Scamfluencers
Episodes
William Neil Gallagher: The Money Doctor | 210
20 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
William Neil Gallagher has been called the Bernie Madoff of North Texas. But while both men defrauded millions of people, William added an evangelical...
Sean Kingston: Beautiful Lies | 209
13 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
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 wit...
Dana Giacchetto - Swindler to the Stars | 208
06 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
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 t...
ENCORE: Making Up The Grade: The College Admissions Scandal | 207
30 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
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 riches...
ENCORE: Ozy Media: Pivot to Fraud | 206
23 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
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 ...
ENCORE: Melissa Caddick: Trouble Afoot | 205
16 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
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…...
Bernard Lafferty: The Billionaire Butler | 204
09 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
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, ...
Pat Nolan: Here Comes the Bribe | 203
02 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In the 1980s, Pat Nolan was one of California’s most powerful conservative lawmakers – pushing to shrink the government and expand the death penal...
The Salt Path: A Long Walk From the Truth | 202
23 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In 2018, a previously unknown writer named Sally Walker became a literary sensation in the UK under the pseudonym Raynor Winn. Her memoir – a stirri...
Jerry Jacobson: The Real Hamburglar | 201
16 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Since its launch in 1987, McDonald’s Monopoly game has become a cultural obsession, with millions of people buying Big Macs and fries, convinced the...
Matt Bergwall: Return to Sender | 200
09 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
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...
Napoleon Hill: The Self-Help Scammer Scion | 199
02 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
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...
Brittish Williams: Out of Bounds | 198
26 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Brittish Williams was an instant standout when she first joined the cast of VH1’s Basketball Wives, a reality series following the wives, girlfriend...
Charlie Javice: Fake It Til You Make It | 197
19 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
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 rai...
ENCORE: Billy Mitchell: Truth or Kong-sequences | 196
12 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
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 wa...
ENCORE: Sandy Jenkins: Have Your Cake And Steal It, Too | 195
05 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
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...
Lawless Planet: A Polygamist Cult-Leader’s Billion-Dollar Biofuel Scam | 194
29 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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....
The Cipriani Family: Bribes and Bellinis | 193
22 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
For nearly a century the Cipriani family has served celebrities, royalty, and cultural icons. Since opening their first restaurant in Venice in 1931, ...
Calvin Darden Jr.: The Flashy Failson Fraud | 192
15 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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 ...
Clifford Irving: The Howard Hughes Hoax | 191
08 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In the early 1970s, struggling author Clifford Irving tries to escape obscurity by writing a tell-all biography of the famously unreachable Howard Hug...
Alan Todd May: Black Gold, Red Flags | 190
01 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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 Te...
Listen Now: Business Wars | The Race to Ozempic
25 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Business is war. Sometimes the prize is your wallet or your attention. Sometimes, it’s just the fun of beating the other guy. The outcome of these b...
Studio 54: Tax Evasion! At the Disco | 189
24 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In the 1970s, Studio 54 stood as the ultimate temple of disco, decadence, and hedonism. Lifelong friends and business partners Steve Rubell and Ian Sc...
Rick & Rosario Ames: The Spy Who Told Too Much | 188
17 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
At the CIA, Rick Ames had a reputation as a middling agent with a drinking problem and a knack for skating by. But despite poor performance reviews, R...
New Season: ‘Tis The Grinch Holiday Podcast
11 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Grinch is back and jollier than NEVER! Whoville’s sassiest late-night talk show host returns for season 3 with more sharp-tongued monologues about e...
ENCORE: Mike Milken: When Junk Was King | 187
10 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We’ll be back next week with a brand new episode. In the meantime, we’re taking you back to the 1980s – a time of greed, glamour, and Wall Stree...
ENCORE: Bob Menendez: Bad Romance Part 2 | 186
05 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Senator Bob Menendez and his wife have just been indicted for wheeling and dealing with the government of Egypt, along with many other crimes. In a bi...
ENCORE: Bob Menendez: Bad Romance Part 1 | 185
03 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We’ll be back in two weeks with all-new Scamfluencers episodes. In the meantime, we’re revisiting a political scandal that’s been back in the he...
Natalie Cochran: The Pharmacist Femme Fatale Part 2 | 184
27 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
When her Ponzi scheme starts to crumble – and her husband dies under mysterious circumstances – Natalie Cochran plays the perfect victim: a widowe...
Natalie Cochran: The Pharmacist Femme Fatale Part 1 | 183
20 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Natalie Cochran seems to have it all: a stable career as a pharmacist, a loving husband, and two kids. But when she ditches her job to become a “gov...
