Ridiculous Crime

He ran for sheriff, saying he'd take on the mob. Instead, he lined his pockets with their cash. He ran for Congress, saying he'd fight for working Americans. Instead, he had people work for him for free. All the while, James Traficant made a name for himself with his denim suits and a hideous hairpiece. In the words of ol' Jimbo himself, beam me up!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Imagine a horse. Now imagine if that horse could read your mind. And imagine you paid for this experience. You would be in good company –– even the President of the USA listened to the prophecies of Lady Wonder, the psychic horse. Of course, it was all a long con. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Getting a degree is tough work. Or at least it should be. There are some out there, though, who want to get or give a college diploma the easy way: hot off the presses, no questions asked. From fake high school diplomas to phony medical degrees, come browse the college catalog of bogus academic achievement.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Known locally as the Robin Hood of the Great White North, Ken Leishman was a gentlemen thief who pulled off the greatest Canadian gold heist ever. But he really made his name and criminal fame when he took to the skies and became... The Flying Bandit.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What do Fats Waller and Jimi Hendrix have in common –– other than both being brilliant musicians who changed the course of American music? The answer is: they were both kidnapped... by the mafia! But it's cool, it's cool... who would ever wanna hurt them?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Ridiculous crews, both History and Crime, join forces to play everyone’s favorite guessing game: 20 Questions. There were questions. There were answers. There were half court shots at the buzzer. Join the gang for some puzzling good fun!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Like MLK and Biggie Smalls, Marianne Andle also had a dream. Her dream? That one day she could become Irish. After that plan failed and Marianne had to flee Northern Ireland with the cops hot on her trail, and after a quick name change and return to the US, she found a new dream. That new dream? Conning the semi-rich and gullible of Los Angeles, California, by posing as an Irish heiress. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The president’s wife. Hers is an interesting position, Really just window dressing. Or not. Almost criminal in nature, Trusting the stars to Guide foreign policy is Overly woo-woo. Astrology ran the White House in the 80s and This is the story.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Money (or the appearance of it) attracts money. Lord Edward Ormus Sharrington Davenport knew this and capitalized on it. With posh mansions, lavish parties, and celebrity pals, Edward Davenport used the appearance of wealth to gain actual wealth by amassing other people's money. Welcome to the lifestyles of the rich and famous...and felonious.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When a teenage astronomy fan is gifted a piece of the moon by NASA, he’s inadvertently pulled into the seedy underground moonrock trade. But don’t worry. With help from H. Ross Perot, NASA secret agents are on the case. * Very Special Episodes is a new podcast where we tell one incredible story every week. Stranger-than-fiction tales about normal people in extraordinary situations. Stories that make you say, “this should be a movie!” Follow Zaron, Dana, and Jason down a different rabbit hole every Wednesday. Hosted by Dana Schwartz, Zaron Burnett, Jason EnglishWritten by Jake RossenProduced, Edited and Sound Designed by Josh FisherAdditional Editing by John WashingtonMixing and Mastering by Baheed FrazierOriginal Music by Elise McCoyStory Editing by Marisa BrownResearch and Fact-Checking by Marisa Brown, Austin Thompson, and Jake RossenShow Logo by Lucy QuintanillaExecutive Producer is Jason EnglishSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.