Sport's Strangest Crimes - TopPodcast.com

Coming soon with Vanilla Ice... Jun 01, 2021

This is the story of the world’s most high-profile kidnap...of a horse. Welcome to Epsom, the year is 1981 and Shergar, a prized stallion, has just won the 202nd Derby by ten lengths - the longest winning margin in the race’s history. Owned by the Aga Khan, the millionaire community leader, the champion horse gained international prominence and was regarded as a national hero during a difficult period in Irish history. On a cold winter night in 1983, a group of armed men entered the Ballymany Stud in balaclavas and stole the stallion declaring: "We have come for Shergar. We want £2 million for him." The codeword for future negotiations was to be King Neptune. While the facts of this case have been widely reported, this series unpicks the theories about the disappearance. We’ll revisit all the bizarre events that took place after the kidnap, from psychics to horse skulls to negotiations led by English journalists. We unpick the police case and the comedy character leading it, trilby-wearing superintendent James Murphy and meet the sport’s journalist Derek “Tommo” Thompson who was flown to Belfast to negotiate the release. Using archives, news reports and new interviews, we go along on a ride that has some strange turns, oddball characters and juicy conspiracies. Almost 40 years on from his kidnap, we look back at a story that gripped the world to try and understand why the horse’s legacy still lives on. Told by the Texan tones of Vanilla Ice, we’ll reveal some of the strange theories that made this Irish story go global.

1. And They're Off! Jun 01, 2021

A horse is kidnapped in the middle of the night. His name was Shergar.

He’s not just any horse, he's a prize-winning racehorse owned by an enigmatic spiritual leader, made famous for winning the 1981 Epsom Derby by 10 lengths.

A celebrity, a symbol of hope for Ireland, but mostly a real money earner. He was retired and ready to produce more prize-winning offspring, when suddenly he was taken.

Vanilla Ice has become fascinated with the story and sets the scene...

2. Thieves in the Night Jun 01, 2021

A cold and stormy night in Ireland is made even more terrifying by the presence of armed and masked men.

“We’ve come to take Shergar, we want £2,000,000”

Kidnappings were not unusual in Ireland at this time, except most of the time it was humans that were taken... some never came back.

Who would want a horse? A stallion that no longer raced?

3. A Kidnap is Announced Jun 01, 2021

The international press had a field day, filling the front pages and the lead item on the news. The world was now watching the case develop. A horse kidnap dominated our screens.

Gossip, rumours, lies, confusion. The papers get tip offs, false calls and leads that sound legitimate.

Then suddenly the kidnappers have one weird request: they're ready to negotiate, but want to speak to three English journalists.

4. Send in the Cavalry Jun 01, 2021

The Europa 3, unsuspecting sports journalists get flown to Belfast, over 100 miles from the crime scene to a farm belonging to horse trainers the Maxwells.

Phone calls ensue, back and forth, details change, voices get more menacing. The police are on hand to try and trace the calls, but for some reason, they can’t find them.

Suddenly negotiations stop, there is a pause, then one final phone call.

5. The Decoy Jun 01, 2021

Questions emerge about the validity of the calls outside Belfast and attention is drawn elsewhere where parallel secret negotiations seem to be happening with the mysterious leader and main owner of Shergar, the Aga Khan.

But nothing can stop the rumour mill from churning and there are reports Shergar is in Libya with Gadaffi and also that he has been taken by the New Orleans mafia.

It becomes impossible to separate fact from fiction.

6. Proof of Life Jun 01, 2021

Whilst the horse wasn’t just owned by the Aga Khan, but in fact a syndicate of many shareholders, this episode focuses on one shareholder that had a lot to lose. Stan Cosgrove. The Vet.

He was keen to get his insurance payout, but the only way to do so was to prove that Shergar was in fact dead. Coordinating with the kidnappers he organised to get a polaroid to prove the horse was still alive.

7. The Final Furlong Jun 01, 2021

The police used many methods to locate Shergar and most interestingly they sought help from psychics, diviners and the mysterious Mobius group. They claimed to be able to locate Shergar and used parts of his saddle to sniff him out.

A supergrass emerges claiming he knows the identity of the masked men. Is this the end?

Not for Shergar’s legacy, his sporting achievements are still adored and his name used widely today to symbolise something we may never see again.

Coming soon to Sport's Strange Crimes... Sep 27, 2021

Money laundering, the FBI, drug cartels, Ponzi schemes, extra marital affairs, off shore banks, and of course some cricket.

For the past 12 months, Greg James has been trying to find out who exactly is Allen Stanford.

1. Lord's Sep 27, 2021

Lord's 2008. The most sacred ground in cricket had never witnessed anything like it. Across the London skyline a helicopter appeared and slowly descended onto the hallowed turf. From within emerged a tall, brash Texan who was greeted by the great and the good of cricket. With him was a box of money, and not just a few quid....$20 million. The man was Allen Stanford and he had an audacious plan to revolutionise the game of cricket. One match for $20 million - winner takes all, the loser gets nothing. But who exactly was Allen Stanford, why was he willing to splash out $20 million and why was he being entertained by the English cricketing authorities?

Meanwhile thousands of miles away in the USA, unbeknown to those gathered at Lord's, a file with Allen Stanford's name was passed to the FBI.

Greg James sets off on his journey to tell the real story of Allen Stanford - The Man Who Bought Cricket.

2. The Wild West Sep 27, 2021

England's mens cricketers are preparing for a match that could change their lives forever. A one-off game that could net them $1 million each with one run, wicket or catch. It's a unique and extraordinary sporting prospect bankrolled by Allen Stanford. But how? Wasn't he just a washed up business failure from Texas?

After the collapse of his gym business Allen is declared bankrupt. However a chance meeting with a mysterious European traveller in the Caribbean reveals a surprising new business venture in offshore banking on the island of Montserrat - a place known as the 'Wild West of Banking'. Stanford targets money from Latin America with clients seeking a safe haven for their finances away from corrupt governments at home.

However the activities of Stanford's business dealings soon alert the attention of both the FBI and Scotland Yard, with both having suspicions that is all is not above board. In episode two of 'Sports Strangest Crimes: Allen Stanford - The Man Who Bought Cricket' , Greg James continues on his quest to find out who exactly Allen Stanford was and the truth behind his business empire.

3. Antigua Sep 27, 2021

After leaving the island of Montserrat, Allen moves his growing banking empire to the newly independent island of Antigua. Here he quickly realises that cricket is THE sport in the Caribbean, the game that everyone loves and follows and hatches a plan to invest in a new T20 tournament in the West Indies. He invests millions of dollars, signs up the greats of Windies cricket and sets the ball rolling on his cricket revolution.

However while his banking business appears to be blossoming with thousands of customers investing hundreds of millions of dollars, behind the scenes law enforcement operations are still concerned and continue investigating the Texan and his operations. There are rumours of money laundering, bribery, lax accounting and even 'blood oaths' with senior regulators. Yet nothing seems to be able to stop Allen Stanford. He is the Lord of the Manor in Antigua and now he has his eye on revolutionising the game of cricket.

4. The Match Sep 27, 2021

Antigua, 1st November, 2008. Months after landing his helicopter on the Nursery Ground at Lord's, complete with a box of cash in tow, Allen Stanford's dream is now a reality. The waiting and talking is over.

One cricket match for $20 million. The winning players will walk away with a cool $1 million each, the losers will get absolutely nothing. One catch, one wicket or one run could be the difference between winning a life changing amount of money or leaving the field with nothing. According to one player the pressure made him 'feel sick'.

It was The Stanford Superstars versus England for a unique and groundbreaking cricket match organised and bankrolled by the billionaire banking magnate Sir Allen Stanford. The coverage would be beamed around the world as cricket fans across the globe prepared themselves for a cricket match like no other.

However away from the glitz, glamour and headlines of a match likened to the 'OK Corral', there were growing concerns amongst some players. What would happen to squad players who didn't make the starting XI, should they get any money? What about coaches, physios, analysts and other team members?

The concept of Allen's match might have looked simple on paper, but things are not always what they seem.

5. Whistleblowers Sep 27, 2021

After the groundbreaking $20 million cricket match, Allen Stanford was headline news across the cricketing world and beyond. He had delivered on his proposal to create a unique piece of sporting theatre, a cricket match the like of which had never been seen before. So as England's mens cricketers headed home following their defeat in the million dollar match, their counterparts in the West Indies celebrated their victory.

However away form the celebrations in Antigua a couple of former Stanford employees have started a chain of events that could have huge implications for Stanford and his huge business empire. But billionaires don't shy away from a fight, especially when everything could be at stake. Sensing danger Allen employs all the tools at his disposal to try and stop the whistleblowers in their tracks.

