Giles and Sarah’s Russian fixer, Masha, finds a remarkable video interview with a former KGB diver, Eduard Koltsov – the last person to see Lionel Crabb on the day of his secret dive. His deathbed confession is graphic, shocking and believable. But can he be trusted?



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Show notes:
Eduard Koltsov interview, 2007 - Ren TV

Lord Mountbatten interview, 1969 - Fremantle

Death of Princess Diana announcement, 1997 - BBC Motion Gallery/Getty Images

Operation Paget Press Conference, 2006 - BBC News

John Randall interview, 1957 - BBC Motion Gallery/Getty Images



HC Deb, The Case of Commander Crabb, 14 May 1956, Vol 552. 

Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0.



Newspaper headlines:

The Independent, 21 December 2003

The Guardian, 20 October 2003

The Herald Sun, May 27 2019

The Independent, 31 May 2017

The Daily Record, 31 August 2022

The Daily Express, 18 June 2007

The Daily Mirror, 15 May 1956
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Ministry of Secrets | 5. The Confession of Eduard Koltsov

The Illuminati  - the infamous conspiratorial obsession - wasn't always that way. It was the work of one man that brought the illuminati from obscure to omnipresent - John Todd. In the 1970s, Todd burst into the public eye with tales of secret societies and dark rituals, claiming to be an ex-witch linked to human sacrifices among the elite. But as his tales spread and followers grew, his web of secrets unraveled, and ultimately - he vanished. 'Cover Up: The Conspiracy Tapes' exposes the twisted hidden story of a man whose myths influenced some of the most notorious events in recent history.

Unlock all episodes of Cover Up, ad-free, by subscribing to The Binge. Plus, get binge access to brand new stories dropping on the first of every month. Just click ‘Subscribe’ on the top of the Cover Up show page on Apple Podcasts or visit GetTheBinge.com to get access wherever you listen.

Cover Up is a series of investigative stories that take us on a journey into a world of subterfuge and secrecy - a world where the truth is concealed under a blanket of lies. From corrupt individuals to clandestine institutions, Cover Up exposes deceit, deception and the abuse of power. Explore all of the Cover Up stories: 

SEASON 4: The Anthrax Threat
In the wake of 9/11, a series of letters laced with a deadly powder called anthrax appeared on the desks of prominent journalists and politicians in New York City and Washington D.C. Five people were killed, and seventeen more were infected. It was the worst case of bioterrorism in American history, setting off a surge of finger pointing, xenophobia, and fear.
But what started as an unprecedented case soon turned into an unsettling mystery. Who had sent these letters? And why?
On season 4 of Cover Up, we trace the FBI’s costly investigation into the attacks, which was stacked with a seemingly endless series of false leads, damaging leaks, and embarrassing blunders. Through revealing interviews with victims, agents, and suspects, we unpack the case in its messy entirety, all with an eye toward the question that remains today: Did the FBI identify the true killer, or is this case still unresolved?
From Campside Media and Sony Music Entertainment, this is Season 4 of Cover Up: The Anthrax Threat.

SEASON 3: Body Brokers 
For eight years, Megan Hess ran Sunset Mesa Funeral Home in the small town of Montrose, Colorado. She promised clients discounts on normally expensive cremations, a seeming kindness in a town where many are poor. But in the back of the funeral home, Megan’s elderly mother Shirley was actually dismembering the dead. And then Megan was selling the body parts – heads, torsos, legs – to companies that claim to do medical research. Megan and Shirley were body brokers, trading on a dark network where people buy and sell bodies. What exactly were the two women after? Who was really buying those stolen bodies, and why? 

SEASON 2: The Pill Plot
Back in the ‘90s, a ragtag group plotted an international drug smuggling scheme and set up a secretive lab to cook up tablets. But they weren’t trafficking narcotics—they were fighting to bring the abortion pill America. This season will take you inside the epic struggle facing activists who battled presidents, the Supreme Court, militant anti-abortionists, would-be assassins and murders.

