Swindled
| Swindled | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Presentation | |
| Hosted by | "A Concerned Citizen" |
| Genre | True crime |
| Language | English |
| Length | 40–80 minutes |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Production | |
| Audio format | Podcast |
| No. of seasons | 7 |
| No. of episodes | 105 |
| Publication | |
| Original release | January 7, 2018 |
| Provider | Independent |
| Related | |
| Website | swindledpodcast |
Swindled is an American true crime podcast written and hosted by an anonymous man that uses the pseudonym "A Concerned Citizen".[1] The scripted series explores the world of white-collar crime, con artists, and corporate greed.[2]
Production[edit]
In a Q&A with BBC News, the anonymous host, a former government worker[1] with a background in graphic design and audio production,[3] claimed the inception of the podcast was motivated by the immorality of a "capitalistic culture".[4] According to the Tampa Bay Times, "A Concerned Citizen" created Swindled after failing to find an existing podcast on similar topics.[1] The host explained to MEL Magazine that the underlying theme in all of the episodes is greed and a "social culture that values getting rich as quick as possible."[5]
Each episode begins with a prelude story to the main subject, followed by the theme music consisting of stringed and brass instruments, and then a structured narrative interspersed with archival audio, suspenseful scoring, and dry humor.[6]
In addition to the writing, research, and audio production, "A Concerned Citizen" creates all of the visual artwork for the podcast.[7] The show's music is written and performed by multi-instrumentalist Trevor Harte Howard using the moniker "Deformr".[8]
Since its inception, Swindled has remained independent of podcasting networks.[9] The podcast's advertising sales are supported by AdLarge Media based in New York, New York.[10]
Episodes[edit]
Season 1[edit]
| Episode | Title | Subject | Prelude | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Lucky Winner | Eddie Tipton | Triple Six Fix | January 7, 2018 |
| 2 | The Horse Queen | Rita Crundwell | Trust, but verify | January 7, 2018 |
| 3 | The Treasure Hunter | Tommy Thompson | Fenn treasure | January 7, 2018 |
| 4 | The Canal | Love Canal | Denney Farm Chemical Spill | January 21, 2018 |
| 5 | The Delivery Man | Brian Wells | Mosman bomb hoax | February 4, 2018 |
| 6 | The Contraceptive | Dalkon Shield | Nelson Pill Hearings | February 18, 2018 |
| 7 | The Treasurer | Budd Dwyer | Paul Powell | March 4, 2018 |
| 8 | The Impostor | Jimmy Sabatino | William Douglas Street Jr. | March 18, 2018 |
| 9 | The Leak | Bhopal Gas Disaster | 1985 Institute, West Virginia Union Carbide Plant Leak | April 1, 2018 |
| 10 | The Judges | Kids for Cash | Greg Skrepenak | April 15, 2018 |
| 11 | The Hitman | Frank Howard | Jeffrey Locker | April 29, 2018 |
| 12 | The Televangelist | Jim Bakker | Peter Popoff | May 13, 2018 |
| 13 | The Pharma Bro | Martin Shkreli | Valeant Pharmaceuticals | May 28, 2018 |
| 14 | The Association | FIFA | Colin Fowles | June 14, 2018 |
| 15 | The Gigolo | Richard Bailey | Tommy "The Sandman" Burns | July 1, 2018 |
Season 2[edit]
| Episode | Title | Subject | Prelude | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Canoe Man | John Darwin | David Friedland | September 9, 2018 |
