Swindled is an American true crime podcast written and hosted by an anonymous man who uses the pseudonym "A Concerned Citizen". The scripted series explores the world of white-collar crime, con artists, and corporate greed.
Production In a Q&A with BBC News, the anonymous host, a former government worker with a background in graphic design and audio production, claimed the inception of the podcast was motivated by the immorality of a "capitalistic culture". According to the Tampa Bay Times, "A Concerned Citizen" created Swindled after failing to find an existing podcast on similar topics. The host explained to MEL Magazine that the underlying theme in all of the episodes is greed and a "social culture that values getting rich as quick as possible."
Each episode begins with a prelude story to the main subject, followed by the theme music consisting of stringed and brass instruments, and then a structured narrative interspersed with archival audio, suspenseful scoring, and dry humor.
In addition to the writing, research, and audio production, "A Concerned Citizen" creates all of the visual artwork for the podcast. The show's music is written and performed by multi-instrumentalist Trevor Harte Howard using the moniker "Deformr".
Since its inception, Swindled has remained independent of podcasting networks. The podcast's advertising sales are supported by AdLarge Media based in New York, New York.
Reception The show has earned widespread critical acclaim. The Columbia Journalism Review called Swindled "the funniest, most expansive, and certainly the most sui generis podcast" to grace the true-crime genre. Vulture listed the series among the “52 Great True-Crime Podcasts of the post-Serial boom." The Star Tribune named it one of its "10 must-listen true crime podcasts" in June 2018.
The series has also been singled out internationally: The Guardian selected Swindled as its podcast "pick of the week" in September 2018 and WVXU highlighted the episode “The Saint” on its Start Hear program in November 2020. In January 2021, Canadian culture writer Scaachi Koul included Swindled in her recommended podcasts for CBC Radio.
Swindled has charted in the Top 100 podcasts in 5 countries, including Australia, Canada, Germany, United Kingdom, and United States.
In July 2018, true crime podcast Crime Junkie adopted Swindled's episode "The Contraceptive," covering the Dalkon Shield. In a profile of Crime Junkie host Ashley Flowers, Laura Barcella of Rolling Stone magazine wrote about the episode: "Flowers is at her best when dissecting complicated cases that stink of larger cover-ups and corruption."
A German translation of the series titled Schmutzige Geschäfte launched on November 19, 2018. A Danish translation titled Svindlerne subsequently followed in 2020.
Accolades
Silver / Community Voice winner in the Sustainability, Environment, & Climate Awareness category at the 5th annual Anthem Awards Listed as #10 in "Top Subscriptions" on Apple Podcasts' Best of 2021 Winner in the 2019 Discover Pods Awards for "Best True Crime Podcast" Runner-up in the 2019 Discover Pods Awards for "Best Overall Podcast" Runner-up in the 2018 Discover Pods Awards for "Best True Crime Podcast" Finalist in the 2018 Discover Pods Awards for "Best New Podcast"
Episodes
