Sports Criminals

To be an Olympic champion, you gotta be the best. To be number one on this show means you're probably the worst. Ash and Alaina from Parcast Network's Crime Countdown explore the crimes and scandals that rocked the world's most prestigious sports event. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Wayne Simmons had a dramatic 27-year career with the CIA taking down cartels and busting arms smugglers — or did he? The ex-CIA military analyst and cable news star stands accused of being a fraud. Hosted by the reporter who broke the story, Impostors follows the investigation into who Wayne Simmons really is… Hero, or conman? Impostors is a Spotify Original from Parcast. Produced by Topic Studios and Transmitter Media. Hosted by Alex French. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Creepypastas, frightful TikToks, online horror stories… Loey Lane and Eleanor Barnes are taking you into the spookiest corners of the web in their new Spotify Original from Parcast, Internet Urban Legends. Meet the hosts and hear their debut episode on the Watcher House — a terrifying saga that unfolded in 2014 after the Broaddus family bought their dream home in New Jersey. Listen free on Spotify, and follow Internet Urban Legends for new episodes every Tuesday! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This season, “L” stands for love… and lawless… and lethal. Beginning February 1st, uncover history’s most infamous couples in this collection of episodes from across Parcast Network. Follow the misdeeds of married mafiosos. Enter the transgressions of casanova cult leaders. And demystify the lives of coupled kingpins, pirates, and spies… Because in this limited series, romance takes a sharp turn into the radical.  Get a preview of Criminal Couples right here, then search “Criminal Couples” to find and follow the series. Episodes air every Monday. Listen free, only on Spotify.

The clock’s winding down on the final moments of the year and people around the world are putting their charms and traditions to work, shoring up good fortune for the future. But it’s not always our own personal luck that’s on the line… In this story, a night of superstitions weaves together the fates of merrymakers eager for fresh starts.  This episode is presented by Superstitions, a Spotify Original from Parcast. Follow Superstitions free on Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

You know you can find love in a bar… on an app… Why not a podcast? Every week on Blind Dating, one hopeful single is introduced to two potential matches in a virtual hangout — no cameras allowed. This week, listen in as Pauler, a 33-year-old dancer from Australia, meets a tutor who falls for mama’s boys and a one-time swinger who’s “lived and learned” in LA. Is personality enough to spark a lasting connection? Listen to find out… and don’t miss the twist at the end! Blind Dating is free on Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

They’re natural-born leaders, hungry for absolute power. Every week on Dictators, delve into the minds and motives of history’s most infamous rulers — people who rose through the ranks toward radicalism, eliminating anyone who stood in their way. This week, track the rise and fall of Nero, an emperor who led Rome to destruction. Hear a clip from Part 1 here, then head to Dictators for the rest of the episode. Dictators is free to listen on Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Listeners, we’re excited to bring you an episode from one of our favorite podcasts, Solved Murders: True Crime Mysteries. Every Wednesday on Solved Murders, we explore the days, months, and even years leading up to the closure of a seemingly uncrackable case. This is part 1 of our episode on Helen Potts, a young girl who gets tangled up with a playboy medical student, with deadly consequences—but not for the reasons you might first suspect.  If you enjoy this episode, be sure to check out part 2, available now free and only on Spotify. Follow Solved Murders: True Crime Mysteries for more true-crime stories every week!

Humanity’s most daring achievements are coming together in the new Spotify Original from Parcast! Every weekday, Incredible Feats introduces you to a new story of jaw-dropping physical strength, mental focus, and bizarre behavior. Join comedian Dan Cummins as he profiles the people who turned the impossible into the incredible, breaking records and making history along the way.  Enjoy this exclusive clip from our first episode, and stay tuned for episodes on daredevils, ultramarathoners, performance artists and more! To find more Parcast Network originals, search “Parcast Network” on Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

We all know that medical professionals are trained to give exceptional care. But in the new Parcast Original, Medical Murders, you’ll discover a disturbing diagnosis… that not every doctor wants to extend your life. Every Wednesday, meet the men and women who used their expertise to develop sinister specialties. Host Alastair Murden examines the formative years and motives of history’s most infamous killer doctors, dissecting their medical backgrounds with expert analysis provided by practicing M.D., Dr. David Kipper.  Enjoy this exclusive clip from our first episode of Medical Murders! Then search Medical Murders to find more episodes, free on Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts! 