| 2 | The Lawsuit | McDonald's Hot Coffee | Bigbee v. Pacific Telephone and Telegraph | September 23, 2018 |
| 3 | The Tycoon | Allen Stanford | Michael Marin | October 7, 2018 |
| 4 | The Fyre Festival | Billy McFarland | Lapland New Forest | October 21, 2018 |
| 5 | The Hostage | Tony Kiritsis | Clay Allen Duke | November 4, 2018 |
| 6 | The Contestant | Charles Ingram | Michael Larson | November 18, 2018 |
| 7 | The Psychic | Sylvia Browne | Miss Cleo | December 2, 2018 |
| 8 | The Deputy | Frankie Bybee | Charles "Joe" Gliniewicz | December 16, 2018 |
| 9 | The Mogul | Lou Pearlman | Alan Bond | January 6, 2019 |
| 10 | The Formula | Nestlé Boycott of 1977 | Chinese Baby Milk Scandal | January 20, 2019 |
| 11 | The Body Snatcher | Michael Mastromarino | Tri-State Crematory | February 3, 2019 |
| 12 | The Mayor | Kwame Kilpatrick | Murder of Tamara Greene | February 17, 2019 |
| 13 | The Sting | Abscam | Mel Weinberg | March 2, 2019 |
| 14 | The Downline | Herbalife | Glenn W. Turner | March 17, 2019 |
| 15 | The Producer | Joe Francis | Bumfights | April 1, 2019 |
Season 3[edit]
| Episode | Title | Subject | Prelude | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Socialite | Anna Delvey | Kari Ferrell | July 7, 2019 |
| 2 | The Match | Simon Leviev | Maria Elvira Pinto Exposto | July 21, 2019 |
| 3 | The Implants | Poly Implant Prothèse | Dow Corning | August 4, 2019 |
| 4 | The Tour | Jered Threatin | Milli Vanilli | August 18, 2019 |
| 5 | The Whistleblower | Karen Silkwood | Robert S. Kerr | August 31, 2019 |
| 6 | The Fundraiser | Johnny Bobbit Jr. | Ginny Irovando Long | September 14, 2019 |
| 7 | The Survivor | Tania Head | Fred Parisi | September 28, 2019 |
| 8 | The Family Business | Doug Pielsticker | Falcon Transport | October 13, 2019 |
| 9 | The Madam | Deborah Jeane Palfrey | Kristin M. Davis | October 27, 2019 |
| 10 | The Mine | Crandall Canyon Mine | Sago Mine | November 10, 2019 |
| 11 | The GPO Girl | Samantha Azzopardi | Guerdwich Montimere | November 24, 2019 |
| 12 | The Revenger | Hunter Moore | Kevin Bollaert | December 8, 2019 |
| 13 | The Sultan | Anthony Gignac | Coingate | December 22, 2019 |
| 14 | The Raid | Agriprocessors | Swift & Co. | January 12, 2020 |
| 15 | The Switch | Flint Water Crisis | Lead contamination in Washington, D.C. drinking water | January 26, 2020 |
Season 4[edit]
| Episode | Title | Subject | Prelude | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Gamechanger | Belle Gibson | Jess Ainscough | May 10, 2020 |
| 2 | The Pope | Dan Johnson | Dan Johnson | May 24, 2020 |
| 3 | The Grant | Scott Westerhuis | Steven Sueppel | June 7, 2020 |
| 4 | The Genius | Martin Frankel | Thomas Quinn | June 21, 2020 |
| 5 | The Octopus | United Fruit Company/Chiquita | Dole Food Company | July 5, 2020 |
| 6 | The Vigilante | Pat Johnson | Joe Stack | July 19, 2020 |
| 7 | The Referee | Tim Donaghy | Joe Gagliano | August 3, 2020 |
| 8 | The Treatment | Bayer AG | Ryan White | August 16, 2020 |
| 9 | The Barefoot Bandit | Colton Harris Moore | Joshua Paul Calhoun | August 30, 2020 |
| 10 | The I.M.O.M. | Peter Foster | John Chardon | September 12, 2020 |
| 11 | The Space Program | Challenger Disaster | Vladimir Komarov | September 27, 2020 |
| 12 | The Saint | Mother Teresa | Kevin Malarkey | October 11, 2020 |
| 13 | The Pitchman | Don Lapre | Doug Grant | October 25, 2020 |
