American Scandal Premieres September 18th.
A college dropout with no background in science turns himself into an expert on performance enhancing drugs. Soon he attracts some of the world’s best athletes—along with the attention of a determined federal agent.
Track star Marion Jones gets caught in the middle of an Olympic steroid scandal and turns to Victor Conte for help. In baseball, Barry Bonds is fed up watching other players beat records and garner fame. He teams up with a trainer who sets him on a path that will have unexpected results.
A syringe with a mysterious substance sets off a race to save the Olympics from a doping scandal. Backstabbing, recriminations and a dedicated team of investigators threaten to destroy everything Victor Conte has created. And agent Novitzky plants an undercover agent to try to bring down Barry Bonds.
The raid on BALCO succeeds beyond Agent Novitzky’s wildest dreams. He gets all the evidence he needs to prove that some of the top athletes in the world have cheated their way to records and medals. But Barry Bonds isn’t going down without a fight and neither is Marion Jones. And when confidential testimony gets leaked to the press, all hell breaks loose.
Victor Conte loses his battle when he’s sentenced to prison. Marion Jones’ carefully crafted defense threatens to collapse because of a bitter divorce. And agent Novitzky’s case hits some snags as Barry Bonds fights for his reputation. After investigating for eleven years at a cost of a hundred million dollars, can agent Novitzky claim victory? Or has Victor Conte won the war?
Host Lindsay Graham talks with the journalists who broke the BALCO scandal and almost went to jail. Mark Fainaru Wada and Lance Williams are the authors of “Game of Shadows: Barry Bonds, BALCO and the Steroids Scandal that Rocked Professional Sports.”
In 2006 Eliot Spitzer is elected governor on a promise to tackle corruption in the most dysfunctional state capital in the country--Albany, NY. He is quickly challenged by one of the most powerful men in the state. Will the governor change Albany or will Albany change him?
Troopergate explodes. Governor Spitzer finds himself embroiled in a scandal. Senator Bruno is investigated by the FBI.Support us by supporting our sponsors!
Governor Cuomo tries to stamp out corruption with an independent commission who deals with interference from unexpected places. Attorney Preet Bharara lasers in on the committee’s findings.
Preet Bharara investigates Sheldon Silver and Dean Skelos - the explosive trials and the aftermath.You can read more about the Sheldon Silver trial here, and read about the Dean Skelos trial here.
Host Lindsay Graham talks with Alex Gibney, director of “Client 9,” a documentary that examines the rise and fall of Eliot Spitzer.
In July of 1985, the National Security Advisor to President Reagan, Robert “Bud” McFarlane puts a plan in motion that could change the course of history and turn the Reagan administration upside down.
Two of Reagan’s top priorities are in jeopardy: American hostages are still in the hands of terrorists in Iran, and the Contras are losing their fight against the Sandinistas in Nicaragua. In early 1986, the two operations merge. In the middle of it all is Lieutenant Colonel Ollie North.
When the story breaks that senior US government officials secretly traded arms for hostages, Congress and the American people demand answers. Chief of Staff Don Regan and Attorney General Ed Meese begin building a wall around the President.
Independent Counsel Lawrence Walsh is called to D.C. to investigate Iran-Contra and bring those responsible to justice. But what he discovers will shake his political allegiances, and drive a wedge through the heart of the country.
Independent Counsel Lawrence Walsh sets his sights on the White House and tries to answer the question everyone has been asking: Exactly how much did President Reagan know and when did he know it?
How does the Iran Contra investigation compare to the Russia investigation today? We go behind the scenes with Michael Bromwich, a lawyer who worked on the Iran Contra case. He tells us what it’s like to delve into the dealings of America’s most powerful players.
A supertanker carrying 53 million gallons of crude oil runs aground in Prince William Sound sparking the worst man-made ecological catastrophe in the country’s history at the time. As Exxon struggles to get the cleanup underway, fishermen worry that this is the end of life as they know it.
The fishermen find that damage from the spill is even worse than expected, while a winter storm destroys Exxon’s plans for a quick cleanup. Captain Hazelwood disappears.
After Captain Hazelwood’s arrest, Exxon tries to clean up its public image. President Bush tells Exxon to pick up the pace on the cleanup. Fisherman Riki Ott takes on Big Oil in the Alaska State Legislature.
