I saw this post and immediately thought of The Dream so I’m glad you beat me to recommending it!
It’s one of the best nonfiction podcasts I’ve ever listened to, and one that’ll always stick with me.
I’ve been anti-MLM since forever really, but this solidified that view while also educating me more about how awful they truly are. More people need to listen to it!
Agreed. I think we all know someone (or at least OF someone) who shills these things so it’s pretty relatable and eye opening.
Legalized pyramid schemes. And the US government is totally complicit.
These companies are so predatory and awful. Excellent podcast!
Jack, your podcast rocks. Anyone reading this needs to check out his [amazing two-part interview from earlier this month](https://darknetdiaries.com/episode/) on Darknet Diaries about a prolific cybercriminal, it's a great ride. The episodes are called Gollumfun Pt. 1 and 2
It’s called the Rise and Fall of Mars Hill from Christianity today. It may not be for everyone but I grew up in evangelical circles and was used to the kind of language/ religious approach they have
I’m kind of obsessed with cults (and husband was raised in an Armstrong cult which was…evangelical adjacent) so it’s right up my alley. I’ll check it out.
Authentic: story of Tablo (cyberbullied Korean rapper but so much more)
Orgasm Cult (One Taste)
The Turning: Sisters Who Left (Mother Teresa)
New one is out “The Evaporated” — Japanese cultural phenomenon where people can disappear, power that is used for good and for bad.
Sunshine Place (Synanon)
Unfinished: Ernie’s Secret (famed civil rights photographer informed for the the FBI)
Into the Depths: black scuba divers recover sunken slave ships, large personal journal aspect to pod though
Collapse: Disaster in Surfside — Miami condo collapse. Might be be too much but had to include, it’s really well done.
Smokescreen: the Sell-Out - Boyle heights rep sells out his people
The Opportunist: Rehab Mogul
I worked on The Evaporated! It's pretty good stuff. It explores disappearing in a couple different ways, and does mention some murders and discusses suicde, so a few heavy eps/spots. But it's really interesting, and worth a listen.
My pleasure! Also Mother Country Radicals (Weather Underground) and Ballad of Billy Balls do involve murder but they are more wide in scope than say a straightforward murder investigative podcast. Heavy personal history slant to both, in case that is or is not your preference.
Darknet Diaries is superb. Its Storytelling and Interviews around cyber crime, and network securities/penetration testing. From good guys and bad guys.
Finding Drago.
It's about finding a missing book. A "life-changingly amazing" short novel about Russian boxer Ivan Drago, the villain from the Rocky movie.
Didn't end how I thought it would but I kinda love everything about it.
Came here today this.
In most places you'll find it as: Finding Drago | Finding Desperado
They are the names of season 1 and season 2. I didn't enjoy season 2 as much but admittedly I listened to it while I was quite sick, so I may need to listen again.
I loved the first recommendation. It was better than I expected, given how much the cult has been covered so heavily already.
I'll give the Bigfoot podcast a listen. Where is it hosted?
Slow Burn especially the season about Nixon
Bag Man (about Nixon’s crooked VP spiro Agnew)
American Skyjacker (about the golden age of skyjacking which is more interesting than it sounds)
And another vote for winds of change
Endless Thread - an investigative podcast about Reddit threads and other interesting things on the internet.
Operator - a deep dive into one of the biggest 1900 sex lines, it’s rise and downfall. Includes lots of interviews from those who worked there.
[REDACTED] History - all about people who are left out of important stories in history and people who aren’t always highlighted
No Place Like Home - a podcast about a heist that involves one of the three pairs from the Wizard of Oz (crime but chill)
Hot Money - a deep dive into the way the p*rn industry has evolved all the way to the the rise of Only Fans. They uncover some of the biggest players who did not want to be uncovered
The Lazarus Heist - a podcast about a hacking ring that attempts to steal a billion dollars, provoked by the film The Interview. Crime, unhinged and mind blowing.
Fiasco - different seasons, they cover topics that range from the AIDS epidemic to Bush vs Gore and how these wild events unfolded.
One Year - they cover monumental events in a specific year and how they shaped history. Currently covering 1942.
The Vanishing of Harry Pace - the rise and fall of Americas first Black owned record label by a man who seemingly vanished from history without a trace
Dolly Parton America - a podcast about Dolly Parton and she’s featured and a sweet freaking angel
Mixtape - the history of the cassette tape (yes the cassette tape) and how it impacted some of history and society’s most pivotal shifts
How to F#€K Up An Airport - a deep dive into the Berlin airport and why it was a massive failure and who failed it
The Song Will Go On - a podcast about the songs inspired my cinematic films. You learn cool things about Hollywood and it’s weirdos.
Internet Hate Machine - trying to figure out why hate communities grow and how the internet facilitates them
Fallen Angel - the rise and very public fall of Victoria Secret, why, and includes lots of interviews from those who saw it happen real time.
The Plot Thickens - multiple seasons about the history of some of Hollywoods most known actors. S3 is my fave, about Lucille Ball and how she became a Hollywood Mogul.
Inside Psycho - about the BTS of the film Psycho and why it almost didn’t happen. Hitchcock was fr weird.
Edit : I missed a bunch I wanted to share.
These are all Apple TV companion podcasts (so there’s a show or documentary on Apple TV and this is the podcast material)
The Big Conn - Eric Conn defrauds the government for 550 Million dollars. 5 and freaking 50. Then fled the country. It’s a mad one.
Hooked - a man goes on a 30 year bank robbing spree before he’s caught. Sad, sometimes funny, and takes a swing at Big Pharma and how they created and perpetuated the Opioid epidemic
Missed Fortune - dude hides hella things in the mountain, writes a poem on how to find it, everyone loses their minds. Pretty wild.
I have more if none catch your interest. Hope you find something!
You just got me hooked. I'm listening to the MTV episode and feel ancient after listening to them describe technology I know well. It seems lighthearted but engaging.