| 14 | The Downfall | Marcus Schrenker | Raymond Roth | November 8, 2020 |
| 15 | The Spill | Deepwater Horizon | Ixtoc I | November 22, 2020 |
Season 5[edit]
| Episode | Title | Subject | Prelude | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Atheist | Madalyn Murray O'Hair | Engel v. Vitale | April 11, 2021 |
| 2 | The Well | Walkerton E. coli outbreak | Washington County Fair | April 25, 2021 |
| 3 | The Bishop | John P. Tomkins | Luke Helder | May 9, 2021 |
| 4 | The Ivy Leaguer | Esther Reed | James Hogue | May 23, 2021 |
| 5 | The Bakery | Sandy Jenkins | Alvin Kennard | June 6, 2021 |
| 6 | The Brand | Procter & Gamble | Fenholloway River | June 20, 2021 |
| 7 | The Patriarch | Anthony Todt | John Chairmonte | July 4, 2021 |
| 8 | The Ghost Writer | Anthony Godby Johnson | New Horizons Youth Ministries | July 18, 2021 |
| 9 | The Scheme | Bernie Madoff | Samuel Israel III | August 29, 2021 |
| 10 | The Outbreak | Peanut Corporation of America | Jensen Farms | September 12, 2021 |
| 11 | The Inferno | The Station nightclub fire | E2 nightclub stampede | September 28, 2021 |
| 12 | The Killdozer | Marvin Heemeyer | Thomas Leask | October 12, 2021 |
| 13 | The Salesman | William J. McCorkle | Charles J. Givens | October 25, 2021 |
| 14 | The OB/GYN | Javaid Perwaiz | Roger Beyer | November 11, 2021 |
| 15 | The Explosion | 2020 Beirut explosion | West Fertilizer Company explosion | December 6, 2021 |
Season 6[edit]
| Episode | Title | Subject | Prelude | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Vegan | Sarma Melngailis | PlantLab | March 16, 2022 |
| 2 | The Pioneer | uBiome | Khalid Satary | April 3, 2022 |
| 3 | The Verrückt | Schlitterbahn | Tyre Sampson | April 17, 2022 |
| 4 | The Rockefeller | Christian Gerhartsreiter | Christophe Rocancourt | May 8, 2022 |
| 5 | The Standoff | Ed & Elaine Brown | Montana Freemen | May 23, 2022 |
| 6 | The Crusader | Nicholas Alahverdian | Michelle Rothgeb | June 5, 2022 |
| 7 | The Perfect Trigger | Remington Arms | Henry Gordy Intl. | June 21, 2022 |
| 8 | The Troubadour | Mark Leonard | Richmond, Indiana explosion | July 5, 2022 |
| 9 | The Body Broker | Megan Hess | Arthur Rathburn | August 8, 2022 |
| 10 | The Creamery | Blue Bell | Big Olaf | August 22, 2022 |
| 11 | The Wagon | Richard Scrushy | Don Siegelman | September 19, 2022 |
| 12 | The Label | Johnson & Johnson | DePuy | October 6, 2022 |
| 13 | The Liability | Johnson & Johnson | Ethicon | October 23, 2022 |
| 14 | The Crocodile | Heather Morgan & Ilya Lichtenstein | Alphabay | November 10, 2022 |
| 15 | The Relief | Hurricane Katrina | Hurricane Betsy | December 7, 2022 |
Season 7[edit]
| Episode | Title | Subject | Prelude | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Balloon Boy | Richard Heene | Lawn Chair Larry | March 16, 2023 |
| 2 | The Phantom | Imperial Food Products | Triangle Waist Company | April 2, 2023 |
| 3 | The Teenager | Malachi Love-Robinson | Matthew Scheidt | April 17, 2023 |
| 4 | The Messenger | Kevin Trudeau | Hooked on Phonics | May 1, 2023 |
| 5 | The Captive | SeaWorld | Free Willy-Keiko | May 22, 2023 |
| 6 | The Islanders | John Spano | William "Boots" Del Biaggio III | June 7, 2023 |
| 7 | The Jeweler | Nicolas Shaughnessy | Erik Charles Maund | June 25, 2023 |
| 8 | The Lottery Lawyer | Jason Kurland | Billie Bob Harrell Jr. | July 11, 2023 |
