Scoundrel: History's Forgotten Villains

Born in Dalian province, China, Wang Ti always had her sights on becoming a fixture in the elite circles of Beijing aristocracy. Her place as the wife of a once star player on a former Chinese Super League champion team gave her access to the who's who, but Wang Ti wanted more than just access, she desired to BE the who's who, by any means necessary.The 2008 Olympics gave her a golden ticket to the top in the form of Xiao Qin, that year's gold medalist in the Pommel Horse. Known by many names including “The Prince of the Pommel Horse” and “The Pony God” Xiao Qin's victory on China's home stage sprung him to international fame. At a fateful wedding reception, Wang Ti and The Pony God crossed paths, and she leveraged her cunning and his national stardom in the wake of the Olympics to enter the upper echelon of Chinese elite society through deception and trickery. One slip of the tongue in a meeting saw her assume the role as the de-facto luxury goods broker for Beijing's elite athletes and socialites, but a sinister twist of fate landed her life in prison. While her story is recent, it seems that history has already swept the devious deeds of Wang Ti under the carpet in hopes to be forgotten, but we won't let that happen! Listen to Scoundrel ad-free, with bonus content at Amazon Music! Check it out at https://KastMedia.com/KastPlus-- Sponsor: Talkspace: To match with a licensed therapist today, go to Talkspace.com, and use code SCOUNDREL to get $100 off of your first month and show your support for the show.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

At the turn of the 20th century, Hetty Green was possibly the richest woman in America. She outsmarted the men of Wall Street at their own game, amassing a fortune that, today, would be worth billions. So, with all that money, why did she die in in squalor, wearing threadbare clothes, alienated from everyone she knew both personally and professionally, with the moniker of "The Witch of Wall Street?"Today, we tell the story of Hetty Green, and explore whether she was a monster who pinched pennies to the point that her son lost a leg because she refused to pay for medical care, or a tragic tale of what happens when money takes the place of love in someone's life. Listen to Scoundrel ad-free, with bonus content at Amazon Music! Check it out at https://KastMedia.com/KastPlus-- Thank you to our sponsor: Talkspace: To match with a licensed therapist today, go to Talkspace.com, and use code SCOUNDREL to get $100 off of your first month and show your support for the show.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In 1645, the English Civil War caused a great divide in England - on both sides, the destruction, violence and famine were all blamed on malevolent witches, cursing towns and villages all throughout the countryside to fulfill their pacts with the devil. Thankfully, King Charles I endorsed a duo of witch-hunters, led by Matthew Hopkins to identify and condemn as many accused witches as they could lay eyes on, leading to national and international fame and infamy. Over their careers, Hopkins and his partner John Stearne torturously forced confessions and sent more people to the gallows than all witch-hunters for the prior 160 years combined, and Hopkins' book ‘The Discovery of Witches' eventually became the inspiration for the Salem Witch Trials when it arrived on American shores. History may have forgotten about Matthew Hopkins' insidious influence, but we sure haven't! Listen to Scoundrel ad-free, with bonus content, at KastMedia.com/KastPlus Listen to Scoundrel ad-free at Amazon MusicSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In January of 1920, as their locomotive headed into Rochester, New York, a group of brakemen happened to spot a corpse lying in a nearby ditch. After a quick police investigation, authorities were able to point their fingers at a rather unusual couple of culprits: A married couple - Pearl and James O'Dell.  Nicknamed "The Honeymoon Murderers," their strange motive, method and mayheim splashes its way all over national papers and popular culture...until time washed their story away.  Join us as we bring them back to life and shed light on their human tragedy.    Special Thanks to Our Sponsors:  TalkSpace You'll get $100 off your first month at Talkspace.com and use code: Scoundrel.    Listen to Scoundrel ad-free, with bonus content, at KastMedia.com/KastPlus Listen to Scoundrel ad-free, with bonus content at Amazon Music            See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

