Ridiculous Crime

The Milwaukee Brewers were scheduled to face the Kansas City Royals, but the night before thieves broke in and stole the Royals’ uniforms. The game that went down the next day became baseball history; yet another legend from the ‘70s era of baseball and its disco riot, short shorts and afro’d funkiness.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What do you get when you take one part hardscrabble Eastern Bloc kid, three parts lousy ice hockey skills, twelve parts booze, six parts non-violence, and infinite amounts of determination? You get one whole Attila Ambrus, the Hungarian Whiskey Robber. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Albert Einstein was one of the greatest scientific minds of all time. So of course people wanted to study his brain after he died. One man, though, wanted the brain more than anyone else. His career-ruining obsession with the genius noggin drove him to commit a ridiculous crime and culminated in a bizarre cross-country road-trip with an exasperated journalist. Intent on delivering the pilfered body part to Einstein’s granddaughter, the duo proved that everything is indeed relative.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A sports-loving jokester with a desire to be seen by the masses, Barry Bremen fraudulently made his way into some of the biggest sporting and entertainment events of the 70s and 80s. It's one thing to dress up as a ref at a game, quite another to accept an award on stage meant for someone else. Will Barry's lust for the limelight take him a little too far?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Everybody loved Nick Perry. The host of “Bowling for Dollars” was Pittsburgh famous for his loud suits and friendly demeanor. But that wasn’t enough. Nick Perry made a big money move — he rigged the Pennsylvania lottery. Only problem was that he also crossed the mob. That never ends well.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you have an interesting accent and know how to act fancy, you can get away with a lot. Margaret Lydia Burton used that fact to her advantage, moving from town to town, conning people and living well. She thought she'd settled down to begin a life of skimming enormous amounts of money from a medical clinic and spending it on...show dogs. But people got wise, so Burton got moving.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rita Crundwell seemed like a simple woman. As a kid, she liked 4H, horses, and country living. She grew up to work in City Hall in her small hometown of Dixon, Illinois. For decades, though, this all-American product of the heartland had a secret. She was cooking the town's books, embezzling millions, and lying to everyone she knew to pay for her lavish, pony-loving lifestyle.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Two major league baseball stars walk into a bar. Well, a nightclub. Either way, chaos ensues. But since it's Jose and Ozzie Canseco, that chaos is awesome. And they didn't stop there. Special guest Travis Dutton, a major Oakland A's/Canseco fan, joins the RC crew for this one.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Alex Joseph was a lot of things: accountant, school teacher, author, US Marine, postal worker, private investigator, music manager, health food purveyor, mayor, pirate, polygamist, cult leader. He loved living just outside the law, amassing wives (some of questionable age) and squatting on government land. And unlike many of the ridiculous criminals profiled, he managed to stay one step ahead of the law until his last breath.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Aspiring artist Arno Funke, aka Dagobert, just wanted to make a living doing what he loved. And he did, for a time, because in addition to art he loved bombs and extortion plots, and weird contraptions. His antics captivated a nation and made for great headlines, but those kind of capers just can't last. Luckily, the artist in him prevailed and he was able to delight and captivate the public in a legal way after all.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's Christmas in July! Start drafting those letters to Santa — that's just how John Duval Gluck would have wanted it. He scammed the wealthy of New York society into doing good for poor kids, sending the kids gifts from Santa himself. Until one man asked to see the receipts.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For years, an erstwhile Baron smuggled glass eyes into Hoboken, until he was busted by customs. He later petitioned to officially change his name to reflect his status as the illegitimate son of a Viscount. When he told the romantic and rather dubious tale of his parentage in court? Not a dry eye in the house.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Criminals decide to steal the body of beloved film star Charlie Chaplin. They call his widow and ask for a ransom. His widow isn't interested. What becomes of The Tramp's remains? Guess you'll have to listen and find out. Come for the crime, stay for Zaron's absurd reenactment of the ransom calls.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Throughout the ages, con artists have successfully convinced people to buy into fake businesses, fake social or political movements, even fake identities. But it took a truly confident trickster, a brazen Scotsman, to fool people into sinking their life savings into a completely fake country.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Fed up with local politics, a UFO investigator and his band of misfits conspire to take down their enemies. And expose government plots to conceal alien activity. And equip a school bus with state of the art paranormal detecting gadgets. And threaten the President. And hang out at his mom's house. You know, normal stuff.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Get drunk? Check. Steal a plane? Check. Fly it back to the bar you'd been partying in earlier? Check. Tommy "Fitz" Fitzpatrick had only a few steps in his plan to become a legend. How he executed that plan and took it to new heights makes him the posterboy for mid-century ridiculousness. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In 1876, a small time gang plotted to kidnap Abraham Lincoln. He'd been dead eleven years, but they didn't let that stop them. They planned to trade the late leader's body for their imprisoned counterfeiter comrade's freedom. Guess what -- it didn't work.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In 2016, the artist Maurizio Cattelan created a masterpiece: a solid goild toilet. After a successful exhibition in New York, the commode was shown in the UK. It was there that the loo went adieu. Who took it? Why? The police had suspects, but will they be able to flush them out?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What do you get when you mix an obsession with cryptids, money to burn, Buddhist monks, geopolitics, relic theft, lingerie, and Jimmy Stewart? You get this ridiculous tale.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Michael Sabo was a classic con man. He posed as a respectable doctor, he wrote phony checks, he stole coins, and he misled trusting people. And what does a classic con man do after getting caught? Turn that grifter knowledge into another con: consulting.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An amateur art thief conspires with a barber/part-time “Tupperware consultant” named Universal Knowledge Allah to steal a multimillion dollar Stradivarius violin; it’s step one of the thief’s Robin Hood-style plan to, uh…renovate and fix Milwaukee?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We get a LOT of correspondence here at RC HQ, and the time has come to share it with the world. Suggestions! Confessions! Campfire Tales! Requests! Guitars! Turkeys! Manhunts! Duct Tape! Y'all are a fascinating and hilarious bunch.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It was the ‘90s, just before the internet went big, the perfect moment for two gals to turn outlaw, robbing men from Texas to Vegas. While on the run they were spotted hiding as nurses, strippers and refrigerator customers. Novelty shirts and tv shows followed.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A dame. A real looker. A minx with a gun demanding all the cash in the register. This was a woman straight out of a film noir. Except this gal's m.o. was a little unusual: your money or your pants, mister!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mimes and police: two great tastes that don't taste great together. In the time between the Beat Generation and the Summer of Love, a band of misfit mimes joined forces with a future super-promoter to fight for the rights of performace artists and freedom of expression (also the freedom to get freaky while miming). Clashes with cops ensued, but no invisible box could hold the mimes back. This is the true story of how mime culture changed history...and gave us hippies.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Even the worst singers think they're magnificent crooners in the shower or alone in the car. But what of the terrible singers who take their warbling public? Can singing be criminally bad? Turns out the answer is YES. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

