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PODCAST

The Hidden Third

Mariana van Zeller

From Emmy and Peabody Award–winning journalist Mariana van Zeller comes THE HIDDEN THIRD, a weekly dive into the underground markets that quietly power a third of the global economy. Every episode Mariana sits down with people who know these worlds firsthand - the hustlers, smugglers, scammers, kingpins, and those trying to shut them down. The series reveals how they function, why they endure, and the profound ways they impact us all. New episodes drop every Wednesday wherever you get your

society & culture documentary

All Episodes

104:16

Undercover Cop

The Hidden Third ·

2026/03/18

Britt Elmore, former undercover narcotics detective, spent years embedded inside the operations most people only see in crime dramas — building cases against dealers, managing informants, and navigating the moral gray zones that define modern drug enforcement. In this episode, he pulls back the curtain on how undercover operations really work: the mechanics of infiltrating criminal networks, the fragile trust between officers and informants, and how drugs move from international suppliers all the

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103:47

Felon at 7, Reborn in Solitary

The Hidden Third ·

2026/03/11

Sonny Von Cleveland survived years of childhood sexual abuse, 18 years in prison, and 19 months in solitary confinement. But it was in that isolation cell where everything changed — through daily conversations with a Muslim mentor in the cell across from his, Sonny found accountability, forgiveness, and a reason to live differently.Today he mentors at-risk youth in juvenile detention centers across Southern California, serves on Riverside County's Juvenile Justice Coordinating Council, advocates

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122:11

Game Warden vs The Cartel

The Hidden Third ·

2026/03/04

Most people think of America's public lands as a place to hike, camp, or escape. John Nores spent decades learning they were also a war zone.As a Game Warden with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Nores co-developed the Marijuana Enforcement Team (MET) and the CDFW's first wilderness special operations sniper unit — an elite force with a mission most Americans have never heard of: hunting Mexican drug cartels growing toxic marijuana deep inside U.S. national forests, state parks, and

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102:18

The Woman Who Took On Amazon | The Hidden Third with...

The Hidden Third ·

2026/02/25

Go to http://factormeals.com/hiddenthird50off and use code hiddenthird50off to get 50% off and free breakfast for a year. What happens when one of the most powerful corporations in the world – Amazon – decides your family is a threat? Amy Nelson, attorney, mother of four, and founder of The Riveter, found out the hard way: frozen bank accounts, FBI raids, federal subpoenas, and the full weight of the Department of Justice deployed against her family without a single charge being filed. In

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88:05

Ex Neo-Nazi | The Hidden Third with Mariana van Zeller

The Hidden Third ·

2026/02/18

Go to http://expressvpn.com/hiddenthird to secure your online data and get up to four extra months.At 14, Christian Picciolini was a lonely kid from an Italian immigrant family in Chicago when he was recruited into the Chicago Area Skinheads — one of America's first neo-Nazi skinhead groups. By 16, he was leading it. He fronted white power punk bands, helped merge his group with the violent Hammerskin Nation, opened a record store selling hate music, and toured Europe playing to thousands. For

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32:16

From The Kink Machine: The Secret Power Behind Porn

The Hidden Third ·

2026/02/13

On The Hidden Third, we explore the underground worlds and shadowy figures that drive much of the global economy—so today I’m excited to share an excerpt from a new audiobook about one of our culture’s most taboo, most-watched, and least-understood industries: porn. It’s the most watched business in the world. And the least understood. Streamed by millions every day, porn is everywhere. It shapes our culture, our relationships, and even technology. Yet, nobody seems to know who really controls the

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129:15

The Hipster Grifter | The Hidden Third with Mariana...

The Hidden Third ·

2026/02/11

Go to http://selectquote.com/mariana to save more than 50% on term life insurance.Kari Ferrell became known as “The Hipster Grifter” after her cons went viral. In this episode of The Hidden Third, Kari joins me to talk about how her scams worked — from bad checks to stealing from friends and lying about being a cancer survivor — and how things escalated after she moved from Salt Lake City to New York City, where she landed a job at VICE. We dig into what was driving her at the time, how easy it

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131:21

Retired ICE Agent | The Hidden Third with Mariana van...

The Hidden Third ·

2026/02/04

Eric Balliet spent 25 years with the Department of Homeland Security - first with the CBP and then with ICE - arresting dozens of human traffickers, smugglers, and child predators. He led the wiretap strategy that resulted in the arrest of Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzmán—not once, but twice—and was named Federal Law Enforcement Association's Agent of the Year.In this episode, we dive deep into: - His time as a border patrol agent - His investigation into violent militia groups operating on the U.S.-

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132:23

Retired ICE Agent | The Hidden Third with Mariana van...

The Hidden Third ·

2026/02/04

Eric Balliet spent 25 years with the Department of Homeland Security - first with the CBP and then with ICE - arresting dozens of human traffickers, smugglers, and child predators. He led the wiretap strategy that resulted in the arrest of Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzmán—not once, but twice—and was named Federal Law Enforcement Association's Agent of the Year. In this episode, he sits down with Mariana to talk about In this episode, we dive deep into: His time as a border patrol agent His

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95:31

Journalist Jacob Soboroff on Family Separation, ICE...

