Alle afleveringen
502 afleveringen, van nieuw naar oud
-
A Bit of a Sticky Wicket: the Crimes of Allen Stanford
19 mei 2026 · 1 uur 5 min
He was the man at the heart of a Texas-sized Ponzi scheme that amassed billions in fraudulent profits via offshore banking. Despite his huge donations in Antigua and US politics and his investment in international cricket and polo tournaments, Allen Stanford’s empire of lies came undone when his literal blood brother turned state’s evidence. Lees meer
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
-
Too Mean to Swab Hell's Kitchen: The Battle Row Ladies' Social and Athletic Club
14 mei 2026 · 56 min
When you find yourself in a real pickle, a tight spot, a dangerous proposition in 1800s Hell's Kitchen, just ask yourself: what would Stumpy Malarkey do? What would Battle Annie do? What would Mallet Murphy do? How will I get out of this? Am I a time traveler? And what's my special nickname? No time to worry about all that. Start throwin' bricks! Lees meer
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
-
The Great Chinese Lottery Heist
12 mei 2026 · 1 uur 4 min
Ren Xiaofeng thought he had a good life –– married, blessed with two twins, a good job at a bank. But it wasn't enough. He needed more. So he came up with a plan: what if he robbed the bank where he worked and then plowed that ill-gotten capital into his quick-cash investment strategy? He thought with all that newfound money he'd be a shoo-in to win a huge lottery prize. His plan had obvious flaws, but you can't win if you don't play. Lees meer
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
-
You Dirty Fish-peddlin' Bums: Celia Cooney, the Bobbed Hair Bandit
7 mei 2026 · 49 min
When a young feisty gal with nothing to lose met a young tough fella with nothing to lose, the only thing they could possibly lose was the spark between them. And there was no stopping that. They made no money, but they lived lives of wild luxury and excitement. How? Robbery! Lees meer
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
-
Competition Crimes II: A Slight Return
5 mei 2026 · 59 min
Wherever you find people competing for a prize, if the number of them grows large enough, eventually, you will have cheaters. In the niche worlds of competitive stone-skippers, hog hunters, and British trivia shows, Zaron and Elizabeth ferret out some ridiculous examples. Let the games... and the crimes... begin! Lees meer
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
-
Practice Should Have Made Perfect: The Great Brink's Robbery
30 april 2026 · 54 min
This heist team was more meticulous than most. They planned, they schemed, they made years of dry runs and observations. And the plan went off without a hitch. After the plan? Not so much. In a sort of early Stanford Marshmallow Test, these crimers just couldn't delay gratification. And for that, they paid the price. Lees meer
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
-
Fakers, Fraudsters and Phonies: Everything's A Lie Now!
28 april 2026 · 1 uur
In this round-up of recent tales of fakers, fraudsters, and phonies, Zaron shares with Elizabeth a smorgasbord of stories of fake bears, phony medical emergencies on Mount Everest, and a fraudulent influencer abduction to get at the truth of why we can't trust anything any more. And get this: no AI was involved in this episode. Lees meer
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
-
I Got the Need, the Need for Weed: Randy Lanier
23 april 2026 · 49 min
Randy Lanier started as a construction site weed dealer and over the years graduated to major drug smuggler, bringing hundreds of tons of grass into the USA. To add to the risk factor, he also became a Formula One driver and team owner. So much fun! Until it wasn't. Lees meer
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
-
The Rise and Fall and Rise of John McAvoy
21 april 2026 · 1 uur 7 min
He was a man born into crime. He came from a family of British hard men. Movies were made about the men of his family. He was also enraptured by the criminals he saw depicted in other crime classics. All of this combined to make him a nepo baby of crime. But John McAvoy surprised the world and himself when he forged a new identity, thanks to a rowing machine. Lees meer
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
-
Lawyer in the Streets, Crimer in the Spreadsheets: Marc Dreier
16 april 2026 · 57 min
It takes money to make money. And sometimes, you take someone else's money to make your money. You know how that goes. Marc Dreier was a flashy lawyer with a cash problem. Luckily, he had rich clients to impersonate. Problem solved! Lees meer
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
-
My Presciption? You Caught Gold Fever
14 april 2026 · 1 uur 10 min
