327: Jeff Iverson – FBI In the Belly of the Bear, Russia and Central Asia

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In this episode, retired agent Jeffrey Iverson reviews his assignments representing the FBI in the belly of the bear in Russia and Central Asia. He explores obstacles he and his colleagues faced while assigned as Legal Attaché in charge of FBI offices in Moscow and the Legat for five of the former Soviet bloc countries, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Kazakhstan.

Jeff shares stories about his first terrorism case overseas and discusses the counterintelligence challenges that traditionally pose a danger to American government officials and/or businesspeople traveling to Russia. He also presents the worrying parallels between Russia’s return to autocracy and our current American political discourse.

Special Agent (Retired)

Jeffrey Iverson

10/1984 – 1/2007

Jeff Iverson served in the FBI for twenty -two-years. As a street agent in San Francisco working Russian organized crime, he dedicated the first half of his career working investigations tied to the flood of Russian criminals pouring into the United States after the collapse of the former Soviet Union.

Jeff was promoted to supervisor of the Russian organized crime squad prior to his overseas Legat assignments. Throughout those years, Jeff also served as an instructor at the International Law Enforcement Academy in Budapest, Hungary, where he taught former Soviet bloc police managers on strategies to dismantle organized criminal enterprises.

Following his retirement from the FBI, Jeff expanded his expertise through professional assignments in the former Soviet Union as a Senior Consultant/Contractor for Freeh Group International Solutions under the direction of former FBI Director Louis Freeh.