Scamfluencers

Hysterical investigates a mysterious illness that spreads among a group of high school girls in upstate New York. What is causing their sudden, often violent symptoms? Is there something in the water or inside the school? Or is it “all in their head?” The series examines the outbreak in LeRoy, NY, believed by some to be the most severe case of mass hysteria since the Salem Witch Trials. In his search for answers, Dan Taberski (9/12, Missing Richard Simmons, Running from Cops) explores other seemingly inexplicable events of the last few years – CIA officers being crippled with nausea and vertigo; cops OD'ing from exposure to fentanyl – and discovers they’re far more connected than we realize.From Wondery and Pineapple Street Studios, this 7-part series forces us to grapple with the mysteries of our own minds, and reckon with a contagion that we thought was long dead, but may be the defining disorder of our time.Follow Hysterical on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. You can binge all episodes of Hysterical early and ad-free right now by joining Wondery+ at wondery.fm/Hysterical_FD.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In the late 90s, the UK Post Office rolls out a new computer accounting system they know is full of glitches. Then, it spends two decades covering up its mistake. When small, mom-and-pop shop owners report errors, the Post Office blames them and forces them to cover any losses… or face prosecution, or jail. But a relentless, rag-tag team of owners and journalists team up to fight the powers that be, and inspire a TV producer to expose the greatest government scam in UK history.Listen to Scamfluencers on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen early and ad-free on Wondery+. Join Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Start your free trial by visiting wondery.com/links/scamfluencers/ now.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Ruth Handler is a mom and small business owner when a sex doll gives her inspiration for a toy that will change everything: Barbie. She becomes the proto-Girl Boss who’s willing to lie, cheat and steal to make Mattel the biggest toy company in the world. And she’s having a good day every day, until shareholders and the SEC catch her making pretend with business documents.Listen to Scamfluencers on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen early and ad-free on Wondery+. Join Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Start your free trial by visiting wondery.com/links/scamfluencers/ now.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

After a Texas oil bust forces him into bankruptcy, Allen Stanford looked abroad for a new opportunity: starting an off-shore bank in Antigua and using client money as his own personal piggybank. Soon, he’s spending billions on private planes, his own cricket grounds and estates all over the world. To keep his scheme going, he bullies his coworkers, makes blood oaths with regulators, and threatens to punch reporters in the mouth. But when the global financial crisis hits in 2008, Allen’s bravado is met with cold hard reality.Listen to Scamfluencers on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen early and ad-free on Wondery+. Join Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Start your free trial by visiting wondery.com/links/scamfluencers/ now.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Maryland Republican Spiro Agnew is a crook. He rose from Baltimore County Zoning Board Chair to Vice President of the United Sates in under a decade—accepting cash bribes the entire time. When a state investigation threatens to take him down, Spiro hides behind President Nixon’s explosive Watergate scandal to hide his crimes and disappear from public memory… almost.Listen to Scamfluencers on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen early and ad-free on Wondery+. Join Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Start your free trial by visiting wondery.com/links/scamfluencers/ now.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Charles and Diana Ingram are an average British couple with a love of pub quizzes who set out to appear on Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? But when Charles wins the big prize, the producers point to a coughing fit to claim he cheated his way to the win. The public outcry, and criminal trial, ruined the Ingrams for good. And now, decades later, some wonder if maybe the Ingrams are the ones who got conned.Listen to Scamfluencers on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen early and ad-free on Wondery+. Join Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Start your free trial by visiting wondery.com/links/scamfluencers/ now.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Rick Singer is a college admissions consultant whose elaborate, secretive network of college coaches and admissions officers can rig the system to get rich kids into top tier schools of their parents’ choosing… for a price. But when the feds start listening in, Rick will fail the ultimate test, and expose the dark side of the American education system.Listen to Scamfluencers on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen early and ad-free on Wondery+. Join Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Start your free trial by visiting wondery.com/links/scamfluencers/ now.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Steve Madden transforms from Long Island screw-up to fashion icon thanks to an eye for fashionable footwear and an addiction to work. But to get his shoe brand off the ground, Steve got entangled with one of the Wolf of Wall Street himself, Jordan Belfort. And Steve’s dealings with Jordan — including wild parties and stock manipulation — won’t stay secret forever. When Jordan’s scam spirals out of control, Steve’s left on his back foot.Listen to Scamfluencers on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen early and ad-free on Wondery+. Join Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Start your free trial by visiting wondery.com/links/scamfluencers/ now.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Now that evil dentist Larry Rudlph has finally been sentenced, we return to the story of the deadly safari that unraveled a lifetime of grift. Larry seems to have it all: A devoted wife and family, a growing business, and big-game hunting hobby that lets him travel the world. But his dental practice isn’t all it seems… and an affair with his hygienist spins into a murder scheme so cold-blooded, it’ll land them both behind bars. Listen to Scamfluencers on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen early and ad-free on Wondery+. Join Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Start your free trial by visiting wondery.com/links/scamfluencers/ now.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In the second part of our two-part series on the Chrisleys, the family is riding high on their hit reality show and several spin offs, but the cracks are starting to show. Tax fraud allegations have the Feds circling, and some of the Chrisley kids are starting to spill the tea about what’s really happening behind the scenes. While gossip plays out on social media, the real drama plays out in federal court. The downfall of this all-American Christian dynasty is downright unholy.Listen to Scamfluencers on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen early and ad-free on Wondery+. Join Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Start your free trial by visiting wondery.com/links/scamfluencers/ now.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