SEASON 1: The Ministry of Secrets
Season one uncovers the story of The Ministry of Secrets, one of the great unsolved mysteries of the Cold War. At its heart is a missing person — a wartime hero and international celebrity. But that’s just the starting point. It involves the royal family, MI6, the CIA and the KGB. There’s conspiracies. And lies. This story is so sensitive, so secret - that the truth is being withheld for 100 years, until 2057. Presenter Giles Milton and producer Sarah Peters are on a quest to find out why…

Society & Culture

Personal Journals

History

Philosophy

Places & Travel

Documentary

True crime

Discredited, John Todd vanishes and is largely forgotten until his speeches resurface online, sparking a new wave of interest and influence.  



Unlock all episodes of The Conspiracy Tapes, ad-free, right now by subscribing to The Binge. Plus, get binge access to brand new stories dropping on the first of every month  thats all episodes, all at once, all ad-free.  Just click Subscribe on the top of the Cover Up show page on Apple Podcasts or visit GetTheBinge.com to get access wherever you get your podcasts.  



A Magnificent Noise & Sony Music Entertainment production.  Find out more about The Binge and other podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts.
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The Conspiracy Tapes | 5. Resurrection

A pastor receives troubling information about Todd's past. His credibility is shattered, but the tapes of his talks take on a life of their own. Todd's ideas move from fringe Christian congregations to the mainstream, igniting fears of Satanic cults, government conspiracies, and violence.  



Unlock all episodes of The Conspiracy Tapes, ad-free, right now by subscribing to The Binge. Plus, get binge access to brand new stories dropping on the first of every month  thats all episodes, all at once, all ad-free.  Just click Subscribe on the top of the Cover Up show page on Apple Podcasts or visit GetTheBinge.com to get access wherever you get your podcasts. 



 A Magnificent Noise & Sony Music Entertainment production.  



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The Conspiracy Tapes | 4. Contagion

From the creators of Cover Up: Body Brokers and The Anthrax Threat: Shootings are not unusual in Belize. Shootings of cops are. When a wealthy woman – married into one of the most powerful families  in Belize – is found on a pier late at night, next to a body, it becomes the country’s biggest news story in a generation. Episode are released on a weekly schedule starting today! Find out more about Campside Media at campsidemedia.com and  follow us @campside_media.
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White Devil: An Aristocracy Scandal in Belize

In 1977, Todd seeks to re-establish himself on the Christian speaker circuit. However, this time he sensationalizes his past even further, claiming to be a former member of the Illuminati, suggesting an impending societal collapse and advocating for extreme preparation measures among his followers. Recordings of his talks spread across America, spurring a phenomenon marked by fear and influencing thousands.  



Unlock all episodes of The Conspiracy Tapes, ad-free, right now by subscribing to The Binge. Plus, get binge access to brand new stories dropping on the first of every month  thats all episodes, all at once, all ad-free.  Just click Subscribe on the top of the Cover Up show page on Apple Podcasts or visit GetTheBinge.com to get access wherever you get your podcasts.  



A Magnificent Noise & Sony Music Entertainment production.  



Find out more about The Binge and other podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts.
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The Conspiracy Tapes | 3. Phenomenon

John Todd’s life takes a bizarre turn in Dayton, Ohio, where after a phase of promoting Christianity and condemning witchcraft, he reverts to his occult practices, running an occult bookstore called the Witch's Cauldron. John claims to be harassed by local police for his religion, but are his practices just a cover for even darker activity?  



Unlock all episodes of The Conspiracy Tapes, ad-free, right now by subscribing to The Binge. Plus, get binge access to brand new stories dropping on the first of every month  thats all episodes, all at once, all ad-free.  Just click Subscribe on the top of the Cover Up show page on Apple Podcasts or visit GetTheBinge.com to get access wherever you get your podcasts.  



A Magnificent Noise & Sony Music Entertainment production.  Find out more about The Binge and other podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts.
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Ministry of Secrets | 5. The Confession of Eduard Koltsov

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