American Criminal

When Fernando Wood won the election to become mayor of New York City, Bill Tweed watched him closely. He observed everything his political rival did -- the way he manipulated voters, how he curried favor, and how he consolidated his own power. But he also paid careful attention to Wood's biggest mistakes, including the one that led to the infamous New York City Police Riot. Listen to all 4 episode...

Growing up in a New York City where pigs roamed the unpaved streets, Bill Tweed didn't have much reason to pay attention to the world of politics. But as he got older and wiser, he sized up the world, and realized that there was a surefire way to make money, and that was to win an election. And he was willing to do whatever it took to do just that. His determination would one day see him sitting a...

Eric Rudolph's horrific crimes affected a lot of people. More than 100 people were injured in his bombings, and two people lost their lives. And there was one man whose entire existence shifted on the night of the Atlanta Olympics bombing: Richard Jewell. Listen to all 5 episodes of 'Domestic Terror: The Hunt for Eric Rudolph' wherever you get your podcasts, or to get early, ad-free access to the...

In the 19th century, the great American experiment was still in its infancy. Not only was the political landscape still forming, but everyday voters didn’t have the time or means to pay attention to everything that happened in the halls of power. That left the door wide open for rampant corruption and outright theft. And no one did that like New York’s William ‘Boss’ Tweed. In this season of Ameri...

In 1981, game wardens Bill Pogue and Conley Elms stopped by the Nevada campsite of Claude Dallas, a self-proclaimed "mountain man" who was living off the land. Just minutes after they arrived, though, both Bill and Conley were dead by Claude's hand. So was Claude acting in self-defense? Or was he a cold-blooded killer? Listen to all 5 episodes of 'Domestic Terror: The Hunt for Eric Rudolph' wherev...

Elise and Marissa grew up in a seemingly normal house in the suburbs of St. Louis, but it was a house built on secrets. There were things their father never told them—like how he really made his money. One night, the police showed up with questions. Hours later, the sisters turned on the TV and saw something surreal: their father in the middle of a police chase. The local news identified him as a...

After making it through his first couple of years alone in the woods, Eric Rudolph decided that he wasn't done building bombs. So he picked his target and set out to reassert his anti-abortion message. But once again, things wouldn't go entirely to plan. Listen to all 5 episodes of 'Domestic Terror: The Hunt for Eric Rudolph' wherever you get your podcasts, or to get early, ad-free access to the e...

Following his latest bombing of an abortion clinic, Eric Rudolph was on the back foot – running scared. He believed in the righteousness of his actions, but he didn’t want to be punished for them. Luckily for him, he’d spent years planning for exactly this scenario. So, with no other option, Eric fled into the woods of North Carolina, kickstarting a years-long manhunt in the Appalachians. Listen t...

Like some of his comrades in the fight against abortion in America, Eric Rudolph claimed membership in the Army of God, a mysterious, structureless underground group with one clear organizing principle: violence against abortion providers was justified and righteous. Looking at his heroes from within the movement, Eric was disappointed to have not claimed more lives in the war, so in 1998, he plan...

Fed up with what he sees as the crumbling of Western civilization, and inspired by anti-abortion activists who've killed doctors, Eric Rudolph set out to send a message to America -- and the world. His target? The 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games. His actions would have severe consequences for more than a hundred people, including security guard Richard Jewell. Listen to all 5 episodes of 'Domestic Terr...

In 1996, a bomb exploded at a free concert celebrating the Atlanta Olympics. The explosion killed one woman and injured over a hundred people. In the aftermath, no one stepped forward to take credit for the Atlanta Olympics bombing, leaving the entire world to wonder just who could attack such a joyous event? The answer was Eric Rudolph, and his reign of terror was just getting started. Listen to...

On July 27th, 1996, the Atlanta Olympic Games were in full swing when a bomb exploded in the middle of a crowded park. When the dust settled, two people were dead and over a hundred were injured. As investigators scrambled for answers, they had no idea that this campaign of terror was just beginning. On this season of American Criminal: The making of a homegrown terrorist. How a twisted stew of re...