As Todd and Julie Chrisley continue to face legal troubles from jail, we revisit our episodes on the Chrisleys, which originally aired in December 2022. Todd and Julie paint the picture of a lavish Southern lifestyle on their over-the-top reality TV show Chrisley Knows Best. They show off their massive home in suburban Atlanta, their kids drive luxury cars, and Todd makes frequent trips to Beverly Hills for haircuts. But behind the scenes, everything isn’t all glitz and glamor. The real story involves an extramarital affair, blackmail, and fake financial records that threaten to completely upend their reality TV empire.Listen to Scamfluencers on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen early and ad-free on Wondery+. Join Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Start your free trial by visiting wondery.com/links/scamfluencers/ now.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode we look into an alarming scam trend: people who lie about where they were on 9/11. It’s a lie that ties together a volunteer firefighter seeking attention, an immigrant trying to fit in, a comedian looking for his big break, and even someone seeking the White House. They’re exploiting national tragedy for sympathy and clout. But with a lie so easy to disprove, what can they really hope to gain?Listen to Scamfluencers on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen early and ad-free on Wondery+. Join Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Start your free trial by visiting wondery.com/links/scamfluencers/ now.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Stephen Glass is a rising star in the ’90s magazine journalism world, breaking provocative stories that his editors love. But some find the stories too fantastical to believe. When he finally gets a close edit, the scope and scale of his scam will be stranger than fiction.Listen to Scamfluencers on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen early and ad-free on Wondery+. Join Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Start your free trial by visiting wondery.com/links/scamfluencers/ now.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Grigor Sargsyan turned the tennis world on its head by masterminding a global match-fixing scheme. He rallies underpaid players in fast cash, and spins authorities out with a scheme so carefully crafted, he becomes known as The Maestro. But international law enforcement agencies are watching and waiting to serve their ace.Listen to Scamfluencers on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen early and ad-free on Wondery+. Join Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Start your free trial by visiting wondery.com/links/scamfluencers/ now.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Leona Helmsley’s perch atop the world of Manhattan real estate is threatened by federal tax evasion charges. Her trial gives all the people she bullied a chance to hit back. With her dirty laundry aired out for all to see, the Queen of Mean is served her just desserts. But as she soldiers on without her beloved Harry, Leona will have terrible trouble defending her riches, and her heart.Listen to Scamfluencers on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen early and ad-free on Wondery+. Join Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Start your free trial by visiting wondery.com/links/scamfluencers/ now.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Leona Helmsley escapes Depression-era poverty by marrying billionaire real estate magnate Harry Helmsley. She takes over his Manhattan hotels and declares herself Queen of the Palace, then earns a royal reputation for berating, bullying, and firing employees at the drop of a hat. But when her tax bills come into question, everyone who’s worked under Leona gets their pitchforks ready to take down the Queen of Mean.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Sandy Jenkins moves to the gossipy, small town of Corsicana, Texas to work in the town’s world-famous fruitcake factory. Desperate to keep up with his cliquey neighbors, Sandy starts cutting fruitcake factory checks to pay for jewelry, cars, a second home and private jet trips. But this half-baked scheme starts to crumble when a new employee takes a closer look at how Sandy cooks the books.Listen to Scamfluencers on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen early and ad-free on Wondery+. Join Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Start your free trial by visiting wondery.com/links/scamfluencers/ now.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

After a daring bank robbery, Arthur Cofield winds up behind bars as a teenager. But prison doesn’t put an end to his life of crime. Instead, it only emboldens him. From his cell, he becomes the head of a powerful criminal syndicate that targets the bank accounts of billionaires. But when Arthur gets a little too brazen, the authorities realize they know exactly where to find him: He’s already in custody.Listen to Scamfluencers on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen early and ad-free on Wondery+. Join Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Start your free trial by visiting wondery.com/links/scamfluencers/ now.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

When ex-cop Chris Butler opens a private investigation agency, he recruits some unlikely employees: good-looking soccer moms. His agency starts garnering tons of positive press and even gets a reality T.V. deal. It all seems too good to be true, but Butler is hiding a dirty secret. Pretty soon, his P.I. agency will become the subject of a different kind of investigation – this time, by the Department of Justice.Listen to Scamfluencers on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen early and ad-free on Wondery+. Join Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Start your free trial by visiting wondery.com/links/scamfluencers/ now.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The so-called “super-taster” is back at it again. In this re-run about the wine world’s most infamous fraudster, we revisit the story of Rudy Kurniawan. Using his extraordinary tasting skills, Rudy’s able to gain influence and rake in serious cash. But when wine aficionados start to suspect Rudy’s been lying, they blow the cork off one of the industry’s juiciest scandals.Listen to Scamfluencers on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen early and ad-free on Wondery+. Join Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Start your free trial by visiting wondery.com/links/scamfluencers/ now.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.