Sometimes you fight the law and the law wins, but other times... luck is on your side and you win. That's the story here today. A pair of treasure hunters go to extraordinary lengths to recover lost gold and then have to fight the law to win the rights to their find. And as always things get... ridiculous! Lees meer
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
-
Early Riot Grrrl: Mary Carleton
9 april 2026 · 1 uur 5 min
London in the late 1600s was a little chaotic. So it only makes sense that an agent of chaos like Mary Carleton would become famous for her crimes. Crimes like repeated bigamy and stealing pants in the night. An audacious woman determined to chart her own path, she wrote her own pamphlets like some olden times Riot Grrrl and made herself a witness to history along the way. Lees meer
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
-
Let's Get Medieval: Holy Relics Theft
7 april 2026 · 1 uur 5 min
Whether we're talking the hand of Mary Magdalene, the Skull of St. Foy, the Bones of St. Mark, in the Dark Ages holy relics were ripe for the taking. Thieving monks, conspiring bishops and rebel princesses all went to outrageous lengths to secure the blessings of the bones and body parts of the saints. Sometimes crime requires a little faith. Lees meer
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
-
High Daddies, Hot Tents, and Suckers: Circus Crimes
2 april 2026 · 1 uur 12 min
Ladies and gentlemen, children of all ages! Step right up! Witness the amazing circus con, promising a menagerie that will never appear! Be amazed by the daring moves of the corporate scoundrel, stealing from a non-profit show! Stare in awe as a low down fraudster tries to pull a fast one on a small town, only to have the tables magically turned! Behold! The ridiculous and criminal side of the big top! Lees meer
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
-
All The Coal Kids Are Doing It: Larry Wayne Price Jr.
31 maart 2026 · 1 uur 12 min
He worked his way into the executive level of the coal industry. Where he was let in on a dirty little secret. Crime was rampant in the coal industry. So, Larry Wayne Price Jr. did what any self-respecting wannabe would do, he also got heavy into crime. One dreamhouse later and things were looking good. But when his scams and schemes collapsed and Price tried to escape, not even a made-up outlaw bike gang could save him. Lees meer
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
-
Vibe Criming: John Ernst Worrell Keely
26 maart 2026 · 1 uur 2 min
John Ernst Worrell Keely was a blue collar scientist, a visionary, a meticulous con man. He spent time and talent rigging an elaborate fraud workshop where he promised unlimited vibe-based energy. In just two weeks. He promised. He just needed a little more funding. Cash for vibes. Lees meer
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
-
Why It's Now Illegal to Give Dolphins Acid (For Science)
24 maart 2026 · 1 uur 6 min
This is the story of two scientists who pushed the envelope of both good taste and morality as they experimented with dolphins. The idea was simple. Give dolphins LSD and then see if we can teach them to speak English. The results were not so simple or clear-cut. But they were certainly ridiculous... and criminal. Lees meer
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
-
Lady Marm-alade: Fredericka Mandelbaum
19 maart 2026 · 51 min
Fredericka Mandelbaum (Marm or Ma, if you're nasty) was the powerful ruler of a criminal empire. Based on pickpocketing, theft, bank robbery, and forgery, her organization raked it in at the end of the 1800s in New York City and beyond. Out of reach from the law thanks to payoffs and complicity, Mandelbaum got away with her crimes, even when the Pinkertons got involved. Lees meer
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
-
How To Free Your Man With a Helicopter: Nadine Vaujour
17 maart 2026 · 52 min
Single mom Nadine Vaujour was something of a romantic. Which helps explain why it pained her heart so to be separated from her lover. It also helps explain why, one day, she decided it was time to spring her lover from the French prison where he was locked up. And to make her daring jailbreak plan work, she learned to fly a helicopter. Ah, the things we do for love! Lees meer
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
-
Playin' Possum: Crimes around George Jones
12 maart 2026 · 57 min
Country star George Jones was a real character, to be certain, often on the edge of the law. But the most ridiculous crimes were the ones that surrounded No Show Jones. Missing recordings, drug runs, and stolen crypto. Throw in an old pickup, a loyal dog, and a broken heart and you'd have a heck of a country song. Lees meer
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
-
The Last Temptation of Aubrey Lee Price
10 maart 2026 · 1 uur 15 min