They were two of the most feared outlaws in the Wild West. Known for their crack shots, and overall disregard of Oklahoma law, their names were on most wanted lists from Alda to Tulsa County.  Oh, and the kicker? They were two teenage girls. The world may have forgotten about Cattle Annie and Little Britches, but we sure haven't!  Listen to Scoundrel ad-free, with bonus content, at KastMedia.com/KastPlus Listen to Scoundrel ad-free, with bonus content at Amazon Music      See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On April 16, 1874, a desperate and frostbitten man wrapped in rags wandered into a basecamp in the frosty Colorado San Juan Mountains. Famished and half-dead, soldiers gathered around to quickly feed the poor guy. As he regained strength, Alferd Packer quickly threaded together a story about how he impossibly survived the winter stranded deep in the unforgiving mountains. His story... would be one giant lie. The truth, as it slowly revealed itself, involved unspeakable acts of violence, murder and perhaps most harrowing, cannibalism. History may have overlooked the disturbing true tales of Alferd Packer, but we sure haven't!    Special Thanks to Our Sponsors:  Aura Frames This holiday season, listeners can save on the perfect gift and get up to $30 off Aura's best-selling frames. Just go to auraframes.com/SCOUNDREL   The Jordan Harbinger Show Check out jordanharbinger.com/start for some episode recommendations, OR search for The Jordan Harbinger Show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts.     Listen to Scoundrel ad-free, with bonus content, at KastMedia.com/KastPlus Listen to Scoundrel ad-free, with bonus content at Amazon Music  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For ad-free versions of Scoundrel and a bunch of great Kast shows, just go to kastmedia.com/kastplus.   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On July 17, 1918, Nicholas II, Czar of Russia and his entire family were ushered into a dark basement where they were all killed by Bolshevik revolutionary gunmen. But people around the world prayed that perhaps the legend was true. That his 17-year-old daughter Anastasia Romanov survived the massacre. Well, a Polish woman for several decades preyed upon those false hopes and deviously masqueraded as the late Grand Duchess for sympathy, fame and worst of all money. The world may have forgotten about Franziska Schanzkowska, but we sure haven't,   Special Thanks To Our Sponsors:  Aura Frames This holiday season, listeners can save on the perfect gift and get up to $30 off Aura'sbest-selling frames. Just go to auraframes.com/SCOUNDREL.   The Jordan Harbinger Show Check out jordanharbinger.com/start for some episode recommendations, OR search for The Jordan Harbinger Show!    Listen to Scoundrel ad-free, with bonus content, at KastMedia.com/KastPlus Listen to Scoundrel ad-free, with bonus content at Amazon MusicSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

He had it all. Good looks, a privileged upbringing, the adoration of women...yet in November 1961, Julian Harvey was responsible for murdering almost an entire family while captaining their vacation vessel off the shore of Florida. What made this villain tick and ultimately do the unthinkable? Take a listen now!   Special Thanks To our Sponsors  Story Worth Go to StoryWorth.com/scoundrel and save $10 on your first purchase! Aura Frames From now through Black Friday & Cyber Monday, listeners can get $20 off Aura's best-selling frames. Just go to auraframes.com/SCOUNDREL   The Jordan Harbinger Show Check out jordanharbinger.com/start for some episode recommendations, OR search for The Jordan Harbinger Show.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

You may have heard of famous pirates like Black Beard and Calico Jack, but did you know a 19th century former peasant girl assembled a pirate confederation so massive  it made these men's fleets seem like a couple of row boats? Ching Shih was the most successful pirate the world has ever forgotten.... until today.  Special Thanks To Our Sponsors:    The Jordan Harbinger Show Check out jordanharbinger.com/start for some episode recommendations, OR search for The Jordan Harbinger Show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts.  Field of Greens Join us and take Field of Greens too. And to help get you started; we got you 15% off your first order. And another 10% off when you subscribe. Visit FieldofGreens.com and use promo code SCOUNDREL. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In 2014, Dutch friends Lisanne Froon and Kris Kremers disappeared while hiking a jungle trail in Panama. Two months later, investigators found their remains, as well as a backpack with a digital camera filled with photos that hinted at a darker story. What happened to Kris and Lisanne? In this investigative series, journalists Mariana Atencio and Jeremy Kryt retrace the last steps of the doomed women. Their search for the truth immerses them in eight years' worth of conflicting evidence, testimonies, and rumors, as on-the-ground witnesses in Panama come forward for the first time. This explosive new evidence sets off a real-time race to reopen the case, and finally get justice for Kris and Lisanne.https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/lost-in-panama/id1650171879https://open.spotify.com/show/552v0bU0KQrnNDoeinrYU9?si=iVTRQlLbQ7et-65Cx4EQ7ASee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Wild West after the Civil War was famous for its unruly hooligans. But buried in the headlines under the rowdy shenanigans of Billy The Kid and Jesse James stood the story of a very different outlaw. One many had described as "Gentlemanly." Sure with each of his highway robberies, he'd hold a shotgun to your face, but he never wanted your personal belongings...only the money of certain banks that have wronged him.  Even more, he'd end each heist with a please, thank you and even a charming poem.  Sure the world may have forgotten about Black Bart aka Charles Boles, but we sure haven't.     Special Thanks to Our Sponsors:  The Jordan Harbinger Show  Check out jordanharbinger.com/start for some episode recommendations, OR search for The Jordan Harbinger Show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts. The Sandman: Act III Check out the Sandman: Act III in all its dynamic 3D audio only on Audible!        See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The year is 1911.  In the idyllic beauty of Olalla Washington, sits a sanitarium - a supposed sanctuary for those suffering from health conditions to come and heal under the guidance of a "brilliant medical mind." Little do locals realize, it's in these walls that an unassuming health practitioner named Dr. Linda Hazzard is performing unspeakable horrors on her patients. Her torture and starvation tactics will ultimately results in the deaths of dozens that we know of...and many more we don't. The history books may have forgotten the horrors of Linda Hazzard...but we sure haven't.  Special Thanks To Our Sponsors:  Jordan Harbinger Show We really enjoy this show and we think you will as well! There's just SO much here. Check out jordanharbinger.com/start for some episode recommendations, OR search for The Jordan Harbinger Show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts.    Field of Greens Join us and take Field of Greens too. And to help get you started, we got you 15% off your first order. And another 10% off when you subscribe for recurring orders. Visit FieldofGreens.com and use promo code SCOUNDREL. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Everyone knows the Academy award winning film Amadeus, where a dramatic jealous-ridden  Antonio Salieri contributed to the death of Mozart. But what you probably don't know is a man named John Taylor was complicit in the death of two other musical giants;  Johann Sebastian Bach and George Friedrich Handel.  And the greatest irony of all...he was their eye doctor. Join us this week on Scoundrel: History's Forgotten Villains as we dive deep into the scandalous, tumultuous and at times barbaric world of 18th century European ophthalmology to uncover the many blindings and killings of Dr. John Taylor. Give us your feedback at Kastmedia.com/scoundrelfeedback Special Thanks To Our Sponsors:  The Jordan Harbinger Show Check out jordanharbinger.com/start for some episode recommendations, OR search for The Jordan Harbinger Show on Apple Podcasts. Talkspace As a listener of this podcast, you'll get $100 off of your first month with Talkspace. To match with a licensed therapist today, go to Talkspace.com and use code SCOUNDREL.    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Good Cult is an investigative podcast about the dark corners of the New Age self-help movements and the American counterculture. In season one, host River Donaghey will explore his family's group therapy cult to unpack the strange history of the Human Potential Movement, and try to understand how a violent self-help seminar in the 1980s evolved into a global phenomenon, which would capture his own family decades later. Apple Podcasts:  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/good-cult/id1643228328 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/32alR42n7RSjALWyiFOoAV?si=3ad152facfd54944See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ever visit the world famous Louvre Museum in Paris?  Ever gaze up at Picassos? How about the Matisses? Well, what if we told you that behind the beautiful colors and brush strokes, a dark history lingers as to why they're in the museum.  You see, many of them used to belong to somebody...some say one of the richest and most ruthless women of 20th century Europe, who besides her art collecting hobby, spent much of 1959 trying to murder her only son. The story of Domenica Guillaume is a masterpiece of greed, hubris and destruction.  