The fishermen run a blockade. Alyeska Pipeline goes to extremes to root out a mole. Exxon and the fishermen face off in court.
It’s been 30 years since the Exxon Valdez struck a reef in Port William Sound, but the disaster still reverberates. A conversation with marine conservation professor and Alaska fisherman Rick Steiner about the state of things today. Plus, journalist and author Antonia Juhasz on how Exxon Valdez compares to the 2010 BP oil spill.
An elderly swami from India captures the zeitgeist of 1960s counterculture in America with his message of peace and love. But his western disciples are hungry for power, and one of his most trusted devotees betrays him.
When devotees at the NYC temple confront Keith Ham, he decides to found a commune of his own in West Virginia. Krishnas in temples across the country come up with illegal ways to raise money for the group, including drug dealing and money scams.
When the Swami dies, eleven senior disciples declare themselves gurus and take control of the movement. In Berkeley, Hansadutta becomes paranoid and starts amassing an arsenal of weapons. In West Virginia, Keith Ham finishes constructing his palace of gold. But when new devotees with records for violent crime join the commune, Deputy Westfall grows alarmed. A drug smuggling operation at the Krishna Temple in Laguna Beach ends in murder when temple leaders pair up with ex-mafia informants.
When a devotee in West Virginia goes missing, his wife suspects murder. Deputy Westfall is thwarted by the DA when he tries to take action. Keith flexes his muscles and expands his power over New Vrindaban.
Steve Bryant is forced out of the commune at gunpoint and heads to California where he finds evidence that the Gurus are frauds. Berkeley Temple Leader Hansadutta has a meltdown that lands him in jail. An attempt to start a Guru Reform movement divides the movement and leads to death threats. A devotee attacks Keith Ham.
Keith Ham’s chief enforcer is summoned back to New Vrindaban for a mission. He enlists the help of a friend of the commune who turns informer. Steve Bryant goes into hiding. Deputy Westfall works with the state police to finally make some arrests, but will he be able to bring down Keith Ham?
Former Hare Krishna Henry Doktorski talks about what led him to join the faith, day to day life on the West Virginia commune, and why he finally left.Read more about the Hare Krishna’s in Henry’s book, Killing for Krishna: The Danger of Deranged Devotion.
Stormy Daniels, secret hush money payments, and the lawyer at the center of it all: Michael Avenatti. In 2018, we saw an American scandal unfold right before our eyes -- live on television. On this special episode, Los Angeles Times political reporter Michael Finnegan joins to discuss the rise and fall of Avenatti and what his story reveals about the way our society consumes scandal.
The delicate system of secret bribes and kickbacks used to transform a mediocre record into a hit -- that’s payola. And on the eve of rock ‘n’ roll, it’s consuming the music industry. As the public catches wind of the corruption, DJ Alan Freed and American Bandstand host Dick Clark will be caught in the crosshairs of the investigations.
In 1959, rock 'n' roll is on the rise. But parents and politicians are alarmed by this rebellious new style of music and its powerful effect on America's youth. So when Congress learns that some rock records are getting on the radio thanks to a system of bribes and payoffs called payola, they decide to take action -- which spells trouble for rock's most vocal advocate, DJ Alan Freed.
The Congressional payola hearings of 1960 are out to expose corruption in the music industry. But they're also out to discredit a dangerous new form of music called rock 'n' roll. To do that, they've set their sights on rock's most famous champions: DJ Alan Freed and American Bandstand host Dick Clark. Will their testimony save them or disgrace them?
Twenty years after new federal laws were supposed to eradicate payola, it's back. Now a mysterious group of record promoters called the Network are using it to control access to Top 40 radio. And to enforce their monopoly on the airwaves, they've enlisted a dangerous new ally — the Mafia.
In 1986, federal prosecutor Marvin Rudnick is close to cracking the biggest payola case in decades. It might even involve the Mafia and one of the record industry's most notorious figures, Morris Levy. So why do his bosses abruptly take him off the case?
Records stuffed with cash. Cassette cases full of cocaine. The details revealed at record promoter Joe Isgro's payola trial shock the public. And the trial's outcome is an even bigger surprise.
In early 1930s America, segregation is the law of the land, and syphilis remains a grave public health concern. A handful of white government doctors aims to treat African Americans in a rural Alabama county where infection rates are especially high. But several officials conspire to alter the program’s goals, launching a decades-long program that will stain medical history.