| 9 | The Skywalks | Hyatt Regency Disaster | FIU Bridge Collapse | August 2, 2023 |
| 10 | The Side Door | Operation Varsity Blues | Wintercap SA | August 31, 2023 |
| 11 | The Missing | Melissa Caddick | Brad Sherwin | September 22, 2023 |
| 12 | The Other Woman | Vicki Morgan | Bernie Cornfeld | October 17, 2023 |
| 13 | The Nose Doctor | Mark Weinberger | Philip Gabriele | November 4, 2023 |
| 14 | The Kepone Shakes | Life Science Products | Chlordecone | November 26, 2023 |
| 15 | The Monopoly | Pacific Gas & Electric | San Bruno pipeline explosion | December 25, 2023 |
Season 8[edit]
| Episode | Title | Subject | Prelude | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Tornado | Kim Neiman | The Pilger Twins | March 17, 2024 |
Bonus Episodes[edit]
| Episode | Title | Subject | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Promotion | McDonalds Monopoly | December 27, 2017 |
| 2 | The Reef | Osborne Reef | December 27, 2017 |
| 3 | The Fire | Marc Thompson | January 28, 2018 |
| 4 | The Mortician | Jean Crump | March 6, 2018 |
| 5 | The Homemaker | Martha Stewart | April 25, 2018 |
| 6 | The Pole Saw | David Player and Gerald "Trey" Hardin | June 4, 2018 |
| 7 | The Refugee | Wyclef Jean | July 22, 2018 |
| 8 | The Tree Farm | Rachel Lee | December 8, 2018 |
| 9 | The Convention | DashCon | January 27, 2019 |
| 10 | The Boner King | Enzyte | March 6, 2019 |
| 11 | The Vendor | Vendstar | May 1, 2019 |
| 12 | The Portofino Pirate | Larissa Watson | May 14, 2019 |
| 13 | The Chess Champion | Paul Charles Dozsa | June 24, 2019 |
| 14 | The Conductor | Kyle Sandler | August 19, 2019 |
| 15 | The Bookkeeper | Kim Williams | October 6, 2019 |
| 16 | The Puppeteer | Natalia Burgess | November 14, 2019 |
| 17 | The Promotion [Redux] | McDonalds Monopoly | January 5, 2020 |
| 18 | The Neighbor | Carla Jones | March 3, 2020 |
| 19 | VN4VL: Democracy Manifest | Updates for previous episodes | March 10, 2020 |
| 20 | The Developer | Shannon Egeland | March 17, 2020 |
| 21 | The Boner King [Redux] | Enzyte | April 1, 2020 |
| 22 | VN4VL: Coronamania | Updates for previous episodes | June 1, 2020 |
| 23 | The Sweepstakes | Pepsi Number Fever | August 18, 2020 |
| 24 | The Birthday Party | Gary Milby | December 4, 2020 |
| 25 | The Chili | Anna Ayala | December 23, 2020 |
| 26 | VN4VL: Hunting for Love & Treasure | Updates for previous episodes | December 31, 2020 |
| 27 | The Pigeon King | Arlan Galbraith | February 13, 2021 |
| 28 | The Chemical | Film Recovery Systems | March 5, 2021 |
| 29 | The Hero | Candace Clark | March 7, 2021 |
| 30 | VN4VL: Kwame's Resurrection | Updates for previous episodes | June 26, 2021 |
| 31 | The Beach House Sheriff | Todd Entrekin | August 1, 2021 |
| 32 | The Pink Slime | Beef Products, Inc. | August 3, 2021 |
| 33 | The Test | Brandy Murrah | November 3, 2021 |
| 34 | The Healer | Michael Guglielmucci | December 16, 2021 |
| 35 | The Money Doctor | W. Neil Gallagher | January 12, 2022 |
| 36 | VN4VL: Synergy | Updates for previous episodes | February 18, 2022 |
| 37 | The Canal [Redux] | Love Canal | May 1, 2022 |
| 38 | VN4VL: Me Hate Greed | Updates for previous episodes | May 12, 2022 |
| 39 | The Funky Munky | Tim Vasquez | May 27, 2022 |
| 40 | The Mark | Elisah Spencer | July 14, 2022 |
| 41 | The Imaginary Target | Denis Molla | July 15, 2022 |