We'd love your feedback;  Please go to: kastmedia.com/scoundrelfeedback Special Thanks To Our Sponsors!  Boll & Branch Get 15% off your first set of sheets when you use promo code SCOUNDREL at bollandbranch.com.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mediums, Clairvoyants, Psychics. You can't turn on TV these days without seeing a reality show where some self-proclaimed "Communicator" is conversing with dead people. Where did this all come from? Well..it all began with two young sisters from the 1840s named Kate and Maggie Fox. The craziest part?  It all started with a prank.    Special Thanks To Our Sponsors: Honey Get Honey for FREE at Joinhoney.com/scoundrel   Wondrium Wondrium is offering our listeners a FREE MONTH of unlimited access. To get this offer you need to visit our special URL: Wondrium.com/scoundrel   The Jordan Harbinger Show Check out jordanharbinger.com/start for some episode recommendations, OR search for The Jordan Harbinger Show.   Talk Space To match with a licensed therapist today, go to Talkspace.com. Make sure to use the code SCOUNDREL​ to ​get $100 off of your first month​ and show your support for the show.      See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

October 15, 1917.  A war criminal is marched before a French firing squad to receive their brutal final punishment.  Their crime... selling secrets to the Germans resulting in the slaughter of 40,000 French officers in one of World War 1's bloodiest battles. As witnesses watch the despicable traitor being pushed before the guns, they are shocked.  The  perpetrator is none other than one of the most famous women of early 20th century Paris: An elegant 41 year old woman named Margaretha Geerthurida MacLeod or as the world knows her: Mata Hari. Join us as we explore the legend of this iconic figure and even beg the question: Was she guilty of the things they said she did...or was she merely a scapegoat. Special Thanks to Our Sponsors:  FIELD OF GREENS To help get you started, we got you 15% off your first order. And another 10% off when you subscribe for recurring orders.  Visit FieldofGreens.com and use promo code SCOUNDREL. BOLL AND BRANCH Get 15% off your first set of sheets when you use promo code SCOUNDREL at bollandbranch.com.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The turn of the 20th century was a wild and weird time, especially in medicine. New discoveries of radioactive elements created a medical craze with companies putting now-known poisonous substances in medicines with unproven promises to cure everything from arthritis to impotence.  Unfortunately, the only thing these medicines did for people...was eventually kill them. And nobody poisoned more people and pushed more toxic cure-alls than one Dr. William Bailey, a Harvard dropout who wanted to make it big.  SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS: HONEY: Get Honey for FREE at http://www.JoinHoney.com/SCOUNDREL. FIELD OF GREENS: Visit http://www.FieldofGreens.com and use promo code SCOUNDREL for 15% off your first order and another 10% off when you subscribe for recurring orders. BOLL AND BRANCH: The Annual Summer Event is over, but Boll & Branch extended OUR code for exclusive access to 20% off through the end of the month with promo code SCOUNDREL at http://bollandbranch.com/.TALK SPACE: Make sure to use the code SCOUNDREL to get $100 off of your first month and show your support for the show.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

You've heard her name in the same breath as other gun slinging wild west hooligans like Billy the Kid and Jesse James. But who really was Belle Starr? Was she the  pistol-packing bloodthirsty Bandit Queen who delighted in breaking the law as her legend dictates, or... was she more a victim of circumstance and the turbulent times she lived? More importantly, who actually killed her that fateful day on February 3 1889?   There are so many questions lingering about Myra Maybelle Shirley Reed Starr,  and on this week's episode, we attempt to answer them all! Special Thanks To Our Sponsors:  WONDRIUM Wondrium is offering our listeners a FREE TRIAL plus 20% off the Annual Plan. To get this offer you need to visit our special URL: Wondrium.com/scoundrel. BOLLS & BRANCH The Annual Summer Event is starting soon, but Boll & Branch is giving my listeners exclusive early access before anyone else to 20% off with promo code SCOUNDRELat bollandbranch.com.  FIELD OF GREENS To help get you started, we got you 15% off your first order. And another 10% off when you subscribe for recurring orders.  Visit FieldofGreens.com and use promo code SCOUNDREL. