The Billion Dollar Spy: Inside the Tolkachev Operation

This episode goes deep into one of the most famous intelligence cases in CIA history: the handling of Adolph Tolkachev, later known as The Billion Dollar Spy. David Rolph walks through the real story behind the operation—how Tolkachev first made contact, what made him so valuable, and how the CIA managed one of the riskiest and most rewarding spy relationships of the Cold War.

David explains the tradecraft, the dangers, and the decisions that shaped the case, giving a rare firsthand look at how the CIA handled one of its most important assets. This is the definitive conversation about a spy operation that changed the Cold War.

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CHAPTERS:

00:00 Intro
02:39 Tolkachev’s list of production
04:05 Tolkachev reaches out to the CIA
08:27 Tolkachev’s leaves notes
12:02 Tolkachev’s first call
15:54 Secret Writing
17:51 Material is legitimate
21:03 Tolkachev issued a 35mm camera
23:06 Tolkachev’s position in Russia
24:11 Tolkachev’s information
25:36 The Billion Dollar Spy
29:38 Dave gets assigned to Tolkachev
35:27 The Transfer from Guilsher to Dave
43:00 Dave meets Tolkachev
45:05 The “L” Pill
48:07 Complications
54:41 Money talks
58:34 Tolkachev as a person
01:05:52 SDR Surveillance Detection Runs
01:12:18 An SDR Story
01:19:15 Tolkachev gets a new car
01:23:21 Tolkachev transferred to the next Officer
01:29:24 Tolkachev gets caught
01:31:12 Edward Lee Howard and the downfall of the Operation
01:38:26 The Capture
01:39:33 Couldn’t get his L-Pill
01:42:10 Outtro