Ridiculous Crime

By iHeartPodcasts

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Subscribers: 648
Reviews: 3
Episodes: 137


 May 20, 2022

Mac
 Mar 9, 2022
Awesome podcast if you're into stories about dumb people making bad life choices. Very conversational, casual and excellent for long drives where you could use a chuckle.

Gene
 Mar 5, 2022
A podcast that could be great if it didn't have the two worst storytellers in the history of stories. They keep interrupting each other with bits of nonsense and irrelevant tangents. It's like if an internet recipe blog made a crime podcast

Description

True Crime is more than blood, guts, mayhem, and murder. Zaron Burnett and Elizabeth Dutton share outlandish tales of capers, heists, and cons that shine a light on the absurd and outrageous side of criminality. Always 99% murder-free and 100% ridiculous, this is Ridiculous Crime, a podcast by iHeartRadio.

Episode Date
They Might Be Giants
2885

When you decide to prove to a preacher that the Bible is hokum, the most logical thing to do is craft a stone giant, right? Right? George Hull certainly thought so. He put a large man in the ground and a little birdhouse in your soul.

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Jun 01, 2023
Call Bring ‘Em Back Babs: Pet Detective
3357

When a beloved pet goes missing, who do you call? If you’re Paris Hilton you hire a team of pet psychics, dog whisperers and pet detectives. But what about an everyday person? Luckily, for us, there’s a veteran investigator who’s never charged for her services. Bring ‘Em Back Babs:  pet detective.

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May 30, 2023
The Truth is Out There: The Fox Sisters
3002

What do you get when you mix spiritualism, bereft seekers, kids drinking wine, knuckle cracking, an Arctic explorer, and chicken bones? You get the Fox Sisters, America's original psychic con artists.

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May 25, 2023
You, Me and the Stanford Tree
2926

In 1998, the rivalry between Stanford University and UC Berkeley escalated to kidnapping and hostage videos. But in the geeky tradition of both colleges, it was actually a tree-napping. Some Cal frat bros, calling themselves The Phoenix Five, stole the Stanford mascot (…but really, they stole our hearts). Hijinks ensued!

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May 23, 2023
Watch Me Eat this Chicken: Lawrence Joseph Bader
2763

Most people spice up their boring lives with fun hobbies or social events. That wasn't enough for Lawrence Bader. He went and made himself a whole new life, this time as Omaha, Nebraska's hippest bachelor. Flagpole sitting, war injuries, hearses, pillow piles -- his new life had it all!

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May 18, 2023
Call Me… Robb TaLLLLL University, I Am A Rock Star*
3189

He was not a real rock star but Robb TaLLLLL University played one in his fantasies. In reality, Mr. University lacked star power or musical talent. Kinda a shame, but he was one helluva bank scammer. He made millions as a pretend rock star. Too bad no one really dreams of growing up to be a bank scammer!

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May 16, 2023
Someday My Prince Will Con: Michael Romanoff
3176

Everybody loves an entertaining exiled royal. And when that royal is exposed as a fraud? Everybody still loves him! From slinging lies in Brooklyn to slinging fancy strawberry desserts for Hollywood celebrities, Prince Mike lived one ridiculous life.

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May 11, 2023
The Ballad of L. W. Wright
3128

Like Ricky Bobby, he was a pretend NASCAR driver — only this was no movie. L.W. Wright was a fake racer in real life who took on the legends of NASCAR by scamming his way onto the track at Talladega. “Shoot, this story should be a movie!”

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May 09, 2023
Molto Ridicolo: Vincenzo Pipino
2765

A city as fabulous and sinister and romantic as Venice, Italy, deserves a fabulous, sinister, and romantic cat burglar. The ultra wealthy were honored to be his target, and he was happy to take their priceless works of art (and the occassional cashmere sweater). His crimes were almost as egregious as Elizabeth's butchering of the Italian language.

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May 04, 2023
The Eagles vs. Hotel California (…the band not the football team)
3072

The song is the band’s most popular. The legends, the conspiracies, and lore that surrounds the song are incredible. But the legal struggles, inspired criminals, and cocaine antics take center stage as we focus on the Eagles and Hotel California.

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May 02, 2023
Diamonds Are a Serb's Best Friend: The Pink Panthers
2737

What do you get when you mix millions of dollars in gems, stolen cars, wigs, international crime families, a French detective, and 800 Serbians? You get a heist gang Inspector Clouseau couldn't imagine in his wildest dreams.

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Apr 27, 2023
The Love Song of Fred W Demara
2880

🎶 Oh yes, he was the Great Impostor. (Woo-woooo) 🎶
His government name was Fred Demara, but he rarely used that. Unlike most crimers with his particular skillset, Fred used his powers for good — he liked to heal others. For instance, that time he had to perform 19 surgeries because he was pretending to be a doctor.

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Apr 25, 2023
The Heart of the Matter: Irish Relic Theft
2904

It has to be bad mojo to steal a religious artifact, and especially bad mojo if it's a sainted body part. Ireland, it seems, has a problem with this. Will the perpetrators be caught? God only knows.

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Apr 20, 2023
Endless Bummer: Beach Bad Boys Rob Hall of Gems
3199

Murf the Surf was an all-star midcentury party boy turned criminal folk hero. Bob Dylan loved his style. Murf and his partner got famous for stealing JP Morgan’s gem collection. But a freelance-writing used car salesman was the true hero; and he’s the one who eventually saves the day.

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Apr 18, 2023
Wouldn't You Like to Get Away: The North Pond Hermit
2618

Making your way in the world today takes everything you've got. Taking a break from all your worries sure wouldn't help a lot. Sometimes you want to go where nobody knows your name and they're never glad you came. This is the story of a guy who did just that.

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Apr 13, 2023
Live Free, Or Die Lying: Roy Schwasinger and the $900 Trillion Dollar Gold Scam
3438

He was an ultra secret agent, working with the Supreme Court, a cabal of generals, and a very disagreeable Bill Clinton clone, to bring justice and a huge fortune to US farmers. At least, that’s what Roy Schwasinger told crowds at his $300 seminars, where he lightened the wallets of gullible “free men.”

