Canadian YouTuber Dave Mani laughs off rumours he is an American spy

Popular Canadian YouTuber Dave Mani has laughed off comments he is an intelligence officer with the United States Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) disguised as a travel content creator.

Mani, who lives in Kenya with his wife Tracey is often sharing their travel expeditions across the country with their 125,000 YouTube subscribers.

On Sunday, an online user took to X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, to speculate Mani is a CIA officer with the US agency, despite not being American.

“What if this chap - Dave Mani - is an intelligence officer...hiding, in plain sight, as a content creator? Perfect [sic] cover to traverse the whole country/world. For the incredulous - remember that the head of the CIA, in Uganda, set up a music band in Kampala as his cover,” wrote @HermanWaita.

He was referring to Darell Blocker, the CIA spy disguised in Uganda as a musician with a Jazz band who used his celebrity status to gain access to classified information around the country.

Mani, in response, wrote that the online user had blown his cover, joking that he is indeed a CIA agent with a speciality in infiltrating safari camps!

“You got me! I am a CIA agent even though I am Canadian! I specialize in infiltrating safari camps around and beach resorts in Africa!” he wrote.

You got me! 🤣🤣🤣 I am a CIA agent even though I am Canadian!
I specialize in infiltrating safari camps around and beach resorts in Africa! 😎 https://t.co/xlfBXvhzgG

With bodies such as the CIA and the National Security Agency (NSA), the US is widely considered to have one of the world’s most extensive and sophisticated intelligence networks.

The country has conducted numerous operations against foreign allies and rivals, such as industrial espionage, cyber espionage and mass surveillance.