260: The Epstein Files with Nick Bryant

In Part 2 of Seven Deadly Sinners, we follow Aravindan Balakrishnan, once known to his followers as “Comrade Bala,” as decades of control finally begin to unravel.After years of secrecy inside a South London commune, the walls begin to close in. Survivors step forward, authorities take notice, and the carefully constructed mythology— complete with fear tactics like “Jackie”— starts to crumble under scrutiny. What was once dismissed as radical politics is exposed for what it truly was: sustained psychological abuse, coercion, and modern-day slavery.This episode traces the investigation, the bravery of those who escaped, and the courtroom reckoning that followed. As the truth comes to light, we examine how the authorities built their case—and how a man who claimed absolute power was ultimately stripped of it.From arrest to conviction, Part 2 reveals the long-overdue collapse of a decades-long nightmare—and the fight for justice that brought it to an end.

In this disturbing episode of Seven Deadly Sinners, we unravel the psychological grip behind the Lambeth Slavery Case and the cult built by Aravindan Balakrishnan, known to his followers as "Comrade Bala"Operating from a Maoist commune in Lambeth, England - Balakrishnan fashioned himself as a revolutionary visionary. But behind the rhetoric of class struggle and liberation lay decades of coercion, isolation, and absolute control over vulnerable women who believed he held the key to their survival.At the center of his manipulation was a bizarre invention he called “Jackie” — a supposed high-tech monitoring system he claimed could track thoughts, movements, and even disloyalty. In reality, Jackie wasn’t a machine at all, but a psychological weapon. By convincing his followers that he possessed near-omnipotent surveillance powers, Balakrishnan reinforced paranoia, obedience, and fear, turning imagination into shackles.How does a man weaponize belief itself? How can captivity last nearly 30 years in plain sight? This episode explores the dangerous alchemy of ideology, narcissism, and manufactured omniscience — and how one man’s delusion became a prison without bars.

Have you heard of the Killdozer? A Komatsu Bulldozer outfitted with 12 inches of reinforced concrete that it's creator, Marvin Heemeryer dubbed his Komatsu Tank.. Why would Marv need a tank in the little town of Granby, Colorado? Find out on this episode of Seven Deadly Sinners

In 1977, inside a quiet mortgage office in Indianapolis, Tony Kiritsis strapped a shotgun to his mortgage broker's neck, rigged it to a dead-man’s switch, and turned a personal grievance into one of the most disturbing standoffs in American history. For hours, police, negotiators, and a stunned public watched as Kiritsis dared anyone to make the wrong move.This week on Seven Deadly Sinners, we dissect the anatomy of obsession, grievance, and pride — how a financial dispute metastasized into a public spectacle fueled by paranoia and control. When a bank takes advantage of a customer, they never expect to end up on the other end of the barrel. From the psychological unraveling to the media circus that amplified every second, this episode explores wrath at its most theatrical—and most tragic.

One of the worst floods in Colorado history, struck on June 3–5, 1921. Between 150 and 250 people died in the deluge along the Arkansas River. The flood caused more than $25 million in damage, leading to the entire town being reshaped forever in its wake.

On this chilling episode of Seven Deadly Sinners, we plunge into one of the most astonishing tales of obedience, delusion, and the deadly consequences of unshakable belief. Hiroo Onoda, an elite Japanese intelligence officer trained to never surrender, vanished into the jungles of Lubang Island during World War II… and kept fighting for three more decades after the war had ended. As the world rebuilt, Onoda waged a private war in the shadows — stealing food, attacking villagers, and evading countless rescue attempts. Was he a loyal soldier? A brainwashed zealot? Or something far darker? We peel back the layers of an extraordinary human tragedy shaped by pride, violence, and a nation unwilling to face defeat. Join us as we explore the psychological grip of military indoctrination, the lives lost in Onoda’s long refusal to accept reality, and the bizarre, heartbreaking moment his former commander had to travel into the jungle to tell him — finally — to stand down. This is the story of devotion pushed to deadly extremes. And it may just be one of the most haunting stories of pride we’ve ever covered.

On this chilling episode of Seven Deadly Sinners, we plunge into one of the most astonishing tales of obedience, delusion, and the deadly consequences of unshakable belief. Hiroo Onoda, an elite Japanese intelligence officer trained to never surrender, vanished into the jungles of Lubang Island during World War II… and kept fighting for three more decades after the war had ended.As the world rebuilt, Onoda waged a private war in the shadows — stealing food, attacking villagers, and evading countless rescue attempts. Was he a loyal soldier? A brainwashed zealot? Or something far darker? We peel back the layers of an extraordinary human tragedy shaped by pride, violence, and a nation unwilling to face defeat.Join us as we explore the psychological grip of military indoctrination, the lives lost in Onoda’s long refusal to accept reality, and the bizarre, heartbreaking moment his former commander had to travel into the jungle to tell him — finally — to stand down.This is the story of devotion pushed to deadly extremes. And it may just be one of the most haunting stories of pride we’ve ever covered.

On this chilling episode of Seven Deadly Sinners, we plunge into one of the most astonishing tales of obedience, delusion, and the deadly consequences of unshakable belief. Hiroo Onoda, an elite Japanese intelligence officer trained to never surrender, vanished into the jungles of Lubang Island during World War II… and kept fighting for three more decades after the war had ended.As the world rebuilt, Onoda waged a private war in the shadows — stealing food, attacking villagers, and evading countless rescue attempts. Was he a loyal soldier? A brainwashed zealot? Or something far darker? We peel back the layers of an extraordinary human tragedy shaped by pride, violence, and a nation unwilling to face defeat.Join us as we explore the psychological grip of military indoctrination, the lives lost in Onoda’s long refusal to accept reality, and the bizarre, heartbreaking moment his former commander had to travel into the jungle to tell him — finally — to stand down.This is the story of devotion pushed to deadly extremes. And it may just be one of the most haunting “sins” we’ve ever covered.

The Ranch Hand is presented with a Tascam recorder found on one of the missing girls from Moonshadows and after carefully investigating each recording found on the device - decides to bring it to air. This is another exclusive preview of the new scripted paranormal anthology podcast series known as Moonshadows produced by Rachael & Greg - for more episodes check out the Deadly patreon: https://www.patreon.com/DeadlyPodcast

Most people go to the Black Rock Desert to party under neon skies.Nathan Morley went there to dig up a murder.Long before Burning Man, this same stretch of Nevada wasteland was home to something darker - a drifter named Ronald John Gress, known only by his nickname: Bristlewolf.He built a life in the middle of nowherea hole in the ground, a shovel, and silence.And when the peace broke, three people ended up dead.Their bodies lay in the desert for ten days before anyone found them.For seven years, Nathan chased this story.He walked the same cracked earth, lived inside his dugout, pored over six thousand court files, police reports, and forgotten letters. He interviewed forty-two people, survivors, witnesses, lawmen, even the families of the dead.What he uncovered isn’t legend.It’s real.Bristlewolf isn’t fiction.It’s a true story about pride, madness, and the way the desert remembers what men try to bury.