Philly D.A. and The Lazarus Heist

A North Korean cyber group made headlines when it hacked Sony Pictures, then stole a billion dollars from a Bangkok bank. The BBC World Service podcast “The Lazarus Heist” explains how the communist regime unleashed a gang of cybercriminals on the world. Are they in it for the thrill, for the politics, or for the money?

FOR OUR SPOILER-FREE REVIEWS OF "THE LAZARUS HEIST" GO TO 30:00

In 2017, Larry Krasner was swept into the Philadelphia DA’s Office on a platform of systemic criminal justice reform. The PBS series "Philly D.A." provides an inside look at a man struggling to fix the system from the inside and those resistant to that change.

FOR OUR SPOILER-FREE REVIEWS OF "PHILLY D.A." GO TO 1:11:00

In Crime of the Week: what's the buzz?

Mare of Easttown and Camp Hell: Anneewakee

It was founded on a curriculum of hard work, discipline, and emotional counseling for out-of-control adolescents. The iHeartRadio podcast “Camp Hell: Anneewakee” explores the sordid history of the Anneewakee Treatment Center, sold to parents as a solution for their children's problems, but was actually a breeding ground for sexual abuse.

FOR OUR SPOILER-FREE REVIEW OF "CAMP HELL: ANNEEWAKEE" GO TO 34:51

When a young mother is murdered, a small town detective's investigation threatens to upend her tiny community - and destroy her career and personal life. Starring Kate Winslet, HBO’s “Mare of Easttown” explores the dark side of a close community and examines how family and past tragedies can define our present.

FOR OUR SPOILER-FREE REVIEW OF "MARE OF EASTTOWN" GO TO 1:06:09

In Crime of the Week: 2 - 1 = 0.

In God We Lust and Pray Obey Kill

Wondery’s new series, “In God We Lust,” looks at the origins of the Jerry Falwell Jr pool boy scandal. It’s a tale of a famous Evangelical couple who preached against the sins of the flesh while all along indulging in them.

FOR OUR SPOILER-FREE REVIEWS OF "IN GOD WE LUST" GO TO 29:20

A Swedish woman says she murdered her lover's wife after getting divine text messages. HBO's "Pray Obey Kill" looks at this religion/sex/murder case as a pair of journalists search for new evidence in the crime.

FOR OUR SPOILER-FREE REVIEWS OF "PRAY OBEY KILL" GO TO 1:01

In Crime of the Week: hard knocks.

Sasquatch and John Wayne Gacy: Devil in Disguise

A journalist investigates a 1993 murder in California’s marijuana country. Did it actually happen...and was Bigfoot the killer? We’ll talk about the Hulu true crime series “Sasquatch.”

FOR OUR SPOILER-FREE REVIEW OF "SASQUATCH" GO TO 21:00

He murdered nearly three dozen teens and buried most in the crawlspace beneath his house. In “John Wayne Gacy: Devil in Disguise” from Peacock, we hear from the killer himself, as well as those who think there's still more to the story.

FOR OUR SPOILER-FREE REVIEW OF "JOHN WAYNE GACY: DEVIL IN DISGUISE" GO TO 56:30

In Crime of the Week: turtle waxed!

The Line and The Improvement Association

His follow SEALS said while in Mosul, Eddie Gallagher stabbed to death a wounded, teenage ISIS prisoner, then posed with his corpse. In "The Line" host Dan Taberski brings his unique voice to a controversial tale of how the lines between duty and dishonor are blurred in Iraq’s Forever War.

FOR OUR SPOILER-FREE REVIEW OF "THE LINE" GO TO 31:35

“The Improvement Association,” from Serial Productions and The New York Times, looks into the effects of voter fraud allegations on a small community...even when there is none. Host Zoe Chace shows it doesn’t take lies about nationwide misconduct to destabilize the institution - that simple mistrust of a neighbor can do the same thing.

FOR OUR SPOILER-FREE REVIEW OF "THE IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION" GO TO 1:06:30

In Crime of the Week: I do, I do, I do, I do.

