Scamfluencers
Scamfluencers is a podcast that explores the stories of the world's most insidious online scammers and influencers. Hosted by Scaachi Koul and Sarah Hagi, it delves into deception in social media, fashion, finance, health, and wellness. Each episode examines how these figures gain trust and the impact on their victims. The podcast is produced by Audible.
Episodes
Listen Now: Audible True Crime
Introducing Audible True Crime, a dedicated podcast feed where we bring you the best podcasts in true crime, with episodes dropping every single week. Find your next bingeable series about unsolved murders, cold cases, scams and mysteries. This is the cream of the crop of Audible podcasts, featuring award-winning series and soon-to-be favorites. Stop pestering your friends or searching “b
Sam Israel: Greed Is Good Part 2 | 228
This is part two of our series about Sam Israel – a wealthy hedge fund manager whose company starts quickly hemorrhaging money. Rather than admit defeat, Sam lies to his clients, and when they start asking questions, he bets everything on a conspiracy theorist named Roberth Booth Nichols. What follows is stranger than fiction, involving buried treasure, fake identities, a plot involving t
Sam Israel: Greed Is Good Part 1 | 227
Sam Israel was born into wealth, but he wanted to prove he could make it on Wall Street on his own. So he started a hedge fund – and almost immediately started losing money. But instead of admitting failure to his investors, he decided to lie. Eventually those lies spiraled into a $450 million fraud, a faked suicide, and a wild descent into a secret world of black-ops and dangerous con me
Miracle Children: The Price of Admission | 226
T.M Landry was a small independent school in Louisiana that gained national fame for sending kids from disadvantaged backgrounds to Ivy League schools. The viral videos were inspiring. The acceptance letters were real. But behind the scenes, the school doctored transcripts and fabricated personal stories to get students in – and behind closed doors, students endured psychological and phys
Juliette D’Souza: The Sham Shaman | 225
Juliette D’Souza had no medical degree and no spiritual training – but she convinced her clients she was a gifted healer and shaman. For more than a decade, her natural charm gave her control over her followers and their life savings. But when one victim stumbles onto the truth while trying to feed Juliette’s pet monkey, her spell starts to crack. Her victims band together to bring her do
Martin Armstrong: The Man Who Bet Billions on Pi | 224
Martin Armstrong is a Wall Street outsider who builds a financial prediction model with a hidden connection to the number pi. And whether it’s fortune-telling or just a fluke, Martin’s system really does predict some major economic events. His discovery attracts billions in investor funds and gives him the confidence to make bets no rational person would make. But when those bets fail, Ma
The Wildenstein Family Part 2: The Art of the Steal | 223
In our last episode, we followed the Wildenstein family over the span of four generations as they came to dominate the art world. The family prized success – and secrecy – above all else. But when the Wildenstein men attempt to cast aside the women they brought into their fold, leaving them with nothing, these women are going to fight back using the one thing the family fears most: public
The Wildenstein Family Part 1: The Art of the Steal | 222
For over a century, the Wildenstein family has quietly dominated the art world, amassing one of the largest private collections ever assembled while most people have never even heard their name. The anonymity isn’t an accident; it’s a strategy. Because what they are hiding is enormous: a sprawling fortune built on secrecy, tax evasion, stolen masterpieces and alleged Nazi collaboration. F
Bill Mize: The Car Crash King | 221
Bill Mize always believed he was destined for fortune – he just couldn’t figure out how to get it. After flaming out as a restaurateur and drug dealer, Bill finally found his calling: orchestrating a sprawling fraud ring of staged slip-in-falls and car wrecks for insurance money. He recruited his closest friends and family into the scheme, then skimmed some of their portion of the payouts
Trevor Milton: The Elon Musk of Semi-Trucks | 220
Trevor Milton called himself a serial entrepreneur and his playbook was simple: pick a futuristic idea, promise it will change the world… then talk about it constantly online. His biggest pitch was an emissions-free semi-truck that would make diesel engines obsolete. Investors poured in billions of dollars. But Trevor spent far more time selling the dream than building the truck – and soo
John McAfee: The Antisocial Virus | 219
John McAfee was a brilliant but volatile programmer who helped pioneer antivirus software, making himself a fortune in the early days of personal computing. But he had an addictive personality and a short attention span, so after walking away from cybersecurity, he spent his life chasing bigger thrills, taking wilder risks, and getting into trouble in multiple countries. Behind the scenes
