We’ll be back soon with all new episodes. In the meantime, enjoy this episode about Rod Blagojevich, the infamous governor of Illinois who used his office to line his pockets. Rod Blagojevich is an ambitious son of immigrants who knows how to win over a crowd. After marrying the daughter of a powerful alderman, he rises through the ranks of Illinois politics. He gets elected governor in 2002, and immediately starts wheeling and dealing, leveraging his influence for his own personal gain. But whe...
Jun 08, 2026•45 min•Ep. 217
Dr. John Schneider rode into town like a character out of a Western: an outsider on a Harley-Davidson, in trademark cowboy boots. He promised relief to patients suffering in Wyoming and Montana. He seemed like the hero they needed. But when surgeries go wrong and a strange letter exposes a bitter feud, medical professionals and government officials search for the truth about this cowboy doctor. They discover claims of broken bodies, bullying, fraud, and lawsuits. From Audible, the fifth season o...
Jun 04, 2026•6 min
We’ll be back soon with new episodes. In the meantime, enjoy this episode about Jho Low, the fraudster who charmed Hollywood’s elite while allegedly stealing over $4 billion from one of Malaysia’s sovereign wealth funds. Jho Low, a Malaysian-born businessman, will do anything to climb the social ladder. After attending Wharton business school, he establishes himself as a globe-trotting playboy with a celebrity entourage. He uses his money to get near Leonardo DiCaprio, Miranda Kerr, Paris Hilton...
Jun 01, 2026•44 min•Ep. 216
Kyle Sandler spent much of his life searching – for an identity, for a purpose, for a place where he fit in. But when he discovers he has a gift for sales, everything changes. Kyle takes his talents to a small town in Alabama, where he opens Round House, a startup incubator that promises to put his new community on the tech map. Armed with big-name drops – including an alleged connection to Google – Kyle dazzles wide-eyed investors into opening their wallets. But as the money pours in, cracks be...
May 25, 2026•55 min•Ep. 215
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...
May 21, 2026•7 min
For years, globe-trotting con artist Marianne Smyth used her charm to manipulate the people closest to her – including her own daughters. Her scam was a classic: she told people she was an Irish heiress with millions on the way, and all she needed was to borrow a little cash to unlock her fortune. People believed her – over and over again. But when she targets reality TV producer Jonathan Walton, she picks the wrong mark. Once he realizes he’s been played, Jonathan doesn’t just walk away – he la...
May 18, 2026•59 min•Ep. 214
Efraim Diveroli and David Packouz were two Miami Beach stoners with zero military experience and absolutely no background in military procurement – but they had audacity to spare. The childhood friends hustled their way into nearly $300 million in Pentagon contracts, supplying ammunition to the Afghan army. They raked in millions along the way, blowing their profits on bayfront condos, luxury cars, and Miami clubs. But when you build a weapons empire on hustle, bravado, and a lot of weed… sooner...
May 11, 2026•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 213
Bess Myerson rose to fame as the first - and still only - Jewish Miss America, antisemitism on the pageant circuit. She parlayed this visibility into a successful television career, then made the leap into New York City politics in the 1970s. But in the 1980s, her carefully built reputation began to unravel in a sensational scandal involving her married boyfriend, his divorce judge, and allegations of bribery. The saga was splashed across headlines as the “Bess Mess” – and threatened to eclipse ...
May 04, 2026•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 212
Eddie Antar was the king of the deal, the man whose ads screamed at you from your TV set promising prices so low they were practically insane. He turned Crazy Eddie into a retail phenomenon, making himself and his family incredibly wealthy by hawking stereos, TVs and electronics at seemingly unbeatable prices. The brand's wildly memorable commercials became some of the most iconic ads in TV history. But behind the blaring deals and larger-than-life persona was a tangled web of fraud – including ...
Apr 27, 2026•55 min•Ep. 211
William Neil Gallagher has been called the Bernie Madoff of North Texas. But while both men defrauded millions of people, William added an evangelical twist. Presenting himself as a devout man of God, he promised his flock financial security – then quietly stole their retirement accounts and savings, transforming from a shepherd into a wolf. When the truth finally emerged, the faithful learned the man the trusted most had been preying on them all along. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/pr...
Apr 20, 2026•55 min•Ep. 210
When Sean Kinsgston burst onto the music scene as a teenager, he seemed like a feel-good success story – an upbeat, clean-cut star collaborating with artists like Justin Bieber. But behind the glossy image was a far darker reality. Before Sean’s career even took off, his mother and sister had served time for identity theft. And when the money from his music could no longer cover the family’s bills, Sean steps into the same world of fraud. Using his name – and the names of his celebrity friends –...
