logo
episode-header-image
Aug 2024
59m 23s

"Forget it, Sheik... it's ABSCAM"

iHeartPodcasts
About this episode

Just a few years after Watergate, the halls of power of Washington DC were again stained with fresh scandal. A busload of sitting US congressmen were caught up in an FBI sting operation, one run by a career, small-time criminal, a swindler and scammer. The operation is most memorable for the FBI's two fake sheiks used for their undercover busts. But when the FBI's callin' the tune, sometimes all you can do is get down and sheik your booty.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Up next
Yesterday
Classic RC: Let's Take to the Sea!
Sometimes you just need to get away. For a Chinese dissident that meant making a daring escape on a jet ski. For a former cyclist turned "ocean jogger," it meant building himself a human-powered hamster wheel so he could run across the sea. In both cases, these men's choices were ... Show More
54m 46s
Jul 3
They Heard it Through the Grapevine: Brinks Jewelry Heist
It was a pretty genius plan. Steal gems from a Brinks truck as it made its way from one jewelry show to another. And the heist crew pulled it off…sort of. Seems practice runs can both improve the actual big theft, but also leave a trail of evidence for the feds. Oh, well.See omny ... Show More
55m 2s
Jul 1
Feather Huntin': The Great Trans-Saharan Ostrich Heist
Elizabeth, what's your third-favorite bird? On the heels of that question follows one of the strangest tales we've told. It's a globe-trotting, desert-crossing, ostrich-wrangling, feather-lusting, pith-helmeted, African cowboy adventure... with crime! Just how far will a bunch of ... Show More
1 h
Recommended Episodes
Nov 2019
Pardoned: Richard Nixon Pt. 1
In 1972, a break-in at the Watergate office complex in Washington D.C. had the FBI investigating what they thought was an ordinary burglary. But when the evidence led them to the White House, they uncovered what would become the biggest political scandal of the 20th century. Lear ... Show More
51m 21s
Nov 2023
Room 9930
Once the FBI zeroed in on Robert Hanssen as a suspect, the bureau set up an elaborate sting operation to catch him in the act. A fake promotion, a bugged office, and a daring mission led to an opportunity to finally catch Hanssen red-handed. For 22 years, Hanssen had beaten the F ... Show More
54m 50s
Dec 2024
EP100: Sh*tty Diddy (Part 1)
Visit Patreon.com/psychopediapod to join our family of freaks and gain access to exclusive content!Disclaimer: The content discussed in this podcast is based on publicly available information and represents allegations only. Sean Combs, also known as Diddy, is entitled to the pre ... Show More
2h 15m
Oct 2023
Plain Sight
How did the FBI allow a spy to operate in its midst for more than 20 years and do such devastating damage? Robert Hanssen’s tradecraft was good, but far from perfect. In fact, the FBI missed several chances to nab him. Drop us a line: agentofbetrayal@cbsnews.com Learn more about ... Show More
42m 11s
Mar 2025
Revisited: The spy cops scandal (part 1)
Guardian investigative editor Paul Lewis and investigative reporter Rob Evans detail their decade-long investigation into undercover policing. At least 139 officers were given fake identities to monitor the inner workings of more than 1,000 political groups. Jessica, a former mem ... Show More
46m 8s
Aug 2024
The Other Watergate
There’s a lost tale behind Watergate: corporate bagmen, suitcases of illegal cash, and Nixon circumventing the very campaign finance rules he’d just signed into law. Amid the blowback, Nixon leaves a ticking time bomb in the heart of Washington.Get Master Plan episodes early and ... Show More
44m 37s
Feb 2025
The Spies Who Invaded Suburbia | Coming To America | 1
It's 1999 and a mole reveals that deep-cover Russian spies are lurking in American suburbia. The FBI finds itself walking a tightrope to keep these spooks in check without exposing its man in Moscow. But the longer the Bureau watches, the more dangerous and numerous the fake Amer ... Show More
54m 18s