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Apr 11, 2023
When I Paint His Masterpiece: The Beltracchis
2721

Like Elmyr de Hory before him, Wolfgang Beltracchi loved painting other artists' works. The "lost" masterpieces were a hot commodity, generating riches for Beltracchi and the rest of the art world. He could forge the works of any genius painter, but he couldn't forge a simple label. Oh, well. It was fun while it lasted.

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Apr 06, 2023
Let’s Look Back at Anger: the Battlin’ Gallagher Brothers of Oasis
3022

Oasis was “the biggest band in the world.” Meanwhile, Liam and Noel Gallagher — the brothers who were the heart of the band — despised each other. This gave the band a creative tension. And it made their crimes against each other… ridiculous.

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Apr 04, 2023
Handcuffs and Hospitality: Bobby Comfort and the Pierre Hotel Heist
2584

Raised in a criminal family, Bobby Comfort was destined for a felonious future. When he paired up with a buddy for some high-end hotel robberies, things were looking good. He planned "one last heist," but that planning failed to take into account the apex predator of the crime world: the mafia.

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Mar 30, 2023
“I’ll Take That!”: The Diamond Doris Payne Story
3523

She is America’s Greatest Living Jewel Thief. Her career criminal exploits date back to black and white movies. Only Diamond Doris never let racism get in the way of her living the high life as an international bon vivant. 

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Mar 28, 2023
Didn't See That Coming: LifeLock Unlocked
2754

You put your Social Security Number all over the place: magazine ads, billboards, websites. What could go wrong? Lots. But what if you own a company that protects people from identity theft? Doesn't matter. Crimers gonna crime.

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Mar 23, 2023
King Carlos: the Anti-Footballer
3456

Carlos Kaiser had it made — he was a handsome professional footballer in Brazil, and he played for all the top clubs in Rio, as well as abroad. There was only one problem: King Carlos was terrible at soccer. He was the “greatest footballer who never played football.” But that’s how he made his living, conning the world of professional soccer… for 26 years!

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Mar 21, 2023
Have You Heard the Good News: Aimee Semple McPherson
3533

When a charismatic preacher went missing in the ocean off Venice, California, all hope was lost for her safe return. Almost. What followed was a chaotic tale involving a non-Dave producer, TRAINS, Arizona, goggles, and a woman with no left thumb.

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Mar 16, 2023
You've Got Mail: Another Dive into the Ridiculous Crime Mailbag
2761

The Rude Dudes send emails. We share them. Get ready for some onions, the rainbow bridge, Spam, texts to entire cities, and one fantastic gorilla suit. Plus Talkbacks from the iHeart app!

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Mar 14, 2023
Hey Everybody, It's Me! A Rockefeller!: Christopher Rocancourt
3064

He was zee best con artiste en zee 90s, no? Frenchman Christopher Rocancourt took Los Angeles by storm, rubbing elbows with celebrities and emptying the bank accounts of the wealthy and gullible. But when he took his act on the road to the Hamptons as a phony heir to an enormous fortune, they saw right through him.

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Mar 09, 2023
Howard X and the League of Celebrity Impostors
3306

What do you do when you look just like the dictator of North Korea? You make it work for you as a celebrity impostor. And if you’re Howard X, you use it to free a Zelensky lookalike from the war in Ukraine, with the help of a fake Putin.

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Mar 07, 2023
Born to Rum: Bill McCoy
2407

Bill McCoy was a man of adventure, a romantic, an innovator, and a gentleman. He also ran illegal booze into the United States, flouting the law and sailing the high seas. That is, until the Coast Guard showed up.

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Mar 02, 2023
The Ballad of Pancho Barnes
3131

She was an epic badass. She was the fastest woman alive, after she broke Amelia Earhart’s records. She also ran the Happy Bottom Riding Club for flyboys and future astronauts, that is, until J Edgar Hoover and the Air Force went to war against…Pancho Barnes.

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Feb 28, 2023
Long Live the Queenie: Stephanie St. Claire
2752

A legend. A boss. A queen. Stephanie St. Claire ran Harlem's baddest numbers game, thumbing her nose at the mob. Her elegant life took a turn, though, when she married an audacious con artist. Was hooking up with Black Hitler a wise move? What do you think.

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Feb 23, 2023
“Release the Onions!”: the Vincent Kosuga story
3106

In 1955, one man attempted to control the price of onions in America – to do that he created an illegal onion cartel and then together they cornered the market and drove the prices. It was like Trading Places for onion futures.

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Feb 21, 2023
Throw the Book at 'Em!: The Transy Library Book Heist
2906

Four amateur crime bros look to make the score of a lifetime -- stealing rare books from their college library. It goes about as well as you'd imagine.

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Feb 16, 2023
Stephen Fry Stole Some Credit Cards and We're All Better for It
3084

You'd never believe that an 18-year old buying sandwiches and shoes with a stolen credit card would grow up to be legendary celebrity Stephen Fry. But he did! The actor, comedian, writer, and historian was an honest to goodness teen criminal, one who went on a multi-county spending spree on other people's dimes (well, quid).

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Feb 14, 2023
Fake It and You'll Make It: Elmyr de Hory
2971

A talented artist is even more talented at forgery. He crosses paths with the rich, famous, and fabulous, and his forgeries are eventually forged themselves. Truly and wonderfully ridiculous, no?

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Feb 09, 2023
Are You There Godzilla, It’s Me Kim Jong-il
3306

That one time when the future leader of North Korea abducted the coolest power couple from the South Korean film industry and forced them to make a reboot of Godzilla

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Feb 07, 2023
Hollywood's Biggest Fright: Stolen Oscars
2401

Pop quiz, hotshot: how do you have an awards show with no awards? You can't! When a shipment of Oscars went missing, the tale unfolded with twists and turns right out of a Tinseltown thriller. Would Hollywood's biggest night be saved? Probably.