Mark Hofmann: The Mormon Murderer | 182
13 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Mark Hofmann, a lifelong Mormon, skyrockets to local fame by uncovering “historical” documents that challenge core LDS Church narratives. He sells...
Imelda Marcos: The First Lady of Excess Part 2 | 181
06 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
After declaring martial law in 1972, Ferdinand Marcos cemented his dictatorship over the Philippines – jailing opponents, silencing dissent, and ama...
Imelda Marcos: The First Lady of Excess Part 1 | 180
29 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Imelda Marcos - the former beauty queen turned First Lady of the Philippines – was as famous for her 1,000 pairs of shoes and jawbreaker-sized diamo...
Wayne LaPierre: America’s Hired (and Fired) Gun | 179
22 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Wayne LaPierre spent decades at the helm of the National Rifle Association, transforming it into one of the most powerful lobbying groups in America. ...
Andrew Caspersen: Rich People Problems | 178
22 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Andrew Caspersen seemed to have it all: Ivy League credentials, athletic talent and a trust fund that fueled his reputation as a rising star in financ...
Brian Reader and the Diamond Wheezers: The Geriatric Jewel Thieves | 177
08 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Brian Reader made his name as “The Guv’nor” in the 1960s and 70s by pulling off daring, Ocean’s Eleven-style heists that turned him into a tab...
Jan Lewan: From Polka Dreams to Ponzi Schemes | 176
01 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
When Jan Lewan escapes to the United States from Poland in the 1970s, he uses his musical talent to become a larger than life polka star and pursue th...
ENCORE: Three Weddings and a Funeral: Part 2 | 175
27 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
By the late 1980s, Christian Karl Gerhartsreiter is now known as New York City bond trader Christopher Crowe. But even the Wall Street lifestyle is no...
ENCORE: Three Weddings and a Funeral: Part 1 | 174
25 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We’ll be back in one week with all-new Scamfluencers episodes. In the meantime, we’re returning to one of our favorites. In the late 1970s, C...
ENCORE: George Santos: Putting the "Con" in Congress | 173
18 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We’ll be back in two weeks with all-new Scamfluencers episodes. In the meantime, we’re returning to one of our favorites. It’s hard to know...
ENCORE: The Pop Star and the Power Broker: Part 2 | 172
13 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
As Erika Jayne’s pop star career blossoms, questions continue to mount about her husband Tom Girardi’s finances and his legal practice. His client...
ENCORE: The Pop Star and the Power Broker: Part 1 | 171
11 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We’ll be back in four weeks with all-new Scamfluencers episodes. In the meantime, we’re returning to one of our favorites.Tom Girardi dreams of be...
Doris Payne: Diamonds are a Girl’s Best Grift | 170
04 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Frustrated by the racist, sexist stereotypes keeping her down, Doris Payne started swiping precious jewels out of spite as a teen. For the next seven ...
Guo Wengui: The Temu Trump | 169
28 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Guo Wengui was a billionaire real estate mogul in China, but when the government cracks down on his empire, he flees to the U.S. From a Manhattan apar...
Pras Michel: The Fugee Felon | 168
21 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Fugees founder Pras Michel is struggling to pivot to a new career when he meets Malaysian billionaire playboy and criminal mastermind Jho Low. He’s ...
Lisette Lee: The Simple Life Of Crime | 167
14 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Lisette Lee is a party girl heiress who uses money, mean-girl bullying, and her early 2000s glam to control everyone around her. But when daddy’s ca...
Phil Kitzer and the G Men | 166
07 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Phil Kitzer was a globe-trotting scammer who spent more than a decade creating fake banks and insurance companies, ripping off customers to pay for hi...
Earl Washington: A Rip Off the Old Block | 165
30 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Singer-actor Earl Washington turns out to be a triple threat when he takes up carving wood blocks to make ends meet while hustling to make a life as a...
Prince Michael Romanoff: The High Prince of Hollywood | 164
23 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Polish immigrant Hershel Geguzin fled to the U.S. from the faltering Russian Empire at the turn of the 20th century. And like many scammers around thi...
Rocky Aoki: Hibachi’s a Bitch and Then You Die | 163
16 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Rocky Aoki, the son of a vaudeville performer and a tango dancer, grows up in the wreckage of post-war Tokyo. With his natural flair for entertainment...
Multi-Level Marketing: Your Product is You | 162
09 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Multi-level marketing businesses like Mary Kay, HerbaLife, and Amway are so ubiquitous, it's almost hard to imagine where they started or how deep the...
ENCORE: Do You Even Grift, Bro? | 161
02 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We’ll be back next week with all-new episodes, but in the meantime, we thought it was the perfect time to revisit our grossest-ever Scamfluencer: Br...
