Lie, Cheat, & Steal

Part 1 of our series on Outlaw Gambling legends with Zac Brooks kicks off with the tall tale of Titanic Thompson, unusually gifted in both athleticism and prop bets, using one skill to feed the other.

: Pat takes Kath through a few scams that have hit the news lately, including a dime theft, a beloved tamale restaurant's dark underbelly, and a fake priest ring.

Kath brings Pat another art scam from a man so disgusted by modern art he decided to invent an entire genre of it: Disumbrationism.

Pat tells Kath about yet another Australian man who benefitted from an ATM glitch to the tune of over a million dollars - it's happened twice! And he would have gotten away with it if he weren't such a good guy.

Kath tells Pat about a enterprising criminal who finagled his way into a job at the FBI and subsequently took down scores of politicians in a sting involving a fictional Emirati Sheik. This story is the basis for David O Russell's movie, AMERICAN HUSTLE.

Pat tells Kath about the predatory franchising agreements behind our (least?) favorite sandwiches, which screw over new American immigrants in particular.

Kath tells Pat about a Canadian first nations painter whose work has been mimicked by multiple forgery rings to the tune of over 100 million dollars' worth of fake paintings.

Pat tells Kath about a Ghanaian in America who scammed hundreds of people from into thinking he had the keys to the wealth of the newly independent nation of Ghana. Check out the new book Anansi's Gold by Yepoka Yeebo for more info!

Kath tells Pat about the dramatic life of one of the originators of the American self help movement, serial grifter Napoleon Hill.

Pat tells Kath about the shady origins of the Titan submersible and Oceangate's founder, Stockton Rush.

Kath tells Pat about an unsolved jewelry theft in California and the multiple lawsuits that it spawned. Check out the article cited by Miranda Green here: https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2023/05/the-ugly-fight-over-the-brinks-robbery-in-california.html

Pat tells Kath about a man from an Austin suburb who tragically died in a car wreck, leaving his wife and step-child behind to pick up the pieces. Or did he?

Kath tells Pat about the celebrity-favored Hillsong Church and its history of corruption, which spans multiple generations and continents.

Pat tells Kath about a prominent figure in Rhode Island politics with a dark past and a very confusing present - he's pretending to be a UK resident named Arthur Knight.

Kath tells Pat about a semi-legendary con artist who's become a cultural touchstone in India and a folk hero in his hometown.

Comedian and musician Mike Wiebe (The McCuewans, Riverboat Gamblers, Drakulas) joins Pat and Kath to talk about Bang Energy and its eccentric CEO, Jack Owoc.

Kath tells Pat about a non-narcotic pain relief invention that turned out too good to be true.

Pat tells Kath about an evangelical church that targeted military members and veterans for their government benefits to the tune of millions of dollars.

Kath tells Pat about a robbery at Mexico's Museo Nacional de Antropologia, where an unlikely duo made off with over 20 million in ancient artefacts.

Talia Lavin (@swordsjew, author of Culture Warlords) joins Kath and Pat for a conversation about the modern right wing universe of con artists and grifters.

Pat tells Kath about the recent resurrection of a self published romance novelist.

Kath fills Pat in on the ongoing saga of George Santos, the Trump-loving log cabin republican who lied about virtually every aspect of his life and still made it to Congress (for now).

Pat tells Kath about a manosphere influencer's steroid fueled fall from grace.

Pat sits down with David Piccolomini to talk entertainment industry scams including his new special “Goblin King”

Kath tells Pat about Simone Gold, the founder of the anti mask, anti vax group America's Frontline Doctors, who cooked the books and went to jail for her involvement in the January 6th riot.