6. Hurricane Season Sep 27, 2021

Just a few months after the $20 million cricket match in Antigua, a perfect storm is brewing around Allen Stanford and his sprawling business empire.

There are 'red flags' everywhere and with the financial world imploding the authorities in America are under pressure to act quickly before it's too late. But taking on a billionaire is not for the faint-hearted, there can be consequences. Both the FBI and SEC are nervous about their next steps, but fearing he could be another Bernie Madoff and is running a Ponzi scheme they hatch a plan to try and find out the truth about Sir Robert Allen Stanford.

It's a race against time with billions of dollars and people's livelihoods at stake.

7. Hell Sep 27, 2021

After attempted undercover operations, revelations from whistleblowers and numerous investigations going back years, the authorities in the USA decide to move against Sir Allen Stanford. In doing so the shocking truth behind his business empire is at last revealed to the world.

However, big questions remain: Will he face justice? Where is the money? What will happen to thousands of investors? How will the cricket authorities react to the news that the man who 'bought cricket' is not all they thought he was? What about those who assisted his criminal activities throughout the years?

In the final part of 'Sport's Strangest Crimes: Allen Stanford The Man Who Bought Cricket', Greg James discovers who the real Allen Stanford actually is and the truth about his business empire.

Coming soon to Sport's Strange Crimes... The Trillion Dollar Conman Feb 21, 2022

From Nottingham to North Korea - how conman Russell King took the oldest club in the football league to the brink of oblivion with promises beyond their wildest dreams.

All episodes will be available on Monday 21st February 2022 on BBC Sounds.

1. The Promised Land Feb 21, 2022

From the world’s oldest football league club to the communist dictatorship of North Korea, this incredible story has it all.

It’s a tale of greed and intrigue that takes us on a journey from the streets of Nottingham to the Gulf kingdom of Bahrain. At the heart of it, a conman who fooled football bosses, a London bank and foreign regimes. Russell King’s audacious multi-million pound scam brought the world’s oldest professional football club Notts County to the brink of oblivion.

The story begins at the club’s ground Meadow Lane. It’s 2009 and the team has just managed to maintain their Football League status after years of fighting for survival. Out of the blue comes a knight in shining armour with promises of untold wealth from the Middle East and ambitions to catapult the club from the lowly fourth tier to the Premier League.

Enter former England manager Sven-Göran Eriksson and England and Arsenal legend Sol Campbell. All of a sudden Notts County are surfing the crest of a wave – they’re off to the promised land. But is all as it seems? Or are their dreams about to be shattered?

Sound designer: Paul Lewis Producer: Nick Southall Series Producer: Ben Robinson Editor and Executive Producer: Carl Johnston

2. Toy Story Feb 21, 2022

A consortium called Munto Finance has taken over Notts County – the oldest professional football club in the world. Supposedly backed by millions of pounds from the Middle East, the club are promised riches beyond their wildest dreams.

Sven Goran Eriksson is hired as director of football and England and Arsenal legend Sol Campbell joins the club on in a multi-million pound deal. David Beckham is rumoured to be joining the club – Andy Cole, Roberto Carlos and Luis Figo are also in the frame.

The fans are ecstatic - on the threshold of new, successful era. But behind the scenes, all is not as it seems. Pulling all the strings is a businessman called Russell King. But he’s about to be outed as a convicted fraudster with a string of failed businesses behind him.

Journalists begin to pick away at the façade and what they uncover makes for uncomfortable reading. Next, after just one game for the club, Sol Campbell walks off the training ground never to be seen in Nottingham again.

Sound designer: Paul Lewis Producer: Nick Southall Series Producer: Ben Robinson Editor and Executive Producer: Carl Johnston

3. Treasure Island Feb 21, 2022

Alice Levine heads to Jersey to delve deeper into fraudster Russell King’s criminal past. She discovers how King enjoyed an extravagant lifestyle on the island, living in a lavish multi-million pound home with a swimming pool and set in acres of beautiful grounds.

How he owned a collection of fast cars, hired private jets and enjoyed flights in a company helicopter. He was behind a business called Belgravia - a company which provided investment funds for the rich - low risk and high returns.

But, with a collapsed toy empire behind him and a two year jail sentence for fraud, King was getting himself a reputation.

When he commits another fraud worth hundreds of thousands of pounds, the police are on his tail and he’s forced to flee the island for Bahrain.

Sound designer: Paul Lewis Producer: Nick Southall Series Producer: Ben Robinson Editor and Executive Producer: Carl Johnston

4. Fool’s Gold Feb 21, 2022

Revelations about Russell King’s criminal past have done nothing to dampen the spirits at Notts County football club. The team and the fans are on roll, dreaming again, their sights set on promotion.

Meanwhile, in one of the most bizarre episodes yet, the club’s director of football, Sven Goran Eriksson finds himself in North Korea – a guest of one of the most notorious regimes in the world.

He’s with the man pulling the strings behind the scenes at Meadow Lane – Russell King , a convicted fraudster with the police on his tail.

King has a plan – a trillion dollar con worthy of a chess grand master. It’s convoluted, multi-layered and audacious but could net him his biggest pay day yet. But can he convince the North Koreans to play their part?

Sound designer: Paul Lewis Producer: Nick Southall Series Producer: Ben Robinson Editor and Executive Producer: Carl Johnston

5. Pay the Milkman Feb 21, 2022

Notts County were sold a dream of untold millions and Premier League football but it’s all come crashing down.

Over the course of just a few months the club has racked up millions of pounds of debts and now they can’t even pay the milk bill.

Sven Goran Eriksson has returned from his crazy trip to North Korea and conman Russell King has vanished.

As the creditors come knocking, Sven and chairman Peter Trembling go hunting for new investors to save the club from impending closure.

Meanwhile, the hunt for the trillion dollar conman is on...

Sound designer: Paul Lewis Producer: Nick Southall Series Producer: Ben Robinson Editor and Executive Producer: Carl Johnston

6. To Catch a King Feb 21, 2022

There’s nowhere to hide for serial fraudster Russell King. Holed-up in Bahrain, time has finally run out for the trillion dollar conman.

On his tail, a detective who has spent 10 years trying to bring him to justice for his crimes on the island of Jersey. But Russell King has one last throw of the dice.

Meanwhile Notts County, the football club he used and abused to satisfy his own greedy endeavours, are storming to glory in the most memorable season of their long, long history.

Despite being brought to their knees financially, the club, its fans and its players, have rallied. It’s time to celebrate.

Sound designer: Paul Lewis Producer: Nick Southall Series Producer: Ben Robinson Editor and Executive Producer: Carl Johnston

Introducing Sport's Strangest Crimes: Spygate Nov 15, 2022

In 2007 an improbable, low-fi crime nearly brought the high octane world of Formula One to its knees. Narrated by Pete Tong, Spygate draws in some of the most powerful men in the sports history and pits iconic teams McLaren and Ferrari against each other, all set against the backdrop of Lewis Hamilton’s record-breaking debut and his ferocious rivalry with Fernando Alonso. Buckle up - this season is one hell of a ride.

1. Rivals Awaken Nov 17, 2022

Excitement is in the air as the 2007 Formula 1 season gets underway. There’s a feeling that the World Championship is anyone’s for the taking. Michael Schumacher might have just retired, but Italian icon Ferrari is looking fierce and British powerhouse McLaren isn’t looking too shabby either. Under the guidance of legendary team boss Ron Dennis, the team looks like a strong contender once more with a fast car, driven by reigning world champion Fernando Alonso no less. But when their second driver - an unknown rookie called Lewis Hamilton - outperforms all expectations, it upsets the apple cart in ways that no-one can imagine. Meanwhile, in a photocopy shop in sleepy Surrey, a customer comes in to copy a package of documents that will change Formula 1 forever.

Co-host and script consultant: Sarah Holt

Producers: Matt Nielson and Rosie Stopher

Sound design: Alex Portfelix

Showrunner: Sarah Stolarz

Any questions about this podcast: spygate@bbc.co.uk

2. A Strange White Powder Nov 24, 2022

Ferrari receives an alarming email - subject line: “Industrial Espionage”. In a sport of continuous engineering innovation, the last thing you want is rivals peeping at your secrets. But the spying alert comes at an especially bad time for the famous Italian team. On track, they’re in the middle of a team makeover, and behind the scenes, they’re investigating what looks like an internal sabotage scandal. Who at Ferrari would want to harm their own team? And what does this all have to do with that mysterious package of documents in the Surrey photocopy shop? When police and lawyers get involved, information is uncovered that blows Spygate wide open.

