In this podcast episode

A conversation with Jack Barsky, a former KGB spy.

For 10 years, Jack Barsky was a sleeper agent spying for the Soviet Union. His job was to obtain secret or confidential information from inside the United States any way he could.

The KGB Spy

Jack Barsky spied on the United States from 1978 to 1988. And that entire time, his primary mission was to become an American. And that's precisely what he did. He moved to New York City, got a job as a computer programmer, and lived an unremarkable life. He made friends and other relationships while being Moscow's eyes and ears. But his clandestine mission as a sleeper agent was bound to end.

"The KGB, for some reason, got spooked and thought my cover was blown," said Barsky.

The message was clear. Jack Barsky was exposed and needed to return to Moscow.

Double agent

Jack Barsky's birth name is Albrecht Dittrich. When he first joined the KGB, he didn't see himself as a spy. Instead, he and other recruits thought of themselves as scouts for peace. The spies are the enemies of the West.

The KGB spy living the American Dream

Jack Barsky never intended for his story to get out. So for 10 years, Barsky assumed the identity of a dead child. He took the boy's name, birth certificate, and social security number. The mission was to infiltrate, extract secrets and get out. But eventually, his years as a sleeper agent were exposed to the world.

Hear the true story of this KGB's spy career came to an end.

Special Thanks to

Kellette Elliott for the custom collage artwork. Purchase a t-shirt with this episode's artwork here.

Story idea?

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Today's episode was written and edited by Javier Leiva

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