18 episodes

What can a billionaire get away with these days? A secret bat cave? A harem of women? An international spy operation? Stealing the soul of a small town in Montana? A Silicon Valley venture capitalist was accused of running a massive sex-trafficking operation by his best bro friend. And we unravel the truth about both of them - their business, their break-up, their lies, and their embarrassing text messages. The story of a billionaire with a hero complex, the ex-spy who turned his life inside out, and us, the reporters who got caught up in their macho drama.
Cover Story is an investigative podcast series featuring original reporting from New York Magazine. Part of the Vox Media Podcast Network. New episodes every Tuesday.

Cover Story New York Magazine

    • True Crime
    • 4.0 • 1.2K Ratings

What can a billionaire get away with these days? A secret bat cave? A harem of women? An international spy operation? Stealing the soul of a small town in Montana? A Silicon Valley venture capitalist was accused of running a massive sex-trafficking operation by his best bro friend. And we unravel the truth about both of them - their business, their break-up, their lies, and their embarrassing text messages. The story of a billionaire with a hero complex, the ex-spy who turned his life inside out, and us, the reporters who got caught up in their macho drama.
Cover Story is an investigative podcast series featuring original reporting from New York Magazine. Part of the Vox Media Podcast Network. New episodes every Tuesday.

    Mind Your Own Business

    Mind Your Own Business

    In a cabin in Whitefish, Montana, two ex-spies tell us an outlandish story: right here in town, a billionaire philanthropist is allegedly running a sexual enterprise, importing young women into safehouses. One of the spies knows this because he was the billionaire’s right hand man, and best bro friend. He claims to know a shocking amount about this billionaire’s affairs, personal and professional.
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    • 43 min
    They Were Relationships... Nothing Yucky

    They Were Relationships... Nothing Yucky

    The billionaire is into…Batman. Is that because he’s an actual hero, or because he’s using showy philanthropy to cover up his bad deeds? We track down some women he’s paid millions of dollars to. And we talk to the billionaire about his hero complex.
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    • 45 min
    Mission Creep

    Mission Creep

    We dig into the billionaire and ex-spy’s bromance and business partnership – which means a detour into the world of spies for hire. The rich cozy up with former intelligence personnel and try to, for better or worse, carry out missions the government can’t seem to do on its own. We are guided by a powerful female ex-spy who was in Matt and Mike’s circle and who explains, “it’s all about the size of your freaking penis. It’s true!”
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    • 39 min
    Baby, You’re Fine With Me

    Baby, You’re Fine With Me

    Where does sex with a billionaire land you? We talk to three women who soured on Mike, at different points. We examine a court case, a police investigation, and one woman’s memories. We weigh the question: if none of it adds up to a crime, what does it add up to?
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    • 54 min
    I Am the Victim

    I Am the Victim

    The ex-spy is under arrest for fraud, money laundering, and tax evasion. And, in a surprise move, he pleads guilty to all three. What? We start to closely examine his dealings with the billionaire to figure out what really happened between them and the threads start to unravel, and keep unraveling. By the end, one person stands up in court and declares, “I am the victim.”
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    • 48 min
    All the Voids

    All the Voids

    An episode of reckoning. We catch up with Matt in prison, Mike in Whitefish, and everyone else – wherever they’ve scattered. Both of the men's wives have surprising news. And we add our final touches to what has turned into an uncomfortably intimate portrait of a modern billionaire.
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    • 35 min

Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5
1.2K Ratings

1.2K Ratings

amitiel ,

Good but frustrating

Season 1 is great BUT, why did none of these people involve the police and report the people as rapists??? It’s maddening to listen to. It once did any of these victims involve law enforcement. It makes no sense. UGH.

I liked Season 2 better just because it wasn’t as frustrating.

Sammabear ,

S1 thumbs up, S2 thumbs down

I agree with others S2 was a waste but since I listened while being productive, I didn’t feel like I wasted my time just a little attention.

Season 1 was so much better. Despite audibly being turned off by every single person’s voice in S1, I found the material to be far more refreshing. While I believe in the healing power of plants, our own energy, and the earth - I also am highly uncomfortable with the new psychedelic movement and the dangers being completely ignored and anyone who speaks about the potential very serious dangers, they are considered against the entirety of the movement and gatekeepers.

It’s very obvious with some of the earlier reviews on here that are clearly those of that ilk who would probably or have probably been part of some other type of cult or cultish practices and believe silencing concerns of patient safety and well-being is somehow admirable for the good of the movement. Never-mind the pettiness of those reviews, they are also oddly immature and sociopathic.

Yes it’s a great alternative for treating trauma and ptsd without using opioids or other pharmaceuticals but it still should be handled with the patient’s best interest and wellness in mind instead of the institution or movement. Because frankly, if that isn’t the case, psychedelics will be just as abused and long term destructive as the dangerously additive pharmaceuticals for which psychedelics are supposed to be the alternative.

I would have liked to also hear from the indigenous communities who have used psychedelics in ceremonies and how they feel about this movement to utilize, commercialize, and monetize their cultural practices. I think S1 could have gone far deeper. Felt very one sided and lacking in a bit more diversity to be honest. But also very glad it wasn’t another “psychedelics will heal everything!” kind of message. Turning critical eyes on the best of things often has the most positive effects and can help in prevention of unwanted outcomes.

Regnisab ,

Power Trip is excellent

The reporting for season 1: power trip is impeccable, and goes to uncover much of the corruption and lack of proper care that exists amongst those in positions of power in the psychedelic field. I look forward to more reporting along these lines, and am grateful for this being brought to light and with such excellent storytelling throughout.

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