“Lord High Executioner” Pt. 1: Albert An...

By the 1850s, Los Angeles was one of the most dangerous places to live in the West. Extrajudicial killings, unchecked racial violence, and vigilante groups like the Los Angeles Rangers prevailed. This “Wild West” culture seeped into and was propagated by the Sheriff’s Department ... Show More

The community of Lennox in Los Angeles is just one square mile, but it has an enormous problem. Alongside violent gang activity, there’s a secret organization adding terror to the neighborhood. Their symbol? The Grim Reaper. Their ranks? Los Angeles sheriff's deputies. Learn more ... Show More

Deputy gangs have been embedded in the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department since 1971. In the first of our five-part collaboration with Parcast series Secret Societies, we delve into the earliest of these violent gangs that shaped the current culture within the LASD. Learn more abou ... Show More

Born in Germany in the 1960s, Christian Gerhartsreiter had dreams of going to America...conning his way when necessary to get there. He would assume a number of identities, including an exchange student and a long-lost relative of European nobility. But his greatest deception was ... Show More

He required his members to cut all ties with outside influences. And then in 1997, he convinced them to do the unthinkable in order to enter a higher existence. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices 

Once a police officer who loved the authority and respect his position brought him, Steven Zelich's life took a turn in the late ‘90s when the power went to his head. His quest for the thrill of control led him to the world of BDSM… and eventually, murder. Learn more about your a ... Show More

Captain Every led his men in a revolt that brought them to the far side of the world. Now it was time to make their fortune — and escape before England caught up with them. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices 

Born in the United Kingdom at the beginning of the 20th century, John George Haigh rebelled against his hyper-religious upbringing and opted for a life of crime. He didn't see the point in earning an honest living when he could con others out of theirs. But Haigh soon realized th ... Show More

In June of 1888, John Alexander Dowie moved his family to the United States to found the holy city of Zion. He envisioned the Illinois town as a paradise, but soon his immense wealth clouded his judgment, and Dowie came crashing down to Earth. Learn more about your ad choices. Vi ... Show More

After sending a message with the destruction of the Protestant Caesar, Blackbeard knew he needed to make a bigger name for himself. So, he decided to do the unthinkable: hold an entire city hostage. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices 

Since childhood, Marcel Petiot flaunted a disregard for the rules. As a doctor, he used his charm and influence to enrich his family and get away with his first murder. But when WWII reached Paris, a deadly new scheme began to brew... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podca ... Show More

In the early ‘90s, investigative journalist Danny Casolaro claimed he’d stumbled upon a clandestine organization made up of top government officials. Just as he was preparing to publish an exposé, he was found dead in his hotel room. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcas ... Show More