2: the White House, but it was all nothing more than 247 00:17:35,480 --> 00:17:40,040 Speaker 2: drug theater. The Washington Post later reported that DEA agents 248 00:17:40,080 --> 00:17:42,480 Speaker 2: had to manipulate a drug dealer to come to a 249 00:17:42,480 --> 00:17:49,520 Speaker 2: park near the White House. A decade later, America was 250 00:17:49,560 --> 00:17:50,560 Speaker 2: on to a new war. 251 00:17:51,640 --> 00:17:54,000 Speaker 8: We understand that there has been a plane crash on 252 00:17:54,040 --> 00:17:57,199 Speaker 8: the southern tip of Manhattan. You're looking at the World 253 00:17:57,240 --> 00:18:00,880 Speaker 8: Trade Center. We understand that a plane has crashed into 254 00:18:00,880 --> 00:18:01,760 Speaker 8: the World Trade Center. 255 00:18:01,760 --> 00:18:02,520 Speaker 1: We don't know anything. 256 00:18:02,720 --> 00:18:07,680 Speaker 2: The War on Terror, billions and billions of dollars poured out, 257 00:18:08,200 --> 00:18:12,400 Speaker 2: and among the biggest beneficiaries was the FBI, which overnight 258 00:18:12,440 --> 00:18:17,359 Speaker 2: transformed into an agency whose number one priority is counter terrorism. 259 00:18:17,600 --> 00:18:21,320 Speaker 2: The administration of President George W. Bush then launched something 260 00:18:21,359 --> 00:18:24,560 Speaker 2: of a pr campaign to combine the old war his 261 00:18:24,680 --> 00:18:29,040 Speaker 2: dad fought with the new war he was fighting. Combining 262 00:18:29,080 --> 00:18:31,760 Speaker 2: the War on drugs with the War on Terror. 263 00:18:32,760 --> 00:18:34,639 Speaker 1: I helped murder families in Colombia. 264 00:18:34,760 --> 00:18:35,840 Speaker 2: It was just innocent fun. 265 00:18:36,080 --> 00:18:37,800 Speaker 4: I helped kidnap people's dads. 266 00:18:37,800 --> 00:18:40,119 Speaker 2: Hey, some harmless fun. 267 00:18:40,240 --> 00:18:42,400 Speaker 4: I help kids learn how to kill. 268 00:18:43,000 --> 00:18:45,199 Speaker 2: This was a public service announcement that ran during the 269 00:18:45,240 --> 00:18:47,920 Speaker 2: two thousand and two Super Bowl, just a few months 270 00:18:47,920 --> 00:18:48,719 Speaker 2: after nine to eleven. 271 00:18:49,440 --> 00:18:50,600 Speaker 6: I was just having some fun, you know. 272 00:18:51,280 --> 00:18:52,400 Speaker 2: I helped kill policemen. 273 00:18:53,240 --> 00:18:54,280 Speaker 4: I was just having fun. 274 00:18:54,359 --> 00:18:56,320 Speaker 7: I helped the bomber get a fake passport. 275 00:18:56,560 --> 00:18:57,359 Speaker 4: All the kids do it. 276 00:18:57,440 --> 00:18:58,840 Speaker 1: I helped kill a judge. 277 00:18:58,920 --> 00:18:59,959 Speaker 4: I helped blow a building. 278 00:19:00,359 --> 00:19:05,120 Speaker 2: My life, my body. The ad ends with large white 279 00:19:05,200 --> 00:19:10,000 Speaker 2: letters on a black screen. Drug money supports terror, it reads. 280 00:19:10,880 --> 00:19:15,040 Speaker 2: The intended message was clear, if you use drugs, dear Americans, 281 00:19:15,520 --> 00:19:20,960 Speaker 2: you support those evil terrorists with the war on terror. Suddenly, 282 00:19:21,240 --> 00:19:24,639 Speaker 2: the DEA found itself in the same position the FBI 283 00:19:24,800 --> 00:19:27,960 Speaker 2: was in in the nineteen eighties, shut out of the 284 00:19:28,040 --> 00:19:36,639 Speaker 2: biggest funding game in town. Here's Joshua dre Tell again, 285 00:19:36,880 --> 00:19:39,160 Speaker 2: the lawyer specializing in terrorism cases. 