Scam Kings

No One: "Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom...."

Vaughn Reeves: "With a few minor changes...that Bible could be SPITTIN'"

Press PLAY to hear of another instance where someone uses faith to fulfill their selfish means even when it means hurting others.

Theme Song: Dreams Become Real (Kevin McLeod)

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Elizabeth Holmes was on the edge of something revolutionary. She had come up with a machine that could diagnose patients through a singular drop of blood. She excited the medical world with the idea of the contraption, getting them to invest millions of dollars into what would be the future of blood testing. Except, The Edison didn't exist. Click PLAY to hear how Elizabeth Holmes dashed the hopes of everyone everywhere by selling a top dollar facade for over a decade.

Theme Song: Dreams Come True (Kevin Mc Leod)

Mother and son, Vance and Rosie Baker ran a Medicare scheme disguised as a home health care service for just over a decade when one of their contractors came knocking. But it would be one of their own that would help sink the entire operation in what would eventually result in his murder. Click PLAY to hear how this deadly duo cut out the middle man.

THEME SONG: Dreams Become Real (Kevin McLeod)

On this episode, we visit a classic tale with a message. There is nothing more scammy than a bad boss who refuses to pay you for your work. Dickens wrote a story that tried steering society away from that thinking through 'A Christmas Carol'. And while we may not always take the hint, it's an enjoyable classic to revisit every year. Click Play on the final episode of 2021 and sit back to enjoy this classic. 

Music:

Dreams Become Real - Kevin McLeod

Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy - Kevin McLeod

If you were in the appliance business at the time, the Petters Group was one of those names that you just couldn't escape in the late 90s, early 2000s. They were involved with brands that everyone wanted to get their hands on...and for cheap. But it was more guns than roses at this business as what seemed to be an empire was actually a crumbling sandcastle. Except no one told the king. Click Play to hear the story of Tom Petters and how his business came crashing down around him without a warning shot. 

Interview with Tom Petters - https://tcbmag.com/the-tom-petters-interview-plausible-deniability/

Theme: Dreams Become Real - Kevin McLeod

The Israel family is one of New York's most well known empires. Coffee trading skyrocketed their linage to prominence in the 20th century and, to some extent, they are still there. Although now, there is definitely a duality to their fame. Click Play to hear about Sam Israel III who relaunched his family into the spotlight. This time, infamously. 

Bring your plates over for a slice of one of the hottest throwback cases in modern scamming history. Martha Stewart established herself as the Queen of Kitchens very early on with her many book releases, television shows, and deals. But in 2004, all that came crashing down around her when she made the sale of a lifetime at the worst possible moment. Press Play to re-live the tale that shook early 2000s kitchens around the world. 

Theme Song: Dreams Become Real - Kevin McLeod

Mark Hoffman was once renowned as a top collector in the Church of the Latter-Day Saints. Every find corroborated the holy origin of the church and brought legitimacy to their cause. But when Mark can't pony up on documents that are integral to the faith and some of his old finds come into question, he decides to protect himself and his sham of a legacy through murder. Click Play to hear the tale also captured in Netflix's Murder Among the Mormons about this scammer turned murder who almost single-handedly ruined the LDS church.  

Theme Song: Dreams Become Real - Kevin McLeod

Lululemon, famous for its stylish comfortable leggings and mom-centered ambassadorship program, isn't the wholesome onion that it tries to portray. Press Play to find out how this yoga brand became known for its racism, dishonesty and its......seaweed? 

Theme song: Dreams Become Real (Kevin McLeod)

Kwamaine Forde was the employee of a celebrity operating out of Georgia. As the celebrities assistant, he had access to thousands of his boss' mutuals and used them to build his personal piggy bank. Hit Play to hear how Kwamaine Forde made a killing off the famous and how he got caught in the end. 

The season finale covers the event that rocked stock markets all across the world. The effects of this multi-billion scheme were rivaled only by the global economic crisis of 2008 and continue to affect hundreds of persons today. This is the story of Bernie Lawrence Madoff. Press Play to hear this outrageous tale. 

I didn't look at my calendar right and so this week you get a bonus episode. Hit Play to hear how the Eiffel Tower was sold twice and how the French government never even knew. 

To this day, American gangster, Al Capone, remains one of the most feared names in the underworld. He built an empire that still lasts even beyond the grave. In movies, myths and merchandise, he remains a constant presence. The fascination with his life culminates in the way that he was finally felled: tax evasion. Press Play as we discuss, in brief, the circumstances behind his defeat and demise.

Very few people can make me hate them with any degree of intensity but Sante Kimes always did have a knack for making things happen for her. Hit 'Play' and delve with me into the mad tale of a woman and son who went all out to be on top.

The November 2004 murder of Peter Porco consumed the headlines right up until his son's conviction in 2006. The parricide revealed many twists and turns eventually running back to the root of all evil. Hit 'Play' as we uncover the details of this sordid tale. 

