A young law student called Ashely is the first to read Driskill’s letter and becomes obsessed with his story. The Innocence Project of Texas take his case and begin working to find evidence that could clear his name. Chammah hunts down crucial leads throwing serious doubt on the informant’s story and on the forensic sketch that led Holland to Driskill in the first place. Holland's star, though, is still rising. He takes on a case that will make him famous, drawing dozens of confessions from Amer...
May 29, 2023•55 min•Season 6Ep. 5
Driskill is in jail ahead of a potential court case when an informant comes forward with information that seems to blow a hole in his claims of innocence. Meanwhile James Holland moves on to his next case. It’s a story with eerie similarities to Driskill’s. Another veteran, Christopher Ax, is being investigated for the murder of a woman. But this time, things turn out very differently for Holland, and the first cracks start to appear in his legend. Driskill is desperate for help and writes a hai...
May 22, 2023•54 min•Season 6Ep. 4
It's Day 2 of Holland’s interrogation of Driskill. Over the course of several hours Holland uses a variety of extreme but legal tactics as he chases a confession. He lies to Driskill about the evidence they have against him and feeds the veteran a story to explain how he might have come to murder Bobbie Sue Hill. Holland is relentless and the interrogation stretches on, with no lawyer present. How long can Driskill resist? Subscribe to The Binge to get all episodes of Smoke Screen: Just Say You’...
May 15, 2023•53 min•Season 6Ep. 3
Chammah investigates the cop at the centre of the story – James Holland is so celebrated as an interrogator that he’s known in the media as ‘the serial killer whisperer.’ He’s a leading member of that legendary and storied police force, the Texas Rangers. Chammah traces Holland’s steps as he starts trying to close a cold case which has gone unsolved for more than a decade: the murder of a woman named Bobbie Sue Hill. The trail is faint but Holland follows it doggedly: a dead-end suspect, a singl...
May 08, 2023•47 min•Season 6Ep. 2
Texas Ranger James Holland approaches Air Force veteran Larry Driskill and asks him for help with a murder case. These are the first moments in a psychological battle that will end in Driskill confessing to a brutal killing. All while swearing he doesn’t remember the crime. Incredibly, the whole thing is caught on tape. Through Holland's recordings, journalist Maurice Chammah follows the men into the interrogation room... Subscribe to The Binge to get all episodes of Smoke Screen: Just Say You'r...
May 01, 2023•36 min•Season 6Ep. 1
Texas Ranger James Holland is celebrated as the ‘serial killer whisperer’, solving dozens of murders through his legendary interrogation skills. But how far does he go to get confessions? And has he put innocent people in prison along the way? Smoke Screen: Just Say You're Sorry uses shocking police tapes to reveal the psychological drama behind one murder case, and uncovers something rotten at the heart of the justice system. Subscribe now to unlock all shows on The Binge — All Episodes. All at...
Apr 24, 2023•3 min
Genesis II has recently gained a significant following in some South American countries, according to local reports. Hundreds of buyers have been lining up outside makeshift MMS distribution centers in poor rural communities as the pace of Covid vaccination falls behind that of major cities. What does the story of MMS tell us about the future of public health in the U.S. and abroad? How we can foster informed, trusted dialogue around science and health globally? Want the full story? Unlock all e...
Mar 15, 2023•30 min•Season 5Ep. 8
From prison in Colombia, to a detention facility in Texas to federal detention in Florida, the Grenons continue to fight for their freedom, and promote their product. Meanwhile, Mark Grenon remains defiant. MMS, he insists, will never stop. Want the full story? Unlock all episodes of Smoke Screen, ad-free, right now by subscribing to The Binge. Plus, get binge access to brand new stories dropping on the first of every month — that’s all episodes, all at once, all ad-free. Just click ‘Subscribe’ ...
Mar 08, 2023•36 min•Season 5Ep. 7
In the summer of 2020, the government raided Grenon's compound and arrested two of Mark Grenon’s sons. But where in the world were Mark and his other son? This episode traces the Grenons’ moves around the world, and examines both how they rose to international stardom … and how they were ultimately brought down. Want the full story? Unlock all episodes of Smoke Screen, ad-free, right now by subscribing to The Binge. Plus, get binge access to brand new stories dropping on the first of every month...
Mar 01, 2023•42 min•Season 5Ep. 6
As MMS continued its rise, so did the Federal Drug Administration’s attention on the so-called cure. But MMS would prove difficult to clamp down on. Between eBay and Amazon, sales of the vials were reaching the millions. In 2019, a special agent with the FDA began buying MMS, gaining information on the church and its founders. But the Genesis II Church would receive a major boost in March 2020, when the Covid-19 pandemic rattled the world. Unapproved Covid cures were rampant, leading to the form...