286 00:19:39,880 --> 00:19:44,520 Speaker 4: They were losing their budgetary control, they were losing their 287 00:19:44,680 --> 00:19:48,800 Speaker 4: career advancement through these kinds of investigations, and they were 288 00:19:48,800 --> 00:19:52,639 Speaker 4: also losing their status essentially within the law enforcement and 289 00:19:52,720 --> 00:19:54,000 Speaker 4: criminal justice community. 290 00:19:54,680 --> 00:19:57,600 Speaker 2: So the DEA took a lesson from the FBI and 291 00:19:57,680 --> 00:20:00,679 Speaker 2: petitioned Congress to give the agency a peace of the 292 00:20:00,680 --> 00:20:01,399 Speaker 2: War on terror. 293 00:20:02,240 --> 00:20:05,960 Speaker 5: So what better way to sort of reaffirm their importance 294 00:20:06,040 --> 00:20:08,400 Speaker 5: by saying, Oh, this is narco terrorism problem that's out there. 295 00:20:09,240 --> 00:20:13,159 Speaker 2: The DEA was then given jurisdiction over narco terrorism, a 296 00:20:13,200 --> 00:20:15,919 Speaker 2: mandate to travel the world and investigate how drug smuggling 297 00:20:15,960 --> 00:20:20,840 Speaker 2: operations were secretly funding terrorist networks and terrorist attacks. The 298 00:20:20,920 --> 00:20:25,879 Speaker 2: gambit worked, the money came flowing into the DEA. In 299 00:20:25,880 --> 00:20:28,960 Speaker 2: two thousand and six, Congress allocated two hundred and eighty 300 00:20:28,960 --> 00:20:32,560 Speaker 2: seven million dollars in the DEA budget for international enforcement. 301 00:20:33,320 --> 00:20:37,119 Speaker 2: A decade later, that number had ballooned to four hundred 302 00:20:37,119 --> 00:20:41,359 Speaker 2: and sixty seven million dollars. Suddenly, the DEA has nearly 303 00:20:41,720 --> 00:20:45,200 Speaker 2: half a billion dollars every year to search the world 304 00:20:45,440 --> 00:20:49,480 Speaker 2: for narco terrorists, a lot of money to hire informants. 305 00:20:50,920 --> 00:20:53,440 Speaker 2: And among those enlisted to help the DEA in this 306 00:20:53,680 --> 00:20:57,879 Speaker 2: global search is one liason. 307 00:20:57,920 --> 00:20:59,560 Speaker 1: I want you have this thing. I know you don't 308 00:20:59,560 --> 00:21:01,600 Speaker 1: want to talk to no one, and I agree, but 309 00:21:01,680 --> 00:21:03,800 Speaker 1: I just wanted to go business people that I have 310 00:21:03,960 --> 00:21:06,399 Speaker 1: a man this time that can make it happen. 311 00:21:09,640 --> 00:21:14,280 Speaker 2: Wan wasn't always a DEA informant, but he's been one 312 00:21:14,400 --> 00:21:19,359 Speaker 2: for a very long time. Want's a former drug runner 313 00:21:19,440 --> 00:21:22,960 Speaker 2: who spent decades working for the DEA, and he's earned 314 00:21:23,280 --> 00:21:26,840 Speaker 2: millions of dollars in the process. And here's what I 315 00:21:26,880 --> 00:21:32,400 Speaker 2: can say as fact about Wan or Alex ds. He's 316 00:21:32,400 --> 00:21:33,760 Speaker 2: an only child from Colombia. 317 00:21:34,520 --> 00:21:41,600 Speaker 1: My mother hardly helped me. My mother is Moke locust Stride. However, 318 00:21:41,720 --> 00:21:43,080 Speaker 1: lockus strike many and many of you. 319 00:21:43,840 --> 00:21:46,639 Speaker 2: He was born in nineteen fifty, making him about sixty 320 00:21:46,680 --> 00:21:50,160 Speaker 2: four years old. When communicating with Flavio, anytime someone brings 321 00:21:50,240 --> 00:21:52,200 Speaker 2: up one's age, he's quick with a joke. 322 00:21:52,800 --> 00:21:54,080 Speaker 1: O you, I'll tell you too. 323 00:21:57,080 --> 00:21:59,240 Speaker 2: One came to the United States from Colombia at age 324 00:21:59,280 --> 00:22:01,440 Speaker 2: seventeen and has strong ties there. 