52 the construction of a shooting range: USA v. Berkman, Document 774, January 17, 2017, at 32.

52 what he called “dummies”: For a discussion of how Le Roux used “dummies” in his business, see, for example, USA v. Berkman, Document 1005, February 9, 2017, at 594.

52 counted among his dummies: Both Tandanayi and van Tonder appear repeatedly on publicly available registrations for Le Roux’s companies. Tandanayi, I later learned, was a contact Le Roux met through relatives in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. Van Tonder was an elderly South African whose original connection to Le Roux I could never trace.

54 So it was with Felix Klaussen: This is one of two sources to whom I have given pseudonyms. The real person I’m calling Klaussen, over the course of more than thirteen hours of interviews and volumes of encrypted correspondence, argued convincingly that using his real name would present a threat to the safety of himself and those around him. All details of Klaussen’s experience come from those interviews, cross-checked against the recollections of other Le Roux employees, unless otherwise noted.

54 the sailors at Subic Bay: For simplicity’s sake, I use “Subic Bay” or “Subic” to include the general area that encompasses the region surrounding the former base, which includes the geographically distinct towns of Barretto and Olongapo. Descriptions are based on personal visits.

54 Americans decommissioned the base in 1992: Bob Drogin, “Americans Bid Farewell to Last Philippine Base,” Los Angeles Times, November 25, 1992.

55 served in the French Foreign Legion: The Legion, a branch of the French Army that accepts volunteers from around the world, is known for its intensive training and hard-bitten soldiers. How long De Meyer actually served is in dispute. Klaussen told me that his former friend lasted only a month, operating under the name Alain Devisère. The press office of the French Foreign Legion declined to confirm or deny De Meyer’s enlistment.

55 an expat-friendly pub: Sid’s was a regular meeting place for Le Roux’s employees, none of whom, in my interviews, could recall anything particularly distinguished about it. “This could be a British expat bar anywhere the world over,” Lonely Planet once described it. “Cross through the doors and enter a world of pints and football.” (See Lonely Planet Philippines [2006], 103–4.)

56 the same in Da Nang: The property purchase, Klaussen said, ultimately fell through.

58 former U.S. Navy sailor: The American, who worked for Le Roux for over a year on a wide variety of missions across Africa and Asia, requested anonymity for his own safety. “To be blunt, my biggest concern is the fat man sending some hit squad to end me,” he said of Le Roux.

58 Echelon Associates: To all outward appearances, Echelon looked to be a legitimate security contractor, offering services such as “risk management” and “executive protection.” Job applicants sent résumés, submitted to interviews, and filled out a series of employment forms. Many of Le Roux’s mercenaries I