The Spy Who Couldn't Spell | Yudhijit Bhattacharjee

Before Edward Snowden and Chelsea Manning, the largest theft of government secrets was committed by an awkward, unassuming American intelligence agent, Brian Patrick Regan.
Yudhijit Bhattacharjee, author of The Spy Who Couldn’t Spell: A Dyslexic Traitor, an Unbreakable Code, and the FBI’s Hunt for America’s Stolen Secrets, reveals how the FBI rolled up Regan despite his brilliant, multi-layered encryption system to mask his communication with foreign governments and his unusual “document storage” plan.
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[@TheDennisgrass]

oooohhhhhh.... I thought the title was, "The Spy Who Couldn't Spell 'Yudhijit Bhattacharjee' " And I thought, "I wonder if I could spell such an unusual name"!

[@iain777uk]

Being dyslexic myself, I find it very telling that the audience laughed at Regan's spelling mistakes. It even fits with the books story of Regan's difficult childhood as a dyslexic & I know this pain very well.

[@tszirmay]

Everyone was in covert mode, pretending to be kids (as a cover) . LOL

[@Etuffly]

I have a dyslexic family member who knows to perform spell checks or ask another person to review spelling. I’m not sure the audience was laughing because someone made spelling errors, but that someone with a known learning difference didn’t run a spellcheck on his work.

[@Trumben]

There is just nothing wrong with this presentation. Good sound, interesting story, good and structured lecturer. Great job!

[@ankyfire]

It’s kinda funny how this guy made so many obvious mistakes and left a pretty significant trail after him and yet the FBI had serious problems finding the documents.

[@sadelsor]

Excellent presentation !!

[@doktortutankamazon31]

Brian Regan, the comedian, makes jokes about this often.

[@DangRockets]

His operational incompetence shows the recent GRU ridiculousness isn't a one off in espionage circles.

[@dorianmclean6755]

Well done sir

[@kattz753]

Wanda Sykes worked as a purchasing clerk for the NSA before she started doing stand-up. She was on Colbert & said that they were really strict about credit. She bought a stereo on a no payments or interest deal. Within 2 weeks she got hauled into the boss's office. They knew about it. She was told to get to the credit union & get a loan to pay it off or lose her security clearance. She's been on TV and in movies for at least 20 yrs. I'm sure that all those agencies have similar rules.

[@HopskotchBunny]

Very interesting presentation, thank you!

[@afreenu1656]

Nice presentation sir.

[@citizen4278]

If it was an inkjet they might have had another way of identifying which printer it came from.

[@midnighttutor]

Video at 29:00 This is an unfair criticism of NRO security. The ENTIRE BUILDING was a SCIF. The author should know that so why the unfounded criticism??

[@aliceanderson5154]

I can't spell Yhudijir Bhattachargee either.

[@tvbox6955]

*** Count how many times he says ahhh and umm. ***

[@dpiroch]

This was the funniest book lecture I ever heard!

[@thomascooley2749]

Could he have miss spelled words on purpose as to make it harder for computers to decrypt

[@dr.barrycohn5461]

The name barer must belong to the secret society of Funny Names Club of America.

[@CaptainCalculus]

The Inspector Clouseau of spies...

[@CaptainCalculus]

Question: If it took an FBI team hours with metal detectors working by a busy highway to find the package...how were the Chinese or the Iranians expected to retrieve it?

[@tatradak]

Musakusa....and I'm dyslexic as well so can't spell his name.. He was Kadfi right hand man and chief of the security service

[@davidiwolf]

Around 29:30 or so presenter talks about a whiteboard and points to the screen... camera stays firmly pointed at the presenter. It continues that way for a while. Why would they not show us the things he’s pointing at and making mention of?!! Very frustrating.

[@Mrclean431]

Lack of attention to detail. Hate it.

[@HopskotchBunny]

🥸

[@HopskotchBunny]

😱

[@Grimenoughtomaketherobotcry]

I think the idea is that if you want to see the graphics, you need to order the book. Just a guess.