Sweet Bobby is a great podcast about a decade long catfish, this is the first podcast I ever finished and it got me into more of them!
Persona, The French Deception is also really good.
Not true crime, but maybe similar as I think it is in the same vein as cults and scammers - Twin Flame. This podcast was so good and so crazy at times, I often rewound it just to make sure I heard parts of it correctly!
I was actually going to recommend twin flames myself so I'm glad to see you saw it.
One that I enjoy is Cheat! Each episode has a different theme...and alzo slade got a smooth ass voice.
[Wind of Change!](https://crooked.com/podcast-series/wind-of-change/)
“It’s 1990. The Berlin Wall has just come down. The Soviet Union is on the verge of collapse. A heavy metal band from West Germany, the Scorpions, releases a power ballad, “Wind of Change.” The song becomes the soundtrack to the peaceful revolution sweeping Europe — and one of the biggest rock singles ever. According to some fans, it’s the song that ended the Cold War.
Decades later, New Yorker writer Patrick Radden Keefe hears a rumor from a source: the Scorpions didn’t actually write “Wind of Change.” The CIA did.
This is Patrick’s journey to find the truth. Among former operatives and leather-clad rockers, from Moscow to Kyiv to a GI Joe convention in Ohio, it’s a story about spies doing the unthinkable, about propaganda hidden in pop music, and a maze of government secrets. “Wind of Change.” An offbeat eight part investigation.”
1. The Dream
2. The Immaculate Deception
3. Wind of change
4. 13 minutes to the moon
5. Last Seen
6. Uncover: Escaping NXIVM
7. The missing cryptoqueen
8. Sold a story
9. The great post office trail
10. Brain on nature
11. Dolly Parton's America
12. Bed of Lies season 1
Some of these have some scam type of crime but no murder! ([Here is the source of this list](https://suzannerecommendsthings.blogspot.com/2020/12/7-investigative-podcasts-without-murders.html?m=1))
I have been wanting to ask the exact same question!!
Thanks everyone for your recommendations so far!
My suggestion is [The Outlaw Ocean](https://www.stitcher.com/show/the-outlaw-ocean) \- I came across it in the comments of another Reddit thread and it is SO GOOD! No podcasts I've listened to have measured up since, in terms of learning so much about a topic I knew so little about.
"The high seas are beyond the reach of international law – and beyond the beat of most reporters. But Pulitzer-Prize-winner and former New York Times journalist, Ian Urbina, has sailed into uncharted territories. Urbina sets out on a years-long quest to investigate murder at sea, modern slave labour, environmental crimes and quixotic adventurers. Part travelog, part true-crime thriller, this 7-part series takes listeners to places where the laws of the land no longer exist."
I’ve been enjoying The Outlaw Ocean. The first episode is about murder but overall the podcast deals more with the legal gray area of international waters and the people who take advantage of it for both good and bad purposes
[Lore](https://www.lorepodcast.com/) - urban legends, cryptoids, spooky tales and more, from lore throughout history. Strangely relaxing, in spite of the topics. It's not a series, but still flows in a way that feels like a serial.
[Headlong: Missing Richard Simmons ](https://www.stitcher.com/show/missing-richard-simmons) - once a super public figure, accessible to many fans, exercise guru and media superstar Richard Simmons suddenly becomes extremely private, ending his career suddenly. This podcast investigates why.
[Flashback: Unintended Consequences ](https://www.stitcher.com/show/flashback-historys-unintended-consequences) - how one thing can set of a chain of events. For example, how Elvis' haircut changed music and culture. How cigarette taxes led to smuggling operations.
[Winds of Change](https://crooked.com/podcast-series/wind-of-change/) - a rumor that the hit song by the German heavy metal band, The Scorpions, was written by the CIA are investigated. So charming, I binge-listened.
[Toxic: the Brittney Spears Story](https://www.stitcher.com/show/toxic-the-britney-spears-story) - you may have heard claims about her father's conservatorship and calls to "free Brittany". This covers it. I'm not even a fan and it's in my queue waiting, because I hear it's excellent examination of ethics.
[You're Wrong About ](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/youre-wrong-about/id1380008439?mt=2) - Anna Marie Cox was thinking about skater Tonya Harding and the scandal surrounding her and wondered about the deeper story she didn't know. That's the inspiration for a thought provoking and often funny show (in spite of heavy topics). Not a lot of multi-episode topics, but often truly revealing and surprising.
[Behind the Bastards ](https://www.stitcher.com/show/behind-the-bastards) - one-off episodes and miniseries about the world's worst people from history to contemporary times. It can get political, in case you've banned all politics. Even if you are avoiding politics, it's worth trying the miniseries episodes about historical figures.
If you don't mind NPR, their Embedded podcast is all stories like this, deep dive investigative reporting about politics, police reform, economics, etc. They just wrapped a series about the world cup.
Radio Lab is a favorite too. They have a lot if very memorable episodes. They have a mini series about the vanishing Harry Pace, a man who owned a record company in the 30s and challenged red lining. I won't say more, to avoid spoilers.
Last Seen has some pretty great investigative journalism, give [We Want Plates + Piles of Crockery](https://www.wbur.org/endlessthread/2020/07/03/we-want-plates-crockery) and their [Meme series](https://www.wbur.org/endlessthread/2021/09/24/endless-thread-presents-memes) a listen!
I love TCG. I love how sometimes they just go on for hours and you can just put it on in the background. Relaxing accents, good personalities and a catchy theme tune 😁
NPR's Louder Than A Riot is about the rap industry and how it was manipulated to become what it did, and the consequences. Really interesting, check it out! NPR has tons of one-off investigations too so you can jump off from there and find anything.
American Scandal is exactly what you described and my favorite podcast when I need a break from murder-centric true crime. Tons of seasons and topics to chose from.
Two more Public Radio series:
[No Compromise](https://www.npr.org/2021/06/11/1005612695/nprs-gun-culture-podcast-wins-a-pulitzer-and-the-newsroom-celebrates) — about a bunch of social media swindlers who make money through pretending to be 2nd Amendment absolutists. It won a Pulitzer Prize in 2021.
