The Indicator from Planet Money Catching up with a fired federal worker, a shrimper and a fraudster
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Dec 18, 2025 The podcast checks in with a former federal employee who navigated unexpected layoffs. She shares how media exposure helped her secure a new legal role. The discussion shifts to a Louisiana shrimper reflecting on the impact of tariffs, revealing price fluctuations in the shrimp market. Lastly, a riveting update on a fraud case involving inflated metrics sheds light on legal repercussions for a major financial institution. The hosts emphasize the importance of follow-up reporting on these unfolding stories.
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From Fired CFPB Lawyer To Class-Action Lead
- Elizabeth Eneskevich was fired from the CFPB during mass Trump-era cuts and quickly got recruited by a law firm.
- She now leads a team doing consumer class actions and stays connected with former colleagues to continue the work outside government.
Regulatory Work Continues Outside Government
- Even when agencies are dismantled, former regulators often regroup in the private sector to continue enforcement work in new roles.
- Elizabeth and ex-colleagues coordinate from outside the CFPB to pursue consumer-protection goals.
Shrimper Sees Short-Term Flood, Long-Term Hope
- Louisiana shrimper A.C. Cooper welcomed Trump's tariffs hoping to cut foreign competition, but imports surged first as suppliers dumped product before tariffs hit.
- Prices fell initially, then recovered to more than a third above last year, and Cooper remains patient and pro-tariff despite higher costs elsewhere.