"The Biggest Scandal There's Ever Been": Dissecting the Disgrace of Manchester City

Its Hall-of-Fame speakers may be vanishing, but this alleged "scam" defiantly continues to pitch financial salvation for vulnerable Christians — with a former SportsCenter anchor and house-flipping HGTV twins in tow. Kiera Butler of Mother Jones returns to investigate the trail of upsell transactions, Google reviews and financial documents, uncovering how Life Surge might outlast its disrupted funnel.• Read the latest article from Mother Jones• Read the September 18 statement from Life Surge• Previously on PTFO: We Investigated the Christian "Scam" Fronted by Tim Tebow• Plus: Submit your confidential tips to Pablo(Pablo Torre Finds Out is independently produced by Meadowlark Media and distributed by The Athletic. The views, research and reporting expressed in this episode are solely those of Pablo Torre Finds Out and Mother Jones and do not reflect the work or editorial input of The Athletic or its journalists.)(Pablo Torre Finds Out is brought to you by Apple Card.) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nathan Fielder's new film has been presented as a documentary about Elizabeth Holmes, the founder of notorious Silicon Valley scam Theranos. But this doesn't begin to describe the strategies and structure that make Fielder and Lance Oppenheim's collaboration so artistically wondrous (and journalistically frustrating). Wesley Morris — The New York Times' Pulitzer Prize-winning critic-at-large — helps us dissect (and SPOIL!) the most "culturally destabilizing" movie of the year.• Previously on PTFO: The Secrets of Nathan Fielder and Sportswriting, with Mina Kimes• Plus: Submit your confidential tips to Pablo(Pablo Torre Finds Out is brought to you by Apple Card.) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

He is a Clippers legend — and an off-the-court pioneer. On the eve of his new late-night show, the Prime Video analyst sits down with Pablo (plus a few surprises) about why he didn't shake Steve Ballmer's hand, how much influence journalists should have on NBA democracy, where to get your Osama bin Laden rookie card autographed and, of course, Kelly Clarkson.• AUCTION: Bid on Autographed Hats for Charity• Watch "The Stepback with Blake Griffin"(Pablo Torre Finds Out is brought to you by Apple Card.) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The most expensive album in music history is a controversial, 1-of-1 work of art, owned by "Pharma Bro" Martin Shkreli, then the feds... and now a mysterious digital art collective named pleasrDAO. But, in no small part because the album's NFT-style circus began to fracture their team, Wu-Tang Clan's most famous member had never actually heard "Once Upon a Time in Shaolin." Until now.• Learn more about pleasrDAO and the albumPREVIOUSLY ON PTFO:• Share & Wu & Tell with Method Man and Dan Le Batard• We Found the Knicks' Top-Secret Tapes for Kawhi, Kyrie and KD (feat. Wu-Tang)• Plus: Is Wu-Tang Really That Good at Chess?MORE PABLO:• Send us your confidential tips• Subscribe to PTFO on YouTube(Pablo Torre Finds Out is brought to you by Apple Card.) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Domonique Foxworth and David Samson lay down the law in a rule-bending moment for sports business: Did the Sixers land King James because of a backroom helicopter upgrade from Fanatics? Why are colleges and conferences running an end-around to control student-athletes? And could all this lobbying backfire into an NCAA super-union? Plus: vanity tail numbers, dignity and/or pride... and Pablo Bingo.• Subscribe to "The Domonique Foxworth Show"• Subscribe to "Nothing Personal with David Samson"• Plus: Submit your confidential tips to Pablo(Pablo Torre Finds Out is brought to you by Apple Card.) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A beloved celebrity walks into a Brooklyn boutique, asks about a $15,000 mechanical bird, then riles millions of fans into a social-media frenzy. But since she's been gone, Pablo has obtained security footage — and more. Wyatt Cenac and Amin Elhassan take stock of a viral morality play at the intersection of class, discrimination and how to get what you want.BID IN THE AUCTION:• Win Kelly Clarkson's backup bird — and help cure glioblastomaMORE PABLO:• Send us your confidential news tips• Subscribe to PTFO on YouTube for breaking news, greatest hits and live premieresPREVIOUSLY ON PTFO:• Debunking the "Magic" of Mentalist Oz Pearlman• The Agony and the Ecstasy of Competitive Bird-Watching(Pablo Torre Finds Out is brought to you by Apple Card.) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sovereign wealth funds. Prime ministers. Fake money. Fake excuses. Fake people? If you thought the Clippers were bad, wait until you comprehend the depths of cheating that have thrown the Premier League into chaos. The Athletic's Adam Crafton explains how "sham" deals, sportswashing and one hacker's email led to a devastating verdict — and why the aftermath of Man City's "festering stain" could extend beyond historic punishments... to world history.• Subscribe to The Athletic• Subscribe to The Athletic FC Podcast• Plus: Submit your confidential tips to Pablo(Pablo Torre Finds Out is brought to you by Apple Card.) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In a crumbling empire of ludicrous wealth and slop, filmmaker John Wilson keeps showing us what it means to be human — even (and especially) when that involves poop and/or circumcision. The director of "The History of Concrete" sits down with Pablo to contemplate how A.I. is forcing Hollywood's hand, what Nathan Fielder (and the Hallmark Channel) taught him about storytelling, and why art can live in peaceful conflict with the demands of reality and journalism. Plus: Tim Tebow in the Philippines, Dwyane Wade in an elevator... and balloon fetishists.• See "The History of Concrete"(Pablo Torre Finds Out is brought to you by Apple Card.) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Chris Nowinski was a WWE heel. Then he got in on a secret the NFL allegedly has been trying to hide for more than a decade: There may be nothing worse you can do to your brain than play tackle football. In the wake of a landmark study of CTE, the neuroscientist sits down with Pablo about his war with the league, the effectiveness of the Guardian Cap, the last word on O.J. Simpson's brain and, yes, some good news on the horizon.Further content:• "Study's Alarming Finding: At Least 1 in 4 N.F.L. Players Gets Brain Disease" (The New York Times)• "The Life and Death of Chris Eitzmann" (The Athletic)• Previously on PTFO: How We Forgot About CTE, with Domonique Foxworth• Plus: Submit your confidential tips to Pablo(If you're dealing with a recent concussion, symptoms or concerns about CTE, contact the Concussion & CTE Foundation's help line.)(Pablo Torre Finds Out is brought to you by Apple Card.) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When candidates cosplay as football fans and QBs become a passport to the hearts and wallets of vulnerable Americans, the wrong people can get rich and powerful off sports. Electrician turned independent journalist D.J. Byrnes has pranked Buckeyes "fan" Vivek Ramaswamy, caught Urban Meyer in a lap-dance scandal and will go to trial over Shrek's private parts in the name of free speech. But nothing shocked Ohio's muckraker-in-chief quite like watching a college-football powerhouse combine the enterprises of church and state.• Subscribe to D.J. Byrnes' Substack, "The Rooster"• Leak to us: Submit your confidential tips to Pablo• Previously on PTFO: We Investigated the Christian "Scam" Fronted by Tim Tebow(Pablo Torre Finds Out is brought to you by Apple Card.)(Pablo Torre Finds Out is independently produced by Meadowlark Media and distributed by The Athletic. The views, research and reporting expressed in this episode are solely those of Pablo Torre Finds Out and do not reflect the work or editorial input of The Athletic or its journalists.) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.