S2E15 The Home Stretch
Summary
John Kiriakou recounts discovering his prison friend Dave was a rat who betrayed him, then details his psychological warfare against a new, abusive roommate named Cher. Kiriakou employs spy tactics to harass the pedophile into solitary confinement, culminating in a prank involving pork. This episode illustrates the application of intelligence tradecraft to survive the brutal social dynamics of federal prison life.
Topics discussed
Intro ads and the importance of good prison roommates
Cleaning out Dave's locker and discovering his belongings
Finding Dave's 'rat list' and realizing he was an informant
Dave's fake CIA backstory and how he betrayed the narrator
Dave's lies about protecting the narrator and other inmates
Debunking Dave's CIA career and his transfer to solitary
Introducing Cher: An Afghan translator with severe injuries
Cher's arrival in prison and his admission of being a pedophile
Cher's hygiene issues and herpes sore causing tension
The herpes washcloth incident and false stabbing accusation
Cher's rule-breaking behavior and confrontation with the warden
Cher's isolation from Muslims and the plan to move him to SHU
Joey's prank with the Sharpie drawing on Cher's bed
The pork under the pillow trick and Cher's final breakdown
Cher's removal to solitary and the business class anecdote
Outro ads and closing remarks
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