He was a husband, a father, a pastor, a financial planner and broker, that is until he decided he'd had enough of that life. So he threw it all away and found a new path as a small-time pimp, cocaine trafficker and marijuana cultivator. But he never gave up on Jesus and the Lord. Because Aubrey Lee Price contained multitudes. And he considered Jesus his role model... for his life of crime. Lees meer
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
-
That's Showbiz, Baby: Steven Kunes
5 maart 2026 · 1 uur 3 min
To make it in Hollywood, you sometimes have to tell some half-truths and fudge your resume. People play a little fast and loose. But not so loose as to forge checks and scam friends. That's a little too loose, even by Tinseltown standards. Lees meer
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
-
"That's My Motorboat!" :The National Museum Art Heist
3 maart 2026 · 55 min
It's considered one of the more sophisticated art heists of the 21st Century. Three masked men with guns strolled into the National Museum in Stockholm and they breezed back out with three multi-million dollar masterpieces. Thus began a years-long manhunt to find the daring perps and the lost artworks. Many undercover operations, some Bulgarian drug dealers, FBI art crime detectives, and one Swedish boat seller later... and you get this truly wild tale! Lees meer
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
-
Cheech Would Never: "Lucky" Luke Brugnara
26 februari 2026 · 1 uur 2 min
As Social Distortion once sang, “Some people like to gamble/But you, you always lose/Some people like to rock 'n' roll/You're always singin' the blues/You gotta nasty disposition/No one really knows the reason why/You gotta bad, bad reputation/Gonna hang your head down and cry/You got bad, bad luck." This is the tale of Luke Brugnara, the pinnacle of criminal ridiculousness. Lees meer
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
-
"This Once Belonged to Jack Nicholson": the Tod Michael Volpe Story
24 februari 2026 · 1 uur 10 min
He was a charming art dealer, a man who climbed to the highest heights of the Hollywood elite. Once there, he conned 'em all for fun and profit. That is, until it all came crashing down. Come for the art crimes, stay for the unhinged documentary he later starred in and somehow was even wilder than his cons. Lees meer
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
-
Welcome to America, Suckers: Selling the Brooklyn Bridge
19 februari 2026 · 58 min
It's become shorthand for someone being gullible, thinking they can buy the Brooklyn Bridge (and at a discount!). But the idea had to start somewhere. Turns out selling the bridge and other landmarks to those newly arrived on U.S. shores was a lucrative con in the early 1900s. But such cons are not sustainable, and eventually bad guys go to prison. Lees meer
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
-
To Russia With Love: The Robert Hanssen Story
17 februari 2026 · 1 uur 13 min
Inspired by boyhood dreams of wanting to be James Bond, real life FBI guy Robert Hanssen joined the bureau to become a secret agent. But when no one liked him and bosses overlooked him, Hanssen decided to do the next best thing: become a double-agent and spy for the Soviet Union. Larry King, Mother Theresa, secret messages hidden in used car ads, this spy story has a bit of everything! Lees meer
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
-
Your Dead Grandma Says Hi: Sylvia Browne
12 februari 2026 · 1 uur 2 min
Some people believe in psychics, others are skeptics who doubt their skills. If you think you're in the camp somewhere in between, not caring one way or another, we dare you to have no opinion once you've heard the tales of Sylvia Browne and her visions and predictions. Lees meer
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
-
I Wanna Be A Cowgirl: Cora Hubbard, Lady Bandit
10 februari 2026 · 1 uur 9 min
She was a legend of the Wild West, a self-made outlaw, iron hard as her six-shooter, yet delicate as a prairie butterfly. Cora Hubbard, Lady Bandit was a compelling mix of contradictions. And at one time she was nationally famous as the next great female outlaw. Her ambitions though were betrayed by the men whom she called her gang. Lees meer
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
-
It's the Swiss Sugar Baron's Fault: The Knoedler & Company Art Forgery Scandal
5 februari 2026 · 56 min
A storied and respected New York art gallery thought they'd stumbled on a treasure trove of undiscovered Abstract Expressionist art. It was, of course, too good to be true. And anyone savvy enough to run a powerhouse art gallery and broker would have known that. But the pieces still went on sale for incredible amounts of money. Full of murky finances, questionable practices, and unnoticed goof ups, this is a classic art crime tale that we all need right now. Lees meer
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
-
Life After Pro Football: Have You Considered Getting Into Crime?
