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PODCAST

Scamfluencers

You never really know someone…especially online. In today’s world, the power of influence can be the quickest path to money and fame, and it often ends in ruin. These are the stories of the world’s most insidious Scamfluencers. And we are their prey. On Wondery’s new weekly series, join co-hosts Scaachi Koul and Sarah Hagi as they unpack epic stories of deception from the worlds of social media, fashion, finance, health, and wellness. These influencers claim to be everything from charismatic

society & culture

All Episodes

00:45:05

Richard Bandler: The Self-Help Scammer

Scamfluencers ·

2024/10/14

Fueled by cocaine and daddy issues, Richard Bandler revolutionized self-help by developing an approach called Neuro-Linguistic Programming — which is essentially mental manipulation. Richard got his start in the 1970s, and his books and controversial workshops gained thousands of followers and made him rich. But his addictions isolated him from his friends and family, and led him to get caught up in a gruesome crime. Richard may not have practiced what he taught, but NLP has inspired many, including

en

00:05:45

Listen Now: Kill List

Scamfluencers ·

2024/10/08

In the depths of the dark net, tech journalist Carl Miller makes a disturbing discovery: a secret Kill List targeting hundreds of innocent people on a murder for hire website. When the police decide not to investigate, Carl is thrown into a race against time to warn those in danger and uncover the truth about the people who want them dead. From Wondery and Novel, comes a true story about obsession, control and the price of life and death. Listen to Kill List on the Wondery App or wherever you

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00:44:30

ENCORE: The Bitcoin Bamboozle

Scamfluencers ·

2024/10/07

The ultimate cringey crypto couple has fessed up to their crimes and are now testifying against other con artists. We’re looking back on how Ilya Lichtenstein and Heather “Razzlekahn” Morgan hacked a major cryptocurrency exchange in the summer of 2016 and ran off with billions of dollars worth of Bitcoin. The stolen crypto sat unspent for months, and the crime seemed all but impossible to trace… until two surprisingly savvy federal agents began investigating on the black market. As they followed the

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00:44:09

ENCORE: Long Island Liars

Scamfluencers ·

2024/09/30

The Lottery Lawyer’s luck has run out: Jason Kurland is now behind bars. We revisit how he went from a Long Island real estate lawyer to eventually representing major lottery winners. He claimed to help new millionaires and billionaires manage their wealth. But once these unsuspecting winners gave Jason access to their bank accounts, their sudden good fortune started to look like a curse. And Jason and his buddies felt like they hit the jackpot.Listen to Scamfluencers on the Wondery App or

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00:07:37

Listen Now - Criminal Attorney

Scamfluencers ·

2024/09/24

Paul Bergrin is a hotshot criminal defense attorney in Newark, New Jersey. Seemingly unstoppable and with unorthodox methods, he’s built a reputation for getting his clients off the hook. But as Paul's legend grows, so do the suspicions swirling around him. When FBI Agent Shawn Brokos starts investigating a major drug ring, she makes a shocking discovery: the gang's most powerful player is none other than Newark’s star attorney. Has the ex-federal prosecutor crossed the line and started committing

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00:40:31

Elon Musk: Too Big to Scam

Scamfluencers ·

2024/09/23

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 immediately firing most of the site’s employees. In this special episode of Scamfluencers, Scaachi Koul talks with New York Times reporters Kate Conger and Ryan Mac about their new book Character Limit: How Elon Musk Destroyed Twitter. They explain how Musk leveraged his Silicon Valley clout to take over, and tank, everyone’s favorite hellsite and we’re left

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00:40:00

Jack Abramoff: Bringing Down the House Part 2

Scamfluencers ·

2024/09/16

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 expose his scam to Congress, Jack is forced to answer to elected officials who have actually stuck to their convictions. He still considers himself a hero, even as his circle of DC power players gets taken down. And even a stint behind bars can’t stop Jack’s impulsive need to lie, cheat, and steal, even as he tries to stage a comeback tour. Listen to

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00:08:13

Listen Now - Empire City: The Untold Origin Story of...

Scamfluencers ·

2024/09/10

At a time when we’re debating where policing is going, we’re going to tell you where the police came from. Guided by Peabody award-winning host Chenjerai Kumanyika, Empire City will provide the ﬁrst accessible narrative history of the American police and its place in popular culture. Who are the police? And why were police departments created in the ﬁrst place? To ﬁnd answers, we’re going to tell the origin story of the largest police force in the world: The NYPD. We begin in the late 1800’s at a

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00:43:06

Jack Abramoff: Bringing Down the House Part 1

Scamfluencers ·

2024/09/09

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 causes he believes in. Jack’s principles start to fade once he finds his true calling: using pay-to-play politics to amass wealth and power for himself and his friends. Years before calls to drain the swamp, Jack Abramoff was The Swamp Thing. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at

