Fraudsters

It’s a Bird, It’s a Plane, It’s the Superpredator Myth! Nov 19, 2024

Picture this: it’s the mid-'90s. Coolio’s Gangsta’s Paradise dominates the airwaves, and America’s crime hysteria is peaking. It’s the perfect time for a new villain to emerge: the “superpredator.” Tune in as we unravel the fear-mongering myth born from flawed statistics, Ivy League arrogance, and moral panic—spearheaded by Princeton professor John DiIulio. We explore how this theory intersected with the 1994 Crime Bill, fueling mass incarceration and devastating policies, with guests Kris Henning (Director of the Juvenile Justice Clinic at Georgetown Law) and Yasmin Cader (Deputy Director at the ACLU). Through stories like Terrance Lewis’s—wrongfully imprisoned for 22 years—we reveal the human cost of a lie that reshaped America’s justice system.

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Website: https://fraudsters.fm/

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https://x.com/profkrishenning

https://www.instagram.com/yasmin_cader/?hl=en

Sources:

https://www.newsweek.com/did-liberals-put-black-america-behind-bars-297096[↩︎](about:blank#fnref1)

Martinson, R. "What works?—questions and answers about prison reform". Public Interest 1974↩︎

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/03/us/politics/bush-willie-horton.html[↩︎](about:blank#fnref3)

https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/1992-democratic-party-platform[↩︎](about:blank#fnref4)

https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/analysis-opinion/1994-crime-bill-and-beyond-how-federal-funding-shapes-criminal-justice[↩︎](about:blank#fnref5)

https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2019/6/20/18677998/joe-biden-1994-crime-bill-law-mass-incarceration[↩︎](about:blank#fnref6)

Clips:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3HY45DY2B8w&t=356s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=izRCGHJmg0M&t=1568s

https://www.pbs.org/video/retro-report-on-pbs-season-1-episode-8-correcting-myth-superpredator/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j0uCrA7ePno

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One Bag of Crack for Bush Senior, Please! Nov 12, 2024

In the summer of 1989, President George H.W. Bush’s War on Drugs needs a dramatic touch for his first national address: a bag of crack cocaine bought steps from the White House. The DEA zeroes in on Keith Jackson, an unsuspecting young dealer, luring him into a dangerous setup to secure the president’s controversial prop. As Bush’s speech electrifies the nation, Keith faces life-altering consequences, sparking questions about political theater, selective justice, and a deeply flawed system. Tune in now as we dive into the chilling tactics used in America’s zero-tolerance crusade with the help of our guest, journalist Jefferson Morley.

Follow The Show:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/fraudstersLPN

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Website: https://fraudsters.fm/

Follow the Hosts: https://www.instagram.com/seenanow/?hl=en

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Follow our guest:

https://x.com/jeffersonmorley

Sources:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/local/longterm/tours/scandal/bushdrug.htm

https://dcplislandora.wrlc.org/islandora/object/dcplislandora%3A347387#page/27/mode/1up

https://file.notion.so/f/f/35cc2dfe-904c-4092-bad6-96c81acda7c4/dcc370ec-f359-4283-9c22-a5758bb6310a/D.C._STUDENT_IS_GIVEN_10_YEARS_IN_DRUG_CASE_-_The_Washington_Post.pdf?table=block&id=f1fbb853-ea9e-4704-b9ac-aa8350205be6&spaceId=35cc2dfe-904c-4092-bad6-96c81acda7c4&expirationTimestamp=1731456000000&signature=nN7Cu00VPq-ylGpJjuj5KroddB_75ZbPMeXMrcoDxus&downloadName=D.C.+STUDENT+IS+GIVEN+10+YEARS+IN+DRUG+CASE+-+The+Washington+Post.pdf

https://file.notion.so/f/f/35cc2dfe-904c-4092-bad6-96c81acda7c4/09fe9751-0988-45e8-8b6c-e25736ed042c/isikoff-0922_1989-full-text.pdf?table=block&id=f872be3d-4ad7-40f3-b412-fa8fa2e85de4&spaceId=35cc2dfe-904c-4092-bad6-96c81acda7c4&expirationTimestamp=1731456000000&signature=1wED3CdhQbVdtakW4sOFmGvfGaI2ElYLF9pJx-NjmOs&downloadName=isikoff-0922_1989-full-text.pdf

Clips:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mtlkyBk6rcc&t=1471s

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The Rise and Fall of the Bank of Credit and Commerce International Nov 05, 2024

This week we’re taking a step back to Miami, 1987. South Beach is buzzing, and the Bank of Credit and Commerce International (BCCI) looks like any other bank—until you take a closer look. BCCI was no ordinary financial institution. It was a global hub for money laundering, arms deals, and shady alliances with everyone from Columbian drug lords to CIA operatives. In this episode, we unravel the rise and fall of BCCI, led by Agha Hasan Abedi. From secretive offshore accounts to "rent-a-face" deals with Arab monarchs, this was a bank that did it all...until it all fell apart. Tune in now to catch the full story!

