Corporate Gossip

NO ONE does fraud like Eddie Antar, and Crazy Eddie is the bizarre story that got Becca hooked on fraud!  Adam, Becca, and their Dad Jeff pop a few ludes and drop down the rabbit hole into a 1970’s New York City punk rock fever dream. They meet a young Eddie Antar scamming tourists in a seedy Time Square clip joint and follow his journey to become the eccentric millionaire founder of Crazy Eddie Electronics. Antar was a marketing genius, and by the mid 1980’s commercials for the chain were inescapable, shoppers were practically screamed at to rush out to Crazy Eddie’s because ‘HIS PRICES ARE INSANE!!!!’  The insane prices, of course, were facilitated by an elaborate criminal racket. Money laundering, insurance fraud, tax evasion, bribery, insider trading… Eddie Antar did it all! But when the cash begins to dry up, Eddie’s increasingly desperate and brazen behavior puts him in the crosshairs of the SEC. That’s when Eddie Antar became an international fugitive and left his family, who enabled and benefited from his behavior, holding the bag.  Support the pod  Pics on our Substack Links:  Read Retail Gangster: The Insane, Real-Life Story of Crazy Eddie  Crazy Eddie commercial from 1982 Remembering Crazy Eddie: His Prices Were Insane  

Why does doing taxes suck so much? Because Capitalism! Over the past 20 years, the lovable dweebs at the IRS have been on a quest to make filing personal taxes free and easy. They say America should be like other countries, where the government sends you a pre-filled tax return and all you have to do is sign-off. Seems like a no-brainer, right? Like what kind of deranged psychopath wouldn’t want that?  Enter Intuit, maker of tax preparation software Turbo Tax, and their disgruntled band of lobbyists. Their entire business model depends on you being afraid to screw up your taxes. So they bribe lawmakers to over-complicate tax laws, threaten the government into underfunding the IRS, and run dubious misinformation campaigns alleging that free tax filing is somehow… racist?  The nefarious knuckleheads at Intuit would have gotten away with it too if it weren’t for the determined efforts of Propublica journalists. They joined forces with the unlikely heroes at the IRS, and from a muggy basement office in Washington they stood up to Big Tax and won.  We <3 the IRS and you will too after this episode!  Support the pod  Pics on our substack Links:  How Intuit Reinvents Itself (Fortune) The TurboTax Trap (ProPublica Investigation series) IRS makes free tax return program permanent and is asking all states to join in 2025   

ANOTHER BONUS EPISODE! Becca & Adam talk to Evan Drellich, the author of Winning Fixes Everything: How Baseball's Brightest Minds Created Sports' Biggest Mess Read Winning Fixes Everything: How Baseball's Brightest Minds Created Sports' Biggest Mess Support the pod   

Discover the scandal of the Houston Astros cheating in baseball with the help of McKinsey consultants, leading to fines and threats to their championship. Uncover the corporate influence, lack of attention to rules, and controversial decision-making within the team. Learn about the whistleblowers and the role of team owners in baseball business.

Meet Les Moonves, CBS CEO known for turning the network into a ratings powerhouse. Dive into the controversies surrounding him, from sexual assault allegations to power struggles at CBS. Explore his feud with Donald Trump, his daughter Sarah's glamorous life, and the lavish executive compensation in the media empire. Unpack the allegations of sexual misconduct and corporate fallout that ultimately led to Moonves' resignation. Learn about the importance of shareholder engagement and board accountability in the entertainment industry.

Listen to the shocking tale of Paramount / Viacom's CEO, Sumner Redstone, a horny billionaire in a crusty old man's body. Discover the scandalous story of executive-level lowlifes taking advantage of their absent boss, leading to elder abuse and financial exploitation. Join Becca and Adam as they unravel the rise and fall of Redstone and Paramount Global, filled with drama, power struggles, and scandal.

