The CIA Agent Who Changed CIA Operations Forever

In this week’s Minutes With episode, we sat down with former CIA Officer Andrew Bustamante.

Andrew, a former nuclear specialist with the US Air Force, left the military to join the Peace Corp, but the CIA had other plans for him. After being recruited, Andrew trained at ‘The Farm’, where Case Officers get taught everything they need to go into deep cover in enemy territories.

From life-or-death missions abroad to uncovering a mole inside the CIA, this former officer reveals what it’s really like to live in the shadows. He explains how his covert cell changed CIA operations forever, the fine line between motivation and manipulation, and why he believes everyone — no matter who they are — is predictable.

00:00 - Intro
00:25 - Childhood
02:00 - Joining the Airforce
03:45 - Scouted by the CIA
05:00 - CIA Recruitment
07:00 - Training to be a Case Officer
10:14 - Failing Training
11:30 - Marrying a CIA Officer
12:50 - Special Operations
13:50 - CIA had a Mole
15:00 - Using Terrorist Cell Logic
16:18 - Deploying into enemy territory
17:40 - Becoming a Gray Man
19:34 - Dangers of Espionage
21:50 - Escaping the Country
23:37 - It’s Not Like the Movies
25:45 - Was the Mole caught?
27:45 - Leaving the CIA
28:50 - Moral Flexibility
30:00 - New Threats to Global Security
30:40 - Trump v CIA
31:50 - People Are Predictable
32:50 - Manipulation or Motivation

Thanks to Andrew for taking part. Want to learn more from Andrew?

Find your Spy Superpower: https://yt.everydayspy.com/4nM6S2M

Read Andrew’s CIA book ‘Shadow Cell’: https://geni.us/ShadowCellBook

Follow Andy on YouTube:    / @andrew-bustamante  

Explore Spy School: https://everydayspy.com/

Support Andy's sponsor Axolt Brain: https://axoltbrain.com/andy

Listen to the podcast:    / @everydayspypodcast