2009 was one of the most anticipated court proceedings in US history, as no one could believe that someone could accumulate a loss of $50 billion by lying, cheating, creating Ponzi schemes and engaging in fraudulent activities.

His name is Bernard Madoff, and he managed money not only from the rich and famous but mostly from ordinary, hard-working people who trusted him. At the end, all Bernard Madoff said was, “I cannot adequately express how sorry I am for what I have done,” and the rest is history.

However, Bernard Madoff just started a new trend: how do you attract people to invest their hard-earned money? The next person on the scene was Sam Bankman-Fried, the former CEO of the bankrupt cryptocurrency exchange FTX, who lost $8 billion of investors’ money. Prior to this, he was regarded as a rising star who appeared on TV shows and spoke on panels, building his amazing reputation on the money of hard-working people.

The question to be asked is: how or by whom did you influence someone to be your financial or business guru?!

Guru: Hypocrite or not?

A few days ago, during a conversation about business, finance, and wise investing with a friend, he mentioned having read Robert Kiyosaki’s book Rich Dad, Poor Dad. Naturally, the question arose: have I also read that book?

To be honest, I haven’t read the book. However, while working on my podcast show or conducting research, I came across numerous chapters and quotes from the book, which piqued my interest even more. I will share my thoughts on this topic with you.

The credibility of Kiyosaki’s work piqued my interest, so I asked Holly Grail of Knowledge, “Dr. Google,” Who is Robert Kiyosaki?

On top of the page is the link to the article with the following title: “Rich Dad, Poor Dad’s“ Robert Kiyosaki Says He’s $1.2 Billion In Debt Because “If I Go Bust, The Bank Goes bust. Not My Problem”.

In the case of Robert Kiyosaki, a man who coaches, teaches, and mentors others on how to achieve wealth and success, I would consider this statement to be quite normal, given that his primary focus is on achieving financial success for himself and by becoming Your Financial Guru.

After all, people who place their trust in individuals like Kiyosaki indirectly support the lifestyles of gurus, coaches, and the like.

Who is Robert Kiyosaki?

For those who haven’t heard of or know Robert Kiyosaki, he is an American businessman and author, best known for his Rich Dad, Poor Dad series of personal finance books.

He founded Rich Dad Company, a private financial education company that teaches people about finance and business through books and videos.

His company, Rich Global LLC, declared bankruptcy in 2012.

And now we get to the intriguing part: how did someone who should be teaching us, a “guru” on finance, bring his companies to bankruptcy?

In 1947, Kiyosaki was born in Hawaii. During the Vietnam War, as a Navy officer and helicopter pilot, he gained experience in troop leadership. After that, in 1977, he worked for Xerox to gain experience in sales.

Kiyosaki founded “Rippers” in 1977 to sell wallets made of nylon and Velcro. When the business officially failed, he accepted a position as a sales associate with Xerox, where he worked until June 1978.

In 1993, Kiyosaki released his first book, If You Want to Be Rich and Happy, Don’t Go to School. In his book, he encouraged parents to start their kids in real estate instead of sending them to college.

Kiyosaki established Cashflow Technologies, Inc., a holding company, to own and operate the Rich Dad and Cashflow brands in 1997. To teach people about business and finance, Kiyosaki designed the Cashflow board and software games.

The company “Rich Global LLC,” owned by Kiyosaki, declared bankruptcy in 2012.

Kiyosaki is the author of over 26 books, including Rich Dad, Poor Dad, which has sold over 41 million copies worldwide and been translated into 51 languages.

He became well-known after Rich Dad, Poor Dad reached the top of the New York Times bestseller list and sold over 41 million copies globally.

Forbes estimates that Kiyosaki is worth about $100 million and has a number of businesses that he either fully owns, formerly owns, or partially owns through franchisees; however, Robert Kiyosaki stated in his interview on YouTube, “No one knows how much he is worth,” and that is true; it’s a pure guess by all of us.

How everything started

Kiyosaki’s career took off in 1985 when he co-founded the Excelerated Learning Institute, an educational firm that offered courses on social responsibility, investing, and entrepreneurship.

Because of the company’s success, Kiyosaki was able to begin investing in real estate. He sold the business in 1994 and went on to write his first book, “If You Want to Be Rich and Happy, Don’t Go to School.”

This is where we should stop.

For me, this raised a red flag: Sure, there are plenty of ways to get rich, but writing that you do not attend school?

So did he go first? Needless to say, the world stage is full of coaches, gurus, and many others who advocate “don’t go to school.”

If you don’t go to school, then you can’t question those gurus because what the guru says must be true, even if it is just an opinion, because of what the coach and guru say. I

It doesn’t work that way and never will; education is an important part of everybody’s life!

Who was this book intended for?

When Kiyosaki founded Cash Flow Technologies, Inc. in 1997, he took the next significant step towards success. The company is a financial institute that provides personal finance services and educational advice.

Kiyosaki made significant strides this year, publishing his most well-known book, Rich Dad, Poor Dad, and launching the entire Rich Dad brand around its success.

In addition to book profits, Kiyosaki has made a lot of money from seminars held by professionals under the Rich Dad brand. These seminars have been a significant source of income for the business and can cost tens of thousands of dollars.

Apart from this, real estate investing has contributed significantly to Kiyosaki’s riches.

In 1973, he made his first real estate venture in Hawaii. He currently enjoys a passive income from his ownership of approximately 7,000 properties; however, in his interview on VladTV’s YouTube channel,stated he ownes 12,000 properties.

How did his companies go bankrupt, even with all his knowledge?

Bankruptcy of the Rippers.

In 1977, Kiyosaki founded Rippers, a business that marketed wallets in the style of surfer dudes made of nylon and Velcro.

These wallets were the first of their kind and had a unique concept. Due to fierce competition from outside, this company ultimately went bankrupt, so Kiyosaki decided to choose a different route.

The Velcro Wallet Company goes bankrupt.

Kiyosaki attempted to collaborate with the rival business to try to accomplish his objective. This led to the company filing for bankruptcy.

Rich Global LLC goes bankrupt.

On August 7, 2012, Rich Global LLC filed for bankruptcy. Learning Annexe forced the business to pay over $24 million, but they lacked the necessary funds to do so.

According to reports, Kiyosaki and the Learning Annexeee had an agreement whereby Kiyosaki would give the Learning Annexeee a portion of the money he made from speaking engagements in exchange for the Learning Annexeee booking him for book marketing.

It is believed that Kiyosaki neglected to pay these sums to the Learning Annexe.

I pose the same query once more: Is Robert Kiyosaki a scammer?

Regarding Kiyosaki’s fraud status, rumours have been circulating ever since his company filed for bankruptcy.

Despite the company’s collapse, Kiyosaki’s personal finances appeared to be unaffected, and he has maintained his large net worth, raising questions about whether or not he is a fraud.

Other than his bankruptcy, some have raised concerns about Kiyosaki’s financial success. These include statements made in his book that some have disputed as untrue.

According to Forbes, there is no record of Kiyosaki’s money creation before he became wealthy through the book Rich Dad, Poor Dad. This has led some to question the book’s authenticity as fiction or non-fiction.

Recently, I’ve noticed an increase in the number of so-called gurus—online experts who use social media to provide life and business advice—and upon deeper inspection, we find that these individuals lack any references.

In past podcast episodes, I’ve discussed several influencers and gurus; they turned out to be scammers despite being two of the most well-known gurus.