ENCORE: The Memory Maker Part 2 | 160
26 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Teal Swan’s self-help empire is on the rise, and so is the backlash to some of her most controversial techniques. Teal fights back against her criti...
ENCORE: The Memory Maker Part 1 | 159
19 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We’ll be back in two weeks with all-new Scamfluencers episodes. In the meantime, we’re returning to one of our favorites. After surviving a d...
Paul and Patricia Bragg: The Mother of All Wellness Scams | 158
12 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Paul Bragg used showmanship and outrageous claims to grow his health food company into a wellness empire. But after he died in his 90s and passed the ...
Michael Milken: When Junk Was King | 157
05 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Michael Milken is known as the King of Junk Bonds. In the early 80s, he pioneered a novel way to finance companies that traditional investors normally...
Francois-Marie Banier: The French Connection Part 2 | 156
28 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Francois-Marie Banier is facing an uphill battle in French courts when he learns he’s being sued by Liliane Bettencourt’s only daughter, Francoise...
Francois-Marie Banier: The French Connection Part 1 | 155
21 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Francois-Marie Banier overcame indifferent parents to reach the heights of the Parisian art scene. His novels, plays, and photography gained him famou...
Conrad Black: The Fleet Street Fleece | 154
14 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Conrad Black turned ownership of a single Canadian newspaper into a global media empire, and he used his wealth and status to cozy up to conservative ...
Lee Israel: Scammer She Wrote | 153
07 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
After her latest biography flopped, Lee Israel was hard up for money to buy booze and cat food. So, she used her research skills to access celebrity l...
Giancarlo Parretti: The Italian Job | 152
31 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
When Thelma and Louise was being made in the early 1990s, production was in and out of financial trouble. Behind this shortage of cash was an Italian ...
Billy Mitchell: Truth or Kong-sequences | 151
24 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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 2...
ENCORE: The Quarter Horse Queen | 150
17 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We’ll be back next week with all-new episodes but in the meantime we’re bringing back a very timely episode. In 2024, President Biden commuted the...
ENCORE: Gossip Girls | Part II | 149
10 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The Matharoo sisters have gone from globe-trotting tastemakers to detained prisoners. Stuck in an airport hotel without their passports or phones, the...
ENCORE: Gossip Girls | Part 1 | 148
03 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
While we work on some brand-new episodes, we’re returning to one of our very first episodes about two jet-setting sisters from Canada, Kiran and Jyo...
Priscila Barbosa: The Rideshare Robinhood | 147
24 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
When Priscila Barbosa moves to Boston from Brazil in 2018, she sets out to pay off her debts and send money back home by driving for rideshare platfor...
Brian Wansink: Guess Who’s Conning to Dinner | 146
17 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
During the early 2000s Brian Wansink made his mark as a “food psychologist” with quirky studies backed by the USDA and Cornell. His research led t...
The Hitler Hoax | 145
10 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In the early 80s, a German magazine thought it had the scoop of the century: access to Adolf Hitler’s secret diaries. But as soon as excerpts of the...
Eike Batista: Brazillionaire Boys Club | 144
03 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In the early 2000s, Brazilian billionaire Eike Batista was seen as the ultimate mining mogul: he was a speedboat-racing showman and a playboy who like...
Take the Monopoly Money and Run | 143
27 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In the midst of the Great Depression, out-of-work salesman Charles Darrow sold the board game he created, Monopoly, to Parker Brothers. The game was a...
Frédéric Bourdin: No Country For Old Men | 142
20 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In 1997 Beverly Dollarhide hears miraculous news: her missing son, Nicholas, has been found in Spain. But the person she thinks is her teenage son is ...
Apollo Nida: It’s Too Late to Apollo-gize | 141
13 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
When Apollo Nida joined the cast of The Real Housewives of Atlanta in 2009, he’d recently been released from prison and was expecting a child with h...
Joe Francis: Indie Sleaze | 140
06 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Joe Francis created an empire of spring break smut with the “Girls Gone Wild” video series. But the story behind the alcohol-fueled antics is dark...
ENCORE: Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker: The God Fraud | Part 2 | 139
31 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In the second part of this two-part epic, Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker go their separate ways and carve out very different paths — but they both still ...
ENCORE: Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker: The God Fraud | Part 1 | 138
30 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This month a musical featuring a Scamfluencers alum closed its doors on Broadway. Tammy Faye featured music by Elton John and told the story of a tele...
ENCORE: Dr. Oz: Supplement Spin Doctor | 137
23 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Dr. Oz has been making headlines again – but not for a scam. Now that he’s been tapped to run the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, we’...