The Tuskegee Syphilis Study is underway, with hundreds of African-American men unknowingly serving as human guinea pigs. Though it's initially scheduled to last only a few months, the doctors in charge of the experiment land on a nefarious scheme to perpetuate the study indefinitely.
In the 1960s, as cultural attitudes shift and more doctors in the U.S. learn of the study, objections are raised on moral and political grounds. When the government refuses to end the experiment, a whistleblower goes public, and the test subjects turn to a civil rights lawyer for justice.
After 40 years, the Tuskegee Study has been exposed, condemned, and ended. But for the survivors and African-American community at large, this is not the end of the story. A fight begins to ensure the deceived test subjects are properly compensated, and formally apologized to, by the United States government.
Black babies in the United States are twice as likely as white babies to die before their first birthday. It’s an alarming statistic that further highlights the wide disparities in healthcare that exist between black and white Americans. And while there is no direct connection to the Tuskegee Study there are parallels. We’ll talk with Priska Neely, reporter for Southern California Public Radio, who has dived deep into the issue of black infant mortality, its causes and why it has persisted for decades.
In early 1973, the militant civil rights group the American Indian Movement (AIM) takes control of the town of Wounded Knee on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota. The action launches a 71-day standoff between Indians and federal forces. But before they make their stand at Wounded Knee, AIM leaders Dennis Banks and Russell Means are already on a collision course with the U.S. government — starting when they lead more than a thousand Indians from across the country to the steps of the Bureau of Indian Affairs in Washington DC.
Emboldened by their takeover of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, AIM takes its campaign for Indian rights to the border towns of South Dakota. But now AIM is a top law enforcement priority, and violent clashes with police follow. When the Oglala Lakota of Pine Ridge ask for AIM’s help in their fight against corrupt tribal president Dick Wilson, the occupation of Wounded Knee provokes a fearsome federal response.
After defying a federal ultimatum to leave Wounded Knee or face a full-scale assault, the occupation doubles down by declaring themselves the Independent Oglala Nation. A new proposal from the feds causes Russell Means to ponder how much he’s willing to sacrifice for Lakota sovereignty. FBI Special Agent in Charge Joseph Trimbach reluctantly accepts an unexpected new mission.
Mounting violence forces Dennis Banks and the rest of the occupation to decide how much they’re willing to sacrifice for their cause. Federal negotiators face a deadline to end the standoff at all costs, and Banks and Russell Means meet face to face with the FBI.
In the mid 1990s, Enron Corporation solidifies its position as the number one energy company in America. Investment manager Sherron Watkins lands a dream job there, but quickly learns that Enron's office culture and accounting practices make it a treacherous place to work.
Enron manipulates California's electricity market for financial gain, and the state is plunged into an energy crisis. Meanwhile, the schemes of a corrupt CFO, a rocky transition of power, and an alarming discovery by Sherron Watkins, threaten to tear the company apart.
Ken Lay fights to restore public confidence in Enron as the bad publicity mounts and the stock price continues to fall. Sherron Watkins is encouraged when an internal review of company practices is launched, but stunned when it appears to backfire.
The Wall Street Journal works to expose the shady financial deals key to Enron’s success. With his company pushed to the brink of bankruptcy, Ken Lay engages in a desperate ploy to avert disaster.
A federal task force is formed to bring Enron’s corrupt executives to justice. Sherron Watkins arrives in Washington to participate in congressional hearings and struggles to process the staggering costs of Enron’s downfall.
In 2003, America is at war with Iraq, as part of its global campaign on terror. Former diplomat Joe Wilson sharply criticizes the war, making him an enemy of the White House. Payback is swift, but the crosshairs are aimed at someone else: Wilson’s wife, covert CIA agent Valerie Plame.
The Bush administration comes under investigation for its role in the Plame leak. Meanwhile, Valerie Plame begins receiving alarming threats, which put a strain on her career and personal life. New York Times reporter Judith Miller faces an agonizing choice about her role in the leak.
Valerie Plame and Joe Wilson make a surprising announcement. Scooter Libby faces a day of reckoning in court, and Patrick Fitzgerald’s case comes to an end.
Washington, D.C., erupted in a political firestorm in 2003, after Valerie Plame’s identity was revealed to the public. Host Lindsay Graham talks with Matthew Cooper, a journalist who covered the story for Time magazine. Cooper also became part of the story, when he was held in contempt of court for refusing to name the sources who disclosed Plame’s identity to him.