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Feb 02, 2023
You Robbed A Billionaire From Inside A Prison?
2920

The Yap Lavish story has something for everyone: gold coins, private planes, contraband phones, up-and-coming Atlanta rappers. While in state prison, inmate Yap Lavish pulled off the robbery of not one but two billionaires. And he would’ve gotten away with it, if not for those meddling prison guards.

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Jan 31, 2023
He Wants to Be a Paperback Writer: Clifford Irving
3137

Want to make a splash in publishing? Try ghostwriting an autobiography for a super famous man. Just make sure the famous man knows about it first.

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Jan 26, 2023
Come on Barbie, Let’s Go Party: The Barbie Bandits
3194

Two blonde bombshells get famous after they turn pro as…bank robbers. Heather and Ashley were just a pair of all-American girls who decided that the street crime life was for them. One problem, though: they were terrible at crime.

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Jan 24, 2023
Patron Saint of Confidence Women: Cassie Chadwick
3163

She told fortunes. She faked documents. She changed her name. She crashed the economy of a major American city. Sorry, Cleveland.

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Jan 19, 2023
The Family Jewel Heist: the Testicle Thieves of Chicago
2712

In 1920s Chicago there was a crime wave plaguing the city — no, not Al Capone and gangland mayhem — there was an epidemic of gland piracy, testicle thieves were out there stealing balls.

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Jan 17, 2023
Sisters Are Doin' It for Themselves: The 40 Elephants Gang
2853

Organized shoplifting, streamlined fencing, prosthetic arms, hidden pockets, driving cars through shop windows, a strict code of thievery — this London gang (which may have predated the Sicilian mafia) didn't mess around. Just forty women out on the mean streets, taking care of business. 

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Jan 12, 2023
The Battlin' Fleetwood Macs
2905

Once upon a time... there was a band called Fleetwood Mac, but one day someone had an affair with Mick Fleetwod's wife, and boom, suddenly there were two Fleetwood Macs. This became a big problem for everyone. Mostly because, no one knew how to answer the question: which Fleetwood Mac is the real Fleetwood Mac? 

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Jan 10, 2023
The Falcon and the Showman: The Epic Journey of Balloon Boy
3005

It was a developing news story that gripped the nation: a little boy flying high in the sky in an uncontrolled electrified experimental balloon. When it crashed to earth and he wasn't in it, panic turned to grief. Where was little Falcon Heene? Hiding at home, it turns out. Just like his publicity-loving father had arranged it.

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Jan 05, 2023
Houston, We Have A Problem… A Love Problem
3453

Add two astronauts, mix in one younger woman, stir in a 900-mile drive from Houston to Orlando, and garnish with an adult diaper — that’s how you make an Astronaut Love Triangle! This true story is an out-of-this-world tale of love, sex, jealousy, crime and the limits of the human bladder.

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Jan 03, 2023
Ridiculous Crime Podcast's Biggest Night: The 2022 Perpies
3243

Awards season is upon us and you know what that means: awards. And awards shows. Ridiculous Crime is proud to present the first annual Perpie Awards, celebrating almost a year of incredible capers, heists, and cons. Don't miss this star-studded event!

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Dec 29, 2022
Destruction, Mayhem and Chaos: The Most Ridiculous Crimes of 2022
3643

This was one helluva year! As life in a pandemic returned to a semblance of normalcy, criminals also got back to work. In many cases the results were predictably ridiculous. To review the felonious year that was, here’s a rundown of the Top Ten Most Ridiculous Crimes of 2022!

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Dec 27, 2022
If the Moon Is A-Rockin', Dont Come A-Knockin': Thad Roberts and the Lunar Rock Heist
2837

Many kids dream of becoming astronauts, but only a select few actually make it their profession. And even fewer manage to blow that chance. And only one threw away his dreams of space travel in a truly ridiculous way: stealing moon rocks from work in order to say he'd had sex on the moon. Literally.

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Dec 22, 2022
“Ho-Ho-noooooo!”: Orange Sunshine and The LSD-Fueled Christmas Party
3174

That one time when the Black Panthers, the militant Weather Underground and the surf mafia The Brotherhood of Eternal Love came together to free a psychedelic charlatan

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Dec 20, 2022
Thieving Las Vegas: Operation G-Sting
3827

Strip clubs, crooked politicians, cash payoffs, FBI raids, ski school. It's a Vegas corruption story like no other!

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Dec 15, 2022
Let’s Steal the Mona Lisa!
3154

Mayhem, chaos and international hijinks ensue after three Italian brothers, led by their super-patriotic older brother, break into the Louvre and steal the Mona Lisa for the glory of Italia. The frantic French police search high and low for the stolen masterpiece, they even drag in Picasso and JP Morgan.

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Dec 13, 2022
Fix Up, Look Sharp: Willie Sutton
2961

Guy meets girl. Guy loses girl. Guy learns to rob banks. Guy robs banks. Guy likes to look fly. Guy gets arrested. Guy escapes prison. Guy gets caught again. Guy writes memoirs. Guy inspires generations of medical students to better diagnose patients? 

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Dec 08, 2022
"Uncatchable”: The Greek Robin Hood
3283

Born the son of a shepherd, inspired by highwaymen bandits of the mountains, Vassilis Palaiokostas grew up to be a criminal legend known as the Greek Robin Hood. From his daring helicopter prison escapes to his bank-robbery-funded luxurious life on the lam, he’s known for his deep love of Greek guitar music, stolen German cars, and, of course, freedom.

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Dec 06, 2022
Get a Load of These Clowns: The Toronto Circus Riot
2049

What do you get when you mix crooked cops, violent firemen, a rollicking bordello, hardboiled clowns, and sectarian violence? You get something wildly ridiculous, that's what. Zaron is still missing, so Producer Dave steps in again and saves the day.