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Remember the film, CATCH ME IF YOU CAN with Leonardo DiCaprio about the world's greatest counterfeiter?  Well, this is the opposite. Yup.The world's absolute worst God awful counterfeiter who ever lived. Emerich Juettnner's attempts at counterfeiting one dollar bills were so laughably bad, they looked and felt like what can only be described today as Monopoly money.  But to his amazement, throughout the 1930's and 40's, he was able to elude...and annoy the FBI for over a decade with his heinous bogus bucks .  The history books may have forgotten about Emerich Juettner, but we sure haven't.   Special Thanks To Our Sponsors:  The Jordan Harbinger Show Check out jordanharbinger.com/start for some episode recommendations, OR search for The Jordan Harbinger Show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts.  Honey If you don't already have Honey, you could be straight up missing out. And by getting it, you'll be doing yourself a solid and supporting this show.  Get Honey for FREE at Join Honey.com/SCOUNDREL. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Before there was Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jack LaLanne, a very different strong man captured the imagination of the planet. A man so powerful and muscular, he changed his first name to sound like the roar of a lion. In the early 20th century, Bernarr MacFadden introduced the world to not only fitness culture, but health beliefs so controversial and dangerous,  they continue to haunt and hurt us today.     Special Thanks To our Sponsors BEST FIENDS You've earned your fun time. Go to the App Store or Google play to download Best Fiends for free. Plus, earn even more with $5 worth of in-game rewards when you reach level 5. FIELD OF GREENS To help get you started, we got you 15% off your first order. And another 10% off when you subscribe for recurring orders. Visit FieldofGreens.com and use promo code SCOUNDREL. BURROW Listeners can get $75 off their first order at Burrow.com/scoundrel.   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

You might have heard of Anna Delvey, or the Tinder Swindler but  what if we told you, 250 years ago...a lowly English maid named Sarah Wilson made these modern imposters look like a bunch of amateurs. Throughout the 1770's, Sarah Wilson traveled the American colonies ripping off the ultra rich, even rubbing up against our Founding Fathers by pretending to  be her royal highness Princess Sophia Carolina Augusta, sister to the Queen of England. The history books might have forgotten about this fascinating rapscallion, but we sure haven't.   Special Thanks To Our Sponsors:  Daily Harvest Avoid the takeout temptation and get Daily Harvest! Go to DAILYHARVEST.com/scoundrel to get up to forty dollars off your first box! Wondrium Wondrium is offering our listeners a FREE TRIAL plus 20% off the Annual Plan  To get this offer you need to visit our special URL: Wondrium.com/scoundrel.   The Jordan Harbinger Show We really enjoy this show and we think you will as well! There's just SO much here. Check out jordanharbinger.com/start for some episode recommendations, OR search for The Jordan Harbinger Show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts.  StoryWorth Give all the “fathers” in your life a meaningful gift you can both cherish for years to come - StoryWorth! Right now, for a limited time, you can save $10 on your first purchase when you go to StoryWorth.com/scoundrel! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tim Miller is a famous search-and-rescuer in Dickinson, Texas, who's helped track down more than 300 missing persons. After 38 years of searching, he's now convinced that he's finally solved his own daughter's murder.  In the first season of VIGILANTE, Allie Conti (New York Times, Vice) explores the human cost of Tim's singular obsession with the case—from the people he's falsely accused in the past, to the current girlfriend he's put in the crosshairs of a possible serial killer. As Allie prepares to interview the suspect in person, she grapples with whether she might be the latest victim of Tim's vigilantism.   Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/vigilante/id1622288667 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/49wzulSXKQKWYOIWoTVEPT?si=d9bb79b8fb9243e2 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ten years before the US Civil War, a little revolt broke out in China that was commanded by a 37-year-old former school teacher who believed himself to be a demon-slaying younger brother to Jesus Christ. By the time Hong Xiuquan was done, 30 million people were killed and the world would never be the same.  