REDACTED: Declassified Mysteries with Luke Lamana
Behind the closed doors of government offices and military compounds, are hidden stories and buried secrets from the darkest corners of history. Each week, Luke Lamana, a Marine Corp Reconnaissance Veteran, pulls back the curtain on what once was classified information exposing the secrets and lies behind the world’s most powerful institutions. From the hitmakers at Wondery and Ballen Studios, we bring you REDACTED: Declassified Mysteries with Luke Lamana. The stories are real, and the secrets are shocking.
Episodes
Listen Now: I Am Not Nicholas
“I am not Nicholas Rossi!” gasps Arthur Knight through an oxygen mask in March 2022. Recently discharged from a Covid ward in Glasgow, he's in a wheelchair. The police say he’s Nicholas Rossi, suspected of faking his death and wanted for rape in Utah. The story makes headlines globally.When journalist Jane MacSorley meets Arthur Knight and his wife Miranda, she thinks the police have made
Listen Now: Dan Taberski’s Manifesto
Just in time for America’s 250th birthday, follow Dan Taberski (Hysterical, 9/12, Missing Richard Simmons) as he sets off on his most complicated quest yet: to reclaim the manifesto and write his own. Dan attempts to rescue the manifesto as a form from the sweaty clutches of cynical politicians and mass shooters and return it to its rightful place: with the artists, the warriors, the visi
WikiLeaks: The Hacker Who Exposed America's Darkest Secrets
When Julian Assange released classified footage of a U.S. helicopter strike that killed two journalists and several civilians in 2010, it catapulted WikiLeaks into global headlines. As Assange unleashed a flood of classified documents, he sparked protests, fractured alliances, and ignited a global war over secrecy and truth. But the deeper he dug into the hidden machinery of power, the mo
Castle Bravo: America's Deadliest Nuclear Mistake
On March 1, 1954, a Japanese fishing boat called the Lucky Dragon No. 5 was sailing near the Marshall Islands when its crew was caught in the fallout of a secret U.S. hydrogen bomb test. Code named Castle Bravo, the test released far more radiation than scientists had anticipated, contaminating not only the fishermen but nearby islanders, all without warning. Later labelled the “worst nuc
A Redacted Medical Mystery: Weather Warriors/Red Menace
In this special MrBallen’s Medical Mysteries and Redacted Crossover episode, MrBallen and Luke Lamana join forces to bring you two shocking stories of the military testing bizarre, deadly weapons of war in secret. In “Weather Warriors,"" the U.S. Army goes to extreme lengths to disrupt Viet Cong supply lines through a classified program called Operation Popeye. In “Red Menace,” a 75 year
Operation Fast & Furious: When Feds Armed Cartels
A secretive U.S. government operation to track gun traffickers goes horribly wrong when the weapons end up in the hands of criminals—and are used to kill a Border Patrol agent. As the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives scrambles to cover its tracks, one agent defies orders and risks everything to expose the truth.Be the first to know about Wondery’s newest podcasts, cura
Operation Underworld: The Secret WW2 Alliance between The Navy and the Mafia
During World War II, the U.S. Navy made an unthinkable alliance—with the Mafia. Fearing enemy sabotage in New York Harbor, military officials turned to notorious gangster Charles “Lucky” Luciano and his underworld network for help securing the docks against Nazi spies. But what started as a desperate bid to protect America’s shores soon spiraled into a murky web of power, corruption, and
Murder in Mississippi: The Medgar Evers Assassination Case
For decades, justice for civil rights leader Medgar Evers remained out of reach. Assassinated in his own driveway in 1963, his killer walked free after two all-white juries refused to convict him. But the story didn’t end there. Nearly 30 years later, long-hidden government documents revealed possible jury tampering, reopening the case and leading to a dramatic trial in which his murderer
The Dreyfus Affair: France's Anti-Semitic Military Scandal
In 1894, Alfred Dreyfus, a Jewish French officer, was falsely accused of espionage and sentenced to life in prison on the remote Devil’s Island in French Guiana. As evidence came to light pointing to his innocence, a bitter national debate erupted that would change France forever. Some maintained Dreyfus was guilty, while others, like writer Émile Zola, demanded justice for Dreyfus accusi
Deep Cover: The ATF Agent Who Became a Hell’s Angel
In the early 2000s, undercover ATF agent, Jay Dobyns, infiltrated the infamous Hells Angels motorcycle gang. To gain their trust, Dobyns had to walk the walk—trafficking guns, staging violent attacks, and proving his loyalty in ways that pushed the limits of the law. But when the government unexpectedly pulled the plug on the operation, Dobyns found himself a marked man, hunted by the ver