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Dec 01, 2022
Birthday Boy Bank-robber
3355

Who among us hasn’t daydreamed of being Steve McQueen for a day? For a 20-year-old community college student, fancy liquors and semi-exotic cars weren’t enough to scratch the dangerous cool guy itch. Only a major bank heist in tribute to McQueen’s own biggest big screen caper would do. So why are we just hearing about it now? Producer Dave Coustan takes the wheel and fills us in.

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Nov 29, 2022
A Mega-Con Man for the Ages: Joseph "Yellow Kid" Weil
3108

Only the greatest con man could take Mussolini for $2M, run a totally fake casino, fix horse races, pose as a well-known mining engineer, and then write a book about it all. Oh, and look super dapper along the way.

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Nov 24, 2022
Jimi Hendrix, a VW Van of Hash, and the Brotherhood of Eternal Love
2971

Ron and Scott were brothers, a pair of SoCal surf kids growing up in the ‘60s. They were into the usual stuff: peace, love, catching waves, international drug smuggling, making phony films as a cover for illicit activities, hanging out with Jimi Hendrix in Hawai`i, fooling Porsche into agreeing to a fake car race. You know, just brotherly fun.

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Nov 22, 2022
Hackin' on a Star: Matthew Bevan
2745

When your only crime is curiosity, is it still illegal to hack into government computer systems in search of information about UFOs? Yes. Yes, it is. 

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Nov 17, 2022
The Coke Boat
2785

You’re young, you’re hawt, you’re used to getting paid for it as an Instagram influencer – so why not turn pro and get paid for it overseas? But suddenly you’re now an international cocaine smuggler… how did this happen?! (🎵 Life on the Coke  Boat, surely make you lose your mind 🎶)

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Nov 15, 2022
Irritating Posh Kid Hijinks: The Dreadnought Hoax
2998

Pranks! Some are clever. Some are fun. Some are a little lame. And some manage to create an historical thread from Virginia Woolf to Silvio Berlusconi. 

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Nov 10, 2022
Horsing Around for Millions
3000

Two great tastes that taste great together: horse racing and fraternity brothers. What happens when three frat bros attempt to rig the biggest horse race in America? They all win a free yet priceless education in how not to commit a crime. And it’s all thanks to a long shot horse named Volponi.

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Nov 08, 2022
You're Bacon a Big Mistake: The Tucson Sonoran Hot Dog Turf War
2734

Regional delicacies are a hot market and a point of pride. Tucson's Sonoran Hot Dogs are a prime example. But are they worthy of extortion and death threats? One guy sure thought so.

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Nov 03, 2022
Kids Steal The Darndest Things!
2928

They can barely see over the steering wheel, they can’t reach the pedals, many can’t even read, but they don’t let that stop them. Kids will steal the dardenest things — like Mom’s SUV. These criming kids all went big, they each tried to drive cross-country!

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Nov 01, 2022
More Train Talk: The Great Train Robbery
3151

Trains. It was an outrageous caper to end all capers: stealing millions from a train (and maybe a little of the train, too). What could go wrong? Well, a lot. But a fair bit also went right. Trains. And thanks to all that, we have a dope television theme song. Makes sense, don't it? And trains. 

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Oct 27, 2022
A Snowball’s Chance
3218

2 Texas colleges. 
1 two-hundred pound owl. 
Mix in 1200 cadets and their bull sergeants versus a team of football players and tracks stars, stir in as many trains, trucks, and cars as can be found, and garnish with two private dicks, one named Snowball.

That’s called a TAMU over Rice.

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Oct 25, 2022
Real House Burglars of the UK: The Heist
3355

This is the true story of five strangers picked to target a mark, work together, and have their lives taped to find out what happens when people stop criming in secret...and start getting loot for the sake of entertainment.

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Oct 20, 2022
How To Fake Your Death …and Not Get Away With It!
3369

David Friedland was a corrupt, mob-connected, LSD-munching, undercover FBI informant and New Jersey state lawmaker, until one day he faked his death and became a scuba diving instructor.

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Oct 18, 2022
I Want to Talk to You about Trains: The Brian Robson Story
3430

Choose a job. Choose Australia. Choose a gross hostel. Choose some friends. Choose a crate. Choose a pee bottle. Choose your future. Choose life... But why would I want to do a thing like that? I chose not to choose life. I chose somethin' else. And the reasons? There are no reasons. Who needs reasons when you've got trains?

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Oct 13, 2022
Papa, Can You Hear Me: Florida Man Kidnaps Self
3271

Is it kidnapping if you’re the kid who naps himself? Do FBI informants have a bring your kid to work day? It’s David Hampton Butler Jr. vs David Hampton Butler Sr. in a Florida Man battle of the ages.

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Oct 11, 2022
The Pastor Has Two Faces: Don LaRose
2907

When a pastor went missing after giving a series of talks about the devil, everyone who knew him was certain Satanists were to blame. But what if the devil in this story was actually the little devil on that pastor's shoulder urging him to find a new life? Guess what...it was.

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Oct 06, 2022
"Comic Books Are Coming For Your Kids!"
3309

Sen. Estes Kefauver was outraged by a crime: the poisoning of the minds of American children. He spied a vile new threat introduced by Superman, Wonder Woman and Batman –– to him, the superheroes were secretly agents of fascism. The lawmaker knew the best way to fight back and save America's children was to call the press and form... a Senate Subcommittee! (Cue the moral panic in 3, 2, 1..)

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Oct 04, 2022
A Dish Best Served in Antarctica
2985

Antarctica is cold. Very cold. And there's not much to do other than research and maintenance. Or listen to Metallica. What happens when you mix a limited library, a bully, and a whole lot of booze? Something ridiculous, for sure.

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Sep 29, 2022
Sex Raft!
3173

It was an idea so crazy it just might work: what if a middle-aged scientist invited 10 young, sexy strangers to live aboard a raft with him for 3 – 6 months and together they’d solve the question of world peace. Who knows? (Every one knows.) 

Warning: adult themes

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Sep 27, 2022
Uncut Gems: The Great Diamond Hoax
2669

Diamonds and gems scattered about the dry earth just waiting to be gathered and sold. Little to no work involved. Easy money. Sounds to good to be true, right? Not for the titans of industry, experts, and investors who fell for this ridiculous con.