3 februari 2026 · 55 min
After his playing days were done, former pro football player Devin Aguilar decided his next move at securing the bag could come from a robbery. He enlisted his girlfriend and together the two planned their "perfect robbery" for 6 months. However, based on the fact he's on this show, Devin Aguilar likely needed a lot more time than that. Come for the crime, but stay for Elizabeth and Zaron's theater play. Lees meer
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
-
I'll Buy That for a Dollar: Antiques Roadshow
29 januari 2026 · 56 min
This week on Antiques Roadshow, we're coming to you from historic Ridiculous Crime Headquarters. Zaron Burnett, a crime authenticator, and Elizabeth Dutton, an authority on quirkiness, appraise tales of naughtiness, foolishness, and the search for the truth. It's all made possible by listeners like you (and Darlene Shiley...and Admiral iHeart). And because it can't be said enough, support your local PBS station. Lees meer
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
-
It's Just a Family Tradition: The Newton Gang
27 januari 2026 · 59 min
Imagine some brothers. No, like a lot of them. Now imagine they love robbing banks and trains. But they also love fast cards and high living. Now imagine what Zaron would say about that. Yup, "my men." Lees meer
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
-
Hey You Kids, Get Off My Feed: Influencer Fights
22 januari 2026 · 1 uur 5 min
For those who live their lives online, follower numbers, likes, and ad collabs are essential. The bread and butter in such a new and fleeting industry. You'd think that in the expansive social media universe, these folks could live in peace and harmony. Nope. Not possible. Their beefs are stupid, so let's talk about them. Lees meer
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
-
Fred Durst vs. The World
20 januari 2026 · 1 uur 6 min
The front man for Limp Bizkit is known to be a bit of an ass. However, he claims the role of Fred Durst is actually a monster of his own making. But as numerous incidents from his decades as a star prove... the greatest crime is that he just won't stop being Fred Durst. Lees meer
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
-
Go On, Take the Music and Run: Master Tape Theft
15 januari 2026 · 1 uur 3 min
Original studio recordings are the purest form of a song; they are also incredibly valuable. Theft of master tapes are a musician's worst nightmare. But sometimes, it can be a blessing in disguise. Whether the thief nabs the tapes as revenge, as bootleg material, or by accident, you can bet your sweet patoot the chaos that results is pretty ridiculous. Lees meer
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
-
Lance!!! A Curious Tale of Blood Doping for Fun and Profit
13 januari 2026 · 1 uur 8 min
He was the most famous cyclist in the world. Then it all came crashing down when it was revealed that he was a huge cheater. What went so wrong for Lance Armstrong? Elizabeth and Zaron dig-in to the bullet-proof lies, the champion's mystique, and the many ridiculous crimes of the world famous 7-time winner of the Tour de France. Lees meer
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
-
Philip the Tub: John Spano, Jr.