Co-host and script consultant: Sarah Holt

Producers: Matt Nielson and Rosie Stopher

Sound design: Alex Portfelix

Showrunner: Sarah Stolarz

Any questions about this podcast: spygate@bbc.co.uk

3. It All Goes Wrong for Ron Dec 01, 2022

The British Grand Prix is always a highlight in the Formula 1 calendar, but in 2007, you can cut the tension with a knife. Whilst Lewis Hamilton prepares for his first home race, behind the scenes McLaren is rocked by allegations of spying from Italy. It’s a bolt from the blue for F1 insiders: Nobody saw this coming, and especially not from ‘squeaky clean’ McLaren. And to make matters worse, Ferrari are seriously challenging the British team for the Championship. Ron Dennis might know who’s behind the allegations, but how can he protect McLaren’s reputation and damage control this mounting scandal? Has he dropped the ball on what should be the season of a lifetime?

Co-host and script consultant: Sarah Holt

Producers: Matt Nielson and Rosie Stopher

Sound design: Alex Portfelix

Showrunner: Sarah Stolarz

Any questions about this podcast: spygate@bbc.co.uk

4. The Iron Fist in the Velvet Glove Dec 08, 2022

The 2007 Formula 1 season is hotting up, but it’s the action off the track that is really starting to burn. While Hamilton, Raikonnen and Alonso battle it out in Germany, It’s time for McLaren to face the guard dogs of Formula 1 - or, as they’re better known, the FIA. The team is off to Paris to defend themselves against charges of misconduct. But this isn’t any old trial. It’s one not only of rights and wrongs, but also of personal wills, big egos, and power struggles. Strap in, because Spygate is going on trial… F1 style.

Co-host and script consultant: Sarah Holt

Producers: Matt Nielson and Rosie Stopher

Sound design: Alex Portfelix

Showrunner: Sarah Stolarz

Any questions about this podcast: spygate@bbc.co.uk

5. Drivers Behaving Badly Dec 15, 2022

Violent g-force, cockpit temperatures over 40C, and the constant threat of a crash: Formula 1 drivers are under intense physical pressure on the track. But what happens when emotional pressures boil over? At the Hungarian Grand Prix in August, McLaren is about to find out…and how. An extraordinary incident in the pitstop seems to suggest Fernando Alonso is playing tricks on Lewis Hamilton - but as is often the case in Formula 1 things are not always as they seem. Tensions boil over, culminating in a season-changing ultimatum for Ron Dennis.

Co-host and script consultant: Sarah Holt

Producers: Matt Nielson and Rosie Stopher

Sound design: Alex Portfelix

Showrunner: Sarah Stolarz

Any questions about this podcast: spygate@bbc.co.uk

6. Piranha Club Rules Dec 22, 2022

Long: It’s all quiet on track and in the garages during Formula 1’s summer shutdown, but F1’s halls of power are very much open for business. And if you want a seat at the table then you need to know the rules of the game or you won’t survive. McLaren’s prodigal son has returned with his tails between his legs, but the damage has already been done. Concerned that his personal honour is on the line, team principal Ron Dennis must make one of the most painful decisions of his life. But is his agony all in vain? Three of the biggest fish in F1 have been circling in the background and they’ve got the taste of blood in their mouths.

Co-host and script consultant: Sarah Holt

Producers: Matt Nielson and Rosie Stopher

Sound design: Alex Portfelix

Showrunner: Sarah Stolarz

Any questions about this podcast: spygate@bbc.co.uk

7. Seeing Red Dec 29, 2022

If the 2007 F1 season is a game of chess, then we’re just one move away from checkmate. But whose piece will fall? Following Alonso’s revelations in Hungary, McLaren is dancing on the ledge - and the FIA know it. With new evidence and new allegations, they summon the team back to Paris for a second hearing, and this time, the risks are even bigger than before – and their rivals Ferrari are ready to strike. Is this the end of the championship for McLaren?

Co-host and script consultant: Sarah Holt

Producers: Matt Nielson and Rosie Stopher

Sound design: Alex Portfelix

Showrunner: Sarah Stolarz

Any questions about this podcast: spygate@bbc.co.uk

8. The Winner Takes It All Jan 05, 2023

The 2007 season reaches a nail-biting climax. McLaren and Ferrari are neck-and-neck down the final straight – but Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso are at each other’s throats. The World Championship is decided by a single point in a thriller that will go down in F1 history. But even as the season officially ends, the Spygate scandal leaves a lasting legacy: reputations are wrecked, relationships are broken and tragedy strikes.

Co-host and script consultant: Sarah Holt

Producers: Matt Nielson and Rosie Stopher

Sound design: Alex Portfelix

Showrunner: Sarah Stolarz

Any questions about this podcast: spygate@bbc.co.uk

Bonus Episode: Listener Questions Feb 27, 2023

The 2007 Formula 1 season remains a source of high drama and heated debate. With Lewis Hamilton’s stunning debut, his bitter rivalry with Fernando Alonso, and a driver’s championship that went right down to the wire – it’s one of the most controversial in Formula 1 history, with more twists and turns than a racetrack.

In this bonus episode of Sport’s Strangest Crimes: Spygate, F1 journalist Sarah Holt is joined by BBC Chief F1 Writer Andrew Benson and former McLaren mechanic Marc Priestly to set the story straight. They’ll go through emails and messages from listeners, to answer your questions, expand on the coverage in the series, and give their takes on what really went down.

Bonus Episode: F1's Technological Evolution Feb 27, 2023

A whopping 17 seasons have passed since the ‘Spygate’ controversy and Lewis Hamilton’s debut rocked F1. That’s a long time in a highly technical sport, so what does F1 look, feel and sound like now? And with Hamilton and Alonso still racing, how has their fierce rivalry fared over the past 15 years?

As the 2023 season approaches, Sport’s Strangest Crimes: Spygate returns for a bonus episode to chart some of the biggest regulation changes since 2007 and, for better or worse, how they have impacted the sport. Sarah Holt is joined by F1 journalists Andrew Benson and Ben Edwards to answer the big questions. With a new set of regulations dropping in 2026, where do F1 insiders hope the sport will go? And now that the tech has moved on, does ‘spying’ between teams continue to this day? As Hamilton chases a record eighth title and Alonso begins a new chapter with Aston Martin - could this be the last season we see both drivers in F1?

Introducing… Marco Pantani: Death of a Pirate Jun 16, 2023

When Italy’s greatest cyclist is mysteriously found dead, sensational allegations of mafia involvement see the world of cycling collide, headfirst, with the murky underworld of organised crime.

Over the course of this podcast, we’ll travel from the mountains of rural Italy, to the shady commercial underbelly of a sport on the rise, as - two decades on - the police, historians and our cycling-obsessed host Hugh Dennis try to answer once and for all what really happened to Marco Pantani.

With allegations of doping, race-fixing, gambling, and corruption, 90s cycling provides the backdrop for one of the most dramatic questions in sport - and criminal - history… would the mafia really kill a cyclist?

Welcome to Marco Pantani: Death of a Pirate.

New episodes released weekly. If you’re in the UK, listen to the newest episodes of Sport’s Strangest Crimes first on BBC Sounds.

1. The Cursed Champion Jun 22, 2023

In February 2004, 20,000 mourners lined the streets to pay their respects at the funeral of superstar cyclist, Marco Pantani.

In November 2021, a new inquiry into Pantani’s death was announced - this time investigating the theory that the Italian mafia might have been involved in his murder.

But in episode one, it’s 1990, and promising amateur Marco Pantani is just beginning to make his mark… With the help of Marco’s biographer, Matt Rendell, we meet the man behind the legend.

New episodes released Thursday. If you’re in the UK, listen to the full series of Sport’s Strangest Crimes - first on BBC Sounds - bbc.in/3PbXQxv

Narrated by Hugh Dennis, with the voices of Iain Ferrier and Helen Roper

Sound design: Rich Evans Additional production: Lorenzo Bodrero, Matt Kenyon and Ed Morrish

Writer and producer: Katie Sayer Executive producer: Jon Holmes

2. Ain't No Mountain High Enough Jun 22, 2023

With doping, drug funds, and dawn raids, the 1998 Tour de France is one of the most infamous races in cycling history. In the aftermath of the Festina Affair, it looks like the Tour will be damaged for good. But one man emerges victorious - Marco Pantani, the plucky underdog, and new-found saviour of the sport.

But not everyone is thrilled with his seemingly super-human victory... and the voice of cycling himself, Phil Liggett MBE, talks us through the dirtiest Tour in history.