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Sep 22, 2022
The Insane Love Song of Skyjacker: Garrett Brock Trapnell
3015

Garrett Brock Trapnell was a criminal Swiss Army knife; he ran guns for Fidel Castro, he rented dogs to Hollywood stars, later he became a skyjacker –– and he became so famous from it that a mother and daughter tried to free him from prison.

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Sep 20, 2022
Rum Running Renegade: Willie Carter Sharpe
2402

What do you get when you put a fearless woman behind the wheel of a truck filled with illicit booze on a winding country road with the feds in hot pursuit? You get the brazen capers of Willie Carter Sharpe.

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Sep 15, 2022
Titanic and The Brain
3680

One was a man of action, an incredible athlete who was always ready with an outsized proposition bet, like wagering if he could throw a peanut across Times Square; the other man was a walking calculator of odds and angles, a master gambler, but one who preferred it when the game was rigged — they called themselves Titanic and The Brain. One of them is still remembered as the man who fixed the World Series, at least that’s the rumor.

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Sep 13, 2022
The Best Worst Imposter: Edgar Laplante
3728

Edgar Laplante tried it all: pretending to be a Native American chief, pretending to be a famous athlete, pretending to be a war hero, pretending to be in love with a noblewoman. While not always a very convincing imposter, he was weirdly successful in his relentless career of cons and fraud.

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Sep 08, 2022
Sorry, Not Sorry: Corey Worthington and his Sunglasses Throw a Party
2760

It hits every American 80s movie trope: parents go out of town, teen boy throws party, party gets out of control. Except this time it became a global sensation and wound up inspiring its own movie. And in the tradition of Succulent Chinese Meal Man, this Australian teen is unapologetically larger than life and, well, ridiculous.

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Sep 06, 2022
The Mayor of Favor Town: Buddy Cianci
3100

You run for mayor of a large American city. You get elected. You commit a felony. You resign. You run again for mayor of that same large American city. You get elected. You commit another felony. You resign again. But none of that will stop you from remaining a lasting part of the fabric of the city or from participating in a parade. This is the Buddy Cianci story.

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Sep 01, 2022
Rob Bank, Write Book… Make Big, Big Money?
3116

Dubbed the “Bank Robbery of the Century,” the daring break-in at a castle-style bank in the French Riviera town of Nice shocked the world — but it was the fact that the burglars from the heist team kept writing novels about it that was far more shocking! Guys, you got away with it… Ssshhh!

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Aug 30, 2022
Ocean's Ten: The Baker Street Robbery
2608

Brian "The Guv'nor" Reader met his criminal downfall with the Hatton Garden Heist. But that wasn't his first attempt at breaking into a vault. Decades before, he and a crack crew dug a tunnel in search of riches, but were foiled by a guy who just wanted to listen to Radio Luxembourg in peace.

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Aug 25, 2022
“Hands Up!” The Ballad of Bank-robbing Folk Hero, Billy Miner AKA the Gentleman Bandit
3819

He spent the majority of his life behind bars, but when he was free he made his time count, robbing stage coaches and trains and traveling the world on stolen booty — meet Billy Miner, outlaw folk hero of the disappearing Wild West.

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Aug 23, 2022
It's a Country if We Say So: The Island Nation of Sealand
3424

What started as a spot for a pirate radio station blossomed into a whole country. At least to the people who lived there. But the founding of any nation is full of strife, crime, and ridiculousness. Why should Sealand be any different?

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Aug 18, 2022
Willie and Waylon: the Outlaw Country Drug Busts
2953

Two country legends, good time friends and partners in crime, Willie and Waylon shared a love of staying one step ahead of the law; except sometimes when you fight the law…the law wins.

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Aug 16, 2022
Let 'Er Rip: The Adventures of Bum Farto
3269

Being named Bum Farto is ridiculous. Selling drugs is a crime. Being named Bum Farto and selling drugs in front of a fire station? Now THAT'S a ridiculous crime.

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Aug 11, 2022
The Great Kansas City Royals Uniforms Heist of 1977
3283

The Milwaukee Brewers were scheduled to face the Kansas City Royals, but the night before thieves broke in and stole the Royals’ uniforms. The game that went down the next day became baseball history; yet another legend from the ‘70s era of baseball and its disco riot, short shorts and afro’d funkiness.

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Aug 09, 2022
Whiskey Robber, Take My Mind: Attila Ambrus
3574

What do you get when you take one part hardscrabble Eastern Bloc kid, three parts lousy ice hockey skills, twelve parts booze, six parts non-violence, and infinite amounts of determination? You get one whole Attila Ambrus, the Hungarian Whiskey Robber. 

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Aug 04, 2022
Always on my Mind: The Theft of Albert Einstein’s Brain
2932

Albert Einstein was one of the greatest scientific minds of all time. So of course people wanted to study his brain after he died. One man, though, wanted the brain more than anyone else. His career-ruining obsession with the genius noggin drove him to commit a ridiculous crime and culminated in a bizarre cross-country road-trip with an exasperated journalist. Intent on delivering the pilfered body part to Einstein’s granddaughter, the duo proved that everything is indeed relative.

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Aug 02, 2022
The Great Imposter: The Many Faces (and costumes) of Barry Bremen
2943

A sports-loving jokester with a desire to be seen by the masses, Barry Bremen fraudulently made his way into some of the biggest sporting and entertainment events of the 70s and 80s. It's one thing to dress up as a ref at a game, quite another to accept an award on stage meant for someone else. Will Barry's lust for the limelight take him a little too far?

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Jul 28, 2022
The Winning Numbers of the Beast
2974

Everybody loved Nick Perry. The host of “Bowling for Dollars” was Pittsburgh famous for his loud suits and friendly demeanor. But that wasn’t enough. Nick Perry made a big money move — he rigged the Pennsylvania lottery. Only problem was that he also crossed the mob. That never ends well.