ENCORE: Lance Armstrong: Tour De Fraud | 218
We’ll be back next week with new episodes. In the meantime, in honor of next month’s Tour de France, we’re revisiting one of the most infamous sports scandals of the early 2000s: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 be the best leads him to create a secret cheating scheme. It fuels h
ENCORE: Rod Blagojevich: All the Governor’s Men | 217
We’ll be back soon with all new episodes. In the meantime, enjoy this episode about Rod Blagojevich, the infamous governor of Illinois who used his office to line his pockets.Rod Blagojevich is an ambitious son of immigrants who knows how to win over a crowd. After marrying the daughter of a powerful alderman, he rises through the ranks of Illinois politics. He gets elected governor in 20
ENCORE: Jho Low: How to Buy Friends and Influence People | 216
We’ll be back soon with new episodes. In the meantime, enjoy this episode about Jho Low, the fraudster who charmed Hollywood’s elite while allegedly stealing over $4 billion from one of Malaysia’s sovereign wealth funds.Jho Low, a Malaysian-born businessman, will do anything to climb the social ladder. After attending Wharton business school, he establishes himself as a globe-trotting pla
Kyle Sandler: The Alabama Startup Scam | 215
Kyle Sandler spent much of his life searching – for an identity, for a purpose, for a place where he fit in. But when he discovers he has a gift for sales, everything changes. Kyle takes his talents to a small town in Alabama, where he opens Round House, a startup incubator that promises to put his new community on the tech map. Armed with big-name drops – including an alleged connection
Marianne Smyth: The Fake Irish Heiress | 214
For years, globe-trotting con artist Marianne Smyth used her charm to manipulate the people closest to her – including her own daughters. Her scam was a classic: she told people she was an Irish heiress with millions on the way, and all she needed was to borrow a little cash to unlock her fortune. People believed her – over and over again. But when she targets reality TV producer Jonathan
Efraim Diveroli and David Packouz: A Farewell to Arms | 213
Efraim Diveroli and David Packouz were two Miami Beach stoners with zero military experience and absolutely no background in military procurement – but they had audacity to spare. The childhood friends hustled their way into nearly $300 million in Pentagon contracts, supplying ammunition to the Afghan army. They raked in millions along the way, blowing their profits on bayfront condos, lu
Bess Myerson: Miss America on Trial | 212
Bess Myerson rose to fame as the first - and still only - Jewish Miss America, antisemitism on the pageant circuit. She parlayed this visibility into a successful television career, then made the leap into New York City politics in the 1970s. But in the 1980s, her carefully built reputation began to unravel in a sensational scandal involving her married boyfriend, his divorce judge, and a
Eddie Antar: The Criminal Antics of Crazy Eddie | 211
Eddie Antar was the king of the deal, the man whose ads screamed at you from your TV set promising prices so low they were practically insane. He turned Crazy Eddie into a retail phenomenon, making himself and his family incredibly wealthy by hawking stereos, TVs and electronics at seemingly unbeatable prices. The brand's wildly memorable commercials became some of the most iconic ads in
William Neil Gallagher: The Money Doctor | 210
William Neil Gallagher has been called the Bernie Madoff of North Texas. But while both men defrauded millions of people, William added an evangelical twist. Presenting himself as a devout man of God, he promised his flock financial security – then quietly stole their retirement accounts and savings, transforming from a shepherd into a wolf. When the truth finally emerged, the faithful le
Sean Kingston: Beautiful Lies | 209
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 with artists like Justin Bieber. But behind the glossy image was a far darker reality. Before Sean’s career even took off, his mother and sister had served time for identity theft. And when the money from his music could no longer cover the famil
Dana Giacchetto - Swindler to the Stars | 208
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 the same orbit as rising stars like Leonardo DiCaprio. But Dana’s real addiction wasn’t wealth – it was the scene. Positioning himself as a punk rock money manager, Dana blurred the line between business and nightlife, chasing clout as much as retu
ENCORE: Making Up The Grade: The College Admissions Scandal | 207
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 richest families in Hollywood.Rick Singer is a college admissions consultant whose elaborate, secretive network of college coaches and admissions officers can rig the system to get rich kids into top tier schools of their parents’ choosing… for a pr
ENCORE: Ozy Media: Pivot to Fraud | 206
