Ridiculous Crime

The Great Yosemite Gold Rush of Pot

Last week, Elizabeth shared a story from the Gold Rush. And this week, Zaron brings us a story from the Yosemite Gold Rush. If you've never heard of it, that's when a bun

Gold Dust Woman: Marie Suize Pantalon

Marie Suize made her way from France to the foothills of California for the Gold Rush. One of just a few women up there mining for gold, she managed to make a fortune and

Brenden Abbott, AKA The Postcard Bandit

Raised in difficult cirumstances, it was no surprise that Brenden Abbott turned to a life of crime. But once he got going, he was an endless source of surprises for the A

The Great Book Theft: Frede Møller-Kristensen

A genius goes to work in the Danish Royal Library. Sounds about right. That genius starts stealing books. That's not right. The genius stops stealing books. That's good!

Come Fly With Me, Come Crime With Me: the Ken Jouppi Story

How far would you go to fight the law and keep your stuff? For Alaskan bush pilot Ken Jouppi the answer is: all the way to the Supreme Court. Thanks to Alaska’s strict la

Bonus: Getting High with Ridiculous Crime: Reindeer Trips and Soothing Syrup

Did you know reindeer love tripping? Or that, once upon a time, otherwise responsible parents would dose their children with high-test opioids? In the second chapter of t

Bonus: Getting High with Ridiculous Crime: Betel Nut and 'Asthma Cigarettes'

Have you ever gone full red-mouth off betel nut? Did you ever buy cigarettes to cure your asthma? When Ben, Noel, and Max first began exploring bizarre drugs of yesteryea

Dr. Teeth and the Cocaine Mayhem: Larry Lavin

Larry Lavin started out selling weed and a chill place to consume it to his classmates at Phillips Exeter Academy. He upped his game in dental school, selling cocaine and

Seth Rogen vs. North Korea: The Great Sony Hack of 2014

In a much different world, Seth Rogen wanted to make a movie about assassinating the leader of North Korea, Kim Jong-Un. The film he imagined would be a comedy, one that

Don't You Know Who I Am?: The Hollywood Con Queen

For good or for bad, Hollywood is the land of promises and illusion. Getting the right phone call at the right time can make a career...or it can drain a bank account. Th

All Along the Watchlist: Crimes of the Woodstock Generation

In a star-studded episode of Sixties outrageousness, ride along with Jimi Hendrix and Neil Young, catch flight with the band Canned Heat, party with at least half of the

It's a (Crime) Family Affair: Shaun Greenhalgh

Rejected by the art world, Shaun Greenhalgh needed an outlet for his incredible talent. Guess what? Crime was the perfect opportunity for such a thing. A true Renaissance

Let Me Stand Next to My Fire: Zaron Burns Down a Hillside

Before he was charming the Rude Dudes with tales of silly capers, heists, and cons, Zaron was a house painter. But not just any old house painter. He worked on high end p

Hot Rocks: The Green Vault Heist

In Dresden, Germany, an incredible trove of precious gems is on display in Dresden Castle's Green Vault. They've been there for hundreds of years, save a brief moment whe

ZZ Top and the Zombies: A Great American Long Con

Before they grew long beards and a mustache and formed ZZ Top, two of the bandmates, drummer Frank Beard and bassist Dusty Hill, were once in a traveling band that was cr

Introducing: Natural Causes

Natural Causes is a podcast about the politics and practicalities of going outside in a world on fire, hosted by Dr. James Stout. It approaches the outdoors, conservation

It's an Honor to Rob a Bank: Lucio Urtubia

He fought for freedom, not just for his native Spain but for oppressed people worldwide. With his strong believe that, "the keystone of existence is doing right by one's

Before Cocaine Cartels, There Was The Black Tuna Gang

The name of their crime crew was certainly unfortunate. Like, who would wanna be known as The Black Tuna Gang? But their crimes, however, are legendary. Long before cocai

Philately Will Get You Nowhere: The Apollo 15 Postal Cover Scandal

Humans are fascinated by two things and two things only in this life: space and keepsakes. That’s it. The astronauts of the Apollo 15 mission knew this, so they took a LO

The Show Must NOT Go On!: Sometimes Crime is the Only Answer

For these three stories, there is one unifying idea: the show must NOT go on. And in order to ensure the show was indeed stopped, people turned to crimes, sweet, sweet ri