This story starts in 2012. Oliver is a dashing young diplomat, working in Afghanistan. Charlie is a graduate newly arrived in London, trying to find her feet in the world. The pair meet online and she falls in love. But only a few months later, she discovers that the story Oliver has told her about his life is not what it seems.

A decade later, this man has climbed to the top of academia, the civil service, and into the world of national security, eventually founding a billion-dollar company selling AI to the military.

But a mystery hangs over Charlie: did the untruths continue, and if they did, why haven’t caught up with him?

The first three episodes are available to Tortoise members on the free Tortoise audio app, and subscribers to Tortoise+ on Apple Podcasts.

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