{"_":"A narrative true-crime podcast that uses immersive storytelling, archival audio, and cinematic sound design to explore the world of white-collar crime, con artists, and corporate evil. From Ponzi schemes and financial fraud to environmental disasters and political scandals, each story reveals how greed, deception, and the pursuit of power have shaped our world—often with devastating consequences. Become a ValuedListener™ at ValuedListener.com\n\n","$":{"audioboom:html":"1"}}
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A small Missouri town faces a compounded catastrophe as a devastating flood follows the discovery of toxic contamination. Prelude: A mysterious illness attacks the horses and humans at Shenandoah Stables. –––-–---------------------------------------- BECOME A VALUEDLISTENER™ Spotify Patreon Apple Podcasts –––-–---------------------------------------- CONSUME : Shop.Swindled.com –––-–------------------------------...
An offshore maintenance job in Trinidad & Tobago turns into a deadly catastrophe when divers are violently sucked into an oil pipeline. Prelude: Trinidad's oil industry is scrutinized after fourteen men are killed in an offshore explosion in 1985. –––-–---------------------------------------- BECOME A VALUEDLISTENER™ Spotify Patreon Apple Podcasts –––-–---------------------------------------- CONSUME : Shop.S...
Indianapolis' most prominent businessman scrambles to preserve the elaborate financial fraud that funds his lavish lifestyle. Prelude: The CEO of National Lampoon orchestrates a scheme to manipulate the company's stock price. –––-–---------------------------------------- BECOME A VALUEDLISTENER™ Spotify Patreon Apple Podcasts –––-–---------------------------------------- CONSUME : Shop.Swindled.com –––-–---------...
This episode delves into the controversial ministry of David E. Taylor, a modern faith healer who claims face-to-face encounters with Jesus and God. It traces his rise, increasingly extravagant miracle claims, and the financial irregularities that led to federal investigation. The episode also explores the historical precedent of faith healers like Kathryn Kuhlman, whose practices were scrutinized by Dr. William A. Nolan, drawing parallels to the modern allegations of forced labor, money laundering, and widespread sexual misconduct within Taylor's organization.
Twin brothers in Florida become pioneers of a pain clinic industry that fuels a nationwide opioid epidemic. Prelude: Purdue Pharma introduces its new, extended-release painkiller called OxyContin. –––-–---------------------------------------- BECOME A VALUEDLISTENER™ Spotify Patreon Apple Podcasts –––-–---------------------------------------- CONSUME : Shop.Swindled.com –––-–--------------------------------------...
The podcast recounts the fatal accident of Caleb Schwab on the Verrückt, then the world's tallest waterslide, revealing its rushed, flawed design by a non-engineer. It covers the subsequent cover-up by an operations manager, the legal proceedings including murder charges against the designers, and the eventual controversial dismissal of all criminal cases. The episode also highlights broader issues of amusement park safety regulations and corporate accountability.
This episode delves into the unprecedented Panama Papers leak, revealing how a Panamanian law firm facilitated the creation of anonymous offshore shell companies for the world's elite. It details the whistleblower's journey, the meticulous journalistic collaboration, and the immediate global impact, from the downfall of Iceland's Prime Minister to the tragic assassination of Maltese journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, whose investigations connected to the leak. The scandal illuminated systemic failures in global finance and spurred calls for greater transparency.
Originally published July 9, 2024. A Virginia governor and his wife are indicted after receiving lavish gifts from a local businessman. –––-–---------------------------------------- BECOME A VALUEDLISTENER™ Spotify Patreon Apple Podcasts –––-–---------------------------------------- CONSUME : Shop.Swindled.com –––-–---------------------------------------- MUSIC : Deformr –––-–---------...
A tiny Calgary-based exploration company ignites a global market frenzy when it discovers the world's largest gold deposit before collapsing into one of the biggest frauds in mining history. Prelude: The "Bushman of the Shuswap" flees society after uncovering a massive conspiracy. –––-–---------------------------------------- BECOME A VALUEDLISTENER™ Spotify Patreon Apple Podcasts –––-–---------------------------...