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 vision ran on even bigger lies.Carlos Watson is a Stanford Law School graduate with big Silicon Valley connections and even bigger dreams. When he pitches investors on his idea for a Millennial-focused news website called Ozy Media, it seems lik
ENCORE: Melissa Caddick: Trouble Afoot | 205
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….and then disappeared without a trace.Melissa Caddick has always dreamed of doing big things. When she becomes a high-powered financial planner, she’s finally able to buy a huge house, take extravagant vacations, and live the life of an Australia
Bernard Lafferty: The Billionaire Butler | 204
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, fortune hunters, and even a dictator or two. But in her final years, the real drama unfolded behind closed doors. As Doris’s health declined, a bitter power struggle erupted for control of her fortune, her legacy and her trust. At the center
Pat Nolan: Here Comes the Bribe | 203
In the 1980s, Pat Nolan was one of California’s most powerful conservative lawmakers – pushing to shrink the government and expand the death penalty, while quickly climbing the political ladder. He was ambitious, disciplined…and according to the FBI, dirty. Behind closed doors Pat took illegal campaign donations in a scheme so blatant it became the centerpiece of a sweeping federal sting
The Salt Path: A Long Walk From the Truth | 202
In 2018, a previously unknown writer named Sally Walker became a literary sensation in the UK under the pseudonym Raynor Winn. Her memoir – a stirring account of walking the South West Coast Path with her terminally ill husband – struck a cultural nerve. It was gritty, inspirational, and defiantly hopeful. Readers embraced its message of resilience and redemption, and the book went on to
Jerry Jacobson: The Real Hamburglar | 201
Since its launch in 1987, McDonald’s Monopoly game has become a cultural obsession, with millions of people buying Big Macs and fries, convinced they might be one peel away from a million-dollar payday. But for nearly a decade, the jackpot was unwinnable. The man responsible for distributing the pieces, Jerry Jacobson, was quietly stealing them and selling them for profit. And like every
Matt Bergwall: Return to Sender | 200
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 corporate refund systems, he turns it into a multimillion dollar scam that quietly siphons money from some of the world’s biggest corporations. Matt spends the stolen cash on designer clothes, luxury goods, and lavish vacations. But as the sc
Napoleon Hill: The Self-Help Scammer Scion | 199
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. Obsessed with becoming rich and famous, he eventually pulled it off with his book, Think and Grow Rich, which became the template for modern mindset scams. Its legacy runs straight through Tony Robbins, The Secret, and every manifest-your-mi
Brittish Williams: Out of Bounds | 198
Brittish Williams was an instant standout when she first joined the cast of VH1’s Basketball Wives, a reality series following the wives, girlfriends and exes of professional basketball players. Her relationship with international basketball player Lorenzo Gordon – and her determination to overcome a troubled childhood – quickly resonated with viewers. More than a decade after being kicke
Charlie Javice: Fake It Til You Make It | 197
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 raised money for a series of startups that claimed to help people in need – culminating in Frank, a company designed to help students access financial aid. But after years of playing the “fake it ‘til you make it game,” a big bank finally calls h
ENCORE: Billy Mitchell: Truth or Kong-sequences | 196
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 was king.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 2000s, a documentary about an upstart trying to be the best at Donkey Kong leads fans to ex
ENCORE: Sandy Jenkins: Have Your Cake And Steal It, Too | 195
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. Sandy Jenkins moves to the gossipy, small town of Corsicana, Texas to work in its world-famous fruitcake factory. Desperate to keep up with his cliquey neighbors, Sandy starts cutting himself checks to pay for jewelry, cars, a second home
Lawless Planet: A Polygamist Cult-Leader’s Billion-Dollar Biofuel Scam | 194
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. Lawless Planet is a podcast about the scams, crimes, and cover-ups fueling the climate crisis, and the battle between those trying to save the planet…and those cashing in on its destruction.Today’s episode tells the story of the biggest biofuel
The Cipriani Family: Bribes and Bellinis | 193
For nearly a century the Cipriani family has served celebrities, royalty, and cultural icons. Since opening their first restaurant in Venice in 1931, they’ve helped shape fine dining and invent dishes that became global classics. But as the Cipriani empire expanded, so did the scandals – including union busting, tax evasion, and alleged mob connections. Turns out the Cipriani recipe for s