In 2006, Volkswagen executive Martin Winterkorn hatches a plan to boost auto sales in America. The way to do it? Clean diesel cars. But VW's engineers run into a wall, and so they take a troubling shortcut—one that a group of graduate students will inadvertently expose.
Alberto Ayala fights to get the truth from Volkswagen. But the carmaker stonewalls the government—again and again. That is, until a VW employee offers a shocking confession, and sets the course for a massive fight.
Martin Winterkorn takes a drastic step, as Volkswagen faces withering criticism. U.S. officials prepare their case against the automaker. And VW struggles to defend itself, as drivers file a blizzard of lawsuits.
Federal prosecutors kick into high gear, and soon, VW executives meet their fate. Meanwhile, Matthias Müller faces his own changing fortune, as company insiders initiate a power play. It's the beginning of a new era for Volkswagen.
Cynthia Giles was a senior official at the Environmental Protection Agency. She helped negotiate a major settlement with Volkswagen, as the automaker faced fallout from its diesel emissions scandal. She joins Lindsay and tells behind-the-scenes stories from the scandal.
In the 1960s, Lenny Bruce was a trailblazing standup comedian who took aim at American culture. Bruce clashed frequently with law enforcement, but his decisive legal battle began in 1964. Bruce faced obscenity charges over one of his performances. He also faced a criminal-justice system bent on silencing an outspoken social critic.
Lenny Bruce faces a terrifying moment, when his health takes a sudden downturn. But a recent Supreme Court case lifts his spirits, and raises the prospects that he'll triumph over his own legal troubles. The trial winds down, and soon, the verdict is in.
Brett Gary is a professor at NYU who studies media and American culture, and focuses on the public battles over censorship. He joins Lindsay to discuss the enduring influence of Lenny Bruce and the comedian’s obscenity trial.
In 1993, a massive conflict erupts in rural Texas. The federal government launches a siege against the Branch Davidians, a religious group based in the outskirts of Waco. What follows is the longest firefight in the history of American law enforcement. And it’s a battle that ends in tragedy. But the standoff has its genesis years before. It’s then that Vernon Howell comes looking for a new religious community to call home. He finds it with the Branch Davidians, and soon, he begins working to seize power.
Vernon Howell faces criminal charges in court. And soon, his followers begin to turn against him—fueling his paranoia, and setting the stage for his fateful standoff against the U.S. government.
The Branch Davidians are accused of child abuse and stashing illegal firearms. With a federal investigation now underway, paranoia grows at Mount Carmel. And a government raid appears imminent.
The federal government prepares for a raid at Mount Carmel. But a chance encounter eliminates the element of surprise—and sets the course for a massive battle between federal forces and David Koresh's community.
The Branch Davidians remain locked in a tense standoff with the federal government. And with the FBI now in charge, negotiators try to secure a peaceful surrender. But the FBI—and the Davidians—face a major obstacle: the always-unpredictable David Koresh.
The Branch Davidians prepare to surrender. But their plan unravels when they face the FBI, which is under intense pressure to get quick results.
Eric Benson is a senior editor at the magazine Texas Monthly. In 2018, Benson wrote a series of articles that helped shed new light on the tragedy at Mount Carmel. He and Lindsay discuss how the event still shapes American life today.
Criminals in Pittsburgh have a plan. It involves gambling and manipulating the scores of college basketball games. But to pull it off, they'll first need some help from the basketball players themselves.
Pressure mounts as the mafia starts pouring money into the betting scheme. But the players begin to crack, and mobsters start disappearing. And soon, the FBI launches its pursuit.
The FBI investigates the ties between Boston College basketball players and Jimmy Burke’s crime ring. As the point-shaving trial gets underway, the athletes discover there’s a larger game being played—and they’re the pawns.
Dan Murphy is a staff writer with ESPN. He’s been covering the changing landscape in college sports, in which athletes could soon make money from endorsements. He and Lindsay discuss the wide-reaching effects of a recent proposal, and look at the history of scandals in the NCAA.
Merrell Williams stumbles on a terrible secret, one that's been hidden for decades. Jeffrey Wigand starts a new job with the tobacco industry, only to come face to face with a bitter truth. Soon, both will have to make a choice that could put them in danger.