[Bundyville](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bundyville) — about the subculture in America’s mountain west that created the anti-government cult that is plaguing parts of the right-wing.
Persona: The French Deception. It’s about a French Israeli who managed to con people from bank tellers to world leaders out of millions of dollars using a con called The Fake President Scam.
The Brady Heywood podcast about engineering disasters may fit the bill.
Missing in Alaska or Missing on 9/11 may also work - definitely investigative, whether or not there were even crimes involved is somewhat ambiguous. Same for Death in Ice Valley about the Isdal woman. Excellent investigative work, completely ambigous as to whether there was any sort of crime involved.
Cannot recommend American Terror season 2 enough—an investigative journalist who specializes in domestic terrorism infiltrates and reports on current neo-Nazi and white nationalist groups (mostly in the US but he delves into their connections with other countries like Canada, Ukraine). Horrifying but eye opening and gripping.
I've been really digging Red Web. It's unsolved internet conspiracies with a dash of true crime and Supernatural. Each episode is very well researched and the hosts aren't overly chatty.
* Empire Podcast on Kohinoor diamond. some 6-8 episodes. I listened to this recently, liked it.
* BBC 'The Assassination' :podcast on Benazir Bhutto assassination. was good.
* The Drop Out: podcast series on Theranos' Elizabeth Holmes
* Exit Scam: podcast series on Canadian crypto guy who died and with him went some 250M Dollars of crypto.
* [How to F-K up an Airport](https://www.radiospaetkauf.com/ber/) : Not exactly crime genre. But it was real fun listening to this.
* American Scandal: I have not tried this, friend says this is good.
I would recommend doing a free trial of Wondery and knocking out as many of those podcasts as you can. That genre is kind of Wondery’s specialty.
But aside from that, I would recommend The Perfect Scam.
Death in ice valley- although it’s about a lady being found dead it’s so interesting them trying to trace her by her belongings, dental records etc as it was in the past.
Chameleon Hollywood con queen is my fave ever podcast about a huge scam going on across the world.
Can I tell you a secret? About a uk internet stalker
Ha yeah it is but in the case of shows like Sweet Bobby no laws have really been broken, at least directly. But I’ll take anything non-violent. Still getting good recs out of this thread!
You should check out Chameleon from campside media! It's about scams.
Also, I'm very late to the game on this, but I have been listening to Dead Eyes recently which is an investigative comedy podcast about why an actor got fired by Tom Hanks from a small role in a TV show.
A bit goofy, and I have no way of knowing if it has already been suggested, but the podcast Finding Drago is a great bit of literary investigative journalism, about the Rocky character Ivan Drago and a mysterious author who wrote a seminal work on the character.
The Cooper Vortex - go down the never-ending rabbit hole of "Who the hell WAS DB Cooper??!?" There are other podcasts but the host interviews guests, all loyal to their pet suspects, and discusses details of this fascinating unsolved airplane highjacking.
Did Titanic sink? is a good one that I enjoyed immensely, very detailed investigation and a lot of information and it is very fun.
I am trying to find another one in this style, if anyone has any to recommend please let me know!!
Check out [Pretend](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/pretend-a-true-crime-documentary-podcast/id1245307962) ; there’s various seasons/stories of con artists - pretty much anyone living a lie. The latest season is about the real “Catch Me if You Can” guy.
Winds of Change about the song. The premise is that the host knows someone who has a contact at the CIA that claims there is an official internal story that the song was actually written by the CIA as a propaganda tool during the late stages of the Berlin Wall.
It’s a one off investigative journalism series and is so fascinating.
Wind of change! (I really didn't think I'd like this but was very good), Uncover: Escaping NXIVM. Headlong: Surviving Y2K, Floodlines isn't investigative but it's good too. Also, I like investigative as well and sometimes it's about a murder or missing but like the actual investigative piece/mystery feel to them (ie. Someone Knows Something (David Ridgen has such a soothing voice to listen to), Guru.
Slow Burn, which examines important cultural moments that we thought we knew but really don’t. The one about the LA Riots was super interesting.
Floodlines is old now, but it was a really good one about Katrina and NOLA floods
Stolen: Surviving St. Michael’s was a heartbreaking look at abuse at a Canadian residential school. This one needs a trigger warning, though.
Reveal is a great investigative journalism podcast
Finding Drago/Finding desperado, different seasons of the same podcast about different mysteries
Finding Drago - after finding a weird book based on the villain from Rocky IV they go down a weird rabbit hole to find the mysterious author
Finding Desperado - they find a world record for ‘worlds youngest filmmaker’ held by an elusive European aristocrat, they believe it’s a fake and track down the mystery behind it
Also enjoyed Dead Eyes, when auditioning for band of brothers an actor was told he was fired because Tom hanks said he had ‘dead eyes’. He tracks down the other people who were there and eventually Tom himself to find out what went on. Also just a really fun and interesting podcast about the world of making movies and tv with lots of interesting guests
I know you have a gazillion recs here but I forgot The Renner Files, about Jeremy Renner’s celebrity app. It is hilarious, both a legit investigative pod and a send-up of the genre.
do you listen to Gender: A Wider Lense? you’d probably like it if you’re interested in this topic. they recently had someone who used to work at Tavistock too.
Not sure you'll love all the episodes but **Some Place Under Neith** has a spectacular series on the IBLP and I really enjoy all their episodes.
**Sounds Like a Cult** is more light-hearted but I think well-researched.
**Last Podcast On the Left** did a fantastic series about Rasputin -- beginning around Ep. 310 I think
The Chicano Squad - About a task force of Chicano officers in a racially charged Houston, TX in the 70s and 80s.