[@garfieldfarkle]

Wait a minute. At 32:20, This guy goes back to work at the NRO as an employee of a contractor. Right away he applies for leave, telling his boss he will be gone from August 27-30. He claims to be driving his family to Orlando and back to Maryland? How much vacation time would he and his family have in Orlando before driving back?

[@trissloan2340]

They must have had very minimal screening processes when he enlisted in the USAF;in 1980 or '81. It was not like that in 1992 and procurement of a Top Secret clearance was very difficult and an extensive process when I obtained mine for the US Army ( FBI Special Agent and DoD investigative team dispatched nationally). This guy afflicted with extreme dyslexia , ADD, memory and concentration difficulties; egregious how he even entered the armed forces?????

[@pinklady7184]

Couldn't he have cheated by paying anybody to impersonate him in exams? Or bribed somebody to change his scores? Perhaps, he had relations who looked like him and impersonated him in interviews and exams.

[@murrayeldred3563]

THE MAN WHO CAME IN FROM THE KERALA?

[@miztx2syuiip590]

Contributions not Contra butions- And -- I b4 E except after C-…, spies vs ambassadors 🤔

[@willatwood]

Wait, doesn't the FBI have to disclose all evidence they have, regardless of them trying to suppress their informant. Can't this guy appeal and say they failed to turn over all evidence and possibly have a retrial with everything coming out in court.

[@mroberts2738]

Starts at 4:01 YW

[@pinklady7184]

Brian Patrick Regan looks Irish and his name is Irish. Interesting. Was Brian ever a mole for IRA?

[@brianvratoric4134]

CIA and UKRAINE SBU KORD YuliaTymoshenko is awesome and brave.

[@KidCity1985]

15:15 unless you work for the DNC

[@souldreamer9056]

A genuine question to females: why is it ok to live above the means that your husband can provide, and not contribute? Why insist on expensive horses and expensive trips abroad, when the money isn’t there? I just don’t get it.

[@pinklady7184]

Exactly. I am a woman and I don't understand either. Wife must have been a gold digger and Brian must have told her tall stories of wealth.

[@James_Bowie]

A dyslexic scores high enough to go into Air Force Intelligence. That speaks volumes.

[@99gypsies]

He says that he cheated on the test -- but it's not entirely clear if this was the test to get into Air Force Intelligence or a preliminary test to get into the Air Force. But either way, why are they giving people with financial problems top secret clearances? Obviously that is a risk.

[@macvena]

So does your comment.

[@deoglemnaco7025]

I work with this guy now, he keeps to himself

[@James_Bowie]

He was sentenced to life imprisonment without parole in March of 2003.

[@Mrclean431]

@@James_Bowie correction officer maybe ?

[@deoglemnaco7025]

@@Mrclean431 no. We both are in an office.

[@RockyMountainPosse]

I have watched all these videos and found noticeable grammatical errors that are consistent among all the agents who have narrated here.

[@Minecraftboy9997]

...Let me guess. It's in the book.

[@trissloan2340]

Well, damngummit, the man has got to make a living! Book sales aren't going to make him a millionaire. It takes the mental, monetary and intellectual ability to research extensively. Everybody just wants all kinds of shit for free.

[@aliceanderson5154]

He keeps referencing drinking and yearbooks. Is he talking about the supreme court nominee? The drunk rapist one?

[@canadiangemstones7636]

I LIKE BEER!!! Only in America, lolol..

[@jasonwoodford7700]

isent thete a point ,where to spy verse a grossly incompetent gov. , becomes theright thing , to do ?

[@uploadJ]

It becomes "Spy vs Spy" like in Mad Magazine; funny how life imitates art ... "Spy vs. Spy is a wordless comic strip published in Mad magazine. It features two agents involved in stereotypical and comical espionage activities. ... A parody of the political ideologies of the Cold War, the strip was created by Cuban expatriate cartoonist Antonio Prohías, and debuted in Mad #60"

[@alswann2702]

Learn English

[@uploadJ]

Typ[oes, Al, typoex .. (Translated: Typos, Al, typos)

[@timgreenglass]

@@uploadJ i grew up reading MAD MAGAZINE....Mad Tv in the 1990s had some cartoons based on the original strip, and are here on utube...

[@smitty19612008]

NO