Follow the Lies: Fraud & Deceit Uncovered

Kevin Barrows
  • 4.7 (6)
  • Documentary

I’m Kevin Barrows, former FBI Special Agent and lead case agent on two of the largest white-collar investigations in U.S. history.   I’ve been in the room where the lies were built, where the evidence was uncovered, and where the truth finally broke through. I also co-hosted the Smithsonian Channel docuseries Sports Detectives, exposing forgery and tracking down missing pieces of sports history.   In Follow the Lies, I take you inside real fraud cases across the Deception Spectrum—from massive corporate fraud and organized scams to sports forgery, identity theft, and personal betrayals.   You’ll hear the insider stories, the investigative breakthroughs, and my Lie Detector Tips: practical, field-tested ways to spot deception in business, relationships, or everyday life.   Because the lies are everywhere. And once you know how to follow them, you’re never caught off guard again.   New episodes drop bi-weekly. Have a fraud story of your own? Email kevin@followtheliespodcast.com — it could become the next episode.   Subscribe now. Let’s uncover the truth together.   #TrueCrime #Fraud #WhiteCollarCrime #Ponzi #IdentityTheft #SportsForgery #LieDetectorTips #FollowTheLies

  1. 2d ago

    Episode 13: Celsius Froze $4.7 Billion Overnight — After Promising Safety

    On June 12, 2022, Celsius Network froze all withdrawals without warning. Roughly $4.7 billion in customer funds—retirement savings, emergency money, and life savings belonging to ordinary people—became locked overnight. Former FBI Special Agent Kevin Barrows breaks down how a platform that marketed itself as safer than banks and promised yields up to 18% was actually running a high-risk operation built on customer deposits. From the polished “Unbank Yourself” branding and weekly Ask Me Anything sessions to the internal Slack messages, token manipulation, and eventual arrests, this episode reveals how narrative control and manufactured trust created one of crypto’s most damaging collapses. You’ll also hear a practical Lie Detector Tip for evaluating high-yield opportunities in lightly regulated spaces. Free resource: Download “7 Proven Strategies to Spot Lies and Uncover the Truth in Any Interview” at followtheliespodcast.com Timestamps 00:00 – The Day Celsius Froze Everything 03:12 – How Celsius Sold the Dream 05:14 – The Fragile Model & Growing Risks 08:46 – The Freeze and the Human Cost 13:00 – Inside the Investigation 15:02 – Arrest & Sentencing 16:32 – Deception Spectrum & Lie Detector Tip 19:31 – Closing Thoughts & Free Resources #CelsiusNetwork #CryptoFraud #CryptoCollapse #AlexMashinsky #TrueCrime #WhiteCollarCrime #FinancialFraud #FollowTheLies #KevinBarrows #CryptoScam

  2. Aug 6

    Episode 12: From Trusted Friend to Convicted Thief — The $17 Million Betrayal of Shohei Ohtani

    Shohei Ohtani was living out a historic season when the man he trusted most — his longtime interpreter and close friend Ippei Mizuhara — allegedly stole nearly $17 million from him to feed a severe gambling addiction. In this episode, former FBI Special Agent Kevin Barrows takes you inside one of the most heartbreaking betrayals in modern sports history — from forged signatures and impersonations to federal charges and a devastating personal fallout. Chapters: 00:00 The $17 Million Betrayal03:49 From Trusted Interpreter to Family05:17 How the Theft Unfolded09:34 Inside the Investigation12:08 The Depth of Betrayal13:05 The Emotional Impact on Ohtani15:14 The Fallout & Deception Spectrum16:28 Lie Detector Tip & Final LessonsGrab Kevin’s free guide: “7 Proven Strategies to Spot Lies and Uncover the Truth in Any Interview” at followtheliespodcast.com #Ohtani #Mizuhara #SportsBettingScandal #GamblingAddiction #TrueCrimePodcast