Narrated by Hugh Dennis

Sound design: Rich Evans Additional production: Lorenzo Bodrero, Matt Kenyon and Ed Morrish

Writer and producer: Katie Sayer Executive producer: Jon Holmes

New episodes released weekly. If you’re in the UK, listen to the newest episodes of Sport’s Strangest Crimes first on BBC Sounds - bbc.in/3PbXQxv

3. Bad Blood Jun 29, 2023

When cyclists begin dying in alarming numbers, all eyes are on a mysterious new drug. But what is EPO? How does it work? And could it be used to manipulate a race result?.

With the help of Professor David Cowan OBE, we hear how it might have been possible to take performance enhancing drugs, and successfully evade detection. But we also hear how playing with your body’s chemistry has a darker side - as the rising body count of dead cyclists would attest to.

New episodes released Thursday. If you’re in the UK, listen to the full series of Sport’s Strangest Crimes - first on BBC Sounds - bbc.in/3PbXQxv

Narrated by Hugh Dennis, with the voice of Iain Ferrier

Sound design: Rich Evans Additional production: Lorenzo Bodrero, Matt Kenyon and Ed Morrish

Writer and producer: Katie Sayer Executive producer: Jon Holmes

4. Icarus Falls Jul 06, 2023

It’s 1999, and Marco Pantani is riding high after his Tour de France victory - both the bad boy of cycling, and the saviour of the sport. The 1999 Giro D’Italia seems to be made for him, and he leads the race by over 20 minutes - until a late-stage disqualification stops the pirate in his bike tracks.

With the other riders overjoyed, rumours about criminal betting, conspiracies - and even the mafia - abound, but the pirate refuses to go down without a fight.

As Pantani flies too close to the sun, who might be watching from the shadows?

New episodes released Thursday. If you’re in the UK, listen to the full series of Sport’s Strangest Crimes - first on BBC Sounds - bbc.in/3PbXQxv

Narrated by Hugh Dennis, with the voice of Iain Ferrier

Sound design: Rich Evans Additional production: Lorenzo Bodrero, Matt Kenyon and Ed Morrish

Writer and producer: Katie Sayer Executive producer: Jon Holmes

5. All The World's A Stage Jul 13, 2023

Convinced of a setup, Pantani is paranoid and following the money adds fuel to the fire. Why was there so much money in 90s cycling? And who was trying to get their hands on it?

With the help of leading cycling historian Professor John Foot, Italian historian Dr Francesca Billiani, and Phil Liggett MBE, we learn how, over the course of the 90s, cycling went from a niche continental sport, to a billion-dollar industry - and how one man winning all the time might not have been in everyone’s best interests. From sponsors and gamblers to commercial and criminal enterprises - many had a vested interest in seeing Pantani fall.

It’s time to follow the money.

New episodes released Thursday. If you’re in the UK, listen to the full series of Sport’s Strangest Crimes - first on BBC Sounds - bbc.in/3PbXQxv

Narrated by Hugh Dennis, with the voice of Iain Ferrier

Sound design: Rich Evans Additional production: Lorenzo Bodrero, Matt Kenyon and Ed Morrish

Writer and producer: Katie Sayer Executive producer: Jon Holmes

6. An Episode You Can't Refuse Jul 20, 2023

As corruption allegations run rampant, all roads seem to lead back to the mafia. But what connections did organised crime have to sport? And is there even any such thing as ‘The Mafia’?

Today, we’re giving you an episode you can’t refuse as we delve deep into the heart of organised crime in Italy, with the help of mafia expert Professor John Dickie, and Italian journalist Lorenzo Bodrero.

New episodes released Thursday. If you’re in the UK, listen to the full series of Sport’s Strangest Crimes - first on BBC Sounds - bbc.in/3PbXQxv

Narrated by Hugh Dennis, with the voices of Iain Ferrier and Helen Roper

Sound design: Rich Evans Additional production: Lorenzo Bodrero, Matt Kenyon and Ed Morrish

Writer and producer: Katie Sayer Executive producer: Jon Holmes

7. A Sad Day For The Sport Jul 27, 2023

After his disqualification from the 1999 Giro, Marco Pantani is devastated and withdrawn. His cocaine abuse worsens, and he becomes obsessed with clearing his name. Friends and family watch on, helpless, as his career begins to slip away - and then, on Valentine’s Day 2004, some devastating news shocks Italy: the Pirate has is dead.

Narrated by Hugh Dennis, with the voices of Iain Ferrier and Helen Roper

Sound design: Rich Evans Additional production: Lorenzo Bodrero, Matt Kenyon and Ed Morrish

Writer and producer: Katie Sayer Executive producer: Jon Holmes

8. The People's Pirate Aug 03, 2023

Italy, and the world, are struck by grief at the death of the pirate. But as mourners throng the streets of Cesenatico, those closest to Marco are possessed by an undercurrent of suspicion.

We speak to the woman who knew Marco best - his mother, Tonina Pantani - about the Marco she knew - and about her gut instinct that something about the ‘crime’ scene seems wrong..

Narrated by Hugh Dennis, with the voices of Iain Ferrier and Helen Roper

Sound design: Rich Evans Additional production: Lorenzo Bodrero, Matt Kenyon and Ed Morrish

Writer and producer: Katie Sayer Executive producer: Jon Holmes

9. Prima Facie Aug 10, 2023

Mystery bruises, missing cash… driven by Tonina Pantani, 2 inquiries into Marco’s death follow. Family members present new evidence, alleging that Pantani was beaten, forced to drink cocaine, and murdered - but it all comes to nothing. The second inquiry is dismissed - and it seems like the pirate has been put to rest for good.

That is, until 2020…

Narrated by Hugh Dennis, with the voices of Iain Ferrier and Helen Roper

Sound design: Rich Evans Additional production: Lorenzo Bodrero, Matt Kenyon and Ed Morrish

Writer and producer: Katie Sayer Executive producer: Jon Holmes

10. The Pirate and The Mob Aug 17, 2023

Two decades on, fresh intel from a mafia source threatens to blow the case wide open. Italian journalist Lorenzo Bodrero takes us through the present day-inquiry, and the shocking new evidence that has come to light. New witnesses, new theories, and new evidence all surface - nearly 20 years on, are we any closer to finding out what really happened to Marco Pantani?

Narrated by Hugh Dennis, with the voices of Iain Ferrier and Helen Roper

Sound design: Rich Evans Additional production: Lorenzo Bodrero, Matt Kenyon and Ed Morrish

Writer and producer: Katie Sayer Executive producer: Jon Holmes

Introducing... Friday Night Heists Sep 25, 2023

Friday Night Lights Out: Anthony Curcio is the most unexpected person you will ever meet. At first glance, he appears as simply a suburban dad who wears khaki pants, Cactus Jacks, coaches his daughters in basketball, and drives a modest truck. You soon learn that he was once a high school football star, with the dream, and, more importantly, the speed, to play professionally. But that's not the interesting part. Anthony Curio pulled off one of the most creative bank heists in US history, robbing an armored car and escaping down the river in an inner tube. It makes you do a double-take. You're left feeling puzzled. How did this normal seeming guy end up at a point in his life where he thought that was a good idea? And then, how did he pull it off? From BBC Sounds and Radio 5 Live, Sports Strangest Crimes presents, Friday Night Heists narrated by Johnny Marr.

1. Friday Night Lights Out Sep 27, 2023

Anthony Curcio is the most unexpected person you will ever meet. At first glance, he appears as simply a suburban dad who wears khaki pants, Cactus Jacks, coaches his daughters in basketball, and drives a modest truck. You soon learn that he was once a high school football star, with the dream, and, more importantly, the speed, to play professionally. But that's not the interesting part. Anthony Curcio pulled off one of the most creative bank heists in US history, robbing an armored car and escaping down the river in an inner tube. It makes you do a double-take. You're left feeling puzzled. How did this normal seeming guy end up at a point in his life where he thought that was a good idea? And then, how did he pull it off? From BBC Sounds and Radio 5 Live, Sports Strangest Crimes presents, Friday Night Heists. In episode 01 of 08, host Johnny Marr takes us to the small logging town that would soon become famous for a hometown football star's turn to crime.

2. Just Say No Sep 27, 2023

Just Say No: Anthony Curcio had used his second chance at football. Used it well. He built his body and refocused his mind on the sport. But football is football, a sport loved for its precise brutality. And Anthony tears a ligament in his knee. His dreams of playing are over. And yet, for once in his life, he doesn't care. It's all due to a little pill prescribed to him from a doctor. This little pill unlocked something inside Anthony. Pretty soon, he'd do whatever it took to get more. From BBC Sounds and Radio 5 Live, Sports Strangest Crimes presents, Friday Night Heists. In episode 02 of 08, host Johnny Marr takes us to the rolling fields of Eastern Washington State, where Anthony attempts his first heist and discovers that while he was good at football, he's absolutely gifted at crime.

