Retired agent Raymond Holcomb served in the FBI for nearly 22 years. His Bureau assignments involved espionage, counter-narcotics, national security, and Special Weapons and Tactics, and took him across America, the Middle East, Afghanistan, and Africa. In this episode of FBI Retired Case File Review, Ray Holcomb discusses his FBI Counterterrorism post 9/11 responsibilities as the Section Chief of the FBI’s Operational Response Section which managed the FBI Fly Away/Rapid Deployment Team,...

Retired agent Raymond Holcomb served in the FBI for nearly 23 years. His Bureau assignments involved espionage, counter-narcotics, national security, and Special Weapons and Tactics, and took him across America, the Middle East, Afghanistan, and Africa. In this episode of FBI Retired Case File Review, Ray Holcomb discusses FBI hero and legend John O’Neill and working in Yemen with fellow agent Ali Soufan on the USS Cole bombing and 9/11 investigations. Both O’Neill and Soufan are featured...

Retired agent Oliver “Buck” Revell served in the FBI for 30 years. During his Bureau career, he assumed numerous leadership roles, culminating with his promotion to Associate Deputy Director in Charge of Investigations. In this episode of FBI Retired Case File Review, he reviews Operation Goldenrod and the capture of Fawaz Younis, the first overseas apprehension of an international terrorist. He also provides frank and transparent insight about the public perception of the FBI today....

Retired agent Tony Robleto served in the FBI for 25 years. He spent most of his stateside Bureau career in California with assignments in the San Francisco, San Diego Division, and the Los Angeles Divisions. He also spent significant time working for the FBI in Mexico as an Assistant Legal Attaché (ALAT) in Mexico City where he was responsible for criminal and as a Border Liaison Officer (BLO) during his time in San Diego. In this episode of FBI Retired Case File Review, he reviews three of...

Retired agent Ralph DiFonzo served in the FBI for 30 years. He was initially assigned to the Salt Lake City Division, and later to the Los Angeles Division where he worked on the Major Case Violent Crimes Squad and handled high-profile cases – kidnappings; bank robberies; celebrity stalkings; fugitive investigations and extortions. In this episode of FBI Retired Case File Review, Retired agent Ralph DiFonzo reviews his eight-year fugitive case to apprehend John Riccardi, wanted for the...

Retired agent Gregory Coleman served with the FBI for more than 25 years. He specialized in investigating financial crimes, money laundering, and asset forfeiture. In this episode of FBI Retired Case File Review, Greg Coleman reviews the criminal investigation of Jordan Belfort and the brokerage firm Stratton Oakmont for securities fraud, stock manipulation, and money laundering. The case was chronicled in the Martin Scorsese movie, “The Wolf of Wall Street,” starring Leonardo DiCaprio. In...

Retired agent Ed Petersen served with the FBI for more than 27 years. In this episode of FBI Retired Case File Review, he reviews the investigation of the kidnapping and murder of Exxon Oil Executive Sidney Reso. While they negotiated for his release for 52 days, what investigators didn’t know was that Reso had been shot in the arm during the kidnapping, and had died three days later. During his career, Ed Petersen handled a variety of responsibilities to include the coordination of...

Retired agent Joe Lewis served 27 years with the FBI. In this episode of FBI Retired Case File Review, Lewis reviews “SandBomb” the investigation of Eric Rudolph and the bombing of a Birmingham, Alabama abortion clinic that resulted in the death of off-duty police officer Robert Sanderson and severely injured a nurse. The case also identified Rudolph as the person responsible for the Olympic Park Bombing, as well as the bombing of another abortion clinic, and a nightclub all in Atlanta,...

Retired agent Randy Wolverton served with the FBI for 28 years. During his Bureau career, Wolverton, a CPA, worked cases involving violent crime, white-collar crime, drugs, public corruption, domestic terrorism and health care fraud. In this episode of FBI Retired Case File Review, Randy Wolverton reviews a savings and loan fraud case that targeted real estate investor Leonard Pelullo. In spite of the testimony of LCN underboss Phillip Leonetti who admitted to brokering a disputed loan...

Retired agent Bob Clifford served with the FBI for 24 years. In this episode of FBI Retired Case File Review, he reviews the organization and operation of the transnational gang Mara Salvatrucha, known as MS-13, the most dangerous gang in the United States. In November 2004, Bob Clifford was asked by then- FBI Director Robert Mueller to accept a special assignment to FBIHQ to establish the FBI's MS-13 National Gang Task Force, and served as its first Director. For the next 18 months, Bob...