325 00:22:02,640 --> 00:22:07,760 Speaker 1: Am miss Is. It's a good count, very big counter. 326 00:22:08,320 --> 00:22:08,760 Speaker 1: It's big. 327 00:22:09,840 --> 00:22:12,399 Speaker 2: As a young man, Juan began working for American Airlines 328 00:22:12,440 --> 00:22:15,800 Speaker 2: sky Chef, you know, the guys responsible for loading food 329 00:22:15,800 --> 00:22:18,520 Speaker 2: and drinks on the planes. Jan eventually took a position 330 00:22:18,560 --> 00:22:22,239 Speaker 2: with sky Chef in Miami. Miami International is a key 331 00:22:22,320 --> 00:22:25,520 Speaker 2: hub for American airlines and a US gateway to Latin America. 332 00:22:29,320 --> 00:22:33,000 Speaker 2: Miami at the time was basking in the afterglow of 333 00:22:33,119 --> 00:22:37,840 Speaker 2: Miami Vice. The city had a reputation for drugs, fast cars, 334 00:22:38,119 --> 00:22:40,680 Speaker 2: skimpy bikinis, and free flowing money. 335 00:22:41,080 --> 00:22:43,680 Speaker 7: That dude you showed up with tonight works undercover for 336 00:22:43,760 --> 00:22:44,640 Speaker 7: the DEEA pal. 337 00:22:44,880 --> 00:22:47,760 Speaker 2: His name Scott Wheeler. And as for Leon, he's on 338 00:22:47,840 --> 00:22:50,159 Speaker 2: the payroll of a Columbian. I've been too stiff. As 339 00:22:50,160 --> 00:22:52,560 Speaker 2: if you were a character straight out of Miami Vice. 340 00:22:53,320 --> 00:22:57,040 Speaker 2: Juan had a sideline gig at Miami International Airport. He 341 00:22:57,240 --> 00:23:00,359 Speaker 2: used his position with American Airlines to smuggle a daggering 342 00:23:00,400 --> 00:23:03,760 Speaker 2: amount of drugs into the United States three thousand kilos 343 00:23:03,760 --> 00:23:10,480 Speaker 2: of marijuana and four thousand kilos of cocaine. But federal 344 00:23:10,560 --> 00:23:13,040 Speaker 2: drug agents figured out what Wan was up to, and 345 00:23:13,119 --> 00:23:16,159 Speaker 2: he was arrested and hit with federal criminal charges and 346 00:23:16,240 --> 00:23:20,200 Speaker 2: a ten year prison sentence for drug smuggling. So Wan 347 00:23:20,800 --> 00:23:24,200 Speaker 2: cut a deal with the DEA. He agreed to work 348 00:23:24,200 --> 00:23:27,359 Speaker 2: with drug agents as an informant in exchange for knocking 349 00:23:27,440 --> 00:23:31,119 Speaker 2: down his decade long prison sentence to just three years. 350 00:23:32,640 --> 00:23:35,320 Speaker 2: Around the time that Jan was released from prison, federal 351 00:23:35,359 --> 00:23:37,840 Speaker 2: agents in Miami had been noticing that baggage handlers at 352 00:23:37,840 --> 00:23:41,399 Speaker 2: the airport, so called ramp rats were driving around in 353 00:23:41,480 --> 00:23:45,920 Speaker 2: fancy cars and living large, which was odd for guys 354 00:23:46,000 --> 00:23:50,520 Speaker 2: earning about ten dollars an hour. Of course, the DEA 355 00:23:50,680 --> 00:23:53,400 Speaker 2: had a pretty good idea of how these low paid 356 00:23:53,440 --> 00:23:57,240 Speaker 2: workers might afford such a lifestyle, so federal agents launched 357 00:23:57,440 --> 00:24:02,240 Speaker 2: two undercover investigations at Miami intern National Airport called Operation 358 00:24:02,440 --> 00:24:08,040 Speaker 2: sky Chef and Operation ramp Rap, resulting in scores of 359 00:24:08,160 --> 00:24:12,600 Speaker 2: arrest of airport workers who were helping to smuggle in cocaine, heroin, 360 00:24:13,040 --> 00:24:17,400 Speaker 2: and other drugs. The Miami