Building a massive doping operation to cheat the Olympics was one thing, but for Russia, keeping it secret was the bigger challenge. After one of its former athletes blew the whistle on the operation, Putin oversaw a massive cover-up that saw top officials fleeing the country.

For Vladimir Putin and Russia, the Olympics were not simply a sports competition; they were a show of power on the world stage. And ahead of the 2014 Winter Games in Sochi, the national team was criminally advantaged—by a top-secret, state-sponsored steroid program.

In 2013, a year after signing one of the biggest contract extensions ever granted a tight end, Hernandez was involved in yet another shooting. His career, and his life, collapsed after his arrest. 

At the University of Florida, Aaron Hernandez won two national championships and the John Mackey Award for best tight end. He went on to play for the New England Patriots, earning millions. But behind closed doors, he was reckless and violent… And a murder plot gone wrong only made him more frenzied. 

In the mid-to-late ‘90s, during the second half of his NBA career, Dennis Rodman struggled to maintain his celebrity. As his star faded, he resorted to more and more outrageous antics to get the public's attention.

He went from college dropout to one of the most dominant NBA defenders of all time. But Dennis Rodman’s tough childhood in the 1960s and ‘70s left him with a need for attention that threatened to overshadow everything he worked for.

As the 1910 baseball season came to a close, few were focused on the World Series. Instead, fans all over the U.S. were clamoring to know whether Ty Cobb or Nap Lajoie had finished the season with the highest batting average. What they didn’t know was that one player’s team was trying to cheat.

In April of 1910, the baseball season began, with even more on the line than usual. Whoever had the highest batting average across the American and National Leagues would be awarded a brand-new Chalmers 30 automobile—a baseball promotion that would become a full-blown embarrassment after officials tried to fix the results.

FIFA president João Havelange built international soccer into a global marketing phenomenon—and used it as his own personal piggy bank. Though he got away with perpetuating a cycle of corruption and cronyism for years, eventually his scandals would finally come to light in 1998.

To commemorate its fourth anniversary, Parcast and the team behind Unsolved Murders are taking a closer look at what it takes to catch a killer. In the new series Solved Murders: True Crime Mysteries, you'll follow the clues and uncover the missing pieces to some of history's most gripping cases. Every Wednesday, join hosts Carter and Wenndy as they explore the days, months, and even years leading up to a killer being caught. Each episode plays out like a classic murder mystery—where the final reveal is nearly as shocking as the murder itself. Solved Murders: True Crime Mysteries is only available on Spotify. Enjoy this exclusive clip from the first episode on the infamous “in cold blood” murders of the Clutter Family. If you want to listen to the full episode, follow Solved Murders: True Crime Mysteries, free and only on Spotify.

He was an Olympic athlete and marketing genius. With the help of some well-connected friends, João Havelange soon rose to the top of international sports and became the president of FIFA in 1974. But behind closed doors, Havelange profited off of bribes and attempted to seal his legacy with corruption and nepotism.

He made headlines in 1920’s England after running ringers in some high-profile horse races. Finding he could no longer work in England, Peter Barrie travelled across the pond to the United States, where he once again tried to cheat his way into fortune and fame.

He was one of the most skilled and prolific horse racing cheaters of the early 20th century. Peter Christian Barrie got his start in Australia, but quickly struck it big in England after discovering his talent for painting horses. But like any gambler, Barrie insisted on pushing his luck well past its breaking point.

Only in his mid-20s, Rae Carruth's life was already hanging by a thread. His career as an NFL wide receiver was shattered, and he was running out of money. In 1999, at his lowest point, he even hired men to murder his pregnant girlfriend, Cherica Adams. After the shooting, Carruth tried to dodge the consequences of his crime, but he couldn't escape justice.