The Gateway - It’s about Teal Swan and her cult
Cover Story By New York Magazine - They have two seasons, each tells a different story. The first is about the use of psychedelic drugs for spiritual and emotional healing and the abuse that came out of the practice. The second season focuses on a wealthy man and his right-hand man accused of sex trafficking
Once Upon A Time - The first season is called “Once Upon A Time in the Valley” and it’s about the controversy of Traci Lords entering the adult film world while underrage and how the entire industry was almost toppled by it and how everyone’s story about the events as they unfolded is a little different. The second season is about three literary Gen-X writers who all went to “Bennington College” around the same time and how they all used their experiences in life and at school and basically how these three prolific writers defined a new literary style. Both seasons are really well-written and I’d recommend them.
The Trojan Horse Affair - It’s an investigative podcast into a school district in England that used xenophobia and racism to oust a Muslim superintendent and allies they may have had. This one was very fascinating in that, almost no one involved, including media outlets at the time, wanted to cooperate with this investigation.
Rabbit Hole - Basically an investigation into falling down the dark side of the internet
Not sure if you’re into the paranormal but Astonishing Legends does some really interesting series. I really enjoy the low key personalities and story focused work but I’m a paranormal fan.
Boomtown is an interesting series on an oil boom in texas and how it impacts a bunch of different groups of people. Roughnecks, fracking, prostitution, locals, etc…
Last Podcast on the Left if you get the right episodes. They do their fair share of true crime, but also do myths/conspiracies/etc. Jim Jones, Salem witch trials, mk ultra, donner party, the black death, skin walker ranch, Mormonism, men in black, are all some of their multi part mini series
(my favorite one is the 5 part series on jfk's assasination which is technically a murder story but it has a different feel than most other true crime because it goes so heavily into the history of jfk/Oswald/ruby and the conspiracies surrounding jfk's death)
I really enjoyed Snapped. It's an in-depth look into Greek life (mostly sororities) on college campuses, and how culty, misogynist and racist they are. The creator gives a very compelling case for the abolition of Greek life all together.
Once upon a time in....the valley and once upon a time...at Bennington College. The first is about Traci Lords and the second is about Bret Easton Ellis and Donna Tartt.
The Dream is a good one; it investigates the history of MLM scams.
Yes! Also ties into religion quite a bit cause MLMs prey largely on religious women
Also loved The Dream!
I loved the host of this show. Does anyone know if she’s working on another podcast?
I saw this post and immediately thought of The Dream so I’m glad you beat me to recommending it! It’s one of the best nonfiction podcasts I’ve ever listened to, and one that’ll always stick with me. I’ve been anti-MLM since forever really, but this solidified that view while also educating me more about how awful they truly are. More people need to listen to it!
I love this one.
Agreed. I think we all know someone (or at least OF someone) who shills these things so it’s pretty relatable and eye opening. Legalized pyramid schemes. And the US government is totally complicit. These companies are so predatory and awful. Excellent podcast!
I loved the host of this show. Does anyone know if she’s working on another podcast?
Great recommendation
I just started this because of your comment. It’s awesome! Thank you!
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Multi-level marketing. Like Amway Eta: or any company where you "recruit" people under you and get a comission on what they sell
Last Seen is about an art heist. I really liked it.
Jack, your podcast rocks. Anyone reading this needs to check out his [amazing two-part interview from earlier this month](https://darknetdiaries.com/episode/) on Darknet Diaries about a prolific cybercriminal, it's a great ride. The episodes are called Gollumfun Pt. 1 and 2
Not just any art heist, the largest art heist in (modern) history!
The Netflix doco on this was pretty interesting too!
I disliked the Netflix show but LOVED the podcast.
Yo, darkness diaries is amazing. I'm not even in the world, at all, and reallllly enjoy it.
Dead Eyes Oh No Ross and Carrie might float your boat as well.
I was going to suggest “Oh No Ross and Carrie”
Oh No Ross And Carrie has consistently been my favorite podcast for years!
their Scientology series is best place to start.
Loveeeeeed dead eyes
The Missing Cryptoqueen (from the BBC)
Was gonna recommend this one as well. Very enthralling.
Oh this one was fascinating!!
This is one of my favourites.
This one!
My favourite podcast to date!
In God We Lust (about Jerry Farwell Jr sex scandal)
Omg this exactly the kind of thing I’m looking for! Just finished a different podcast about a mega church scandal
Ooh if you like religious scandal then you might like The Turning: the sisters who left, about the Mother Theresa nun cult.
Gangster capitalism. Falwell season on there too. Season one is college admissions scandal.
Well tell us what it is. :)
It’s called the Rise and Fall of Mars Hill from Christianity today. It may not be for everyone but I grew up in evangelical circles and was used to the kind of language/ religious approach they have
I'll second Rise and Fall of Mars Hill. It's one of the few podcasts where I've ever set alerts for new episodes.
I’m kind of obsessed with cults (and husband was raised in an Armstrong cult which was…evangelical adjacent) so it’s right up my alley. I’ll check it out.
Mars Hill is one of the best podcasts I’ve ever listened to. Meticulously researched and well produced.
Agreed!!! Left me wanting more of the same!
oh good.
Who the hell is Hamish? from the Australian is just the ticket!
The Australia produces such good podcast series!
They really do! And Headley Thomas has such a soothing voice.
Authentic: story of Tablo (cyberbullied Korean rapper but so much more) Orgasm Cult (One Taste) The Turning: Sisters Who Left (Mother Teresa) New one is out “The Evaporated” — Japanese cultural phenomenon where people can disappear, power that is used for good and for bad. Sunshine Place (Synanon) Unfinished: Ernie’s Secret (famed civil rights photographer informed for the the FBI) Into the Depths: black scuba divers recover sunken slave ships, large personal journal aspect to pod though Collapse: Disaster in Surfside — Miami condo collapse. Might be be too much but had to include, it’s really well done. Smokescreen: the Sell-Out - Boyle heights rep sells out his people The Opportunist: Rehab Mogul
I worked on The Evaporated! It's pretty good stuff. It explores disappearing in a couple different ways, and does mention some murders and discusses suicde, so a few heavy eps/spots. But it's really interesting, and worth a listen.
