Friedrich the Fraud
Jan 04, 2025•29 min
Listen to this episode in Metacast mobile app
Don't just listen to podcasts. Learn from them with transcripts, summaries, and chapters for every episode. Skim, search, and bookmark insights. Learn more
Episode description
Was he Australia's greatest con artist? That was the title given to John Friedrich, the former head of the Victorian Division of National Safety Council of Australia. Back in the 1980s, he famously made $293 million of investors’ money disappear. When his fraud was uncovered, he went missing himself for sixteen days, prompting a nationwide manhunt and a media storm that reported both facts and the fictions.
Guests:
Barry Whitehead - former NSCA operations manager
Frank Bongiorno - professor of history, ANU
Peter and Ann Synan - regional historians & Sale residents
Zyg Zayler - criminal lawyer, Melasecca Kelly & Zayler
Credits:
Composer - Matthew Crawford
Sound engineer - Tim Symonds
Producer - Lyn Gallacher
For the best experience, listen in Metacast app for iOS or Android
Open in Metacast