In 1999, 25-year-old Carolina Panthers wide receiver Rae Carruth destroyed his career and life when he paid a hitman to murder his girlfriend, Cherica Adams. The two hadn’t been in a real relationship for a long time, but were inexorably tied together… Adams was eight months pregnant.

After retiring from the MLB in 1972, Denny McClain had no idea what to do next. Baseball was the only thing he knew. Desperate to make a living, he turned to a life of crime—including fraud, drug dealing, and numerous other federal offenses.

We are thrilled to bring you a brand new episode of Sports Criminals today and for the foreseeable future. We thank you for your patience during this unprecedented time. In 1968, Detroit Tigers pitcher Denny McClain became the first person in over three decades to win 30 games. But his career was derailed by injuries, gambling, and a refusal to follow the rules.

If you enjoy the true stories told in Sports Criminals, check out this episode from our series Unsolved Murders: The mysterious circumstances surrounding Sonny Liston's death in 1971 from an alleged heroin overdose still drew suspicion. As police and journalists looked into his death years later, they discovered more than a few viable suspects.

If you enjoy the true stories told in Sports Criminals, check out this episode from our series Unsolved Murders: Former heavyweight champion Sonny Liston had a drive and motivation that was infectious. So when Geraldine Liston hadn’t heard from her husband for a few days, she didn’t think much of it. Then she returned home from a trip and found him at the foot of their bed...dead.

In 1980, Rosie Ruiz beat out past champions to win the Boston Marathon. Other runners and reporters were shocked as they watched Ruiz take her place on the winner’s stage. But the truth was that Ruiz hadn’t run the race at all. 

She came out of nowhere to win the 1980 Boston Marathon—only for it to be revealed later that she won the race by cheating. Discover how Rosie Ruiz’s mysterious beginnings led to a lifetime of lies.

Due to the unfortunate spread of COVID-19, Parcast has decided to halt recording for the time-being. This is a precautionary measure taken to ensure the safety of our hosts and staff. In the meantime, we're excited to share one of our classic episodes that we know you'll enjoy! As an NBA referee throughout the 1990s and 2000s, Tim Donaghy was expected to neutrally uphold the rules of his sport. However, he used his position to enrich himself in the worst way possible: betting on games he officiated. The FBI investigation into his gambling would change the landscape of sports forever.

Going into the 1950-1951 season, the CCNY Beavers were the odds-on favorite to defend their titles. But the starting five decided to get in bed with a notorious game fixer, shaving points of the score for a few grand. And soon, it would be revealed that CCNY wasn't the only team in on the scheme.

During the 1949-1950 Men's college basketball season, the City College of New York Beavers did the unthinkable: they became the first team in history to win both the NIT and NCAA tournaments in the same year. But behind the scenes, several disgruntled players agreed to fix games for money.

We have reached the year 2020! So that means this is the last episode of our special, but it’s a good one! It’s about the sign-stealing scandal and the Houston Astros.

This is our penultimate episode—covering the mysterious deaths of horses at the Santa Anita racetrack during 2019.

Today we go back to 2018, with a cheating scandal that rocked the cricket world. You’ll never believe how these players got caught—and how rough the consequences were.

Back in 2017, an executive for the Sacramento Kings spent July 4th with his family at a recently purchased multi-million dollar Southern California home. A home the FBI would later question him on how he could afford to buy.

Today we head to Brazil for the Summer Olympic Games of 2016, when swimming star Ryan Lochte and three teammates reported being robbed after a night on the town. But the real story of what happened would be far more outrageous.

Today, we’re going back to 2015, when an accusation against New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady left him feeling deflated.

Today we head back to 2014, when racist comments by Donald Sterling, then owner of the Los Angeles Clippers, were made public by his mistress.

Today we head back to the year 2013, when New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez was arrested for the shocking murder of friend Odin Lloyd.