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Scamfluencers
Scamfluencers
Wondery

You never really know someone…especially online. In today’s world, the power of influence can be the quickest path to money and fame,... more

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Episodes

Yolanda Saldívar: Fan Fatale

Yolanda Saldívar’s whole life is Tejano music, especially the genre’s biggest rising star: Selena Quintanilla. Yolanda works her way into... more

04 Nov 2024 · 44 minutes
Matthew Cox: Main Character Syndrome

Matthew Cox wanted to prove his haters—especially his dad—wrong, so he goes into real estate in Florida and quickly gets... more

28 Oct 2024 · 46 minutes
Listen Now: MrBallen's Medical Mysteries

The human body is a miracle. But when it’s not working, it can be the stuff of nightmares. On this... more

22 Oct 2024 · 8 minutes
There's No Business Like Scam Business

Garth Drabinsky overcomes a sickly childhood to become a world-famous theater producer, bringing big shows like Phantom of the Opera... more

21 Oct 2024 · 43 minutes
Richard Bandler: The Self-Help Scammer

Fueled by cocaine and daddy issues, Richard Bandler revolutionized self-help by developing an approach called Neuro-Linguistic Programming — which is... more

14 Oct 2024 · 45 minutes
Listen Now: Kill List

In the depths of the dark net, tech journalist Carl Miller makes a disturbing discovery: a secret Kill List targeting... more

08 Oct 2024 · 5 minutes
ENCORE: The Bitcoin Bamboozle

The ultimate cringey crypto couple has fessed up to their crimes and are now testifying against other con artists. We’re... more

07 Oct 2024 · 44 minutes
ENCORE: Long Island Liars

The Lottery Lawyer’s luck has run out: Jason Kurland is now behind bars. We revisit how he went from a... more

30 Sep 2024 · 44 minutes
Elon Musk: Too Big to Scam

When Elon Musk bid to buy Twitter for $44 billion, he made headlines for the mess that followed — including... more

23 Sep 2024 · 40 minutes
Jack Abramoff: Bringing Down the House Part 2

Jack Abramoff has schemed his way to the top of right-wing politics, skimming off the top of every lobbying deal... more

16 Sep 2024 · 40 minutes
Jack Abramoff: Bringing Down the House Part 1

Jack Abramoff got his start bending the rules while he was still in elementary school… and never stopped. At first,... more

09 Sep 2024 · 43 minutes
Kingdom Con: The Vermont Ski Scam

Ski-obsessed Bill Stenger has big dreams for his sleepy Vermont mountain town. He pairs with a wealthy businessman to tap... more

02 Sep 2024 · 45 minutes
Abby Lee Miller: Scam Like Nobody's Watching

Before she became the most infamous dance teacher in America, Abby Lee Miller ran a struggling dance studio in Pittsburgh.... more

26 Aug 2024 · 48 minutes
ENCORE: Brooklyn's Bling Bishop

Now that Lamor Whitehead has been sent to prison, we return to his Biblical fall from grace. In 2006, Lamor... more

19 Aug 2024 · 40 minutes
ENCORE: Chess Cheater

It’s been more than a year since Hans Niemann’s cheating scandal rocked the chess world and we’re looking back to... more

12 Aug 2024 · 44 minutes
ENCORE: Prep School Perpetrator

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... more

05 Aug 2024 · 37 minutes
Lance Armstrong: Tour De Fraud

Lance Armstrong’s determination to win helps him survive cancer and become cycling’s biggest star in the early 2000s. But his... more

29 Jul 2024 · 44 minutes
The Great British Post Office Scandal

In the late 90s, the UK Post Office rolls out a new computer accounting system they know is full of... more

22 Jul 2024 · 42 minutes
Barbie's Schemehouse

Ruth Handler is a mom and small business owner when a sex doll gives her inspiration for a toy that... more

15 Jul 2024 · 42 minutes
Allen Stanford: The Lord of the Lies

After a Texas oil bust forces him into bankruptcy, Allen Stanford looked abroad for a new opportunity: starting an off-shore... more

08 Jul 2024 · 44 minutes
Spiro Agnew: Public Enemy Number Two

Maryland Republican Spiro Agnew is a crook. He rose from Baltimore County Zoning Board Chair to Vice President of the... more

01 Jul 2024 · 47 minutes
Who Wants to Scam a Millionaire

Charles and Diana Ingram are an average British couple with a love of pub quizzes who set out to appear... more