Cambridge Five: The Spy Scandal That Broke M16
They were charming, brilliant, and deeply embedded in the British establishment — but they were also secretly working for the enemy. Later dubbed the Cambridge Five, this ring of Soviet spies passed government secrets to Moscow right under British Intelligence’s nose for decades. But when two of them suddenly vanished in 1951, suspicions erupted into one of the biggest espionage scandals
The JFK Assassination: New Evidence Reveals The CIA's Fatal Mistake
In 2025, the Trump Administration released long-classified government files about the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. At the center of the most obsessed-over murder in American history stands the gunman, Lee Harvey Oswald, a man whose life was marked by political radicalization and personal failure. His actions on November 22, 1963 continue to haunt the nation, fueling a
The Secret of Churchill’s Anthrax Island
Towards the end of WWII, Winston Churchill decided it was time for Britain to develop deadly bioweapons. He chose a remote island off of Scotland where experiments could be carried out away from human contact. But toxic secrets often have a way of resurfacing. Years later, a group of environmental activists called ""Dark Harvest"" would force Britain to confront its contaminated past. The
The Briefcase Bomb That Could Have Ended World War II
Towards the end of WWII, a rogue group of German conspirators realized what they had to do to protect the future of their country: kill Adolf Hitler. But eliminating the Führer was easier said than done. Dud bombs, botched assassination attempts, and cruel twists of fate spared Hitler’s life again and again. In the end, fake news of his death set the gears of Operation Valkyrie into motio
The CIA Puppetmaster Part 2
In Part Two of this two-part series, CIA Director Allen Dules' plan to invade Cuba goes disastrously wrong. Though this political mastermind thinks he has everything under control, he quickly learns that he underestimated the young American President, John F. Kennedy.Be the first to know about Wondery’s newest podcasts, curated recommendations, and more! Sign up now at https://wondery.fm/
The CIA Puppetmaster Part 1
In Part One of this two-part series, the CIA Director and political chessmaster, Allen Dulles, has his eyes set on overthrowing the Cuban Dictator, Fidel Castro. But though Dulles thinks he has every move figured out, he unwittingly puts the pieces in motion for one of the greatest embarrassments in American history. Be the first to know about Wondery’s newest podcasts, curated recom
America’s Secret UFO Files
In the early 1950s, the US Air Force launched a top-secret program to investigate reports of UFO sightings and determine whether they posed a national security threat. Dubbed Project Blue Book, the program examined nearly 12,000 accounts of UFO activity before it was shut down and classified in 1969. But as rumors spread about the nature of the investigation, the public began to wonder wh
Edward Snowden: Digital Whistleblower
After the tragic events of 9/11, Edward Snowden decides to do his patriotic duty and joins the US Military. When he moves up to systems engineer at the CIA, he stumbles across a secret that will change the world forever: the American Government is spying on its citizens. In the end, Snowden is forced to sacrifice everything he holds dear to make America's dark secret public.Be the first t
Snitches Get Stitches: The Frank Serpico Story
In 1960s New York, cop Frank Serpico discovered a brutal truth: his fellow officers were on the take. Gambling dens and drug rings were being secretly protected by the NYPD. When Serpico refused to join in, he became a marked man. His attempts to expose corruption hit wall after wall. Finally, he went public and sparked the biggest police scandal in NYC history. His sacrifice exposed deca
Nukes Below Zero
During the Cold War, the US built a secret underground city 100 feet under Greenland’s ice cap. It was disguised as a research facility but was actually meant as a site to launch missiles at Russia. The project failed and turned into a radioactive wasteland. But in the end, this classified military project accidentally revolutionized climate science. Be the first to know about Wonder
The Fake Army That Fooled Hitler
As World War II raged on, America deployed its strangest weapon yet: a fake army. Known as the Ghost Army, this group of artists, architects, and actors used inflatable tanks and sound effects to deceive Hitler’s forces about the size and location of Allied troops on the attack. The Ghost Army's top-secret deception saved thousands of lives - but their story stayed buried for decades.&nbs
The Russian Sleeper Agent Next Door
