It was never one robbery. It was a series of them, each one bigger than the last, each giving them a greater foothold on America's economic and political system — until they captured the presidency.

It was ordered in the Soviet days. As Americans were bringing the Soviet empire to its knees, the Russians issued a directive to infect capitalism — and charged the superspy Robert Maxwell with the task. That was fifty years ago.

In the shadow of Watergate they began the infiltration, and it carried them into the CIA. It starts at Iran-Contra. It ends with the collapse of the dollar, and crypto.

Twenty-two chapters, reported from primary documents: court filings, bank records, flight logs, an archive of more than 173,000 files. Every name is real and every document is cited.

He is writing it in real time, while the ending is still playing out — because the greatest heist can still be stopped before it reaches its conclusion.