While I know many of you will disagree with my findings, this podcast is about helping each other, sharing knowledge, and discussing facts, not opinions, to save you from facing any obstacles and fighting unnecessary battles.

Ultimately, we cannot definitively determine whether Robert Kiyosaki is telling the truth or lying. However, it’s important to note that since the publication of his book in 1997, nearly 30 years ago, numerous financial landscapes, laws, and legislation have changed. Therefore, attempting to profit from a fictional book from 1997 in today’s business and financial market would be incorrect.

Robert Kiyosaki has built his firm on providing sound advice on business and wealth creation, but his own companies haven’t always remained financially stable. On the contrary, he is proud to be in debt of $1.2 billion, but that is not his fault; it is the financial institutions who gave him money. But again, Robert Kiyosaki stated that he has 12,000 properties, so banks will take those properties as collateral.

However, fraud in the sale of courses—that is, knowledge—piqued my curiosity.

What is the scam about Rich Dad’s education?

The purported fraud surrounding Robert Kiyosaki’s educational seminars and courses is predicated on both the cost and the course material.

This is a complimentary, one-day educational conference that offers insightful commentary and guidance before the course.

The attendees then receive a three-day workshop, which costs about $500 and appears to offer fewer insights, more advertising, and an incentive to enrol in the next course.

The next step is a course that costs a whopping $45,000 or more. The course aims to provide attendees with valuable education and financial strategies for wealth creation.

I understand you’re asking if Kusr’s money was typographical, but no.

I believe it is reasonable to charge for the course.

But it’s crucial to charge fairly for your services. $450 might make sense if you’re aiming to help someone become wealthy and valuable.

However, how is $45,000 appropriate for any course on personal finance?

Participants in this course report that the instructors aggressively promote additional courses, but the advice hasn’t resulted in any significant financial success for them.

We haven’t yet proven whether Kiyosaki’s educational courses are a scam or not.

The Critics

Critics have questioned Kiyosaki’s educational courses and philosophical beliefs’ morality and legality.

Critics have pointed to Kiyosaki’s ambiguous counsel, which hasn’t helped anyone actually become wealthy.

Furthermore, he has been accused of running a fake educational program with the sole purpose of inducing participants to pay more money for the next course.

It truly disturbs me to witness individuals who are essentially victims trying to earn money. I find it challenging to understand how people can think that a single book or course can generate money overnight.

Like Kiyosaki, hundreds or thousands of others do the same!

There is no reason to spend hundreds of dollars on courses; simply earn, save, get out of debt, and invest.

Couldn’t it be simpler?

And yes, not everything you see on social media is real and true.

Following the assassination attempt on US presidential candidate Donald Trump on Monday, Bitcoin jumped to a two-week high.

After reaching a two-week high of $62,698, bitcoin increased by 8.6% to $62,508, bringing its year-to-date gain to 47%. Moreover, etherium rose 6.8% to $3,322.
Why am I saying all of this to you?

Cryptocurrencies are sure to play a significant role in both our personal and professional lives. The belief that it is “easy and quick money” draws everyone to this sector, which is still undiscovered but very alluring.

That’s also where a trap catches him.

He was referring to a large-scale swindle and a Ponzi scheme using cryptocurrency and he was considered to be one of most known Instagram influencers.

“More than half (55 per cent) of Instagram influencers were involved in some form of social media fraud and fakery in 2020, despite an eight-percentage point decrease from 2019. A new study by HypeAuditor also found 45 per cent of Instagram accounts were fake (PR Week, 15 April 2021).”

Do you know Jay Mazini?

If cryptocurrencies pique your interest, you’ve probably heard about them or seen them mentioned on social media.

Former Instagram influencer “Jay Mazzini,” Jebara Igbara, 28, of New Jersey, entered a guilty plea to fraud charges after acknowledging that he designed a Ponzi scheme with cryptocurrency schemes totalling almost $8 million.

The COVID-19 pandemic’s economic chaos provided Jebara with the opportunity to launch his Instagram account, Jay Mazini.

He then used his connections in the Muslim community to raise money for his company, Hallal Capital LLC, promising to earn a return on stocks and resale of electronics and personal protective equipment.

The fact that Jebara specifically targeted his own religious community is unique and somewhat awful

He wasted and gambled with their hard-earned money, taking advantage of their faith in him.

As he made connections with wealthy local investors, Igbara expanded his online presence and amassed almost a million Instagram followers.

Every now and then I pause to ask myself, “How is it possible that people believe all that?”

To what extent is reality “easy money”?

However, after thinking, reading, and hearing about people’s experiences on a daily basis, I’ve come to the conclusion that everyone wants to get wealthy quickly and easily.

Jebara filmed cash gifts, which helped him achieve popularity.

He frequently gave large amounts of cash to regular Walmart customers or employees at fast-food restaurants.

Is that something you can envision? As you can observe, someone distributes money in that manner.

Now hold on. Have you ever wondered how he managed to amass so much wealth and how he was able to give it away in that manner?

Did his Instagram followers truly believe that someone could get that wealthy so quickly?

Of course, the fact that he shared money with rapper 50 Cent in at least one video helped make him famous.

In actuality, Jebara conned investors out of at least $8 million through multiple fraud schemes.

How was the con executed?

Jebara used a business named Halal Capital LLC to conduct an investment fraud scam.

The plan asked for money from the Muslim-American community in New York for purported stock investments, electronics resale, and personal protective equipment sales.

But in reality, Jebara was the mastermind behind the Ponzi scam, embezzling nearly all of the funds for his own use, opulent cars, and gambling.

Igbara also carried out another fraudulent scam, announcing on his Instagram and other social media accounts that he was willing to pay more than the market price for various cryptocurrencies in order to gather money to pay his investors a “return” and keep them on the hook.

After that, he would allegedly give his victims fictitious pictures of bank transfer receipts, proving that he had sent the promised cryptocurrency money.

In reality, Igbara was only stealing the bitcoin his victim had sent, and the payment had never taken place.

As I already stated, his actions were shameful.

He specifically targeted members of his own religious community, preying on their confidence in him to fritter and squander away their hard-earned cash.

By 2020, he had alienated investors and internet fans who publicly accused him of being a scammer.

They also applauded his arrest in 2021 on suspicion of kidnapping.

Jebara acknowledged kidnapping a possible witness to his frauds in a different case.
Numerous of his victims have come forward to the FBI, according to court filings.

Under the pretence of a cash wire transfer, at least four people confessed to FBI agents that they had sent over $100,000 in bitcoins.
One victim claimed to have lost 50 bitcoins after Jebara first claimed to be sending $2.56 million by wire transfer and then provided an explanation for why the payments didn’t occur.

Prior to his sentence on Wednesday in federal court in Brooklyn, Jebara spoke to the guys he had abducted and expressed his sincere regret to them.

Jebara serves his five-year jail term for kidnapping concurrently with his seven-year sentence for fraud in 2021.

As part of his sentence, Jebara had to pay $10 million to his victims.

As I stated at the outset, cryptocurrencies are our future, and that future has already begun.

Without information, education, and trust, success is never simple or fast.

To begin, let us ask: What does the term “influencer” mean?

To find the solution, we will need to consult and ask our dictionaries and definition of influencer is as follows:

“Someone who influences or changes the way other people behave.”

“A person who is able to generate interest in something (such as a consumer product) by posting about it on social media.”

Which answer do you have?

These days, influencers could be anyone. Literally anyone.

But I’m really at a loss for words after reading and researching the other day about Leonardo DiCaprio Partygoer Kat Torres Instagram influencers and needless to say I wasn’t surprised that another influencer is jailed.