A group of ambitious lawyers builds a case against Big Tobacco. But first, they'll need to convince the whistleblowers to speak up.
Mike Moore files a landmark lawsuit. Jeffrey Wigand comes under attack. And the producers of 60 Minutes face a major roadblock, as they try to tell the story about Big Tobacco.
Jeffrey Wigand steps into the national spotlight. But with all the attention, he now faces a very real threat. The tobacco industry could launch its most vicious counterattack. Or, if Mike Moore has his way, Big Tobacco may waive the flag of surrender.
It's been over 20 years since a major settlement forced the tobacco industry to reform—and pay billions of dollars for its mistakes. Still, despite a sea change in the public’s attitude toward smoking, the tobacco industry remains strong. And it continues to win over new customers. Annice Kim, a public health expert, joins Lindsay to discuss the explosion in e-cigarettes’ popularity, and the ways in which companies now use social media to sell these products.
John D. Rockefeller is a poor boy with a dream. He's going to become a businessman. And he's going to be wildly rich. Soon, he stumbles on the product that will seal his fate: oil. Thick, crude oil is gushing from the ground across America. It's creating boomtowns—and a new economy. Rockefeller begins to conquer the industry, but he quickly makes enemies, including a young woman who will challenge Rockefeller's growing empire.
Standard Oil faces an organized resistance. But that doesn't slow down John D. Rockefeller. The oil titan continues to build his empire, and soon, some of his enemies have to make a terrible choice. They can keep fighting—and go bankrupt. Or they can team up with Rockefeller.
John D. Rockefeller makes a bold move, one that helps him crush his opponents. Soon, disaster strikes in Titusville, Pennsylvania. And that means it's time for Ida Tarbell to return home—and to take on Standard Oil.
Ida Tarbell begins to investigate Standard Oil. And as she digs deeper, she receives help from some unexpected sources. Soon, John D. Rockefeller learns that his deepest secrets could come spilling out into the light.
John D. Rockefeller is on the run. His company is under assault from state and federal lawsuits, and now, Rockefeller is moving from house to house, doing whatever he can to avoid a courtroom. But soon enough, his fate will be decided for him. Because the U.S. Supreme Court is about to issue a landmark decision.
The United States is home to a large number of big businesses, from entertainment conglomerates to the giants of tech. Increasingly, members of the public and politicians are raising concerns about these companies—and the power that they wield. Chris Sagers, a law professor at Cleveland State University, joins Lindsay to discuss monopolies in the U.S., both in the past and the present. The two also discuss how the current, heated debates about big business may play out.
On March 28, 1979, Bill Zewe hears an alarm at Three Mile Island. Something has gone terribly wrong at the nuclear power plant, in southern Pennsylvania. And now, the operators at the plant must move fast—before a crisis engulfs the region.
When politics intervene, the engineers at Three Mile Island find themselves up against a wall. Mike Pintek airs a stunning interview on the radio, and causes a panic. And Bill Scranton tries to restore calm to the shaken residents of Pennsylvania.
A large bubble of hydrogen emerges in the nuclear reactor, threatening to cause a catastrophic explosion. President Carter dispatches an envoy. The goal: to get control of the crisis. And Pennsylvania's leaders face a big moment, as they decide whether to evacuate the region.
It's been over 40 years since the crisis unfolded at Three Mile Island. But the nuclear accident still lingers with us today, as the United States confronts new public health emergencies. At the time of the accident, Peter Bradford was a member of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. He joins Lindsay to discuss what went wrong at Three Mile Island; who was responsible for the crisis; and how nuclear power could play a larger role in the future, as the world looks to fight climate change.
Billie Holiday makes a decision. The jazz singer will perform "Strange Fruit," the protest song about lynchings, no matter what happens to her—and no matter how many times law enforcement tells her to stay quiet. But that puts her in the crosshairs of one federal official, who uses any means necessary to silence Holiday.
The FBI goes after Martin Luther King, Jr., after the civil rights leader calls for an end to racial injustice. The bureau begins to spy on King—and forces him to make an impossible decision.
Fred Hampton is a rising star in the civil rights movement. But when he challenges police brutality, he finds that his life is suddenly threatened.
Antiwar activists hatch a risky plan. Led by a physics professor, the group decides to burglarize an FBI office. The goal: to find incriminating documents, and to expose decades of federal abuses.