ENCORE: The Great Syrup Swindle | 136
16 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Be the first to know about Wondery’s newest podcasts, curated recommendations, and more! Sign up now at https://wondery.fm/wonderynewsletterListen t...
John Gluck: Santa Claus is Coming to Con | 135
09 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
At the turn of the century, Manhattan social climber John Gluck stepped in to answer children' s letters to Santa. But as soon as donations started fl...
All Or Nothing: The Rise of Sports Betting | 134
02 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode we examine America’s favorite pastime: gambling. With loosening regulations, the explosion of online betting sites, and the full sup...
The Scamfluencers Holiday Special | 133
25 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Come join Sarah and Scaachi for a very Scamfluencers holiday special. We’ll give thanks to the scammers we’ll never forget, review our naughty and...
Bob Menendez: Bad Romance Part 2 | 132
18 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Senator Bob Menendez and his wife have just been indicted for wheeling and dealing with the government of Egypt, along with many other crimes. In a bi...
Bob Menendez: Bad Romance Part 1 | 131
11 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Bob Menendez rode an anti-corruption reputation to the highest levels of the New Jersey political machine. But as he ascends to the U.S. Senate, he re...
Yolanda Saldívar: Fan Fatale | 130
04 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Yolanda Saldívar’s whole life is Tejano music, especially the genre’s biggest rising star: Selena Quintanilla. Yolanda works her way into Selena’...
Matthew Cox: Main Character Syndrome | 129
28 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Matthew Cox wanted to prove his haters—especially his dad—wrong, so he goes into real estate in Florida and quickly gets involved in “light frau...
There's No Business Like Scam Business | 128
21 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Garth Drabinsky overcomes a sickly childhood to become a world-famous theater producer, bringing big shows like Phantom of the Opera and Joseph and th...
Richard Bandler: The Self-Help Scammer | 127
14 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Fueled by cocaine and daddy issues, Richard Bandler revolutionized self-help by developing an approach called Neuro-Linguistic Programming — which i...
Elon Musk: Too Big to Scam | 124
23 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
When Elon Musk bid to buy Twitter for $44 billion, he made headlines for the mess that followed — including flip flopping on the deal and immediatel...
Jack Abramoff: Bringing Down the House Part 2 | 123
16 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Jack Abramoff has schemed his way to the top of right-wing politics, skimming off the top of every lobbying deal he makes. But when burned clients exp...
Jack Abramoff: Bringing Down the House Part 1 | 122
09 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Jack Abramoff got his start bending the rules while he was still in elementary school… and never stopped. At first, he works to advance right-wing c...
Kingdom Con: The Vermont Ski Scam | 121
02 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Ski-obsessed Bill Stenger has big dreams for his sleepy Vermont mountain town. He pairs with a wealthy businessman to tap into an obscure government p...
Abby Lee Miller: Scam Like Nobody's Watching | 120
26 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Before she became the most infamous dance teacher in America, Abby Lee Miller ran a struggling dance studio in Pittsburgh. Shortly after declaring ban...
Lance Armstrong: Tour De Fraud | 116
29 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Lance Armstrong’s determination to win helps him survive cancer and become cycling’s biggest star in the early 2000s. But his ruthless desire to b...
The Great British Post Office Scandal | 115
22 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In the late 90s, the UK Post Office rolls out a new computer accounting system they know is full of glitches. Then, it spends two decades covering up ...
Barbie's Schemehouse | 114
15 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Ruth Handler is a mom and small business owner when a sex doll gives her inspiration for a toy that will change everything: Barbie. She becomes the pr...
Allen Stanford: The Lord of the Lies | 113
08 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
After a Texas oil bust forces him into bankruptcy, Allen Stanford looked abroad for a new opportunity: starting an off-shore bank in Antigua and using...
Steve Madden: The Cobbler Con | 109
10 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Steve Madden transforms from Long Island screw-up to fashion icon thanks to an eye for fashionable footwear and an addiction to work. But to get his s...
Leona Helmsley: The Art of the Steal Part 1 | 101
15 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Leona Helmsley escapes Depression-era poverty by marrying billionaire real estate magnate Harry Helmsley. She takes over his Manhattan hotels and decl...
Have Your Cake and Eat It, Too | 100
08 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Sandy Jenkins moves to the gossipy, small town of Corsicana, Texas to work in the town’s world-famous fruitcake factory. Desperate to keep up with h...
Dial M for Mom | 98
25 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
When ex-cop Chris Butler opens a private investigation agency, he recruits some unlikely employees: good-looking soccer moms. His agency starts garner...
The Shark Tank Charlatan | 93
19 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Nate Holzapfel is a natural salesman. When he goes on the television show “Shark Tank” in 2012, he wows investors with his line of ratchet-style b...