| 42 | The Coroner | Shannon Kent | August 11, 2022 |
| 43 | VN4VL: Game is Afoot | Updates for previous episodes | September 2, 2022 |
| 44 | The American Sniper | Chris Kyle | November 22, 2022 |
| 45 | The Anglers | Jake Runyan & Chase Cominsky | December 22, 2022 |
| 46 | The Studio | Carissa Carpenter | January 10, 2023 |
| 47 | VN4VL: There is No Cure | Updates for previous episodes | February 8, 2023 |
| 48 | The Beneficiary | David Del Rio | March 23, 2023 |
| 49 | The Vacation Rental | Carrie Jade Williams | April 19, 2023 |
| 50 | The Momfluencer | Katie Sorensen | May 8, 2023 |
| 51 | The Veyron | Andy House | June 15, 2023 |
| 52 | The Oven | Bumble Bee Foods | June 30, 2023 |
| 53 | The Scratch-Off | Urooj Khan | July 19, 2023 |
| 54 | VN4VL: Death Keeps a Secret | Updates for previous episodes | August 16, 2023 |
| 55 | The Predator | Nate Holzapfel | October 3, 2023 |
Reception[edit]
The show has received positive reviews from critics. Vulture named the series one of the "52 Great True-Crime Podcasts [of] the post-Serial boom".[2] The Star Tribune named the series one of its "10 must-listen true crime podcasts" in June 2018.[11] In August that year, Digital Trends included the series on its list of best true crime podcasts.[12] The Guardian also selected the series as its podcast "pick of the week" for the week of September 9, 2018[13] and WVXU featured the episode "The Saint" on its Start Hear program in November 2020.[14] In January 2021, Canadian culture writer Scaachi Koul featured Swindled in her podcast picks for CBC Radio.[15]
Swindled has charted in the Top 100 podcasts in 5 countries, with peak ranking positions of the podcast including: Australia (18), Canada (52), Germany (46), United Kingdom (73), and United States (52).[16]
In July 2018, true crime podcast Crime Junkie adopted Swindled's episode "The Contraceptive," covering the Dalkon Shield.[17] In a profile of Crime Junkie host Ashley Flowers, Laura Barcella of Rolling Stone magazine wrote about the episode: "Flowers is at her best when dissecting complicated cases that stink of larger cover-ups and corruption."[18]
A German translation of the series titled Schmutzige Geschäfte launched on November 19, 2018.[19] A Danish translation titled Svindlerne subsequently followed in 2020.[20]
Accolades[edit]
- Listed as #10 in "Top Subscriptions" on Apple Podcasts' Best of 2021[21][22]
- Winner in the 2019 Discover Pods Awards for "Best True Crime Podcast"[23]
- Runner-up in the 2019 Discover Pods Awards for "Best Overall Podcast" [23]
- Runner-up in the 2018 Discover Pods Awards for "Best True Crime Podcast"[24]
- Finalist in the 2018 Discover Pods Awards for "Best New Podcast"[24]
References[edit]
- ^ a b c "Want to quit your job and start a true crime podcast? Obscura's host did it". Tampa Bay Times. Archived from the original on February 3, 2022. Retrieved February 1, 2024.
- ^ a b Nelson, Hillary. "52 Great True-Crime Podcasts". Vulture. Archived from the original on February 1, 2020. Retrieved November 21, 2018.
- ^ "Podcast Spotlight: Swindled". Discover the Best Podcasts | Discover Pods. March 29, 2018. Archived from the original on February 1, 2024. Retrieved February 2, 2024.
- ^ "Anna Sorokin: Why do con artists and fraudsters fascinate us?". May 10, 2019. Archived from the original on February 2, 2024. Retrieved February 1, 2024.