From the mid-1950s to the early '70s, the FBI employed a secret program known as COINTELPRO. It aimed to disrupt a wide range of social activism, from anti-war protests, to the fight for racial justice. At the time, Clayborne Carson was on the front lines of the battles for civil rights. He’d go on to become the founding director of the Martin Luther King, Jr., Research and Education Institute, at Stanford University. He and Lindsay sit down to discuss the FBI's investigations of civil rights leaders. They also discuss how those events echo what's happening now between law enforcement and activists.
In 1979, disco was a dominant force in American music. It took the top spots in the Billboard charts, and sold countless records. But with its culturally diverse audience, disco faced a major backlash. And that would lead to a crisis one evening in July of 1979, when a promotional event at a baseball game turned into a riot. Vince Lawrence was at that game, and has since become a music producer and documentary filmmaker. He and Lindsay discuss the meaning of that infamous night, and how disco’s legacy is still with us today, in music and in culture.
Ted Kaczynski faces a painful rejection in high school. Then he endures an abusive psychology experiment at Harvard. Kaczynski may be an academic prodigy, but he feels lonely and out of place. His solution? He's going to get revenge on modern society.
Ted Kaczynski falls in love. But soon, he's shocked by some news—and retreats into the wilderness in Montana. It's there that he pushes forward with a deadly bombing campaign.
A fight erupts between Ted Kaczynski and his brother, David. And when tragedy strikes, the Kaczynski family begins to break apart.
The FBI gets closer to the Unabomber. But a leak to the media threatens the case. And soon, agents are forced to take action.
Ted Kaczynski warned that technology was crushing the human spirit—and harming the planet. Since 1995, when his manifesto was published, Kaczynski has gained a large number of followers. John H. Richardson, a journalist and author, corresponded with Kaczynski, and joins Lindsay to discuss the wide-reaching influence of Kaczynski's ideas.
Bernie Madoff is young and broke. And he's hungry for a big paycheck. So he sets out for Wall Street. But a market crash forces him to make a difficult decision, one that will haunt him for years.
A financial analyst raises red flags about Bernie Madoff's record. Madoff faces an investigation from the SEC.
The U.S. economy begins to fall apart. So Bernie Madoff takes a risk, and makes a fateful decision about his Ponzi scheme.
Bernie Madoff conned some of the smartest people in the world, from savvy investors to famous artists. All the while, he deceived government regulators. So how did he fool so many people, and for so long? Diana Henriques is a journalist and author who's written extensively about Madoff. In this interview, she describes what made him such a successful con man. And she warns about the possibility of another Bernie Madoff.
Joseph McCarthy dreams of a bigger life. He wants something beyond the farms of Wisconsin, something more important than cornfields and local disputes. He wants political power in Washington, D.C. And he has a plan to get it.
Joseph McCarthy gets help from powerful allies in Washington. As McCarthy’s influence grows, other senators weigh the political cost of challenging him.
Joseph McCarthy searches for communist infiltrators in the U.S. government. He lands on a big target, one that earns him a formidable enemy.
Accusations emerge that Joseph McCarthy blackmailed the military. He faces investigations in the Senate, and a potentially devastating outcome.
Joseph McCarthy was one of the most consequential politicians in American history. He upended Washington, and even influenced foreign policy for years to come. In this interview, Lindsay chats with Larry Tye, the author of Demagogue, a biography of McCarthy. The two discuss the early stages of the Red Scare, which laid the foundation for McCarthy’s rise. Tye also reveals why McCarthy was able to grow so powerful—and so popular.
Lance Armstrong enters the cutthroat world of professional cycling. But after a string of humiliating losses, he's left searching for a new way to win.
Lance Armstrong becomes an icon around the world. But when a former cycling legend begins asking questions about doping, Armstrong goes on the attack.
Greg LeMond struggles to find allies in his fight against Lance Armstrong. Floyd Landis is caught in a difficult position, one that forces him to take a big risk.
Floyd Landis goes public about performance-enhancing drugs. Lance Armstrong struggles to contain the fallout, as the truth comes out.
The press has a long, troubled relationship with celebrities, from Marilyn Monroe, to Tupac Shakur, to Britney Spears. The paparazzi are often relentless, and media coverage can be vicious. Which raises a question: Does the press bear responsibility for celebrities' meltdowns? In this special interview, Lindsay chats with Jake Brennan, an expert on the topic, and the host of the podcast "Disgraceland."
