logo
episode-header-image
Dec 2024
40m 38s

Charles Manson and the CIA (Part 1)

Wondery | Ballen Studios
About this episode
When journalist Tom O’Neill set out to write a simple story on the anniversary of the Manson Family murders in 1999, he was pulled into an investigation that lasted 20 years. In the first part of this two part episode, we explore O’Neill’s findings about Charles Manson's relationship to the CIA, drug studies at a CIA funded medical facility that the cult lea ... Show More
Up next
Jun 4
New Season - Dr. Death: The Cowboy
Dr. John Schneider rode into town like a character out of a Western: an outsider on a Harley-Davidson, in trademark cowboy boots. He promised relief to patients suffering in Wyoming and Montana. He seemed like the hero they needed. But when surgeries go wrong and a strange letter ... Show More
6m 13s
May 21
Listen Now: OnlyFantasy
Is what’s happening on OnlyFans real? Or is it only a fantasy?In this provocative investigation into OnlyFans—the adult platform where subscribers around the world spent more than $7 billion in 2024—journalist Leon Neyfakh teams up with comedian and OnlyFans creator Gracie Canaan ... Show More
7m 20s
Aug 2025
WikiLeaks: The Hacker Who Exposed America's Darkest Secrets
When Julian Assange released classified footage of a U.S. helicopter strike that killed two journalists and several civilians in 2010, it catapulted WikiLeaks into global headlines. As Assange unleashed a flood of classified documents, he sparked protests, fractured alliances, an ... Show More
35m 39s
Recommended Episodes
Mar 2025
REDACTED - "Charles Manson and the CIA (Part 1)"
This story is a fan favorite from Redacted: Declassified Mysteries with Luke Lamana. When journalist Tom O’Neill set out to write a simple story on the anniversary of the Manson Family murders in 1999, he was pulled into an investigation that lasted 20 years. In the first part of ... Show More
42m 49s
Jan 2025
The Mysterious Death of the Manson Family Lawyer
In 1969, the Manson Family disrupted the “Summer of Love” when they murdered multiple people across a two-night span in Los Angeles. After Charles Manson and his followers were caught later that year, one of the strangest and most highly-publicized trials in American history foll ... Show More
30m 11s
Jul 2025
New Podcast: Conspiracy Theories, Cults, & Crimes
From UFO cults and mass suicides to secret CIA experiments, presidential assassinations, and murderous doctors, these aren’t just theories. They’re real stories that blur the line between fact and fiction. In Conspiracy Theories, Cults, & Crimes, host Vanessa Richardson takes you ... Show More
1m 41s
Jul 2025
SERIAL KILLER: "Doctor Death" Pt. 2
Michael Swango faked his medical credentials, charmed his way into hospitals, and left a trail of bodies in his wake. In Part 2, we expose his years-long killing spree, the fiancée whose death raised suspicions—and the global manhunt that finally stopped him. This is how one of A ... Show More
43m 10s
Mar 2025
MURDEROUS MINDS: Charles Manson & The Manson Family Cult Pt. 2
In the summer of 1969, Charles Manson believed the world was about to descend into an apocalyptic race war he called “Helter Skelter.” But when his prophecy failed to materialize, Manson decided to start it himself… by convincing his followers in the Manson Family cult to commit ... Show More
51m 44s
Sep 2025
SERIAL KILLER: The Dating Game Killer Pt. 2
Rodney Alcala thought he was smarter than the police, the jury, and even the justice system. In Part 2, we follow the unraveling of "The Dating Game" Killer, from a failed attempt at self-defense to the discovery of a chilling trophy stash that linked him to more murders than any ... Show More
48m 18s
Jun 2025
SERIAL KILLER: Zodiac Killer Pt. 2
As fear gripped California, the Zodiac Killer escalated his mind games—sending letters, making threats, and pushing police and the public to the brink. In Part 2, we trace his psychological unraveling, the search for his true identity, and the failed attempts to bring one of Amer ... Show More
43m 21s
Sep 2025
True Crime This Week: Media Murders
You know their names: the Unabomber and Son of Sam. Two of the most recognizable killers in history, both using the press to amplify fear. In 1995, Ted Kaczynski’s manifesto hits the Washington Post, and in 1977, David Berkowitz’s letter rattles the New York Post. We trace how th ... Show More
50m 17s
Jun 2025
SERIAL KILLER: Aileen Wuornos Pt. 2
Aileen Wuornos was dubbed America’s first female serial killer—and she wanted the world to remember her name. In Part 2, we follow her journey from captured killer to death row inmate, exploring her obsession with legacy and her volatile final days. Killer Minds is a Crime House ... Show More
47m 5s