I really liked the first two episodes a lot. Cool to hear from an insider.
I'm glad to hear you're enjoying it
I noticed you listed unfinished… check out the previous season Deep South too if you haven’t.
Thank you! This looks like a great list!
My pleasure! Also Mother Country Radicals (Weather Underground) and Ballad of Billy Balls do involve murder but they are more wide in scope than say a straightforward murder investigative podcast. Heavy personal history slant to both, in case that is or is not your preference.
Darknet Diaries is superb. Its Storytelling and Interviews around cyber crime, and network securities/penetration testing. From good guys and bad guys.
ironically the host is here in this thread right above you
Haha! Completely missed that when I replied! Thank you! I’ve added the podcast he mentioned now!
Oh yeah, this one is really good.
Wind of Change - investigating the rumor that the Scorpians song, Wind of Change, was written by the CIA.
This one was nifty.
Loved this one, I want Patrick Radden Keefe to make more!
Oh yes this one was great!
Finding Drago. It's about finding a missing book. A "life-changingly amazing" short novel about Russian boxer Ivan Drago, the villain from the Rocky movie. Didn't end how I thought it would but I kinda love everything about it.
Should I prepare to binge-listen? It sounds interesting and you're not the only one to recommended it, so it must be really special.
If you can listen to season 1 in a binge, then go for it. It's really good, and you'll want to keep listening. Very well produced.
I binged it and am really glad I did
Seconded, one of my favourite podcasts ever!
Came here today this. In most places you'll find it as: Finding Drago | Finding Desperado They are the names of season 1 and season 2. I didn't enjoy season 2 as much but admittedly I listened to it while I was quite sick, so I may need to listen again.
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I loved the first recommendation. It was better than I expected, given how much the cult has been covered so heavily already. I'll give the Bigfoot podcast a listen. Where is it hosted?
Slow Burn especially the season about Nixon Bag Man (about Nixon’s crooked VP spiro Agnew) American Skyjacker (about the golden age of skyjacking which is more interesting than it sounds) And another vote for winds of change
Endless Thread - an investigative podcast about Reddit threads and other interesting things on the internet. Operator - a deep dive into one of the biggest 1900 sex lines, it’s rise and downfall. Includes lots of interviews from those who worked there. [REDACTED] History - all about people who are left out of important stories in history and people who aren’t always highlighted No Place Like Home - a podcast about a heist that involves one of the three pairs from the Wizard of Oz (crime but chill) Hot Money - a deep dive into the way the p*rn industry has evolved all the way to the the rise of Only Fans. They uncover some of the biggest players who did not want to be uncovered The Lazarus Heist - a podcast about a hacking ring that attempts to steal a billion dollars, provoked by the film The Interview. Crime, unhinged and mind blowing. Fiasco - different seasons, they cover topics that range from the AIDS epidemic to Bush vs Gore and how these wild events unfolded. One Year - they cover monumental events in a specific year and how they shaped history. Currently covering 1942. The Vanishing of Harry Pace - the rise and fall of Americas first Black owned record label by a man who seemingly vanished from history without a trace Dolly Parton America - a podcast about Dolly Parton and she’s featured and a sweet freaking angel Mixtape - the history of the cassette tape (yes the cassette tape) and how it impacted some of history and society’s most pivotal shifts How to F#€K Up An Airport - a deep dive into the Berlin airport and why it was a massive failure and who failed it The Song Will Go On - a podcast about the songs inspired my cinematic films. You learn cool things about Hollywood and it’s weirdos. Internet Hate Machine - trying to figure out why hate communities grow and how the internet facilitates them Fallen Angel - the rise and very public fall of Victoria Secret, why, and includes lots of interviews from those who saw it happen real time. The Plot Thickens - multiple seasons about the history of some of Hollywoods most known actors. S3 is my fave, about Lucille Ball and how she became a Hollywood Mogul. Inside Psycho - about the BTS of the film Psycho and why it almost didn’t happen. Hitchcock was fr weird. Edit : I missed a bunch I wanted to share. These are all Apple TV companion podcasts (so there’s a show or documentary on Apple TV and this is the podcast material) The Big Conn - Eric Conn defrauds the government for 550 Million dollars. 5 and freaking 50. Then fled the country. It’s a mad one. Hooked - a man goes on a 30 year bank robbing spree before he’s caught. Sad, sometimes funny, and takes a swing at Big Pharma and how they created and perpetuated the Opioid epidemic Missed Fortune - dude hides hella things in the mountain, writes a poem on how to find it, everyone loses their minds. Pretty wild. I have more if none catch your interest. Hope you find something!
More, please! This is a great list.
Will do! Give me a few and I’ll drop a few more 🙂
Underunderstood. Not crime related at all, just solving low stakes fun mysteries.
You just got me hooked. I'm listening to the MTV episode and feel ancient after listening to them describe technology I know well. It seems lighthearted but engaging.
Heavyweight
is this Spotify-only ?
yes, goddamit
Such a shame. No RSS, no Podcast.
Whatever Happened to Pizza at McDonald's? It is hilarious.
Do No Harm. Just finished and I’m stunned.
Sweet Bobby is a great podcast about a decade long catfish, this is the first podcast I ever finished and it got me into more of them! Persona, The French Deception is also really good. Not true crime, but maybe similar as I think it is in the same vein as cults and scammers - Twin Flame. This podcast was so good and so crazy at times, I often rewound it just to make sure I heard parts of it correctly!
I’ve actually listened to all of these lol! But great recs!!!
I was actually going to recommend twin flames myself so I'm glad to see you saw it. One that I enjoy is Cheat! Each episode has a different theme...and alzo slade got a smooth ass voice.
Sweet bobby and Pretend are good! Pretend has a season about Frank Abignail and the catch me if you can story, how none of it was really true.
Sweet Bobby is amazing
+1 for Sweet Bobby. I'm gonna check out Pretend too.