  3. Jul 23

    Episode 11: $4.5 Billion Stolen from a Nation — Malaysia’s Sovereign Fund Heist

    A $5 million birthday party on a $250 million superyacht with Leonardo DiCaprio, Paris Hilton, and Britney Spears — allegedly funded by money stolen from the people of Malaysia. In one of the largest financial heists in modern history, over $4.5 billion vanished from Malaysia’s 1MDB sovereign wealth fund. Former FBI Special Agent Kevin Barrows breaks down how the scheme worked, the Hollywood connections, the global money trail, and the investigation that brought it down. This episode is part true crime investigation documentary and part cautionary tale about unchecked power and kleptocracy. Download Kevin’s free guide: “7 Proven Strategies to Spot Lies and Uncover the Truth in Any Interview” → https://followtheliespodcast.com Join our community on Substack: https://followthelies.substack.com #1MDB #MalaysiaHeist #JhoLow #Kleptocracy #TrueCrime #InvestigationPodcast #FollowTheLies

  4. Jul 9

    Episode 10: Purdue Pharma’s Deadly Opioid Empire — How One Family Fueled a National Crisis

    How did one family help ignite America’s deadliest public health crisis? In this powerful episode, former FBI Special Agent Kevin Barrows exposes how Purdue Pharma and the Sackler family turned OxyContin into a blockbuster drug — while knowingly fueling widespread addiction and devastation across the country. From deceptive marketing that downplayed addiction risks, aggressive sales tactics, and billions in profits to heartbreaking victim stories and controversial legal battles, this is the inside story of one of the most shocking corporate scandals in modern history. What happens when corporate greed meets weak oversight? The human cost was catastrophic. If you’re enjoying Follow the Lies, please subscribe, leave a rating and review, and turn on notifications. Download Kevin’s free guide: “7 Proven Strategies to Spot Lies and Uncover the Truth in Any Interview” at followtheliespodcast.com

  5. Jun 25

    Episode 9: Cancer Hero or Biggest Cheat? — Lance Armstrong’s Doping Empire

    How did Lance Armstrong beat the tests for years while winning seven Tour de France titles? The answer wasn’t just one man — it was a sophisticated doping machine that fooled the entire world… until it didn’t. In this explosive episode of Follow the Lies, former FBI Special Agent Kevin Barrows pulls back the curtain on one of the greatest lies in sports history. From Armstrong’s miraculous cancer comeback to the systematic, team-wide doping program that powered his dominance, we expose how it all worked, how it stayed hidden for so long, and the dramatic fall that stripped him of everything. You’ll hear the inside story of the investigation, the culture of silence, the betrayal of fans and cancer survivors, and the lasting damage to the sport of cycling. Lie Detector Tip included: A powerful, practical lesson on institutional deception and how systems enable fraud. Chapters: 00:00 From Hero to Cheat03:13 Building the Doping Empire05:46 The Fall Begins09:33 Inside the Investigation13:27 Legacy Destroyed17:35 Lie Detector Tip & Final LessonsIf you enjoy deep dives into the biggest fraud and deception cases in sports and business, hit subscribe, leave a review, and turn on notifications. 🎯 Free Resource: Download Kevin’s free guide — “7 Proven Strategies to Spot Lies and Uncover the Truth in Any Interview” — at 👉 followtheliespodcast.com (no email required) Join our community for more exclusive content: followthelies.substack.com Episode 9 | Runtime: ~20 minutes

  6. Jun 11

    Episode 8: Enron’s $63 Billion Fraud — The Fall of America’s Most Innovative Company

    In 2001, Enron was named America’s Most Innovative company for the sixth year in a row. Then, in one day, it collapsed in the largest corporate bankruptcy in U.S. history. $63 billion vanished. Thousands of employees lost their life savings while executives cashed out hundreds of millions. Former FBI Special Agent Kevin Barrows breaks down the sophisticated accounting tricks, hidden debt, fake profits, and corporate greed that fueled one of the biggest frauds in American history. Timestamps: 00:00 The $63 Billion Collapse That Shocked America02:42 How Enron Became “America’s Most Innovative” Company03:20 The Mark-to-Market Magic and Shadow Entities08:52 Inside the Investigation – Whistleblowers & Shredded Documents13:54 The Human Cost: Employees Lost Everything14:44 The Aftermath and Lessons Learned17:10 Lie Detector Tip: When “It’s Too Complicated” Is a Red Flag18:52 Final LessonsIf you enjoy deep dives into white-collar fraud and corporate deception, subscribe and leave a review. Follow the lies.