Walter Freeman is devastated when he learns the truth about mental asylums. The medical care is barbaric, and for patients, everyday life is a nightmare. So Freeman begins searching for an alternative. It's a quest that leads him to one of the most controversial procedures in medical history.
Walter Freeman and James Watts begin to experiment with the lobotomy. But their partnership is tested when a high-profile patient suffers disastrous results.
Walter Freeman goes public with his ice pick lobotomies. But that earns him new enemies—including some who are determined to stop him.
President Kennedy signs a bill that transforms mental healthcare in America. With his legacy on the line, Walter Freeman begins a desperate—and dangerous—quest to redeem the lobotomy.
Today, we're far from Walter Freeman and his ice pick lobotomies. But there are growing concerns about a new form of brain surgery that sounds like science fiction. The surgery involves devices known as neural implants, which connect the brain directly to computers. In this interview, Lindsay talks with Chris Kenneally, a science journalist and author. The two discuss the remarkable benefits of neural implants—as well as the deep fears they're already raising.
A woman's body is found at the bottom of a gorge. It belongs to a member of the Osage Nation, a tribe that's grown incredibly wealthy from oil. When the victim's sister goes looking for answers, she begins to uncover a shocking conspiracy, one that puts her life in danger.
Mollie Burkhart received a terrifying warning. As the cases continue to pile up, a federal agent begins his own search for answers.
Tom White makes his first arrest. But when the case goes to trial, Mollie Burkhart and the community are devastated by the truth that emerges.T
The Attica Correctional Facility is a notoriously brutal prison, where beatings are commonplace, and prisoners work for pennies. Tensions have begun to boil over, and after a guard and inmate get into a fight, the maximum-security prison is pushed to the brink.
Negotiators enter the prison, and attempt to bring an end to the uprising. But the prisoners make a demand that proves to be a major obstacle.
An unexpected death upends the negotiations. As both sides dig in their heels, the hope for a peaceful resolution begins to fade.
The inmates receive a final threat, as the state demands their surrender. Governor Rockefeller makes a fateful decision.
Lindsay sits down with Heather Ann Thompson, the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Blood in the Water, which tells the history of Attica. Thompson discusses the troubling aftermath of the uprising, when New York’s government took back control of the prison. And she reveals how, for decades, the state has worked to suppress the truth about its siege.
Elizabeth Holmes has an idea that could revolutionize medicine—and make her very rich. But first, she'll need to find investors and put together a company.
Theranos prepares to go public with its blood-testing devices. But the company faces increased scrutiny, as problems with its technology—and its leadership—add up.
An investigative journalist looks into Theranos, and is shocked by his discoveries. Elizabeth Holmes tries to fend off the potentially devastating story.
Lindsay sits down with Charles Duhigg, a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist who covers the tech industry. The two explore why venture capitalists work to create monopolies, and whether these powerful investors bear responsibility for the failures at Theranos.
William Mulholland climbs to the top of the water department. But once he's there, he learns that Los Angeles has a terrible secret, one that could destroy the city.
William Mulholland pushes ahead with LA's aqueduct. But when the people of Inyo County learn the truth, they begin preparing for war.
The fighting grows fierce between Inyo County and Los Angeles. But when LA's aqueduct is taken hostage, William Mulholland makes a fateful decision that threatens a disaster.
In this interview, Lindsay chats with David Owen, the author of 'Where the Water Goes: Life and Death Along the Colorado River.' The two explore how water scarcity is a mounting issue out West—one that affects the entire country. And they consider some of the solutions that could help curb the growing crisis.
Monica Lewinsky struggles to build a life on the West Coast. But soon, she gets a chance to start over, and takes a prestigious internship at the White House.
A White House official grows suspicious of Monica Lewinsky, and has her transferred to the Pentagon. At the new job, Lewinsky makes a friend with a hidden agenda.
Monica Lewinsky suffers a terrible betrayal. As she tries to protect the president, a national scandal erupts.
Monica Lewinsky testifies against President Clinton. The Senate conducts a politically charged impeachment trial.
A war in Vietnam is on the horizon, as Daniel Ellsberg begins a new job at the Department of Defense. But after seeing the conflict in person, Ellsberg learns a terrible truth—one that forces him to take drastic action.
