Fraudsters

A rehab business allegedly encouraged patients to use drugs so it could bill for detox. Apparently, recovery was bad for business. Seena and Ariel unpack an LA healthcare fraud crackdown involving nearly $2 billion in allegedly fraudulent claims, then get into the father-son duo accused of running a $1.6 billion addiction-treatment scheme. Family bonding has taken a turn. Then it’s Kelly Clarkson versus a Brooklyn shop over a $15,000 mechanical bird. Was this a Pretty Woman moment, a misunderstanding, or just customer service in Brooklyn? Plus, Justin gets pulled into an emergency consultation about G.I. Joe. This is a serious news operation.

On this week's Fraudwire, a fake AI comedian is stealing real comics' jokes, Travis Kelce got got in a $31 million Ponzi scheme, and a rapper literally wrote a song teaching people how to commit check fraud. Also, is lip-syncing fraud? Seena and Ariel have thoughts.

This week's Fraudwire Includes a 9-year-old draining his dad's company credit card for his Minecraft YouTube, a government fraud crackdown led by a woman who insider-traded her way out of the Senate, ghost daycares in San Diego, and so much more. Nobody's innocent, everybody's shady, and Seena and Ariel have theories.

In the finale of our Vince McMahon series, Seena, Ariel, and Justin explore the end of Vince's reign as the head of his wrestling empire. How, despite a host of sex trafficking allegations, institutional cover-ups, securities fraud claims, and federal investigations does he end up free and clear while his ex-wife becomes Secretary of Education? Only one way to find out.

This week’s bonus episode is an interview with Marsha Levick, the co-founder and Chief Legal Officer of the Juvenile Law Center. We dive into the infamous Kids for Cash scandal—how it was exposed, the fight for justice, and the larger patterns of corruption that allow people to profit from locking up kids. We also explore the devastating impact of the War on Drugs on juvenile incarceration, the dehumanization of youth in the system, and how policing and policy have evolved from Reagan to today. Where have we made progress, and what work still needs to be done?

In this week’s bonus interview, we sit down with Yasmin Cader, Deputy Director of the ACLU and Director of the Trone Center for Justice and Equality, to explore the lasting impact of the War on Drugs on the U.S. criminal justice system. Yasmin shares what led her to become a public defender and her experiences practicing in D.C., NYC, and L.A. at the height of mass incarceration. We dive into the role of punitive drug laws, racial disparities in enforcement, police militarization, and the myths surrounding mass incarceration. Finally, we discuss the critical work being done to challenge the prison industrial complex and explore real solutions for drug policy reform.

Welcome to the land of bonus episodes, where we release long-form interviews with a variety of guests about the war on drugs that we recorded in the summer of 2024. Here is our interview with Montel Williams. Now the host of Let’s Be Blunt, the number one rated Cannabis podcast in 2023, Montel Williams was a Marine and Navy officer where he undertook rescue missions and earned multiple medals of distinction. He then transitioned into the world of television where he became a household name with The Montel Williams Show, winning an Emmy in 1996 for Outstanding Talk Show Host. As you’ll hear in this interview, his show often tackled tough, controversial subjects, including the war on drugs and CIA involvement. We’ll hear about his transition from military service to talk show host, how his MS diagnosis led him to become an advocate of cannabis, and how the US used racism to perpetuate the war on drugs.

What, you thought we were done talking about The War on Drugs?! Well, think again! We’re back with a special epilogue and we're diving into Operation Pipe Dreams, the infamous federal investigation that led to the arrest of Tommy Chong. Join us as we explore how this operation led by John Ashcroft and Mary Beth Buchanon targeted businesses selling drug paraphernalia across the country. We sit down with journalist Brian Conway for an in-depth look at the operation's impact, and Tommy Chong himself alongside his son, Paris, who share their experience getting busted and reflect on the evolving war on drugs. It's a wild ride through one of the most notable moments in the history of drug enforcement.