Rephonic
Artwork for The Hidden Third

The Hidden Third

Mariana van Zeller
Prison Reform
Jeffrey Epstein
Pornography
Sexual Abuse
Trauma Recovery
Grooming
California
Capitol Hill
Modeling Industry
Women Empowerment
Human Trafficking
Gambling
Prison
Cocaine Trafficking
Substance Abuse
USC
Securities Fraud
Lessons From Prison
Drug Trafficking
Cartels

From Emmy and Peabody Award–winning journalist Mariana van Zeller comes THE HIDDEN THIRD, a weekly dive into the underground markets that quietly power a third of the global economy. Every episode Mariana sits down with people who know these worlds firsthand - the hustlers, smugglers, scammers, kingpins, and those trying to shut them down. The series reveals how they function, why they endure, and... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes50Foundeda year ago
Number of ListenersCategories
DocumentarySociety & CultureTrue Crime

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for The Hidden Third

Latest Episodes

Disclaimer: Marilyn Manson, whose legal name is Brian Warner, has denied Evan Rachel Wood’s allegations. He has previously said that her claims are “horrible distortions of reality” and that his intimate relationships were consensual. In January 2025... more

YouTube

Join The Hidden Third Patreon today: patreon.com/TheHiddenThird

Try ZipRecruiter for free at ZipRecruiter.com/HIDDENTHIRD

Jim Cole spent two decades as a Homeland Security Investigations special agent, working child-exploitation case... more

Visit prizepicks.onelink.me/LME0/HIDDENTHIRD and use code HIDDENTHIRD and get $150 if you win your first $5 lineup!

Get 15% off OneSkin with the code MARIANA at www.oneskin.co/MARIANA #oneskinpod

James McGibney is the man who took... more

Use code HIDDENTHIRD at Monarch.com to get 50% off your first year of Monarch Core!

Sharon Yitzhaki was 20 years old when she was pulled off a plane at a Bolivian airport. Authorities searched her bag, and the second bag she was carrying, whi... more

Key Facts

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

Similar Podcasts

People also subscribe to these shows.

Recent Guests

Evan Rachel Wood
Actress and abuse survivor
Self
Episode: Evan Rachel Wood: The Cost of Speaking Out Against Marilyn Manson
Jim Cole
Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent (retired) and victim identification pioneer
U.S. Government / HSI
Episode: He Helped Save Thousands of Abused and Exploited Kids
James McGibney
Founder of Bullyville; host of Bully Hunter
Bullyville / Bully Hunter
Episode: The Vigilante Hunting Bullies, Scammers and Predators
Sharon Yitzhaki
Israeli woman imprisoned in Bolivia who led a prison-based drug operation and later became an author and advocate
Independent author/activist
Episode: Trapped in Bolivia's Deadliest Prison. Then She Took It Over.
Lurata Lyon
Survivor of human trafficking, author
Self / Advocate
Episode: She Escaped Traffickers, Then Was Kidnapped Again
Matthew Bowyer
A bookmaker involved in a large illegal betting operation; former inmate
Independent bookmaker, case involving Resorts World and Shohei Ohtani case
Episode: Ohtani's Bookie Is Out of Prison — And He's Talking
Tom Gregg
Conflict and hostage mediator; UN official with decades of field experience
United Nations; former head of UN regional office in Southeast Afghanistan
Episode: The Man Governments Send to Negotiate with Terrorists | Tom Gregg
Brad Beeler
Former Secret Service polygraph examiner, author of Tell Me Everything
U.S. Secret Service
Episode: Secret Service Interrogator: How He Got Killers to Talk | Brad Beeler
Adnan Alisic
Guest who grew up in Bosnia and devised a dramatic casino heist plan while building a business career in the U.S.
Businessman (car dealership, restaurant, body shop)
Episode: He Robbed a Casino With a Blow‑Up Doll and a Fake AK‑47

Host

Mariana van Zeller
Host of The Hidden Third

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 1.4k ratings
  • Best podcast ever

    I love this pod so much, it captivated me from the first interview. Mariana is such a thoughtful and genuine interviewer and journalist. She lets her guests speak through their stories effortlessly. And that is why such incredible humans with exceptional experiences choose her. Thank you!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    kitty cat 5001
    Australia18 days ago
  • please stop interrupting guests!!!

    Please, please stop interrupting. It is infuriating. Also, you don’t have to pretend you know everything and you don’t have to make it all about you!

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    sherbj
    United States19 days ago
  • Captivating Podcast However….