“An Instagram influencer has been jailed for slavery and trafficking”

Influencer Kat Torres received an eight-year prison sentence after a jury found her guilty of enslaving one woman and trafficking in people.

We also confirmed that she was facing charges related to another woman.

Kat Torres: Who is she?

The last few days have seen a surge in the popularity of Kat Torres, a former Brazilian model who dazzled on magazine covers, hung out with A-list celebrities, and even went out to parties with Leonardo DiCaprio.

Before moving to America to achieve her goal, she lived in poverty. She made almost the same amount of money from writing her story.

Despite having millions of fans, celebrity adoration, and abundant wealth, her dark secret was now public knowledge.

So, let’s move in order.

According to the BBC, two years ago, in September, two young girls from Brazil vanished. Their relatives and the FBI launched a desperate search based on the one clue they had: they lived with wellness influencer Kat Torres.

The girl, Ana, who was also her victim and played a crucial role in the court proceedings, narrated the entire tale.

False promises

Ana discovered Torres on Instagram in 2017 and said she was fascinated by Torres’ challenging path from a destitute Brazilian girl to partying with Hollywood celebs.

“She kind of gave me hope.” She looked to have overcome childhood assault, abuse, and other terrible experiences.

She then appeared on magazine covers and partied with celebrities such as Leonardo DiCaprio. “Everything I saw seemed believable,” said Ana, who also had a traumatic background and relationships, so she identified with Torres and desired change.

Biography: “A Voz (The Voice)”

In her new biography, “A Voz (The Voice),” Torres asserted that her spiritual talent enabled her to foretell events, and her attitude towards spirituality also won over and inspired Ana.

Ana had no idea at the time that Torres was telling a story full of half-truths and lies.

Torres’ old roommate, Luzer Twersky, admitted that her Hollywood friends introduced her to the hallucinogenic substance, and Torres hasn’t been the same since. “That’s when she kind of started going off the deep end,” he said.

He also stated that he suspected she was making money as a “sugar baby” through romantic encounters with wealthy and influential men who paid for the place she lived.

“The love, money, and self-esteem you’ve always wanted,” Torres offered on her health website, where she released videos with advice on relationships, wellness, business success, and spirituality, including hypnosis, meditation, and exercise regimens.

Clients could also pay $150 for special one-on-one video chats with the influencer, which she said would fix any of their concerns.

Um, I keep seeing these offers—immediate fixes for life and business—while researching for my podcast.

In addition to Ana, Amanda was another girl who found hope in Torres. “All my doubts, my questions, my decisions—I always took them to her first, so that we could make decisions together,” she claims.

Ana consented when Torres invited her to relocate to New York in 2019 so she could work as her live-in assistant.

Consider how much of a dream it was for Anna at the time.

She says she accepted the offer to take care of Torres’ animals and handle her cooking, cleaning, and laundry in exchange for around $2000 per month. She had been studying nutrition at a university in Boston, but she made arrangements to study online instead.

However, there appears to be a darker side to the story. Ana, Amanda, and other ex-followers claim that they were willing to obey Torres’ instructions, and that they noticed a growing psychological distance between themselves and their friends and family.

Ana quickly realized the stark contrast between Torres’s real life and his ideal Instagram life.

Ana recalled that the house didn’t smell nice, and it was very messy and dirty. She also said that it seemed to her that Torres was unable to perform even simple tasks without her, like taking a shower, since she couldn’t stand to be alone.

Ana could only sleep for a few hours at a time, and then only on a cat-pee-covered sofa, so she could always be there for Torres.

“I can see now that she treated me like a slave. Ana stated, “I was probably among her initial victims of human trafficking,” noting that Torres never paid her.

She attempted to confront Torres because she was unable to return her housing in Boston, where she was a student, and she lacked funds for another place to live.

But as the influencer turned hostile, Ana quickly moved in with her boyfriend and fled Torres.

Workforce coercion and sexual abuse

Ana knew she had to act when she heard that two young Brazilian girls had vanished.

At least three other women have declined to cooperate because they are still traumatized by their experiences, despite the fact that her testimony is extremely helpful to the investigation and legal process.

Torres convinced one lady to work with her, teaching tarot and yoga classes, on the grounds that she was suicidal and needed her aid.

However, both women soon discovered that there was no fairy tale waiting for them, so Torres sent one of the women a plane ticket from Germany. This was the encounter with life they had dreamed of.

One of the girls, Desirre, wanted to leave, but Torres cursed her and made her repay all of the money she had spent on her.

She was afraid and decided to work as a stripper because she thought Torres had supernatural abilities.

Serious house rules applied to the influencer’s girls: they couldn’t speak to each other, Torres only allowed them to leave the room to use the restroom, and she had to immediately seize anything the girls earned.

Torres raised the daily payout threshold for girls from $1,000 to $3,000. If a female didn’t meet that quota during the day, she couldn’t stay at the residence that evening.

Torres requested Desirre quit working at the strip club and become a prostitute, and when she refused, Torres threatened her.

“I was troubled by numerous questions. If my condom breaks, will I contract a disease? Can the client act like an undercover police officer and arrest me? “What if he kills me?” the girl remembered.

Desirre and Leticia’s friends and relatives in Brazil initiated social media efforts in September to find them, as they got increasingly concerned after months of no contact.

When Ana saw the news, she knew Torres was behind it. Even though Ana informed the American police about the influencer, they did not believe her.

Following confirmation of suspicions regarding the girls’ sexual exploitation, Torres fled with the girls. However, they were unable to get away!

Torres’ discovery led to the safe return of the two girls to Brazil.

Over 20 women reported Torres, and in an interview with the BBC, she asserted her innocence.

Her attorney is currently preparing an appeal of the ruling, which stipulates that the influencer should spend eight years in prison.

The girls who have spoken out about Toress are hoping that the public will recognize and condemn this as a grave offense.

An influencer needs to be someone who will set an example for others, particularly the youth, by modelling appropriate behaviour and teaching them the true meaning of education, respect, and honesty.

Regrettably, there are more instances of this type.

I’ll let you make your own judgements.

Appreciation and Development in ‘Life: The Battlefield’

‘Life: The Battlefield’ is a podcast that draws strength from community and perseverance. With over 2.5 million listeners and 38,000 subscribers to our podcast, I am humbled and incredibly appreciative today and in total over 100K subscribers across all social media platforms I am so thankful!

Thinking back on this path that started only two years ago makes me feel really proud and appreciative.

Launching “Life: The Battlefield” was both an act of faith and a deep-seated desire. Many thoughts and uncertainties dotted the route to starting a podcast. Everyone had something to say about how to start a podcast, why not, and the never-ending arguments about what equipment to use.

Among all of this noise, I came to understand that I most needed to believe my own military intuition and experience. I understood the need for precise execution of a strategy and well-defined goals after experiencing the difficulties of military leadership.

Establishing an environment where we could examine and discuss the front lines of life’s greatest successes and problems was the obvious main goal. I knew I might create something very significant if I could blend my understanding of military leadership with a dedication to sincerity.

The plan was simple but deep: know the “what,” “how,” and “when” of achieving my goal. I decided what I wanted to accomplish with the podcast and how I would go about it, and I gave myself a reasonable amount of time to get there.

Accepting the possibility of failure was part of the process. I knew there would be roadblocks and doubters along the way.

However, I also realised that a minute of real video material might be worth a billion words. This belief kept me going, though some discouraged me and thought it wasn’t worth the work.