Herald in nineteen ninety nine 361 00:24:17,920 --> 00:24:20,760 Speaker 2: published a front page story about the DEA investigations at 362 00:24:20,800 --> 00:24:24,600 Speaker 2: the airport. The newspaper described the DEA's lead informant as 363 00:24:24,840 --> 00:24:28,199 Speaker 2: quote a fat man with an annoying habit of spitting 364 00:24:28,200 --> 00:24:32,440 Speaker 2: an agent's faces as he talked. One is, in fact, 365 00:24:32,920 --> 00:24:37,680 Speaker 2: Shorten Stocky, a fat man and spitting an agent's faces 366 00:24:37,720 --> 00:24:42,240 Speaker 2: as he talked. Well, I mean, just listen to one. 367 00:24:42,720 --> 00:24:46,760 Speaker 1: Listen, listen, listen, listen, listen. If you cannot do it, 368 00:24:47,119 --> 00:24:52,840 Speaker 1: then let's forget about this. And and you're killing I 369 00:24:52,880 --> 00:24:55,320 Speaker 1: don't care about you. I don't care only about my business. 370 00:24:55,359 --> 00:24:56,800 Speaker 1: If you're gonna work with me with it to be 371 00:24:56,880 --> 00:24:57,840 Speaker 1: serious about working. 372 00:24:58,600 --> 00:25:01,800 Speaker 2: You can almost feel this hitting you in these recordings. 373 00:25:05,520 --> 00:25:08,160 Speaker 2: Wan's been at this informant game for nearly thirty years, 374 00:25:08,720 --> 00:25:12,200 Speaker 2: and he's been rewarded handsomely. In addition to getting to 375 00:25:12,200 --> 00:25:14,400 Speaker 2: skip those last seven years of his prison sentence back 376 00:25:14,400 --> 00:25:19,320 Speaker 2: in the nineties, Wan has earned nearly five million dollars 377 00:25:19,840 --> 00:25:23,480 Speaker 2: working for the DEA and other federal law enforcement agencies. 378 00:25:24,440 --> 00:25:27,119 Speaker 1: If you go to Rome, I have a list of 379 00:25:27,240 --> 00:25:30,280 Speaker 1: hotels that I've built, like American hotels. 380 00:25:31,200 --> 00:25:34,480 Speaker 2: Want's traveled the world with undercover work, funding a lifestyle 381 00:25:34,680 --> 00:25:36,360 Speaker 2: filled with nice hotels. 382 00:25:37,119 --> 00:25:40,639 Speaker 1: You'll find was built as an American hotel because they 383 00:25:40,640 --> 00:25:41,720 Speaker 1: are the biggest rooms, all. 384 00:25:41,640 --> 00:25:43,600 Speaker 2: That exclusive restaurants. 385 00:25:43,920 --> 00:25:49,960 Speaker 1: I want the ottobush and women, Oh, beautiful, women, beautiful. 386 00:25:50,480 --> 00:25:55,440 Speaker 1: I'm friendly, friendly, It's good, It's good. 387 00:25:56,320 --> 00:26:02,240 Speaker 2: Wan's been delivering federal cases for decades. Experienced operator and 388 00:26:02,840 --> 00:26:09,640 Speaker 2: his current target, Flavio George Escom that's after the break 389 00:26:19,520 --> 00:26:23,840 Speaker 2: One makes big money as a DEA informant in part 390 00:26:24,480 --> 00:26:27,920 Speaker 2: because he's the ideal frontman for a narco terrorism sting, 391 00:26:28,800 --> 00:26:31,480 Speaker 2: the perfect guy to play the part of a fark agent. 392 00:26:32,640 --> 00:26:33,399 Speaker 2: He's Colombian. 393 00:26:33,960 --> 00:26:35,920 Speaker 1: Maybe when you saw me, you know it was because 394 00:26:35,920 --> 00:26:38,040 Speaker 1: I'm the only Latin people Columbia. 395 00:26:39,800 --> 00:26:45,440 Speaker 2: He's a native Spanish speaker, have a part head on, 396 00:26:45,560 --> 00:26:49,200 Speaker 2: and he has plenty of firsthand experience with cocaine. 397 00:26:49,800 --> 00:26:52,880 Speaker 1: You have to like cocaine leaves fresh to keep your 398 00:26:53,359 --> 00:26:54,480 Speaker 1: your blood pressure right. 