Kiwi CIA Undercover Agent Shares Story in New Podcast

Kit Bennetts, a New Zealander who spent six and a half years working undercover for the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), is detailing his experiences in a new podcast titled The Agency.

The podcast, released by Radio New Zealand (RNZ) and Bird of Paradise Productions, features hours of interviews with Bennetts regarding his operations against Russian military intelligence during the Cold War.

Born and raised in Masterton, Bennetts was recruited in Wellington in 1979 by the CIA Chief of Station at the US Embassy. At the time of his recruitment, he was employed by New Zealand’s Secret Intelligence Service (SIS).

Cold War Operations

Bennetts was initially intended to participate in a two-year exchange with the CIA, but his tenure in cover ultimately extended to six and a half years.

During his assignment, Bennetts worked belly-to-belly with a senior Soviet official. The objective of the operation was to funnel dead-end technology into the system of the United States’ Cold War rival.

The series includes archival materials and photographs from Bennetts’ time in the field, including images of him on assignment in the Pacific and posed in front of an airforce jet as part of the development of his cover story.

The Sutch Case

The podcast also examines Bennetts’ involvement in the case of Bill Sutch. In 1974, Bennetts tracked Dimitri Razgovorov during clandestine meetings with Sutch.

While Sutch was acquitted of charges related to breaching the Official Secrets Act, subsequent evidence has emerged regarding his connections with the Soviet Union.

Production and Release

The project was hosted, written, and produced by Guyon Espiner from RNZ and John Daniell from Bird of Paradise Productions.

The podcast explores the operational nature of the CIA, with contributions from CIA historian Tim Weiner, who stated that the agency acts under orders from the President rather than as a rogue elephant.