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Conspiracy Theories, Cults, & Crimes

Conspiracy Theories, Cults, & Crimes

Conspiracy Theories, Cults, and Crimes is a true crime and conspiracy theories podcast about the people who take belief too far and the deadly consequences that follow. Hosted by Vanessa Richardson, each weekly episode unpacks real stories of murderous cults, criminal cover-ups, mass manipulation, and twisted conspiracies. From Jonestown and Heaven’s Gate to CIA mind control experiments, presidential assassinations, and the Octopus Murders. This is true crime at the intersection of faith, fear and manipulation. Follow now for new episodes every Wednesday. This is a Crime House Original, powered by PAVE Studios.

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37 min•
Yesterday

CRIMES: The Vanishing Judge

In 1930, New York Supreme Court Justice Joseph Force Crater stepped into a cab in Manhattan—and was never seen again. His sudden disappearance sparked national panic, fed decades of conspiracy theories, and exposed the shadowy world of political corruption surrounding Tammany Hall. In this episode, Vanessa Richardson unravels Judge Crater’s final days, from mysterious cash withdrawals to secret meetings, showgirl entanglements, and powerful enemies who may have wanted him silenced. Nearly a century later, the truth remains elusive, but the legend of “the missingest man in New York” still haunts American history. If you’re new here, don’t forget to follow Conspiracy Theories, Cults and Crimes to never miss a case! For Ad-free listening and early access to episodes, subscribe to Crime House+ on Apple Podcasts. Conspiracy Theories, Cults and Crimes is a Crime House Original Podcast, powered by PAVE Studios 🎧 Need More to Binge?  Listen to other Crime House Originals Clues, Crimes Of…, Crime House Daily, Killer Minds, Murder True Crime Stories and more wherever you get your podcasts! Follow me on Social Instagram: @Crimehouse TikTok: @Crimehouse Facebook: @crimehousestudios X: @crimehousemedia YouTube: @crimehousestudios To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policyLearn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

CRIMES: The Vanishing Judge
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38 min•
Wednesday

CONSPIRACY THEORIES: The Kids for Cash Scandal

When two Pennsylvania judges secretly took millions in kickbacks from private juvenile detention centers, thousands of kids paid the price. From minor misbehavior to harmless pranks, children were funneled into for-profit facilities under Judge Mark Ciavarella’s “zero-tolerance” courtroom—while he and his colleague Michael Conahan grew wealthier by the day. In this episode, Vanessa Richardson unpacks the shocking “Kids for Cash” conspiracy, the corruption that enabled it, the lives it destroyed, and the whistleblowers who finally brought the scheme to light. It’s a disturbing look at what happens when justice is sold to the highest bidder—and how power can turn a courthouse into a pipeline of abuse. If you’re new here, don’t forget to follow Conspiracy Theories, Cults and Crimes to never miss a case! For Ad-free listening and early access to episodes, subscribe to Crime House+ on Apple Podcasts. Conspiracy Theories, Cults and Crimes is a Crime House Original Podcast, powered by PAVE Studios 🎧 Need More to Binge?  Listen to other Crime House Originals Clues, Crimes Of…, Crime House Daily, Killer Minds, Murder True Crime Stories and more wherever you get your podcasts! Follow me on Social Instagram: @Crimehouse TikTok: @Crimehouse Facebook: @crimehousestudios X: @crimehousemedia YouTube: @crimehousestudios To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policyLearn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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40 min•
7 Jan

CRIMES: The Mysterious Death of a MI6 Codebreaker

When 31-year-old MI6 codebreaker Gareth Williams was found dead inside a padlocked sports bag in his London apartment, investigators were left with a scene as baffling as it was chilling. With no signs of forced entry, almost no forensic evidence, and a timeline clouded by secrecy, his death sparked worldwide speculation: Was it a tragic accident, a covert assassination, or something far stranger? In this episode, Vanessa Richardson unpacks the twists, missteps, and explosive revelations surrounding one of the UK’s most mysterious modern cases — and explores why, more than a decade later, the truth remains fiercely debated. If you’re new here, don’t forget to follow Conspiracy Theories, Cults and Crimes to never miss a case! For Ad-free listening and early access to episodes, subscribe to Crime House+ on Apple Podcasts. Conspiracy Theories, Cults and Crimes is a Crime House Original Podcast, powered by PAVE Studios 🎧 Need More to Binge?  Listen to other Crime House Originals Clues, Crimes Of…, Crime House Daily, Killer Minds, Murder True Crime Stories and more wherever you get your podcasts! Follow me on Social Instagram: @Crimehouse TikTok: @Crimehouse Facebook: @crimehousestudios X: @crimehousemedia YouTube: @crimehousestudios To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policyLearn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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45 min•
24 Dec 25