This Is A Robbery and West Cork

In March 1990, two men dressed as Boston police officers entered the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, bound the guards, and made off with millions in fine art. Netflix’s “This Is A Robbery” takes an in-depth look at how the heist went down, the many colorful characters who could have pulled it off, and the likelihood these masterpieces will ever be recovered.

FOR OUR SPOILER-FREE REVIEWS OF "THIS IS A ROBBERY" GO TO 27:25

A woman is murdered in the west of Ireland and a local man flaunts his role as the lead suspect. Audible has finally released its 2018 true crime classic "West Cork" from behind the paywall, making it available on major podcast platforms for the first time. 

FOR OUR SPOILER-FREE REVIEWS OF "WEST CORK" GO TO 1:02:00

In Crime of the Week: rabbit's afoot. 

The Serpent and MANslaughter

A charming jeweler and party host traveled through Southeast Asia in the 1970s trading gems and killing tourists. Can a lone Dutch diplomat capture him? We’ll talk about the docudrama “The Serpent” from Netflix and BBC One.

FOR OUR SPOILER-FREE REVIEW OF "THE SERPENT" GO TO 29:30

In 1970, a Wisconsin lawman was shot to death in his bedroom. In Wondery's "MANslaughter," his niece explores whether the confessed shooter really pulled the trigger and whether there were other victims. 

FOR OUR SPOILER-FREE REVIEW OF "MANslaughter" GO TO 1:05:30

In Crime of the Week: love canal.

The Apology Line and The Followers: House of Prayer

In 1980, Allan Bridge created a phone line for New Yorkers to leave messages to friends or strangers apologizing for the wrongs they’ve done. Wondery's "The Apology Line" looks at the confessional forum for both the contrite and the criminal - and its effects on its creator.

FOR OUR SPOILER-FREE REVIEWS OF "THE APOLOGY LINE" GO TO 29:00

A Florida woman contacts a cold case detective with information about the cult-like church she grew up in. “The Followers: House of Prayer” from UCP Audio tells the story of "Mother Anna" Young accused of abuse, neglect, and death nearly four decades ago.

FOR OUR SPOILER-FREE REVIEWS OF "THE FOLLOWERS: HOUSE OF PRAYER" GO TO 1:02:00

In crime of the week: his goose is cooked. 

Lost Hills and Operation Varsity Blues

Authorities in Malibu arrest a drifter for a campsite murder and a spree of sniper shootings, but right away questions emerge whether the evidence actually points to Anthony Rauda. The podcast "Lost Hills" offers investigators, families, as well as some of Malibu’s colorful locals in an attempt to pull back the curtain on the embattled L.A. County Sheriff’s Department and the city’s sunshine façade.

FOR OUR SPOILER-FREE REVIEWS OF "LOST CITY" GO TO 38:00

Wealthy parents whose kids could not get into the elite school of their choice turned to Rick Singer. For the right price, he could get them admitted as fake collegiate athletes to low-profile sports programs at high-prestige universities. Netflix's “Operation Varsity Blues” is part-true crime documentary/part-dramatic re-creation, shining a light on the college admissions scandal.

FOR OUR SPOILER-FREE REVIEWS OF "OPERATION VARSITY BLUES" GO TO 1:10:00

Murder Among the Mormons and Suave

In Netflix's "Murder Among the Mormons," a pair of deadly bombs in Salt Lake City appear connected to unearthed historical documents that could rock the Mormon church and make collectors rich...but only if they're authentic. 

FOR OUR SPOILER-FREE REVIEWS OF "MURDER AMONG THE MORMONS" GO TO 28:10

An NPR reporter finds a source in a prisoner serving a life sentence. Their 20+ year relationship changes when he's unexpectedly released. In "Suave" from Futuro Media, the ex-con must navigate the challenges of being on parole while the journalist must confront her own objectivity when her subject becomes her close friend.

FOR OUR SPOILER-FREE REVIEWS OF "SUAVE" GO TO 1:03:00

In Crime of the Week: fishy alias. 

Allen v. Farrow and Evil by Design

Wealthy Canadian fashion designer Peter Nygard threw lavish parties in the Bahamas that were just a pretext to lure and rape women. The CBC spent years trying to land the story of his decades of sexual assaults and intimidation in four countries. The podcast "Evil by Design" tells the stories of victims, advocates, and journalists in the Nygard case. 

