Mike Safo with Scott Payne, retired FBI Special Agent / Best Selling Author

About this episode

Scott Payne shares his experiences as a former FBI undercover agent and discusses his new book, fatherhood, and the challenges of law enforcement.

Joined today by former FBI undercover agent and bestselling author, Scott Payne. Listen as he shares the powerful story behind his new book, Code Name: Pale Horse – How I Went Undercover to Expose America’s Nazis . Scott opens up about his life as a devoted “girl dad,” the little things his daughters do that melt his heart, and the challenges and joys of fatherhood. He reflects on his upbringing in South Carolina, his passion for sports, and his journey to playing Division I football. We dive into Scott’s early days in law enforcement with the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office, including some of his first cases—and even a hilarious arrest story. From there, Scott shares the pivotal moment that led him to join the FBI, his assignment in New York City, where he lived and partied, and what he experienced on September 11, 2001. Scott also discusses what inspired him to write his book, how podcast interviews have become a therapeutic outlet, and why he chose to open up about his high school struggles and the impact his work had on his marriage. He speaks candidly about his addiction to the adrenaline of undercover work, the psychological toll of constantly living a double life, and…

People in this episode

Host: Mike Safo

Guest: Scott Payne

Topics covered

• FBI
• undercover work
• fatherhood
• sports
• law enforcement
• addiction
• retirement

Keywords

• Code Name: Pale Horse
• bestselling author
• adrenaline
• psychological toll

Mentioned in this episode

Products: Code Name: Pale Horse

Books & works: Code Name: Pale Horse – How I Went Undercover

Places: America, South Carolina, New York City

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