The Binge Cases: Baby Broker - podcast cover

The Binge Cases: Baby Broker

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Imagine if you were about to become a parent and someone ripped away your dream. Tara Lee ran an adoption company called Always Hope and matched families with babies in record time. But what these adoptive parents didn’t know was how she was manipulating their lives for her gain. This is a shocking tale about a criminal with a cold heart who pulled off an unimaginable scheme, and the parents who banded together to take her down. Baby Broker is the latest series from The Binge - subscribe to listen to all episodes, all at once, ad-free right now. From serial killer nurses to psychic scammers — The Binge is your home for true crime stories that pull you in and never let go. Follow The Binge Crimes and The Binge Cases to get new stories on the first of the month, every month. Hit ‘Subscribe’ at the top of The Binge Crimes show page on Apple Podcasts or visit GetTheBinge.com. The Binge — feed your true crime obsession.

Episodes

Baby Broker | 6. Don’t F**k With Parents

Parents sick and tired of Tara Lee’s lies join a Facebook group to share evidence and bring her down. One family stands by her, even after the Feds raid Tara’s home and more secrets come to light. Binge all episodes of Baby Broker, ad-free today by subscribing to The Binge. Visit The Binge Crimes on Apple Podcasts and hit ‘subscribe’ or visit GetTheBinge.com to get access. The Binge – feed your true crime obsession. A Sony Music Entertainment & Perfect Cadence production. Find out more about The...

Mar 10, 202542 minSeason 13Ep. 6

Baby Broker | 5. The Last Adoption

Tara Lee pressures a couple to hand over her final payment, moments after their son is born. They stall. They hide. And for a good reason. The FBI is hot on Tara’s tail and she has no clue. Binge all episodes of Baby Broker, ad-free today by subscribing to The Binge. Visit The Binge Crimes on Apple Podcasts and hit ‘subscribe’ or visit GetTheBinge.com to get access. The Binge – feed your true crime obsession. A Sony Music Entertainment & Perfect Cadence production. Find out more about The Binge ...

Mar 03, 202531 minSeason 13Ep. 5

Baby Broker | 4. We All Became Investigators

The Mathenys arrive in Detroit praying their adoption is on—when two women contact them with grave concerns about Tara Lee. The scope of her crimes is only beginning to come to light. Binge all episodes of Baby Broker, ad-free today by subscribing to The Binge. Visit The Binge Crimes on Apple Podcasts and hit ‘subscribe’ or visit GetTheBinge.com to get access. The Binge – feed your true crime obsession. A Sony Music Entertainment & Perfect Cadence production. Find out more about The Binge and ot...

Feb 24, 202537 minSeason 13Ep. 4

Baby Broker | 3. The Birth Mothers

When the family from Chicago meets their daughter’s birth mom, Sarah, they discover she’s living in horrifying conditions. Why haven’t the thousands they’ve paid Tara Lee for Sarah’s expenses trickled down to her? Binge all episodes of Baby Broker, ad-free today by subscribing to The Binge. Visit The Binge Crimes on Apple Podcasts and hit ‘subscribe’ or visit GetTheBinge.com to get access. The Binge – feed your true crime obsession. A Sony Music Entertainment & Perfect Cadence production. Find o...

Feb 17, 202533 minSeason 13Ep. 3

Baby Broker | 2. Three Babies

A family from Chicago working with Tara Lee has agreed to adopt two babies when Tara Lee tries to rope them into adopting a third. They’re cornered, and they don’t feel like they have a choice. Binge all episodes of Baby Broker, ad-free today by subscribing to The Binge. Visit The Binge Crimes on Apple Podcasts and hit ‘subscribe’ or visit GetTheBinge.com to get access. The Binge – feed your true crime obsession. A Sony Music Entertainment & Perfect Cadence production. Find out more about The Bi...

Feb 10, 202538 minSeason 13Ep. 2

Baby Broker | 1. You Cannot Tell Anyone

In 2018, Tara Lee matches Teresa and Mike Matheny of Atlanta with a pregnant woman in Detroit who is due in just two weeks. But hours before the couple drives to Detroit to adopt their son, they make a horrifying discovery. Binge all episodes of Baby Broker, ad-free today by subscribing to The Binge. Visit The Binge Crimes on Apple Podcasts and hit ‘subscribe’ or visit GetTheBinge.com to get access. The Binge – feed your true crime obsession. A Sony Music Entertainment & Perfect Cadence producti...