A newly elected congressman is expelled and prosecuted for financial crimes after his elaborate web of personal and professional lies unravels. Prelude: JP Maroney's inventive "digital marketing arbitrage" is revealed to be a Ponzi scheme. –––-–---------------------------------------- BECOME A VALUEDLISTENER™ Spotify Patreon Apple Podcasts –––-–---------------------------------------- CONSUME : Shop.Swindled.com ...
Originally published February 11, 2025. A prominent Christian businessman operates a massive, "too-good-to-be-true," charity-based Ponzi scheme. –––-–---------------------------------------- BECOME A VALUEDLISTENER™ Spotify Patreon Apple Podcasts –––-–---------------------------------------- CONSUME : Shop.Swindled.com –––-–---------------------------------------- MUSIC : Deformr –––-–...
A catastrophic contamination strikes Michigan when an industrial chemical (PBB) is mistakenly mixed into cattle feed. Prelude: Workers at a Texas chemical plant are turned into “zombies" after exposure to the toxic pesticide Phosvel. –––-–---------------------------------------- BECOME A VALUEDLISTENER™ Spotify Patreon Apple Podcasts –––-–---------------------------------------- CONSUME : Shop.Swindled.com –––-–-...
A proposed libertarian paradise in the Chilean countryside devolves into a spectacle of betrayal and broken promises. Prelude: Lazarus Long's Principality of New Utopia. –––-–---------------------------------------- BECOME A VALUEDLISTENER™ Spotify Patreon Apple Podcasts –––-–---------------------------------------- CONSUME : Shop.Swindled.com –––-–---------------------------------------- MUSIC : De...
Originally published June 5, 2022. The untimely death of an outspoken advocate for foster children reveals his despicable double life. Prelude: A tragedy occurs after a woman in Rhode Island adopts eight children with developmental issues. –––-–---------------------------------------- BECOME A VALUEDLISTENER™ Spotify Patreon Apple Podcasts –––-–---------------------------------------- CONSUME : Shop.Swindled.com ...
A self-proclaimed “socially conscious” entrepreneur uses church seminars and motivational speeches to lure investors into a nationwide Ponzi scheme. Prelude: "King" Perry Santillo and Chris Parris perpetuate a financial fraud to which they had fallen victim. –––-–---------------------------------------- BECOME A VALUEDLISTENER™ Spotify Patreon Apple Podcasts –––-–---------------------------------------- CONSUME :...
The episode, "The Death Trap," exposes the dangerous past of amphibious duck boats, from their military origins to their adaptation as tourist attractions. It meticulously recounts the 1999 Miss Majestic sinking and the 2018 Table Rock Lake tragedy, highlighting repeated safety warnings from the NTSB that were largely ignored by the Coast Guard and tour operators. The episode explores the legal battles, criminal charges, and the lasting impact on victims' families, while also noting recent legislative changes aimed at preventing future disasters.
A Fort Lauderdale lawyer's ostentatious lifestyle is supported by the largest Ponzi scheme in Florida history. Prelude: The body of attorney Melissa Britt Lewis is found in a Florida canal. –––-–---------------------------------------- BECOME A VALUEDLISTENER™ Spotify Patreon Apple Podcasts –––-–---------------------------------------- CONSUME : Shop.Swindled.com –––-–---------------------------------------- MUSI...
Originally published September 27, 2021. Incompetence and negligence lead to a devastating loss of life at a concert in West Warwick, Rhode Island. Prelude: A fight in the E2 nightclub in Chicago triggers a deadly stampede. –––-–---------------------------------------- BECOME A VALUEDLISTENER™ Spotify Patreon Apple Podcasts –––-–---------------------------------------- CONSUME : Shop.Swindled.com –––-–-----------...
A bizarre and sinister harassment campaign targeting a married couple in Massachusetts is linked to executives at one of the world’s largest e-commerce companies. Prelude: A content creator orchestrates a grievance-driven attack on YouTube's headquarters. –––-–---------------------------------------- BECOME A VALUEDLISTENER™ Spotify Patreon Apple Podcasts –––-–---------------------------------------- CONSUME : Sh...