Season 1 EpisodeTitleSubjectPreludeDate1The Lucky WinnerEddie TiptonTriple Six FixJanuary 7, 20182The Horse QueenRita CrundwellTrust, but verifyJanuary 7, 20183The Treasure HunterTommy ThompsonFenn treasureJanuary 7, 20184The CanalLove CanalDenney Farm Chemical SpillJanuary 21, 20185The Delivery ManBrian WellsMosman bomb hoaxFebruary 4, 20186The ContraceptiveDalkon ShieldNelson Pill HearingsFebruary 18, 20187The TreasurerR. Budd DwyerPaul PowellMarch 4, 20188The ImpostorJimmy SabatinoWilliam Douglas Street Jr.March 18, 20189The LeakBhopal Gas Disaster1985 Institute, West Virginia Union Carbide Plant LeakApril 1, 201810The JudgesKids for CashGreg SkrepenakApril 15, 201811The HitmanFrank HowardJeffrey LockerApril 29, 201812The TelevangelistJim BakkerPeter PopoffMay 13, 201813The Pharma BroMartin ShkreliValeant PharmaceuticalsMay 28, 201814The AssociationFIFAColin FowlesJune 14, 201815The GigoloRichard BaileyTommy "The Sandman" BurnsJuly 1, 2018
Season 2 EpisodeTitleSubjectPreludeDate1The Canoe ManJohn DarwinDavid FriedlandSeptember 9, 20182The LawsuitMcDonald's Hot CoffeeBigbee v. Pacific Telephone and TelegraphSeptember 23, 20183The TycoonAllen StanfordMichael MarinOctober 7, 20184The Fyre FestivalBilly McFarlandLapland New ForestOctober 21, 20185The HostageTony KiritsisClay Allen DukeNovember 4, 20186The ContestantCharles IngramMichael LarsonNovember 18, 20187The PsychicSylvia BrowneMiss CleoDecember 2, 20188The DeputyFrankie BybeeCharles "Joe" GliniewiczDecember 16, 20189The MogulLou PearlmanAlan BondJanuary 6, 201910The FormulaNestlé Boycott of 1977Chinese Baby Milk ScandalJanuary 20, 201911The Body SnatcherMichael MastromarinoTri-State CrematoryFebruary 3, 201912The MayorKwame KilpatrickMurder of Tamara GreeneFebruary 17, 201913The StingAbscamMel WeinbergMarch 2, 201914The DownlineHerbalifeGlenn W. TurnerMarch 17, 201915The ProducerJoe FrancisBumfightsApril 1, 2019
Season 3 EpisodeTitleSubjectPreludeDate1The SocialiteAnna DelveyKari FerrellJuly 7, 20192The MatchSimon LevievMaria Elvira Pinto ExpostoJuly 21, 20193The ImplantsPoly Implant ProthèseDow CorningAugust 4, 20194The TourJered ThreatinMilli VanilliAugust 18, 20195The WhistleblowerKaren SilkwoodRobert S. KerrAugust 31, 20196The FundraiserJohnny Bobbit Jr.Ginny Irovando LongSeptember 14, 20197The SurvivorTania HeadFred ParisiSeptember 28, 20198The Family BusinessDoug PielstickerFalcon TransportOctober 13, 20199The MadamDeborah Jeane PalfreyKristin M. DavisOctober 27, 201910The MineCrandall Canyon MineSago MineNovember 10, 201911The GPO GirlSamantha AzzopardiGuerdwich MontimereNovember 24, 201912The RevengerHunter MooreKevin BollaertDecember 8, 201913The SultanAnthony GignacCoingateDecember 22, 201914The RaidAgriprocessorsSwift & Co.January 12, 202015The SwitchFlint Water CrisisLead contamination in Washington, D.C. drinking waterJanuary 26, 2020
Season 4 EpisodeTitleSubjectPreludeDate1The GamechangerBelle GibsonJess AinscoughMay 10, 20202The PopeDan JohnsonDan JohnsonMay 24, 20203The GrantScott WesterhuisSteven SueppelJune 7, 20204The GeniusMartin FrankelThomas QuinnJune 21, 20205The OctopusUnited Fruit Company/ChiquitaDole Food CompanyJuly 5, 20206The VigilantePat JohnsonJoe Stack July 19, 20207The RefereeTim Donaghy Joe GaglianoAugust 3, 20208The TreatmentBayer AG Ryan WhiteAugust 16, 20209The Barefoot BanditColton Harris Moore Joshua Paul CalhounAugust 30, 202010The I.M.O.M.Peter Foster John ChardonSeptember 12, 202011The Space ProgramChallenger Disaster Vladimir KomarovSeptember 27, 202012The SaintMother Teresa Kevin MalarkeyOctober 11, 202013The PitchmanDon Lapre Doug GrantOctober 25, 202014The DownfallMarcus Schrenker Raymond RothNovember 8, 202015The SpillDeepwater Horizon Ixtoc INovember 22, 2020
Season 5 EpisodeTitleSubjectPreludeDate1The AtheistMadalyn Murray O'HairEngel v. VitaleApril 11, 20212The WellWalkerton E. coli outbreakWashington County FairApril 25, 20213The BishopJohn P. TomkinsLuke HelderMay 9, 20214The Ivy LeaguerEsther ReedJames HogueMay 23, 20215The BakerySandy JenkinsAlvin KennardJune 6, 20216The BrandProcter & GambleFenholloway RiverJune 20, 20217The PatriarchAnthony TodtJohn ChairmonteJuly 4, 20218The Ghost WriterAnthony Godby JohnsonNew Horizons Youth MinistriesJuly 18, 20219The SchemeBernie MadoffSamuel Israel IIIAugust 29, 202110The OutbreakPeanut Corporation of AmericaJensen FarmsSeptember 12, 202111The InfernoThe Station nightclub fireE2 nightclub stampedeSeptember 28, 202112The KilldozerMarvin HeemeyerThomas LeaskOctober 12, 202113The SalesmanWilliam J. McCorkleCharles J. GivensOctober 25, 202114The OB/GYNJavaid PerwaizRoger BeyerNovember 11, 202115The Explosion2020 Beirut explosionWest Fertilizer Company explosionDecember 6, 2021