3. Good Form Oct 04, 2023

Good Form: Anthony Curcio loved the life of crime. The double life. He fancied himself a blue collar Thomas Crown, pursuing pills over Pissarros. His various heists enabled him to live the American Dream, own a house, marry his high school sweetheart and start a family. He was also close to walking away from crime, until he bought that house and learned that an even bigger hustle was happening across the US. He wanted in. From BBC Sounds and Radio 5 Live, Sports Strangest Crimes presents, Friday Night Heists. In episode 03 of 08, host Johnny Marr walks us into the lawless world of real estate, a place where Anthony Curcio could ply his craft. He rode the housing bubble to its zenith, and then was left to fend for himself when it popped.

4. The Playbook Oct 11, 2023

The Playbook: Anthony Curcio was in desperate need of cash. The housing hustle left him deep in debt. But he couldn't get any cash. No one could. No one, except large banks, bailed out by the US government. They had all the cash he needed. So he decided to steal it. But creating a method to rob a bank would take the type of planning and preparation generals use for war, or rather, football coaches use to win. From BBC Sounds and Radio 5 Live, Sports Strangest Crimes presents, Friday Night Heists. In episode 04 of 08, host Johnny Marr tells us how Anthony Curcio planned one of the most creative heists in US History, showing all the meticulous details, timing and misdirection involved. Enough to make Danny Ocean proud. If you want to learn what it takes to rob an armored car, not that we'd advise it, this is the episode to hear.

5. Back From the Brinks Oct 18, 2023

Back From the Brinks: It's game day in Anthony Curcio's hometown. Only this time, he's robbing an armored car instead of catching touchdown passes. He had everything prepped and mapped out, down to the tiniest of detail. But nothing, not one single thing, could have prepared him for the rush of actually setting the plan in motion. From BBC Sounds and Radio 5 Live, Sports Strangest Crimes presents, Friday Night Heists. In episode 05 of 08, host Johnny Marr steps aside and lets Anthony, his accomplices and eyewitnesses and local police tell the story of the robbery. With new documents, and previously unreleased audio, we bring the legendary robbery to life.

6. The Hunt For DB Tuber Oct 25, 2023

News of the robbery spreads around the state. Everyone is talking about the way the armoured car robber got away.

7. Double Solitary Nov 01, 2023

Double Solitary: Anthony Curcio never imagined himself in prison. He was too smart. Too clever. Too unassuming to ever get caught. But he never expected a homeless man to act as his foil, ruining the perfect crime by witnessing and then acting on the one detail Anthony forgot. The error caused Anthony and his family to see the double life he'd been living. And he embarked on a journey more perilous than any police chase. From BBC Sounds and Radio 5 Live, Sports Strangest Crimes presents, Friday Night Heists. In episode 07 of 08, host Johnny Marr takes us inside the prison system to show the path Anthony had to walk to make it out alive.

8. Coach Anthony Nov 08, 2023

Coach Anthony: Like we said at the start, Anthony Curcio is the most unexpected person you will ever meet. A suburban dad and former football star turned felon. He pulled off one of the most creative bank heists in US history, robbing an armoured car and escaping down the river in an inner tube. But his final act might be the most astonishing thing of all. From BBC Sounds and Radio 5 Live, Sports Strangest Crimes presents, Friday Night Heists. In episode 08 of 08, host Johnny Marr walks us through the winding road Anthony Curcio drove, in order to restore his relationships, and create the life of his dreams. You don't just rock Cactus Jacks without a bag of some sort, right?

Introducing...The Ballad of Bruiser Brody Mar 22, 2024

Coming soon to BBC Sounds, comedian Adam Hills tells the extraordinary story of the life, legend and death of Bruiser Brody, one of 1980s wrestling’s biggest stars and most enigmatic figures. Bruiser Brody was a classic villain of the ring and a foil for wrestling heroes like Bruno Sammartino and Ric Flair. When he was killed in the dressing room before a fight in Puerto Rico, it shocked the world of wrestling, and pulled back the curtain on a world full of rumour, fakeouts and mystery.

1. Life In Paradise Mar 27, 2024

In the first episode, Puerto Rico wakes up to the news of a brutal killing, and a young boy in Michigan starts taking his first steps towards superstardom in the ring.

Bruiser Brody was a wrestling star in the 1970s and 1980s; a classic villain of the ring, and a foil for wrestling heroes like Bruno Sammartino and Ric Flair. When he was killed in the dressing room before a fight in Puerto Rico, it shocked the world of wrestling, and pulled back the curtain on a world full of rumour, fakeouts and mystery. Comedian and wrestling fan Adam Hills tells the story of the larger than life character behind this truly unbelievable tale. Producer: Ilona Toller Assistant Producer: John Rogers Executive Producers: Robert Nicholson and Will Yates Sound Design and Mix: Mike Woolley A Whistledown Production for BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Sounds

2. Birth of Bruiser Mar 27, 2024

Warning: This episode contains strong language.

In episode two, Frank Goodish fights for the first time - and makes quite an impression on the world famous wrestling impresario Fritz von Erich.

Bruiser Brody was a wrestling star in the 1970s and 1980s; a classic villain of the ring, and a foil for wrestling heroes like Bruno Sammartino and Ric Flair. When he was killed in the dressing room before a fight in Puerto Rico, it shocked the world of wrestling, and pulled back the curtain on a world full of rumour, fakeouts and mystery. Comedian and wrestling fan Adam Hills tells the story of the larger than life character behind the truly unbelievable tale. Producer: Ilona Toller Assistant Producer: John Rogers Executive Producers: Robert Nicholson and Will Yates Sound Design and Mix: Mike Woolley A Whistledown Production for BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Sounds.

3. Beauty and the Feast Apr 03, 2024

In the third episode, Bruiser makes a powerful enemy - but also falls in love.

Bruiser Brody was a wrestling star in the 1970s and 1980s; a classic villain of the ring, and a foil for wrestling heroes like Bruno Sammartino and Ric Flair. When he was killed in the dressing room before a fight in Puerto Rico, it shocked the world of wrestling, and pulled back the curtain on a world full of rumour, fakeouts and mystery. Comedian and wrestling fan Adam Hills tells the story of the larger than life character behind the truly unbelievable tale.

Producer: Ilona Toller Assistant Producer: John Rogers Executive Producers: Robert Nicholson and Will Yates Sound Design and Mix: Mike Woolley A Whistledown Production for BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Sounds

4. Bruised Dick Apr 10, 2024

Warning: This episode contains strong language.

In the fourth episode, the increasingly confident Bruiser Brody starts clashing with managers and promoters, earning a wild card reputation that puts him in danger.

Bruiser Brody was a wrestling star in the 1970s and 1980s; a classic villain of the ring, and a foil for wrestling heroes like Bruno Sammartino and Ric Flair. When he was killed in the dressing room before a fight in Puerto Rico, it shocked the world of wrestling, and pulled back the curtain on a world full of rumour, fakeouts and mystery. Comedian and wrestling fan Adam Hills tells the story of the larger than life character behind the truly unbelievable tale. Producer: Ilona Toller Assistant Producer: John Rogers Executive Producers: Robert Nicholson and Will Yates Sound Design and Mix: Mike Woolley A Whistledown Production for BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Sounds

5. Island of Enchantment Apr 17, 2024

In the fifth episode, as the WWE takes over the American market, Bruiser turns to the even more high octane and raw world of wrestling in Puerto Rico - where he once again encounters Invader One, a local hero who he’s feuded with before.

Bruiser Brody was a wrestling star in the 1970s and 1980s; a classic villain of the ring, and a foil for wrestling heroes like Bruno Sammartino and Ric Flair. When he was killed in the dressing room before a fight in Puerto Rico, it shocked the world of wrestling, and pulled back the curtain on a world full of rumour, fakeouts and mystery. Comedian and wrestling fan Adam Hills tells the story of the larger than life character behind the truly unbelievable tale.

Producer: Ilona Toller Assistant Producer: John Rogers Executive Producers: Robert Nicholson and Will Yates Sound Design: Artemis Irvine Mix: Nigel Appleton A Whistledown Production for BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Sounds

6. Invader Apr 24, 2024

In the sixth episode, Adam explores the extraordinary story of Invader One - Jose Huertas Gonzalez - as he prepares for a showdown with Bruiser Brody.