Daniel Ellsberg begins meeting with anti-war activists. With his beliefs shifting, Ellsberg considers whether to take more decisive action.
Daniel Ellsberg makes a fateful decision. America's journalists find themselves in a heated battle with President Nixon.
President Nixon sets in motion a secret campaign to destroy Daniel Ellsberg. With his trial underway, Ellsberg faces a moment of reckoning.
Annie Dookhan lands a dream job, testing illegal drugs at a government lab. But facing intense pressure, Dookhan soon wades into criminal territory herself.
Annie Dookhan's colleagues suspect foul play, and begin a covert investigation of the lab's star chemist. To avoid scrutiny, Dookhan sets in motion a desperate ploy.
Annie Dookhan faces a day of reckoning. The Massachusetts criminal justice system is thrown into disarray.
Lindsay chats with David Farber, a historian who studies America's war on drugs. The two discuss the controversial origins of the decades-long campaign. And they look at some recent developments that may point to a different future.
Steven Cohen wants to escape his small life on Long Island. The destination in sight: Wall Street.
FBI Agent BJ Kang gets a promising tip from an informant. Mathew Martoma, a trader at SAC Capital, goes on a hunt for inside information.
The FBI builds its case against Steven Cohen. With his back against the wall, Cohen has to make a difficult decision.
Prosecutors race against the clock, as they prepare to go to trial. Two former SAC traders must decide whether to cooperate—or stay silent.
Should members of Congress be allowed to trade stocks? It's a question that legislators are debating right now, in the wake of a searing investigation from the publication Insider. In this interview, Lindsay chats with Dave Levinthal, Insider's deputy Washington Bureau chief. They discuss some of the shocking discoveries from Levinthal’s reporting. And they consider whether Congress might be willing to pass new, sweeping legislation.
President Nixon’s reelection campaign hatches a plan. It's dangerous and risky. But it could secure a victory in the upcoming election.
The Washington Post begins investigating a mysterious crime. President Nixon confronts a crisis.
Woodward and Bernstein uncover a shocking revelation about President Nixon's chief of staff. But when their story is published, the reporters find themselves backed into a corner.
A Senate hearing sets in motion a new crisis. With the cover-up unraveling, White House counsel John Dean takes matters into his own hands.
President Nixon fights the release of his secret tapes. But with the country thrust into a constitutional crisis, Nixon has to make a gut-wrenching decision.
In this interview, Lindsay sits down with Kathryn Olmsted, a historian who's written extensively about Watergate. The two discuss how Watergate was a turning point in American life. And Olmsted reveals why the scandal helped give rise to a new generation of conspiracy theories.
A devastating plague strikes a cattle farm in West Virginia. As he investigates the mystery, an attorney uncovers a secret that threatens a corporate empire.
Earl Tennant's case comes to a close. Robert Bilott faces an agonizing choice, as he confronts the magnitude of DuPont's pollution.
DuPont strikes back in court. As the battle intensifies, Robert Bilott faces a crisis that threatens his life.
Lindsay chats with Robert Bilott, the attorney who took on DuPont, and the author of the book "Exposure." The two discuss the dangerous chemicals that have found their way into consumer products. And they look at the steps the government is taking to protect our health.
Filmmaker Laura Poitras gets a tip from a mysterious informant. Despite the enormous risks, Poitras pursues the story, and teams up with reporter Glenn Greenwald.
Edward Snowden lands a job with the NSA. But when he stumbles on a shocking government secret, Snowden has to face a moral dilemma.
Laura Poitras and Glenn Greenwald prepare to break their story. Edward Snowden goes on the run.
Edward Snowden tries to flee to Ecuador. But the Obama administration counters with a surprise move, leaving Snowden trapped in Russia.
Matthew Guariglia is a historian who studies surveillance and policing. In this conversation with Lindsay, Guariglia argues that online platforms like Nextdoor have created a new form of mass surveillance, one that threatens local communities.
Fidel Castro seizes power in Cuba. President Kennedy authorizes a coup, but sets in motion an unexpected chain of events.
The Soviets stage a covert operation to distract the U.S. But an American spy plane makes a surprise discovery, and tensions quickly escalate.
The CIA discovers evidence of a growing threat in Cuba. President Kennedy plans a limited military response, in an effort to prevent war.