Elon's Spies | Tortoise Investigates

Tortoise Media

Elon’s Spies investigates how this free-speech champion uses private investigators and surveillance to target everyone from whistleblowers at his companies, to online critics and people in his own life.

  • 52 minutes
    Lucky Boys | Lucky Boy Ep4

    Sally Anne Bowen doesn’t want to speak about her relationship with Gareth, but it turns out there is a way of hearing her version of events. And after months of searching, Chloe gets a message from another ‘lucky boy’. 


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    Reported and produced by: Chloe Hadjimatheou and Gary Marshall


    Sound design: Hannah Varrall


    Podcast artwork: Lola Williams


    Executive producer: Basia Cummings


    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    10 March 2025, 5:00 am
  • 41 minutes 7 seconds
    The school | Lucky Boy Ep3

    Chloe hears from a former teacher who seems to support what Gareth believes - that there was a cover-up. And it’s still going on today.


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    Reported and produced by: Chloe Hadjimatheou and Gary Marshall


    Sound design: Hannah Varrall


    Podcast artwork: Lola Williams


    Executive producer: Basia Cummings


    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    4 March 2025, 5:00 am
  • 44 minutes 47 seconds
    The relationship | Lucky Boy Ep2

    Gareth is convinced that his memories are true and that there are plenty of witnesses who can corroborate his story, so why will no one help him? 



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    Reported and produced by: Chloe Hadjimatheou and Gary Marshall


    Sound design: Hannah Varrall


    Podcast artwork: Lola Williams


    Executive producer: Basia Cummings


    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    25 February 2025, 5:02 am
  • 37 minutes 27 seconds
    Gareth | Lucky Boy Ep1

    Gareth spent years believing he was a lucky boy. He was the 14-year-old who got the attention of the attractive young science teacher. Now, decades later, he wants the truth to come out about the damage it’s caused him. But his story is not straight forward. 


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    Reported and produced by: Chloe Hadjimatheou and Gary Marshall


    Sound design: Hannah Varrall


    Podcast artwork: Lola Williams


    Executive producer: Basia Cummings


    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    25 February 2025, 5:01 am
  • 3 minutes 3 seconds
    Introducing...Lucky Boy

    Gareth’s whole life has been defined by a relationship he had 35 years ago when, as a 14-year-old schoolboy, he fell in love with an attractive young teacher at his school. He spent most afternoons in her bedroom and thought he was the luckiest boy in the world. But when she walked out of his life everything started to unravel. 


    Lucky Boy is a new four-part series in which Chloe Hadjimatheou asks who gets to be a perpetrator and a victim.


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    If you want to get in touch with us directly about a story, or tell us more about the stories you want to hear about contact [email protected]


    Reported and produced by: Chloe Hadjimatheou and Gary Marshall


    Sound design: Hannah Varrall


    Podcast artwork: Lola Williams


    Executive producer: Basia Cummings




    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    25 February 2025, 5:00 am
  • 4 minutes 32 seconds
    Introducing... Rogue Russia: Agents of mayhem

    Introducing... Rogue Russia: Agents of mayhem


    Last October, the head of MI5 said Russia was on a mission to cause "sustained mayhem" on European streets. It might be hard to spot at first, but it is there in plain sight. This is the unpredictable, violent world of the modern Russian intelligence services. You can listen to the episode on the Slow Newscast here.


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    If you want to get in touch with us directly about a story, or tell us more about the stories you want to hear about contact [email protected]


    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    14 January 2025, 6:00 am
  • 8 minutes 15 seconds
    Introducing..Crime Junkie - MURDERED: JonBenet Ramsay

    We are partnering with Audiochuck, so that we can continue to bring our listeners brilliant investigations like Elon's Spies. You can join Tortoise as a member to get early and ad-free access to new series and support our investigations at www.tortoisemedia.com/invite.


    Introducing...Crime Junkie - MURDERED: JonBenet Ramsay


    The morning after Christmas Day 1996, six-year-old JonBenét Ramsey was reported missing... only for her body to be discovered hours later in her family’s home. Nearly three decades later, the questions remain: What really happened that night? Who is responsible for her death? And why has this case gone unsolved for so long? For years, Ashley Flowers vowed never to cover this infamous case – unless she could hear directly from the Ramsey family. In this episode, Ashley Flowers and Brit Prawat explore the chilling details of JonBenét’s case, the infamous ransom note, and the lingering theories surrounding the investigation. With exclusive insights from JonBenét’s father, John Ramsey, this is a story you won’t want to miss. Listen to the full episode here.


    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    16 December 2024, 6:00 am
  • 29 minutes 38 seconds
    A star is born | Elon's Spies Ep4

    When Donald Trump declared victory in the US presidential election, he told an adoring crowd that "a star is born". He was referring to Elon Musk.


    After months of reporting on the billionaire's use of private investigators, Alexi asks whether the insights he gained from that investigation reveal how Musk will operate in his new political era, and what that means for everything in his orbit.


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    If you want to get in touch with us directly about a story, or tell us more about the stories you want to hear about contact [email protected]




    Reported and produced by: Alexi Mostrous, Gary Marshall, Matt Russell & Patricia Clarke


    Sound design: Bart Warshaw


    Original Music: Tom Kinsella


    Podcast artwork: Jon Hill 


    Executive producer: Basia Cummings


    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    12 November 2024, 6:00 am
  • 40 minutes 34 seconds
    Amber | Elon's Spies Ep3

    To his surprise, Alexi finds himself speaking to a local reporter at the Gold Coast Bulletin in Australia. It’s not where he thought the story would take him but it reveals a new case involving Elon and his spies. 


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    If you want to get in touch with us directly about a story, or tell us more about the stories you want to hear about contact [email protected]




    Reporter: Alexi Mostrous


    Producer: Gary Marshall


    Original Music & Sound design: Tom Kinsella


    Podcast artwork: Jon Hill 


    Executive producer: Ceri Thomas


    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    22 October 2024, 4:00 am
  • 37 minutes 16 seconds
    Horrible human being | Elon's Spies Ep2

    When Martin Tripp worked at Tesla, he took the advice of his boss Elon Musk - if you discover a problem, tell me about it. But when Martin shares his concerns, his world begins to spiral out of control. 


    You can find out more about Tortoise:



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    If you want to get in touch with us directly about a story, or tell us more about the stories you want to hear about contact [email protected]




    Reporter: Alexi Mostrous


    Producer: Gary Marshall


    Original Music & Sound design: Tom Kinsella


    Podcast artwork: Jon Hill 


    Executive producer: Ceri Thomas


    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    15 October 2024, 4:00 am
  • 38 minutes 49 seconds
    Pedo guy | Elon's Spies Ep1

    In 2018, Vernon Unsworth is at the centre of a global news story. He plays a crucial role in rescuing a young football team who became trapped in a flooded cave system. Overnight, he is a hero. But there’s a darker side of his story that’s less well known. That’s where Elon Musk and his private investigators come in. 


    You can find out more about Tortoise:



    Download the Tortoise app - for a listening experience curated by our journalists




    Subscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free content




    Become a member and get access to all of Tortoise's premium audio offerings and more




    If you want to get in touch with us directly about a story, or tell us more about the stories you want to hear about contact [email protected]




    Reporter: Alexi Mostrous


    Producer: Gary Marshall


    Original Music & Sound design: Tom Kinsella


    Podcast artwork: Jon Hill 


    Executive producer: Ceri Thomas


    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    8 October 2024, 4:00 am
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