24 Jun 2024 · 45 minutes
Making Up The Grade: The College Admissions Scandal

Rick Singer is a college admissions consultant whose elaborate, secretive network of college coaches and admissions officers can rig the... more

17 Jun 2024 · 45 minutes
Steve Madden: The Cobbler Con

Steve Madden transforms from Long Island screw-up to fashion icon thanks to an eye for fashionable footwear and an addiction... more

10 Jun 2024 · 46 minutes
ENCORE: Shot Through the Heart

Now that evil dentist Larry Rudlph has finally been sentenced, we return to the story of the deadly safari that... more

03 Jun 2024 · 43 minutes
ENCORE: The Shady Bunch Part 2

In the second part of our two-part series on the Chrisleys, the family is riding high on their hit reality... more

27 May 2024 · 41 minutes
ENCORE: The Shady Bunch Part 1

As Todd and Julie Chrisley continue to face legal troubles from jail, we revisit our episodes on the Chrisleys, which... more

20 May 2024 · 39 minutes
Never Forget, Never Forgive

In this episode we look into an alarming scam trend: people who lie about where they were on 9/11. It’s... more

13 May 2024 · 44 minutes
Stephen Glass: Bad News

Stephen Glass is a rising star in the ’90s magazine journalism world, breaking provocative stories that his editors love. But... more

06 May 2024 · 44 minutes
Game. Set. Scam.

Grigor Sargsyan turned the tennis world on its head by masterminding a global match-fixing scheme. He rallies underpaid players in... more

29 Apr 2024 · 37 minutes
Leona Helmsley: The Art of the Steal Part 2

Leona Helmsley’s perch atop the world of Manhattan real estate is threatened by federal tax evasion charges. Her trial gives... more

22 Apr 2024 · 42 minutes
Leona Helmsley: The Art of the Steal Part 1

Leona Helmsley escapes Depression-era poverty by marrying billionaire real estate magnate Harry Helmsley. She takes over his Manhattan hotels and... more

15 Apr 2024 · 44 minutes
Have Your Cake and Eat It, Too

Sandy Jenkins moves to the gossipy, small town of Corsicana, Texas to work in the town’s world-famous fruitcake factory. Desperate... more

08 Apr 2024 · 40 minutes
The Cell(phone) Block Tango

After a daring bank robbery, Arthur Cofield winds up behind bars as a teenager. But prison doesn’t put an end... more

01 Apr 2024 · 37 minutes
Dial M for Mom

When ex-cop Chris Butler opens a private investigation agency, he recruits some unlikely employees: good-looking soccer moms. His agency starts... more

25 Mar 2024 · 38 minutes
ENCORE: Wine Crime

The so-called “super-taster” is back at it again. In this re-run about the wine world’s most infamous fraudster, we revisit... more

18 Mar 2024 · 43 minutes
ENCORE: Coachella Con Artist

With the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival on the horizon, we’re revisiting an epic Coachella scam. This encore episode... more

11 Mar 2024 · 38 minutes
ENCORE: The Book Bandit

The mystery thickens in this rerun about a puzzling phishing scam. When some of the biggest authors, publishers, and agents... more

04 Mar 2024 · 44 minutes
The King of Good Times

Vijay Mallya loves racing cars and partying hard – and being an heir to a multi-million dollar empire makes it... more

26 Feb 2024 · 42 minutes
The Shark Tank Charlatan

Nate Holzapfel is a natural salesman. When he goes on the television show “Shark Tank” in 2012, he wows investors... more

19 Feb 2024 · 41 minutes
Death Becomes Him

Alexandre Despallieres gets to live out his lifelong fantasy of recording a pop song when he’s just 19 years old.... more

12 Feb 2024 · 44 minutes
The Solar-Powered Scammer

When Jeff Carpoff starts a business making portable solar generators, it becomes an instant hit among big corporations, Hollywood studios,... more

05 Feb 2024 · 42 minutes
Rebecca: A Real Showstopper

When Louise Forlenza sees a production of “Rebecca” in Europe, she knows she wants to be the one to bring... more

29 Jan 2024 · 40 minutes
The Ecstasy of Saint Teresa Giudice

Teresa Giudice learns from her Italian-born parents that the most important thing in life is family. When she starts a... more

22 Jan 2024 · 44 minutes
Martha Stewart: The Homemaker Hustler Part 2

In the summer of 2003, Martha Stewart is indicted for obstruction of justice and lying to investigators. She stubbornly maintains... more

