Tammany Hall was the executive committee of the Democratic Party in New York City during the 1800s formed with the intention of aiding the city’s immigrant population — but by the 1860s it was riddled with claims of widespread corruption, bribery and fraud at the behest of its leader William “Boss” Tweed. Tweed’s greed and ill-gotten assets made him obscenel ... Show More
Oct 7
Panic in the Streets: The War of the Worlds Radio Broadcast
On Halloween Eve, 1938 Orson Welles' The War of the Worlds aired on CBS radio. It detailed an alien invasion so realistic that, according to legend, it caused widespread panic among listeners. People really believed aliens were invading Earth. The mass hysteria is an important pa ... Show More
47m 40s
Sep 30
Did a Psych Experiment Turn Ted Kaczynski into the Unabomber?
On April 3, 1996, Theodore “Ted” Kaczynski – better known as the Unabomber – was arrested, ending a 17-year-long bombing spree that left 3 dead and 23 injured. He promised to end his campaign of terror only after outlets published his 35,000-word manifesto; in his view, technolog ... Show More
42m 36s
Nov 2023
Tammany Hall: America's Early Puppet Masters
It's no secret that politics can often have a dark side -- smoky backrooms, corruption and graft have always had their place in American history. And, amid all the corruption, few institutions are as infamous as Tammany Hall. In today's episode, Ben, Noel and Max dive into the or ... Show More
53m 39s
May 2021
“Soho Grifter” Anna Sorokin Pt. 1
A con artist storms New York’s social scene in the 2010s, cementing her place in high society as a German heiress worth millions. Anna Delvey masterfully swindled banks, hotels, airlines, even her own friends out of hundreds of thousands of dollars. Her past was murky, but her pe ... Show More
42m 11s
Jun 2021
The Billion Dollar Dealer Who Linked Hell's Angels, Mafia Families, Cartels, and Native American Smugglers
Jimmy Cournoyer brought a billion dollars of weed into New York City and the east coast through an organization that brought together the Rizzuto and Bonnano Italian Mafia families, Native American Smugglers, Hell's Angels, and the Sinaloa Cartel into one massive money-laundering ... Show More
39m 50s
Feb 2024
Titanic Thompson: The Greatest Cheat of All Time (History Guy)
On this episode of Our American Stories, Titanic Thompson led a wild life, always chasing the next big score, including cheating the infamous mobster Al Capone. Here’s “The History Guy” with the story of Titanic Thompson, the greatest cheat of all time. Support the show (https:// ... Show More
9m 59s
<p><strong> </strong></p><br><p>In the early 20th century, a disorganised bunch of criminals transformed into a criminal empire and made billions in the process. </p><p>In this episode, we'll learn how it all got started and why you didn't want to get on the wrong side of Charles ... Show More
