Gust Avrakotos

Gustav Lascaris "Gust" Avrakotos (January 14, 1938 – December 1, 2005) was an American case officer and division chief for the United States Central Intelligence Agency. Avrakotos was little known to the public until the book Charlie Wilson's War: The Extraordinary Story of the Largest Covert Operation in History, was published in 2003. The book, which portrays U.S. involvement in the war as a partnership between Avrakotos and Texas Congressman C... more

Gustav Lascaris "Gust" Avrakotos (January 14, 1938 – December 1, 2005) was an American case officer and division chief for the United States Central Intelligence Agency. Avrakotos was little known to the public until the book Charlie Wilson's War: The Extraordinary Story of the Largest Covert Operation in History, was published in 2003. The book, which portrays U.S. involvement in the war as a partnership between Avrakotos and Texas Congressman Charles Wilson, was the basis of the film Charlie Wilson's War, released in 2007. Avrakotos was born in Aliquippa, Pennsylvania the son of a Greek American soft drink manufacturer. He briefly worked at Jones and Laughlin Steel mill in Aliquippa before graduating valedictorian from Aliquippa High School in 1955. Avrakotos attended the University of Pittsburgh, where he graduated summa cum laude with a degree in economics. He also attended the Carnegie Institute of Technology. He joined the CIA in 1962 and his assignments included an anti... less