Follow The Show:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/fraudstersLPN

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fraudsterslpn/

Discord: https://discord.gg/WRZ8zgusPT

Website: https://fraudsters.fm/

Follow the Hosts: https://www.instagram.com/seenanow/?hl=en

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Sources:

A Full Service Bank: How BCCI Stole Billions

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This is Your Brain on Anti-Drug Propaganda Oct 29, 2024

Get ready for a deep dive into America’s anti-drug propaganda! This week, we’re tackling everything from Nancy Reagan’s “Just Say No” crusade to McGruff the Crime Dog and the DARE program. We’re digging up the roots of these campaigns, exploring how they reshaped public perception and exposing the contradictions of Nancy’s White House role. From the scare tactics of Harry Anslinger to those unforgettable ‘80s and ‘90s PSA (“This is Your Brain on Drugs” and so much more) we break down how these campaigns blamed users while ignoring the real issues behind addiction.

Follow The Show:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/fraudstersLPN

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fraudsterslpn/

Discord: https://discord.gg/WRZ8zgusPT

Website: https://fraudsters.fm/

Follow the Hosts:

https://www.instagram.com/seenanow/?hl=en

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Sources for this episode:

https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1987/03/06/971087.html?pageNumber=103

https://www.popsci.com/science/article/2013-03/science-psas-do-anti-drug-ads-keep-kids-drugs/

https://www.marketplace.org/2019/03/26/advertisings-war-drugs-also-failed/

https://www.npr.org/2013/04/28/179658317/anti-drug-psas-do-they-work

https://www.wnycstudios.org/podcasts/takeaway/segments/how-nancy-reagan-shaped-war-drugs

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC1447241/

Clip Links:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GOnENVylxPI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aB4rVJsy8z8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQXgVM30mIY&t=233s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hivkBw2JKfY&t=35s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7KCAGzNv_QI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LSFaDeRpSHA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJcbSbpr8w4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rb8z2BMrd60

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nFE86cyltmU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ISXS5c5Cnk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J2oqCf9i3rc&t=2542s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQEG8j0lgeE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5EjUzterCf4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rHQQwp_MpvU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LOcNXoYsnWU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PnHCnGRz7i4

https://www.uppermichiganssource.com/video/2024/06/11/return-dare-how-curriculum-has-changed-up-schools/

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Locked and Loaded: Reagan’s Crack Offensive Oct 22, 2024

We're not done with Reagan just yet! This week, we’re honing in on the crack epidemic and its devastating impact on Black communities. We unpack the 1980s shift in American politics, where Reagan's policies expanded Nixon's "War on Drugs" and utilized racially coded language to criminalize Black Americans. We’ve got expert guests, Yasmin Cader, Dr. Sheila Vakharia, and Professor Anne Foster on the show to talk through the anti-drug legislation that introduced harsh mandatory minimums and sentencing disparities, targeting crack cocaine users disproportionately over powdered cocaine users. Hmmm… I wonder why…. All that and we touch on the media’s role in sensationalizing the “crack epidemic,” Congress’s bipartisan support for punitive policies, and all of the devastating consequences of Reagan’s militarization of the War on Drugs.

Follow The Show:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/fraudstersLPN

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fraudsterslpn/

Discord: https://discord.gg/WRZ8zgusPT

Website: https://fraudsters.fm/

Follow the Hosts: https://www.instagram.com/seenanow/?hl=en

https://www.instagram.com/justin_williams_comedy

https://twitter.com/arielleaty

Follow Our Guests:

https://x.com/alfhistory

https://www.instagram.com/myharmreduction/?hl=en

https://x.com/myharmreduction

https://www.instagram.com/yasmin_cader/?hl=en

Sources for this episode:

https://www.brown.edu/Research/Understanding_the_Iran_Contra_Affair/v-on16.php[↩︎](about:blank#fnref1)

https://millercenter.org/president/reagan/essays/reagan-1981-firstlady[↩︎](about:blank#fnref2)

https://www.newspapers.com/image/313590547/[↩︎](about:blank#fnref3)

https://www.reaganfoundation.org/ronald-reagan/nancy-reagan/her-causes/[↩︎](about:blank#fnref4)

https://www.nytimes.com/1987/06/23/world/from-an-iranian-middleman-his-side-of-the-story.html[↩︎](about:blank#fnref5)

https://www.teenvogue.com/story/what-was-iran-contra[↩︎](about:blank#fnref6)

https://www.c-span.org/video/?c4475045/user-clip-neat-idea[↩︎](about:blank#fnref7)

https://theconversation.com/ronald-reagans-westminster-speech-why-it-is-still-relevant-40-years-later-183684[↩︎](about:blank#fnref8)

https://www.brown.edu/Research/Understanding_the_Iran_Contra_Affair/iran-contra-affairs.php[↩︎](about:blank#fnref9)

https://nsarchive2.gwu.edu/NSAEBB/NSAEBB2/storm.htm[↩︎](about:blank#fnref10)

https://www.texasmonthly.com/news-politics/the-rise-and-fall-and-rise-and-fall-of-ricky-ross/[↩︎](about:blank#fnref11)

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Reagan’s Drug War: Are You Better Off Than You Were 43 Years Ago? Oct 15, 2024

This week, we’re finally taking on Reagan and his starring role in the War on Drugs—there’s so much to unpack, we had to make it a two-parter. Reagan tackled the drug problem with the subtlety of a sledgehammer, ramping up incarcerations for nonviolent offenses and turning the fight against drugs into a military operation. In part one, we dive into Iran-Contra, Regan’s "October Surprise," Oliver North’s CV, and Freeway Ricky Ross—talking about how it all helped fuel the crack epidemic of the '80s.