Motivated by a vision of what “Life: The Battlefield” may become, I persisted.

As I consider this journey now, I am incredibly appreciative of every view, every subscriber, and every supporter.

The success of “Life: The Battlefield” demonstrates the need for action rather than merely trying, as well as the strength of tenacity. Attempting suggests a hesitant attitude, with room for retreat and a lack of commitment.

Conversely, doing represents a total dedication to completing a vision in spite of obstacles.

The popularity of our podcast has reinforced a fundamental reality: achieving goals requires unwavering commitment, not just effort. When we commit to anything, we welcome the whole trip, including the disappointments and setbacks. Every difficulty turns into a teaching moment, every setback into a bigger success. My total dedication to ‘Life: The Battlefield’ allowed me to transform an idea into a vibrant community.

On this path, thankfulness is really important. I thank everyone who watched, listened to, and interacted with the material. This podcast has been successful, mostly because of your support. Every view and subscription serve as a reminder of the power we can have when we dare to follow our aspirations.

‘Life: The Battlefield’ is a story that, in the end, demonstrates the value of deeds above intention. It serves as a reminder that, when we commit to doing rather than merely trying, our goals are reachable.

This show has expanded because its origins were a purposeful and committed effort to change the world. I’m still thankful for this amazing trip and looking forward to the many fights and triumphs that lie ahead. I appreciate you sharing in this amazing event.

Thank you all for all your support!!

I do remember that when I started my first business, one of the most powerful and insightful lessons I ever learned was, “Mario, always prepare yourself before you go to a meeting.”

My response would be, “What specific steps should I take to prepare myself?” The answer was concise and straightforward: conduct a background check, exercise due diligence on the individual, or simply, understand who you are speaking with and what you are offering.

Days of face-to-face meetings are bringing back memories of the good old days, when I used to dress in suits, polish my shoes, and carry my documents in a fake leather bag due to a lack of funds for real leather, branded, and gold-imprinted bags. However, that is a story for another time.

That being said, I always knew who I wanted to see and what I wanted to ask, and of course I would adjust, improvise, and implement my conversation with potential clients according to the topic, theme, and tone of the conversation.

After several years of hiding behind desks in pyjamas and pretending that business is as usual, the luxury of true negotiation has vanished.

However, many have embraced the innovative strategy of “carpet bombing” online with a variety of offers and deals, as evidenced by my success.

Here’s the explanation for why the majority of online gurus, who instruct others on business management, utilize B52’s targeting strategy to attract potential clients: by presenting compelling business offers, we can convince someone to accept them, leading to a successful business transaction.

Every day, a plethora of emails, SMS, or LinkedIn promotional emails inundate me, offering solutions to all my past, present, and future problems, both in business and in private.

The best part is that it’s becoming entertaining to see how true desperation and KPIs are pushing some businesses and individuals to the breaking point. As a result, they adopted carpet bombing by using all available means, and the method of delivery is electronic (emails, SMS, etc.).

It is wrong and will continue to be wrong, as it fosters resentment and negative thinking instead of creating a positive impact.

Stop listening to others, but instead focus your effort on the way you would like to be treated and approached.

So let me present two types of analysis when it comes to “online” offers: emails with solutions to all problems, and the list goes on.

Pre-Mortem Analysis is the approach I was required to use when I was working in government intelligence services.

1. Identify who your target market is (company or individual).
2. Identify who is the most appropriate person in the organisation to talk to. Make sure you know the name and address of the person you need to speak with.
3. Conduct thorough research on the company, its services, its products, and their potential benefits. Your products and services can benefit potential clients.
4. As a means of communication, you only have one chance to impress, so find a way to communicate properly and clearly in order to gain attention.

Postmortem Analysis

1. Reputational Risk: It goes without saying that employees don’t care about reputation, but as a business owner, you should, and if you are the CEO, it is a must.
2. If you send an unsolicited email or business offer, it’s likely that people will remember you and your company in the future.
3. You are offering a solution to a person or company; most likely, they will question your intention.
4. If you succeed in gaining a foothold in some businesses or individuals and can’t deliver on what you promise, then you know that there will probably be legal implications.

Ask yourself: How many CEOs of large organisations are waiting for your emails to solve their problems, needs, etc.? I doubt anyone will open your email and seize the opportunity; instead, they will perceive you differently and in a negative light.

Imagine yourself as a CEO of a large organisation, and only then will you comprehend the importance of conducting business in person rather than via email. If you can’t adopt this mindset, you’ll realize why you’ll never succeed in the market, even if you spend $29.95 on an online life coach or business guru who promises to reveal the secrets of becoming wealthy.

Introduction

It was a hazy, foggy autumn morning in 1991. The frigid air filled my lungs, and my body and mind were plagued with doubt, worry, and anxiety. For the last 30 minutes, we had waited for the enemy to emerge from the fog and attack our positions.

My commanding officer approached and instructed me, “Don’t waste ammunition; shoot sparingly.” I asked for clarity, even as the enemy’s approach became more audible in the fog.

He said that each bullet now cost $5, and my 1,500 rounds needed to last for a few days. At that point, I realised my MG 42 machine gun was nearly useless; rounds were too expensive, and logistics were collapsing.

This episode showed me that battles are won not just by soldiers, but also by logistics that maintain a consistent flow of supplies, equipment, and weaponry.

Later, at the Academy where I studied intelligence, we discovered how important logistics were throughout WWII, particularly in Britain.

Proper logistics planning is critical, particularly for island nations. This lesson is still important today, as we confront disruptions such as those produced by the COVID-19 epidemic.

Historical Context – Pre-COVID Logistics

Prior to the epidemic, global logistics ran with extraordinary efficiency.

Goods flowed effortlessly across borders, and supply networks were optimised for just-in-time delivery.

This extremely efficient system, however, was equally vulnerable, with little space for unanticipated disturbances.

Companies used predictability to reduce inventory costs and increase profits. Logistics networks were the backbone of global trade, allowing commodities to be transported quickly and affordably around the world.

WWII German Submarine Warfare

During WWII, Germany’s U-boat campaign sought to cut off Britain’s supply routes.

These submarines patrolled the Atlantic, sinking commercial ships and forming a blockade.

The plan was to starve Britain of resources and force a surrender.

The impact was severe, resulting in rationing and tremendous hardship. To confront the threat, the Allies needed to innovate and adapt, creating new methods and technology.

Convoys, improved sonar, and air cover finally reduced the U-boat danger, but the time exposed the vulnerabilities of supply routes that were targeted for disruption.

Comparison of Disruptions

Similarities

Both pre-COVID logistics and WWII submarine warfare focused on crucial supply lines.

In both cases, the goal was to interrupt the regular flow of products, resulting in shortages and instability.

The impacts were widespread, affecting not only the immediate beneficiaries but the entire network that relied on those supplies.

Businesses experienced production halts, increased costs, and uncertainty in planning and operations.

Differences

The approaches and technologies varied greatly. WWII saw physical destruction of ships, but COVID-19’s disruption was due to systematic failure.

The magnitude also differed: the war’s influence was limited to the Atlantic, whereas the pandemic disrupted global commerce networks.

However, both scenarios revealed flaws and necessitated a reassessment of logistical tactics.

Modern disruptions have also shown reliance on global suppliers, complicated supply chains, and the interconnectedness of international trade.

Strategic Implications for Island Nations

Vulnerability of Island Nations

Island nations are especially vulnerable to logistics disruptions.

