From sex workers to FBI agents, these five whistleblowers have had a massive impact on crimes, governments and corruption, but they have also paid the price for it.
Sallie-Anne Huckstepp, The Sexworker Who Called Out Australia’s ‘Most Corrupt Cop’
Former detective Deb Locke told the story of Roger Rogerson and Sallie-Anne Huckstepp on Crime Insiders:
Sallie-Anne was the first to blow the whistle on disgraced cop and convicted murderer Roger Rogerson. She’d come into contact with Rogerson and corrupt NSW police officers through her relationship with heroin dealer Warren Lanfranchi.
Sallie-Anne went to the police in 1981 and told them detectives had accepted payments from her to influence charges relating to her drug use and sex work, and that Rogerson had murdered Lanfranchi, which Rogerson claimed was just an arrest gone wrong.
She lobbied the media for the rest of her life, but her efforts ended tragically with her murder in 1986. Her killer has never been found.
Julian Assange, The Wikileaks Founder Who Exposed US military operations
The story of Julian Assange is unpacked on the I Spied podcast, ‘Ep 48 (I Heard That) Lonesome Whistle(blower)‘
Assange is the founder of WikiLeaks, and as its editor oversaw the release of top secret video footage of US military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.
In addition to millions of other leaked documents revealing US espionage abroad and tensions between its allies, some believe the footage is evidence of alleged war crimes.
Assange is now imprisoned in London as the US seeks extradition to try him for espionage.
Mark Felt, Or ‘Deep Throat’, Who Gave Information Incriminating President Nixon
The story of Watergate is unpacked on the American Scandal podcast, season 38, episode 1
Given the pseudonym ‘Deep Throat’, this whistleblower provided information that incriminated President Nixon in the Watergate scandal. He met with Washington Post journalists seven times in 1972 & 73.
The information he provided gave credibility to the Post’s stories, which ultimately broke the scandal.
His identity remained a mystery for 30 years but is now known to be former FBI deputy director Mark Felt.
Nicola Gobbo, Or ‘Lawyer X’, Who Appealed Criminal Cases Using Police Knowledge
The story of Lawyer X is unpacked on the Crime Insiders: In Focus podcast:
Gobbo was a lawyer representing some of the notorious gangland criminals of Melbourne, but she was also a police informant.
She informed her clients while representing them, leading to the possibility for many of these cases to be appealed.
Gobbo was revealing information on criminal activity, but by doing so she breached the client’s legal privilege and a royal commission was launched in 2018.
Alexander Litvinenko, Accused Russian Higher-Ups Of Ordering An Assassination
The story of Litvinenko is unpacked on the British Scandal podcast, ‘The Litvinenko Affair | Poisoned | Episode 1‘
In 1998, Russian security services officer Alexander Litvinenko accused his higher-ups of ordering an assassination. He was arrested, released soon after, and then quickly sought asylum in the UK. He continued to criticise Putin and the Russian government, writing multiple books levelling accusations against his former country.
In 2006, Litvinenko became ill and ultimately died from Polonium-210 poisoning. A British investigation and the European Court of Human Rights found Russian agents culpable, straining diplomatic relations.
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