In this episode, Lauren takes a closer look at one of the most disturbing and bizarre government experiments in U.S. history—Operation Midnight Climax. During the 1950s, as the Cold War raged on, the CIA launched MKUltra, a top-secret program aimed at developing mind control techniques. Among the most shocking aspects? Secret brothels in San Francisco and New York, where unsuspecting men were dosed with LSD, all while CIA agents watched from behind two-way mirrors.

The episode dives into the twisted details of the operation, from George Hunter White’s disturbing role in carrying out the experiments to the tragic story of Frank Olson, a CIA employee whose death raised questions about the program. Listeners will also hear about the fallout as whistleblowers and journalists exposed the terrifying truth behind MKUltra, leading to a nationwide scandal.

Sources:

Brown, Noel. "Operation Midnight Climax." iHeartPodcasts, iHeartRadio, 5 Mar. 2025. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/operation-midnight-climax/id1554151171.

Olson, Eric. "The Truth Behind Frank Olson's Death." The Washington Post, 10 Apr. 2017, https://www.washingtonpost.com/longform/2017/04/10/frank-olson-death/.

Gosch, Max. The CIA's Mind Control Experiments: MKUltra and the Cold War. Penguin Books, 2019.

Church Committee. Final Report of the Select Committee to Study Governmental Operations with Respect to Intelligence Activities. U.S. Government Printing Office, 1976.

West, Dr. Louis Jolyon. "The Manchurian Candidate Experiment." Journal of Mind Control Studies, vol. 34, no. 2, 1975, pp. 155-174.