Scams, Money, & Murder

Scams, Money, & Murder

They say “money doesn’t sleep,” so why should your favorite show? Scams, Money and Murder now drops twice every Thursday, just in time for your morning and evening commute. Hosts Vanessa Richardson and Carter Roy pull you past the headlines into the darkest corners of greed, where scams spiral, lies collapse, and crimes turn deadly. Scams, Money, and Murder is a Crime House Original powered by PAVE Studios. Follow now so you never miss an episode. For ad-free access, subscribe to Crime House+ on Apple Podcasts.

Episodes

January 2, 2026 33 mins
A lakeside camping trip ends in blood. A quiet cabin becomes a house of horrors. And the killers were never caught. In this episode of Twisted Tales, Heidi Wong tells the real stories that inspired Friday the 13th and The Strangers: the true tales of isolation, fear, and murder that haunt horror’s most famous cabins.Follow Twisted Tales with Heidi Wong: https://play.megaphone.fm/kakftwcoqj6meltslc1qsw To learn more about listener...
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The investigation into the disappearance of Olivia Hope and Ben Smart intensifies in this second episode, following detectives as they seize on 26-year-old Scott Watson as their primary suspect despite mismatched witness descriptions, a missing boat, and no bodies ever found. Carter and Vanessa examine the controversial forensic hair evidence, disputed scratch marks, shifting witness identifications, jailhouse informants, and the p...
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In the first episode of this New Year’s two-part special, Murder: True Crime Stories retraces the final hours of 17-year-old Olivia Hope and 21-year-old Ben Smart, who rang in 1998 at a massive party at New Zealand’s Furneaux Lodge before mysteriously vanishing. Through eyewitness accounts, detailed timelines, and growing concerns from loved ones, Carter Roy and guest host Vanessa Richardson unravel the pair’s movements that night—...
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As the trial of Karen Read unfolds, the small town of Canton, Massachusetts, explodes into chaos. Online crusaders, corrupt investigators, and accusations of a police cover-up blur the line between truth and conspiracy. From courtroom twists to viral movements and a verdict that shocks the nation, this episode exposes how loyalty, power, and social media collided to rewrite a murder case in real time.Follow Murder: True Crime Stori...
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When Boston police officer John O’Keefe is found dead in the snow outside a fellow officer’s home, his girlfriend, Karen Read, becomes the prime suspect. Investigators claim she hit him with her car while driving drunk — but as the case unfolds, it becomes clear something much darker might be hiding behind the badge. In this first episode, we explore John and Karen’s relationship, the night of the tragedy, and the investigation tha...
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December 28, 2025 55 mins
This week in crime history, we revisit two of the most infamous killers of the 20th century — men whose charm masked unimaginable evil.On December 30th, 1977, Ted Bundy slipped through the ceiling of his Colorado jail cell and vanished into the night, igniting one of the most infamous manhunts in American history. His escape would lead to more murders and cement his place as one of the world’s most notorious serial killers.Then, we...
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In 1975, 22 year-old Travis Walton was struck by a blinding light in the Arizona forest and vanished without a trace. Five days later, he returned with a story that defied belief. In this episode of Crimes Of… Sabrina and Corinne uncover the truth behind the Travis Walton Incident: the alien abduction case that made headlines and still haunts UFO history.Follow Crimes Of… on your podcast app: https://play.megaphone.fm/l-fgzmmsrty0m...
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In 1995, a woman checked into Oslo’s Plaza Hotel under a fake name. Days later, she was found dead in her room: no ID, no fingerprints, and no one looking for her. In this episode of Conspiracy Theories, Cults, & Crimes, we investigate the chilling mystery of the Oslo Plaza Woman and why some believe she wasn’t just hiding… she was hunted.Follow Conspiracy Theories, Cults, and Crimes on your podcast app: https://play.megaphone.fm/m...
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She was vibrant, loved, and days away from motherhood. He was calculating, distant, and hiding more than one secret. This episode of Clues with Morgan Absher and Kaelyn Moore dissects the chilling puzzle behind Laci Peterson’s murder—and the evidence that finally exposed the man behind it. Morgan and Kaelyn examine how a wandering dog, a secret boat, and one woman’s brave confession cracked open the case.Follow Clues on your podcas...
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On Christmas Eve 2008, the Ortega family gathered at their home in Covina, California, for their annual holiday celebration. Laughter, food, and music filled the night—until a man dressed as Santa Claus knocked on their door. In Part 2 of The Santa Claus Massacre, Carter Roy reveals the shocking and tragic events that unfolded that night, when 45-year-old Bruce Pardo—Sylvia Ortega’s embittered ex-husband—turned holiday cheer into u...