Feb 03, 202537 minSeason 13Ep. 1

Introducing… Baby Broker

Imagine if you were about to become a parent and someone ripped away your dream. Tara Lee ran an adoption company called Always Hope and matched families with babies in record time. But what these adoptive parents didn’t know was how she was manipulating their lives for her gain. This is a shocking tale about a criminal with a cold heart who pulled off an unimaginable scheme, and the parents who banded together to take her down. Subscribe to The Binge to get all episodes, all at once, all ad-fre...

Jan 27, 20251 min

Scary Terri | 1. The Mysterious Death of Devereaux Cleaver

In 1979, 14-year-old Devereaux Cleaver vanished at sea. Was it an accident? Or part of a sick and deadly conspiracy? After her death, something suspicious happens that points the finger at Terri Hoffman. Binge all episodes of Scary Terri, ad-free today by subscribing to The Binge. Visit The Binge Cases show page on Apple Podcasts and hit ‘subscribe’ or visit GetTheBinge.com to get access. The Binge – feed your true crime obsession. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adcho...

Dec 02, 202438 minSeason 12Ep. 1

Scary Terri | 2. The Last Will

Two more women, under Terri’s influence, die. But, how can you hold her accountable, if they die by suicide, not homicide? Binge all episodes of Scary Terri, ad-free today by subscribing to The Binge. Visit The Binge Cases show page on Apple Podcasts and hit ‘subscribe’ or visit GetTheBinge.com to get access. The Binge – feed your true crime obsession. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dec 01, 202443 minSeason 12Ep. 2

Scary Terri | 3. Marital Issues

In the early days of Conscious Development of Body, Mind and Soul, if you dared to question Terri, she’d target you without implicating herself. So when Terri’s own husband Glenn becomes skeptical of her teachings, his days are numbered. Binge all episodes of Scary Terri, ad-free today by subscribing to The Binge. Visit The Binge Cases show page on Apple Podcasts and hit ‘subscribe’ or visit GetTheBinge.com to get access. The Binge – feed your true crime obsession. Unwrap a huge holiday discount...

Nov 30, 202435 minSeason 12Ep. 3

Scary Terri | 4. Becoming Mrs. Hoffman

Terri didn’t just convince people to take their own lives. She was a cancer on whole families. The Hoffmans filed a wrongful death suit trying to hold her accountable. Binge all episodes of Scary Terri, ad-free today by subscribing to The Binge. Visit The Binge Cases show page on Apple Podcasts and hit ‘subscribe’ or visit GetTheBinge.com to get access. The Binge – feed your true crime obsession. Unwrap a huge holiday discount on NordVPN by heading to https://nordvpn.com/thebinge. Plus, with our...

Nov 29, 202441 minSeason 12Ep. 4

Scary Terri | 5. The White Pill

Terri’s manipulation is evolving with horrible consequences. She’s now telling her followers that death isn’t final and that another chapter awaits. Binge all episodes of Scary Terri, ad-free today by subscribing to The Binge. Visit The Binge Cases show page on Apple Podcasts and hit ‘subscribe’ or visit GetTheBinge.com to get access. The Binge – feed your true crime obsession. Unwrap a huge holiday discount on NordVPN by heading to https://nordvpn.com/thebinge. Plus, with our link, you’ll get a...

Nov 28, 202437 minSeason 12Ep. 5

Introducing: Scary Terri

Coming soon to The Binge, it's Scary Terri. A tragic double suicide. A teenager suspiciously drowned. A mother and her childhood nanny drove off a cliff. Between 1979 and 1989, a dozen people died under mysterious circumstances, with one thing in common: a connection to a spiritual leader in Dallas, Texas named Terri Hoffman. In Scary Terri, investigative reporter Jonathan Hirsch unravels the web of lies, manipulation, and dubious deeds that surround Hoffman. A dark Texas Gothic about the Charli...

Nov 25, 20242 min

Scary Terri | 6. “I need some money, honey.”

