American Scandal Wondery
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- History
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Every scandal begins with a lie. But the truth will come out. And then comes the fallout and the outrage.
Scandals have shaped America since its founding. From business and politics to sports and society, we look on aghast as corruption, deceit and ambition bring down heroes and celebrities, politicians and moguls. And when the dust finally settles, we’re left to wonder: how did this happen? Where did they trip up, and who is to blame? From the creators of American History Tellers, Business Wars and Tides of History comes American Scandal, where we take you deep into the heart of America’s dark side to look at what drives someone to break the rules and what happens when they’re caught. Hosted by Lindsay Graham.
Follow American Scandal on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts. You can binge new seasons of American Scandal early and ad-free on Wondery+. Join Wondery+ in the Wondery app or on Apple Podcasts.
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Rod Blagojevich | Making of a Congressman
Two decades before he was arrested in 2008 on corruption charges while still serving as Illinois governor, Rod Blagojevich got his start in the dog-eat-dog world of Chicago politics under the tutelage of his mentor and father-in-law, Richard Mell. But after winning a seat in the Illinois house, Blagojevich chafes at his nickname, "Representative Son-in-Law." He's determined to prove he's his own man - and he'll stop at nothing as he seeks higher office.
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Rod Blagojevich | Pay to Play
In 1999, U.S. Congressman Rod Blagojevich leans on his Serbian ancestry to insert himself into the war in Yugoslavia and get his name in the papers. And his gambit pays off, allowing him to set his sights on a new position: governor of Illinois. But the ruthless campaign fundraising tactics of Blagojevich's close adviser, Tony Rezko, will come back to haunt him.
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Rod Blagojevich | Board Games
Tipped off to some shady dealings on several Illinois state boards, the FBI launches an investigation into Governor Rod Blagojevich's administration. At first, they set their sights on a well-connected businessman named Stuart Levine, who seems to using his board seats to run kickback schemes. But soon, their investigation leads them all the way to Blagojevich's campaign headquarters.
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Rod Blagojevich | The Unraveling
In 2008, with his administration mired in scandal, Governor Rod Blagojevich decides to press the only advantage he has left — his authority to name President-Elect Barack Obama's successor in the U.S. Senate. But as he and his advisers discuss how to leverage the seat to his advantage, they don't know that the FBI is listening in. And soon, based on what they hear, they'll have Governor Blagojevich in handcuffs.
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Rod Blagojevich | The Whistleblowers
Pam Davis and Bill Kottmann worked as hospital executives in the Chicago area during Governor Rod Blagojevich’s time in office. The pair unwittingly ran into the corruption surrounding “Blago” when they tried to get a permit to build a new hospital. Instead of capitulating to extortion, Pam and Bill went to the FBI. Today, these whistleblowers join Lindsay to share what it was like to wear wires and gather evidence that helped lead to the arrests of Blagojevich and his co-conspirators.
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Police Corruption in Baltimore | Zero Tolerance
In 2017, seven members of an elite Baltimore police unit called the Gun Trace Task Force were arrested and charged with robbery, extortion, fraud, and selling drugs seized during police operations. While some were quick to dismiss the arrests as a case of a few bad apples, a subsequent investigation revealed a culture of corruption within the Baltimore Police Department that had allowed rogue cops to flourish.
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Customer Reviews
Interesting and informative
I’ve listened to quite a few of these series now and have really enjoyed them. I really like how each series starts early on in the story so you hear the background of the people involved. Also, the bonus episodes at the end of some of the series are excellent - particularly the bonus episode following the Tuskegee episode about differences in mortality rates between races. Would really recommend this podcast to anyone who enjoys true stories.
All episodes
Really enjoy this series of podcasts
Informative,interesting pleasant on the ear
Keep producing them
Multiple Ads
Hood content. But the annoying ads thrown in your face is such a reminder of American Capitalism at its worst.