Chris Whitcomb on Building Private Army in Timor-Leste, Became Country's Biggest Employer (Part 8)
September 19, 2025
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8:42Now PlayingChris Whitcomb on Building Private Army in Timor-Leste, Became Country's Biggest Employer (Part 8)
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In 2007, former FBI agent Christopher Whitcomb arrived in Timor-Leste amid a brutal civil war and founded a civilian security company that quickly grew to become the country’s largest employer. Starting with just a suitcase, Whitcomb built a private army employing 4,000 personnel—surpassing even the national army in size. His company secured critical government institutions and the entire United Nations mission during a turbulent period marked by a violent coup attempt, where the president was shot and the prime minister was attacked.
Whitcomb’s experiences in chaotic war zones—from Somalia to Yemen and Afghanistan—shaped his approach. Unlike Erik Prince’s Blackwater, Whitcomb operated on a smaller scale but faced equally dangerous environments. He ultimately sold the company, anticipating the UN’s withdrawal, aware that Timor-Leste’s fragile economy heavily depended on international support despite its significant oil reserves.
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