Insys was the startup unicorn of the opioid crisis, and boy did they know how to party.  Becca & Adam meet Insys CEO John Kapoor and his rowdy band of crooked pharmaceutical reps as they slither their way through doctors offices across the country, pushing their marquee product: Fentanyl! The shady sales reps unleashed the powerful opioid on unsuspecting patients and bribed their doctors to increase dosages through an illegal kickback scheme. Eventually their shameless conspiracies and criminal shakedowns lead to a public meltdown and federal racketeering charges, but not before Kapoor could be crowned Forbes coverboy!  CW: Drug abuse  Links:  Pictures on our Substack The Pain Hustlers - NYT Expose  Read Pain Hustlers - the book An Opioid Spray Showered Billionaire John Kapoor In Riches. Now He's Feeling The Pain A potent painkiller, and the drug maker’s marketing, are faulted in a woman’s death Pharmaceutical Executive John Kapoor Sentenced To 66 Months In Prison In Opioid Trial Tracking the Opioid Settlement Cash

IT’S A BONUS EPISODE, BROTHER!  Becca and Adam talk with the author of Ringmaster, Josie Riesman Read Ringmaster by Josie Riesman Follow Josie on Instagram, her website josie.zone, or the book website Josie’s article mentioned in the interview: Wrestling turned me cis, then it turned me trans

Welcome back brother!! Season 4 is here and ready to SMACKDOWN! WWE style. Binge ALL of Season 4 NOW on Patreon! We’ve seen this story before - a deeply traumatized child inherits their father’s business and fills the void left by the adults that failed them with, what else… MONEY!!!! Rather than spend time examining his emotional shortcomings, Vince McMahon creates an alter ego, Mr. McMahon, to live out his darkest fantasies. But what happens when the CEO of a public company is also the greatest heel of all time? Find out as Becca and Adam step into the Hell in a Cell of the business of professional wrestling and battle through 60 years of the stinkiest secrets of World Wrestling Entertainment.  CW: Drugs, Sexual Abuse  Links:  Support the podcast Pics in our Substack Read Ringmaster by  Josie Riesman Now It Can Be Told: Those Pro Wrestlers Are Just Having Fun  2003 Vince McMahon on Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel Federal Prosecutors Investigate Vince McMahon Sex-Trafficking Allegations  

It's the Season 3 Finale! We answer listener questions and meet the Yogurt King of New York:  Chobani's founder, Hamdi Ulkaya. From nomadic Turkish farmer to millionaire milk mogul, Ulkaya became known as the Anti-CEO, prioritizing people over profit and creating one of the fastest growing food companies in America.  Correction: We said the Chobani Idaho factory was in Idaho falls. It is actually in Twin Falls. Thanks to the listener who pointed that out!  If you liked this season don't forget to RATE AND REVIEW THE PODCAST  Support the pod by buying us a coffee Check out our reading list  Follow us on youtube, instagram, and tiktok Hosts: Becca Platsky (Becca@nitetoast.com) Adam Platsky (Adam@nitetoast.com)  Produced by: Michael Albanese @bigmanmike Support the pod by buying us a coffee Check out our reading list  Follow us on youtube, instagram, and tiktok Hosts: Becca Platsky (Becca@nitetoast.com) Adam Platsky (Adam@nitetoast.com)  Produced by: Michael Albanese @bigmanmike Timestamps & Links:  01:30 - Listener Questions How did you guys come up with this idea for the podcast? What’s the best / juiciest piece of corporate gossip that didn’t make the cut? Why are your seasons so short? I would pay for a subscription to get a weekly episode until the end of time! I'm a final year student in finance and I'm worried I have made a terrible mistake studying this degree, as it seems that corporations mostly cause more harm than [good], and benefits an elite few. is there any field you would recommend where I could use my degree for good? Is there a way that finance can be a force for good? Given the intricate web of corporate scandals involving entities like FTX, McKinsey, Koch Industries, SVB, etc. I'm curious to know: What common threads or distinct patterns have you observed across these cases, and how do these scandals reflect broader issues within the corporate landscape? Have there been any surprising twists or unique aspects in these stories that stand out to you guys, providing deeper insights into the world of corporate misconduct 18:00 - Chobani's Anti CEO  Links:  The Profile Dossier: Hamdi Ulukaya, the Shepherd-Turned-Billionaire CEO Chobani CEO says pulling IPO was one of the best decisions company has made Chobani hired hundreds of refugees at its plants. Average tenure now exceeds industry average Chobani’s CEO is giving up to 10 percent of his company to employees Capitalism and Humanitarianism Can Coexist. Chobani's CEO Is Trying to Prove It