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Jul 26, 2022
Best in Show: The Canine Cons of Margaret Lydia Burton
3314

If you have an interesting accent and know how to act fancy, you can get away with a lot. Margaret Lydia Burton used that fact to her advantage, moving from town to town, conning people and living well. She thought she'd settled down to begin a life of skimming enormous amounts of money from a medical clinic and spending it on...show dogs. But people got wise, so Burton got moving.

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Jul 21, 2022
Champagne for My Horses
3309

Rita Crundwell seemed like a simple woman. As a kid, she liked 4H, horses, and country living. She grew up to work in City Hall in her small hometown of Dixon, Illinois. For decades, though, this all-American product of the heartland had a secret. She was cooking the town's books, embezzling millions, and lying to everyone she knew to pay for her lavish, pony-loving lifestyle.

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Jul 19, 2022
Double Trouble: Jose and Ozzie Canseco
2917

Two major league baseball stars walk into a bar. Well, a nightclub. Either way, chaos ensues. But since it's Jose and Ozzie Canseco, that chaos is awesome. And they didn't stop there. Special guest Travis Dutton, a major Oakland A's/Canseco fan, joins the RC crew for this one.

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Jul 14, 2022
Cult Leader Pretend: Alex Joseph and His Many, Many Wives
3204

Alex Joseph was a lot of things: accountant, school teacher, author, US Marine, postal worker, private investigator, music manager, health food purveyor, mayor, pirate, polygamist, cult leader. He loved living just outside the law, amassing wives (some of questionable age) and squatting on government land. And unlike many of the ridiculous criminals profiled, he managed to stay one step ahead of the law until his last breath.

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Jul 12, 2022
Draw Me Like One of your German Criminals: Arno Funke, Germany's Greatest Extortionist
3001

Aspiring artist Arno Funke, aka Dagobert, just wanted to make a living doing what he loved. And he did, for a time, because in addition to art he loved bombs and extortion plots, and weird contraptions. His antics captivated a nation and made for great headlines, but those kind of capers just can't last. Luckily, the artist in him prevailed and he was able to delight and captivate the public in a legal way after all.

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Jul 07, 2022
'Twas the Night Before Griftsmas: The Con Man and Santa Claus
3419

It's Christmas in July! Start drafting those letters to Santa — that's just how John Duval Gluck would have wanted it. He scammed the wealthy of New York society into doing good for poor kids, sending the kids gifts from Santa himself. Until one man asked to see the receipts.

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Jul 05, 2022
Smuggler’s Baby Blues: The Fake Baron and 100,000 Glass Eyeballs
3167

For years, an erstwhile Baron smuggled glass eyes into Hoboken, until he was busted by customs. He later petitioned to officially change his name to reflect his status as the illegitimate son of a Viscount. When he told the romantic and rather dubious tale of his parentage in court? Not a dry eye in the house.

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Jun 30, 2022
This is Mr. Rochat Speaking: The Theft of Charlie Chaplin's Body
3178

Criminals decide to steal the body of beloved film star Charlie Chaplin. They call his widow and ask for a ransom. His widow isn't interested. What becomes of The Tramp's remains? Guess you'll have to listen and find out. Come for the crime, stay for Zaron's absurd reenactment of the ransom calls.

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Jun 28, 2022
High Times on the Mosquito Coast: The Gregor MacGregor Story
3016

Throughout the ages, con artists have successfully convinced people to buy into fake businesses, fake social or political movements, even fake identities. But it took a truly confident trickster, a brazen Scotsman, to fool people into sinking their life savings into a completely fake country.

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Jun 23, 2022
The Truth is Really Out There: The Long Island UFO Network
3692

Fed up with local politics, a UFO investigator and his band of misfits conspire to take down their enemies. And expose government plots to conceal alien activity. And equip a school bus with state of the art paranormal detecting gadgets. And threaten the President. And hang out at his mom's house. You know, normal stuff.

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Jun 21, 2022
Treetop Flyer: The Highflying Antics of Tommy Fitz
2402

Get drunk? Check. Steal a plane? Check. Fly it back to the bar you'd been partying in earlier? Check. Tommy "Fitz" Fitzpatrick had only a few steps in his plan to become a legend. How he executed that plan and took it to new heights makes him the posterboy for mid-century ridiculousness. 

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Jun 16, 2022
Swappin' Dead Presidents: The Emancipation of Abraham Lincoln's Corpse
3512

In 1876, a small time gang plotted to kidnap Abraham Lincoln. He'd been dead eleven years, but they didn't let that stop them. They planned to trade the late leader's body for their imprisoned counterfeiter comrade's freedom. Guess what -- it didn't work.

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Jun 14, 2022
Watch the Throne: The Case of the Missing Gold Toilet
2844

In 2016, the artist Maurizio Cattelan created a masterpiece: a solid goild toilet. After a successful exhibition in New York, the commode was shown in the UK. It was there that the loo went adieu. Who took it? Why? The police had suspects, but will they be able to flush them out?

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Jun 09, 2022
The Yeti Hand: a Film Star, a Relic, and Underpants
3083

What do you get when you mix an obsession with cryptids, money to burn, Buddhist monks, geopolitics, relic theft, lingerie, and Jimmy Stewart? You get this ridiculous tale.

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Jun 07, 2022
Captured Coin Con Consults Convicts Craving Corrections Cover
2815

Michael Sabo was a classic con man. He posed as a respectable doctor, he wrote phony checks, he stole coins, and he misled trusting people. And what does a classic con man do after getting caught? Turn that grifter knowledge into another con: consulting.

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Jun 02, 2022
The Taser, The Tupperware Salesman and the Stolen Stradivarius
3532

An amateur art thief conspires with a barber/part-time “Tupperware consultant” named Universal Knowledge Allah to steal a multimillion dollar Stradivarius violin; it’s step one of the thief’s Robin Hood-style plan to, uh…renovate and fix Milwaukee?