Facing pressure from wrongful death suits, Terri filed for bankruptcy, claiming she had no money. But, what if Terri pulled a fast one on the Feds? Binge all episodes of Scary Terri, ad-free today by subscribing to The Binge. Visit The Binge Cases show page on Apple Podcasts and hit ‘subscribe’ or visit GetTheBinge.com to get access. The Binge – feed your true crime obsession. Unwrap a huge holiday discount on NordVPN by heading to https://nordvpn.com/thebinge. Plus, with our link, you’ll get an...

Nov 24, 202450 minSeason 12Ep. 6

Denise Didn't Come Home | 1. Stay With Me

For almost 50 years, Karen Falasca searched for the man who killed her sister, Denise. Host Anthony Scalia joins Karen in her search for the truth. Binge all episodes of Denise Didn’t Come Home, ad-free today by subscribing to The Binge. Visit The Binge Cases show page on Apple Podcasts and hit ‘subscribe’ or visit GetTheBinge.com to get access. The Binge – feed your true crime obsession. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 10, 202433 minSeason 11Ep. 1

Denise Didn't Come Home | 2. The Memory Palace

Karen remembers the bizarre events leading up to her sister’s murder, and all the people she never suspected, until she took a second look. Binge all episodes of Denise Didn’t Come Home, ad-free today by subscribing to The Binge. Visit The Binge Cases show page on Apple Podcasts and hit ‘subscribe’ or visit GetTheBinge.com to get access. The Binge – feed your true crime obsession. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 08, 202437 minSeason 11Ep. 2

Denise Didn't Come Home | 3. The Torso Killer

Host Anthony Scalia looks into the unsolved murders of young women in Bergen County. Could their deaths be the work of a gruesome serial killer? Binge all episodes of Denise Didn’t Come Home, ad-free today by subscribing to The Binge. Visit The Binge Cases show page on Apple Podcasts and hit ‘subscribe’ or visit GetTheBinge.com to get access. The Binge – feed your true crime obsession. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 07, 202439 minSeason 11Ep. 3

Denise Didn't Come Home | 4. The Girl On Old Hook Road

Karen pressures Bergen County detectives to look into who she believes murdered her sister. But they have their own suspect - a notorious serial killer. Binge all episodes of Denise Didn’t Come Home, ad-free today by subscribing to The Binge. Visit The Binge Cases show page on Apple Podcasts and hit ‘subscribe’ or visit GetTheBinge.com to get access. The Binge – feed your true crime obsession. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 06, 202440 minSeason 11Ep. 4

Denise Didn't Come Home | 5. The Broken Road

A serial killer’s confession leaves Karen with more questions than answers. Binge all episodes of Denise Didn’t Come Home, ad-free today by subscribing to The Binge. Visit The Binge Cases show page on Apple Podcasts and hit ‘subscribe’ or visit GetTheBinge.com to get access. The Binge – feed your true crime obsession. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 05, 202432 minSeason 11Ep. 5

Denise Didn't Come Home | 6. A Word That Starts With C

Karen writes to a notorious serial killer in prison, hoping to finally come to terms with what happened to her sister. Binge all episodes of Denise Didn’t Come Home, ad-free today by subscribing to The Binge. Visit The Binge Cases show page on Apple Podcasts and hit ‘subscribe’ or visit GetTheBinge.com to get access. The Binge – feed your true crime obsession. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 04, 202438 minSeason 11Ep. 6

Denise Didn't Come Home | 7. Evil Nice Guy

Host Anthony Scalia builds a relationship with a notorious serial killer and finally hears the full story about what happened to Denise Falasca the night she died. Binge all episodes of Denise Didn’t Come Home, ad-free today by subscribing to The Binge. Visit The Binge Cases show page on Apple Podcasts and hit ‘subscribe’ or visit GetTheBinge.com to get access. The Binge – feed your true crime obsession. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 03, 202435 minSeason 11Ep. 7

Denise Didn't Come Home | 8. The Truth Is Good

Host Anthony Scalia finally gets his hands on Denise’s case file, and starts to question the person he trusted most…Karen. Binge all episodes of Denise Didn’t Come Home, ad-free today by subscribing to The Binge. Visit The Binge Cases show page on Apple Podcasts and hit ‘subscribe’ or visit GetTheBinge.com to get access. The Binge – feed your true crime obsession. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 02, 202436 minSeason 11Ep. 8

Introducing: Denise Didn't Come Home

Smoke Screen is now The Binge Cases - new name, same home for thrilling true crime stories. Catch the new season, Denise Didn’t Come Home, on October 1st. Karen Falasca last saw her 15 year old sister Denise on July 14, 1969, when they parted ways not far from their Bergen County home. The next day, Denise’s body was found strangled next to a cemetery. For almost 50 years, Karen searched for her sister's killer. In Denise Didn’t Come Home, host Anthony Scalia gets pulled into the search and disc...