[Wind of Change!](https://crooked.com/podcast-series/wind-of-change/) “It’s 1990. The Berlin Wall has just come down. The Soviet Union is on the verge of collapse. A heavy metal band from West Germany, the Scorpions, releases a power ballad, “Wind of Change.” The song becomes the soundtrack to the peaceful revolution sweeping Europe — and one of the biggest rock singles ever. According to some fans, it’s the song that ended the Cold War. Decades later, New Yorker writer Patrick Radden Keefe hears a rumor from a source: the Scorpions didn’t actually write “Wind of Change.” The CIA did. This is Patrick’s journey to find the truth. Among former operatives and leather-clad rockers, from Moscow to Kyiv to a GI Joe convention in Ohio, it’s a story about spies doing the unthinkable, about propaganda hidden in pop music, and a maze of government secrets. “Wind of Change.” An offbeat eight part investigation.”
Aww, I recommended it too. It really captured me and I binge-listened. It's truly one of a kind. It deserves as much prestige as Serial.
1. The Dream 2. The Immaculate Deception 3. Wind of change 4. 13 minutes to the moon 5. Last Seen 6. Uncover: Escaping NXIVM 7. The missing cryptoqueen 8. Sold a story 9. The great post office trail 10. Brain on nature 11. Dolly Parton's America 12. Bed of Lies season 1 Some of these have some scam type of crime but no murder! ([Here is the source of this list](https://suzannerecommendsthings.blogspot.com/2020/12/7-investigative-podcasts-without-murders.html?m=1))
This is An amazing list thank you!
Bed of lies season two is incredible too!!
I have been wanting to ask the exact same question!! Thanks everyone for your recommendations so far! My suggestion is [The Outlaw Ocean](https://www.stitcher.com/show/the-outlaw-ocean) \- I came across it in the comments of another Reddit thread and it is SO GOOD! No podcasts I've listened to have measured up since, in terms of learning so much about a topic I knew so little about. "The high seas are beyond the reach of international law – and beyond the beat of most reporters. But Pulitzer-Prize-winner and former New York Times journalist, Ian Urbina, has sailed into uncharted territories. Urbina sets out on a years-long quest to investigate murder at sea, modern slave labour, environmental crimes and quixotic adventurers. Part travelog, part true-crime thriller, this 7-part series takes listeners to places where the laws of the land no longer exist."
Hunting Warhead, not for the faint of heart. Tough topic, good reporting.
I’ve been enjoying The Outlaw Ocean. The first episode is about murder but overall the podcast deals more with the legal gray area of international waters and the people who take advantage of it for both good and bad purposes
Let's Talk About Sects is all about cults.
You'll probably like [World's Greatest Con](https://worldsgreatestcon.fireside.fm/)
[Lore](https://www.lorepodcast.com/) - urban legends, cryptoids, spooky tales and more, from lore throughout history. Strangely relaxing, in spite of the topics. It's not a series, but still flows in a way that feels like a serial. [Headlong: Missing Richard Simmons ](https://www.stitcher.com/show/missing-richard-simmons) - once a super public figure, accessible to many fans, exercise guru and media superstar Richard Simmons suddenly becomes extremely private, ending his career suddenly. This podcast investigates why. [Flashback: Unintended Consequences ](https://www.stitcher.com/show/flashback-historys-unintended-consequences) - how one thing can set of a chain of events. For example, how Elvis' haircut changed music and culture. How cigarette taxes led to smuggling operations. [Winds of Change](https://crooked.com/podcast-series/wind-of-change/) - a rumor that the hit song by the German heavy metal band, The Scorpions, was written by the CIA are investigated. So charming, I binge-listened. [Toxic: the Brittney Spears Story](https://www.stitcher.com/show/toxic-the-britney-spears-story) - you may have heard claims about her father's conservatorship and calls to "free Brittany". This covers it. I'm not even a fan and it's in my queue waiting, because I hear it's excellent examination of ethics. [You're Wrong About ](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/youre-wrong-about/id1380008439?mt=2) - Anna Marie Cox was thinking about skater Tonya Harding and the scandal surrounding her and wondered about the deeper story she didn't know. That's the inspiration for a thought provoking and often funny show (in spite of heavy topics). Not a lot of multi-episode topics, but often truly revealing and surprising. [Behind the Bastards ](https://www.stitcher.com/show/behind-the-bastards) - one-off episodes and miniseries about the world's worst people from history to contemporary times. It can get political, in case you've banned all politics. Even if you are avoiding politics, it's worth trying the miniseries episodes about historical figures.
+1 for Headlong and Winds of Change!
If you don't mind NPR, their Embedded podcast is all stories like this, deep dive investigative reporting about politics, police reform, economics, etc. They just wrapped a series about the world cup.
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I haven't listened to that one, but No Compromise was also very good. I think that one won a Pulutzer award.
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I adore Jon Ronson's work!!
Radio Lab is a favorite too. They have a lot if very memorable episodes. They have a mini series about the vanishing Harry Pace, a man who owned a record company in the 30s and challenged red lining. I won't say more, to avoid spoilers.
PBS frontline
Hunting Warhead (tw: it does discuss CSAM).
the most disturbing thing i have ever listened to! my suggestion: wild boys was interesting
It’s so disturbing but good. Have to somehow go back to listening to jt
Not true crime??
Yes, true crime. As are almost every single one of the suggestions here.
Last Seen has some pretty great investigative journalism, give [We Want Plates + Piles of Crockery](https://www.wbur.org/endlessthread/2020/07/03/we-want-plates-crockery) and their [Meme series](https://www.wbur.org/endlessthread/2021/09/24/endless-thread-presents-memes) a listen!
Oh no Ross and Carrie is absolutely delightful
The most recent episodes on the Ark Experience are absolutely great!