399 00:26:55,680 --> 00:27:02,360 Speaker 2: But neither of the de nor the Justice Department maintains 400 00:27:02,400 --> 00:27:05,719 Speaker 2: a publicly accessible list of so called narco terrorism stings. 401 00:27:06,440 --> 00:27:09,159 Speaker 2: So we scoured federal court records and press releases to 402 00:27:09,320 --> 00:27:14,399 Speaker 2: create one of the DEA's narco terrorism cases. Half involved 403 00:27:14,440 --> 00:27:18,160 Speaker 2: in foremants like Juan pretending to be from the FARC. 404 00:27:21,160 --> 00:27:26,280 Speaker 2: The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Columbia or FARC FAARC for 405 00:27:26,359 --> 00:27:29,159 Speaker 2: the acronym in Spanish, is a gorilla group that has 406 00:27:29,200 --> 00:27:32,680 Speaker 2: been in conflict with Columbia central government since nineteen sixty four. 407 00:27:34,080 --> 00:27:36,920 Speaker 2: Most of farc' supporters are in rural areas, which the 408 00:27:37,000 --> 00:27:40,359 Speaker 2: Colombian government has historically neglected. As a result of the 409 00:27:40,400 --> 00:27:43,480 Speaker 2: FARC's presence in remote areas where coca plants are cultivated 410 00:27:43,760 --> 00:27:47,480 Speaker 2: and cocaine processed, the group's funding has come in part 411 00:27:48,080 --> 00:27:51,800 Speaker 2: from the drug trade, and if you're a federal drug 412 00:27:51,840 --> 00:27:54,360 Speaker 2: agent with funding to travel the world trying to prove 413 00:27:54,440 --> 00:28:00,560 Speaker 2: that drugs fund terrorism. Then well, FARC is perfect for you. 414 00:28:02,680 --> 00:28:06,960 Speaker 2: So I think when you talk about FARC, you really. 415 00:28:08,200 --> 00:28:12,600 Speaker 9: Kind of have this almost perfect organization from the government's purposes, 416 00:28:12,760 --> 00:28:14,159 Speaker 9: sort of out of central casting. 417 00:28:14,760 --> 00:28:17,760 Speaker 2: This is what Dsie, a law professor at the University 418 00:28:17,800 --> 00:28:20,520 Speaker 2: of South Carolina who has studied narco terrorism stings. 419 00:28:21,200 --> 00:28:23,399 Speaker 9: It's a kind of an association that people will make 420 00:28:23,480 --> 00:28:27,240 Speaker 9: in their minds almost automatically, And of course it leaves 421 00:28:27,280 --> 00:28:30,960 Speaker 9: out the Colombian government's role in the war on drugs, 422 00:28:30,960 --> 00:28:34,600 Speaker 9: which has not been to say it in exceedingly simple terms, 423 00:28:34,760 --> 00:28:38,000 Speaker 9: it hasn't been a clean one. So the FARC is 424 00:28:38,240 --> 00:28:42,000 Speaker 9: a useful dupe in this whole exercise. Not to say 425 00:28:42,000 --> 00:28:46,080 Speaker 9: its hands are clean either, but certainly it's kind of 426 00:28:46,120 --> 00:28:49,440 Speaker 9: almost like heaven sent for the government as a kind 427 00:28:49,440 --> 00:28:50,920 Speaker 9: of a prosecutorial foil. 428 00:28:55,760 --> 00:28:58,440 Speaker 2: In twenty eleven, one gets a big lead to offer 429 00:28:58,520 --> 00:29:01,960 Speaker 2: the dea. I'd a Romanian guy living in Los Angeles, 430 00:29:02,480 --> 00:29:07,560 Speaker 2: Andy Georgescu. Juan met Andy through another confidential informant. But 431 00:29:07,680 --> 00:29:11,080 Speaker 2: I've never been able to figure out those details. What 432 00:29:11,200 --> 00:29:13,680 Speaker 2: I know is that Wan tells the Dea that this 433 00:29:13,840 --> 00:29:17,880 Speaker 2: Andy guy is involved in smuggling and money laundering. Wan 434 00:29:18,000 --> 00:29:20,560 