Swindled

A nationwide infant formula shortage reveals the ugly truth about the industry and the multinational corporation at its center.

A bizarre and sinister harassment campaign targeting a married couple in Massachusetts is linked to executives at one of the world’s largest e-commerce companies.

A family is torn apart as the lives of two wealthy brothers unravel in spectacular fashion on opposite sides of the world.

An imposter uses a stolen name for 30 years, sparking a bizarre struggle between two men to prove who truly owns the identity.

A self-proclaimed visionary's promise to revolutionize the trucking industry is revealed to be an "intricate fraud."

A Virginia-based peanut processing company unleashes one of the most massive and lethal food-borne contamination events in United States history.

A small Missouri town faces a compounded catastrophe as a devastating flood follows the discovery of toxic contamination.

An offshore maintenance job in Trinidad & Tobago turns into a deadly catastrophe when divers are violently sucked into an oil pipeline. Prelude: Trinidad's oil industry is scrutinized after fourteen men are killed in an offshore explosion in 1985.

Indianapolis' most prominent businessman scrambles to preserve the elaborate financial fraud that funds his lavish lifestyle. Prelude: The CEO of National Lampoon orchestrates a scheme to manipulate the company's stock price.

A modern faith healer's scandal-plagued ministry faces accusations of forced labor and money laundering. Prelude: Kathryn Kuhlman's miracle healings are analyzed and imitated.

Twin brothers in Florida become pioneers of a pain clinic industry that fuels a nationwide opioid epidemic. Prelude: Purdue Pharma introduces its new, extended-release painkiller called OxyContin.

The quest to build the world's tallest water slide ends in tragedy. Prelude: A 14-year-old boy dies after falling from an amusement ride in Florida. (Originally published April 17, 2022)

The leaked files of a Panamanian law firm offer a glimpse into the offshore economy used by politicians, criminals, and celebrities to hide wealth, evade taxes, and launder money. Prelude: The assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia, Malta's most feared investigative journalist.

A Virginia governor and his wife are indicted after receiving lavish gifts from a local businessman. (Originally published July 9, 2024)

A tiny Calgary-based exploration company ignites a global market frenzy when it discovers the world's largest gold deposit before collapsing into one of the biggest frauds in mining history. Prelude: The "Bushman of the Shuswap" flees society after uncovering a massive conspiracy.

A newly elected congressman is expelled and prosecuted for financial crimes after his elaborate web of personal and professional lies unravels. Prelude: JP Maroney's inventive "digital marketing arbitrage" is revealed to be a Ponzi scheme.

A prominent Christian businessman operates a massive, "too-good-to-be-true," charity-based Ponzi scheme. (Originally published February 11, 2025)

A catastrophic contamination strikes Michigan when an industrial chemical (PBB) is mistakenly mixed into cattle feed. Prelude: Workers at a Texas chemical plant are turned into “zombies" after exposure to the toxic pesticide Phosvel.

A proposed libertarian paradise in the Chilean countryside devolves into a spectacle of betrayal and broken promises. Prelude: Lazarus Long's Principality of New Utopia.

The untimely death of an outspoken advocate for foster children reveals his despicable double life. Prelude: A tragedy occurs after a woman in Rhode Island adopts eight children with developmental issues. (Originally published June 5, 2022)

A self-proclaimed “socially conscious” entrepreneur uses church seminars and motivational speeches to lure investors into a nationwide Ponzi scheme. Prelude: "King" Perry Santillo and Chris Parris perpetuate a financial fraud to which they had fallen victim.

A tourism industry's ugly past is revealed after a "duck boat" sinks on Table Rock Lake in Branson, Missouri, during a storm. Prelude: The sinking of Miss Majestic in Hot Springs, Arkansas.

A Fort Lauderdale lawyer's ostentatious lifestyle is supported by the largest Ponzi scheme in Florida history. Prelude: The body of attorney Melissa Britt Lewis is found in a Florida canal.

