Every scandal begins with a lie. But the truth will come out. And then comes the fallout and the outrage.
Scandals have shaped America since its founding. From business and politics to sports and society, we look on aghast as corruption, deceit and ambition bring down heroes and celebrities, politicians and moguls. And when the dust finally settles, we’re left to wonder: how did this happen? Where did they trip up, and who is to blame? From the creators of American History Tellers, Business Wars and Tides of History comes American Scandal, where we take you deep into the heart of America’s dark side to look at what drives someone to break the rules and what happens when they’re caught. Hosted by Lindsay Graham.
Audible subscribers can listen to all episodes of American Scandal ad-free right now. Join Audible today by downloading the Audible app.
In 1969, police cadet Stephen Caracappa meets fellow recruit Louis Eppolito. The two officers soon rack up allegations of misconduct—but nothing is proven, and before long, their dealings with the Mafia lead to murder. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .
Ted Kennedy spent the rest of his life in the shadow of Chappaquiddick. The accident that killed Mary Jo Kopechne effectively ended his chances at the presidency, but raised longlasting questions about whether a less powerful man would have faced far greater consequences. Peter Canellos is a veteran political journalist and editor of Last Lion: The Fall and Rise of Ted Kennedy. In this conversation, he examines how the Kennedy machinery closed ranks after the accident, what it meant to be the la...
Is what’s happening on OnlyFans real? Or is it only a fantasy? In this provocative investigation into OnlyFans—the adult platform where subscribers around the world spent more than $7 billion in 2024—journalist Leon Neyfakh teams up with comedian and OnlyFans creator Gracie Canaan for a one-of-a-kind exploration into the current state of human connection. Throughout, they discover that the site originally built for spicy adult content has quietly and surprisingly become something more complicate...
Ted Kennedy thinks he has put the mysterious incident on Chappaquiddick behind him, when a new legal threat emerges that threatens to destroy his political future. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .
Police on Chappaquiddick Island recover the body of a young woman from Ted Kennedy’s Oldsmobile and begin to question the Senator’s story about what happened. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .
Following a car accident on the island, Ted Kennedy and his associates rush to save Mary Jo Kopechne. Afterward, Kennedy’s friends encourage him to report the crash, but while Kennedy delays, the wrecked car is discovered and a police investigation begins. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .
The young Ted Kennedy follows in the footsteps of his older brothers and enters the world of politics. But he struggles to cope with the burden of his family’s ambition and with the grief of losing his older siblings in tragic circumstances. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .
Is the genius American innovator just a myth? In this special episode of American Scandal, tech journalists Mark Harris and Kara Swisher, and former CEO and author Safi Bahcall unpack the dangerous allure of this narrative, and how Stockton Rush and OceanGate were far from the only examples. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info ....
Two years later than scheduled, Titan finally takes its first paying passengers to the wreck of the Titanic. But amid the crushing pressure of delivering on his business plan, Stockton Rush ignores red flags about his submersible’s safety, and his dream of deep-sea exploration ends in tragedy. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info ....
As OceanGate’s experimental submersible Titan begins deep-sea testing, engineers and industry experts raise urgent safety concerns—only to be ignored by CEO Stockton Rush. Driven by ambition and convinced the rules don’t apply to him, Rush pushes Titan deeper and deeper, setting the stage for catastrophe. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info ....
Driven by ambition and convinced that innovation justifies risk, entrepreneur Stockton Rush pushes forward with increasingly experimental submersible designs. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .
In June 2023, the OceanGate submersible Titan vanishes during a dive to the wreck of Titanic, triggering a frantic multinational search involving ships, aircraft, and deep-sea robots. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .
Chris Winterbauer and Lizzie Bassett Boman have always been fascinated by the stories that lie behind the big screen—the on-set dramas and untold disasters that befell some of Hollywood’s biggest movies on their journey into theaters. In 2019, they started their own podcast “What Went Wrong” to share those stories, and in this conversation with Lindsay, they discuss the notorious accident on the set of Twilight Zone: The Movie—how it fit into a pattern of reckless behavior in Hollywood and wheth...
After the fatal accident on the set at Indian Dunes, John Landis, George Folsey Jr. and others from the production team face a reckoning in court. Audible subscribers can listen to all episodes of American Scandal ad-free right now. Join Audible today by downloading the Audible app. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info ....
This episode vividly recounts the tense and dangerous final night of principal photography for John Landis's segment of "Twilight Zone: The Movie," where actor Vic Morrow and two illegally hired child actors faced increasingly risky pyrotechnics and helicopter stunts. Despite repeated safety concerns from the pilot, director John Landis pressed for more spectacular effects, leading to a catastrophic helicopter crash that resulted in three tragic deaths. The subsequent police investigation quickly moves from a workplace accident to a criminal inquiry, highlighting systemic safety failures and a disregard for regulations.
After casting two children in vital roles, production on John Landis’ segment of Twilight Zone: The Movie moves onto its climactic Vietnam village sequence. Audible subscribers can listen to all episodes of American Scandal ad-free right now. Join Audible today by downloading the Audible app. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info ....
A young John Landis fulfills his dreams of becoming a Hollywood director. But he’s eager to prove he can do more than just comedy, and when Steven Spielberg approaches him with a new project, he jumps at the opportunity to show what he can do. Audible subscribers can listen to all episodes of American Scandal ad-free right now. Join Audible today by downloading the Audible app. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-...