Apr 13, 2026•52 min•Ep. 209
In the late ‘90s, Dana Giacchetto wasn’t just managing money, he was managing access. As a financial advisor to Hollywood’s elite, he moved in the same orbit as rising stars like Leonardo DiCaprio. But Dana’s real addiction wasn’t wealth – it was the scene. Positioning himself as a punk rock money manager, Dana blurred the line between business and nightlife, chasing clout as much as returns. Seduced by fame and proximity, he began dipping into client funds – mixing accounts, backing risky deals...
Apr 06, 2026•1 hr•Ep. 208
We’ll be back next week with new episodes. In the meantime, enjoy this episode about the college admissions scandal that swept up some of the richest families in Hollywood. Rick Singer is a college admissions consultant whose elaborate, secretive network of college coaches and admissions officers can rig the system to get rich kids into top tier schools of their parents’ choosing… for a price. But when the feds start listening in, Rick will fail the ultimate test, and expose the dark side of the...
Mar 30, 2026•47 min•Ep. 207
We’ll be back in two weeks with brand new episodes. In the meantime, here’s one of our favorite episodes, about a wannabe media magnate whose big vision ran on even bigger lies. Carlos Watson is a Stanford Law School graduate with big Silicon Valley connections and even bigger dreams. When he pitches investors on his idea for a Millennial-focused news website called Ozy Media, it seems like a sure bet. It’s the early 2010s, and online media start-ups have generated tons of buzz – and more import...
Mar 23, 2026•46 min•Ep. 206
We’ll be back soon with brand new episodes – but for now, revisit the story of an Australian financial planner who swindled those closest to her….and then disappeared without a trace. Melissa Caddick has always dreamed of doing big things. When she becomes a high-powered financial planner, she’s finally able to buy a huge house, take extravagant vacations, and live the life of an Australian jet-setter. But all that cash isn’t just coming from her paycheck. When her friends and family find out he...
Mar 16, 2026•42 min•Ep. 205
Born into staggering wealth, Doris Duke lived a life that dazzled the public and confounded those closest to her. She was pursued by society figures, fortune hunters, and even a dictator or two. But in her final years, the real drama unfolded behind closed doors. As Doris’s health declined, a bitter power struggle erupted for control of her fortune, her legacy and her trust. At the center of it all was her controversial butler, Bernard Lafferty, whose intense devotion to Doris raised as many que...
Mar 09, 2026•57 min•Ep. 204
In the 1980s, Pat Nolan was one of California’s most powerful conservative lawmakers – pushing to shrink the government and expand the death penalty, while quickly climbing the political ladder. He was ambitious, disciplined…and according to the FBI, dirty. Behind closed doors Pat took illegal campaign donations in a scheme so blatant it became the centerpiece of a sweeping federal sting operation that took down an entire generation of right-wing California politicians. What started as a power g...
Mar 02, 2026•54 min•Ep. 203
In 2018, a previously unknown writer named Sally Walker became a literary sensation in the UK under the pseudonym Raynor Winn. Her memoir – a stirring account of walking the South West Coast Path with her terminally ill husband – struck a cultural nerve. It was gritty, inspirational, and defiantly hopeful. Readers embraced its message of resilience and redemption, and the book went on to generate more than $12 million in sales. But as “Raynor Winn’s” star rises, people from Sally’s past begin to...
Feb 23, 2026•54 min•Ep. 202
Since its launch in 1987, McDonald’s Monopoly game has become a cultural obsession, with millions of people buying Big Macs and fries, convinced they might be one peel away from a million-dollar payday. But for nearly a decade, the jackpot was unwinnable. The man responsible for distributing the pieces, Jerry Jacobson, was quietly stealing them and selling them for profit. And like every Monopoly game, it eventually ended – only this time, when Jerry’s game was over, the house rules no longer pr...
Feb 16, 2026•54 min•Ep. 201
When Matt Bergwall arrives at the University of Miami in the spring of 2021, he’s young, tech-savvy, and bored. After discovering a vulnerability in corporate refund systems, he turns it into a multimillion dollar scam that quietly siphons money from some of the world’s biggest corporations. Matt spends the stolen cash on designer clothes, luxury goods, and lavish vacations. But as the scheme grows, it catches the attention of a scammer-turned-FBI-informant tracking refund fraud online, setting ...
