If you’re new to the grift game or just looking for the cream of the corruption crop, navigating the extensive catalog of “Swindled” episodes can feel like trying to decide which white-collar criminal deserves your limited outrage first.
Fear not, fellow trapped-in-the-capitalist system friends, I’ve done the morally exhausting work of sorting through tales of fraudsters, con artists, and corporate villains to bring you the absolute best episodes this delightfully depressing podcast has to offer.
Whether you prefer your scams with a side of environmental catastrophe, healthcare horror, or good old-fashioned Ponzi scheming, this list of top episodes features the most jaw-dropping, rage-inducing, and bizarrely entertaining stories that “A Concerned Citizen” has meticulously documented.
The Killdozer (Marvin Heemeyer)
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In the elevated community of Granby, Colorado, nestled among the mountains, a proprietor of an automotive exhaust repair business orchestrates a calculated retribution following disagreements over land-use regulations.
The Saint (Mother Teresa)
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A network of past assistants and reviewers uncover troubling revelations about a Catholic sister’s worldwide humanitarian organization dedicated to serving society’s most destitute and marginalized populations. Introduction: The spiritual adventure of a kindergarten-aged child’s alleged visit to the afterlife transforms into a publishing phenomenon.
The Messenger (Kevin Trudeau)
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A succession of television marketing segments results in a product spokesperson’s incarceration by national authorities. Preliminary chapter: The originator of Hooked on Phonics faces scrutiny regarding questionable promotional assertions prior to resolving harassment litigation with his company’s legal counsel, who subsequently acquires an estate from a counterfeit French aristocrat who staged her own demise.
The Creamery (Blue Bell)
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A cherished frozen dessert manufacturer initiates a product withdrawal after its offerings become associated with bacterial contamination. Opening segment: Big Olaf Creamery, located in Sarasota, Florida, persists in distributing contaminated frozen confections while regulatory scrutiny is underway.
The Formula (Nestlé Boycott of 1977)
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A global consumer rejection campaign develops after a transnational business entity faces allegations of involvement in infant mortality on a massive scale worldwide. Introductory section: Infant formula contaminated with a manufacturing substance results in hundreds of thousands of health complications and multiple fatalities throughout China.
The Relief (Hurricane Katrina)
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Disregarded cautions and postponed emergency assistance convert a tropical cyclone striking New Orleans into an authentic national nightmare. Initial chapter: Hurricane Betsy generates extensive inundation throughout the Louisiana metropolis.
The Tour (Jered Threatin)
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A catastrophic concert series across the continent exposes an American musical ensemble’s fabrication of their entire supporter community. Opening segment: German rhythm and blues pairing, Milli Vanilli, is revealed to have performed without actually singing.
The Fyre Festival (Billy McFarland)
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A digital industry magnate deceives financial backers while attempting to construct an extravagant musical celebration on Bahamian shores. Introductory passage: The Lapland New Forest Christmas Festival provides visitors with a profoundly disappointing encounter.
The Monopoly (Pacific Gas & Electric)
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A power corporation’s deteriorated infrastructure triggers the most lethal forest conflagration ever recorded in California. Introduction: A petroleum vapor escape devastates a residential district in San Bruno.
The Barefoot Bandit (Colton Harris Moore)
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A young individual from America’s northwestern coastal region commences a global theft expedition. Opening segment: Joshua Paul Calhoun transforms into the notorious “Superthief” of Eastern Texas.
The Whistleblower (Karen Silkwood)
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A laboratory worker endangers her existence to reveal organizational wrongdoing at an atomic power installation in Oklahoma. Introductory section: Power industry tycoon Robert S. Kerr ascends to become the “unofficial monarch of the Senate.”
The Skywalks (Hyatt Regency disaster)
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Over a hundred lives are lost when two suspended walkways give way in the lobby of a Kansas City hotel. The story opens with the collapse of a vital pedestrian bridge at Florida International University.
The Space Program (Challenger Disaster)
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The internal culture of the U.S. space program contributes to one of the most tragic accidents in aviation history. Prelude: Soviet cosmonaut Vladimir Komarov sets out on a space mission destined for disaster.
The Derailment (East Palestine, OH)
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A train derailment in Ohio, driven by corporate negligence, results in major environmental damage, sparks conspiracy theories, and ignites political finger-pointing.
The Mayor (Kwame Kilpatrick)
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A rising young politician throws away a bright future amid a series of financial and sexual scandals. Prelude: The mysterious, unsolved murder of Tamara Greene.
The Label (Johnson & Johnson)
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A pharmaceutical company aggressively markets an antipsychotic medication that leads to breast development in young boys. Prelude: DePuy introduces a metal hip implant with a serious design defect.
The Downfall (Marcus Schrenker)
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The president and CEO of an Indianapolis wealth management firm resorts to extreme actions to evade criminal charges. Prelude: A Long Island man’s attempt to flee his financial troubles ends in failure.
The Captive (SeaWorld)
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A deadly incident at a marine animal theme park highlights the controversy of holding killer whales in captivity. Prelude: An effort to rescue Keiko, the orca who starred in “Free Willy”.
The Inferno (The Station nightclub fire)
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Carelessness and poor decision-making result in a tragic loss of life at a concert in West Warwick, Rhode Island. Prelude: A brawl at Chicago’s E2 nightclub sets off a fatal stampede.
The Octopus (United Fruit Company)
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A major and well-known banana corporation has a violent and exploitative past in Central America. Prelude: An American banana company keeps using a banned pesticide in Central America even after it’s prohibited in the U.S.
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