FOR OUR SPOILER-FREE REVIEWS OF "EVIL BY DESIGN" GO TO 37:15

Despite Mia Farrow's claims Woody Allen molested their adopted daughter, the filmmaker spun a narrative about false accusations that preserved his career. HBO's "Allen v. Farrow" provides in-depth interviews, court documents, and other uncovered evidence to refute that narrative and generate a re-examination of this celebrity scandal. 

FOR OUR SPOILER-FREE REVIEWS OF "ALLEN V FARROW" GO TO 1:19:00

In Crime of the Week: hard feelings.

Note: we'll be discussing two stories about sexual abuse, but we will not be describing the assaults.

Stolen and Through the Cracks

Jermain Charlo left a Missoula, Montana bar, walked down an alleyway, and vanished. In Gimlet’s new podcast “Stolen: The Search for Jermain,” host Connie Walker continues her work documenting crimes against Indigenous women. 

FOR OUR SPOILER-FREE REVIEW OF "STOLEN: THE SEARCH FOR JERMAIN" GO TO 29:00

Eight-year-old Relisha Rudd had been missing from a Washington DC family shelter more than two weeks before anyone noticed. Police would find the shelter’s janitor and his wife dead, but never located the child. In WAMU’s “Through the Cracks,” host Jonquilyn Hill explores how the system let the family down every step of the way.

FOR OUR SPOILER-FREE REVIEW OF "THROUGH THE CRACKS" GO TO 1:03:00

In Crime of the Week: caught orange handed.

Mommy Doomsday and The Investigation

In Dateline NBC’s newest podcast “Mommy Doomsday,” Keith Morrison picks up where he left off with “The Thing About Pam,” applying his unique reporting style to a true crime mystery. Where are Lori Vallow’s missing children? Why have so many people around her suddenly died? And does her religious cult focused on the apocalypse have anything to do with it? 

FOR OUR SPOILER-FREE REVIEWS OF "MOMMY DOOMSDAY" GO TO 27:00

In 2017, a Swedish journalist was last scene departing with a man in his homemade submarine. When the sub is scuttled and the man says he buried her at sea after an accident, police take on the impossible task of scouring the ocean to disprove the alibi. The six-part Danish-language series “The Investigation,” now on HBO, is a dramatic take on one of Scandinavia’s most bizarre crimes.

FOR OUR SPOILER-FREE REVIEWS OF "THE INVESTIGATION" GO TO 56:00

In Crime of the Week: free flow of commerce. 

Crime Scene: The Vanishing at the Cecil Hotel & the finale of I'm Not a Monster

When we left off with “I’m Not a Monster” from BBC Panorama and PBS Frontline,  Samantha Elhassani was wanted by the FBI. In the final episodes, Josh Baker returns to Syria to fact-check her claims she was an ISIS prisoner, not an ISIS soldier.

FOR OUR SPOILER-FREE REVIEW OF THE FINALE OF "I'M NOT A MONSTER" GO TO 37:30

When a Canadian tourist disappeared from her downtown LA hotel, video of her on an elevator seem to show her hiding from someone. It was a critical clue for police and a source of wild speculation among online crime fans. Netflix's "Crime Scene: The Vanishing at the Cecil Hotel" explores the dark history of this Skid Row tourist trap.

FOR OUR SPOILER-FREE REVIEW OF "CRIME SCENE: THE VANISHING AT THE CECIL HOTEL," GO TO 1:11:30

In Crime of the Week: ☹.

A portion of this episode was recorded as part of a podcast-a-thon fundraiser for The Charley Project. Click here to donate to the cause.

Welcome to Your Fantasy & The Lady and The Dale

They were the famous male exotic dancers that made the ladies scream. But behind the scenes the story of Chippendales is filled with drugs, backstabbing, and even murder. We'll preview the new podcast "Welcome to Your Fantasy."

FOR OUR SPOILER-FREE REVIEWS OF "WELCOME TO YOUR FANTASY" GO TO 34:30

In 1974 a new three-wheeled car promised to change the automotive industry. But both the car - and the high-profile businesswoman running the company - were not what they seemed. We’ll review the HBO documentary “The Lady and The Dale.”