Feb 22, 2023•40 min•Season 5Ep. 5
Self-appointed archbishops Jim Humble and Mark Grenon begin hosting seminars around the world, and charging $450 per person to attend. But it wasn’t just locals expressing interest in the so-called cure: now, national media was catching wind of the group, thrusting the Genesis II Church further into the limelight. Want the full story? Unlock all episodes of Smoke Screen, ad-free, right now by subscribing to The Binge. Plus, get binge access to brand new stories dropping on the first of every mon...
Feb 15, 2023•36 min•Season 5Ep. 4
What starts for Daniel Smith as an attempt to regain trust in medicine quickly becomes "Project Green Life" – a top distributor of MMS. Then, the feds catch wind of his operation, hoping to take him down. The Grenons use Daniel's prosecution as a rallying cry for the Genesis II church, claiming that their church status is what would insulate them from future attempts by the feds to shut them down. Want the full story? Unlock all episodes of Smoke Screen, ad-free, right now by subscribing to The ...
Feb 08, 2023•37 min•Season 5Ep. 3
Fiona O'Leary is a fearless firebrand, and mother of four autistic children. She is also an online vigilante who will stop at nothing to take down proponents of MMS. She's part of a loosely affiliated group of keyboard warriors known as "The Bleach Hunters.” Her Nemesis is Kerri Rivera, a former real estate agent who created something called "The Autism Protocols", which promote using MMS as a "cure" for autism. Meanwhile, a tragic death in the South Pacific of someone using MMS alerts the FDA t...
Feb 01, 2023•35 min•Season 5Ep. 2
Meet Mark Grenon, Jim Humble, and the Genesis II church. Mark Grenon, a missionary in the Dominican Republic, contracts MRSA. He discovers the Miracle Mineral Solution, and claims that it has miraculously cured him of numerous ailments. This takes him to the founder of MMS, Jim Humble, a man who claims to be a billion-year-old god from the Andromeda galaxy, and has treated thousands of people with what he calls "my malaria solution.” Together, they start the Genesis II Church of Health and Heali...
Feb 01, 2023•38 min•Season 5Ep. 1
Smoke Screen: Deadly Cure is a podcast about a family on the fringe who convinced tens of thousands of people across the globe to buy a miracle liquid made of poison, the international conspiracy they ignited, and the people who fought to take them down. Want the full story? Unlock all episodes of Smoke Screen, ad-free, right now by subscribing to The Binge. Plus, get binge access to brand new stories dropping on the first of every month — that’s all episodes, all at once, all ad-free. Just clic...
Jan 18, 2023•3 min
Behind every infamous news story is a journalist trying to hold power to account. Join reporters Vanessa Grigoriadis and Gabriel Sherman as they take an in-depth look at the most explosive scandals of this century. From high-profile divorces to sex cults to the lies that started a war, they’ll guide you through the juiciest, most outrageous, celeb-filled stories of the last two decades, and give you a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to shine an unflattering light on the world’s most powe...
Jan 05, 2023•6 min
Alex Schuman, host of Puppy Kingpin, spoke to Deborah Howard, the president of CAPS, the Companion Animal Protection Society, and an undercover investigator who goes by the pseudonym Pete Paxton. In this bonus episode, they discuss the patterns they see breeders using to skirt laws, why the USDA falls short, and Deborah and Pete defend their use of undercover videos to expose what's happening on the ground. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Aug 04, 2022•8 min•Season 4Ep. 7
Chameleon: Scam Likely host, Yudhijit Bhattacharjee, sits down with Alex Schuman to chat about the newest season of the blockbuster Chameleon franchise. The duo dig into another scam you should be wary of - telefraud. Ordinary citizens all around the U.S. have lost their life savings to scam callers, many originating from India. These fraudsters often target especially vulnerable populations, including immigrants and the elderly. Listen as Yudhijit shares the jaw-dropping story of how a small te...
Aug 01, 2022•16 min
Spectacle: True Crime host, Mariah Smith, sits down with Alex Schuman to chat all things about the newest season of Smoke Screen, Puppy Kingpin. She puts host Alex Schuman in the hot seat and they dig into true crime – how we report these stories, why we’re so fascinated with them and what this fascination says about us. Mariah gets juicy behind-the-scenes bits from Alex about reporting Smoke Screen: Fake Priest and Puppy Kingpin. Plus, Mariah tells Alex about the new season of Spectacle, which ...
Jul 22, 2022•17 min•Season 4Ep. 8
Jolyn Noethe faces a class action lawsuit that accuses her of a federal crime and might cost her up to 5 million. The puppy pipeline isn’t going to change overnight, but Alex meets with a breeder who has nothing to hide and hears about a movement among breeders to go above and beyond USDA requirements. A Neon Hum Media and Sony Music Entertainment production. Unlock all episodes of Smoke Screen, ad-free right now by subscribing to The Binge. Plus, get binge access to brand new stories dropping o...