Like many Americans, the 2008 financial crisis left Anat Admati furious. A professor at Stanford, she became one of the country’s leading voices calling attention to how confusion, complexity and misleading claims allowed major banks to load up on dangerous amounts of debt. Today, she argues that little has changed. In this conversation, we discuss the faulty arguments bankers use to fight oversight, how corporate power has expanded in the years since the crisis, and what can be done to create a...
After Lehman Brothers declares bankruptcy, U.S. Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson is thrust into a financial war, knowing every decision he makes could tip the nation even deeper into chaos. Be the first to know about Wondery’s newest podcasts, curated recommendations, and more! Sign up now at https://wondery.fm/wonderynewsletter Listen to American Scandal on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. Experience all episodes ad-free and be the first to binge the newest season. Unlock exclu...
As Lehman Brothers teeters on the edge of bankruptcy, Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson summons Wall Street’s most powerful figures for one fateful weekend—their last chance to save Lehman and prevent the collapse of the global financial system. Be the first to know about Wondery’s newest podcasts, curated recommendations, and more! Sign up now at https://wondery.fm/wonderynewsletter Listen to American Scandal on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. Experience all episodes ad-free an...
After the collapse of top Wall Street investment bank Bear Stearns, Lehman Brothers scrambles to convince the world it won’t be next, but dirty truths about the firm’s finances threaten to destroy what credibility it has left. Be the first to know about Wondery’s newest podcasts, curated recommendations, and more! Sign up now at https://wondery.fm/wonderynewsletter Listen to American Scandal on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. Experience all episodes ad-free and be the first to...
Rising from humble summer intern to the formidable CEO of Lehman Brothers, Dick Fuld is determined to make the investment bank succeed, even if that means making risky bets that could set the stage for disaster. Be the first to know about Wondery’s newest podcasts, curated recommendations, and more! Sign up now at https://wondery.fm/wonderynewsletter Listen to American Scandal on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. Experience all episodes ad-free and be the first to binge the newe...
Patricia Hearst reunites with her family. Federal prosecutors navigate a trial that's become a national sensation. Be the first to know about Wondery’s newest podcasts, curated recommendations, and more! Sign up now at https://wondery.fm/wonderynewsletter Listen to American Scandal on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. Experience all episodes ad-free and be the first to binge the newest season. Unlock exclusive early access by joining Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts o...
With the SLA in tatters, Patricia Hearst goes on the run. The FBI gets an unusual tip, one that promises a breakthrough. Be the first to know about Wondery’s newest podcasts, curated recommendations, and more! Sign up now at https://wondery.fm/wonderynewsletter Listen to American Scandal on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. Experience all episodes ad-free and be the first to binge the newest season. Unlock exclusive early access by joining Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podc...
Patricia Hearst confronts a deadly new reality. The Hearst family tries to strike a deal with the SLA. Be the first to know about Wondery’s newest podcasts, curated recommendations, and more! Sign up now at https://wondery.fm/wonderynewsletter Listen to American Scandal on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. Experience all episodes ad-free and be the first to binge the newest season. Unlock exclusive early access by joining Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. S...
Media heiress Patricia Hearst moves to Berkeley, intent on building a new life. In Oakland, a group of political radicals plot a deadly attack. Be the first to know about Wondery’s newest podcasts, curated recommendations, and more! Sign up now at https://wondery.fm/wonderynewsletter Listen to American Scandal on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. Experience all episodes ad-free and be the first to binge the newest season. Unlock exclusive early access by joining Wondery+ in the ...
University of Michigan law professor David Moran never planned to spend his career freeing the wrongfully convicted. But after handling several appeal cases that exposed deep flaws in the system, he realized how widespread the problem really was. In 2009, he co-founded the Michigan Innocence Clinic, which has since helped free more than 45 people. Moran joins Lindsay to discuss how the West Memphis Three case reflects the patterns he’s seen across wrongful convictions, why prosecutors sometimes ...
The West Memphis Three continue their two-decade fight for freedom, bolstered by new forensic analysis suggesting bite marks on the victims did not match them and a key witness admitting to fabricating testimony under police pressure. The discovery of DNA evidence implicating other individuals, including a victim's stepfather, turns public opinion and leads to an Arkansas Supreme Court order. Ultimately, the men are released via an Alford plea, maintaining their innocence while acknowledging guilt, a compromise that ends their imprisonment but leaves the real killer still unidentified and the community questioning the justice system.
Damien Echols and Jason Baldwin are put on trial for murdering three 8-year-old boys in West Memphis, Arkansas. Though the police have limited physical evidence, they’re confident they can convince the jury that Echols and Baldwin are part of a Satanic cult. The explosive verdict leads to a controversy that lasts over two decades. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info ....
A month after the brutal murders of three 8-year-old boys in West Memphis, Arkansas, a suspect confesses to police. His testimony leads to the arrest of two other local teenagers, who police accuse of conducting a Satanic ritual sacrifice. As the trial dates near, critics claim the affair has become more like a witch hunt than a legitimate investigation. Be the first to know about Wondery’s newest podcasts, curated recommendations, and more! Sign up now at https://wondery.fm/wonderynewsletter Li...