Their remoteness forces them to rely heavily on imports for necessities like food, medicine, and gasoline. When supply chains fail, the consequences are rapid and deep.

Businesses are facing delays, increased costs, and possibly closures.

Consumers face shortages, and prices for goods might increase, resulting in economic instability.

COVID-19 Impacts:

The pandemic highlighted how unstable these supply chains were.

Many island nations experienced shortages and delays.

Essential products became scarce, and prices rose dramatically.

The interruption highlighted the need for more resilient and diverse supply chains.

Businesses had to adapt rapidly, looking for new suppliers and routes, raising inventory levels, and investing in digital tools to better manage logistics.

Strategic Responses

In response to these vulnerabilities, island states have begun to implement strategic measures.

Some of the efforts being taken include diversifying supply sources, strengthening local production capabilities, and storing necessary items.

Investments in technology, such as advanced logistics software and automated warehouses, are also increasing.

These steps aim to strengthen the logistics network to resist future interruptions, assuring business continuity and economic stability.

Lessons Learned and Future Strategy

Adaptation and Resilience

The logistics business has had to adapt rapidly.

Companies are now focusing on developing more robust supply chains to resist interruptions. This includes increased transparency, improved risk management, and more adaptable sourcing techniques.

Businesses are also investing in technology like artificial intelligence and blockchain to increase supply chain visibility and efficiency.

The emphasis is on striking a balance between efficiency and resilience, ensuring that supply networks can adapt to changes and recover quickly after disruptions.

Strategic Planning for Island Nations

Strategic planning is critical for island nations’ long-term sustainability.

This entails not only strengthening logistics infrastructure but also encouraging regional collaboration and trade agreements.

Policies that promote local industry and limit reliance on a single supply source are critical.

Technology will also play an important role in risk prediction and mitigation.

Furthermore, developing strategic reserves and supporting local production of key items might serve as a buffer against global supply chain disruptions.

Long-Term Social Impacts

Personal Reflection: Living With Shortages

Having lived through the early 1980s shortages, I saw how grey and black markets emerged.

I recall standing in line with my dad for 10-12 hours only to get a kilo of coffee or cooking oil.

Despite a restrictive system, the collapse of communist society became clear.

The fury resulted from the fact that our own families were on the verge of survival, not what others had.

Economic Stability and Growth

Logistics disruptions can have a significant long-term impact on economies.

Persistent supply chain challenges can lead to higher prices, slower economic development, and lower investment.

Businesses may experience increased operational costs, resulting in lower profitability and probable layoffs.

For island governments, maintaining stable and efficient logistics is critical to economic stability and progress.

Public Health and Safety

During a crisis, disrupted logistics can have an influence on public health and safety.

Shortages of medical supplies, food, and other necessities can exacerbate public health problems and erode communal confidence.

Ensuring resilient supply networks is critical for sustaining public health and safety, particularly in remote and isolated areas.

Social and Political Stability

Long-term interruptions can cause social and political instability.

Public outrage over shortages and high pricing can spark unrest and undermine trust in institutions.

Governments and corporations must collaborate to ensure supply networks are resilient and capable of providing critical goods, hence preserving social and political stability.

Lesson to be Learned

The lessons of WWII and the COVID-19 epidemic underline the vital need for strong logistical strategy. These teachings are more so relevant to island nations.

By learning from the past and adjusting to the future, they may create more resilient systems that maintain stability and security even during times of disaster.

Logistics may not be a glamorous subject, but its impact on our lives, economies, and society is significant.

In a world where the unexpected can disrupt the status quo, resilient and adaptive logistics are critical.

Given 30 years of experience in corporate investigations, human intelligence, and surveillance, I personally have seen the impact of information on shaping impressions and influencing reputations.

YouTube vloggers recently inspired me to embark on a month-long trip expedition, during which I documented my daily adventures.

Nevertheless, when I adopted the perspective of an investigator, I started to recognise the possible drawbacks of uncontrolled travel reviews.

Although vlogs might enhance awareness for certain individuals, they also have the potential to damage reputations based only on one person’s viewpoint.

This article examines the adverse effects that uncontrolled travel reviews may have on both businesses and individuals.

The Influence of a Video Blog

Travel vlogs have gained popularity as a means for individuals to disseminate their experiences and recommendations to a broad audience.

These films frequently include various travel destinations, airlines, restaurants, and hotels, offering viewers valuable information and impacting their choices when it comes to travel.

The potency of a vlog lies in its capacity to reach a vast audience, swiftly moulding their perceptions and viewpoints.

Nevertheless, this authority also entails substantial accountability, as a single adverse evaluation might result in extensive repercussions.

The Consequences of Negative Reviews

A prominent YouTuber’s negative review can have a significant impact on a business.

When travel blogger Ben Brown expressed his dissatisfaction with Air Canada’s service in a 2016 video, it led to a surge of unfavourable comments and a noticeable decline in the airline’s internet reputation.

Likewise, when a renowned food vlogger like Casey Neistat gives an unfavorable review of a restaurant, it can result in a decline in customers, as evidenced by the substantial backlash and loss in patronage experienced by a New York City restaurant following Neistat’s unfavourable review.

The Absence of Regulation

An important concern regarding travel vlogs is the absence of regulation.

Professional evaluations are subject to editorial scrutiny and ethical norms, whereas vlogs are typically self-published without much oversight.

As a result, the information’s precision and impartiality can vary significantly.

Logan Paul’s video blog, which received substantial criticism for its negative evaluation of a Japanese location, serves as an example of this.

The backlash targeted not only the content of the review but also the insensitive delivery method. The lack of regulation raises concerns about the reliability and integrity of these reviews.

Implications for Businesses

Poor evaluations can have serious consequences for businesses. Furthermore, aside from the immediate financial consequences, a poor evaluation can also cause enduring harm to a business’s reputation.

The Blue-Sky Resort in Thailand serves as a striking illustration.

Following the widespread dissemination of a scathing critique from a prominent travel vlogger, the resort experienced a significant decline in reservations.

Despite diligent attempts to mitigate the adverse publicity, the resort encountered difficulties in restoring its previous standing.

Furthermore, the business may need to allocate significant resources to mitigate the negative consequences, which can be both labour-intensive and expensive.

If the reviews prove to be defamatory or untrue, businesses could potentially face legal repercussions.

Vloggers’ Accountability

Vloggers have a responsibility to their audience and the businesses they evaluate. While it is important to express genuine viewpoints, it is equally important to ensure that evaluations are impartial and equitable.

Take vlogger Mark Wiens, who is renowned for his cuisine and travel videos. He frequently highlights the favourable aspects of his travels while also offering constructive feedback.
This equitable method aids in upholding credibility and impartiality.

Vloggers should contemplate the possible influence of their remarks and endeavour to offer a thorough outlook that considers other viewpoints.

This entails not only emphasising the drawbacks but also recognising the advantages and being open about any possible biases or conflicts of interest.

In conclusion

The emergence of travel vlogging has revolutionised the way we distribute and consume travel information.

Nevertheless, possessing this authority entails a significant obligation.

Vloggers should be cognisant of the influence their reviews might exert on businesses and make an effort to deliver impartial, precise, and equitable information.

As consumers, it is important for us to be aware of the constraints of these reviews and to actively seek out diverse sources of information before shaping our own viewpoints.

Ultimately, the objective should be to establish a travel community that is knowledgeable, considerate, and encouraging, rather than one that hastily passes judgement and condemns only based on a certain viewpoint.

