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131. The Utopia (Galt's Gulch Chile)

A proposed libertarian paradise in the Chilean countryside devolves into a spectacle of betrayal and broken promises.

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.

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130. The Wunderkind (Ephren Taylor II)

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.

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BONUS 61: The Eminence (Jorge Zamora-Quezada)

A Texas rheumatologist is accused of falsely diagnosing thousands of patients as part of a $325 million fraud scheme.

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129. The Death Trap (Ride the Ducks Intl.)

A tourism industry's ugly past is revealed after a "duck boat" sinks on Table Rock Lake in Branson, Missouri, during a storm.

Prelude: The sinking of Miss Majestic in Hot Springs, Arkansas.

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Use coupon code PATRON20 to receive 20% off your order at 2025-07-27 21:37:43 +0000 UTC View Post

128. The Charade (Scott W. Rothstein)

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.

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Use coupon code PATRON20 to receive 20% off your order at 2025-07-08 21:38:04 +0000 UTC View Post

BONUS 60: The Gucci Goddess (Janet Mello)

An Army civilian employee is accused of embezzling over $100 million from a military child care program to fund a lavish lifestyle hidden in plain sight.

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BONUS 59: The Brewery (Keith Ashley)

A brewery owner’s secret life unravels after a staged suicide exposes a chilling web of murder and fraud.

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127. The White Knight (eBay)

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.

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Pre-order: DEFORMR - We've Met Before, Haven't We?

Our resident maestro, Deformr, has a new cassette EP releasing on June 23. Limited edition of 50.

Pre-order the cassette here.

Listen to a single from the record 2025-05-30 16:40:57 +0000 UTC View Post

126. The Baby Heaven (Camp Lejeune)

An estimated one million people are exposed to decades of toxic water contamination at a U.S. Marine Corps base in North Carolina, leading to serious health issues, cover-ups, and endless legal battles for justice.

Prelude: A mysterious leukemia cluster appears in Woburn, Massachusetts.

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BONUS 58: The Priapism (NuMale Medical Center)

A New Mexico man sues a male-focused health facility after a misdiagnosis and treatment results in a "dead penis."

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125. The Reporter (Jeff German)

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.

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Use coupon code PATRON20 to receive 20% off your order at 2025-05-07 20:06:54 +0000 UTC View Post

124. The Pinto (Ford Motor Company)

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.

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Use coupon code PATRON20 to receive 20% off your order at 2025-04-20 20:32:58 +0000 UTC View Post

123. The Acquisition (Charlie Javice)

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.

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Use coupon code PATRON20 to receive 20% off your order at 2025-04-05 17:32:21 +0000 UTC View Post

BONUS 57: The Interpreter (Ippei Mizuhara)

A trusted colleague of international baseball superstar Shohei Ohtani becomes embroiled in a multi-million dollar gambling scandal.

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122. The Warlord (Kony 2012)

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.

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Use coupon code PATRON20 to receive 20% off your order at 2025-03-19 14:37:06 +0000 UTC View Post

121. The Derailment (East Palestine, OH)

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.

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BONUS 56: The Foundation (New Era Philanthropy)

A prominent Christian businessman operates a massive, "too-good-to-be-true," charity-based Ponzi scheme.

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BONUS 55: The Odyssey (Gary Shawkey)

A motivational speaker becomes the main suspect in his business partner's disappearance.

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VN4VL: Condemn. Convict. Commute.

In this episode of Swindled's Valuable News for ValuedListeners™, A Concerned Citizen hosts the 7th annual Swindee Awards, celebrating excellence in con artistry. Plus, case updates featuring Rita Crundwell, Kids for Cash, Razzlekhan, Chiquita, and more!

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120. The Descent (OceanGate)

An experimental deep-sea submersible disappears during an expedition to the Titanic shipwreck.

Prelude: Legendary explorer Steve Fossett disappears during a casual plane ride.

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Use coupon code PATRON20 to receive 20% off your order at 2024-11-25 21:14:20 +0000 UTC View Post

BONUS 54: The Homeless Hero (Chris Parker)

A local hero's actions in the immediate aftermath of a terrorist attack at an Ariana Grande concert in Manchester are called into question.

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119. The Magic Pill (Fen-Phen)

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.

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BONUS 53: The Tiger (Tobias Ritesman)

A "maverick" entrepreneur's aquaponics project in South Dakota is built on lies.

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118. The Prince (Joel Morehu-Barlow)

A government employee posing as a Tahitian prince commits the largest public sector fraud in Queensland history.

Prelude: The catastrophic implementation of Queensland Health's new payroll system.

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Use coupon code PATRON20 to receive 20% off your order at 2024-10-10 19:10:04 +0000 UTC View Post

117. The Airliner (ValuJet)

A budget airline's penny-pinching strategy is examined after one of its planes crashes in the Florida Everglades.

Prelude: Allegiant Air's safety history is called into question after a rash of concerning incidents.

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Use coupon code PATRON20 to receive 20% off your order at 2024-09-25 01:41:18 +0000 UTC View Post

BONUS 52: The Fund (Darren Berg)

The Pacific Northwest's "mini Madoff" escapes prison after being convicted of operating a $140 million Ponzi scheme.

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116. The Juggalos (ICP v. FBI)

A "quintessential" civil rights battle ignites when fans of the much-maligned rap group Insane Clown Posse are officially classified as a "street gang" by the federal government.

Prelude: Two Juggalos are charged with the murder of a man in Pennsylvania.

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115. The Bling Bishop (Lamor Whitehead)

A flashy Brooklyn pastor finds himself in the media spotlight due to his current lifestyle and criminal past.

Prelude: An unprovoked murder on the New York subway.

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Use coupon code PATRON20 to receive 20% off your order at 2024-08-21 04:18:37 +0000 UTC View Post