Special Thanks To Our Sponsors:    Wondrium Wondrium is offering our listeners a FREE TRIAL plus 20% off the Annual Plan. To get this offer you need to visit our special URL: Wondrium.com/SCOUNDREL Best Fiends You've earned your fun time. Go to the App Store or Google play to download Best Fiends for free. Plus, earn even more with $5 worth of in-game rewards when you reach level 5.   Burrow Thanks again to Burrow for supporting the show. Listeners can get $75 off their first order at Burrow.com/scoundrel.   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's 1908 in La Porte, Indiana and a farmhouse belonging to Belle Gunness, a 50-year-old immigrant from Norway, is engulfed in flames. As firefighters dig through the charred remains of Belle's family, they discover something else: Dozens of bodies buried in the backyard. While it's difficult to know exactly what one of America's first female serial killers was thinking as she slaughtered her victims for profit, there's one thing for certain. Belle Gunness was one naughty Norwegian.   Special Thanks To Our Sponsors:  Story Worth Give all the “moms” in your life a meaningful gift you'll both cherish for years – StoryWorth! Right now, for a limited time, you'll save $10 on your first purchase when you go to StoryWorth.com/scoundrel.   GreenChef Go to GreenChef.com/scoundrel130 and use code scoundrel130 to get $130 off, plus free shipping!”   Wondrium Wondrium is offering our listeners a FREE trial membership. To get this offer you need to visit Wondrium.com/SCOUNDREL.   Helix Helix is offering up to 200 dollars off all mattress orders AND two free pillows for our listeners at HelixSleep.com/scoundrel.       See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sidney Gottlieb led a fairly simple life.  He and his wife lived on a farm. He milked goats and practiced meditation.  From the looks of this spectacularly mundane, even boring-appearing man, you would have no idea of one tiny inescapable tidbit ...Sidney Gottlieb is one of the most prolific torturers the Cold War has ever produced. He spearheaded a program run by the CIA charged with the sole goal of controlling people's minds called MK Ultra. In its wake exists a body count numbering in the thousands and unspeakable suffering that has yet to heal. This is his treacherous true story.     Special Thanks To Our Sponsors:  Wondery: American History Tellers - Lewis and Clark Listen to American History Tellers: Lewis and Clark on Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, or you can listen ad-free by joining Wondery Plus in the Wondery app.   AARP Try the benefits for yourself! Go to AARP.org/SCOUNDREL to join for just $12 for your first year with automatic renewal. You'll get a second membership for free, plus AARP the Magazine and a free gift!   Wondrium Trust us, we know you'll love Wondrium as much as we do. Sign up NOW through our special URL to start your free trial. Go to Wondrium.com/scoundrel.   Best Fiends You've earned your fun time. Go to the App Store or Google play to download Best Fiends for free. Plus, earn even more with $5 worth of in-game rewards when you reach level 5.   Burrow Listeners can get $75 off their first order at Burrow.com/scoundrel.   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On an early morning in the year 1671, a 53-year-old man named Thomas Blood enters the Tower of London to perform perhaps the most daring heist in the history of humanity. A lifelong nemesis of the English crown, Blood and his brigade of bandits channel their rage and do the impossible:  Steal The Crown Jewels. Throughout his life, Blood's misadventures prove to be so bold, dangerous and deliciously audacious, they're still making historians scratch their heads 350 years later. Special Thanks To Our Sponsors:  The Jordan Harbinger Show Check out jordanharbinger.com/start for some episode recommendations, OR search for The Jordan Harbinger Show on Apple Podcasts, Green Chef Go to GreenChef.com/scoundrel130 and use code scoundrel130 to get $130 off, plus free shipping!” Wondrium Sign up NOW through our special URL to start your free trial. Go to Wondrium.com/scoundrel. Helix Helix is offering up to 200 dollars off all mattress orders AND two free pillows for our listeners at HelixSleep.com/scoundrel.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's 1606 in the Italian peninsula and you can feel the beauty and euphoria of the Renaissance in the air. But at the same time, in a small garden in Monza of Northern Italy, two very unenlightened people talk in hushed tones, and we promise: absolutely nothing beautiful will come of it. A nun by the name of Sister Virginia Maria of Monza whispers into the ear of her dangerous lover, Giovanni Paolo Osio.  She wants another nun in her monastery dead, hence sparking one of the most villainous scandals in Church history.    