Bruiser Brody was a wrestling star in the 1970s and 1980s; a classic villain of the ring, and a foil for wrestling heroes like Bruno Sammartino and Ric Flair. When he was killed in the dressing room before a fight in Puerto Rico, it shocked the world of wrestling, and pulled back the curtain on a world full of rumour, fakeouts and mystery. Comedian and wrestling fan Adam Hills tells the story of the larger than life character behind the truly unbelievable tale. Producer: Ilona Toller Assistant Producer: John Rogers Executive Producers: Robert Nicholson and Will Yates Sound Design: Artemis Irvine Mix: Nigel Appleton A Whistledown Production for BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Sounds.

7. The People vs Invader One May 01, 2024

In the seventh episode, Puerto Rico reels from news of the killing; but as Jose pleads self-defence, the police and courts struggle to get to the bottom of what really happened to Bruiser Brody.

Bruiser Brody was a wrestling star in the 1970s and 1980s; a classic villain of the ring, and a foil for wrestling heroes like Bruno Sammartino and Ric Flair. When he was killed in the dressing room before a fight in Puerto Rico, it shocked the world of wrestling, and pulled back the curtain on a world full of rumour, fakeouts and mystery. Comedian and wrestling fan Adam Hills tells the story of the larger than life character behind the truly unbelievable tale. Producer: Ilona Toller Assistant Producer: John Rogers Executive Producers: Robert Nicholson and Will Yates Sound Design: Artemis Irvine Mix: Nigel Appleton A Whistledown Production for BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Sounds

8. Heel May 08, 2024

Warning: This episode contains strong language.

In the eighth episode, Bruiser’s friends and family reckon with the aftermath of his death - and the wrestling world rallies round to remember one of the greats.

Bruiser Brody was a wrestling star in the 1970s and 1980s; a classic villain of the ring, and a foil for wrestling heroes like Bruno Sammartino and Ric Flair. When he was killed in the dressing room before a fight in Puerto Rico, it shocked the world of wrestling, and pulled back the curtain on a world full of rumour, fakeouts and mystery. Comedian and wrestling fan Adam Hills tells the story of the larger than life character behind the truly unbelievable tale. Producer: Ilona Toller Assistant Producer: John Rogers Executive Producers: Robert Nicholson and Will Yates Sound Design: Artemis Irvine Mix: Nigel Appleton A Whistledown Production for BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Sounds.

Introducing: A French Football Scandal Jun 11, 2024

Maisie Adam tells the shocking story of jealousy, deceit and a brutal attack on a Paris Saint-Germain player that turned team-mates into the bitterest enemies.

Its a story that has gripped the French public since the arrest of PSG star Aminata Diallo in November 2021, suspected of ordering an attack on her team-mate and previously good friend, Kheira Hamraoui.

The accusation was Diallo wanted Hamraoui's place in the PSG starting line-up and so instructed a group of masked men to intercept the two players on a car journey home together and then assault Hamraoui, targetting her legs. And this is exactly how events played out.

Police investigations following the attack initially led them to Diallo's door although with too little evidence to charge her Diallo was released, presumed innocent. Instead the spotlight turned on the victim Hamraoui. Intimate details of her private life became public knowledge, including an affair with a married man who just happened to be a French football superstar.

Diallo returned to play alongside Hamraoui back at PSG – and at this point life became hell for Hamraoui. Team-mates, opponents and even her own fans, acting in sympathy with Diallo, targeted her with vicious verbal abuse.

It seemed everyone was against Hamraoui, including a controversial football agent, who would be accused of putting pressure on PSG to sell Hamraoui, and whose presence at training the player found intimidating.

The PSG coach found himself caught up in the fall-out too, taking phone calls urging him to drop Hamraoui, and also receiving thinly-veiled threats if he didn't. He would end up in a fight to clear his name from terrible accusations. Then in September 2022, almost out of the blue, Daillo was re-arrested and this time the public prosecutor charged her. Statements from the men who carried out the attack identifying her as the mastermind along with months of secret phone surveillance convinced the police she was guilty. But is she?

With the case still to come to trial this podcast presents the evidence and hears the opinions from those closest to the case, and those who think she's innocent, and those who think she's guilty. So you can decide for yourself....

Narrator Maisie Adam Interviews: Charlotte Harpur and Tom Williams Voices for interviewees performed by: Janine George, Chyna Johnson, Tom Roberts and Colin Ryan. Voice Artist audio recording: Thomas Hale at the Voiceover Gallery Translation for the Aminatta Diallo interview: Laura Bennett Script Consultant: Dave Bowler Researchers: Rob Carroll, John Harrison and Janet Hughes Assistant Producer: Jennifer Hanratty-Ball Editor: Kevin Hinde Assistant Commissioner for the BBC: Lizzi Doyle Commissioning Executive: Stevie Middleton Executive Producer: Craig South Writer and Producer: Jonathan Sides

A PDI Media production for BBC Sounds and BBC Radio 5 Live

1. What Happens In Zanzibar..... Jun 12, 2024

Maisie Adam introduces the story of a brutal attack at Paris Saint-Germain that turned close teammates into bitter rivals just months after a holiday in paradise together.

Aminata Diallo and Kheira Hamraoui, both French international midfielders at PSG, one of the biggest clubs in world football, appeared to be the best of friends. In the summer of 2021 they spent a vacation together in Zanzibar on the coast of East Africa, ahead of the new season.

Yet within months Diallo would be arrested, accused of involvement in organising an attack on Hamraoui that targeted her legs in a deliberate attempt to cause serious injury.

So who is Aminata Diallo? And why do the police believe she is guilty? And who is Kheira Hamraoui? And why has she become a target to be attacked in this way?

Was this assault motivated by jealousy and ruthless career ambition on the part of Diallo? Or is it connected to Hamraoui's soon-to-be-exposed private life? And could this even be a potential miscarriage of justice? The investigation starts here...

With the case still to come to court this is the chance to hear evidence from those close to Diallo and Hamraoui – and make your own mind up. Like all good crime dramas, in this series we'll be examining the means, the motive and the opportunity.

Narrator: Maisie Adam Interviews: Charlotte Harpur and Tom Williams Voices for interviewees performed by: Janine George, Chyna Johnson, Tom Roberts and Colin Ryan Researchers: Rob Carroll and Janet Hughes Assistant Producer: Jennifer Hanratty-Ball Editor: Kevin Hinde Assistant Commissioner for the BBC: Lizzi Doyle Commissioning Executive: Stevie Middleton Executive Producer: Craig South Writer and Producer: Jonathan Sides

A PDI Media production for BBC Sounds and BBC Radio 5 Live.

2. Attack and Defence Jun 19, 2024

Maisie Adam continues the incredible story of the organised hit on the French international footballer that took place in the leafy suburbs of Paris in November 2021.

Despite a flying start to the season for the PSG's women's team there are the first rumblings of discontent and trouble behind the scenes.

Head coach Didier Olle-Nicolle discovers Kheira Hamraoui in tears at the training ground and makes an alarming discovery about some mysterious and disturbing phonecalls made to her PSG team mates.

Then a team bonding night out ends in the bloody and brutal beating of Hamraoui by a group of masked men. As the player reflects on what happened in the days that follow her suspicions about the involvement of a team mate begin to form. But surely it can't be her? Or can it?

There are two sides to every story, more than one interpretation of every action and remember every crime needs means, motive and opportunity. So is everything as clear cut as it seems to Hamraoui?

With passionately put arguments from the legal teams representing the victim and the accused, you'll have the chance to decide....

Narrator Maisie Adam Interviews: Charlotte Harpur and Tom Williams Voices for interviewees performed by: Janine George, Chyna Johnson, Tom Roberts and Colin Ryan Researchers: Rob Carroll and Janet Hughes Assistant Producer: Jennifer Hanratty-Ball Editor: Kevin Hinde Assistant Commissioner for the BBC: Lizzi Doyle Commissioning Executive: Stevie Middleton Executive Producer: Craig South Writer and Producer: Jonathan Sides

A PDI Media production for BBC Sounds and BBC Radio 5 Live.

3. Arrested Developments Jun 26, 2024

French international footballer Kheira Hamraoui is in shock after being dragged from the car of her PSG team-mate Aminata Diallo, and then having her legs beaten black and blue by a masked man. But who did it? And who planned it? And why?

Diallo goes unscathed during the attack, and takes her injured team-mate's place in the team to face Real Madrid in the Champions League. Playing a key role in a comprehensive 4-0 win life seems good for Diallo, with the extended run she'd craved now looking very likely. Until 6am the following morning that is - and an unexpected visit from the police.....