15 Jan 2024 · 43 minutes
Martha Stewart: The Homemaker Hustler Part 1

Martha Stewart spends decades building her lifestyle empire from the ground up. Her cut-throat business savvy helps make her America’s... more

08 Jan 2024 · 38 minutes
ENCORE | Brittany Dawn: Fitness Faker

Just in time for the new year, a cautionary tale: In this re-run from last year, Brittany Dawn rises to... more

01 Jan 2024 · 46 minutes
New Year, New Scams: What’s Ahead in 2024

Hey Scam Fam! We are taking a quick break for the holidays, but we'll be back with new episodes on... more

28 Dec 2023 · 1 minute
ENCORE | The Fine Art Fugitive

‘Tis the season for spending obscene amounts of money. That’s something superstar art dealer Inigo Philbrick excels at. In this... more

25 Dec 2023 · 43 minutes
Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker: The God Fraud | Part 2

In the second part of this two-part epic, Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker go their separate ways and carve out... more

25 Dec 2023 · 37 minutes
Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker: The God Fraud | Part 1

Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker get their start in Christian broadcasting in the early 1960s and quickly become television superstars.... more

18 Dec 2023 · 38 minutes
The House Hunter

After starting his own law firm in the early 1990s, David J. Stern gains a reputation for churning out foreclosure... more

11 Dec 2023 · 41 minutes
George Santos: Putting The “Con” In Congress

It’s hard to know what to believe about George Santos’ wild origin story. Since being elected to the U.S. House... more

04 Dec 2023 · 48 minutes
Encore: There's Something about Martin | Part 2

In the second part of this two-part rerun from last December, journalist Christie Smythe wants to dig deeper into the... more

27 Nov 2023 · 40 minutes
Encore: There's Something About Martin | Part 1

With a number of fraud trials in the news, we thought we’d revisit one of the cringiest fraud cases we’ve... more

20 Nov 2023 · 41 minutes
The Super League That Wasn't

When some of the wealthiest, most famous teams announce their plan to break away from Europe’s biggest football competition in... more

13 Nov 2023 · 38 minutes
Melissa Caddick: Trouble's Afoot

Melissa Caddick has always dreamed of doing big things. When she becomes a high-powered financial planner, she’s finally able to... more

06 Nov 2023 · 40 minutes
Jho Low: How to Buy Friends and Influence People

Jho Low, a Malaysian-born businessman, will do anything to climb the social ladder. After attending Wharton business school, he establishes... more

30 Oct 2023 · 41 minutes
The Fortune Teller's Fraud

Rose Marks runs a fortune telling business that attracts people with big problems and even bigger wallets. In the early... more

23 Oct 2023 · 38 minutes
Rod Blagojevich: All The Governor’s Men

Rod Blagojevich is an ambitious son of immigrants who knows how to win over a crowd. After marrying the daughter... more

16 Oct 2023 · 43 minutes
The Scam Artist is Present

Wolfgang and Helene Beltracchi present themselves as eccentric, free-spirited art dealers. Most alluringly, they seem to have incredible access to... more

09 Oct 2023 · 35 minutes
The Great Syrup Swindle

In Quebec, maple syrup is tightly regulated by a government-backed federation. It controls syrup prices – and profits. When a... more

02 Oct 2023 · 35 minutes
Ozy Media: Pivot to Fraud

Carlos Watson is a Stanford Law School graduate with big Silicon Valley connections and even bigger dreams. When he pitches... more

25 Sep 2023 · 44 minutes
ENCORE: Superstar Sports Scammer | Part II

In the finale to this two-part series, which originally aired last fall, Alex Guerrero comes under scrutiny from the FTC,... more

18 Sep 2023 · 43 minutes
ENCORE: Superstar Sports Scammer | Part I

Football season is kicking off again, and we’re celebrating by returning to this two-part series on one of the NFL’s... more

11 Sep 2023 · 41 minutes
ENCORE: Desperate Housewife

There’s a lot that’s happened to Jen Shah since this episode originally aired in August 2022. The “Real Housewives of... more

04 Sep 2023 · 43 minutes
JT Leroy | The Ghost Writer

In the early 2000s, an Appalachian-born sex worker named JT Leroy becomes a literary wunderkind. His gritty, buzzed-about novels and... more

28 Aug 2023 · 43 minutes
The Pop Star and the Power Broker | Part 2

As Erika Jayne’s pop star career blossoms, questions continue to mount about her husband Tom Girardi’s finances and his legal... more

