Bad Trips: How I Went from VICE Reporter to an International Drug Smuggler: The Slava Patsuk Story

Today on Crime & Entertainment, we talk with author, Brian Whitney. Brian is an accomplished author with several great books on his resume. His latest book is scheduled to come out this week. This new book is based on a man named, Slava Pastuk. Slava is a former VICE network reporter turned international drug smuggler. In 2019, he was sentenced to nine years for recruiting friends into a scheme to smuggle cocaine from the U.S. into Australia. Brian's new book, "Bad Trips: How I Went from Vice Reporter to International Drug Smuggler," is an account of the precarious, dog-eat-dog atmosphere of the VICE network. This company built its reputation on being provocative and leading young, naïve, and ambitious reporters into taking crazy risks. Was Slava a product of a drug-obsessed work environment that encouraged reporters to go over the top for their stories? Or was he a manipulator who pushed vulnerable young men into a life of crime? 

 So, strap in and listen as we discuss Brian's account of Slava's experiences. 

We will also discuss some of Brian's other books such as "Raw Deal: The Untold Story of the NYPD Cannibal Cop" as well as "The Son of Sam and Me: The Truth About Why I Wasn't Shot by David Berkowitz."