By taking into account the potential adverse effects of unregulated evaluations, we may strive towards a more equitable and impartial approach to exchanging travel experiences. Just like in the domains of intelligence and investigations, it is imperative to collect thorough and precise information prior to formulating judgements.

Only by doing so can we guarantee that our viewpoints and evaluations have a constructive impact on both the community and the businesses we interact with.

While visiting Berlin recently, I had the opportunity to conduct interviews with specialists for my podcast, “Life the Battlefield,” regarding the activities of the East German secret police, commonly referred to as STASI, in the realm of international espionage.

An intriguing discovery was the unexpectedly uncomplicated factor behind their achievement: devotion.

Both the intelligence and commercial domains often overlook this component, despite its paramount significance.

Based on my expertise in military security and diplomatic intelligence, I possess knowledge of the MICE methodology (money, ideology, coercion, and ego) used for the recruitment of spies, agents, and informants.

We found that individuals driven by ideology and dedicated to a cause were the most trustworthy sources of information.

Employees who have faith in their leaders and the company’s objectives can effectively implement the concept of loyalty in the workplace.

Lessons from STASI and MICE Methodology

The STASI, the clandestine police force of East Germany, gained widespread recognition for its exceptional achievements in foreign espionage.

Specialists I spoke with in Berlin emphasized that the STASI’s success was not solely due to its espionage efforts, but also to the unwavering loyalty it fostered among its staff.

The MICE approach, which encompasses the factors of money, ideology, coercion, and ego, played a crucial role in the recruitment of informants.

Nevertheless, individuals driven by ideological dedication or patriotism proved to be the most dependable and provided the most valuable intelligence.

The business domain can also benefit from the effectiveness of loyalty, as demonstrated in espionage.

Deeply devoted employees to their company’s goals and ideals demonstrate an unparalleled level of loyalty and reliability, in contrast to those driven solely by financial gain or personal achievements.

Applying Loyalty in a Corporate Environment

The corporate world also values loyalty, a crucial aspect of espionage.

When employees show unwavering dedication to their company’s vision and leadership, they exhibit higher levels of engagement, productivity, and innovation, just as spies who wholeheartedly support their cause are considered more reliable.

Let us take Google as an example

Google is renowned for its robust organisational culture and frequently achieves high rankings in employee satisfaction.

The company partially attributes this to its efforts to foster workplace loyalty by implementing transparent communication channels, providing avenues for career progression, and fostering a robust sense of camaraderie.

The company’s dedicated workforce, fully committed to organising global information and ensuring its widespread accessibility and value, is responsible for Google’s innovation and market leadership.

Another example is Zappos, an e-commerce retailer that specialises in footwear and apparel. A highly dedicated workforce fuels Zappos’s reputation for exceptional customer service.

The company’s unique culture, centred around core values such as delivering exceptional service and fostering a sense of enjoyment and eccentricity, has led to a highly motivated workforce.

Zappos’ commitment to providing exceptional client experiences contributes to its success in a highly competitive business.

Overestimated Leadership’s Limitations

Although there are clear advantages to fostering loyalty, numerous leaders persist in overestimating their personal influence while undervaluing the importance of their employees.

Typical leadership mistakes include failing to acknowledge and compensate for employees’ efforts, communicating in an unclear and secretive manner, and not aligning company objectives with employee values.

The initial years of Uber’s swift growth serve as a distinct illustration of this phenomenon.

Uber’s assertive culture, fueled by former CEO Travis Kalanick, led to numerous public scandals and internal conflicts.

The company’s reputation suffered due to substantial turnover and damage caused by reports of a toxic work environment, insufficient employee assistance, and unethical behaviour.

This illustrates the consequences of leadership neglecting to foster loyalty and prioritize employee well-being.

Loyalty-Building Strategies

To build a loyal workforce, leaders must adopt strategies that foster trust and alignment with the company’s vision. Here are some practical approaches:

• Building Trust: Establishing trust through consistent and transparent communication is crucial. Leaders should regularly share company goals, challenges, and successes with their employees.
• Employee Engagement: Engaging employees by involving them in decision-making processes and recognizing their contributions can significantly enhance loyalty.
• Recognition and Reward: Implementing a robust system for recognizing and rewarding employees’ efforts not only boosts morale but also reinforces their loyalty to the company.
• Alignment of Values: Ensuring that the company’s mission and values resonate with those of the employees creates a sense of shared purpose and commitment.

For instance, Patagonia, the outdoor clothing and gear company, is known for its strong commitment to environmental and social responsibility. This commitment resonates deeply with its employees, who are passionate about the same causes.

By aligning its business practices with the values of its workforce, Patagonia has fostered a loyal and motivated team dedicated to the company’s mission.

Ultimately, although leadership is often considered the basis for achieving success in a company, it is the real dedication and allegiance of employees that truly drive a corporation forward.

Leaders that acknowledge and cultivate this sense of loyalty will find that their teams exhibit greater dedication, creativity, and adaptability.

Companies can attain enduring success by focusing on the establishment of trust, fostering employee engagement, and ensuring alignment with core values.

It is now time for leaders to reassess their plans and give greater importance to the undervalued significance of loyalty. Not only will they improve their organisations, but they will also establish environments that foster people’s growth and optimal performance.

Needless to say, the most effective agents and spies are those motivated by patriotism and ideology; these spies will go to any length for the cause they believe in.

“Topaz” is the most dangerous GDR- STASI secret agent.

During my schooling, training, and preparation to work in diplomatic security intelligence in the late 1990s, one of our lecturers informed us that one of the most lethal weapons the enemy has and may use against us is the woman.

I understand how hilarious or crazy this sounds, but in the realm of espionage, women are the most lethal weapon for neutralising other countries’ espionage activities.

It goes without saying that, like in real life, love is always present in spy flicks.

My next chapter tells the story of one of the GDR’s most dangerous spies—one who adores his wife.

This is the story of Rainer Rupp, a senior spy for the East German intelligence service HVA (General Reconnaissance Administration) at NATO headquarters in Brussels who went by the code names Mosel and then Topaz.
Between 1977 and 1989, he provided the Soviet Union with documents of extreme importance (Cosmic Top Secret).

Who is Rainer Rupp, the deadliest STASI spy at the core of NATO?

Rupp grew up in West Germany and has strong left-wing political convictions. Born in Saarluis out of wedlock in 1945, his mother and stepfather raised him in the West German district of Saarland. He spent the majority of his adolescence looking for a purpose and meaning in life.

When Rainer was 16, he escaped to Parisian cafes to learn about existential philosophy.

Like many Germans at the time, he idolised John F. Kennedy and was especially struck by the young president’s “Don’t Ask…” speech. “I wanted to do something,” Rupp explained.

A dish of goulash

Rainer Rupp’s agency career began in 1968 with a serving of goulash soup.

Rupp was dining with many students in a Mainz restaurant after the rally against the emergency law and was unable to pay the bill due to a lack of 50 pfennigs.

Kurt, a lovely man at the adjacent table, offered to cover the difference and invited the group to join him for another drink.

They became friends, and when Kurt confessed that he worked for the Stasi, Rupp was not deterred. “Kurt was able to divide a difficult problem into manageable steps. I was perplexed. “He gave me direction,” Rupp said.

Within six months, Rupp agreed to work for the Stasi, believing that the West German government was a hand puppet for American imperialist forces.

Rupp then visited East Berlin many times and got spy training. He learned how to operate the agent’s radio and refill dead mailboxes. Because of his history, the student was assigned the code name “Mosel”.