Special Thanks To Our Sponsors:  Blinkist Right now Blinkist has a special offer just for our audience. Go to Blinkist.com/SCOUNDREL to start your free 7 day trial and get 25% off of a Blinkist Premium membership. The Jordan Harbinger Show Check out jordanharbinger.com/start for some episode recommendations, OR search for The Jordan Harbinger Show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts.  AARP Try the benefits for yourself! Go to AARP.org/SCOUNDREL to join for just $12 for your first year with automatic renewal. You'll get a second membership for free, plus AARP the Magazine and a free gift!   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's 1920 and George Remus, a Chicago attorney, stands before the bench in a Federal courtroom. He watches in horror as the Judge finds his client, a local booze bootlegger, guilty of violating the recently passed Volstead Act. The man's punishment? A $10,000 fine, the equivalent of roughly over $160,000 in today's money. Remus is horrified by the obscene punishment but notices that his client could care less. The bootlegger casually removes a wad of cash from his pocket so thick it can barely fold and tosses it to Remus to drop it off for him as he exits. Staring down at the money, Remus has a plan: To become the biggest bootlegger of illegal booze the world has ever seen. This is a tale of betrayal, duplicity, and cold-hearted murder.    Special Thanks To Our Sponsors:    BLINKIST Right now Blinkist has a special offer just for our audience. Go to Blinkist.com/SCOUNDREL to start your free 7 day trial and get 25% off of a Blinkist Premium membership.   THE JORDAN HARBINGER SHOW We really enjoy this show and we think you will as well! There's just SO much here. Check out jordanharbinger.com/start for some episode recommendations, OR search for The Jordan Harbinger Show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts.    GREENCHEF Go to GreenChef.com/scoundrel130 and use code scoundrel130 to get $130 off, plus free shipping!     See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's 1880 and a man claiming to be famed bomb and submarine builder James McClintock walks into the British Consulate in Philadelphia. He smoothly offers to help the Monarchy fight Irish rebels by secretly building them faulty bombs. The British are intrigued, but have only one question.  Seeing as the real James McClintock accidentally blew himself up while testing torpedoes in Boston Harbor one year earlier, then… who the heck is this man standing in front of them. Brace yourself for a saga filled with betrayal, treason, oh and explosions.  Lots and lots of explosions.   Special Thanks To Our Sponsors: Blinkist Right now Blinkist has a special offer just for our audience. Go to Blinkist.com/SCOUNDREL to start your free 7 day trial and get 25% off of a Blinkist Premium membership.   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's 1933 and the Great Depression is ravaging New York City. A group of men calling themselves the Murder Trust come up with the perfect scheme to score a quick buck. Secure a life insurance policy on a a local alcoholic vagrant and then meticulously conceal his cold blooded murder. The only problem for them is the local drunk they picked to kill is a man named Michael Malloy - a man who simply won't die.  Special Thanks To Our Sponsors:   Blinkist Right now Blinkist has a special offer just for our audience. Go to Blinkist.com/SCOUNDREL to start your free 7 day trial and get 25% off of a Blinkist Premium membership.   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

History consists of heroes and villains (and, I suppose everything in between)... but it's usually the villains who are the most interesting: Their flaws, their quirks, the voids in their hearts that force them to do the unthinkable. These are the characters that fascinate us, that pull us in, that compel us to watch and don't let us look away. And these are the characters that Scoundrel: History's Forgotten Villains is all about. Scoundrel, is a new bi-weekly anthology podcast from Kast Media and the award winning creators of Myths & Legends, that tells the stories of the rapscallions through time who were just a little more adept at hiding their evil from historians than others. By joining them on their treacherous journeys, we not only learn about what makes them tick, but more importantly, the times that created them. Sidney Gottlieb, George Remus, Thomas Blood, James McClintock. They've all done horrible things...on varying scales. If there's anything we can salvage from their misdeeds and incalculable human suffering, it's the opportunity to use them to elucidate the times they've lived… so that we can better understand ourselves.   Scoundrel: History's Forgotten Villains - premiers Wednesday, February 23 on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.