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Pale Horse Undercover: A firsthand account of extremism in Massachusetts

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Date and time
Tuesday, July 22, 2025
6:00pm - 7:00pm
Virtual:
Virtual
Free
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The Outlaws Motorcycle Club is the oldest biker club in the world. In its 90 year existence, the club has become known for being involved in organized crime, including (but not limited to) drug trafficking, prostitution rings, weapons trafficking, and violent acts directed at rival clubs. Its presence in Massachusetts is longstanding, with chapters in Taunton and Brockton. FBI Agent Scott Payne went undercover in 2005 to help get some of their members off our streets.

Payne’s new book “Code Name: Pale Horse: How I Went Undercover to Expose America's Nazis” depicts his experiences infiltrating this gang, as well as other extremist groups like the KKK.  

Senior investigative journalist Phillip Martin will welcome Payne and lead this conversation about America’s modern era of domestic terrorism. Payne draws from his experiences infiltrating criminal organizations and white supremacist groups, sharing firsthand accounts of their evolving tactics, recruitment strategies, and use of online platforms. Martin, known for his award-winning reporting on race and extremism, will use his expertise to guide the discussion around what ongoing threats these movements pose to American democracy and public safety.

Also joining this conversation is Heidi Beinrich, CSO and co-founder of Global Project Against Hate and Extremism (GPAHE) with decades of tracking extremism groups under her belt, and Ellie Atkins, research fellow in History and Political Science at Boston College, who will speak to her observations and study of extremism worldwide. This conversation sheds light on the hidden networks of hate—and the persistent societal need for vigilance, education, and action in addressing these issues.

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Scott Payne is a retired FBI Special Agent who spent twenty-eight years in law enforcement investigating cases against drug trafficking organizations, human traffickers, outlaw motorcycle clubs, gangs, public corruption, and domestic terrorists. He was also a SWAT team operator and instructor for firearms, tactics, and undercover operations. He lives in the southeast with his wife, two daughters, and dogs.
A man dressed in winter garb stands with a mic, interviewing a subject.
Phillip Martin is a senior investigative reporter for the GBH News Center for Investigative Reporting. Feedback? Questions? Story ideas? Reach out to Phillip at phillip.martin@gbh.org.
Heidi Beirich
Heidi Beirich is an expert on the American and European far right, including white supremacist, antisemitic, anti-immigrant, antigovernment and other extremist movements. In 2020, Beirich co-founded the Global Project Against Hate and Extremism (GPAHE) to monitor and counter increasingly transnational hate movements, particularly in areas of the world where capacity is limited to combat far-right movements that threaten human rights and democracy.
Ellie Atkins
Ellie Atkins is a rising senior at Boston College studying Political Science and History, with research interests in global political violence and insurgent movements. As an Undergraduate Research Fellow with the Political Violence Project, she has led a team of 20 undergraduates examining insurgency movements and public perceptions of terrorism. Her undergraduate honors thesis explores the diverse roles of women in paramilitary organizations and their impact on group legitimacy and political outcomes.
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