The controllers in East Berlin instructed him to complete his studies, wait, and remain silent.

Turquoise and Topaz

Rainer Rupp entered a Brussels restaurant in the spring of 1970, where Bowen and some friends were gathering.

He met a lovely British secretary with short black hair through a mutual acquaintance. They hit it off immediately away.

Ann-Christine Bowen, the daughter of an army major, was born in Dorchester, on England’s south coast. She accepted a post as a secretary at the Ministry of Defence in London because of his influence.

She spent three years in 1968 as part of the British military’s NATO mission in Brussels. She met Rupp in Brussels.

The beautiful and well-read economics student fascinated her, eager to offer his knowledge without any hint of condescension.

Rainer Rupp had the difficult decision of telling his spouse everything about himself—that is, everything he did. However, his feelings for Ann grew deeper, and he revealed to her that he is a trainee agent with the feared Stasi security police in East Germany. Ann was surprised.

In a meeting with his Stasi handlers in Berlin, he claimed to have told the girl what he was doing, and they were horrified by his admission.

They informed him, “You must not return.” “You will be arrested.”

After some serious thinking, Rainer Rupp returned to Brussels, where his girlfriend lived, “gnashing his teeth” and half expecting and partly trusting that Western agents would track him down.

“I knew if she hadn’t betrayed me, she love me” she said.

Ann-Christine Bowen did not betray him

Rather, they married in less than a year, and she later joined Rainer Rupp, a Stasi officer.

The two were critical to Operation Topaz, which NATO officials claim is the most damaging case of espionage in the Western alliance’s history.

They exchanged intelligence that would have been critical to the Warsaw Pact in the case of conflict.

Following their wedding in April 1972, the Rupps enjoyed a happy life as a spy couple.

Ann was a prominent agent at the beginning.

She got a position as a secretary at NATO headquarters in 1971, which gave her easy access to alliance communications data, which she snuck into her purse.

Rainer would photograph the smuggled documents in his cellar using Stasi spy cameras, while Anne turned the pages.

Rainer Rupp would tune a Stasi-issued radio to a specified frequency once a week to get coded instructions on how to meet with their handler.

The couple toured beautiful places including Antwerp, Paris, and Istanbul while posing as a loving couple and passing on vital information.

They would mail the results of their labour, the microfilms, which were frequently concealed in specially mounted Tuborg beer cans.

The Stasi gave them code names – he was Topaz, and she was Turquoise – but they were only used by control officials.

Anne maintains that she did not hear them until many years later.

After working for two separate companies in Brussels, Rainer Rupp acquired a post in NATO’s economic directorate in 1977, providing him access to a wealth of information.

While the Rupps were sending papers classified by the alliance as “space top secret,” no one in NATO had any suspicions.

It helped that they were both popular with their coworkers and skilled at their occupations. Rainer Rupp distinguished himself as a skilled economist who understood his field inside and out.

Ann Rupp was well-known among her NATO colleagues working in increasingly sensitive departments for her knowledge and dedication.

Despite Stasi coercion, the pair refused to disclose information about their colleagues.

They made a lot of money

Reiner’s salary at NATO was around $120,000 per year, whereas hers was $35,000.

Stasi compensation was quite small, averaging roughly $1,500 each month plus expenses.

They moved on to larger apartments until acquiring a house in the Brussels outskirts with a $125,000 loan from the Stasi.

Rainer made investments in real estate and stocks.

The children went to private schools, and the family took frequent holidays to the south of France.

In the centre of NATO

Rupp, who went by the code name “Topaz,” would to joke that if someone suspected him, they’d say, “You’ve probably seen too many Hitchcock movies.”

As one of the presidents of the NATO Situation Center’s Current Intelligence Group, he was required to regularly report on his and the enemy’s situation to ambassadors and generals during NATO headquarters exercises or in crisis situations; he recorded the lectures he gave during the day on tapes in the evening and sent them encrypted to East Berlin via a special payphone device.

He used a small camera to photograph secret documents and sent messages “in the classic way using a code,” but the messages were not always consistent. “You have to change things so you don’t make it easy for the other side to discover things,” he said.

His understanding encompassed East-West policy, NATO armament planning, stationing, and armament concerns.

Rupp’s most dramatic coup was most likely the transfer of NATO Study MC 161, a collection of “Cosmic Top Secret” documents containing the Western defence alliance’s comprehensive awareness of the Warsaw Pact’s militarily significant facts.

Nuclear War Averted

Rupp believes his intelligence activities helped prevent a nuclear war.

During the Cold War, the Soviet Union and its allies believed that the West was planning a nuclear missile attack.

The Soviet war hysteria culminated in the fall of 1983 with NATO’s Able Archer exercise, which simulated the simultaneous deployment of nuclear weapons.

At the time, the Kremlin had put its strategic nuclear forces on alert, which may have resulted in disaster.

Using the information they gathered, GDR scouts “calmed the receivers in Moscow” and “prevented a nuclear war”.

The truth was revealed.

Ann Rupp chance to read a story one day in 1990 that stated that a former Stasi spy had furnished Western intelligence with some disturbing information.

A spy acquired access to top NATO officials, revealing various Warsaw Pact secrets.

Espionage persisted until the fall of the Berlin Wall. There is a vigourous search on to find the spy, who has accomplices. The Stasi operative only knew the spy’s code name, Topaz.

Although former colonel Heinz Busch, a defector from the HVA, provided the Federal Intelligence Service (BND) with information about a critical NATO source as early as 1990, Rupp was not exposed for at least three years.

The BND source, who worked in the HVA’s evaluation section, said he knew of no Western spies. However, based on the information provided, the former colonel was able to establish the exact location of “Topaz” in NATO, but the investigators were unable to find it.

The Rupps were held by the German Federal Police on July 31, 1993, while visiting Rainer’s mother and stepfather in Saarland.

The prosecutor proposed that Rainer Rupp spend 15 years in jail and Anne Rupp serve 22 months with a suspension.

The conflict persisted.

Rupp was impressed when the Federal Prosecutor’s Office representative in the trial before the Higher Regional Court in Dusseldorf jokingly referred to him as “the permanent representative of the Warsaw Pact in NATO”.

Presiding judge Klaus Wagner reached a grim conclusion, stating that “Topaz” gave the East with a “comprehensive overview,” particularly of the Western alliance’s military planning. Wagner claimed that in an emergency, this could have been “devastating and decisive for the war” for the Federal Republic and NATO.

The State Security Senate sentenced the defendant to twelve years in prison.

Even while imprisoned in Saarbrücken, Rupp wrote for the daily publication Junge Welt, the main organ of the GDR’s youth FDJ SED.

As a commentator, he bolsters his anti-imperialist campaign.

In the late 1990s, while still imprisoned in an open-air penitentiary, Rupp worked as a foreign and security policy consultant for the PDS parliamentary group in the Bundestag.

Rupp was granted parole and released from prison in July 2000.

He left the PDS in 2003, citing Rupp’s claim that it had turned into a “basically bourgeois party.”

Vacationing spies

As a child, I fantasised about travelling to America while watching movies. I believe the majority of people still dream of that.

While reading and researching for a podcast, I stumbled across this 1956 photo of BND travellers to the United States.

She attracted my curiosity, and the story began.

The CIA invited members of the German BND to travel, discover American communities, marvel at cowboys, and sunbake on beaches. One of them was Moscow’s mole, who played “two games” at once.

