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Artwork for Swindled

Swindled

Swindled
Ponzi Scheme
Valujet
Joseph Kony
Duck Boats
Social Security Disability Insurance
Murder
Lord's Resistance Army
Ebay
Disability Fraud
Real Water
Invisible Children
Table Rock Lake
Negligent Operations
Mike Warnke
Eric C. Conn
Disability Benefits
Fraud
Kony 2012
National Transportation Safety Board
Severe Weather Conditions

A narrative true-crime podcast that uses immersive storytelling, archival audio, and cinematic sound design to explore the world of white-collar crime, con artists, and corporate evil. From Ponzi schemes and financial fraud to environmental disasters and political scandals, each story reveals how greed, deception, and the pursuit of power have shaped our world—often with devastating consequences. ... more

PublishesMonthlyEpisodes244Founded9 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
True CrimeDocumentarySociety & Culture

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Artwork for Swindled

Latest Episodes

A nationwide infant formula shortage reveals the ugly truth about the industry and the multinational corporation at its center.

Prelude: A promising infant formula startup is linked to a botulism outbreak.

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Originally published June 11, 2025

A bizarre and sinister harassment campaign targeting a married couple in Massachusetts is linked to executives at one of the world’s largest e-commerce companies.

Prelude: A content creator orchestrates a grievanc... more

A family is torn apart as the lives of two wealthy brothers unravel in spectacular fashion on opposite sides of the world.

Prelude: 'The Milkshake Murder' shocks the expatriate community in Hong Kong.

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B... more

Originally published November 29, 2025.

An imposter uses a stolen name for 30 years, sparking a bizarre struggle between two men to prove who truly owns the identity.

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BECOME A VALUEDLISTENER™

* ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠... more

Key Facts

Accepts Sponsors
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

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Recent Guests

John Stamos
Actor featured in dramatized sequence
Dramatized portrayal in episode
Episode: S10 Ep142: The Façade (Rob & Andrew Kissel)
Trevor Milton
Founder of Nikola Motor Company
Nikola Corporation
Episode: S10 Ep141: The Mirage (Nikola Motor Company)
Judy Piat
Resident of Shenandoah Stables who investigated contamination
Shenandoah Stables / Times Beach resident
Episode: S10 Ep140: The Ghost Town (Times Beach, Missouri)
Russell Bliss
Owner of Bliss Waste Oil Company
Bliss Waste Oil Company
Episode: S10 Ep140: The Ghost Town (Times Beach, Missouri)
Marilyn Leisner
Former acting chairwoman of the Board of Aldermen in Times Beach
Times Beach leadership
Episode: S10 Ep140: The Ghost Town (Times Beach, Missouri)
Sid Hammer
Acting Mayor of Times Beach
Times Beach government
Episode: S10 Ep140: The Ghost Town (Times Beach, Missouri)
Joe Kapstick
Times Beach Mayor
Times Beach government
Episode: S10 Ep140: The Ghost Town (Times Beach, Missouri)
Rita LaVelle
EPA assistant administrator
Environmental Protection Agency
Episode: S10 Ep140: The Ghost Town (Times Beach, Missouri)
Anne Gorsuch Burford
EPA Administrator
Environmental Protection Agency
Episode: S10 Ep140: The Ghost Town (Times Beach, Missouri)

Host

Steve Burns
Host of Swindled

Reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars from 21.6k ratings
  • Podcast perfection

    Of course I wish they run out of content because the scum of the earth evaporate, but who am I kidding?! We seem to be getting worse, and Swindled is here to expose humanity at its worst, with great storytelling, pace, dark humor, and a fair approach- only facts, very little opinion. To listen once is to live it!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Zinracha
    United States20 days ago
  • 6 Stars

    The gold standard of podcasts

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    hsbehebeibej
    United Statesa month ago
  • Political

    People say take the politics out of the podcast, but I say it fits. After all, the president is a world-class swindler.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Jeromy The Homie
    United Statesa month ago
  • One of my favorite podcasts

    Thank you for all of the research that you do. Thank you for exposing the depths of deception. Thank you for sharing a little about the lives of the many victims of these depraved swindlers.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Wynterb4
    United Statesa month ago
  • Unlistenable

    The pretentious political and social commentary is almost as bad as the smug aren’t-I-funny-? painful attempts at humor. Could be good, but sucks.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Matt_B_W
    United Statesa month ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

High-quality production and engaging archival audio are frequently noted as strengths.
Some listeners wish for more frequent new episodes or updates to ongoing stories.
Thoughtful, meticulously researched storytelling that holds power to account.
Listeners praise the host's dry wit and clear sourcing across complex cases.
Guests and topics are consistently relevant to current issues in governance and finance.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#94
United States/True Crime
Apple Podcasts
#100
Canada/True Crime
Apple Podcasts
#107
United Kingdom/True Crime
Apple Podcasts
#109
Australia/True Crime
Apple Podcasts
#135
Italy/True Crime
Apple Podcasts
#20
Indonesia/True Crime

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

S9 Ep128: The Charade (Scott W. Rothstein)
Q: Do you think Tony might have killed Melissa?
Deborah expressed doubt, stating that the two had little contact.
S9 Ep122: The Warlord (Kony 2012)
Q: What happened to Jason Russell after the Kony 2012 campaign went viral?
He experienced significant stress and a mental breakdown, leading to an incident where he was found running through the streets naked, which was widely publicized.
S9 Ep122: The Warlord (Kony 2012)
Q: What were some criticisms of the Kony 2012 campaign?
Critics argued that the campaign oversimplified complex issues, misrepresented the current situation in Uganda, and failed to provide a comprehensive solution to the ongoing crisis.
S9 Ep121: The Derailment (East Palestine, OH)
Q: What changes were suggested to prevent future disasters?
The NTSB and local lawmakers suggested increased inspections and better safety regulations for trains carrying hazardous materials.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Swindled

What is Swindled about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A hard-hitting, narrative-driven deep dive into white-collar crime, corporate fraud, and the fallout from major scandals. Episodes blend archival audio, investigative reporting, and cinematic sound design to unpack how greed, deception, and power reshape economies, communities, and policy. Listeners can expect thorough, sourcing-heavy storytelling that connects historical frauds and environmental disasters to broader systems of accountability, with occasional updates and guest perspectives from people closely tied to these crises. The format often includes long-form investigations, contemporaneous voiceovers, and clear lessons for audiences who want to understand who was harmed and how misdeeds were uncovered and addressed.

Where can I find podcast stats for Swindled?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Swindled. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to Swindled and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does Swindled get?

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What are the audience demographics for Swindled?

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How many subscribers and views does Swindled have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Swindled has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Swindled?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Swindled:

1. The Opportunist
2. Scamfluencers
3. PRETEND
4. American Greed Podcast
5. Chameleon

How many episodes of Swindled are there?

Swindled launched 9 years ago and published 244 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Swindled?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Swindled?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Swindled from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

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How do I access podcast episode transcripts for Swindled?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of Swindled. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on Swindled?

Recent guests on Swindled include:

1. John Stamos
2. Trevor Milton
3. Judy Piat
4. Russell Bliss
5. Marilyn Leisner
6. Sid Hammer
7. Joe Kapstick
8. Rita LaVelle

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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