Calvin Darden Jr.: The Flashy Failson Fraud | 192
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 next before anyone knew what hit them. His rise reveals deeper issues inside early-2000s Wall Street, where firms – eager to cash in on Black celebrities, athletes and entertainers – were desperate for “insiders” who could open doors. So whe
Clifford Irving: The Howard Hughes Hoax | 191
In the early 1970s, struggling author Clifford Irving tries to escape obscurity by writing a tell-all biography of the famously unreachable Howard Hughes. The catch? Clifford has never spoken to Howard and doesn’t have access to him. He proceeds anyway, betting that Howard’s reclusive nature will keep him from coming forward and debunking the book. But it turns out that even eccentric bil
Alan Todd May: Black Gold, Red Flags | 190
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 Texas oil man. When the authorities finally catch on, May doesn’t just surrender – he stages his most outrageous con yet: a prison escape. On the run, he reinvents himself once again, and settles into Florida high society, where he flaunts his
Studio 54: Tax Evasion! At the Disco | 189
In the 1970s, Studio 54 stood as the ultimate temple of disco, decadence, and hedonism. Lifelong friends and business partners Steve Rubell and Ian Schrager curated a coveted guest list, deciding who slipped past the velvet rope into a celebrity-studded playground that attracted everyone from Cher to Truman Capote to Imelda Marcos. But while Steve and Ian were meticulous about crafting th
Rick & Rosario Ames: The Spy Who Told Too Much | 188
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, Rick just kept failing up. As he landed bigger and better assignments, he saw an opportunity to turn his access to Soviet-era secrets into cold, hard cash. For nearly a decade he sold classified intelligence to the KGB in exchange for a life
ENCORE: Mike Milken: When Junk Was King | 187
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 Street excess – and revisiting the story of the “Junk Bond King,” Michael Milken. In the early 80s, Michael Milken pioneered a novel way to finance companies that traditional investors normally wouldn’t touch. His high-risk, high-reward investing
ENCORE: Bob Menendez: Bad Romance Part 2 | 186
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 bid to save his career, Bob throws his co-conspirators under the bus—including his wife, Nadine. But after decades avoiding consequences, Bob faces a mountain of evidence in court. He’s about to go from lion of the Senate to major liability.Se
ENCORE: Bob Menendez: Bad Romance Part 1 | 185
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 headlines recently – and we’ve added some updates since this story first aired.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 realizes he can raise
Natalie Cochran: The Pharmacist Femme Fatale Part 2 | 184
When her Ponzi scheme starts to crumble – and her husband dies under mysterious circumstances – Natalie Cochran plays the perfect victim: a widowed mother of two, supposedly battling cancer while grieving her sudden loss. But behind her tears is a master manipulator. And soon, Natalie will face questions she can’t lie her way out of – from federal investigators and the national media.Be t
Natalie Cochran: The Pharmacist Femme Fatale Part 1 | 183
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 “government contractor” – and suddenly starts raking in cash – her life starts looking a little too good to be true. Behind the scenes, Natalie is running an elaborate con: one with fake government contracts, fake cancer, and a real trail of victi
Mark Hofmann: The Mormon Murderer | 182
Mark Hofmann, a lifelong Mormon, skyrockets to local fame by uncovering “historical” documents that challenge core LDS Church narratives. He sells the documents to the church, claiming he’s protecting it from scandal—but the truth is much darker. The documents are forgeries, and Mark is a closet atheist and master con artist. And when his double life is about to be exposed, he takes drast
Imelda Marcos: The First Lady of Excess Part 2 | 181
After declaring martial law in 1972, Ferdinand Marcos cemented his dictatorship over the Philippines – jailing opponents, silencing dissent, and amassing untold wealth with his wife, Imelda. But as the country’s economy buckled, the Filipino people pushed back through protests, lawsuits, and international pressure. When Ferdinand’s health starts to decline, Imelda launches a campaign to s
Imelda Marcos: The First Lady of Excess Part 1 | 180
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 diamonds as she was infamous for the fortune that she and her husband, President Ferdinand Marcos, stole from their country. While Imelda jet-setted around the globe on the public dime, ordinary Filipinos struggled under a collapsing economy. When
Wayne LaPierre: America’s Hired (and Fired) Gun | 179