Speaker 2: suggests to the agents that he spent some time getting 435 00:29:20,600 --> 00:29:25,000 Speaker 2: to know Andy to see where things might lead, and 436 00:29:25,320 --> 00:29:29,400 Speaker 2: of course doing that means money for Wan and so 437 00:29:30,240 --> 00:29:34,160 Speaker 2: testing Andy. Wan says he wants to buy weapons for 438 00:29:34,280 --> 00:29:40,400 Speaker 2: the FARC. Andy suggests his friend Flavio Georgescu, a guy 439 00:29:40,560 --> 00:29:43,520 Speaker 2: over in Europe who can make things happen. Based on 440 00:29:43,640 --> 00:29:49,320 Speaker 2: that and not much more, Wan starts targeting Flavio and 441 00:29:49,760 --> 00:29:53,560 Speaker 2: at the same time Flavio, if you're inclined to believe 442 00:29:53,600 --> 00:29:58,840 Speaker 2: his story, thinks he's collecting information for the CIA, so 443 00:29:58,960 --> 00:30:00,600 Speaker 2: he works to put together the weapons deal. 444 00:30:01,200 --> 00:30:07,120 Speaker 1: For one, you're saying that you have the person. Now, 445 00:30:07,920 --> 00:30:11,360 Speaker 1: what's with you that he could take care of at least. 446 00:30:11,200 --> 00:30:15,080 Speaker 4: I hear it right, Yeah, he is the person who 447 00:30:16,080 --> 00:30:16,760 Speaker 4: is not the reason. 448 00:30:16,840 --> 00:30:22,360 Speaker 1: Maybe it's not reforcement. Uh huh, Okay, well I call 449 00:30:22,440 --> 00:30:26,120 Speaker 1: them people. I call them people in Colombia, the fire people. Okay, 450 00:30:26,240 --> 00:30:30,040 Speaker 1: and tell me that I want to look and see 451 00:30:30,080 --> 00:30:36,280 Speaker 1: if I can program perhaps meeting with you. 452 00:30:37,720 --> 00:30:40,120 Speaker 2: Flavio tells one that if he wants to move forward, 453 00:30:40,480 --> 00:30:43,760 Speaker 2: he has to come to Romania. But one having been 454 00:30:43,800 --> 00:30:46,240 Speaker 2: stood up once already in Rome, and now tired of 455 00:30:46,280 --> 00:30:50,240 Speaker 2: Flavio's constantly changing plans, says he doesn't want to go 456 00:30:50,320 --> 00:30:53,640 Speaker 2: to Romania. In this call, Flavio is sitting in his 457 00:30:53,760 --> 00:30:57,000 Speaker 2: car in Bucharest. Also in the car is a man 458 00:30:57,120 --> 00:30:59,840 Speaker 2: Flavio has lined up to help negotiate the arms deal. 459 00:31:01,240 --> 00:31:02,840 Speaker 1: It is either you mide me in Rome or no. 460 00:31:02,960 --> 00:31:06,320 Speaker 1: If not, I appreciate you very much, he all due respect. 461 00:31:06,560 --> 00:31:08,440 Speaker 1: You do your business because you don't have time for me, 462 00:31:08,880 --> 00:31:11,360 Speaker 1: because that means you never will get it done right. 463 00:31:11,720 --> 00:31:14,160 Speaker 1: Then I'm going If you come to Rome, you mean me, 464 00:31:14,240 --> 00:31:16,920 Speaker 1: I'll go with you to Romania. That's the deal. I 465 00:31:17,000 --> 00:31:20,120 Speaker 1: can'not go to Romania every time you change me, or 466 00:31:20,600 --> 00:31:23,800 Speaker 1: to Parish, or to Italy or to the other guy 467 00:31:23,840 --> 00:31:27,160 Speaker 1: who you put me in Liverpool. Because everybody has a plan. 468 00:31:27,480 --> 00:31:29,560 Speaker 1: I have a plan and the one who show up 469 00:31:29,640 --> 00:31:31,959 Speaker 1: and I want to show it up. I just need 470 00:31:32,040 --> 00:31:34,640 Speaker 1: you to come, and once you come, I know you there. 