Fraudsters

In Part 3 of our Vince McMahon deep-dive, Seena, Ariel, and Justin detail Vince's feud with the World Wildlife Federation, his growing pattern of sexual abuse, and the birth of the Mr. McMahon persona.[00:07:10] The Kiss My Ass Club[00:08:00] Bark Like A Dog[00:09:20] Drugged, Married, On Air[00:12:00] Choked With A Pipe[00:15:00] The Ring Boys Lawsuit[00:20:40] Rita's Limo Confession[00:39:50] $14 Million In SilencePatreon: https://patreon.com/Fraudsters  Follow The Show:  Twitter: https://twitter.com/fraudstersLPN  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fraudsterslpn/  Website: https://fraudsters.fm/  <br...

In this week's Fraudwire, we take a break from the Vince McMahon series for Seena and Ariel to discuss Selena Gomez and her mother's shady brand, a Chik-fil-A worker's clever Richard Pryor-esque refund scheme, and an insidious remote-work scam. [00:03:10] Selena's Mom Problem [00:06:10] Meet The Serial Fraud [00:18:40] New Scam Just Dropped [00:19:40] The Fake Lottery Win [00:30:00] The Mac And Cheese Heist [00:35:00] Chick-fil-A Deserves It Patreon: https://patreon.com/Fraudsters Follow The Show:   Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fraudsterslpn/ YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/@fraudsterslpn...

In Part 2 of our Vince McMahon deep-dive, Seena, Ariel, and Justin discuss Vince's steroid trial, the infamous Montreal Screwjob incident, and the tragic death of Owen Hart during a pay-per-view event. [00:04:10] Buying Out Dad [00:10:00] The Territory Wars [00:17:40] Wrestling Isn't a Sport, Actually [00:21:10] Enter Rick Santorum [00:32:00] The Steroid Pipeline [00:41:20] The Montreal Screwjob [00:47:10] Owen Hart Falls   Patreon: https://patreon.com/Fraudsters    Follow The Show:   Twitter: https://twitter.com/fraudstersLPN   Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fraudsterslpn/   Website: https://fraudsters.fm/<b...

Jump into a steel cage death match with Seena, Ariel, and Justin as they explore how Vince McMahon built a wrestling empire at the expense of everything else. In this first episode of the series, we track his villain origin story from a trailer home to a steam-powered rocket ship. [00:05:40] Trailer Park Beginnings [00:11:20] The Pipe Wrench Years [00:17:20] Falling for a Villain [00:20:30] The Fake Court Martial [00:23:40] Meeting Linda at 13 [00:27:20] The Snake River Bet [00:36:10] Fired, Then Handed the Mic Patreon: https://patreon.com/Fraudsters   <br...

On this week's Fraudwire, Ariel sits down with with special guest host Roxxy Haze to discuss an extraordinarily promiscuous police officer, debate the ethics of AI-generated music, and make sweeping proclamations about smuggling drugs internationally in your butt. [00:02:10] Meet the Freaky Frog Cop [00:07:20] Caught By His Own Texts [00:08:30] Fired, Fully Pensioned, Free [00:21:20] The Song Called Rubbers [00:22:40] Caught In 4K [00:39:20] The $20K Offer [00:43:20] Seven Years in a Tokyo Cell Patreon: https://patreon.com/Fraudsters Follow The Show:   Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fr...

On our second Fraudwire of Season 6, Seena and Ariel discuss the scourge of clip-farming, question the ethics of gambling on war, and explore the worst possible outcome for pretending to be pregnant. 00:03:30 Betting on War Itself 00:08:20 The Sergeant Who Forgot to Delete 00:14:40 What Is a Clip Farm? 00:27:50 Bibi Netanyahu Ate Our Ad Slot 00:30:00 Maternal Instinct Begins 00:35:00 The Lie Nobody Stopped 00:39:50 Some People Gotta Go Patreon: https://patreon.com/Fraudsters Follow The Show:   Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fraudsterslpn/ YouTube:https://ww...

In Part 2 of our Eric Adams deep-dive – Seena, Ariel, and Justin continue exploring how the former mayor (and current Albanian citizen) left the city with a $12 billion budget shortfall, led his entire team to federal indictments, and temporarily ended all racism with his cryptocurrency.  00:02:30 — The episode properly begins. Seena sets up Part 2 as covering the ramifications of the Turkish pivot, additional scam highlights, and the moment the feds come knocking.    00:05:00 — Ariel takes the audience through Adams' relationship with the truth via a catalog of minor biographical lies: the fake gun story blamed on a nonexis...

In the first deep-dive of Season 6 – Seena, Ariel, and Justin discuss former New York City Mayor Eric Adams, and his tenuous relationship with the truth. In Part One, we track his rise from a skateboarding (?), rat-owning (?) youth through his time in the NYPD, NY State Senate, and eventually all the way to City Hall where he proudly served the citizens of NYC (and Turkey). 00:04:20 — Eric Adams' origin story begins. Brownsville, Brooklyn, 1960. The absent father, the alcoholic butcher, the bag of clothes carried to school in case of eviction. The nail-studded bat.   00:07:10 — The Mickey inciden...

On the first Fraudwire of Season 6, Seena and Ariel delve into World Cup shadiness, some creative basketball player fraud, and Ken Paxton's bold pro-mistress voting record. 00:01:20 — Seena announces the episode topics: FIFA, basketball, politics. Patreon plug. Season 6 is officially underway, Justin is missing in Detroit. 00:06:10 — FIFA segment begins in earnest. Trump gets a red card overturned by calling his buddy the FIFA president. Ted Cruz thanks him out loud. The hosts establish FIFA as an affinity fraud operation masquerading as international goodwill. 00:15:30 — Pivot to Kara Krista. Former D1 basketball player from Estonia. $2.2 million fraud...