On the night of his 20th birthday, Tim Foley's world was turned upside down when the FBI stormed his home and arrested his parents. At first, it seemed like a terrible mistake. But soon, he learned the truth—his parents were not an ordinary suburban couple. They were Russian spies living a decades-long lie. Their arrest exposed a vast network of ""sleeper agents"" - spies who had spent ye
Tuskegee Tragedy: The Medical Study That Hid a Genocide
In 1972, Alabama farmer Charlie Pollard discovered a horrifying truth. For 40 years, he thought he was getting treatment for syphilis. Instead, he was part of a secret government study. Hundreds of Black men were denied medicine while doctors watched the disease destroy their bodies. The truth about this cruel experiment stayed buried until one whistleblower finally came forward.Be the fi
The Plot to Kill George Washington
In the summer of 1776 as war with the British loomed over the American colonies, a shocking betrayal was brewing within General George Washington’s inner circle. His personal bodyguards were secretly plotting to kidnap him and end the revolution before it truly began. As tensions rose in New York, Washington raced to uncover the treachery in his ranks – before it was too late. Be the firs
The Iran Contra Scandal
President Ronald Reagan faced two major problems in 1981. A Communist revolution had taken hold in Nicaragua. And in Lebanon, militants were holding American hostages. Reagan's team created a secret plan to solve both issues at once. It was highly illegal and it turned into one of the most shocking scandals in American history. The story connects unlikely dots: weapons, hostages, rebels,
America’s Human Test Subjects
The Cold War made America desperate for new weapons. The military looked beyond nuclear bombs into chemicals and drugs: LSD and Sarin gas. But first, they needed test subjects. They turned to their own soldiers and turned men into lab rats. Today’s episode explores two stories about these experiments and their lasting effects on the soldiers they treated as guinea pigs. Be the first
Operation Greylord: Chicago’s Corrupt Courts
In 1979, prosecutor Terry Hake made a bold choice. He agreed to go undercover for the FBI and report on widespread corruption in the Chicago courts. As he navigated a world of bribery and backroom deals, Hake risked everything to take down some of the most powerful figures in Cook County’s justice system. But the deeper he went, the more dangerous his mission became.Be the first to know a
Death of Che
In 1967, the CIA and Bolivian army joined forces to hunt down revolutionary leader Che Guevara through the Andes mountains. After leaving Cuba, Guevara and a small guerrilla force secretly entered Bolivia, aiming to spark a communist revolution across South America. But as his health failed and local support crumbled, Guevara's final mission — and death — would transform him into a legend
Ben Franklin: Secret Spy
Benjamin Franklin is known for his role as a Founding Father, inventor, and diplomat. But he had another role: spymaster. As the American colonies fought for independence against the British, Franklin traveled to Paris to help win French support. But as it turned out, he was entering a world of deception and intrigue. British spies lurked everywhere. And one of them had the power to sabot
The D-Day Con
In the tense months leading up to D-Day, a daring plan was set in motion to mislead the Nazis about where and when the invasion would take place. British intelligence recruited a motley crew of double agents, including a Spanish chicken farmer, a Serbian playboy, and a temperamental Russian-French journalist. As conflicting loyalties, personal grudges, and the weight of history collided,
The Man Who Stopped WWIII
In 1983, the Cold War escalated to new heights after the Soviet Union mistakenly shot down a passenger jet, Korean Air Flight 007, killing all 269 people on board. Just weeks later, Russian Lieutenant Colonel Stanislav Petrov was on duty when the nuclear missile detection system reported an incoming U.S. strike. With Cold War tensions already at a breaking point, Petrov had to decide whet
The Real Argo
Amid the chaos of the Iranian Hostage Crisis, six Americans manage to evade capture and find refuge at the Canadian embassy. With time running out and their lives on the line, CIA disguise expert Tony Mendez devises an audacious plan: posing the group as a Hollywood film crew scouting locations for a fake sci-fi movie. Be the first to know about Wondery’s newest podcasts, curated rec
The Black Panther Plot
On a cold night in December 1969, Fred Hampton, the 21-year-old leader of the Chicago Black Panther Party, lay asleep beside his pregnant partner, Deborah Johnson. Without warning, their home was raided by the police, who shot hundreds of rounds into their building. But what at first seemed like a brutal act of violence turned out to be the culmination of a far more sinister plot by the F
Enhance the Paranoia