CRIMES: The Sodder Family

On Christmas Eve 1945, the Sodder family’s home burned to the ground — and five of their children vanished without a trace. No bodies were ever recovered, sparking decades of suspicion, strange sightings, and unanswered questions. Was it a tragic house fire, a deliberate act of arson, or something even more sinister? In this episode, Vanessa Richardson unpacks the mysterious events of that night, the baffling evidence left behind, and the many theories that have kept this case alive for nearly 80 years. If you’re new here, don’t forget to follow Conspiracy Theories, Cults and Crimes to never miss a case! For Ad-free listening and early access to episodes, subscribe to Crime House+ on Apple Podcasts. Conspiracy Theories, Cults and Crimes is a Crime House Original Podcast, powered by PAVE Studios 🎧 Need More to Binge?  Listen to other Crime House Originals Clues, Crimes Of…, Crime House Daily, Killer Minds, Murder True Crime Stories and more wherever you get your podcasts! Follow me on Social Instagram: @Crimehouse TikTok: @Crimehouse Facebook: @crimehousestudios X: @crimehousemedia YouTube: @crimehousestudios To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policyLearn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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48 min•
17 Dec 25

CONSPIRACY THEORIES: The Dyatlov Pass Incident

In this chilling episode, Vanessa Richardson unravels one of Russia’s most enduring mysteries: the 1959 Dyatlov Pass Incident, where nine experienced hikers were found dead under bizarre and increasingly inexplicable circumstances. Torn tents, barefoot footprints in the snow, massive internal injuries, missing body parts, traces of radiation, and eyewitness accounts of strange lights in the sky fueled decades of speculation—ranging from Soviet weapons tests and secret military cover-ups to UFOs, infrasound-induced panic, and natural but deadly environmental forces. With newly uncovered reports, expert analysis, and the 2019 reopening of the case, Vanessa explores how science, secrecy, and sensational theories intertwine in the search for what truly happened on that snowy Ural mountainside. If you’re new here, don’t forget to follow Conspiracy Theories, Cults and Crimes to never miss a case! For Ad-free listening and early access to episodes, subscribe to Crime House+ on Apple Podcasts. Conspiracy Theories, Cults and Crimes is a Crime House Original Podcast, powered by PAVE Studios 🎧 Need More to Binge?  Listen to other Crime House Originals Clues, Crimes Of…, Crime House Daily, Killer Minds, Murder True Crime Stories and more wherever you get your podcasts! Follow me on Social Instagram: @Crimehouse TikTok: @Crimehouse Facebook: @crimehousestudios X: @crimehousemedia YouTube: @crimehousestudios To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policyLearn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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51 min•
10 Dec 25

CONSPIRACY THEORIES: The Smiley Face Killers with Dr. Tristin Engels

Dozens of young men, all found drowned. A single eerie clue near every crime scene: a painted smiley face. In this chilling crossover with Killer Minds, host Vanessa Richardson and forensic psychologist Dr. Tristin Engels uncover the dark origins of the Smiley Face Killers theory — a decades-long investigation that suggests a nationwide ring of serial murderers might still be active. Were these tragic deaths accidents, or the work of a secret cabal hiding in plain sight?Listen to Killer Minds with Vanessa Richardson and Dr. Tristin Engels wherever you get your podcasts: https://play.megaphone.fm/1jez8qq8ttqibebif5u_wq If you’re new here, don’t forget to follow Conspiracy Theories, Cults and Crimes to never miss a case! For Ad-free listening and early access to episodes, subscribe to Crime House+ on Apple Podcasts. Conspiracy Theories, Cults and Crimes is a Crime House Original Podcast, powered by PAVE Studios 🎧 Need More to Binge?  Listen to other Crime House Originals Clues, Crimes Of…, Crime House Daily, Killer Minds, Murder True Crime Stories and more wherever you get your podcasts! Follow me on Social Instagram: @Crimehouse TikTok: @Crimehouse Facebook: @crimehousestudios X: @crimehousemedia YouTube: @crimehousestudios To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policyLearn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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