In this episode of Conspiracy Theories, Cults, and Crimes, Vanessa traces how Guy and Edna Ballard built the I AM Movement, a Depression-era spiritual empire claiming contact with immortal "Ascended Masters," and turned it into a multi-million-dollar fraud scheme. When federal prosecutors charged them with mail fraud for promising supernatural miracles they ... Show More
Today
CRIME: Black Bart the Outlaw Poet
In 1875, a mild-mannered Civil War veteran named Charles Boles began robbing Wells Fargo stagecoaches across Northern California. He was always polite, never harmed passengers, and occasionally left handwritten poems behind. In this episode of Conspiracy Theories, Cults, and Crim ... Show More
38m 1s
Jun 8
CONSPIRACY THEORY: The Bridgewater Triangle
In southeastern Massachusetts, a stretch of land known as the Bridgewater Triangle has been a magnet for paranormal activity for centuries: cryptid sightings, UFO encounters, ghostly apparitions, and evidence of occult rituals. Many trace the darkness back to King Philip's War of ... Show More
35m 16s
Jun 5
CRIME: The Great Maple Syrup Heist featuring Ashley & Ricky from Crime Salad
In 2011 and 2012, a small crew of men systematically drained nearly $19 million worth of maple syrup from the world's only strategic reserve, barrel by barrel, night by night, and replaced it with water. Vanessa Richardson of Conspiracy Theories, Cults, and Crimes is joined by As ... Show More
41m 53s
Aug 2025
Introducing: CONSPIRACY THEORIES, CULTS, AND CRIMES
From Jonestown to Heaven’s Gate, to the Octopus Murders and the Waco Siege, the world is full of deception, manipulation, and destruction. Listen to Conspiracy Theories, Cults, and Crimes every Wednesday as we explore the real people at the center of the world’s most shocking sec ... Show More
8m 6s
Aug 2025
Introducing: CONSPIRACY THEORIES, CULTS, AND CRIMES
From Jonestown to Heaven’s Gate, to the Octopus Murders and the Waco Siege, the world is full of deception, manipulation, and destruction. Listen to Conspiracy Theories, Cults, and Crimes every Wednesday as we explore the real people at the center of the world’s most shocking sec ... Show More
7m 58s
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
May 2025
MURDEROUS MINDS: An Oscar-Worthy Murder Pt. 2
Dan Wozniak played the role of a grieving friend while hiding a deadly secret. In Part 2, we trace the investigation that unmasked the aspiring actor as a cold-blooded killer—from ATM fraud and staged texts to dismemberment, duffel bags, and a twisted confession the cops never sa ... Show More
37m 15s
Aug 2024
Ep. 166: NEVADA - Never Trust Your Friends: The Murder Of Britney Ujlaki
In today's episode, we examine the disturbing recent case involving the murder of teenager Britney Ujlaki. As this story twists and unfolds, I'm sure you'll be as shocked as we were in the end. - Listen to our new show, "THE CONSPIRACY FILES"!: -Spotify - https://open.spotify.com ... Show More
2h 1m
Jul 2025
MURDEROUS MINDS: The Two-Faced Killer Pt. 2
After murdering his entire family, John List vanished without a trace—beginning one of America’s most infamous manhunts. In Part 2, we follow the chilling aftermath: the gruesome discovery, the decades-long search, and the primetime TV show that finally caught the killer hiding i ... Show More
43m 9s