FOR OUR SPOILER-FREE REVIEWS OF "THE LADY AND THE DALE" GO TO 1:08:00

In Crime of the Week: no bones about it.

Norco 80 and The Little Things

In 1980, California cops found themselves outgunned at a deadly bank robbery firefight. “Norco 80” from LAist Studios revisits the heist and chase which set law enforcement down the path to the modern militarized police force.

FOR OUR SPOILER-FREE REVIEW OF "NORCO 80" GO TO 30:00

In the new film "The Little Things," Deputy Sheriff John Deacon returns to his old homicide squad during a string of high-profile killings. Is their case related to the unsolved murders which derailed his career and marriage? That’s when a peculiar repairman with an unusual fascination with local crime captures their attention.

FOR OUR SPOILER-FREE REVIEW OF "THE LITTLE THINGS" GO TO 1:03:00

In crime of the week: dolled up.

Chicano Squad and Netflix's Crack

Rebecca returns to the host's chair in time to talk about “Chicano Squad” from Frequency Machine and the Vox Media Podcast Network. To deal with a crime spree in a Latino community that no longer trusts them, Houston police create a special unit of Spanish-speaking officers to solve its toughest cases.

FOR OUR SPOILER-FREE REVIEW OF "CHICANO SQUAD" GO TO 34:00

Then, the Netflix documentary “Crack: Cocaine, Corruption, and Conspiracy” shows the falling dominos from a burgeoning drug economy and its unchecked violence, to the societal backlash and a political movement whose legislation disproportionately affected communities of color.

FOR OUR SPOILER-FREE REVIEW OF "CRACK" GO TO 1:01:00

In crime of the week: half a roof is better than none.

Night Stalker and Lupin

After Rebecca calls in sick at the last minute, Kevin is pressed into hosting duties. He, Lara, and Toby talk about Netflix's new documentary, "Night Stalker: The Hunt for a Serial Killer." The series largely removes the killer from the frame, focusing instead on the crimes and those affected by the case.

FOR OUR SPOILER-FREE REVIEWS OF "NIGHT STALKER" GO TO 28:00.

A lowly janitor at the Louvre concocts a plan to steal Marie Antoinette’s necklace, but this janitor is more than he seems. In Netflix’s surprise French-language hit “Lupin” we follow a gentleman thief, seeking revenge, who styles himself after a famous book character.

FOR OUR SPOILER-FREE REVIEW OF "LUPIN" GO TO 56:00

In crime of the week: here's Johnny!

Heaven's Gate and Room 2806

The HBO Max documentary “Heaven’s Gate: The Cult of Cults” traces the group’s founding in the 1970s through the Internet age to explain the origins of the largest mass suicide in US history. The four-part series takes a serious look at a religious group dismissed as space cadets.

FOR OUR SPOILER-FREE REVIEW OF "HEAVEN'S GATE: CULT OF CULTS" GO TO 30:00

When New York City police arrested Dominique Straus-Kahn for raping her in his hotel room, the story shook two continents. The Netflix series “Room 2806: The Accusation” looks at what happens when one of the world’s most powerful men must defend himself from a working-class woman of color.

FOR OUR SPOILER-FREE REVIEW OF "ROOM 2806: THE ACCUSATION" GO TO 58:00

In crime of the week: walk the walk.

I'm Not a Monster and HBO's Baby God

A foreign correspondent is pulled into the story of a Westerner whose account of joining ISIS is suspect. No, it’s not "Caliphate" - we’ll discuss “I'm Not a Monster” from BBC Panorama and Frontline PBS.

FOR OUR SPOILER-FREE REVIEW OF "I'M NOT A MONSTER" GO TO 37:00

Their father was a fertility doctor who used his own sperm for insemination. “Baby God” from HBO Documentaries follows some of his offspring as they come to terms with the truth of their conception and contemplate who they really are.

FOR OUR SPOILER-FREE REVIEW OF "BABY GOD" GO TO 1:06:00

In crime of the week: track meat.