21 Aug 2023 · 43 minutes
The Pop Star and the Power Broker | Part 1

Tom Girardi dreams of being a do-gooder lawyer like his childhood hero on the TV show “Perry Mason.” When he... more

14 Aug 2023 · 41 minutes
Brooklyn’s Bling Bishop

In 2006, Lamor Whitehead gets arrested while wearing a mink coat, prompting the New York post to dub him a... more

07 Aug 2023 · 39 minutes
Holy Smokes

David Bunevacz is the king of faking it ‘til you make it. After running a shady Olympics ticket brokering scheme,... more

31 Jul 2023 · 38 minutes
Ben McKenzie Hates Crypto, Too

When the actor Ben McKenzie started hearing about Bitcoin, he was immediately skeptical. While his friends were investing, he started... more

24 Jul 2023 · 39 minutes
I Loot Lucy

Charles Hensley gets his first brush with fame when he invents a nasal spray called Zicam. After his product turns... more

17 Jul 2023 · 42 minutes
Dr. Oz: Supplement Spin Doctor

In the mid-90s, Dr. Mehmet Oz is a rock star surgeon with a reputation for performing on high-profile clients. He... more

10 Jul 2023 · 41 minutes
ENCORE: The Billionaire Gucci Master | Part 2

In the finale to this two-part series, which originally aired last summer, Hushpuppi expands his business with new partnerships, including... more

03 Jul 2023 · 38 minutes
ENCORE: The Billionaire Gucci Master | Part 1

In the spirit of summer travel season, we’re reconnecting with the king of posting obnoxious vacation photos on Instagram: Hushpuppi.... more

26 Jun 2023 · 42 minutes
Live, Laugh, Lie

As a young girl growing up in Michigan, Gina Champion-Cain dreams of becoming a business woman. After she moves to... more

19 Jun 2023 · 42 minutes
Chess Cheater

From a young age, Hans Niemann knows he loves chess and wants to face off against his hero, Magnus Carlsen.... more

12 Jun 2023 · 42 minutes
Live from Hot Docs: The Fast and the Fugitive

Josh Cartu is from a small town outside of Toronto. But he dreams of a faster and flashier lifestyle, driving... more

05 Jun 2023 · 44 minutes
Do You Even Grift, Bro?

Brian Johnson, who will later become known as Liver King, grows up a scrawny kid who often gets picked on.... more

29 May 2023 · 42 minutes
She Got Game

Peggy Fulford is glamorous, smooth-talking, and runs in the same circles as pro athletes. In the 1990s, she gets into... more

22 May 2023 · 41 minutes
The Quarter Horse Queen

Rita Crundwell dreams of raising championship horses, but her day job is much less glamorous: She works in finance for... more

15 May 2023 · 42 minutes
Shot Through the Heart

Larry Rudolph is an enormously successful dentist and big game hunter in the Pittsburgh area. From the outside, he seems... more

08 May 2023 · 43 minutes
So Many Strings Attached | Part II

After N*Sync and Backstreet Boys cut ties with Lou, he gets to work assembling a new boy band: O-Town. But... more

01 May 2023 · 41 minutes
So Many Strings Attached | Part I

In the early 1980s, Lou Pearlman is riding high… literally. He rakes in millions of dollars from his blimp company... more

24 Apr 2023 · 39 minutes
ENCORE: Brazil's Supermom | Part II

In the finale to this two-part saga, which originally aired in May 2022, suspicion builds around Flordelis and her mega-sized... more

17 Apr 2023 · 36 minutes
ENCORE: Brazil's Supermom | Part I

In honor of Scamfluencers’ one-year anniversary, we’re revisiting one of the most unforgettable stories from our first season. In the... more

10 Apr 2023 · 43 minutes
The Scammies

Sarah and Scaachi celebrate the one-year anniversary of Scamfluencers by hosting an award show to honor the best, brightest, and... more

03 Apr 2023 · 37 minutes
Long Island Liars

Jason Kurland starts out as a real estate lawyer on Long Island, but everything changes when he gets the opportunity... more

27 Mar 2023 · 42 minutes
The Catholic Conman

In the early 2000s, Raffaello Follieri makes a name for himself among the New York City elite. Fashioning himself as... more

20 Mar 2023 · 41 minutes
Scamfluencers
So Many Strings Attached | Part II
Scamfluencers
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Description

After N*Sync and Backstreet Boys cut ties with Lou, he gets to work assembling a new boy band: O-Town. But behind the... more