Feb 09, 2026•43 min•Ep. 200
Napoleon Hill spent decades claiming he was mentored by millionaires and advised U.S. presidents – at a time when almost no one could fact check him. Obsessed with becoming rich and famous, he eventually pulled it off with his book, Think and Grow Rich, which became the template for modern mindset scams. Its legacy runs straight through Tony Robbins, The Secret, and every manifest-your-millions coach who insists your bank account is empty because your attitude is wrong. Be the first to know abou...
Feb 02, 2026•56 min•Ep. 199
Brittish Williams was an instant standout when she first joined the cast of VH1’s Basketball Wives, a reality series following the wives, girlfriends and exes of professional basketball players. Her relationship with international basketball player Lorenzo Gordon – and her determination to overcome a troubled childhood – quickly resonated with viewers. More than a decade after being kicked off of the show, British makes a shocking return, ushering in a new kind of drama when she is arrested on f...
Jan 26, 2026•47 min•Ep. 198
In the early 2000s, Charlie Javice dreamed of saving the world… and getting rich in the process. Backed by privilege and proximity to power, she raised money for a series of startups that claimed to help people in need – culminating in Frank, a company designed to help students access financial aid. But after years of playing the “fake it ‘til you make it game,” a big bank finally calls her bluff. Instead of backing down, Charlie doubles down – even with prison on the line. Be the first to know ...
Jan 19, 2026•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 197
We’ll be back next week with a brand new episode. In the meantime, we’re taking you back to a time when arcades were sacred – and Donkey Kong was king. Billy Mitchell became the king of arcade games when he achieved a perfect Pac Man score, and held the highest score in Donkey Kong. But in the early 2000s, a documentary about an upstart trying to be the best at Donkey Kong leads fans to examine how Billy actually achieved those high scores. Nearly two decades later, the jury is still out on whet...
Jan 12, 2026•50 min•Ep. 196
We’ll be back in two weeks with a brand new episode. In the meantime, here’s one of our favorites: an unlikely scam baked up in a small Texas town. Sandy Jenkins moves to the gossipy, small town of Corsicana, Texas to work in its world-famous fruitcake factory. Desperate to keep up with his cliquey neighbors, Sandy starts cutting himself checks to pay for jewelry, cars, a second home and private jet trips. But this half-baked scheme starts to crumble when a new employee takes a closer look at ho...
Jan 05, 2026•42 min•Ep. 195
We’ll be back soon with brand new episodes. In the meantime, we’re sharing an episode from our friends at Lawless Planet, hosted by Zach Goldbaum. Lawless Planet is a podcast about the scams, crimes, and cover-ups fueling the climate crisis, and the battle between those trying to save the planet…and those cashing in on its destruction. Today’s episode tells the story of the biggest biofuel scam in U.S. history. An unlikely duo – a polygamist cult leader and an Armenian mobster – spotted massive ...
Dec 29, 2025•50 min•Ep. 194
For nearly a century the Cipriani family has served celebrities, royalty, and cultural icons. Since opening their first restaurant in Venice in 1931, they’ve helped shape fine dining and invent dishes that became global classics. But as the Cipriani empire expanded, so did the scandals – including union busting, tax evasion, and alleged mob connections. Turns out the Cipriani recipe for success included a lot more than just glitz, glamor, and champagne. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/pr...
Dec 22, 2025•44 min•Ep. 193
Calvin Darden Jr. was a smooth-talking hustler with a gift for forging documents, name-dropping celebrities, and jumping from one shady scheme to the next before anyone knew what hit them. His rise reveals deeper issues inside early-2000s Wall Street, where firms – eager to cash in on Black celebrities, athletes and entertainers – were desperate for “insiders” who could open doors. So when Calvin showed up bragging about his star-studded Rolodex, no one bothered to check the facts. By the time t...
Dec 15, 2025•56 min•Ep. 192
In the early 1970s, struggling author Clifford Irving tries to escape obscurity by writing a tell-all biography of the famously unreachable Howard Hughes. The catch? Clifford has never spoken to Howard and doesn’t have access to him. He proceeds anyway, betting that Howard’s reclusive nature will keep him from coming forward and debunking the book. But it turns out that even eccentric billionaires have their limits. As Clifford’s scheme unravels, he proves that sometimes fact really is stranger ...
Dec 08, 2025•53 min•Ep. 191
Alan Todd May used a potent mix of Southern charm, audacious lies, and fake identities to steal millions and bankroll his fantasy life as a wealthy Texas oil man. When the authorities finally catch on, May doesn’t just surrender – he stages his most outrageous con yet: a prison escape. On the run, he reinvents himself once again, and settles into Florida high society, where he flaunts his wealth, throws parties, and cozies up to the elite. But May’s hunger for attention will be his undoing, and ...
Dec 01, 2025•53 min•Ep. 190