- ^ "Con-Culture Experts On the History and Future of Scamming". MEL Magazine. February 5, 2019. Archived from the original on February 1, 2024. Retrieved February 1, 2024.
- ^ "Swindled Podcast – Latest Episodes – Listen Now Online". Swindled. Archived from the original on February 2, 2024. Retrieved February 2, 2024.
- ^ Hooper, David (December 3, 2018). "The Anonymous Podcast". BIG Podcast. Archived from the original on February 1, 2024. Retrieved February 1, 2024.
- ^ Music, Trevor Harte Howard. "Trevor Harte Howard". Trevor Harte Howard. Archived from the original on February 2, 2024. Retrieved February 2, 2024.
- ^ "About Swindled Podcast – Telling True Stories – Play Now". Swindled. Archived from the original on February 2, 2024. Retrieved February 2, 2024.
- ^ "PRESS: AdLarge Partners with Sounds Profitable to Debut "Up Next" – A Podcast UpFront". AdLarge Media. May 10, 2021. Archived from the original on February 2, 2024. Retrieved February 2, 2024.
- ^ "10 must-listen true crime podcasts". Star Tribune. Archived from the original on December 29, 2018. Retrieved November 21, 2018.
- ^ "The best true crime podcasts offer chilling insights into humanity". Digital Trends. August 26, 2018. Archived from the original on January 13, 2019. Retrieved November 21, 2018.
- ^ Slaney, Rowan; Bakare, Lanre; Verdier, Hannah; Ames, Lily (September 7, 2018). "A history of Martin Luther King's non-violence – podcasts of the week". the Guardian. Archived from the original on November 1, 2018. Retrieved November 21, 2018.
- ^ "Start Hear: The Saint, America's Dad, and Health For The Holidays". WVXU. November 17, 2020. Archived from the original on January 31, 2024. Retrieved January 31, 2024.
- ^ "Culture writer and podcaster Scasschi Koul shares her podcast picks". CBC. CBC Radio. January 21, 2021. Archived from the original on February 2, 2024. Retrieved February 2, 2024.
- ^ "iTunesCharts.net: 'Swindled' by A Concerned Citizen (International iTunes Chart Performance)". www.itunescharts.net. Archived from the original on February 1, 2024. Retrieved February 1, 2024.
- ^ Flowers, Ashley (July 16, 2018). "WHITE COLLAR: The Dalkon Shield". Crime Junkie Podcast. Archived from the original on February 1, 2024. Retrieved February 1, 2024.
- ^ Barcella, Laura (December 31, 2018). "Best True-Crime Podcasts of 2018". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on February 1, 2023. Retrieved February 1, 2024.
- ^ Sprenger, Tom (November 19, 2018). "Schmutzige Geschäfte: US-Podcast "Swindled" kommt nach Deutschland". radioWOCHE – Aktuelle Radionews, UKW/DAB+ News und Radiojobs (in German). Archived from the original on November 23, 2018. Retrieved November 21, 2018.
- ^ "All episodes of Svindlerne". chartable.com. Archived from the original on February 1, 2024. Retrieved February 1, 2024.
- ^ "Apple Podcasts presents the Best of 2021". Apple Newsroom. Archived from the original on December 21, 2021. Retrieved December 21, 2021.
- ^ Spangler, Todd (December 1, 2021). "Joe Rogan Had the No. 1 Podcast in 2021 on Spotify (Podcast News Roundup)". Variety. Archived from the original on February 6, 2024. Retrieved February 9, 2024.
- ^ a b "Announcing the winners of the 2019 Discover Pods Awards". Discover Pods Awards. November 21, 2019. Archived from the original on November 21, 2021. Retrieved January 28, 2020.
- ^ a b "2018 Discover Pods Awards Finalists | Discover the Best Podcasts | Discover Pods". Discover the Best Podcasts | Discover Pods. November 16, 2018. Archived from the original on October 26, 2019. Retrieved November 21, 2018.
