CBS News Preps Podcast on Russian Double Agent Robert Hanssen From Major Garrett (Exclusive)

Alex Weprin
·1 min read
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CBS News is expanding its podcast profile, giving the green light to a new series exploring the story of Robert Hanssen, the FBI agent who infamously leaked sensitive information to Russia for more than two decades.

The still-untitled eight episode series from CBS and Paramount Audio will debut in the fall, and is led by CBS News chief Washington correspondent Major Garrett, who also hosts the weekly podcast The Takeout.

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“How does the nation handle its most sensitive secrets? It’s a question we’ve wrestled with for decades but is especially relevant today,” Garrett says. “Everything about Robert Hanssen fascinates me — how he escaped detection for 22 years, the depth of his betrayals, how he was caught and, most elusive of all, why he did it. Chasing these answers has taken two years and I can’t wait to share this extraordinary story with our listeners.”

The story, which begins at the height of the Cold War and covers Hanssen’s entire time as a double agent, also explores the impact his sharing of secrets had on the country. Hanssen died in prison earlier this year.

The series includes interviews with more than 40 people, including Hanssen’s family, friends and co-workers.

CBS News and Paramount Audio have produced a handful of podcasts building off of the reporting from CBS programming like Face the Nation and CBS Sunday Morning. The shows include Mobituaries With Mo Rocca, My Life of Crime With Erin Moriarty, The Takeout and Unsung Science with David Pogue.

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