Fueled by opposition to the Vietnam War, a group of activists broke into an FBI office in Media, Pennsylvania in 1971. Their goal: to expose how the agency was suppressing anti-war protests. Calling themselves the Citizens’ Commission to Investigate the FBI, they successfully stole files that not only revealed the bureau's shocking tactics, but exposed many other unsuspecting targets
Code Name Blue Wren
Ana Montes was a trusted analyst at the Defense Intelligence Agency, a rising star with access to America’s most sensitive secrets. But beneath her composed exterior she lived a double life. For nearly twenty years, she betrayed her country, feeding classified intelligence to Cuba—not for money, but out of conviction. Be the first to know about Wondery’s newest podcasts, curated reco
Ames Mole Hunt
In 1985, Soviet defector Vitaly Yurchenko revealed a chilling secret to the CIA: a high-ranking mole was leaking American intelligence to the KGB. As it turned out, the mole was Aldrich Ames, the CIA’s own Chief of Soviet Counterintelligence. The disgruntled agent turned traitor operated undetected for nearly a decade, exposing the CIA’s missteps and blind spots along the way. Be the
The Hunt for K-129
In 1968, the Soviet submarine K-129 sank in the Pacific, carrying nuclear weapons and Cold War secrets. After its location was pinpointed three miles beneath the ocean surface, the CIA tasked a trailblazing engineer named Curtis Crooke with designing the technology to bring it back up. Backed by billionaire Howard Hughes, they launched a covert $800 million operation that pushed the limit
Charles Manson and the CIA (Part 2)
As we dive deeper down the Charles Manson rabbit hole in Part 2, we explore the shocking link between the cult leader, mind control, and the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. As Tom O’Neill concludes his two decade long investigation, we look at the author’s findings that have rocked everything that the American public thought they knew about the Manson Family Murders.Be the fir
Charles Manson and the CIA (Part 1)
When journalist Tom O’Neill set out to write a simple story on the anniversary of the Manson Family murders in 1999, he was pulled into an investigation that lasted 20 years. In the first part of this two part episode, we explore O’Neill’s findings about Charles Manson's relationship to the CIA, drug studies at a CIA funded medical facility that the cult leader frequented, and the alleged
634 Ways to Kill Fidel Castro
Over decades, the U.S. government orchestrated hundreds of assassination attempts on Cuban dictator Fidel Castro, both serious and absurd, from poison cigars to exploding seashells. Learn how Castro managed to escape death time and again and cemented his place as one of history’s most untouchable figures.Be the first to know about Wondery’s newest podcasts, curated recommendations, and mo
Operation Tailwind: Valley of Death
It’s 1998 and CNN produces a documentary blowing the lid off of one America's most secret military operations in the Vietnam war, Operation Tailwind. But after the documentary airs, the news organization quickly learns that they got the story wrong. How does one of America’s most trusted names in news release such a flawed report? How did it impact the military? And why does one journalis
The Forgotten Meltdown
It’s 1961 in Idaho Falls. The US government’s attempt to set the course for America’s nuclear future turns tragic when the SL-1 reactor explodes, leading to the gruesome death of three soldiers. But what caused this tragedy? Was it really a murder/suicide inspired by a jealous love triangle? Or was this an excuse to hide something much darker? Follow Redacted: Declassified Mysteries
Operation Paperclip: America’s Secret Nazi Scientists
It’s the end of WWII and the US is on the verge of defeating Germany. That’s when the military launches Operation Paperclip: a plan to bring German scientists to America to turn the country into the ultimate military power. But what these men did during World War II was so horrifying, the secrets of their true nature had to be hidden for decades. Follow Redacted: Declassified M
Operation Ajax: The CIA’s Secret War in Iran
In 1953, Kermit Roosevelt, grandson of President Theodore Roosevelt, has unlimited job prospects. But instead of picking a cushy desk job or following his Nobel Peace Prize-winning grandfather's footsteps, he joins the CIA and heads to Tehran where he launches the controversial Operation AJAX - a CIA and MI6 joint venture that topples Iran’s power structure and unleashes decades
Introducing - REDACTED: Declassified Mysteries with Luke Lamana
Each week on Redacted, we pull back the curtain on hidden histories behind the world’s most powerful institutions. Shocking stories of covert operations, CIA cover-ups, and military missions gone wrong. Listen to 'Redacted': Declassified Mysteries with Luke Lamana early and ad-free on the Wondery App starting on November 5th. And on November 12th wherever you get your podcasts.
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