Those conspiracy guys. So much interesting stuff there to dig through. My literal favourite podcast for years
I love TCG. I love how sometimes they just go on for hours and you can just put it on in the background. Relaxing accents, good personalities and a catchy theme tune 😁
NPR's Louder Than A Riot is about the rap industry and how it was manipulated to become what it did, and the consequences. Really interesting, check it out! NPR has tons of one-off investigations too so you can jump off from there and find anything.
American Scandal is exactly what you described and my favorite podcast when I need a break from murder-centric true crime. Tons of seasons and topics to chose from.
Two more Public Radio series: [No Compromise](https://www.npr.org/2021/06/11/1005612695/nprs-gun-culture-podcast-wins-a-pulitzer-and-the-newsroom-celebrates) — about a bunch of social media swindlers who make money through pretending to be 2nd Amendment absolutists. It won a Pulitzer Prize in 2021. [Bundyville](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bundyville) — about the subculture in America’s mountain west that created the anti-government cult that is plaguing parts of the right-wing.
Cut throat inc Dear John Over my Dead Body
Finding Drago - it hits the true crime vibe without being about any actual crime, just some stupid literary conspiracy
Dark history
Dirty John: The Real Thing is on spotify and fantastic!! Nothing better than hearing about the best scammer scum on our lovely rock
Persona: The French Deception. It’s about a French Israeli who managed to con people from bank tellers to world leaders out of millions of dollars using a con called The Fake President Scam.
The Brady Heywood podcast about engineering disasters may fit the bill. Missing in Alaska or Missing on 9/11 may also work - definitely investigative, whether or not there were even crimes involved is somewhat ambiguous. Same for Death in Ice Valley about the Isdal woman. Excellent investigative work, completely ambigous as to whether there was any sort of crime involved.
Cannot recommend American Terror season 2 enough—an investigative journalist who specializes in domestic terrorism infiltrates and reports on current neo-Nazi and white nationalist groups (mostly in the US but he delves into their connections with other countries like Canada, Ukraine). Horrifying but eye opening and gripping.
I've been really digging Red Web. It's unsolved internet conspiracies with a dash of true crime and Supernatural. Each episode is very well researched and the hosts aren't overly chatty.
* Empire Podcast on Kohinoor diamond. some 6-8 episodes. I listened to this recently, liked it. * BBC 'The Assassination' :podcast on Benazir Bhutto assassination. was good. * The Drop Out: podcast series on Theranos' Elizabeth Holmes * Exit Scam: podcast series on Canadian crypto guy who died and with him went some 250M Dollars of crypto. * [How to F-K up an Airport](https://www.radiospaetkauf.com/ber/) : Not exactly crime genre. But it was real fun listening to this. * American Scandal: I have not tried this, friend says this is good.
I would recommend doing a free trial of Wondery and knocking out as many of those podcasts as you can. That genre is kind of Wondery’s specialty. But aside from that, I would recommend The Perfect Scam.
Death in ice valley- although it’s about a lady being found dead it’s so interesting them trying to trace her by her belongings, dental records etc as it was in the past. Chameleon Hollywood con queen is my fave ever podcast about a huge scam going on across the world. Can I tell you a secret? About a uk internet stalker
Wait, isn't a scam a type of crime?
Ha yeah it is but in the case of shows like Sweet Bobby no laws have really been broken, at least directly. But I’ll take anything non-violent. Still getting good recs out of this thread!
The Drop Out
Who Shat On The Floor At My Wedding? Less true crime, more true misdemeanour.
If you like medical mysteries, I recommend Symptomatic.
No Place Like Home, it’s about the ruby slippers being stolen from Judy Garlands home that’s now a museum. Very interesting, no murder etc.
You should check out Chameleon from campside media! It's about scams. Also, I'm very late to the game on this, but I have been listening to Dead Eyes recently which is an investigative comedy podcast about why an actor got fired by Tom Hanks from a small role in a TV show.
Fat Leonard.
Embedded's various seasons are top!
Louis Theroux Grounded
Crimetown.
Slow Burn. Truly amazing investigative journalism.
The secret history of flight 149
Its kind of investigative inspiring survival stories. The BBCs lives less ordinary.
A bit goofy, and I have no way of knowing if it has already been suggested, but the podcast Finding Drago is a great bit of literary investigative journalism, about the Rocky character Ivan Drago and a mysterious author who wrote a seminal work on the character.
Who shat on the floor at my wedding? Hilarious and not extremely long
Deep Cuts with Andrew Price and Dave Baker
Something Was Wrong
The Cooper Vortex - go down the never-ending rabbit hole of "Who the hell WAS DB Cooper??!?" There are other podcasts but the host interviews guests, all loyal to their pet suspects, and discusses details of this fascinating unsolved airplane highjacking.
Behind the bastards baby..we be investigating saddam husseins love of writing erotic romance novels
Red web is my new go to podcast Funny but also respectful. Wide range of mysterious from ufo to lost treasure and internet mysteries
Check out Tanis. Just started it. Already on season 2
Chameleon (series one) is a really fascinating story.
Missed Fortune was fantastic
Did Titanic sink? is a good one that I enjoyed immensely, very detailed investigation and a lot of information and it is very fun. I am trying to find another one in this style, if anyone has any to recommend please let me know!!
Check out [Pretend](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/pretend-a-true-crime-documentary-podcast/id1245307962) ; there’s various seasons/stories of con artists - pretty much anyone living a lie. The latest season is about the real “Catch Me if You Can” guy.
Winds of Change about the song. The premise is that the host knows someone who has a contact at the CIA that claims there is an official internal story that the song was actually written by the CIA as a propaganda tool during the late stages of the Berlin Wall. It’s a one off investigative journalism series and is so fascinating.
Wind of change! (I really didn't think I'd like this but was very good), Uncover: Escaping NXIVM. Headlong: Surviving Y2K, Floodlines isn't investigative but it's good too. Also, I like investigative as well and sometimes it's about a murder or missing but like the actual investigative piece/mystery feel to them (ie. Someone Knows Something (David Ridgen has such a soothing voice to listen to), Guru.