Sep 24, 20243 min

The Greatest Scam Ever Written | 8. The Last Letter

The defense attorneys for the man behind the scam argue the Duval scheme is no more deceptive than a magic show. But prosecutors make a strong case for fraud. In a last ditch effort to save himself, the mastermind submits a 17 page letter to the judge trying to explain what happened. But will his letter convince her? Unlock all episodes of The Greatest Scam Ever Written, ad-free, right now by subscribing to The Binge. Plus, get binge access to brand new stories dropping on the first of every mon...

Sep 19, 202443 minSeason 10Ep. 8

The Greatest Scam Ever Written | 7. Call Me Blade

Our host writes a handwritten letter to the mastermind behind the Duval letters in 2023. He’s impressed and reaches out. He’s never spoken to a journalist before. They start exchanging emails and calls. Eventually she visits him behind bars. Soon, a jury will decide his fate. What will he reveal to her? And how can Rachel be sure it’s the truth? Unlock all episodes of The Greatest Scam Ever Written, ad-free, right now by subscribing to The Binge. Plus, get binge access to brand new stories dropp...

Sep 12, 202442 minSeason 10Ep. 7

The Greatest Scam Ever Written | 6. DNA of a Scammer

The mastermind behind the Maria Duval scam is revealed. Who is he and how did he operate one of the biggest scams in U.S. history? Investigative reporter Rachel Browne discovers this wasn’t his first mail-order operation and that Terry Polevoy, an amateur scam-buster, had helped expose that scheme. Rachel discovers the mastermind’s M.O. Unlock all episodes of The Greatest Scam Ever Written, ad-free, right now by subscribing to The Binge. Plus, get binge access to brand new stories dropping on th...

Sep 05, 202430 minSeason 10Ep. 6

The Greatest Scam Ever Written | 5. The Runner

U.S. Postal Inspector Clayton Gerber discovers that the letters are entering the country via Albany, NY, and that they’re originating from a company in Montreal. Locating criminals across the border for extradition is no simple task, but eventually Clayton finds two of the scam’s top lieutenants. Can he get them to give up the name of their boss, the true mastermind of the scheme? Unlock all episodes of The Greatest Scam Ever Written, ad-free, right now by subscribing to The Binge. Plus, get bin...

Aug 29, 202440 minSeason 10Ep. 5

The Greatest Scam Ever Written | 4. The Swiss Swindlers

To find out how the scheme is operating in the present, we go back to how it all started. We know that two Swiss businessmen had bought Maria’s name and image to add legitimacy to their mailing scheme and launch letters across Europe. But who were these men? What motivated them to cheat hundreds of thousands of people out of their life savings? And where are they today? Unlock all episodes of The Greatest Scam Ever Written, ad-free, right now by subscribing to The Binge. Plus, get binge access t...

Aug 22, 202440 minSeason 10Ep. 4

The Greatest Scam Ever Written | 3. One Man's Trash

The Maria Duval letter scam began in Europe—so how did it make its way to America? U.S. Postal Inspector Clayton Gerber begins to unravel the threads of the scam when he discovers an address on Long Island, where victims are sending their replies to Duval. They also send intimate items like locks of their hair, hoping for the psychic’s help. Clayton’s team goes dumpster diving on Long Island and finds bags of return letters – proof Duval herself wasn’t getting the replies. Why were their replies...

Aug 15, 202442 minSeason 10Ep. 3

The Greatest Scam Ever Written | 2. Psychic to the Stars

Who was Maria Duval? Her son says she had a gift, an ability to see people’s futures. She helped locate missing people and worked with the French elite, befriending Jacques Chirac and Brigitte Bardot. In the late 80s, when two businessmen approached Maria Duval with a life-changing deal, her name becomes synonymous with one of the greatest scams ever written. Unlock all episodes of The Greatest Scam Ever Written, ad-free, right now by subscribing to The Binge. Plus, get binge access to brand new...

Aug 08, 202441 minSeason 10Ep. 2