Retired agent Judy Tyler served 31 years with the FBI. In this episode of FBI Retired Case File Review, Judy reviews her investigation of the Maurice Lewis, aka "Mo Black," 8th and Allegheny cocaine criminal enterprise and the surprising spin-off case involving the theft of Philadelphia’s historically significant architectural treasures that resulted in the conviction of Charles Kass, a former IRS and Labor Department agent. Judy has extensive experience in the investigation of violent...

Retired agent Gary Noesner served in the FBI for more than 30 years, four as a support employee and 26 as a special agent. In this episode of FBI Retired Case File Review, Gary Noesner reviews his role, 25 years ago, as a hostage negotiator speaking with David Koresh and other members of the Branch Davidians during the Waco siege. He also reviews the Paramount Network's 6-part TV mini-series, Waco. A significant focus of Gary Noesner Bureau career was directed toward investigating and...

I’m celebrating 100 episodes of FBI Retired Case File Review with a special crime fiction show exploring clichés and misconceptions about the FBI in books, TV, and movies. What most people know about the FBI comes from popular culture. This list features what writers of novels, scripts, and screenplays sometimes get wrong about the Bureau and FBI agents. This is my second list. In Episode 50, I also wrote about this topic. Both lists were created for those who read and watch crime...

Retired agent Bill Grace served more than 33 years with the FBI. In this episode of FBI Retired Case File Review, he reviews the “Wolf Ticket” investigation where 13 Philadelphia Roofers Union Local 30 officials were convicted of racketeering, extortion, and bribery. The case uncovered numerous ties between union leaders, organized crime, and public officials. The key to the successful investigation was the surreptitious recording devices installed in the union hall that secretly taped...

Retired agent Eric Alpert served in the FBI for 25 years. In this episode of FBI Retired Case File Review, Alpert reviews the high-profile investigation of multi-millionaire Thomas Capano for the disappearance and murder of Anne Marie Fahey. Anne Marie Fahey had been the scheduling secretary for the governor of Delaware and Capano was a powerful attorney with high-level contacts and connections in Wilmington. During his Bureau career, Eric Alpert was involved in investigations and...

Special thanks to Gangland Wire podcast cohosts Gary Jenkins and Aaron Gnirk for allowing me to re-post this episode from their show on FBI Retired Case File Review. I was interviewed on the Gangland Wire podcast in October 2017, and it was such a fun and crazy episode I thought I would share it with you here. The main thing you need to know about this case is that before Harvey Weinstein, there was Frank Antico and Boobgate. This true crime FBI Philadelphia strip club investigation...

In this episode of FBI Retired Case File Review, retired agents Bob Clifford and Kevin Foust review their international terrorism investigation of the hijacking of Egypt Air Flight 648 during an international trip from Athens, Greece to Cairo, Egypt, on November 23, 1985. The plane was hijacked in Malta by members of the terrorist organization, Abu Nidal. The hijackers began systematically shooting Israeli and American passengers. A rescue attempt by Egyptian commandoes resulted in dozens...

In this episode of FBI Retired Case File Review, retired agents Bob Clifford and Kevin Foust review their international terrorism investigation of the hijacking of Egypt Air Flight 648 during an international trip from Athens, Greece to Cairo, Egypt, on November 23, 1985. The plane was hijacked in Malta by members of the terrorist organization, Abu Nidal. The hijackers began systematically shooting Israeli and American passengers. A rescue attempt by Egyptian commandoes resulted in dozens...

Retired agent Eugene Casey served 21 years with the FBI. As a special agent, he used skills acquired from his prior employment as a compliance officer at Wall Street investment firms to work white collar crime matters, drug money laundering, food stamp benefit fraud, and terrorist financing investigations. In this episode of FBI Retired Case File Review, Eugene Casey reviews a series of interviews he conducted with IIich Ramirez Sanchez, known worldwide as Carlos the Jackal, the inventor...

Retired agent Russell Atkinson served with the FBI for 25 years. He specialized in investigating high-technology crimes in Silicon Valley. Atkinson also worked on several kidnapping cases and has arrested murderers and drug dealers. In this episode of FBI Retired Case File Review, Russell Atkinson reviews the case of Charles Geschke, a wealthy Silicon Valley businessman kidnapped at gunpoint and held for four days before being rescued. After retiring from the FBI, Russ Atkinson, with...