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Christmas is supposed to be the most wonderful time of the year — but for Bruce Pardo, the holidays brought something far darker. After losing his marriage, his family, and even his dog, Bruce’s bitterness turned deadly. In this first part of our Christmas Crime Special, we meet the Ortega family — a loving, tight-knit clan from Covina, California. When Sylvia Ortega met Bruce, she believed she’d finally found her happily ever afte...
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December 21, 2025 45 secs
Happy Holidays, Crime House community! Coming soon to the Scams, Money, and Murder Feed, Crime House’s Vanessa Richardson will be curating collections of themed episodes from our deep library of true crime cases and mysteries. What better place to start than this holiday season? We’re bringing you 12 Days of Crimes-Mas: daily crime cases from across the Crime House library. From the biggest cases of the year, to holiday themed true...
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In 2002, Laci Peterson, eight months pregnant, vanished from her home in Modesto, California. Her husband, Scott Peterson, claimed he’d gone fishing—but as investigators dug deeper, they uncovered a web of lies, infidelity, and murder that captivated the world.Then, we travel back to 1945, when five children from the Sodder family vanished after a mysterious house fire in West Virginia. Decades later, their disappearance remains un...
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December 18, 2025 38 mins
During the week of March 17th, a young man robbed a bank in Nashville -- dressed as a Leprechaun. The bizarre holdup, followed by a deadly car chase, made headlines across the country. And that same week in 1831, another infamous bank heist occurred when two men stole millions from a bank in Manhattan.Their heist has been called the first bank robbery in U.S. history. If you’re new here, don’t forget to follow Scams, Money and Mur...
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December 14, 2025 48 mins
This week in crime history, we revisit two of the most infamous kidnappings that shocked the world. In 1973, 17-year-old John Paul Getty III, grandson of one of the world’s richest men, was freed in southern Italy after five harrowing months in captivity. His ordeal exposed the cold greed and dysfunction of America’s wealthiest family.Then, we travel back to 1927 Los Angeles, where 12-year-old Marion Parker was abducted from her sc...
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After the Clutter family was murdered in November, 1959, everyone in Holcomb, Kansas wanted to find out who killed them -- and why. The answer turned out to be more horrific than anyone imagined. If you’re new here, don’t forget to follow Scams, Money and Murder to never miss a case! For Ad-free listening and early access to episodes, subscribe to Crime House+ on Apple Podcasts. Scams, Money and Murder is a Crime House Original ...
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December 7, 2025 50 mins
This week on True Crime This Week, host Vanessa Richardson examines two killings that shook the music world — both committed by fans whose admiration turned to obsession.First, in 1980, 25-year-old Mark David Chapman shot and killed John Lennon outside The Dakota in New York City. Once a devoted Beatles fan, Chapman’s delusions and fixation on The Catcher in the Rye pushed him to murder the very man whose music had once inspired hi...
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On November 15th, 1959, a small town in Kansas was changed forever when a beloved local family was murdered. Their tragic deaths captured the nation's attention -- and sparked the interest of one of America's most famous authors. If you’re new here, don’t forget to follow Scams, Money and Murder to never miss a case! For Ad-free listening and early access to episodes, subscribe to Crime House+ on Apple Podcasts. Scams, Money and...
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This week on True Crime This Week, host Vanessa Richardson unravels two of history’s most mysterious vanishings — both stranger than fiction.First, in 1926, the “Queen of Mystery” herself, Agatha Christie, vanished after a late-night drive. Her abandoned car sparked an 11-day nationwide search that baffled police, fellow authors, and millions of readers. When she finally reappeared, Agatha claimed to remember nothing — leaving behi...
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When cartels write the rules, no one is off limits. This week, we investigate two horrifying cartel crimes: On September 3rd, 2012, an anonymous gunman shot and killed the "Godmother of Cocaine" Griselda Blanco. Three years earlier to the day in Ciudad Juárez, masked gunmen burst into a rehab, killing 18 patients. These killings weren’t random. They were messages written in blood. How do cartels keep getting away with it? Scams,...
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