At the CIA, Rick Ames had a reputation as a middling agent with a drinking problem and a knack for skating by. But despite poor performance reviews, Rick just kept failing up. As he landed bigger and better assignments, he saw an opportunity to turn his access to Soviet-era secrets into cold, hard cash. For nearly a decade he sold classified intelligence to the KGB in exchange for a life of luxury with his wife, Rosario – who soon joined in on the betrayal. Together they pulled off one of the most devastating acts of espionage in U.S.history, harming CIA operations and costing countless lives before their luck finally ran out.

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Grinch is back and jollier than NEVER! Whoville’s sassiest late-night talk show host returns for season 3 with more sharp-tongued monologues about everything nipping at his nose this holiday season, his signature brand of merry mischief, and a fete of festive banter, determined to charm a sleigh-full of A-list guests into admitting that Christmas might just be ho-ho-horribly overrated.

This season, Grinch unveils his boldest scam yet: "Grinch-a-palooza," an over-the-top extravaganza timed to outshine Whoville’s beloved tree lighting ceremony. But when his trusted producer Cindy-Lou Who sides with the town’s holiday tradition instead of helping him plan the perfect palooza, the ultimate festive face-off begins. Grinch vs. Cindy—whose Christmas Eve bash will reign supreme? The battle for holiday supremacy is officially ON. Listen to ‘Tis the Grinch Holiday Podcast: Wondery.fm/Grinch

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We’ll be back next week with a brand new episode. In the meantime, we’re taking you back to the 1980s – a time of greed, glamour, and Wall Street excess – and revisiting the story of the “Junk Bond King,” Michael Milken.

In the early 80s, Michael Milken pioneered a novel way to finance companies that traditional investors normally wouldn’t touch. His high-risk, high-reward investing strategy upended decades of Wall Street norms. And it made celebrities out of Michael and the corporate raiders he funded, like T. Boone Pickens, Rupert Murdoch, and Carl Icahn. Michael did make it possible for smaller companies to access capital. But he did it by breaking norms, ethical codes, and financial regulations in order to manipulate the system at every turn. Though, when stock brokers turn into snitches, even his billions can’t protect him.

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Senator Bob Menendez and his wife have just been indicted for wheeling and dealing with the government of Egypt, along with many other crimes. In a bid to save his career, Bob throws his co-conspirators under the bus—including his wife, Nadine. But after decades avoiding consequences, Bob faces a mountain of evidence in court. He’s about to go from lion of the Senate to major liability.

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We’ll be back in two weeks with all-new Scamfluencers episodes. In the meantime, we’re revisiting a political scandal that’s been back in the headlines recently – and we’ve added some updates since this story first aired.

Bob Menendez rode an anti-corruption reputation to the highest levels of the New Jersey political machine. But as he ascends to the U.S. Senate, he realizes he can raise money the good old-fashioned way: through bribes. By the time he meets his one true love, Nadine Arslanian, Bob is no stranger to corruption, and as a senior member of the senate, he’s more than happy to use his influence to make his new girlfriend happy.

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When her Ponzi scheme starts to crumble – and her husband dies under mysterious circumstances – Natalie Cochran plays the perfect victim: a widowed mother of two, supposedly battling cancer while grieving her sudden loss. But behind her tears is a master manipulator. And soon, Natalie will face questions she can’t lie her way out of – from federal investigators and the national media.

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Natalie Cochran seems to have it all: a stable career as a pharmacist, a loving husband, and two kids. But when she ditches her job to become a “government contractor” – and suddenly starts raking in cash – her life starts looking a little too good to be true. Behind the scenes, Natalie is running an elaborate con: one with fake government contracts, fake cancer, and a real trail of victims. When her house of cards starts to fall, Natalie will make a devastating choice that will turn her dream life into a nightmare.

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Listen to Scamfluencers on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen early and ad-free on Wondery+. Join Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Start your free trial by visiting wondery.com/links/scamfluencers/ now.

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Mark Hofmann, a lifelong Mormon, skyrockets to local fame by uncovering “historical” documents that challenge core LDS Church narratives. He sells the documents to the church, claiming he’s protecting it from scandal—but the truth is much darker. The documents are forgeries, and Mark is a closet atheist and master con artist. And when his double life is about to be exposed, he takes drastic measures to protect his secrets.

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