Feel-good stories on social media help restore faith in humanity. In all the turmoil, it's a fantastic reminder that we are real and we are here. And while the reward is often in endorphins, sometimes they can be monetary as well; the tendrils of its love forever plague it. And it can cause people to do terrible things indeed. Here's Part 2 of the 2017 story of Katelyn McClure, Mark D'Amico, Johnny Bobbitt, and the GoFundMe scheme that shocked the nation by hitting the Play icon.

As the season winds down, we discuss how the season is going to end and how we will be moving forward.

Feel-good stories on social media help restore faith in humanity. In all the turmoil, it's a fantastic reminder that we are real and we are here. And while the reward is often in endorphins, sometimes they can be monetary as well; the tendrils of its love forever plague it. And it can cause people to do terrible things indeed. Check out Part 1 of the 2017 story of Katelyn McClure, Mark D'Amico, Johnny Bobbitt, and the GoFundMe scheme that shocked the nation by hitting the Play icon. 

In 2019, India was rocked by the news that its leading airline was shutting down operations after a year of losses. Very soon all eyes were turned to Jet Airways founder Naresh Goyal. Allegations of corruption, mismanagement, and dark involvements permeate the air forcing him away to England. Today, we explore this unfinished tale of this majestic bird and its clipped wings. Listen all the way to the end!

This is probably the ballsiest case that I have covered. Rajina Subramaniam made headlines in 2009 when her five year $45 million dollar scheme was uncovered. It remains the largest fraud scheme committed by an Australian woman and the second-largest by an Australian woman. Press 'Play' and listen to this exciting story. 

The moral of this story is that NOTHING is actually free. Even if they say it is. It was a mark overlooked by companies small and great when it came to Australian payroll firm, Plutus. It would be the cause of everyone's downfall. 

The animals aren't the only predators in Australia. Jocelyn Zakhour is the latest scammer that we will cover on Scam Kings. Love can be a dangerous drug....

Not only do her many deceptions influence the facts of her story but Elizabeth Bigly's obsession with forging signatures and having expensive things culminated in the ruin of a state bank. Find out how this 19th-century Canadian-born swindler managed to fool everyone across at least two U.S. states. 

The half-season episode of Scam Kings is ready for you right now!

In 2018, Hinkley Road was rocked by a blast that was felt for miles and required the evacuation of over 60 buildings. After ruling out terrorism, police were left to sort a positively frightening mystery surrounding the deaths of five persons. What they end up discovering is more harrowing than anyone in Leicester could imagine. Press play to find out what happened with the Leicester Explosion. 

Patricia Cascione was the quintessential suburban mom with a supernatural penchant for charity. A step away from a sain. But as we all know, if something is too good to be true, it usually is especially when you're that close to Tinsel Town. If taking candy from a baby was a person, it would be Patricia Cascione. Find out how here.

Velma Barfield became the first woman since 1962 to be executed since the resumption of capital punishments in the United States in 1976. Her dependence on prescription pills drove her to commit cheque fraud...and murder. 

Buy me a coffee if you liked this: Search “scamkingstc” on BMAC and put a dollar in my paper cup. 

Christine Daniel was the woman behind C-extract, a formula purportedly able to cure the most aggressive forms of cancer. But even with the power of God and medicine on her side, the people she declared whole died in a matter of months. Press play to hear how this woman swindled millions from the faithful and what the connection is to suntan lotion. 

Buy me a coffee if you liked it: Search “scamkingstc” on BMAC and put a dollar in my paper cup. Rewards will come at some point.

Ronald Mikos was the most successful podiatrist in Chicago But his Achilles heel was always greed. In an attempt to have his cake and eat it too, he attempts to mislead the FBI by influencing the investigation. And it goes well until he meets Joyce Brannon. Listen to this week's episode to find out how Joyce's tragic sacrifice end up bringing the good doctor and his Medicare scam down. 

The creator does apologize in advance for the feedback throughout the episode. 

If you’re listening to this episode, more than likely you had a Twitter account when the disaster that was Fyre Media’s Fyre Festival played out before our very eyes. Billy McFarlene almost managed to pull off the heist of the generation, and but for his greed, he would have gotten away with it. Join host, Kershelle Mike, as she rehashes the events in brief detail of the greatest party that never happened.

Buy me a coffee if you liked it: Search “scamkingstc” on BMAC and put a dollar in my paper cup. Rewards will come at some point.

When Ivar Kreuger died, he was mourned as a business icon and a financial genius. That all changed a couple of months later when several investigations revealed anomalies in his business operations. Many publications named him a charlatan and a fraud and shamed him as one would a criminal. 

But is that the whole story? And how is the Mussolini government involved?

Click 'Play' to listen to the latest episode of Scam Kings to hear about how Kreuger's match kingdom came burning down.

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This week, we take a look at the father of the ultimate con job and how his simple miscalculation deceived hundreds. 

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