Lie, Cheat, & Steal

Kath and Pat talk about sobriety (don't worry, we won't try to convert you) and then about Charlie Morse, a man who leveraged his Maine upbringing into a monopoly on a precious commodity in a pre-refrigeration world: ice.

This is a preview of our patreon only episode this week, about a country that went from being one of the richest on earth per capita to one of the poorest. To access the rest of this episode as well as an advertising free feed, sign up at patreon.com/liecheatandsteal.

After some gambling talk, Pat tells Kath about an enterprising pickleball player who scammed his fellow enthusaists (don't worry, he also explains what pickleball is). Check out our patreon for two more episodes a month! www.patreon.com/liecheatandsteal

At an episode recorded in person (!) in Austin, Kath tells Pat about Lord Gordon Gordon, a would-be Scottish noble who nearly caused an international incident between the US and Canada in the 1870s.

Pat and Zac conclude our series on Texas gamblers with the tale of Benny Binion. Check out our youtube page to watch the dice game! Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@liecheatstealpodcast

Kath tells Pat about the extremely profitable world of animal smuggling. The judicial penalties are low, but don't try this at home - the criminal organizations involved in this industry might come after you for muscling in on their territory.

Our pal Zac Brooks is back to tell us about the life and times of another legendary Texas outlaw gambler, Amarillo Slim.

Pat and Kath discuss how to win on "baited hook" scratch tickets, using an algorithmic disovery made in 2003 by Canadian statistician Mohan Srivastava, and possibly many others around North America. Much of the information in this episode comes from the 2011 Wired Article by Jonah Lehrer about Srivastava's discovery: https://www.wired.com/2011/01/cracking-the-scratch-lottery-code/

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.