Incompetence and negligence lead to a devastating loss of life at a concert in West Warwick, Rhode Island. Prelude: A fight in the E2 nightclub in Chicago triggers a deadly stampede. (Originally published September 27, 2021)

A bizarre and sinister harassment campaign targeting a married couple in Massachusetts is linked to executives at one of the world’s largest e-commerce companies. Prelude: A content creator orchestrates a grievance-driven attack on YouTube's headquarters.

An estimated one million people are exposed to decades of toxic water contamination at a U.S. Marine Corps base in North Carolina, leading to serious health issues, cover-ups, and endless legal battles for justice. Prelude: A mysterious leukemia cluster appears in Woburn, Massachusetts.

An investigative journalist is murdered in an act of retaliation by a Clark County elected official accused of misconduct. Prelude: The mysterious death of Las Vegas casino heir, Ted Binion.

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. (Originally published April 30, 2023)

An American automotive company is charged with reckless homicide related to the defective design of a popular car. Prelude: Toyota is held responsible for the ghastly deaths of three sisters.

The founder of a fintech company is accused of defrauding JPMorgan Chase by falsifying customer data to secure a $175 million acquisition deal. Prelude: Joanna Smith-Griffin's rising startup is built on lies.

A viral video sparks accusations of charity fraud and other improprieties while exposing a potentially much darker truth. Prelude: Efforts to neutralize a brutal warlord in central Africa are unsuccessful.

A train derailment in Ohio caused by corporate greed leads to widespread environmental contamination, conspiracy, and political mudslinging. Prelude: A train derailment in Paulsboro, New Jersey, raises concerns about rail transportation safety throughout the U.S.

The Pacific Northwest's "mini Madoff" escapes prison after being convicted of operating a $140 million Ponzi scheme. (Originally published September 11, 2024)

An experimental deep-sea submersible disappears during an expedition to the Titanic shipwreck. Prelude: Legendary explorer Steve Fossett disappears during a casual plane ride.

A trendy new diet drug combination subjects millions of users to serious health effects, resulting in a monumental legal battle. Prelude: Cancer concerns force Belviq, a popular diet drug, to be withdrawn from the marketplace.

A government employee posing as a Tahitian prince commits the largest public sector fraud in Queensland history. Prelude: The catastrophic implementation of Queensland Health's new payroll system.

A budget airline's penny-pinching strategy is examined after one of its planes crashes in the Florida Everglades. Prelude: Allegiant Air's safety history is called into question after a rash of concerning incidents.

A "quintessential" civil rights battle ignites when fans of the much-maligned rap group Insane Clown Posse are officially classified as a "street gang" by the federal government. Prelude: Two Juggalos are charged with the murder of a man in Pennsylvania.

A flashy Brooklyn pastor finds himself in the media spotlight due to his current lifestyle and criminal past. Prelude: An unprovoked murder on the New York subway.

A compounding pharmacy's attempt to maximize revenue leads to a devastating public health crisis. Prelude: Pharmakon Pharmaceuticals ships overly-potent medication to hospitals, including a neonatal intensive care unit.

A former Shark Tank contestant’s fraud spree leaves a trail of destruction. (Originally published October 3, 2023)

A proposal to build a massive movie studio in Northern California signals the end of a 17-year-old scheme. (Originally published January 11, 2023)

A reformed Satanic priest becomes America's most prominent Christian comedian and authority on the occult. Prelude: Cassette recordings of John Todd's conspiratorial seminars spread through Evangelical communities.

Dedicated fans of country band Sugarland are crushed when a stage collapses during a storm at the Indiana State Fair. Prelude: A gust of wind destroys the stage at Ottawa Bluesfest while Cheap Trick performs.

The arrest of Fall River's 23-year-old mayor ignites a political fiasco. Prelude: A popular Massachusetts State Senator is convicted of bribery.

The largest disability fraud case in United States history is linked to a flamboyant lawyer in a small Kentucky town. Prelude: The history and abuse of Social Security Disability Insurance.

A multinational meat processing company wreaks havoc on animals and people in pursuit of profits. Prelude: Cody Easterday's $233 million "ghost cattle" scheme.

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.

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.