Fraudsters is back with SEASON 6 - THE VILLAINS. We know, every season has villains, but this season will feel hit different: a crooked mayor, a deranged CEO, a children's show hellbent on hijacking YOUR kid's brain and a few more surprises. Seena, Justin, and Ariel are back! Expect deep dives mixed in with some Fraudwires so we can talk about the latest in what's frauding around the world. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fraudsterslpn/ Website: https://fraudsters.fm/ Follow the Hosts: https://www.instagram.com/seenanow https://www.instagram.com/justin_williams...

For our very last bonus episode of Season 5, we have an interview with Tommy and Paris Chong. And for the kids listening to the show, Tommy Chong is a Canadian-American comedian, actor, and activist, mostly known for his weed humor with comedian Cheech Marin and their classic stoner movies like Up in Smoke and Nice Dreams. In this interview, you’ll hear how Tommy got into comedy, what it was like for Paris to grow up as Tommy Chong’s son, and how they got into the business of selling bongs together, which of course led to Tommy’s arrest...

This week’s bonus episode is an interview with Marsha Levick, the co-founder and Chief Legal Officer of the Juvenile Law Center. We dive into the infamous Kids for Cash scandal—how it was exposed, the fight for justice, and the larger patterns of corruption that allow people to profit from locking up kids. We also explore the devastating impact of the War on Drugs on juvenile incarceration, the dehumanization of youth in the system, and how policing and policy have evolved from Reagan to today. Where have we made progress, and what work still needs to be done?<p...

Blume Professor of Law and Director of the Juvenile Justice Clinic and Initiative at Georgetown Law, Kris Henning, sat down with us over Zoom in the summer of 2024 to talk about the War on Drugs. She spoke about what led to her writing her book, “The Rage of Innocence: How America Criminalizes Black Youth,” how drug policies have affected kids in juvenile court and detention centers, the importance of language, and the role dehumanization plays in the War on Drugs.Follow The Show: Twitter: https://twitter.com/fraudstersLPNInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/fraud...

In this week’s bonus interview, we sit down with Yasmin Cader, Deputy Director of the ACLU and Director of the Trone Center for Justice and Equality, to explore the lasting impact of the War on Drugs on the U.S. criminal justice system. Yasmin shares what led her to become a public defender and her experiences practicing in D.C., NYC, and L.A. at the height of mass incarceration. We dive into the role of punitive drug laws, racial disparities in enforcement, police militarization, and the myths surrounding mass incarceration. Finally, we discuss the critical work being do...

This week, we’re talking all things drug policy, harm reduction, and the lingering effects of the War on Drugs with our special guest, Dr. Sheila Vakharia. Dr. Vakharia is the Deputy Director of Research and Academic Engagement at the Drug Policy Alliance, which is a fantastic organization that addresses the harms of drug use and drug criminalization through policy solutions, organizing, and public education. Dr. Vakharia is also a harm reductionist, social worker, and author of “The Harm Reduction Gap”. Listen as Dr. Vakharia shares stories from her book and personal experiences, including working at a Syringe Service Progra...

Welcome to the land of bonus episodes, where we release long-form interviews with a variety of guests about the war on drugs that we recorded in the summer of 2024. Here is our interview with Montel Williams. Now the host of Let’s Be Blunt, the number one rated Cannabis podcast in 2023, Montel Williams was a Marine and Navy officer where he undertook rescue missions and earned multiple medals of distinction. He then transitioned into the world of television where he became a household name with The Montel Williams Show, winning an Emmy in 1996 for Outstanding Talk Show Host. As yo...

In the final episode of our series on the war on drugs, we take a look at the present and future of this crisis with some help from Montel Williams and Dr. Sheila Vakharia. Yasmin Cader (ACLU) and Kris Henning (Georgetown Law) return for a roundtable discussion to offer their insight on the current state of the war on drugs and offer a hopeful outlook. From policy failures to glimmers of reform, we wonder, where do we go from here?Stay tuned for bonus content with full interviews!Follow The Show: Twitter: https://t...

What, you thought we were done talking about The War on Drugs?! Well, think again! We’re back with a special epilogue and we're diving into Operation Pipe Dreams, the infamous federal investigation that led to the arrest of Tommy Chong. Join us as we explore how this operation led by John Ashcroft and Mary Beth Buchanon targeted businesses selling drug paraphernalia across the country. We sit down with journalist Brian Conway for an in-depth look at the operation's impact, and Tommy Chong himself alongside his son, Paris, who share their experience getting busted and reflect on the evolving wa...

It’s the season finale of Fraudsters, and we’re reluctantly exploring the grim origins of America’s opioid crisis. From the Sackler family’s OxyContin empire, built on shameless marketing, fake science, and philanthropy-as-image-laundering, to John Kapoor’s Insys Pharmaceuticals, a scrappy underdog peddling fentanyl sprays, we unravel the fraud that fueled this epidemic. With half a million deaths, shattered communities, and contrasting fates for these corporate villains, it’s a class war in a pill bottle. Who paid the price—and who walked free?Follow The Show: Twitter: https://twitter.com/fraudstersLPNInstagram: ht...

Get ready for one of the most sinister and heartbreaking frauds this week – the Kids for Cash scandal. Judges Mark Ciavarella and Michael Conahan turned Pennsylvania’s juvenile justice system into their very own cash cow, sentencing kids to private detention centers they secretly profited from. How else are you gonna clear $330,000 of credit card debt…? From denying legal representation to forcing minors into facilities over petty offenses, their scheme destroyed lives for kickbacks. Join us as we unravel their twisted web of greed and power with guests Marsha Levick co-founder of the Juvenile Law Center and Corene Kendrick of the...