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
Sep 2
Chuck Barris: Game Show Host and CIA Assassin?
Chuck Barris created game show classics like The Dating Game and The Gong Show. However, his memoir claims his prolific career was all a cover for his classified missions as a CIA assassin. The agency says his claim is 100% false, but as Barris notes, "Have you ever heard the CIA ... Show More
51m 42s
Aug 26
Conspiracy of Silence: The Town That Killed Ken Rex McElroy
1981, Skidmore, Missouri. Ken McElroy, the “bully of Nodaway County,” is gunned down in the street – in broad daylight, and in front of his wife and an untold number of witnesses. Despite multiple investigations and grand juries, nobody has ever been indicted in the case, thanks ... Show More
47m 54s
Aug 19
Jimi Hendrix, Jim Morrison, and the Laurel Canyon Conspiracy
In the 1960s, a new musical revolution emerged from Laurel Canyon, California. Bands like The Beach Boys, The Doors, and Crosby, Stills & Nash sang hit songs protesting the Vietnam War. However, while these tunes spoke to war protesting "hippies," some believe that they were crea ... Show More
56m 23s
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