This episode details the tragic history of toxic water contamination at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, where chemicals like TCE and PCE exposed over a million people over decades. Beginning with a look at a similar case in Woburn, MA, the episode covers the devastating health impacts, the military's long history of ignoring warnings and denying responsibility, and the decades-long fight led by victims and their families for justice, culminating in the PACT Act but facing continued bureaucratic hurdles.
An investigative journalist is murdered in an act of retaliation by a Clark County elected official accused of misconduct. Prelude: The mysterious death of Las Vegas casino heir, Ted Binion. –––-–---------------------------------------- BECOME A VALUEDLISTENER™ Spotify Patreon Apple Podcasts –––-–---------------------------------------- CONSUME : Shop.Swindled.com –––-–---------------------------------------- MUS...
Originally published April 30, 2023. A series of infomercials lands a TV pitchman in federal prison. Prelude: The founder of Hooked on Phonics is criticized over dubious advertising claims before he settles a sexual assault lawsuit with his corporate attorney, who then purchases a ranch from a phony French noblewoman who faked her own death. –––-–---------------------------------------- BECOME A VALUEDLISTENER™ Spotify Patreon ...
An American automotive company is charged with reckless homicide related to the defective design of a popular car. Prelude: Toyota is held responsible for the ghastly deaths of three sisters. –––-–---------------------------------------- BECOME A VALUEDLISTENER™ Spotify Patreon Apple Podcasts –––-–---------------------------------------- CONSUME : Shop.Swindled.com –––-–---------------------------------------- MU...
The founder of a fintech company is accused of defrauding JPMorgan Chase by falsifying customer data to secure a $175 million acquisition deal. Prelude: Joanna Smith-Griffin's rising startup is built on lies. –––-–---------------------------------------- BECOME A VALUEDLISTENER™ Spotify Patreon Apple Podcasts –––-–---------------------------------------- CONSUME : Shop.Swindled.com –––-–--------------------------...
A viral video sparks accusations of charity fraud and other improprieties while exposing a potentially much darker truth. Prelude: Efforts to neutralize a brutal warlord in central Africa are unsuccessful. –––-–---------------------------------------- BECOME A VALUEDLISTENER™ Spotify Patreon Apple Podcasts –––-–---------------------------------------- CONSUME : Shop.Swindled.com –––-–-----------------------------...
A train derailment in Ohio caused by corporate greed leads to widespread environmental contamination, conspiracy, and political mudslinging. Prelude: A train derailment in Paulsboro, New Jersey, raises concerns about rail transportation safety throughout the U.S. –––-–---------------------------------------- BECOME A VALUEDLISTENER™ Spotify Patreon Apple Podcasts –––-–---------------------------------------- CONS...
Originally published September 11, 2024. The Pacific Northwest's "mini Madoff" escapes prison after being convicted of operating a $140 million Ponzi scheme. –––-–---------------------------------------- BECOME A VALUEDLISTENER™ Spotify Patreon Apple Podcasts –––-–---------------------------------------- CONSUME : Shop.Swindled.com –––-–---------------------------------------- MUSIC : Deformr...
This episode explores the ill-fated OceanGate Titan submersible expedition to the Titanic, which ended in a catastrophic implosion. It delves into the background of OceanGate founder Stockton Rush, his ambition, and the experimental design of the Titan, highlighting numerous ignored safety warnings from experts and former employees. The narrative also touches on the extensive search effort, the media frenzy, and the subsequent investigations and lawsuits, drawing parallels between the Titan tragedy and the original Titanic disaster.
A trendy new diet drug combination subjects millions of users to serious health effects, resulting in a monumental legal battle. Prelude: Cancer concerns force Belviq, a popular diet drug, to be withdrawn from the marketplace. –––-–---------------------------------------- BECOME A VALUEDLISTENER™ Spotify Patreon Apple Podcasts –––-–---------------------------------------- CONSUME : Shop.Swindled.com –––-–--------...
This episode explores two major scandals involving Queensland Health: the disastrous implementation of a new payroll system by IBM, costing over $1.2 billion, and a massive fraud committed by employee Joel Morehu-Barlow. Posing as a Tahitian prince with a fabricated background, Barlow exploited system weaknesses and colleagues' trust to steal over $16 million via phony grants. The episode details his lavish lifestyle, the discovery of the fraud, his capture, and the subsequent fallout and sentencing.