Jul 21, 2022•35 min•Season 4Ep. 7
The Iowa AG’s lawsuit against Jolyn comes to a conclusion as she faces challenges from multiple sides. Alex looks more closely at the USDA as a growing number of breeders and animal rights activists think a USDA license doesn’t mean much anymore. A Neon Hum Media and Sony Music Entertainment production. Unlock all episodes of Smoke Screen, ad-free right now by subscribing to The Binge. Plus, get binge access to brand new stories dropping on the first of every month — that’s all episodes, all at ...
Jul 14, 2022•38 min•Season 4Ep. 6
Alex heads to Britt, Iowa where Jolyn Noethe grew up and her for-profit enterprise, J.A.K.’s Puppies, is headquartered. He discovers that a family dispute is part of the reason she started her own brokering business. A Neon Hum Media and Sony Music Entertainment production. Unlock all episodes of Smoke Screen, ad-free right now by subscribing to The Binge. Plus, get binge access to brand new stories dropping on the first of every month — that’s all episodes, all at once, all ad-free. Just click ...
Jul 07, 2022•35 min•Season 4Ep. 5
Multiple lawsuits now accuse Jolyn Noethe of creating rescues to sell commercially-bred puppies where they’ve been outlawed. Alex learns how the scheme reaches beyond the Midwest and meets Lizette Chanock. She claims her rescue’s name is being used to sell unhealthy puppies. A Neon Hum Media and Sony Music Entertainment production. Unlock all episodes of Smoke Screen, ad-free right now by subscribing to The Binge. Plus, get binge access to brand new stories dropping on the first of every month —...
Jun 30, 2022•38 min•Season 4Ep. 4
Authorities learn of unusual “rescue puppies” starting to turn up in Chicago and begin an investigation. Soon, they are on the trail of the secretive businesswoman responsible. A Neon Hum Media and Sony Music Entertainment production. Unlock all episodes of Smoke Screen, ad-free right now by subscribing to The Binge. Plus, get binge access to brand new stories dropping on the first of every month — that’s all episodes, all at once, all ad-free. Just click ‘Subscribe’ on the top of the Smoke Scre...
Jun 23, 2022•41 min•Season 4Ep. 3
Alex sets out to learn more about Jolyn Noethe, but ends up getting an inside look at a puppy mill and how they operate legally. We’ll hear audio of the day authorities descended on the farm of Barbara Kavars, an Iowan breeder who got in way over her head. A Neon Hum Media and Sony Music Entertainment production. Unlock all episodes of Smoke Screen, ad-free right now by subscribing to The Binge. Plus, get binge access to brand new stories dropping on the first of every month — that’s all episode...
Jun 16, 2022•50 min•Season 4Ep. 2
When Mindi Callison finds out a local pet shop might be selling puppies from a puppy mill, she takes action. Soon, she’s tracking dogs being transported from state to state and stumbles onto a company that hides the source of puppies. A Neon Hum Media and Sony Music Entertainment production. Unlock all episodes of Smoke Screen, ad-free right now by subscribing to The Binge. Plus, get binge access to brand new stories dropping on the first of every month — that’s all episodes, all at once, all ad...
Jun 16, 2022•52 min•Season 4Ep. 1
Americans are used to being on the lookout for a scam, but authorities are warning of a new kind of fraud. Puppy Kingpin shines a spotlight on Jolyn Noethe, a secretive businesswoman from Iowa who is accused of laundering puppies like drug money. Over the course of 7 episodes, investigative reporter and host Alex Schuman exposes the scheme and an underground part of the industry bringing us the pets we love. From Neon Hum Media and Sony Music Entertainment. Smoke Screen: Puppy Kingpin is availab...
May 25, 2022•3 min
Last year, as the final episodes of The Sellout aired, LA TACO got a tip from a listener: for years, Jose Huizar had been awarding flashy scholarships to college-bound students from Boyle Heights and East LA. But some of those students say they never got the scholarship money promised to them. Was Huizar really stiffing high school students from his own neighborhood? After months of investigating, we're ready to share what we found out. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/...
May 20, 2022•20 min•Season 3Ep. 10
Mariah talks to the Boyle Heights residents who watched as FBI agents raided Huizar’s home and offices. Three months into the pandemic, he’s arrested and pleads not guilty. The residents of CD14 are left in limbo. We look at what the FBI investigation reveals about Los Angeles’s housing and homelessness crisis. A Neon Hum Media and Sony Music Entertainment production. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts to binge all episodes now or listen weekly wherever you get your podcasts. Find more great podcasts f...
Dec 14, 2021•38 min•Season 3Ep. 9
Huizar’s carelessness starts to catch up with him. After more than a dozen all-expenses paid trips to Vegas with plenty of perks, Huizar gets played by one of his own. A businessman turned FBI informant gives Huizar an envelope with $15,000 in cash, and then tells the Feds all about it. A Neon Hum Media and Sony Music Entertainment production. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts to binge all episodes now or listen weekly wherever you get your podcasts. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainm...
Dec 07, 2021•38 min•Season 3Ep. 8