Diallo goes from a rocking, euphoric Parc des Princes to a miserable, foul-smelling cell at Versailles jail in a matter of hours. With echoes of the infamous fall out between American ice skaters Tonya Harding and Nancy Kerrigan, the world's media pick up on the story, and two relatively little known footballers are about to acquire the worst possible notoriety.

Professional rivalry, jealousy, the desire to take a team-mate's place for both club and country is considered as a motive. But the players' private lives also come under scrutiny and investigators unearth a secret affair between Hamraoui and a married male ex-French football superstar, which becomes public knowledge – and with devastating consequences.

As Diallo is released without charge, but not without suspicion, Hamraoui is now subject to the full glare of media scrutiny and online judgement and abuse. Her personal nightmare is only just beginning.

Narrator Maisie Adam Interviews: Charlotte Harpur and Tom Williams Voices for interviewees performed by: Janine George, Chyna Johnson, Tom Roberts and Colin Ryan Script consultant: Dave Bowler Researchers: Rob Carroll and Janet Hughes Assistant Producer: Jennifer Hanratty-Ball Editor: Kevin Hinde Assistant Commissioner for the BBC: Lizzi Doyle Commissioning Executive: Stevie Middleton Executive Producer: Craig South Writer and Producer: Jonathan Sides

A PDI Media production for BBC Sounds and BBC Radio 5 Live.

4. War in the Dressing Room Jul 03, 2024

With one player attacked and another player under suspicion of being involved in it, the return of both Kheira Hamraoui, the victim, and Aminata Diallo, the accused, to the PSG was never going to be straight forward.

Particularly as Diallo had close friends in the squad who felt a raging sense of injustice for their team-mate, who had faced the humiliation of arrest and 36 hours in jail before being released without charge.

And so it proved. The man tasked with trying to juggle and mend these fractured relationships was head coach Didier Olle-Nicolle. And what a time he had with a training regime to test his patience, his diplomacy skills - and his fitness.

For Hamraoui it was a brutal time. Not only facing hostility in her own dressing room, she also had to contend with abuse from her own club's supporters, as well as opposiition players making spiteful comments.

Into this toxic atmosphere emerged Cesar Mavacala, a controversial figure in French football, who, although not an official agent, represented the interests of several of PSG's top players.

A call out of the blue from Mavacala to Olle-Nicolle set in motion a chain of events that would ultimately have terrible repercussions, as he positioned himself firmly in support of Diallo and against Hamraoui.

Narrator Maisie Adam Interviews: Charlotte Harpur and Tom Williams Voices for interviewees performed by: Janine George, Chyna Johnson, Tom Roberts and Colin Ryan Researchers: Rob Carroll and Janet Hughes Assistant Producer: Jennifer Hanratty-Ball Editor: Kevin Hinde Assistant Commissioner for the BBC: Lizzi Doyle Commissioning Executive: Stevie Middleton Executive Producer: Craig South Writer and Producer: Jonathan Sides

A PDI Media production for BBC Sounds and BBC Radio 5 Live.

5. Fighting Talk Jul 10, 2024

Maisie Adam continues the shocking story of a brutal attack at Paris Saint-Germain that turned close team-mates into bitter rivals, damaging lives, careers and reputations.

The fragile harmony in the dressing room is finally and irrevocably broken with a training ground bust-up that has repercussions for the team in the Champions League. And pushes the embattled Kheira Hamraoui to breaking point.

Meanwhile head coach Didier Olle-Nicolle who has continued to select Hamraoui for the team despite external pressures to drop her, finds himself at the centre of serious allegations of sexual misconduct involving a young PSG player.

Suspended by the club while a formal investigation takes place a horrified and shocked Olle Nicolle must fight to clear his name. The claims against him are subsequently proved untrue and without any basis whatsoever but its a harrowing time for him, describing himself as “collateral damage” in the latest fall-out from the Diallo-Hamraoui affair.

The two players themselves are both about to experience summers of discontent. For Diallo its the end of the road at PSG, a new contract failing to materialise. While for Hamraoui it soon becomes apparent she faces an uncertain, and for her an unhappy future at the club. There appears to be no end to her trials and tribulations.

As the 2022/23 season starts Hamraoui is in near exile at the club, training alone away from the first team.

For Diallo though she is effectively now unemployed, without a club, at the age where she should be approaching her peak playing days. But that is not the worst of her troubles. Because on the 16th September 2022 there's another knock at her door from the poilce and this time they have statements and wiretaps to back up their suspicions.

She's arrested again – and this time charges will be made.

Narrator Maisie Adam Interviews: Charlotte Harpur and Tom Williams Voices for interviewees performed by: Janine George, Chyna Johnson, Tom Roberts and Colin Ryan Translation for the Aminata Diallo interview: Laura Bennett Script consultant: Dave Bowler Researchers: Rob Carroll and Janet Hughes Assistant Producer: Jennifer Hanratty-Ball Editor: Kevin Hinde Assistant Commissioner for the BBC: Lizzi Doyle Commissioning Executive: Stevie Middleton Executive Producer: Craig South Writer and Producer: Jonathan Sides

A PDI Media production for BBC Sounds and BBC Radio 5 Live.

6. The Hitmen and Her Jul 17, 2024

Police wiretaps capture incendiary, and potentially incriminating conversations and whatsapp messages, while statements from the group of men accused of carrying out the attack on Kheira Hamraoui name the mastermind.

Its the most shocking development yet as the police return to the home of Diallo to re-arrest her – and this time she appears before an investigative judge and is charged with three counts of aggravated assault and criminal conspiracy.

Meanwhile selected details gleaned from the secret surveillance of her phone and Diallo's personal electronic devices find their way to the media, each revealing a range of explosive exortations and some very dubious internet searches.

While parts of the leaked psychiatric reports and psychological profiling of Diallo also add to an unfavourable picture.

But is everything as it seems?

Diallo's lawyers and her close friend Shaheen Malik offer their defences of each and every accusation and revelation. While the Versailles public prosecutor Maryvonne Caillibotte shines a light on the processes and evidence that led them back to Diallo's door. So you can play the part of judge and jury as you'll hear the case from all sides.

Narrator Maisie Adam Interviews: Charlotte Harpur and Tom Williams Voices for interviewees performed by: Janine George, Chyna Johnson, Tom Roberts and Colin Ryan Translation for the Aminata Diallo interview: Laura Bennett Script consultant: Dave Bowler Researchers: Rob Carroll and Janet Hughes Assistant Producer: Jennifer Hanratty-Ball Editor: Kevin Hinde Assistant Commissioner for the BBC: Lizzi Doyle Commissioning Executive: Stevie Middleton Executive Producer: Craig South Writer and Producer: Jonathan Sides

A PDI Media production for BBC Sounds and BBC Radio 5 Live.

7. An Unhappy Ending Jul 24, 2024

Maisie Adam continues the astonishing story that has rocked women's football in France.

Its the aftermath of the arrest of Aminata Diallo, she and her lawyers contest the bail terms to allow her to continue her football career abroad.

Kheira Hamraoui, meanwhile, so long the target of acrimonious abuse for supposedly unfairly leading the police to Diallo's door for the original arrest, is suddenly viewed in a more sympathetic light. The public, the fans and the players, or at least those who called her, are all now given good cause to reflect on their actions.

Having looked to be on her way out at PSG, Hamraoui's determination to fight for her place at PSG pays off as she not only returns to the first team, but plays well enough to earn a recall to the French squad just months ahead of the World Cup.

However, in another twist, something close to mutiny breaks out in the player ranks of the national team, and there are suggestions its partly connected to the Diallo-Hamraoui affair.

Then at the end of the season comes the decision by PSG not to renew her contract. For Hamraoui its the final blow in what has been a harrowing 18 months for her.

For both players now its the agonising wait for a trial date, although both are looking for very diiferent kinds of closure.

Defence and prosecution make their final summaries and the scene is set for the last episode and an exclusive interview with the accused, Animata Diallo.

Narrator Maisie Adam Interviews: Charlotte Harpur and Tom Williams Voices for interviewees performed by: Janine George, Chyna Johnson, Tom Roberts and Colin Ryan Translation for the Aminata Diallo interview: Laura Bennett Script consultant: Dave Bowler Researchers: Rob Carroll and Janet Hughes Assistant Producer: Jennifer Hanratty-Ball Editor: Kevin Hinde Assistant Commissioner for the BBC: Lizzi Doyle Commissioning Executive: Stevie Middleton Executive Producer: Craig South Writer and Producer: Jonathan Sides

A PDI Media production for BBC Sounds and BBC Radio 5 Live.

