Overview of #331 Scott Payne - FBI Undercover Agent Reveals the Most Disturbing Cases of His Career
Shawn Ryan sits down with retired FBI undercover agent Scott Payne for a wide-ranging life story that moves from his South Carolina upbringing to some of the darkest cases he worked in the Bureau. Payne discusses how he went from a Christian household to teenage Satanism and back to faith, how he entered law enforcement, and how he eventually became one of the FBI’s most prolific undercover agents. The episode focuses heavily on cartel violence, outlaw motorcycle clubs, human trafficking, public corruption, and a disturbing white supremacist group called “The Base,” while also exploring the psychological toll of long-term undercover work and the importance of mental health support for first responders.
Scott Payne’s Background and Path Into Law Enforcement
Early life in Greenville, South Carolina
- Grew up in Greenville in a Christian, music-filled household.
- Played sports, especially football, and learned an intense work ethic from his father’s landscaping business.
- Was active in church life and music, including drums and guitar.
Teenage rebellion and return to faith
- After his parents’ divorce, he became angry and detached.
- Experimented with witchcraft and Satanism in high school, inspired by horror movies and books on occult topics.
- Describes a vivid demonic encounter that he says ended that phase of his life and brought him back to Christianity.
Interest in psychology and criminal justice
- Became fascinated with psychology after watching his parents struggle with depression.
- Studied criminal justice in college, with a minor in psychology.
- His interest in criminology, police ride-alongs, and prior work as a bouncer led him toward law enforcement.
From Local Cop to FBI Undercover Agent
Early law enforcement career
- Worked as a bouncer in bars and clubs, where he learned verbal de-escalation and crowd control.
- Joined the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office in the early 1990s.
- Moved into narcotics and vice work, where he developed undercover skills.
FBI hiring and training
- Eventually applied to the FBI after being encouraged by a supervisor who recognized his undercover potential.
- Described the FBI hiring process and Quantico as rigorous, but manageable for someone with field experience.
- Became formally certified as an undercover agent in 2002, though he had already been doing undercover work before then.
Undercover philosophy
- Payne repeatedly stresses that undercover work is about building believable relationships and maintaining operational security.
- He emphasizes that success depends on:
- strong preparation,
- believable cover stories,
- patience,
- and the ability to stay calm under extreme stress.
Disturbing Cartel and Border Cases
Human smuggling, extortion, and kidnapping
- Worked in McAllen, Texas, where he handled cartel-related investigations involving:
- alien smuggling,
- ransom kidnappings,
- drug loads,
- and extortion.
- Explains how cartels would sometimes kidnap smugglers or family members to recover missing money or cargo.
- Describes negotiating recoveries, tracing phones, and working with border liaison officers to locate victims.
Cartel violence
- Payne recounts cases involving:
- torture,
- mutilation,
- murder,
- and bodies being dumped or cooked in barrels.
- He notes that cartel violence escalated after leadership disruptions and turf wars.
- He also describes how ordinary-looking vehicles, fake police trucks, and “pseudo cops” were used in violent rip-off operations.
Human trafficking
- Distinguishes between voluntary adult sex work and actual trafficking cases.
- Notes that many victims were brought in as minors and later forced into prostitution or indentured servitude.
- Says the Bureau often focused on rescuing minors and going after pimps and traffickers rather than charging the victims.
Outlaw Motorcycle Club Infiltration
Why the case mattered
- Payne’s most detailed undercover story involves infiltrating the Outlaws motorcycle club in Massachusetts.
- He was initially recruited because he could pass as a rugged, tactical, “redneck” type and had a believable working-class backstory.
Building the legend
- He created a cover identity as a site survey specialist and later as a criminal tied to stolen vehicles and drug logistics.
- He spent months ingratiating himself with club members by:
- hanging out at their bars,
- attending events,
- helping move stolen vehicles,
- and talking enough “criminal business” to appear legitimate.
Most dangerous moment
- One of the most intense scenes in the interview is when Payne is taken to a clubhouse basement, stripped, and searched for a wire at gunpoint.
- He believed he was about to be exposed, but the search team missed the hidden recording device.
- He later learned his FBI support team had heard enough to know he was in danger and had tactical backup ready.
What the case uncovered
- Stolen motorcycles and vehicles
- Insurance fraud
- Drug trafficking
- Weapons talk and violent planning
- Club rivalries with the Hells Angels
- Potential murder and retaliation planning
Emotional conflict
- Payne says he genuinely bonded with one of the Outlaws, Scott Town.
- He frames undercover work as creating real relationships that you eventually betray, which creates a serious psychological burden.
The Base: White Supremacist Accelerationists
What “The Base” is
- Payne describes The Base as a violent accelerationist white supremacist network.
- Their goal was not politics in the traditional sense, but to speed up societal collapse through chaos, attacks, and terror.
- He explains that accelerationist ideology overlaps with:
- neo-Nazism,
- antisemitism,
- anti-government extremism,
- and online radicalization.
Online recruitment and tradecraft
- The group used encrypted platforms and online vetting to recruit new members.
- Payne helped build a cover identity online, then did voice and in-person vetting with the group.
- He notes that younger members often handled training, posting propaganda, and operational security.
Training camps and rituals
- Payne describes a disturbing Halloween camp where members:
- trained with firearms,
- burned American flags and Bibles,
- performed pagan-inspired rituals,
- and sacrificed a goat as part of a “blot” ceremony.
- He says the group mixed white supremacist beliefs with twisted pagan and satanic imagery.
Violence and murder planning
- The Base discussed:
- shooting police,
- killing perceived enemies,
- creating “ghost” cells,
- breaking out incarcerated “saints” from prison,
- and targeting journalists, politicians, and anti-fascists.
- A major subplot involved planned attacks on a family and other potential targets.
- Payne says the case ultimately led to arrests across multiple locations and prevented worse violence.
Mental Health, Physical Breakdown, and Retirement
The toll of undercover work
- Payne says his body eventually forced him to slow down.
- He describes becoming physically and mentally depleted, overmedicated, and unable to relax.
- His undercover stress, sleep deprivation, and chronic pain eventually contributed to a crash.
PTSD and first responder wellness
- He openly discusses PTSD and says he didn’t understand it could happen outside military combat.
- He argues that first responders and military members are at high risk for:
- suicide,
- addiction,
- divorce,
- and early death after retirement.
- His message: getting help is not weakness.
Recovery and alternative treatments
- Payne talks about exploring ketamine and being cautious about ibogaine and ayahuasca because of medication interactions.
- He says therapy and support systems matter, and that practical tools, accountability, and community can help people recover.
Retirement
- Retired from the FBI in 2021 at age 50.
- Says he felt surprisingly “satisfied” with his career before retiring.
- Still teaches, consults, and may continue supporting law enforcement training.
Key Takeaways
- Undercover work is psychological warfare as much as fieldwork.
- The most dangerous people are often the ones who appear ordinary, patient, and organized.
- Cartels, outlaw bikers, and extremist groups often rely on the same ingredients: identity, belonging, secrecy, and violence.
- Mental health support is essential for law enforcement and first responders.
- Payne’s career shows how quickly a life built on discipline and faith can intersect with some of the darkest corners of criminal behavior.
Notable Insight
“The true definition of undercover work is you’re creating relationships that you’re going to betray.”
Overall Impression
This episode is part memoir, part cautionary tale, and part behind-the-scenes look at modern domestic and international threats. Payne’s stories are vivid and often disturbing, but the deeper thread is his effort to protect people while surviving a career that demanded deception, courage, and enormous personal sacrifice.