
Max Hardberger: The Repo Man of the High Seas
From Badass of the Week by Badass History - High Five Content & Seven Bucks Productions
May 27, 2026 · 46 min · Season 2 · Episode 33
About this episode
The episode explores the incredible story of Max Hardberger, a maritime lawyer and sea captain known for repossessing cargo ships from corrupt entities.
Most repo men tow away Hondas in the middle of the night. Max Hardberger stole back multi-million dollar cargo ships from dictators, corrupt governments, and the Russian mafia. This week, Ben Thompson and producer Andrew Jacobs dive into the unbelievable true story of the maritime lawyer, poet, and sea captain who turned international ship repossession into an art form—using fake sinkings, voodoo priests, tropical storms, and sheer nerve to pull off some of the wildest heists in modern history. From Haiti to Vladivostok, this is the story of the world’s only cargo ship repo man… and the insane missions that made him a legend. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
People in this episode
Hosts: Ben Thompson, Andrew Jacobs
Guest: Max Hardberger
Topics covered
- maritime law
- ship repossession
- heists
- adventure
- history
Keywords
- Max Hardberger
- ship repossession
- maritime lawyer
- heists
- adventure
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Russian mafia
Places: Haiti, Vladivostok
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