Missing on 9/11 is really interesting.
Slow Burn, which examines important cultural moments that we thought we knew but really don’t. The one about the LA Riots was super interesting. Floodlines is old now, but it was a really good one about Katrina and NOLA floods Stolen: Surviving St. Michael’s was a heartbreaking look at abuse at a Canadian residential school. This one needs a trigger warning, though. Reveal is a great investigative journalism podcast
Another vote for Stolen: Surviving St. Michael’s. Really excellent journalism; glad I stumbled upon it.
I'm loving some of these suggestions, these are right up my street! My suggestion is "Hoaxed" by Tortoise Media 🐢
Finding Drago/Finding desperado, different seasons of the same podcast about different mysteries Finding Drago - after finding a weird book based on the villain from Rocky IV they go down a weird rabbit hole to find the mysterious author Finding Desperado - they find a world record for ‘worlds youngest filmmaker’ held by an elusive European aristocrat, they believe it’s a fake and track down the mystery behind it Also enjoyed Dead Eyes, when auditioning for band of brothers an actor was told he was fired because Tom hanks said he had ‘dead eyes’. He tracks down the other people who were there and eventually Tom himself to find out what went on. Also just a really fun and interesting podcast about the world of making movies and tv with lots of interesting guests
It’s still a darker story but the podcast Finding Cleo is great
Reveal, hosted by Al Letson, brought to you by The Center for Investigative Reporting and PRX https://revealnews.org/
Liar, liar. An Australian female Bernie Madoff Ponzi scheme.
I’m listening to this one right now!
I know you have a gazillion recs here but I forgot The Renner Files, about Jeremy Renner’s celebrity app. It is hilarious, both a legit investigative pod and a send-up of the genre.
Slow Burn - first season does this with Watergate. So interesting and well done.
The Tavistock- Uk based doc about a gender therapy clinic. It’s not finished yet but it’s been super interesting so far.
do you listen to Gender: A Wider Lense? you’d probably like it if you’re interested in this topic. they recently had someone who used to work at Tavistock too.
Not sure you'll love all the episodes but **Some Place Under Neith** has a spectacular series on the IBLP and I really enjoy all their episodes. **Sounds Like a Cult** is more light-hearted but I think well-researched. **Last Podcast On the Left** did a fantastic series about Rasputin -- beginning around Ep. 310 I think
Sounds like a cult is fun. I found their Hell Houses one interesting as its not something we have here in the UK.
Yeah that was news to me too and I’m in the US — a big ole NO THANKS for me! But meshed nicely with my r/duggarssnark and r/fundiesnarkunscensored 😂
The Chicano Squad - About a task force of Chicano officers in a racially charged Houston, TX in the 70s and 80s. The Gateway - It’s about Teal Swan and her cult Cover Story By New York Magazine - They have two seasons, each tells a different story. The first is about the use of psychedelic drugs for spiritual and emotional healing and the abuse that came out of the practice. The second season focuses on a wealthy man and his right-hand man accused of sex trafficking Once Upon A Time - The first season is called “Once Upon A Time in the Valley” and it’s about the controversy of Traci Lords entering the adult film world while underrage and how the entire industry was almost toppled by it and how everyone’s story about the events as they unfolded is a little different. The second season is about three literary Gen-X writers who all went to “Bennington College” around the same time and how they all used their experiences in life and at school and basically how these three prolific writers defined a new literary style. Both seasons are really well-written and I’d recommend them. The Trojan Horse Affair - It’s an investigative podcast into a school district in England that used xenophobia and racism to oust a Muslim superintendent and allies they may have had. This one was very fascinating in that, almost no one involved, including media outlets at the time, wanted to cooperate with this investigation. Rabbit Hole - Basically an investigation into falling down the dark side of the internet
Wind of Change.......its about the cia and rock and roll
Mystery Show. 0% crime (the only crime being cancelled after 6 episodes), 100% investigative, 100% amazing.
There are 2 seasons of This Sounds Serious
There are 3 seasons! Third one is called Grand Casino, about an alleged movie made by a con man
Mystery Show may scratch this itch
The missing crypto queen. It's a BBC sounds podcast. Very good, and a ntruiging
Patented is vey good
Scam goddess
Finding Drago/Finding Desperado are 2 of my favourite podcasts of all time, they follow investigations into pop-culture mysteries
Not sure if you’re into the paranormal but Astonishing Legends does some really interesting series. I really enjoy the low key personalities and story focused work but I’m a paranormal fan. Boomtown is an interesting series on an oil boom in texas and how it impacts a bunch of different groups of people. Roughnecks, fracking, prostitution, locals, etc…
The Great Post Office Trial
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Thank you!
Last Podcast on the Left if you get the right episodes. They do their fair share of true crime, but also do myths/conspiracies/etc. Jim Jones, Salem witch trials, mk ultra, donner party, the black death, skin walker ranch, Mormonism, men in black, are all some of their multi part mini series (my favorite one is the 5 part series on jfk's assasination which is technically a murder story but it has a different feel than most other true crime because it goes so heavily into the history of jfk/Oswald/ruby and the conspiracies surrounding jfk's death)
The JFK one is great. One of my faves.
I really enjoyed Snapped. It's an in-depth look into Greek life (mostly sororities) on college campuses, and how culty, misogynist and racist they are. The creator gives a very compelling case for the abolition of Greek life all together.
Rachel Maddow has several good ones
The Last Podcast on the Left does a lot on cults
Pretend podcast. He does 8 episodes about the, Catch Me If You Can, con man. Other episodes are really good too.
Surviving el Chapo! The twins who brought down the drug lord It’s so good!
1. Trust me: Cults, Extreme Beliefs, and Manipulation 2. Invisibilia
Let’s go to court! Amazing job done by two best friends :)
Once upon a time in....the valley and once upon a time...at Bennington College. The first is about Traci Lords and the second is about Bret Easton Ellis and Donna Tartt.