8 januari 2026 · 51 min
A con man flim flam artist who loved hockey wanted nothing more than to own a professional hockey team. The problem is that he wasn't a billionaire, which is sort of a prerequisite for professional team ownership. No problem. Borrow some cash, fake some documents, tell some lies and BOOM, the team was his..at least for a couple of months. Fill up the tub. Lees meer
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
-
Baby, I Was Born to Run: the Grover Cleveland Bergdoll Story
6 januari 2026 · 1 uur 2 min
When the first World War kicked off, Grover Cleveland Bergdoll, a notorious daredevil and rich kid playboy, decided armed combat wasn't for him. And so, rather than serve, he decided to dodge the draft. He would spend the next two decades begging for a pardon as he evaded justice and the many men sent to capture him. Lees meer
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
-
Brother, Can You Spare Half a Dime: The Hollow Nickel Case
1 januari 2026 · 54 min
The best part of espionage is the spycraft, the cool gadgets and codes often disguised as everyday objects. Some look like lipstick, others like umbrellas. And then there are the ones that are a bit riskier because they're smaller and easier to misplace. Coins. Talkin' about coins. Lees meer
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
-
"I Go For You Ma": The Love Triangle of Clark Gable, Carole Lombard, and Adolf Hitler
30 december 2025 · 1 uur 1 min
When World War II broke out, the biggest star in the world planned to sit it out. But as Fate would have it, events conspired to motivate Clark Gable AKA the "King of Hollywood" to enlist and go fight the Nazis. This was a big bummer for his #1 German fan, Der Fuhrer, AKA Adolf Hitler. But just like his wife Carole Lombard had hoped, Clark Gable did go to war against his biggest fan boy. Lees meer
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
-
The Phisher King: Filippo Bernardini
25 december 2025 · 50 min
Filippo Bernardini felt like an outsider in the publishing world, so he decided to fix that. Did he dazzle executives with his intellect and insight? No. He stole his way into literary inner circles. And we know how those stories end. Lees meer
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
-
Ho, Ho, Hold It Right There: A Collection of Christmas Crimes
23 december 2025 · 50 min
T'was the night before the Christmas, and all through the house not a creature was stirring... except for a mouse stealing some Christmas cookies. No, not really. But this episode is a fun collection of Christmas crimes and the holiday-crazed criminals who committed them. Lees meer
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
-
A Con So Nice, He Named Himself Twice: Lord Gordon Gordon
18 december 2025 · 1 uur 4 min
A man who called himself Lord Gordon Gordon sure knew how to con 'em. He scammed jewelers, land owners, and railroad magnates with great alacrity on both sides of the Atlantic. But in the hierarchy of criminals, the robber barons generally come out on top, and Gordon Squared just didn't anticipate that. Lees meer
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
-
The Love Triangle of Frank Sinatra, Howard Hughes and Ava Gardner
16 december 2025 · 1 uur 3 min
Frank Sinatra and Ava Gardner had one of the great love affairs of the last century. But it was actually a love triangle that included the famously-reclusive Howard Hughes. It gets wilder than that –– their love rivalry lasted decades and involved the mafia and the CIA. In fact, the dynamic forever changed Las Vegas and even ended the Rat Pack Era. This one is a wild midcentury tale... and 100% criminally ridiculous! Lees meer
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
-
The Napoleon of Crime: Adam Worth
11 december 2025 · 50 min
Using his logistical and felonious prowess, Adam Worth developed a sophisticated criminal network stealing money, art, and jewelry from high-value targets on two continents. Understated and cunning, Worth was so successful he inspired one of literature's greatest criminal masterminds. Quite the criming legacy. Lees meer
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
-
The Johnny Cash Jamaican Christmastime Miracle
9 december 2025 · 1 uur
Who would possibly think it's a good idea to rob Johnny Cash...at Christmastime... in Jamaica? If this sounds like some sort of Mad Lib, trust us, it's not. This really happened. And oddly enough, it's actually a charming Christmastime tale. Lees meer
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
-
You Better Listen to the Radio: Operation Ostrich
4 december 2025 · 55 min
During WWII, there were lots of ways to contribute to the war effort. One involved sitting at a radio station on Long Island, feeding lies to the Nazis to aid the Allies. Owen House was the secret center of Operation Ostrich, the most intense counterintelligence effort you've never heard of. Lees meer
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
-
The Zambian Plot
2 december 2025 · 59 min
Let's say you're a German industrialist who needs to drive up the price of copper on the commodities market, would you hire a midcentury adventurer/boat captain and a pair of Miami skin divers to help you blow up a bridge in Zambia? If so, then you are the perps in this truly wild Cold War tale of international intrigue. Lees meer
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
-
Don't Mess with the Big Dog: Martha Stewart
27 november 2025 · 1 uur 8 min
Martha Stewart is more than a food and entertaining icon; she's a brand. Literally. But a brand can't lie to the feds and a brand can't go to jail. Martha Stewart the human, however, could and did just that. But you can't keep a tough gal down. Martha made a comeback and then some. And that's a good thing. Lees meer
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.