Season 6 EpisodeTitleSubjectPreludeDate1The VeganSarma MelngailisPlantLabMarch 16, 20222The PioneeruBiomeKhalid SataryApril 3, 20223The VerrücktSchlitterbahnTyre SampsonApril 17, 20224The RockefellerChristian GerhartsreiterChristophe RocancourtMay 8, 20225The StandoffEd & Elaine BrownMontana FreemenMay 23, 20226The CrusaderNicholas AlahverdianMichelle RothgebJune 5, 20227The Perfect TriggerRemington ArmsHenry Gordy Intl.June 21, 20228The TroubadourMark LeonardRichmond, Indiana explosionJuly 5, 20229The Body BrokerMegan HessArthur RathburnAugust 8, 202210The CreameryBlue BellBig OlafAugust 22, 202211The WagonRichard ScrushyDon SiegelmanSeptember 19, 202212The LabelJohnson & JohnsonDePuyOctober 6, 202213The LiabilityJohnson & JohnsonEthiconOctober 23, 202214The CrocodileHeather Morgan & Ilya LichtensteinAlphabayNovember 10, 202215The ReliefHurricane KatrinaHurricane BetsyDecember 7, 2022
Season 7 EpisodeTitleSubjectPreludeDate1The Balloon BoyRichard HeeneLawn Chair LarryMarch 16, 20232The PhantomImperial Food ProductsTriangle Waist CompanyApril 2, 20233The TeenagerMalachi Love-RobinsonNecessary clarification: "[...] according to the website, missionarychapel.com, Malachi Love-Robinson is listed as a doctor [...]" - according to FOX) — The possible icon "/V\cs" (from: "Missionary Chapel and Seminary") should not be confused with the "Vlcs" (from: "Universal Life Church Seminary" - with diplomas obtained through courses / authorized, and subjected to peer review).Matthew ScheidtApril 17, 20234The MessengerKevin TrudeauHooked on PhonicsMay 1, 20235The CaptiveSeaWorldFree Willy-KeikoMay 22, 20236The IslandersJohn SpanoWilliam "Boots" Del Biaggio IIIJune 7, 20237The JewelerNicolas ShaughnessyErik Charles MaundJune 25, 20238The Lottery LawyerJason KurlandBillie Bob Harrell Jr.July 11, 20239The SkywalksHyatt Regency DisasterFIU Bridge CollapseAugust 2, 202310The Side DoorOperation Varsity BluesWintercap SAAugust 31, 202311The Missing Melissa CaddickBrad SherwinSeptember 22, 202312The Other WomanVicki MorganBernie CornfeldOctober 17, 202313The Nose DoctorMark WeinbergerPhilip GabrieleNovember 4, 202314The Kepone ShakesLife Science ProductsChlordeconeNovember 26, 202315The MonopolyPacific Gas & ElectricSan Bruno pipeline explosionDecember 25, 2023
Season 8 EpisodeTitleSubjectPreludeDate1The TornadoKim NeimanThe Pilger TwinsMarch 17, 20242The Technology Real WaterElizabeth HelgelienMarch 31, 20243The CommanderBobby C. ThompsonKevin WhiteApril 14, 20244The MachineTyson FoodsCody EasterdayApril 30, 20245The MessEric C. ConnPuerto Rico disability fraud ringMay 14, 20246The EmbattledJasiel CorreiaDianne WilkersonMay 30, 20247The SugarpitIndiana State Fair Stage CollapseOttawa Bluesfest stage collapseJune 14, 20248The Satan SellerMike WarnkeJohn ToddJuly 1, 20249The FungusNew England Compounding Center meningitis outbreakPharmakon PharmaceuticalsAugust 5, 202410The Bling BishopLamor WhiteheadThe Q Train ShootingAugust 21, 202411The Juggalos ICP V. FBIMurder of Michael GoucherSeptember 5, 202412The AirlinerValuJetAllegiant AirSeptember 25, 202413The PrinceJoel Morehu-BarlowIBM AustraliaOctober 10, 202414The Magic PillFen-PhenBelviqOctober 31, 202415The DescentTitan submersible implosionSteve FossettNovember 25, 2024
Season 9