  7. May 28

    Episode 7: Boesky & Milken’s Insider Trading Empire — How Greed Corrupted Wall Street

    In the excess-filled 1980s, Ivan Boesky and Michael Milken became two of the most powerful men on Wall Street. One was the self-proclaimed “King of Arbitrage.” The other was the “Junk Bond King.” Together, they built a massive empire based on stolen insider information, secret payoffs, and hundreds of millions in illegal profits. In this episode, former FBI Special Agent Kevin Barrows takes you inside one of the largest insider trading scandals in American history — a story of breathtaking ambition, moral collapse, and how the “Greed is Good” culture enabled it all. Timestamps: 00:00 – The 1980s Wall Street Party: Greed is Good02:28 – My Year on Wall Street: From Salomon Brothers to Black Monday05:07 – How Boesky & Milken Built Their Empire06:43 – The Illegal Scheme: The Golden Rolodex09:14 – The Investigation Begins: Flipping Informants12:47 – Wearing the Wire: Secret Recordings That Changed Everything13:37 – The Key Piece of Evidence14:28 – The Downfall: Guilty Pleas and Fines16:45 – Lie Detector Tip: The Danger of “Easy Money”If you’ve ever encountered a deal that felt too good to be true, send your story to kevin@followtheliespodcast.com — it might become a future episode. Download Kevin’s free guide: “7 Proven Strategies to Spot Lies” → https://followtheliespodcast.com

  8. May 14

    Episode 6: NBA Ref Rigged Games for the Mob — Why It Still Threatens Basketball

    Former FBI Special Agent Kevin Barrows exposes the shocking true story of NBA referee Tim Donaghy — the man who secretly bet on and rigged games he officiated for organized crime. From the explosive 2007 scandal that rocked the league to the massive 2026 international point-shaving ring involving NCAA players, Kevin reveals how game-fixing never disappeared — it evolved with sports betting and NIL deals. In this episode, Kevin breaks down how referees and players are manipulated, the sophisticated tactics used by fixers, the human cost of the schemes, and why young college athletes are now prime targets. Chapters: 00:00 The Unfolding Scandal: Historical Context07:25 The Shift from Referees to Players12:58 The Mechanics of Deception15:58 Lie Detector Tip: Protecting Yourself from Manipulation18:50 CTAKey Topics: The 2007 Tim Donaghy NBA referee scandalThe shift from referees to players in modern fixing ringsHow sports betting and NIL deals created new vulnerabilitiesThe 2026 NCAA basketball fixing scandalPsychological toll on athletes and officialsStrategies for detecting deception in sportsKey Takeaways: Organized crime adapts quickly — today’s fixers target players directly with bribes and pressure.Consistent patterns, sudden lifestyle changes, and hidden associations are major red flags.Young athletes in the NIL era are especially vulnerable.Strong monitoring, financial education, and awareness are critical defenses.If you want to sharpen your ability to spot lies and deception — whether in sports betting, business, or everyday life — download Kevin’s free guide: “7 Proven Strategies to Spot Lies and Uncover the Truth in Any Interview” → https://followtheliespodcast.com Subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode if it opened your eyes to what’s really happening in sports. #NBAScandal #TimDonaghy #PointShaving #SportsBetting #TrueCrime #FBI #GameFixing

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Trailer

Ratings & Reviews

4.7
out of 5
6 Ratings

About

I’m Kevin Barrows, former FBI Special Agent and lead case agent on two of the largest white-collar investigations in U.S. history.   I’ve been in the room where the lies were built, where the evidence was uncovered, and where the truth finally broke through. I also co-hosted the Smithsonian Channel docuseries Sports Detectives, exposing forgery and tracking down missing pieces of sports history.   In Follow the Lies, I take you inside real fraud cases across the Deception Spectrum—from massive corporate fraud and organized scams to sports forgery, identity theft, and personal betrayals.   You’ll hear the insider stories, the investigative breakthroughs, and my Lie Detector Tips: practical, field-tested ways to spot deception in business, relationships, or everyday life.   Because the lies are everywhere. And once you know how to follow them, you’re never caught off guard again.   New episodes drop bi-weekly. Have a fraud story of your own? Email kevin@followtheliespodcast.com — it could become the next episode.   Subscribe now. Let’s uncover the truth together.   #TrueCrime #Fraud #WhiteCollarCrime #Ponzi #IdentityTheft #SportsForgery #LieDetectorTips #FollowTheLies

Information

  • Creator
    Kevin Barrows
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    14
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Kevin Barrows

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