Criminal Records Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Li San (re-record) Feb 24, 2022

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What happens when you put a bunch of philosophers in charge of investigating crimes? You end up with one of the most organized and longest-lasting criminal codes in human history. We're going back to Imperial China to examine the case of a deadly dispute over a handful of beans.

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Richard Lawrence, attempted assassin Feb 10, 2022

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Richard Lawrence was full of lead. On one fateful day in 1835, he decided to fill President Andrew Jackson with lead too. Why did the course of American history nearly hinge on a once-common house paint additive, and why have people throughout history been consuming and working with this poisonous metal?

Content note: This episode contains some outdated medical terms about mental illness.

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NHL Star Turned Coke Smuggler - Steve Durbano Jan 27, 2022

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One of the most violent players in the NHL got famous for his illegal moves, bench-clearing brawls, and on-ice mooning. But his real criminal career got started after his hockey career ended. Does he deserve to go down in history as a dangerous goon, or a victim of a sports culture that encouraged players to destroy their bodies for profit?

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Broken Windows Theory Jan 13, 2022

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In 1969, a group of graduate students had a great time smashing up a car. Their very strange psychology experiment is responsible for some of the most racist policing practices in America today. How did the broken windows theory go from textbooks to police departments? And will we ever know what actually solved America's biggest crime wave?

Content note: This episode discusses a lot of racist practices specifically targeting Black, Latino, and other marginalized groups in America.

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The Great Canadian Maple Syrup Heist Dec 30, 2021

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A group of thieves set their sights on the greatest wealth stockpile of them all: the Global Strategic Maple Syrup Reserve. All they needed was a network of truckers, black market syrup smugglers, and shady dealers willing to get their fingers sticky for a sweet payoff.

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Adam Worth Dec 16, 2021

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Was a poor Jewish kid from Massachusetts the real inspiration for Professor Moriarty? Meet Adam Worth, the gentleman thief so daring his crimes created fashion crazes, inspired private detectives, and nearly caused an international diplomatic incident.

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The Yakuza Rocket Launcher Case Dec 02, 2021

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Want to take your gang war to the next level? Try buying a rocket launcher! In this wild episode, we learn about the history of one of the world's best-known criminal organizations, the split that launched a bloody turf war, and the linguistic complications of saying "yes" to arms dealers.

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Nelson Mandela Nov 18, 2021

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How did one of the most famous political prisoners of all time end up in prison? What system did he have a part in taking down? This week, we discuss the strange legal maneuvers South Africa's racist government used to stay in power, and the court case that changed the way the world reacted to the apartheid system.

Content notes: This episode contains discussion of the South African apartheid system, which includes some language in its legal divisions of race which would not be acceptable terms today.

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The Queens of the Forty Elephants Nov 04, 2021

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One gang of women terrorized London's merchants for more than a century. From smashing cars through shop doors to stuffing fur coats down their pants, learn the secrets of the lady gang of master criminals.

Content note: This episode includes discussion of domestic violence.

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Operation Wedding Oct 21, 2021

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What do you do when your country won't let you leave? One group of defectors from the Soviet Union hatched a desperate plan: they'd pretend they were on their way to a wedding, then they'd hijack their plane and fly it out of the country.

Content note: This episode discusses antisemitism in the Soviet Union and the Zionist movement.

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