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May 31, 2022
You've Got Mail: Ridiculous Crime Listeners Chime In
2702

We get a LOT of correspondence here at RC HQ, and the time has come to share it with the world. Suggestions! Confessions! Campfire Tales! Requests! Guitars! Turkeys! Manhunts! Duct Tape! Y'all are a fascinating and hilarious bunch.

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May 26, 2022
Rose Marie and Joyce (Jocelyn?): the IRL Thelma & Louise
2174

It was the ‘90s, just before the internet went big, the perfect moment for two gals to turn outlaw, robbing men from Texas to Vegas. While on the run they were spotted hiding as nurses, strippers and refrigerator customers. Novelty shirts and tv shows followed.

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May 24, 2022
Drop 'Em!: The Strange Tale of the Pretty Pants Bandit
2934

A dame. A real looker. A minx with a gun demanding all the cash in the register. This was a woman straight out of a film noir. Except this gal's m.o. was a little unusual: your money or your pants, mister!

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May 19, 2022
The Loudest Mimes in the Room: San Francisco Mime Troupe vs. the SFPD
2743

Mimes and police: two great tastes that don't taste great together. In the time between the Beat Generation and the Summer of Love, a band of misfit mimes joined forces with a future super-promoter to fight for the rights of performace artists and freedom of expression (also the freedom to get freaky while miming). Clashes with cops ensued, but no invisible box could hold the mimes back. This is the true story of how mime culture changed history...and gave us hippies.

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May 17, 2022
Please, for the Love of God, Stop Singing: State vs. Linkhaw
2730

Even the worst singers think they're magnificent crooners in the shower or alone in the car. But what of the terrible singers who take their warbling public? Can singing be criminally bad? Turns out the answer is YES.

 

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May 12, 2022
I'm Not a Doctor, but I Play One on TV...News
2249

No one likes medical exams that get a little, uh, personal. And it's only made worse if the doctor administering the test is actually a teen con artist posing as an MD. This teen terror just wouldn't give up his medical dreams until he faced the most tenacious opponent of all: a local investigative news team.

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May 10, 2022
Catch the Wave, Not the Criminal: The Max Headroom Signal Hijacking
3125

Ah, the 80s. Back when MTV ruled the airwaves, shoulder pads were mandatory, Coca Cola was going through some identity issues, and television signal jacking was still possible. It was a magical time when someone in Chicago could turn on the tv and get an unintended eyeful of weirdness, thanks to a rascally criminal in a Max Headroom mask.`

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May 05, 2022
The Con Man, the First Lady, and Madame X: The Story of Gaston Means
2538

Gaston Means managed to insert himself into some significant crimes in American history. J. Edgar Hoover himself referred to Means as "the most amazing figure in contemporary criminal history" for his ability to successfully lie to suit whichever situation in which he found himself. But he met his match when he tried to swindle Washington socialite Evalyn Walsh McLean in a fake investigation into the Lindbergh Baby Kidnapping. Means ran out of luck when he ran out of lies.

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May 03, 2022
Sartorial Violence at its Finest: The Straw Hat Riot
2995

It used to be gauche to wear white after labor day, or to board a plane in your pajamas. What once would get you stern looks or eye rolls are now widely tolerated sartorial choices. There was once one choice, though, that wasn't tolerated at all. In fact, it got you a beat down. Woe be the men who wore straw hats after the summer season in New York City.

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Apr 28, 2022
I Never Promised You a Rose Garden: Gerald the Turkey Attacks!
2485

In the quiet spring and summer of the early COVID-19 pandemic, one creature's reign of terror paralyzed a neighborhood. What was once an idyllic municipal rose garden, prized for its bountiful blooms and serene atmosphere, became a bloody stomping ground for a pissed off turkey. It just so happens that animals can be criminals, too.

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Apr 26, 2022
Counterfeit Cuneiform: Hobby Lobby & the Stolen Gilgamesh Dream Tablet
3236

How does a company go from selling craft supplies and tchotchkes to importing stolen and counterfeit curios? This is the story of how Hobby Lobby got into the business of looted goods and managed to embroil the Museum of the Bible along the way.

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Apr 21, 2022
Elementary, My Dear Houdini: Sir Arthur Conan Doyle vs. Harry Houdini
3167

The author of the Sherlock Holmes series of books, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was also an ardent believer in spiritualism. While his most famous character was known for laughingly revealing the deceptions of charlatans and con men, Doyle himself was more easily duped. Harry Houdini was disgusted to see his friend conned like that. As an escape artist and magician, Houdini was familiar with spectacle and games of deception. So he put on a show just for Conan Doyle and tried to convince his friend that spiritualism was a fraud. Could Houdini make the creator of Sherlock Holmes finally see the truth?

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Apr 19, 2022
Geriatric Ocean’s Eleven: The Hatton Garden Heist
2885

Sometimes it's hard to retire. Like they say, do something you love and you'll never work a day in your life. For a group of older English gentlemen thieves, this was especially true. There comes a time when the body can't keep up with the mind, though, and simple plans run into complex worlds. It turns out mega jewel heists just aren't what they used to be.

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Apr 14, 2022
Nuns on the Run: the Fun-loving, Felonious Belgian Sisters
2510

Catholic Bishop Fulton J. Sheen once said, “Hearing nuns’ confessions is like being stoned to death with popcorn.” That’s not true in Belgium. In 1990, nuns in the Diocese of Bruge threw off their habits and embraced the criminal life. So much for vows of poverty.

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Apr 12, 2022
Give My Regards to Javasu
2368

A mysterious woman washes ashore in 1800s England. She speaks an unknown language, yet still manages to share tales of her pirate-filled high sea adventures and noble lineage. Her story captivates the nation...until a figure from her past comes and ruins everything. Or does she?

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Apr 07, 2022
Pablo Escobar’s Problematic Cocaine Hippos
2824

We all know that Pablo Escobar exported cocaine out of Colombia in record amounts. What a lot of people don't know is that he had some problematic imports into the vibrant nation, as well. Meet Pablo Escobar's hippos. The cocaine cowboy brought what turned out to be an invasive species into one of the most biodiverse areas in the world. Antics ensued.

