Dark Dynasties

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The Hammers. The Murdaughs. The Royal Family. These family dynasties are the elite-est of the elites: they’ve spent generations controlling their public image, amassing obscene amounts of wealth, and (no big surprise) have more skeletons than you can fit in your front hall closet. On Dark Dynasties, Syd Heller and Olivia Delaurentis dig into the corrupt, criminal, and straight-up weird stories of the rich and powerful to try and answer one question: Where did their power come from? And what is the real legacy these dynasties leave behind? Spoiler: It’s pretty, pretty dark.

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Episodes

What To Listen To Next: Death by Fame

If you enjoyed Dark Dynasties, check out a new podcast from ID: Death by Fame. Listen to episode 1, The Price of Glee with Dino Ray Ramos, here. Follow Death by Fame wherever you get your podcasts. People come to Hollywood to find fame and fortune. The lucky ones see their star rise and are catapulted into an untouchable bubble of fame. But all too often these once beloved icons are met with a disturbing fate – either through an untimely death or a scandal that brings their world crashing down a...

Jan 31, 2023•33 min

The British Royal Family: When Marrying for Love Isn’t an Option (Part 2)

We’re talking tampongate, King Charles III’s infidelity, Prince Andrew’s sex tourism, and Princess Diana’s divorce settlement. Time and time again, royal romance isn’t coming up roses. This podcast contains sensitive information about violence, sexual assault, and domestic abuse. Find episode transcripts here: https://dark-dynasties.simplecast.com/episodes/the-british-royal-family-when-marrying-for-love-isnt-an-option-part-2 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....

Jan 24, 2023•34 min

The British Royal Family: Nazis Aren’t the Only Ones Who Abdicate (Part 1)

We’re talking tampongate, King Charles III’s infidelity, Prince Andrew’s sex tourism, and Princess Diana’s divorce settlement. Time and time again, royal romance isn’t coming up roses. This podcast contains sensitive information about violence, sexual assault, and domestic abuse. Find episode transcripts here: https://dark-dynasties.simplecast.com/episodes/the-british-royal-family-nazis-arent-the-only-ones-who-abdicate-part-1 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....

Jan 17, 2023•30 min

The Murdaughs: The Mysteries That Remain Unsolved (Part 4)

Millions of dollars go missing. Multiple murders are unsolved. And investigators have only scratched the surface of the Murdaugh family’s Dark Dynasty. This podcast contains sensitive information about violence, sexual assault, and domestic abuse. Find episode transcripts here: https://dark-dynasties.simplecast.com/episodes/the-murdaughs-the-mysteries-that-remain-unsolved-part-4 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....

Jan 10, 2023•25 min

The Murdaughs: Only Murders In The Family (Part 3)

A double murder rocks the Murdaugh family, and causes investigators to reexamine two more unexplained deaths in the family’s past. Just how many skeletons does one family need in their closet? This podcast contains sensitive information about violence, sexual assault, and domestic abuse. Find episode transcripts here: https://dark-dynasties.simplecast.com/episodes/the-murdaughs-only-murders-in-the-family-part-3 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....

Jan 03, 2023•23 min

The Murdaughs: The Disappearance of Mallory Beach (Part 2)

The search for Mallory Beach reveals Paul Murdaugh’s dark murderous behavior, while his family moves to sweep everything under the rug. But we have a feeling they'll need a bigger rug. This podcast contains sensitive information about violence, sexual assault, and domestic abuse. Find episode transcripts here: https://dark-dynasties.simplecast.com/episodes/the-murdaughs-the-disappearance-of-mallory-beach-part-2 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....

Dec 13, 2022•17 min

The Murdaughs: Boat Loads of Scandal (Part 1)

A wealthy scion’s 2am boat crash changes 6 lives forever, and begins the end of five generations of southern power. Syd and Olivia do the math on the Murdaugh boat crash, and there's something fishy about it. This podcast contains sensitive information about violence, sexual assault, and domestic abuse. Find episode transcripts here: https://dark-dynasties.simplecast.com/episodes/the-murdaughs-boat-loads-of-scandal-part-1 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....

Dec 06, 2022•20 min

The Hammer Family: Getting Away With It… Again (Part 4)

Will Armie Hammer face any consequences for multiple accounts of abuse? Or will the Hammer Family dynasty survive and thrive through corruption for another generation? DISCLAIMER: This episode was recorded before the death of Michael Hammer. This podcast contains sensitive information about violence, sexual assault, and domestic abuse. Find episode transcripts here:https://dark-dynasties.simplecast.com/episodes/the-hammer-family-getting-away-with-it-again-part-4 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/pr...

Nov 29, 2022•25 min

The Hammer Family: Murder is a Family Tradition (Part 3)

Casey Hammer tells all about the rampant abuse in her family and it’s clear that the “Life of the Party” may have been a deadly misnomer. How does the Hammer Family keep getting away with murder? Is it the money, the power, or something else? From grandpa Armand to grandson Armie, investigators and informers uncover the truth. Find episode transcripts here: https://dark-dynasties.simplecast.com/episodes/the-hammer-family-murder-is-a-family-tradition-part-3 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy ...

Nov 22, 2022•21 min

The Hammer Family: Armie Hammer and the Men in His Family (Part 2)

Why did Armie Hammer think he could get away with it all? Turns out cover-ups are a Hammer family tradition, starting with the founders of the Hammer Family dynasty. In this episode Syd and Olivia reveal how the Hammer family made their fortune, the scandals they covered up, and the PR, blackmail and money that made the system work. Corruption became a full time job for one Hammer in particular. We’re talking payments to the British Royal Family, bribes to multiple presidents, and more. Way more...

Nov 15, 2022•25 min

The Hammer Family: The DMs That Started the Scandal (Part 1)

Star actor Armie Hammer’s leaked private DMs with multiple women show the world discovered what it really means to be a member of the Hammer Family dynasty. In this episode Syd and Olivia go through the rise and fall of Armie Hammer, and guess what? When one bad apple falls, you know it doesn’t fall far from the tree. And the further we go up the tree, the darker it gets: Lies, money-laundering, debauchery, cannibalism, and…wait, cannibalism? How did we get here? Oh right, we’re covering that in...

Nov 08, 2022•36 min

Introducing: Dark Dynasties

Oct 18, 2022•1 min

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