No one likes medical exams that get a little, uh, personal. And it's only made worse if the doctor administering the test is actually a teen con artist posing as an MD. This teen terror just wouldn't give up his medical dreams until he faced the most tenacious opponent of all: a local investigative news team.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ah, the 80s. Back when MTV ruled the airwaves, shoulder pads were mandatory, Coca Cola was going through some identity issues, and television signal jacking was still possible. It was a magical time when someone in Chicago could turn on the tv and get an unintended eyeful of weirdness, thanks to a rascally criminal in a Max Headroom mask.`See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Gaston Means managed to insert himself into some significant crimes in American history. J. Edgar Hoover himself referred to Means as "the most amazing figure in contemporary criminal history" for his ability to successfully lie to suit whichever situation in which he found himself. But he met his match when he tried to swindle Washington socialite Evalyn Walsh McLean in a fake investigation into the Lindbergh Baby Kidnapping. Means ran out of luck when he ran out of lies.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It used to be gauche to wear white after labor day, or to board a plane in your pajamas. What once would get you stern looks or eye rolls are now widely tolerated sartorial choices. There was once one choice, though, that wasn't tolerated at all. In fact, it got you a beat down. Woe be the men who wore straw hats after the summer season in New York City.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the quiet spring and summer of the early COVID-19 pandemic, one creature's reign of terror paralyzed a neighborhood. What was once an idyllic municipal rose garden, prized for its bountiful blooms and serene atmosphere, became a bloody stomping ground for a pissed off turkey. It just so happens that animals can be criminals, too.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How does a company go from selling craft supplies and tchotchkes to importing stolen and counterfeit curios? This is the story of how Hobby Lobby got into the business of looted goods and managed to embroil the Museum of the Bible along the way.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The author of the Sherlock Holmes series of books, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was also an ardent believer in spiritualism. While his most famous character was known for laughingly revealing the deceptions of charlatans and con men, Doyle himself was more easily duped. Harry Houdini was disgusted to see his friend conned like that. As an escape artist and magician, Houdini was familiar with spectacle and games of deception. So he put on a show just for Conan Doyle and tried to convince his friend that spiritualism was a fraud. Could Houdini make the creator of Sherlock Holmes finally see the truth? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sometimes it's hard to retire. Like they say, do something you love and you'll never work a day in your life. For a group of older English gentlemen thieves, this was especially true. There comes a time when the body can't keep up with the mind, though, and simple plans run into complex worlds. It turns out mega jewel heists just aren't what they used to be. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Catholic Bishop Fulton J. Sheen once said, “Hearing nuns’ confessions is like being stoned to death with popcorn.” That’s not true in Belgium. In 1990, nuns in the Diocese of Bruge threw off their habits and embraced the criminal life. So much for vows of poverty. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A mysterious woman washes ashore in 1800s England. She speaks an unknown language, yet still manages to share tales of her pirate-filled high sea adventures and noble lineage. Her story captivates the nation...until a figure from her past comes and ruins everything. Or does she? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We all know that Pablo Escobar exported cocaine out of Colombia in record amounts. What a lot of people don't know is that he had some problematic imports into the vibrant nation, as well. Meet Pablo Escobar's hippos. The cocaine cowboy brought what turned out to be an invasive species into one of the most biodiverse areas in the world. Antics ensued. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The grandson of a Georgia plantation owner, “Soapy” Smith turned to crime when his family’s morally-criminal fortunes vanished at the end of the Civil War. Travelling from Texas to Colorado to Alaska, Smith was a natural leader who couldn’t help but expand his short con mini-gangs into full-fledged political and criminal empires. But how on earth did he get the name “Soapy”? A very clever flimflam and a cop gave him the moniker that made him famous. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When the historian who spent his whole career studying the life and exploits of Sir Francis Drake was presented with what appeared to be the Englishman's most important relic, he should have thought it too good to be true. Instead, he bought into it with his whole heart and career. A nerdy band of history buffs believed they pulled off the greatest of pranks, but the historian's reputation and sway were too strong to be brought down by a phony artifact. Too bad for one of the pranksters, who had counted on the whole affair as a means to exact revenge. This is how one fake metal plate became part of the California educational curriculum. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In 1966, England hosted the FIFA World Cup, an incredible honor and landmark moment for English football. Just one problem: someone made off with the cup itself just weeks before the start of play. How can you have a global tournament with no prize? How can England save face? Enter Pickles, the pooch with a nose for sirloin and purloined goods. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Prolific French bank robber Redoine Faid repeatedly evaded capture then repeatedly escaped imprisonment, entertaining all who heard of his exploits. His Hollywood-style capers were larger than life, just like his audacious public image. But can the authorities ever truly capture the man who has captured a nation's imagination? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Listeners Charlotte and Phil suggested this ridiculous crime (and viral sensation) from Down Under. This is the tale of a legendary Australian video that tickled an entire continent and created a folk hero. But who, exactly, was this folk hero? The plot thickens! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When a woman, back home for a family funeral, was kidnapped by the hitman her husband hired to kill her, things looked pretty bleak. But lucky for the woman, hers was a hitman with a heart of gold. Together, they plotted to surprise the husband and get her (legal) revenge. The venue: her own funeral. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

