Swindled – ValuedListener™ Rewards Program
By A Concerned Citizen
109. The Machine (Tyson Foods)
A multinational meat processing company wreaks havoc on animals and people in pursuit of profits.
Prelude: Cody Easterday's $233 million "ghost cattle" scheme.
108. The Commander (Bobby C. Thompson)
The eccentric director of a veterans charity goes on the run after being exposed as a fraud.
Prelude: The downfall of a county commissioner in Florida.
BONUS 48: The Targeting Target (Mark Charles Barnett)
A Florida man's get-rich-quick scheme involves planting bombs at Target retail stores.
107. The Technology (Real Water)
A Nevada-based alkaline water company owned by a local politician is blamed for an outbreak of serious illnesses.
Prelude: The events surrounding a Nevada state senator's resignation.
BONUS 47: The Actor (Zach Horwitz)
An aspiring actor's production company is revealed to be a massive Ponzi scheme.
106. The Tornado (Kim Neiman)
A village clerk in Nebraska leads the charge to rebuild after a catastrophic tornado and becomes the focal point of an international mystery.
Prelude: Twin tornadoes devastate Pilger, Nebraska.
BONUS 46: The Godfather (William Mize)
Staged automobile accidents become the scam of choice in a family-oriented insurance fraud ring.
VN4VL: Grounded
In this episode of Swindled's Valuable News for ValuedListeners™, A Concerned Citizen questions his future and calls a psychic hotline for guidance. Plus case updates featuring Nicholas Alahverdian, Melissa Caddick, Johnson & Johnson, and more!
BONUS 45: The Free Flight Fiasco (The Hoover Company)
A popular appliance company's too-good-to-be-true marketing promotion yields disastrous results.
BONUS 44: The Million Pity (Monkey torture ring)
A global monkey torture ring is discovered and exposed by amateur sleuths and the BBC.
CONTENT WARNING: This episode contains graphic descriptions of animal cruelty.
105. The Monopoly (Pacific Gas & Electric)
A utility company's neglected equipment ignites the deadliest wildfire in California history.
Prelude: A natural gas leak destroys a neighborhood in San Bruno.
104. The Kepone Shakes (Life Science Products)
The manufacturer of a persistent pesticide endangers the people and environment of Hopewell, Virginia.
Prelude: Two islands in the French West Indies are contaminated with chlordecone.
103. The Nose Doctor (Mark Weinberger)
A renowned sinus surgeon disappears after malpractice allegations surface.
Prelude: Philip and Marcella Gabriele are accused of performing unnecessary eye surgeries.
102. The Other Woman (Vicki Morgan)
A mistress' 12-year-long affair with a wealthy department store heir ends in violence and conspiracy.
Prelude: The collapse of Bernie Cornfeld's financial empire.
BONUS 43: The Predator (Nate Holzapfel)
A former Shark Tank contestant's fraud spree leaves a trail of destruction.
101. The Missing (Melissa Caddick)
A Sydney-based financial advisor disappears hours after federal agents raided her house.
Prelude: $60 million is lost as a result of Brad Sherwin's Ponzi scheme.
100. The Side Door (Operation Varsity Blues)
Rick Singer is exposed as the leader of a widespread college admissions bribery conspiracy.
Prelude: A digital bank and Swiss asset manager work together to conceal dozens of illegal pump-and-dump stock schemes.
VN4VL: Death Keeps a Secret
In this episode of Swindled's Valuable News for ValuedListeners™, A Concerned Citizen catches up on the everlasting saga of Nicholas Alahverdian, Razzlekhan and husband pleaded guilty, one of the "weights in fish" guys finds himself in additional trouble, and more!
99. The Skywalks (Hyatt Regency disaster)
More than one hundred people are killed when two overhead walkways collapse in the lobby of a Kansas City hotel.
Prelude: The failure of a much-needed pedestrian bridge at Florida International University.
BONUS 42: The Scratch-Off (Urooj Khan)
A man in Chicago is poisoned to death the day after cashing in a $1 million lottery ticket.
98. The Lottery Lawyer (Jason Kurland)
A nationally-known attorney specializing in lottery winnings rips off those who entrusted him.
Prelude: Winning the lottery ruins Billie Bob Harrell Jr.'s life.
BONUS 41: The Oven (Bumble Bee Foods)
A worker (Jose Melena) at a canned tuna factory becomes trapped in an industrial oven and burns to death. A worker (Alan Catterall) at a plastic kayak company becomes trapped in an industrial oven and burns to death. Two workers (Ian Erickson and David Mayes) at a bakery become trapped in an industrial oven and burn to death.
97. The Jeweler (Nicolas Shaughnessy)
A popular Austin, Texas, jeweler is murdered in his home on the same day a serial bomber begins terrorizing the city.
Prelude: Erik Charles Maund reacts to an extortion attempt.
BONUS 40: The Veyron (Andy House)
An exotic car dealer in Lufkin, Texas, crashes a rare super sports car into Galveston Bay.
96. The Islanders (John Spano)
A fledgling Long Island professional hockey team is revived when sold to a Texas-based con artist.