Polygraph

It was hot and sticky in Washington in late summer.

Heinz Felfe did not perspire on September 13, 1956, despite a temperature of 30 degrees and 90% humidity.

During a lecture, the CIA official planned to demonstrate a lie detector to his eight BND colleagues in West Germany, all of whom were counterintelligence specialists.

Such polygraphs have never been used by German foreign intelligence before.

“Would you like to check this detector?”

“Volunteers, get in contact!”

“And you, Mr. Felfe?”

Chance made a play. Of all people, Heinz Felfe.

In 1949, the former SS Obersturmführer and “Third Reich” espionage expert joined the Soviet secret service through ancient SS networks. He was then brought into Gehlen’s squad as a mole, which was the progenitor to the BND.

Reinhard Gehlen, Felf’s supervisor, referred to him as his “news anchor” and threatened to expose him as a double agent if the lie detector went off.

However, Felfe went unnoticed.

After several decades, a BND investigator remembered how cleverly he had fought himself against the exam. Felfe spoke only a few words at the time: “Polygraphy.” He then praised Gehlen on the benefits of lie detectors to avoid drawing attention to himself.

Heinz Felfe

Heinz Felfe was born in Dresden, in the southern part of what was then Central Germany. His father was a criminal investigation officer. At school, he joined the Nazi League of School Students (NSS / Nationalsozialistischer Schulerbund), when Adolf Hitler was only known as a highly effective opposition politician.

Felfe joined Hitler Youth in 1931, when he was thirteen years old.

Two years later, in January 1933, the NSDAP (Nazi Party) took power in Germany, and on his eighteenth birthday in 1936, Heinz Felfe joined the Nazi Party of Germany, which at the time had approximately four million members.

In 1943, Felfe joined the German Security Service. He was sent to Switzerland in August 1943, where he headed the agency’s major Swiss operation and was in charge of circulating counterfeit British pound notes as part of a bigger scheme to devalue the British pound worldwide.

He was promoted to the rank of SS-Obersturmführer at the end of the war, which is roughly equivalent to second lieutenant. In December 1944, he was ordered to Holland to organise subversive groups behind the Allied front line.

After being captured by the British Army in 1945, he was held captive for seventeen months, from May 1945 to October 1946. It was during this time that he became fluent in English.

In 1946, he agreed to work in Munster for the British Intelligence Service (“MI6”). His responsibilities included reporting on communist activity at the universities of Cologne and Bonn. In addition to working for the British until at least 1949, he was able to attend the University of Bonn and complete his law studies.

Between 1949 and 1951, Felfe was recruited into the Soviet secret services.

Agents are on a school trip

Cheating and dishonesty during a trip intended for relaxation training:

At the CIA’s request, the BND delegation was scheduled to travel thousands of kilometres across the United States in nearly three weeks, from Washington to New York via California and Arizona, and then back on a luxury ship.

The voyage under the CIA code name “UJDRACO VII” served two purposes:

• The goal was to improve teamwork and friendship among the secret services.
• Demonstrate the US’s supremacy to BND agents, inspiring them to embrace the country’s technology and culture.

The CIA’s purpose was to protect the informants from KGB recruitment efforts, but one of their visitors had already been captured by Moscow a long time ago.

Six similar missions were conducted beginning in 1951.

The seventh was important because, in 1956, the US-led Gehlen group morphed into the BND, establishing the Federal Republic’s first independent secret service.

These views of the Capitol and Golden Gate Bridge, Sunset Boulevard, an abandoned gold mine, cowboys and herds of cattle, magnificent hotel mansions, and huge motorways gave me the idea that they were of ordinary American travellers.

I can make jokes about influencer photos now, but…

“Wide use of the bar”

Nonetheless, the photographs are exceptional in that they show top spies on vacation—sometimes wearing floppy hats and sunglasses—who are seldom seen in public.

They stand next to cacti, swim slowly in pools and beaches, hike mountains, and dress in Western attire.

But dullness can be deceptive.

Furthermore, during the tour, the BND delegation’s apparent unity dissolved.

Felfe, a loner by nature, believed Ernst Pickel was “unsympathetic” with him. Others claimed he was extremely nosy and confrontational.

On the third week, the delegation’s leader, Ulrich Bauer, wrote to his wife, “There is a good team spirit, but not so human approach.”

When the company left in a beautiful double-decker on September 8, 1956, the mood was more positive.

Felfe praised both the ship’s lounge and the London station’s superb meals (“watermelon, fish fillet, steak and chips”).

“Felfe noticed the extensive use of the bar!” the men exclaimed, genuinely excited for the United States.

The CIA’s technique of energising the BND about the country and its people quickly proved effective.

Are there televisions in hotel rooms? One of the many miracles of this country that Ulrich Bauer mentioned in his numerous letters! CIA colleagues owned dishwashers and washing machines! And everything is massive, even the “amazing 2 x 4 lane roads”.

The American way of thought also appealed to the BND members.

Bauer appreciated the “relaxed, natural masculinity,” the “absence of authoritarian bosses,” and the “luxurious hospitality”.

However, he found Los Angeles “oppressive and unreal,” as well as the opulence that other Americans find “disgusting.”

A valuable double agent

Double agent Felfe sent a totally different message home. He informed his BND colleague Hans Clemens, who also spied for the KGB, of his arrival in the United States via postcard, which Clemens promptly transmitted to his KGB liaison officer, “Alfred”.

During their early days in Washington, CIA officials lectured colleagues about international communism, satellite espionage, eavesdropping, and sophisticated databases.

Felf also got to know certain CIA agents privately, and he scrupulously documented all of the agency’s official and true identities, addresses, and organisational structure.

Felfe courted one of his newly obtained CIA contacts and purchased a Ford Taunus during his stay in the United States, acting like a fan of American culture: “I think about this trip very often and am deeply impressed”. He expressed a great desire to return to the United States, saying, “I’ll stay with you for maybe a year.”

Stress and allergies

“I wanted to look my best in the eyes of the Soviets,” Heinz Felfe claimed gleefully after being exposed when the judge questioned his meticulousness.

During his 1956 trip to the United States, he did this.

Following his trip in the United States, he acquired a face allergy. Didn’t he like the climate in Arizona? Or was he overly stressed? The BND later speculated that Felf’s recurring allergies “coincided with the height of treasonous activity”.

The double spy felt increasingly alone. We noted that his demeanour did not fit with that of his coworkers. Thus, on September 25, 1956, while wandering alone along the waterfront in New York, he took the decision to return home a few days earlier than planned. None of it seemed unusual.

Sniper

Four years later, Felfe came to light—partly because of the trip to the United States—when a Polish double agent known only as “Sniper” notified the CIA in 1959 that two members of the BND delegation were KGB agents.

Felfe was shortly investigated by the CIA. The BND also investigated Felfe’s acquisition of a notably expensive property beginning in 1961. He and fellow spy Hans Clemens were convicted in November 1961.

Felfe received a 14-year prison sentence in 1963, but the agent exchange permitted him to depart the country after six years and travel to the GDR.

He was honoured by the Soviet Union with a generous pension and a professorship in Berlin.

Felf’s good fortune continued following the fall of the Iron Curtain, when he won about 700,000 D-Marks in the 1991 lottery.

The second double agent was never discovered, despite rumours that he was a “Sniper” informant visiting the United States in 1956. BND undertook substantial, but haphazard research.

Following the Felfe crisis, the administration did not want to create any other scandals.

Thus, there could be one more secret related with a long-forgotten trip to the United States.