The Cryptanalyst (Part 2) – Podcast #183 Published on November 3, 2022 Posted in: Fraud & Deception, Law & Order, Podcast In this second installment, 93-year-old Marvin Lautzenheiser discusses his time as an FBI field agent, how his team finally deciphered the hollow nickel message, and offers up his opinion on the Steven Spielberg movie Bridge of Spies.Click to Read More...
The Eddie Cantor Peace Prize – Podcast #166 Published on February 15, 2022 Posted in: Entertainment, Forgotten History, Fraud & Deception, Podcast In 1936, superstar Eddie Cantor asked his radio listeners to write an essay describing how the United States could avoid war. The prize was a full college scholarship. With no set rules, something was certain to go wrong. And it did...Click to Read More...
Man Steals Railway Published on November 13, 2020 Posted in: Crime & Punishment, Fraud & Deception, Tidbits Just how does one steal a railroad? Very simple: do it one piece at a time. At least that is what Joseph Gemma attempted to do in 1938.Click to Read More...
She Won’t Get Fooled Again Published on March 10, 2020 Posted in: Crime & Punishment, Fraud & Deception, Tidbits After being tricked into paying for a package that was delivered, Jane Waters was not about to be tricked twice. Click to Read More...
Not Dead Yet… Published on November 6, 2019 Posted in: Death and Murder, Fraud & Deception, Tidbits Sometimes the person that died isn't who he really is. The dead person may still be alive...Click to Read More...
The Adventure of a Lifetime – Podcast #117 Published on December 1, 2018 Posted in: Crime & Punishment, Fraud & Deception, Podcast The unbelievable true story of Joseph Schmitz, Leslie Cohen, & Joseph Murano set out on the adventure of a lifetime in 1957, but nothing was at it seemed.Click to Read More...
The Walking Murphys – Podcast #116 Published on October 25, 2018 Posted in: Forgotten History, Fraud & Deception, Podcast Long-forgotten story of Robert Murphy and his family as they were walking through Pennsylvania. A great story of how a community came together to help others in need.Click to Read More...
Baby Moses – Podcast #114 Published on August 8, 2018 Posted in: Bizarre & Oddities, Fraud & Deception, Podcast Effie Crawford made a startling discovery in 1936. Moving through the brush near her home she spotted a large dog carrying a bundle that contained a baby.Click to Read More...
The Case of the Phantom Vegetable Oil – Podcast #109 Published on January 30, 2018 Posted in: Crime & Punishment, Fraud & Deception, Podcast Tino De Angelis was the salad oil king in the early 1960's until his house of cards came crashing down. A fascinating true story of fraud and deception.Click to Read More...
Pretended to be an Astronaut Published on December 15, 2017 Posted in: Crime & Punishment, Fraud & Deception, Tidbits On June 13, 1963, Milton Berle acknowledged the astronaut Jerry Clayton was in the audience. So were four additional astronauts that said he was a fake.Click to Read More...
Where There’s a Wilby, There’s a Way – Podcast #101 Published on March 27, 2017 Posted in: Bizarre & Oddities, Crime & Punishment, Fraud & Deception, Money & Financial, Podcast The story of Ralph M. Wilby is one of international intrigue, deception, financial trickery, and the obligatory beautiful woman...Click to Read More...
Silent Susan – Podcast #97 Published on September 14, 2016 Posted in: Crime & Punishment, Fraud & Deception, Podcast In 1946 Susan Bower was arrested for not revealing her name and was sentenced to 6-months in jail in Hackensack, NJ.Click to Read More...
Brassiere Brigade – Podcast #94 Published on July 5, 2016 Posted in: Crime & Punishment, Fraud & Deception, Money & Financial, Podcast The women who worked for Southern Bell in Miami back in 1950. Poorly paid, they figured out a unique way to smuggle money out of the coin counting room.Click to Read More...
The Salem Trade School – Podcast #90 Published on January 27, 2016 Posted in: Fraud & Deception, Hoaxes, Podcast, Schools & Education, Sports The Salem Trade School had the worst high school football team in the Boston region back in the 1920's. But they had a big secret...Click to Read More...
Faked His Own Death Published on November 17, 2015 Posted in: Crime & Punishment, Death and Murder, Fraud & Deception, Tidbits Albert L. Paglino faked his own death in 1955 by murdering another man. He may have gotten away with it, but made one big mistake on the day of his funeral.Click to Read More...