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00:45:55

Kingdom Con: The Vermont Ski Scam

Scamfluencers ·

2024/09/02

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 program that funnels millions from foreign investors looking to fast-track their visa applications. Bill and Ariel turn their ski resort into a year-round tourist attraction and create thousands of jobs… but millions of dollars are unaccounted for. When troubled investors band together, they discover their money is hiding in a mountain of fraud. See

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00:48:17

Abby Lee Miller: Scam Like Nobody's Watching

Scamfluencers ·

2024/08/26

Before she became the most infamous dance teacher in America, Abby Lee Miller ran a struggling dance studio in Pittsburgh. Shortly after declaring bankruptcy, she gets the break of a lifetime: she’s cast as the lead in Dance Moms. She becomes a reality TV star overnight, and even as she leads young dancers to stardom in front of millions of viewers — fighting their moms every step of the way — she schemes to keep her newfound wealth a secret from the courts. And when curtain finally falls on her

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00:40:45

ENCORE: Brooklyn's Bling Bishop

Scamfluencers ·

2024/08/19

Now that Lamor Whitehead has been sent to prison, we return to his Biblical fall from grace. In 2006, Lamor gets arrested while wearing a mink coat, prompting the New York post to dub him a “high roller.” But after a stint in prison, Lamor reinvents himself as a man of God. He starts his own for-profit ministry called Leaders of Tomorrow and befriends some very influential people, including New York politician Eric Adams. But Lamor never lets go of his flashy lifestyle. After he gets robbed while

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00:44:38

ENCORE: Chess Cheater

Scamfluencers ·

2024/08/12

It’s been more than a year since Hans Niemann’s cheating scandal rocked the chess world and we’re looking back to see if the bad boy of chess has been redeemed. From a young age, Hans knows he loves chess and wants to face off against his hero, Magnus Carlsen. Hans grows into a brash and intense player who makes questionable moves during online chess tournaments. When he finally gets the opportunity to compete against Magnus, their egos and ambitions collide, threatening to tarnish both of their

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00:37:34

ENCORE: Prep School Perpetrator

Scamfluencers ·

2024/08/05

We’re revisiting the story of prep-girl-gone-bad Danielle Miller now that her jet-setting scamming has landed her in prison. After being humiliated and exploited at her elite New York City prep school, Danielle sets out to reinvent herself. She ends up befriending a group of young socialites in Los Angeles, and before long, she’s flying on private jets, picking up pricey dinner tabs, and running her own P.R. firm. But when Danielle is arrested crossing into the U.S. border from Mexico, the source of

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00:44:34

Lance Armstrong: Tour De Fraud

Scamfluencers ·

2024/07/29

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 him to a historic Tour de France winning streak—but requires an elaborate cover-up that includes bullying anyone who tries to expose him, even his teammates. After he’s exposed and falls from grace, his pride and stubbornness makes his apology tour feel more like backpedaling to save his

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00:06:42

Listen Now: Hysterical

Scamfluencers ·

2024/07/23

Hysterical investigates a mysterious illness that spreads among a group of high school girls in upstate New York. What is causing their sudden, often violent symptoms? Is there something in the water or inside the school? Or is it “all in their head?” The series examines the outbreak in LeRoy, NY, believed by some to be the most severe case of mass hysteria since the Salem Witch Trials. In his search for answers, Dan Taberski (9/12, Missing Richard Simmons, Running from Cops) explores other

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00:42:47

The Great British Post Office Scandal

Scamfluencers ·

2024/07/22

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 its mistake. When small, mom-and-pop shop owners report errors, the Post Office blames them and forces them to cover any losses… or face prosecution, or jail. But a relentless, rag-tag team of owners and journalists team up to fight the powers that be, and inspire a TV producer to expose the greatest government scam in UK history.Listen to

en

00:42:45

Barbie's Schemehouse

Scamfluencers ·

2024/07/15

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 proto-Girl Boss who’s willing to lie, cheat and steal to make Mattel the biggest toy company in the world. And she’s having a good day every day, until shareholders and the SEC catch her making pretend with business documents.Listen to Scamfluencers on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen early and ad-free on Wondery+

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00:44:55

Allen Stanford: The Lord of the Lies

Scamfluencers ·

2024/07/08

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 client money as his own personal piggybank. Soon, he’s spending billions on private planes, his own cricket grounds and estates all over the world. To keep his scheme going, he bullies his coworkers, makes blood oaths with regulators, and threatens to punch reporters in the mouth. But when the global financial crisis hits in 2008, Allen’s bravado is

en

00:47:22

Spiro Agnew: Public Enemy Number Two

Scamfluencers ·

2024/07/01

Maryland Republican Spiro Agnew is a crook. He rose from Baltimore County Zoning Board Chair to Vice President of the United Sates in under a decade—accepting cash bribes the entire time. When a state investigation threatens to take him down, Spiro hides behind President Nixon’s explosive Watergate scandal to hide his crimes and disappear from public memory… almost.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

en

222 results

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