471 00:31:34,760 --> 00:31:37,040 Speaker 1: I mean you face to face, we like each other, 472 00:31:37,480 --> 00:31:39,720 Speaker 1: you like while talking, and then we go to wherever 473 00:31:39,800 --> 00:31:41,000 Speaker 1: we need to go. That's all. 474 00:31:48,040 --> 00:31:51,640 Speaker 2: That just there might have been hard to hear, but 475 00:31:51,760 --> 00:31:55,400 Speaker 2: it's another person, a guy who says, I don't think 476 00:31:55,480 --> 00:31:58,920 Speaker 2: so that's the guy Flavio has recruited to help him 477 00:31:58,960 --> 00:32:02,560 Speaker 2: complete the arms deal. He's willing to meet with one, 478 00:32:03,480 --> 00:32:04,800 Speaker 2: but only in Romania. 479 00:32:07,840 --> 00:32:11,240 Speaker 3: My friend, he said, it is not interesting when I 480 00:32:11,400 --> 00:32:12,920 Speaker 3: talk with them, you find a solution. 481 00:32:13,320 --> 00:32:15,680 Speaker 1: What can I do? Okay, tell your friend that, uh, 482 00:32:16,360 --> 00:32:18,040 Speaker 1: you know, it wasn't even kind off to get on 483 00:32:18,120 --> 00:32:19,520 Speaker 1: the phone. I'll tell me that. That right, but no 484 00:32:19,640 --> 00:32:24,760 Speaker 1: problem you you know, Kim talk with Shila, talk with 485 00:32:24,840 --> 00:32:27,520 Speaker 1: him well, I mean, well what I want to talk 486 00:32:27,520 --> 00:32:30,479 Speaker 1: to him about. He doesn't understand what I've been here. 487 00:32:30,600 --> 00:32:33,000 Speaker 3: Because if you if you, if you come, if you 488 00:32:33,120 --> 00:32:36,120 Speaker 3: come to Romania, I have the meeting granted one hundred 489 00:32:36,240 --> 00:32:39,360 Speaker 3: percent and talk with the real people. If I come 490 00:32:39,440 --> 00:32:41,400 Speaker 3: to I don't know if I can come or not. 491 00:32:41,520 --> 00:32:43,160 Speaker 3: But if I come, I come like a luster. I 492 00:32:43,160 --> 00:32:44,600 Speaker 3: don't know nothing about this business. 493 00:32:44,920 --> 00:32:45,080 Speaker 7: You know. 494 00:32:45,160 --> 00:32:47,680 Speaker 3: It's like you said, this is a business for me 495 00:32:47,800 --> 00:32:50,520 Speaker 3: to know. This is a help for me. I want 496 00:32:50,560 --> 00:32:52,560 Speaker 3: to help you out. I don't need any business. I 497 00:32:52,600 --> 00:32:55,160 Speaker 3: don't need any money. I don't need nothing. Believe me, 498 00:32:55,440 --> 00:32:56,080 Speaker 3: an your kids. 499 00:32:57,200 --> 00:32:59,840 Speaker 2: Flavio is telling one that he doesn't want any money 500 00:33:00,480 --> 00:33:02,720 Speaker 2: that he's putting one in touch with people in order 501 00:33:02,880 --> 00:33:07,160 Speaker 2: to help him, which, to Flavio's credit, does seem consistent 502 00:33:07,240 --> 00:33:09,920 Speaker 2: with his claims of believing that he's working for the CIA. 503 00:33:11,360 --> 00:33:14,200 Speaker 2: In Flavio's mind, accepting any money as part of the 504 00:33:14,280 --> 00:33:17,960 Speaker 2: deal would compromise him. So he's making it clear to 505 00:33:18,040 --> 00:33:21,680 Speaker 2: one that he's not doing this for money. He doesn't 506 00:33:21,720 --> 00:33:22,560 Speaker 2: want one's money. 