By 2012, undercover DEA agents had cracked holes in an underground criminal conspiracy. It was the “Amazon.com of Drugs” – the Silk Road. But to take down its shadowy founder, they’d have to team up with a surprising number of federal agencies – and go to criminal lengths themselves.
The audiobook edition of American Kingpin by Nick Bilton is available for ... Show More
Today
The (Faked?) Death of an Argentine Tycoon
“Power is having impunity.” In January 1997, a photojournalist is found murdered on the side of the road in General Madariaga, Argentina. The investigation into his death becomes a cultural flashpoint, exposing a sprawling conspiracy with ties to some of the most powerful forces ... Show More
45m 57s
Jul 2
Who Shot Vincent Van Gogh?
For over a century, common belief was that Vincent Van Gogh died by suicide. But in 2011, two Pulitzer Prize-winning biographers suggested the art world had it all wrong, and Vincent covered up his own homicide. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
42m 43s
Jun 25
Untraceable Poison? The Bogle-Chandler Mystery
On New Year’s Day in Sydney, Australia, two dead bodies are discovered near a river. Dr. Gilbert Bogle and Margaret Chandler are married – but not to each other. And both of their spouses have strong alibis.They’re found just hours after dying, and yet experts can’t determine wha ... Show More
37m 6s
Jun 2024
Silk Road: Murder, Drugs & Crypto
In this RE-RELEASE episode, Tess takes us through the journey of Ross Ulbricht’s founding of Silk Road, the dark web known as “the Amazon for drugs.” Meant to be a place for buyers and sellers to conduct marijuana transactions using Bitcoin, it quickly escalated to offering hard ... Show More
1h 28m
Mar 2023
Episode 291 - The Silk Road: Drugs, Data & The Dread Pirate Roberts
For some, the end of the world's most infamous online marketplace was a major victory in the never ending war on drugs. But for others, the global, multi-agency investigation into the Silk Road set a dangerous precedent for law enforcement – who rifled through the personal data o ... Show More
53m 4s