Wayne LaPierre spent decades at the helm of the National Rifle Association, transforming it into one of the most powerful lobbying groups in America. But behind his carefully crafted image as a gun-toting cowboy was a man who barely knew how to fire a weapon. LaPierre’s true loyalty was never to guns—or even to the NRA—but to himself. He raised millions from devoted members, then siphoned
Andrew Caspersen: Rich People Problems | 178
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 finance. But behind his polished image was a spiral of drinking, gambling, and reckless bets on the stock market. Soon, his risky trades won’t just drain his own fortune – they’ll cost his friends and family millions.Be the first to know about Won
Brian Reader and the Diamond Wheezers: The Geriatric Jewel Thieves | 177
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 tabloid sensation. By the 2010s, his glory days were long gone – but when the lure of one final big score proved irresistible, Reader and a crew of aging criminals plotted one last job over Easter weekend in 2015. But the heist that was meant to cement
Jan Lewan: From Polka Dreams to Ponzi Schemes | 176
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 the American dream. Fueled by his charm and charisma, he performs for presidents, gets nominated for a Grammy, and attracts a devoted following. But like any good showbiz story, there’s a dark underbelly to Jan’s world: he uses his fanbase to
ENCORE: Three Weddings and a Funeral: Part 2 | 175
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 not quite glamorous enough for him. So he decides to transform once again, this time into a billionaire heir: a Rockefeller. With his new last name, he meets the woman of his dreams and settles into the leisurely life he’s always wanted. But w
ENCORE: Three Weddings and a Funeral: Part 1 | 174
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, Christian Karl Gerhartsreiter leaves his small Bavarian village in pursuit of the American dream. He enrolls in high school in Connecticut and tries to impress his classmates with fake accents, fancy suits, and grandiose stories. Over the years,
ENCORE: George Santos: Putting the "Con" in Congress | 173
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 what to believe about George Santos’ wild origin story. Since being elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2022, almost every facet of his life has been called into question — from his name and religious background to his former marriage
ENCORE: The Pop Star and the Power Broker: Part 2 | 172
As Erika Jayne’s pop star career blossoms, questions continue to mount about her husband Tom Girardi’s finances and his legal practice. His clients have been waiting in limbo to receive the settlement money owed to them, and they’re not the only ones getting angry with Tom. In the finale to this two-part series, Tom’s own legal woes overshadow his storied career. The revelations from mult
ENCORE: The Pop Star and the Power Broker: Part 1 | 171
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 being a do-gooder lawyer like his childhood hero on the TV show “Perry Mason.” When he starts his own legal firm in the 1960s, he does just that, representing clients against the huge corporations that wronged them. One of his biggest cases even g
Doris Payne: Diamonds are a Girl’s Best Grift | 170
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 decades, she executed heists across nine countries, with thefts totalling an estimated $2 million. She spent her life dodging the FBI, Interpol, and countless precincts all over the U.S. by being fabulous, charming, and absolutely relentless
Guo Wengui: The Temu Trump | 169
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 apartment and a luxury superyacht, Guo publicly decries corruption in the CCP, which earns him devoted friends in the MAGA movement. But behind the scenes, Guo’s media company, crypto venture, fashion line, and fledgling rap career are all maski
Pras Michel: The Fugee Felon | 168
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 handsomely rewarded for helping Jho make political connections, but over time Jho’s asks get bigger and the implications far more serious. Eventually, Pras finds himself at the center of a global geopolitical caper involving far-right figures,
Lisette Lee: The Simple Life Of Crime | 167
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 cash isn’t enough to sustain her lifestyle, she manipulates her adoring posse into acting as her drug mules. But her scheme of trafficking weed via private jet raises suspicions, and drug-sniffing dogs are impervious to her charm.Be the first to
Phil Kitzer and the G Men | 166
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 his lavish lifestyle. By the late 70s, Phil’s scam is so prolific that the FBI authorizes the first-ever white collar undercover sting operation. Two young agents join Phil’s entourage and quickly get in way over their heads. With no undercove
Earl Washington: A Rip Off the Old Block | 165
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 an entertainer in Los Angeles. But just like any other artist, his wood carvings need a good origin story, so Earl creates a new identity, a made-up grandfather, and begins selling his blocks on eBay as historical relics rather than his own c