During the California Gold Rush, arriving sailors pretty much abandoned ship immediately and headed for the hills in search of gold. Criminals (called “crimps”) solved the sailor shortage by drugging men and tossing them on outgoing ships – if the captain paid enough. The most prolific crimp? Shanghai Kelly, the San Francisco ne’er-do-well who once threw the most epic booze cruise/kidnapping of all time. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

People love their pets. English people are especially fond of our four-legged friends. So when a dastardly criminal was on the loose, kidnapping innocent felines and shaving tufts of fur from their soft bodies, the people of Plymouth were understandably outraged. Ridiculousness, of course, ensued. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Three weeks. Three hotels. Three vices (booze, drugs, and purchased sex). In 1989, rock icon Billy Idol got wild in Bangkok, seeking total oblivion and taking it to a whole new level. Enter the Thai Army and their tranquilizer guns. Was that rock bottom for Idol? Not even close. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There you are, enjoying a family barbecue. Sure, the macaroni salad left much to be desired, but why is everyone suddenly vomiting? And why are you now certain it's up to you to save the world? This is the story of one man's descent into Tom Clancy-esque delusions, complete with carjackings and imaginary skydiving. He was sure he was working for the FBI and the CIA, when in fact he was just full of PCP. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There are flights from hell and then there’s United Flight 976 from Buenos Aires to New York City. With all the drinking, outbursts, violence, and other unmentionable deeds in this story, flying first class never looked so horrible. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

You need money. You know the Sinatra family. Obviously, the only thing to do is kidnap the adult son of Old Blue Eyes and ask for a ransom. But not too much, just enough. You don’t want to seem greedy. Learn about one man’s bumbling crusade to raise money for his family and raise the ire of America’s most mobbed-up crooner. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An animatronic character was stolen bit by bit from a pavilion at Disneyworld's Epcot, right under the noses of security at the beloved attraction. Who stripped Buzzy naked? Who sold his clothes? Who bought his clothes? Who is Buzzy in the first place? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.