    The woman who took on Amazon, incredulous and unfair to listen to what happened to her husband and herself and their four little girls, but to go away beyond (and her being a huge income earner) making the audacious statement that Trump has weaponized the DOJ to specifically come after her husband and family but fails to emphasize that the Biden Administration completely IGNORE their plight. There is a total noxious reason why Bezos has the tantrums he has. The social media is absolutely enfor... more

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Redlegwife1143
    United States24 days ago
  • Fascinating Interviews- Upgrade the microphones though…

    Have been a huge fan of Mariana since first Trafficked season. She is a fantastic interviewer. This podcast doesn’t disappoint, but only issue is the microphones are distracting with muffled voices and can be unclear at times.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Amazing Mango
    United Statesa month ago
  • Podcasts for smart people

    I have always loved Mariana's reporting and I'm so glad to know her podcasts are now available on Apple podcasts. She always has the most fascinating guests and delves into areas that are informative and intriguing.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Smotherday
    United States2 months ago

Listeners Say

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

The host is an exceptional interviewer who pulls powerful storytelling from guests.
Production quality has improved with better audio balance and mixing.
Episodes are eye-opening and educational about underworld economies and reform.
Some listeners feel the show leans left or biased; others praise its depth and empathy.

Chart Rankings

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

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Evan Rachel Wood: The Cost of Speaking Out Against Marilyn Manson
Q: How did you first realize the depth of what you were experiencing with him?
I began to understand the pattern of grooming, control, and isolation as the relationship deepened, including manipulation and threatening behavior that made me feel I couldn't leave safely.
The Vigilante Hunting Bullies, Scammers and Predators
Q: What was your approach to Hunter Moore and IsAnyoneUp, and how did that impact the FBI investigation?
We pursued a strategic, multi-pronged approach, aiming to shut down the site while protecting victims; while it may have affected the FBI timeline, it delivered relief to victims and demonstrated that coordinated actions can halt ongoing abuse.
The Vigilante Hunting Bullies, Scammers and Predators
Q: How did you become involved in exposing online predators and what motivated you to start Bullyville?
I started after seeing how predators exploit online platforms and realizing that traditional channels often failed victims; I wanted to build a tool to expose them, deter others, and push for accountability, even if it meant difficult, high-stakes work.
Ohtani's Bookie Is Out of Prison — And He's Talking
Q: What was the hardest part of entering prison for you?
The emotional blow of leaving a life of luxury behind, the fear and the social thrust to adapt while keeping loyalty to family, and the daunting realization of the social hierarchies and not knowing how to navigate them.
She Escaped Traffickers, Then Was Kidnapped Again
Q: Before we go deeper into the trauma, can you describe the moment you knew you needed to tell your story publicly?
It was a turning point from personal survival to public advocacy, sparked by mentors like Gilles who encouraged me to share my experience to help others and fundraise for charities, even when I initially wanted to stay private.

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 The Hidden Third

What is The Hidden Third about and what kind of topics does it cover?

The show focuses on the hidden, often illicit underworlds that underpin a large portion of the global economy, featuring interviews with investigators, survivors, activists, and former insiders who illuminate how these systems operate, why they persist, and their far-reaching effects on society. Episodes regularly explore topics like skip tracing, the cannabis black market, cult dynamics, wrongful convictions, extremism recovery, and reform-minded storytelling, blending hard-hitting storytelling with personal resilience and accountability. A standout element is the host's ability to pull firsthand experiences from guests who have lived through these worlds, offering both investigative rigor and empathetic nuance that helps listeners underst... more

Where can I find podcast stats for The Hidden Third?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for The Hidden Third. 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 The Hidden Third and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does The Hidden Third get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for four million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for The Hidden Third, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for The Hidden Third?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for The Hidden Third, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does The Hidden Third have?

To see how many followers or subscribers The Hidden Third 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 The Hidden Third?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The Hidden Third:

1. This Is Actually Happening
2. The Joe Rogan Experience
3. The Shawn Ryan Show
4. What It Was Like
5. The Tucker Carlson Show

How many episodes of The Hidden Third are there?

The Hidden Third launched a year ago and published 50 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 The Hidden Third?

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 The Hidden Third?

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

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for The Hidden Third?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of The Hidden Third. 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 The Hidden Third?

Recent guests on The Hidden Third include:

1. Evan Rachel Wood
2. Jim Cole
3. James McGibney
4. Sharon Yitzhaki
5. Lurata Lyon
6. Matthew Bowyer
7. Tom Gregg
8. Brad Beeler

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.

Find and pitch the right podcasts

We help savvy brands, marketers and PR professionals to find the right podcasts for any topic or niche. Get the data and contacts you need to pitch podcasts at scale and turn listeners into customers.
Try it free for 7 days