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Apr 05, 2022
King of the Frontier Con Men: The Ballad of Soapy Smith
2880

The grandson of a Georgia plantation owner, “Soapy” Smith turned to crime when his family’s morally-criminal fortunes vanished at the end of the Civil War. Travelling from Texas to Colorado to Alaska, Smith was a natural leader who couldn’t help but expand his short con mini-gangs into full-fledged political and criminal empires. But how on earth did he get the name “Soapy”? A very clever flimflam and a cop gave him the moniker that made him famous.

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Mar 31, 2022
English History Mystery Nerd Fight: The Drake’s Plate Hoax
2722

When the historian who spent his whole career studying the life and exploits of Sir Francis Drake was presented with what appeared to be the Englishman's most important relic, he should have thought it too good to be true. Instead, he bought into it with his whole heart and career. A nerdy band of history buffs believed they pulled off the greatest of pranks, but the historian's reputation and sway were too strong to be brought down by a phony artifact. Too bad for one of the pranksters, who had counted on the whole affair as a means to exact revenge. This is how one fake metal plate became part of the California educational curriculum.

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Mar 29, 2022
Pickles to the Rescue: The Stolen FIFA Cup of 1966
4153

In 1966, England hosted the FIFA World Cup, an incredible honor and landmark moment for English football. Just one problem: someone made off with the cup itself just weeks before the start of play. How can you have a global tournament with no prize? How can England save face? Enter Pickles, the pooch with a nose for sirloin and purloined goods.

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Mar 24, 2022
Just Like in the Movies: The Story of Rédoine Faïd
2422

Prolific French bank robber Redoine Faid repeatedly evaded capture then repeatedly escaped imprisonment, entertaining all who heard of his exploits. His Hollywood-style capers were larger than life, just like his audacious public image. But can the authorities ever truly capture the man who has captured a nation's imagination?

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Mar 22, 2022
Gentlemen, This Is Democracy Manifest: the Tale of Succulent Chinese Meal Man
2594

Listeners Charlotte and Phil suggested this ridiculous crime (and viral sensation) from Down Under. This is the tale of a legendary Australian video that tickled an entire continent and created a folk hero. But who, exactly, was this folk hero? The plot thickens!

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Mar 17, 2022
Surprise, I’m Not Dead!: The Woman, Her Husband, and the Hitman
2342

When a woman, back home for a family funeral, was kidnapped by the hitman her husband hired to kill her, things looked pretty bleak. But lucky for the woman, hers was a hitman with a heart of gold. Together, they plotted to surprise the husband and get her (legal) revenge. The venue: her own funeral.

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Mar 15, 2022
Big Crimpin’: The Epic Booze Cruise of Shanghai Kelly
2418

During the California Gold Rush, arriving sailors pretty much abandoned ship immediately and headed for the hills in search of gold. Criminals (called “crimps”) solved the sailor shortage by drugging men and tossing them on outgoing ships – if the captain paid enough. The most prolific crimp? Shanghai Kelly, the San Francisco ne’er-do-well who once threw the most epic booze cruise/kidnapping of all time.

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Mar 10, 2022
British Cats Forced to Go Brazilian: The UK Cat Shaver
2988

People love their pets. English people are especially fond of our four-legged friends. So when a dastardly criminal was on the loose, kidnapping innocent felines and shaving tufts of fur from their soft bodies, the people of Plymouth were understandably outraged. Ridiculousness, of course, ensued.

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Mar 08, 2022
Dancing with Myself (and the Thai Army): Billy Idol Takes Bangkok
2226

Three weeks. Three hotels. Three vices (booze, drugs, and purchased sex). In 1989, rock icon Billy Idol got wild in Bangkok, seeking total oblivion and taking it to a whole new level. Enter the Thai Army and their tranquilizer guns. Was that rock bottom for Idol? Not even close.

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Mar 03, 2022
It’s a Bird, It’s a Plane, It’s the PCP Superspy
2586

There you are, enjoying a family barbecue. Sure, the macaroni salad left much to be desired, but why is everyone suddenly vomiting? And why are you now certain it's up to you to save the world? This is the story of one man's descent into Tom Clancy-esque delusions, complete with carjackings and imaginary skydiving. He was sure he was working for the FBI and the CIA, when in fact he was just full of PCP.

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Mar 01, 2022
Oh, It Gets Worse: Air Rage on United Flight 976
2652

There are flights from hell and then there’s United Flight 976 from Buenos Aires to New York City. With all the drinking, outbursts, violence, and other unmentionable deeds in this story, flying first class never looked so horrible.

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Feb 24, 2022
Strangers in the Night: The Extraordinary Kidnapping of Frank Sinatra…Jr.
3126

You need money. You know the Sinatra family. Obviously, the only thing to do is kidnap the adult son of Old Blue Eyes and ask for a ransom. But not too much, just enough. You don’t want to seem greedy. Learn about one man’s bumbling crusade to raise money for his family and raise the ire of America’s most mobbed-up crooner.

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Feb 22, 2022
Buzzy Undressed: Theft from Behind the Scenes at Disney
2740

An animatronic character was stolen bit by bit from a pavilion at Disneyworld's Epcot, right under the noses of security at the beloved attraction. Who stripped Buzzy naked? Who sold his clothes? Who bought his clothes? Who is Buzzy in the first place?

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Feb 17, 2022
Forget It Jake, it's Flavor Town
3338

A man, a plan, a Lamborghini. It was pretty bold to steal the luxury sports car of Guy Fieri, Mayor of Flavor Town. It was even bolder to drive the bright yellow performance vehicle around for months, evading capture and enjoying the ride right out in the open. But just like bold flavors, bold behavior fades over time. The clever thief was eventually apprehended, and his identity was about as surprising as a Guy Fieri dinner without Donkey Sauce.

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Feb 15, 2022
Introducing: Ridiculous Crime
139

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Feb 07, 2022