In 1986, experimental musician and provocateur Boyd Rice wrote a fan letter that would have devastating consequences. The recipient wasn't a fellow artist, but James Mason — the author of an obscure neo-Nazi newsletter whose violent ideas would soon become known around the world.

This episode traces how Mason's newsletter Siege! evolved from fringe extremist literature into a modern blueprint for terrorism. We explore Mason's journey from teenage American Nazi Party member to Charles Manson devotee, and how his concept of “leaderless resistance” — advocating lone wolf terrorist attacks — became the strategic foundation for contemporary white supremacist violence.

GUEST: Spencer Sunshine, antifascist researcher and author of Neo-Nazi Terrorism and Countercultural Fascism: The Origins and Afterlife of James Mason’s Siege

FURTHER INFORMATION

• PBS Frontline: Documenting Hate: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-XFBVAAzXjc

SOCIAL MEDIA

• https://www.instagram.com/paranoidhistory/
• https://twitter.com/paranoidhistory

HOSTED BY JOSEPH L. FLATLEY. For bonus content and to sign up for my newsletter, check out: http://lennyflatley.substack.com/

In this episode we look at the death of freelance journalist Danny Casolaro, who was found dead in a hotel bathtub in Martinsburg, West Virginia. This was ruled a suicide, but circumstances surrounding the case raised questions. Casolaro had been investigating what he called “The Octopus,” a sprawling conspiracy that connected intelligence agencies, organized crime, and international arms dealers. The episode also examines the role of Lyndon LaRouche's intelligence network in spreading misinformation (and sometimes, credible information).

GUESTS INCLUDE a number of journalists familiar with crimes and conspiracies, including Martin Kilian, Jack Calhoun, and Dan Moldea. We also speak with Casolaro’s cousin, the playwright Dominic Orlando.

FURTHER INFORMATION

• Unsolved Mysteries episode on Danny Casolaro: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fGclHLNAsCs
• The Inslaw Affair (Australian TV news program): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QiVIDBDWivY

SOCIAL MEDIA

• https://www.instagram.com/paranoidhistory/
• https://twitter.com/paranoidhistory

HOSTED BY JOSEPH L. FLATLEY. For bonus content and to sign up for my newsletter, check out: http://lennyflatley.substack.com/

In this week’s episode, Joseph L. Flatley investigates the infamous Finders case—a 1987 incident where two well-dressed men and six disheveled children in a Tallahassee park sparked nationwide panic about satanic cults and child trafficking. What began as a routine police call transformed into one of the internet's most persistent conspiracy theories, fueled by leaked government documents claiming evidence of “satanic ceremonies” and an international child trafficking operation.

Through exclusive interviews with those directly involved, including two of the children (now adults) who were at the center of the controversy, this episode reveals the shocking truth: the Finders were neither CIA operatives nor satanic cultists, but an unconventional community with an alternative approach to child-rearing that clashed with mainstream values during the height of the Satanic Panic.

GUESTS INCLUDE Mary and Max, two of the Finders children, who reflect on their experience growing up in this controversial community.

FURTHER INFORMATION

• Michael Howell interview: https://archive.org/details/unreleased-interview-with-finders-member

SOCIAL MEDIA

• https://www.instagram.com/paranoidhistory/
• https://twitter.com/paranoidhistory

HOSTED BY JOSEPH L. FLATLEY. For bonus content and to sign up for my newsletter, check out:

http://lennyflatley.substack.com/