Prelude: William "Boots" Del Biaggio III purchases a minority stake in the Nashville Predators.
95. The Captive (SeaWorld)
Tragedy at a marine animal amusement park illuminates the issues surrounding keeping killer whales in captivity.
Prelude: A campaign to save Keiko, the orca whale star of 'Free Willy.'
VIDEO: The American Sniper (Chris Kyle)
A United States military legend defames a former governor to boost his book sales.
BONUS 39: The Momfluencer (Katie Sorensen)
A Latino couple is falsely accused of attempting to kidnap an aspiring social media influencer's children.
94. The Messenger (Kevin Trudeau)
A series of infomercials lands a TV pitchman in federal prison.
Prelude: The founder of Hooked on Phonics is criticized over dubious advertising claims before he settles a sexual assault lawsuit with his corporate attorney, who then purchases a ranch from a phony French noblewoman who faked her own death.
BONUS 38: The Vacation Rental (Carrie Jade Williams)
A terminally ill woman is exposed as a fraud after she is discriminated against by her Airbnb guests.
93. The Teenager (Malachi Love-Robinson)
An 18-year-old boy in Florida is caught masquerading as a medical doctor.
Prelude: A 17-year-old boy in Florida is caught masquerading as a physician assistant.
92. The Phantom (Imperial Food Products)
Workers at a chicken processing plant in North Carolina become trapped inside a burning building.
Prelude: Tragedy at the Triangle Waist Company in Manhattan leads to worker safety reforms.
BONUS 37: The Beneficiary (David Del Rio)
The unsolved murder of an 85-year-old woman in Highland Beach, Florida, unveils a dark financial scheme.
91. The Balloon Boy (Richard Heene)
A botched backyard science experiment sends a 6-year-old boy soaring through the Colorado sky on a balloon.
Prelude: Lawn Chair Larry fulfills a lifelong dream.
VN4VL: There is No Cure
In this episode of Swindled's Valuable News for ValuedListeners™, A Concerned Citizen provides updates on Nicholas Alahverdian, Megan Hess, Razzlekhan, and more. Plus, voicemail questions!
BONUS 36: The Studio (Carissa Carpenter)
A proposal to build a massive movie studio in Northern California signals the end of a 17-year-old scheme.
BONUS 35: The Anglers (Jake Runyan & Chase Cominsky)
An amateur fishing team is publicly exposed for cheating after an unbelievable winning streak.
90. The Relief (Hurricane Katrina)
Ignored warnings and delayed disaster relief transforms a hurricane in New Orleans into a true American horror story.
Prelude: Hurricane Betsy causes widespread flooding in New Orleans.
BONUS 34: The American Sniper (Chris Kyle)
A United States military legend defames a former governor to boost his book sales.
89. The Crocodile (Heather Morgan & Ilya Lichtenstein)
An aspiring rapper ("Razzlekhan") and her Russian-born husband are accused of attempting to launder billions of dollars in stolen Bitcoin.
Prelude: The rise and fall of AlphaBay, the world's largest darknet market.
88. The Liability (Johnson & Johnson)
A multinational corporation discontinues the sale of its famous baby powder after thousands of users allege that the product causes cancer.
Prelude: Ethicon's pelvic mesh implants feature a critical design flaw.
87. The Label (Johnson & Johnson)
A pharmaceutical company widely promotes an antipsychotic drug that causes young boys to develop female breasts.
Prelude: DePuy's new metal hip implant features a critical design flaw.
86. The Wagon (Richard Scrushy)
The charismatic CEO of HealthSouth stands trial for a $2.8 billion accounting fraud.
Prelude: Don Siegelman, the former governor of Alabama, becomes a political target.
VN4VL: Game is Afoot
In this episode of Swindled's Valuable News for ValuedListeners™, Nicholas Alahverdian racks up new charges while trying to delay his extradition, Martin Shkreli is looking for love, Kwame crowdfunds a house, Samantha Azzopardi continues to be Samantha Azzopardi, and more. Plus, A Concerned Citizen reads listener mail! Fun!
85. The Creamery (Blue Bell)
A beloved ice cream brand issues a recall when its products are linked to a listeria outbreak.
Prelude: Big Olaf Creamery in Sarasota, Florida, continues to sell tainted ice cream while under investigation.
BONUS 33: The Coroner (Shannon Kent)
A county coroner in Colorado and his wife are arrested after their funeral homes are searched.
84. The Body Broker (Megan Hess)
A funeral director in a small town in Colorado is accused of selling human body parts.
Prelude: A raid on Arthur Rathburn's body brokering business in Detroit leads to arrests in Phoenix and Chicago.
BONUS 32: The Imaginary Target (Denis Molla)
A Trump-supporting family in suburban Minneapolis is targeted in a politically-motivated attack.
BONUS 31: The Mark (Elisah Spencer)
A wrestling fan tries to settle a personal beef with WWE superstar Seth Rollins in front of a live audience.
83. The Troubadour (Mark Leonard)
A former exotic dancer and his girlfriend are questioned when a house explodes in the Richmond Hill subdivision in Indianapolis.
Prelude: A massive explosion in downtown Richmond, Indiana, kills 41 people.