The Hidden Third ·

2026/01/28

Go to http://selectquote.com/mariana to save more than 50% on term life insurance.Go to http://rocketmoney.com/hiddenthird to reach your financial goals faster. In this episode, I sit down with MS NOW correspondent and bestselling author Jacob Soboroff for a candid conversation about what it takes to report on the stories that shape our country, and the personal cost that comes with it. Jacob shares why he became a journalist, the biggest lessons he's learned in the field, the toll his

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106:16

Xbox Underground Hacker | The Hidden Third with...

The Hidden Third ·

2026/01/21

In this episode of The Hidden Third, Mariana sits down with Arman, an underground hacker involved in the infamous Xbox Underground case -- an alleged conspiracy federal investigators said targeted Microsoft and its partners and was valued by the FBI at more than $100 million. Arman says he’s been hacking since he could type. Diagnosed with ADD, he found an early obsession and talent in computer programming, spending months in grade school learning how to break into systems most people didn’t even

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99:10

USC Athlete Turned Cocaine Kingpin | The Hidden Third...

The Hidden Third ·

2026/01/14

This week on The Hidden Third, I sit down with Owen Hanson, known as “O-Dog” — a former USC athlete whose hunger to win at all costs spiraled into a criminal operation spanning sports betting, drug trafficking, and money laundering.Hanson’s story was recently featured in Mark Wahlberg’s docu-series Cocaine Quarterback. But this conversation goes deeper than the headlines. He tells me how it started with his own performance-enhancing drug use — and how, in his early twenties, it escalated into a

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88:48

Anna Delvey / Fake Heiress | The Hidden Third with...

The Hidden Third ·

2026/01/07

This week on The Hidden Third, I speak to Anna Sorokin, better known as “Anna Delvey”, the infamous “fake heiress” whose real-life story was later dramatized in Netflix’s “Inventing Anna”.Anna posed as a wealthy German socialite, worked her way into New York’s elite circles, and used deception and manipulation to get banks, luxury hotels, and even friends to bankroll her lifestyle – a modern case study in scams, grifting, and image. She was convicted of theft of services and grand larceny and

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131:32

Embezzler Turned Prison Entrepreneur | The Hidden...

The Hidden Third ·

2025/12/17

Justin Paperny is a former stockbroker turned convicted felon. In this episode, he takes Mariana from the schemes that landed him in federal prison to how he now coaches white-collar criminals on surviving incarceration and rebuilding their lives.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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90:09

Father vs. Child Predators | The Hidden Third with...

The Hidden Third ·

2025/12/10

Todd Thomas’s daughter was 12 when he discovered she was being groomed by a child predator. What he did next changed the course of his life. Mariana talks to Todd about the moment he found out, the choices he made, the failures that let this happen, and how he’s turned pain into purpose.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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100:12

Jeffrey Epstein Survivor | The Hidden Third with...

The Hidden Third ·

2025/12/03

Go to http://expressvpn.com/hiddenthird to find out how you can get up to four extra months. At 21, Lisa Phillips was assaulted by Jeffrey Epstein, an ordeal that marked the start of years of grooming and manipulation. In this conversation with Mariana, she opens up about the trauma she endured, the system that enabled it, and her ongoing fight for justice.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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112:57

Russian Sex Spy | The Hidden Third with Mariana van...

The Hidden Third ·

2025/11/19

This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Go to http://betterhelp.com/mariana for 10% off your first month.Aliia Roza says she was trained by Russian intelligence in “sexpionage” and later defected after falling in love with one of her targets. She shares her straight-out-of-Hollywood story with Mariana. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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87:55

From Addict to Ironman | The Hidden Third with...

The Hidden Third ·

2025/11/12

Rob Archuleta takes Mariana from his meth-fueled days in Las Vegas to the grueling yet rewarding crucible of Ironman, tracing why he quit drugs and how the scrappy running club he founded, Addict2Athlete, is transforming lives.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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57:15

Body-Brokering Survivor - The Hidden Third with...

The Hidden Third ·

2025/11/05

This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Go to http://betterhelp.com/mariana for 10% off your first month.At 23, Sequoyah Thiessen moved to L.A., believing the “Rehab Riviera” would help her kick opioids. Instead, she was pulled into the shadow economy of fraudulent rehab programs, where people in crisis are bought and sold on a multi-billion-dollar black market. She sits down with Mariana to talk about how this dangerous underworld works, who profits, and the way she turned her life around.

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125:03

Bookie from the Ohtani Baseball Scandal | The Hidden...

The Hidden Third ·

2025/10/29

Days before reporting to prison, Mathew Bowyer, the bookie at the center of the Shohei Ohtani gambling scandal, sits down with Mariana to walk her through his illegal betting operation, why it collapsed, and what he believes Ohtani knew.

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24 results

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