Introduction—A Boy, a Shoebox, and a Lie We Never Saw Coming There are moments in a man’s life that stay printed on the soul like ink on wet paper. For me, one of those moments happened long before I ever wore a military uniform, stood in an interrogation room, or... View Article
Introduction—The Siren That Marked the Beginning of the End I remember 4 May 1980 with absolute clarity.It was a hot spring day.I was a first-grader in primary school, still innocent enough to believe that adults understood the world. Then the sirens began to scream. In Yugoslavia, sirens were the state’s... View Article
Introduction I remember the moment with absolute clarity—the kind of memory carved into your mind by exhaustion, fear, and a sense of destiny. The gate was made of steel. It was a harsh winter morning. And above that gate, a sentence that would shape my life long after the war... View Article
“The end and aim of spying in all its five varieties is knowledge of the enemy; and this knowledge can only be derived, in the first instance, from the converted spy.” — Sun Tzu, The Art of War Introduction Espionage is one of the world’s oldest professions. Long before satellites,... View Article
Introduction For some time, I’ve noticed that we are not learning from history. Not because knowledge is unavailable, but because we spend more time being educated by strangers on social media—people chasing their promotion, likes, and followers. And in that endless flow of content, I recently saw the most telling... View Article
A Season of Calm—and Criminal Opportunity For most Australians, Christmas represents stability. It is the one period when business slows, households unwind, and attention shifts from routine to celebration. But in fraud investigations—as in intelligence operations—this seasonal slowdown creates the perfect conditions for exploitation. During the 2024–25 holiday period, Australians... View Article
Introduction—When Desperation Becomes a Business Model I was one of those naïve people who believed in everything and anything—especially when desperation was my closest companion. During the Global Financial Crisis (GFC), Ilost everything. I lost not just money or stability, but everything. At one point, I was sleeping in my... View Article
Introduction—Death in the Age of Digital Gold A few days ago, in a local Facebook community group, a well-meaning gentleman posted something that caught my eye. He announced that he’d be away from home for eight to nine weeks over December and January. He kindly asked if any local kids... View Article
Introduction A few days ago, in a local Facebook community group, a well-meaning gentleman posted something that caught my eye. He announced that he’d be away from home for eight to nine weeks over December and January. He kindly asked if any local kids might want to “pop by once... View Article
Introduction—From Silence to the Screen I do remember that day when I walked to the army barracks, and then the sign was on top of the gate, stating, “Sweat Saves Blood.” I was unaware of the significance of that sign. When I served in the military, the unwritten rule was... View Article