Scam Kings

The McDonald's scam documentary,  "McMillions" (HBO, 2020) would be the first time that many would hear the name Jerome Jacobson. Having snuffed just around $24 million from under their noses, one would think that more would have been known about one of the biggest scams of the century. This week we reexplore how Jerome Jacobson got away with the biggest con at the turn of the century. We revisit this episode as part of the Scam Kings refix.  Song of the Week: "Ice and Fire" by King Canyon (YouTube Library, 2022)

An update

Elizabeth Holmes was on the edge of something revolutionary. She had come up with a machine that could diagnose patients through a singular drop of blood. She excited the medical world with the idea of the contraption, getting them to invest millions of dollars into what would be the future of blood testing. Except, The Edison didn't exist. Click PLAY to hear how Elizabeth Holmes dashed the hopes of everyone everywhere by selling a top dollar facade for over a decade. Theme Song: Dreams Come True (Kevin Mc Leod)

The season finale covers the event that rocked stock markets all across the world. The effects of this multi-billion scheme were rivaled only by the global economic crisis of 2008 and continue to affect hundreds of persons today. This is the story of Bernie Lawrence Madoff. Press Play to hear this outrageous tale. 

I didn't look at my calendar right and so this week you get a bonus episode. Hit Play to hear how the Eiffel Tower was sold twice and how the French government never even knew. 

To this day, American gangster, Al Capone, remains one of the most feared names in the underworld. He built an empire that still lasts even beyond the grave. In movies, myths and merchandise, he remains a constant presence. The fascination with his life culminates in the way that he was finally felled: tax evasion. Press Play as we discuss, in brief, the circumstances behind his defeat and demise.

Very few people can make me hate them with any degree of intensity but Sante Kimes always did have a knack for making things happen for her. Hit 'Play' and delve with me into the mad tale of a woman and son who went all out to be on top.

The November 2004 murder of Peter Porco consumed the headlines right up until his son's conviction in 2006. The parricide revealed many twists and turns eventually running back to the root of all evil. Hit 'Play' as we uncover the details of this sordid tale. 

Feel-good stories on social media help restore faith in humanity. In all the turmoil, it's a fantastic reminder that we are real and we are here. And while the reward is often in endorphins, sometimes they can be monetary as well; the tendrils of its love forever plague it. And it can cause people to do terrible things indeed. Here's Part 2 of the 2017 story of Katelyn McClure, Mark D'Amico, Johnny Bobbitt, and the GoFundMe scheme that shocked the nation by hitting the Play icon.

As the season winds down, we discuss how the season is going to end and how we will be moving forward.