Crimes of History

In this episode of Crimes of History, we journey to late 19th-century France to uncover the Dreyfus Affair — a scandal that tore a nation apart and reshaped the meaning of justice. When Captain Alfred Dreyfus, a young Jewish officer, was falsely accused of treason, his conviction exposed the deep divisions within the French Republic — between truth and honor, justice and prejudice. What began as a...

On a freezing Chicago morning in 1929, seven men lined up against a garage wall — moments later, they were gunned down in one of the most chilling executions in American history. In this episode of Crimes of History, we uncover the brutal truth behind the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre — a meticulously orchestrated hit that defined the Prohibition Era, exposed the power of Al Capone, and left behind...

In this gripping episode of Crimes of History, we take you back to 17th-century England to uncover the story behind one of the most audacious plots in British history — the Gunpowder Plot of 1605. What drove a group of educated and devout Catholic men, led by Robert Catesby and aided by the infamous Guy Fawkes, to attempt to blow up the English Parliament and assassinate King James I? Through poli...

In this episode of Crimes of History, we go inside one of the most baffling and audacious art thefts the world has ever seen — the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum Heist. On a quiet March night in 1990, two men disguised as Boston police officers gained entry into the museum and disappeared into the darkness with 13 priceless works of art valued at over $500 million. Among the stolen treasures were...

In 1994, the brutal murders of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman set the stage for one of the most explosive trials in modern history. O.J. Simpson: The Trial That Split America revisits the “Trial of the Century,” where a fallen football icon faced charges that would expose deep racial tensions, test the limits of forensic science, and redefine the relationship between justice and media. From...

Travel back to 15th-century France to uncover one of the most infamous trials in history — the persecution of Joan of Arc. Far more than a case of heresy, her trial was a calculated political weapon used to destroy a symbol of French resistance and undermine a king’s legitimacy. Through historical records and eyewitness testimony, this episode reveals how a young peasant girl’s faith defied an emp...

On a quiet summer night in 1963, a Royal Mail train carrying a fortune in cash screeched to a halt in the English countryside. Within minutes, a gang of 15 men executed one of the boldest heists in history—walking away with today’s equivalent of over £60 million. But their meticulous plan unraveled into violence, betrayal, and one of the largest manhunts Britain had ever seen. In this episode of C...

London, 1888. A shadow stalks the fog-choked alleys of Whitechapel, leaving behind a trail of mutilated bodies and a city gripped by fear. This episode of Crimes of History unpacks the brutal spree of Jack the Ripper — from the lives of the canonical five victims and the chaos of the investigation to the sensationalist press that turned a murderer into legend. More than a century later, his identi...

Los Angeles, 1947. A young woman’s brutal murder shocks the nation and births a legend. Elizabeth Short, forever remembered as the “Black Dahlia,” becomes the tragic symbol of Hollywood’s dark underbelly. From false confessions and media frenzy to chilling suspects like Dr. George Hodel, this episode unravels the myths, theories, and haunting truths behind one of America’s most enduring unsolved c...

In 1932, America was captivated and horrified by the abduction of Charles Lindbergh Jr., the 20-month-old son of the world’s most famous aviator. Dubbed “the crime of the century,” the case triggered a nationwide manhunt, a trial broadcast-like spectacle, and the creation of new federal laws. This episode revisits the Lindbergh kidnapping, tracing the trial, its impact on American law, and the end...

It began as a secret conspiracy to save a fading Republic. On March 15th, 44 BC, Julius Caesar walked into the Senate House - never to walk out again. This episode unravels the betrayals, the bloodshed, and the seismic aftermath of Rome’s most infamous assassination, revealing how the death of one man reshaped the destiny of an empire. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices