The Downfall | Episode 4

"Here it is. The Holy Grail." John Reznikoff makes his living spotting fakes. So when his close friend, a polished Navy war hero, turned up hundreds of secret documents tying John F. Kennedy to Marilyn Monroe -- a storied affair that had never been confirmed in hard evidence -- John knew he had his work cut out for him. He checked them with the best experts in the field. All of whom said they were real. The papers sold for millions, a Pulitzer winner wrote them into a book, and John thought he’d made the find of his life. Then one day it all came apart. Jake Halpern’s story about Reznikoff originally aired on This American Life in 2011.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What happens when you learn your family is not your own? In 1951, Mary Kaye Miller gave birth to a baby girl. But when she brought the infant home, she suspected something was wrong. 43 years later, she broke the news: her baby had been switched at the hospital. And the girl she'd raised actually belonged to a family living just a few towns away. Deep Cover host Jake Halpern first reported this story for This American Life in 2008. Ira Glass calls it one of the best episodes they've ever done. In it, both families and their daughters grapple with the fallout of this long held secret.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For most of her life, Gypsy Rose Blanchard was in a wheelchair. She had a feeding tube, an oxygen tank, and a list of diagnoses long enough to fill a binder. Then, in 2015, her mother was found stabbed to death in their home, and the world found out Gypsy could walk.  The story became a documentary, a TV series, a household name. Case closed.  But did she fake it all?  In this new series from PRETEND, host Javier Leiva investigates the online world that formed around the case, where no one is a reliable narrator.  This is part one of The Gypsy Rose Obsession. Listen to PRETEND wherever you get podcasts.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you liked this past season of Deep Cover, The Family Man, you'll enjoy this episode from another Pushkin podcast, Heavyweight. It's a great companion to our bank robbery story from this season. Heavyweight, hosted by Jonathan Goldstein, creates space for difficult conversations and resolving long-standing regrets and unanswered questions. In this episode: A young man had just turned 14 when he took his father’s shotgun, skipped school, and robbed a bank for $40,000. Now, 33 years later, he wants to apologize to the people he harmed that day. Find Heavyweight wherever you get your podcasts.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When Keith Giammanco started robbing banks in 2007, he sought to minimize his legal risk. Keith says he never carried a weapon, and he confessed to the authorities the same day he was arrested.  But, ultimately, he faced two prosecutions - federal and state. And he served nearly two decades in prison. Jake sits down with legal scholar James Forman, Jr. to unpack how this all unfolded, why a lawyer never tries to "manifest success,” and what justice looks like in a case like this.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mike Walton was shocked to learn his lifelong friend, Keith, had been living a double life as the Boonie Hat Bandit. He’d seen reports about the serial bank robber on the news, but never recognized him. Jake speaks with Mike about their friendship and why, sometimes, it’s hard to see the thing right in front of you.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Keith’s daughters, Elise and Marissa, face new trials on their own while Keith serves his time. After decades in custody, Keith nears his release date, and the Giammanco family grapples with the past and the choices they’ve made.  To learn more about Keith’s story, check out Bank Notes Revisited, co-written with Caroline Giammanco. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Federal and county prosecutors all want to hold Keith accountable for his crimes. Against the advice of his counsel, Keith takes his case to trial, hoping a jury will show him and his family some mercy. In the courtroom, his victims tell their side of the story.  Subscribe to Pushkin+ to binge the entire season, ad-free. Find Pushkin+ on the Deep Cover show page in Apple Podcasts or at Pushkin.fm.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Keith’s arrest makes national news, forcing Elise and Marissa to defend their dad to the world. Their mother makes a surprise reappearance, moving in and bringing new troubles along with her. Subscribe to Pushkin+ to binge the entire season, ad-free. Find Pushkin+ on the Deep Cover show page in Apple Podcasts or at Pushkin.fm.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Boonie Hat Bandit robs a 12th bank. And things don’t go according to his plan. His teenage daughters, Elise and Marissa, are left to pick up the pieces. They wonder: how had he managed such an elaborate deception? And what’s going to happen to their family now? Subscribe to Pushkin+ to binge the entire season, ad-free. Find Pushkin+ on the Deep Cover show page in Apple Podcasts or at Pushkin.fm.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.