Prince Michael Romanoff: The High Prince of Hollywood | 164
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 this time, he adopts a fabulous new identity: as Prince Michael Romanoff, the last living member of the former Russian ruling family. Everyone knows the new prince is lying about his royal heritage, but he’s such a good hang, he floats from par
Rocky Aoki: Hibachi’s a Bitch and Then You Die | 163
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, he opens his first Benihana restaurant in Manhattan, making sure to entertain his customers via knife-wielding chefs. Rocky builds his business up throughout the 80s, stopping at nothing to make his restaurant empire bullet-proof, but he e
Multi-Level Marketing: Your Product is You | 162
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 their influence goes. In this special episode of Scamfluencers, Sarah Hagi talks with Bridget Read about her new book, Little Bosses Everywhere: How the Pyramid Scheme Shaped America. She spent years researching the origins of the “pyramid sche
ENCORE: Do You Even Grift, Bro? | 161
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: Brian Johnson, aka The Liver King. Brian grows up a scrawny kid who decides to bulk up to avoid being bullied. As an adult, he and his family adopt a “caveman” lifestyle, featuring an extreme diet of mostly raw meat. He becomes an influencer, se
ENCORE: The Memory Maker Part 2 | 160
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 critics, releasing long rebuttals and detailed explainers on YouTube. She even invites a film crew to document her life and hires a private investigator to prove she’s got nothing to hide. But when the findings come out, things will get even more c
ENCORE: The Memory Maker Part 1 | 159
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 difficult childhood, Teal Swan starts a family and reinvents herself as a spiritual leader for the Internet age. She gains a huge following by talking openly about a wide-range of topics, including taboo mental health issues. In her videos, she’s
Paul and Patricia Bragg: The Mother of All Wellness Scams | 158
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 company to his daughter, Patricia, people started asking questions. And soon it’s revealed that Paul and Patricia’s empire was built on a foundation of lies… about their products, and about themselves.Be the first to know about Wondery’s new
Michael Milken: When Junk Was King | 157
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 wouldn’t touch. His high-risk, high-reward investing strategy upended decades of Wall Street norms. And it made celebrities out of Michael and the corporate raiders he funded, like T. Boone Pickens, Rupert Murdoch, and Carl Icahn. Michael d
Francois-Marie Banier: The French Connection Part 2 | 156
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. When the French media learn of the accusations of financial abuse against the L’Oreal heiress, he becomes the butt of a joke, twisting the L’Oreal slogan, “Because he’s worth it.” But thanks to a nosy butler and 20 hours of secret recordings,
Francois-Marie Banier: The French Connection Part 1 | 155
Francois-Marie Banier overcame indifferent parents to reach the heights of the Parisian art scene. His novels, plays, and photography gained him famous friends like Salvadore Dali, Princess Caroline of Monaco, and Johnny Depp. But he’s also known as a striving social climber who seeks the affections of older French women to bankroll his artistic projects. When he’s hired to photograph L’O
Conrad Black: The Fleet Street Fleece | 154
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 superstars like Magaret Thatcher and Henry Kissinger. For years, he and his business partner lived large, looted company coffers to buy gulf stream jets, fund pet charity projects, and of course, throw lavish parties with famous people. But
Lee Israel: Scammer She Wrote | 153
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 letters in prominent archives, stealing them and adding juicy tidbits to hike up their value. The librarians are clueless, and the collectors she sells to are flipping her letters for big bucks. But Lee discovers that the feds are not as char
Giancarlo Parretti: The Italian Job | 152
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 businessman and epic scammer named Giancarlo Parretti, who managed to buy multiple movie studios on two continents through falsified loans from a corrupt bank. Still at large in Italy, Giancarlo seems to be a scammer with nine lives.Be the f
Billy Mitchell: Truth or Kong-sequences | 151
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 2000s, a documentary about an upstart trying to be the best at Donkey Kong leads fans to examine how Billy actually achieved those high scores. Nearly two decades later, the jury is still out on whether Billy was ever truly the King of Kong.S
ENCORE: The Quarter Horse Queen | 150
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