507 00:33:23,800 --> 00:33:28,760 Speaker 1: Well me to men too. But I can't listen, I 508 00:33:28,840 --> 00:33:32,920 Speaker 1: can't look. I cannot come to Romania until I meet 509 00:33:33,000 --> 00:33:36,040 Speaker 1: you in Rome. I go from Rome to Romania. If 510 00:33:36,080 --> 00:33:38,080 Speaker 1: I meet you in Rome, he doesn't have to come. 511 00:33:38,160 --> 00:33:39,640 Speaker 1: I don't need to talk. I don't need to talk 512 00:33:39,680 --> 00:33:41,480 Speaker 1: to him, or we don't need to do business. That's 513 00:33:41,480 --> 00:33:44,120 Speaker 1: not because you don't need my business. That's it. In 514 00:33:44,320 --> 00:33:46,040 Speaker 1: all due respect to you, you a glem. 515 00:33:46,600 --> 00:33:48,120 Speaker 3: He cannot come, What can I do? 516 00:33:48,360 --> 00:33:53,680 Speaker 1: I understand that, then then I'm not coming. That's I 517 00:33:53,720 --> 00:33:57,240 Speaker 1: cannot go because I cannot take a change every day 518 00:33:57,840 --> 00:34:01,080 Speaker 1: from you trying to help me, okay, which is a business, 519 00:34:01,080 --> 00:34:03,760 Speaker 1: and you're gonna get help of yourself, okay. So I 520 00:34:03,840 --> 00:34:07,000 Speaker 1: can't know you go to Romania thinking that I want 521 00:34:07,000 --> 00:34:09,160 Speaker 1: to miss someone that said brother don't worry about it. 522 00:34:09,239 --> 00:34:11,560 Speaker 1: Don't worry you change your mind, let me know you do. 523 00:34:11,680 --> 00:34:17,200 Speaker 1: I want to be in Rome. Okay. Hello. 524 00:34:19,200 --> 00:34:23,799 Speaker 2: The call gets disconnected and at this point the arms 525 00:34:23,840 --> 00:34:28,319 Speaker 2: deal appears to be dead. It's all a hot mess, 526 00:34:30,120 --> 00:34:33,840 Speaker 2: but one he does change his mind. He's trying to 527 00:34:33,880 --> 00:34:36,680 Speaker 2: build a case for the DEA after all, and he 528 00:34:36,760 --> 00:34:40,799 Speaker 2: spent months grooming Flavio as a target. He's not ready 529 00:34:40,840 --> 00:34:44,640 Speaker 2: to give up just yet, so he travels to Europe 530 00:34:45,360 --> 00:34:51,360 Speaker 2: again and one finally comes face to face with his target. 531 00:34:52,680 --> 00:34:56,319 Speaker 1: Here I am in your town, and here I am 532 00:34:56,400 --> 00:35:01,960 Speaker 1: to to doc. Okay do you I'm the Mariota Hotel. 533 00:35:02,880 --> 00:35:04,920 Speaker 4: M h okay? 534 00:35:05,360 --> 00:35:06,319 Speaker 1: Uh? True? 535 00:35:06,360 --> 00:35:06,440 Speaker 8: One. 536 00:35:07,920 --> 00:35:12,479 Speaker 2: That's in the next episode. This is up in arms, 537 00:35:13,239 --> 00:35:26,680 Speaker 2: season two of Alphabet Boys. Alphabet Boys is a production 538 00:35:26,760 --> 00:35:29,720 Speaker 2: of Western Sound and iHeart Podcasts. The show is reported, 539 00:35:29,800 --> 00:35:33,760 Speaker 2: written and hosted by me, Trevor Aronson. For more information 540 00:35:33,800 --> 00:35:36,040 Speaker 2: about the series or to drop us a tip, head 541 00:35:36,080 --> 00:35:39,239 Speaker 2: to our website Alphabet Boys dot x y Z. You 542 00:35:39,320 --> 00:35:42,440 Speaker 2: can contact me on Twitter or Instagram at Trevor Aronson. 543 00:35:43,120 --> 00:35:47,319 Speaker 2: The show's instagram is Alphabet Boys dot pod. If you're 544 00:35:47,400 --> 00:35:50,520 Speaker 2: enjoying Alphabet Boys, tell your friends about the show, personal 545 00:35:50,600 --> 00:35:53,840 Speaker 2: recommendations are the best recommendations and want to see an 546 00:35:53,840 --> 00:35:56,880 Speaker 2: illegal arms deal from the inside. At Alphabet Boys dot 547 00:35:57,000 --> 00:36:00,200 Speaker 2: x y Z you'll find undercover recordings and documents related 548 00:36:00,239 --> 00:36:03,520 Speaker 2: to Flavio's case. Finally, you can help us ride the 549 00:36:03,560 --> 00:36:06,600 Speaker 2: algorithms by leaving a rating or review on your favorite 550 00:36:06,640 --> 00:36:09,839 Speaker 2: podcast app that helps other people find us and thanks 551 00:36:09,880 --> 00:36:10,320 Speaker 2: for listening.