In December 2016, Nancy Motes carried out a bizarre kidnapping plot in her daughter’s name, seemingly desperate to get revenge on the Texas community and art form that had wronged her. To listen to all five episodes of 'The Social Climber Killer: Sante Kimes' right now and ad-free, subscribe in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠AmericanCriminal.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad...

With her husband gone, and his millions vanished, Sante Kimes was determined to get her hands on money in any way she could. Her devious schemes led to three calculated, cold-blooded murders. To listen to all five episodes of 'The Social Climber Killer: Sante Kimes' right now and ad-free, subscribe in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠AmericanCriminal.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about...

This Mother’s Day on American Criminal: kidnapping, people trafficking, slavery, murder – we’re going all in on the mothers who’d stop at nothing to get what they wanted. Don’t miss the latest season The Social Climber Killer | Sante Kimes plus a special Mother's Day episode on Nancy Motes: The Dance Mom Kidnapper. Listen wherever you get your podcasts, or to get early, ad-free access to the entir...

After her imprisonment for slavery, Sante Kimes is determined not to go back to jail. And she’s only too happy to get her hands a little bloody to keep her freedom. To listen to all five episodes of 'The Social Climber Killer: Sante Kimes' right now and ad-free, subscribe in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠AmericanCriminal.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit mega...

With her husband’s millions, Sante Kimes could easily afford to hire staff to run her household. But spending money was out of the question if Sante could get something for free – even if that meant she had to enslave a few people. To listen to all five episodes of 'The Social Climber Killer: Sante Kimes' right now and ad-free, subscribe in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠AmericanC...

With her first husband in the rearview mirror, Sante Kimes set out to find herself a man who was truly worthy of her. And in Sante’s mind, there was only one qualification for that position: money, and lots of it. To listen to all five episodes of 'The Social Climber Killer: Sante Kimes' right now and ad-free, subscribe in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠AmericanCriminal.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠...

By the end of her life, Sante Kimes had a reputation as one of the most devious defendants judges on both coasts had ever seen. But before that, she was a little girl who learned some very important lessons from her parents. To listen to all five episodes of 'The Social Climber Killer: Sante Kimes' right now and ad-free, subscribe in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠AmericanCriminal....

One of the most litigated murder cases in American history played out in the courts for over 50 years, and there are still plenty of unanswered questions about exactly what happened the night Jeffrey MacDonald's family were brutally murdered. Chief among them: did investigators get it right, or is an innocent person behind bars? To listen to all three episodes of 'The Murder of Carol Stuart' right...

The murder of Carol Stuart is far from the only violent crime an individual has tried to blame on "a Black guy." Sadly, it's a surprisingly common occurrence. This is the story of the horrific murders of Barbara Anderson by her husband Jesse Anderson, and of Michael and Alex Smith by their mother Susan Smith. Both killers sent their communities on a wild goose chase, looking for young Black men. B...

With the investigation into the murder of Carol Stuart in full swing, all of Boston is talking about it. The city's leaders say this is the tragic but inevitable result of the crack cocaine epidemic that has swept across the nation, and police are using the crime as an excuse to target young Black men for random searches. But there are a few people who start to suspect that Chuck Stuart's story is...

By the summer of 1989, Charles Stuart had decided to kill his wife. But he didn't think he could pull it off alone. So he started asking around, trying to find someone willing to help him. And if he couldn't recruit a willing accomplice, he was just going to have to trick someone. To listen to all three episodes of 'The Murder of Carol Stuart' right now and ad-free, subscribe in Apple Podcasts, Sp...

On October 23rd, 1989, Charles and Carol Stuart were abducted and robbed in their own car. Before he escaped, their attacker shot each of the Stuarts, leaving Carol fatally wounded and Charles desperately calling for help. The incident outraged Boston, and saw the local police mobilized to hunt down the killer. There was just one problem: it was all a lie. To listen to all three episodes of 'The M...

In January 1932, Howard Woolverton and his wife were run off the road by some thugs, who grabbed Howard and drove away. They held him for ransom in a plot that captured the nation's attention. But just who was behind the scheme has never been conclusively proven. Erik Rivenes speaks with author Kevin Meredith about the kidnapping, and why the world thinks Machine Gun Kelly is the one to blame. To...