8. The Accused Jul 31, 2024

Maisie Adam introduces a very special episode of Sport's Strangest Crimes: A French Football Scandal. Aminata Diallo, the footballer awaiting trial for organising an attack on one of her team mates, speaks openly about the case.

Aminata Diallo, in conversation with Charlotte Harpur and Tom Williams, recalls the night of the attack as she remembers it, what happened in the immediate aftermath and the shock of her arrest just hours after starring for PSG against Real Madrid in the Champions League.

Diallo also discusses her relationship with Hamraoui and how it felt returning to play alongside her after her initial release from police custody.

In addition, she talks about her re-arrest in September 2022, how it felt to be charged, now with the threat of a prison sentence hanging over her.

And she addresses head on the revelations and accusations from the secret surveillance of her, along with those details of her internet searches and police reports that were subsequently leaked to the media.

And she opens up about the personal impact the whole affair has had on her and those close to her. It's unmissable.

Narrator Maisie Adam Interviews: Charlotte Harpur and Tom Williams Voices for interviewees performed by: Janine George, Chyna Johnson, Tom Roberts and Colin Ryan Translation for the Aminata Diallo interview: Laura Bennett Script consultant: Dave Bowler Researchers: Rob Carroll and Janet Hughes Assistant Producer: Jennifer Hanratty-Ball Editor: Kevin Hinde Assistant Commissioner for the BBC: Lizzi Doyle Commissioning Executive: Stevie Middleton Executive Producer: Craig South Writer and Producer: Jonathan Sides

A PDI Media production for BBC Sounds and BBC Radio 5 Live.

Introducing... Confessions of a Match Fixer Aug 12, 2024

Moses Swaibu reveals how he risked it all for a fortune fixing in the English league. From Crystal Palace’s Young Player of the year, to shifting vast piles of cash and recruiting fellow players to compromise and betray the beautiful game, this is the gob-smacking inside story of how match-fixing was able to spread across an entire English football league. Along the way, Moses encounters some of the world’s most successful and dangerous match-fixers and finds himself drawn deeper and deeper into a chaotic and sinister life ruled by money and power. Warning this podcast contains language some might find offensive.

1. Sleep with the Money Aug 13, 2024

Moses Swaibu has the makings of a top-flight footballer – until temptation comes his way. At a crossroads in his career, Moses has a massive decision to make: continue to try and fight his way to the top of football, or get in deep with organised crime and betray the game he loves.

Warning: this podcast contains language some might find offensive.

Production credits: Presented by: Moses Swaibu with Troy Deeney Producers: Stephen Hollywood, Jack Kibble-White and Marion MacNeil Associate Producer: Moses Swaibu Music: Julian Corrie. Sound Design: Julian Corrie and David Martin Researcher: Jack Herrall. Additional scripting: Martin Conaghan Additional development: Kate Bissell Story Consultant: Graham Russell Commissioning Executive: Stevie Middleton Executive Producer: Tom Connor.

A BBC Scotland Production for BBC Sounds and BBC Radio 5 Live.

2. By Any Means Necessary Aug 13, 2024

There’s £60k at the back of the team bus. But if you take it, there’s no turning back. His first child is on the way. He’s arguing with his manager over poor results on the pitch. But Moses has a growing belief he can manipulate players better than his previous mentor, Delroy Facey. It’s time to step up and find out.

Warning this podcast contains language some might find offensive.

Presented by: Moses Swaibu with Troy Deeney Producers: Stephen Hollywood, Jack Kibble-White and Marion MacNeil Associate Producer: Moses Swaibu Music: Julian Corrie. Sound Design: Julian Corrie and David Martin Researcher: Jack Herrall. Additional scripting: Martin Conaghan Additional development: Kate Bissell Story Consultant: Graham Russell Commissioning Executive: Stevie Middleton Executive Producer: Tom Connor

A BBC Scotland Production for BBC Sounds and Radio 5 Live.

3. The Middleman Aug 20, 2024

£100k is sloshing around the footwell, as Moses’ car hurtles through the city at night. As Moses takes his first steps into a dark and dangerous new career, an opportunity presents itself for instant promotion. But the deeper he’s getting into organised crime, the higher the stakes become.

Warning this podcast contains language some might find offensive.

Presented by: Moses Swaibu with Troy Deeney Producers: Stephen Hollywood, Jack Kibble-White and Marion MacNeil Associate Producer: Moses Swaibu Music: Julian Corrie. Sound Design: Julian Corrie and David Martin Researcher: Jack Herrall. Additional scripting: Martin Conaghan Additional development: Kate Bissell Story Consultant: Graham Russell Commissioning Executive: Stevie Middleton Executive Producer: Tom Connor

A BBC Scotland Production for BBC Sounds and BBC Radio 5 Live.

4. Taking over the League Aug 27, 2024

More players want in. The money keeps growing. Will Moses’ good times ever end? But as the scale of his match-fixing grows, word travels fast - up the leagues and around the country - and Moses gets a call from a voice from the past.

Warning this podcast contains language some might find offensive.

Presented by: Moses Swaibu with Troy Deeney Producers: Stephen Hollywood, Jack Kibble-White and Marion MacNeil Associate Producer: Moses Swaibu Music: Julian Corrie. Sound Design: Julian Corrie and David Martin Researcher: Jack Herrall. Additional scripting: Martin Conaghan Additional development: Kate Bissell Story Consultant: Graham Russell Commissioning Executive: Stevie Middleton Executive Producer: Tom Connor.

A BBC Scotland Production for BBC Sounds and BBC Radio 5 Live.

5. Feeling the Heat Sep 03, 2024

Did you hear the one about the Conference South game that got more bets than Barcelona? With the authorities looking like they’re closing in, can Moses get out first, or will the pull of match-fixing prove too strong?

Warning this podcast contains language some might find offensive.

Presented by: Moses Swaibu with Troy Deeney Producers: Stephen Hollywood, Jack Kibble-White and Marion MacNeil Associate Producer: Moses Swaibu Music: Julian Corrie. Sound Design: Julian Corrie and David Martin Researcher: Jack Herrall. Additional scripting: Martin Conaghan Additional development: Kate Bissell Story Consultant: Graham Russell Commissioning Executive: Stevie Middleton Executive Producer: Tom Connor

A BBC Scotland Production for BBC Sounds and BBC 5 Live.

6. Braveheart Sep 10, 2024

What do you do when you come up against the footballer you cannot corrupt? With the fans on his back and the players in open revolt, can Moses pull off the fix of his life?

Warning this podcast contains language some might find offensive.

Presented by: Moses Swaibu with Troy Deeney Producers: Stephen Hollywood, Jack Kibble-White and Marion MacNeil Associate Producer: Moses Swaibu Music: Julian Corrie. Sound Design: Julian Corrie and David Martin Researcher: Jack Herrall. Additional scripting: Martin Conaghan Additional development: Kate Bissell Story Consultant: Graham Russell Commissioning Executive: Stevie Middleton Executive Producer: Tom Connor.

A BBC Scotland Production for BBC Sounds and BBC 5 Live.

7: Dragged Back in Sep 17, 2024

Voices from the past bring new opportunities. But is Moses in or is he out? A fatal miscalculation turns Moses’ life upside down and results in a devastating showdown.

Warning this podcast contains language some might find offensive.

Presented by: Moses Swaibu with Troy Deeney Producers: Stephen Hollywood, Jack Kibble-White and Marion MacNeil Associate Producer: Moses Swaibu Music: Julian Corrie. Sound Design: Julian Corrie and David Martin Researcher: Jack Herrall. Additional scripting: Martin Conaghan Additional development: Kate Bissell Story Consultant: Graham Russell Commissioning Executive: Stevie Middleton Executive Producer: Tom Connor.

A BBC Scotland Production for BBC Sounds and BBC Radio 5 Live

8: Sting in the Tale Sep 24, 2024

On the other side of the world, a bugged goalpost brings tales of the match-fixing king. Having completed his confession, Moses faces up to Troy Deeney's judgement of his incredible story.

Warning this podcast contains language some might find offensive.

Presented by: Moses Swaibu with Troy Deeney Producers: Stephen Hollywood, Jack Kibble-White and Marion MacNeil Associate Producer: Moses Swaibu Music: Julian Corrie. Sound Design: Julian Corrie and David Martin Researcher: Jack Herrall. Additional scripting: Martin Conaghan Additional development: Kate Bissell Story Consultant: Graham Russell Commissioning Executive: Stevie Middleton Executive Producer: Tom Connor.

A BBC Scotland Production for BBC Sounds and BBC Radio 5 Live.

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