American Greed Episode Rating Graph

This installment discusses Garrison Courtney, who infiltrated Washington DC's intelligence circles. In doing so, he collected $4.5 million dollars with his tall tales of running a top-secret national security operation for the CIA, the Central Intelligence Agency. Now age 44, when Courtney's lies unraveled after four years of fraud, he was apprehended and was sentenced in October 2020 in federal court in Alexandria, VA to seven years in prison.

Purported entrepreneur Antonio Mariot Wilson changes his name, pitch, and act to play a series of roles, and the inveterate huckster fleeces unsuspecting investors for decades, including television star Jenifer Lewis. In this installment, Jenifer Lewis opens up about her relationship with Antonio Wilson and how it went from a storybook romance to a nightmare. In the end, Antonio Mariot Wilson, aka 'Brice Carrington' and 'Dr. Tony Mariot', age 58, was sentenced in March 2021 to 8 years in federal prison for deceiving women he met online and elsewhere into investing ...

In February 2022, the Justice Department announced charges against Heather Rhiannon Morgan and her husband Ilya Lichtenstein for their alleged roles in the conspiracy to launder $4.5 billion in stolen Bitcoin cryptocurrency. Heather Morgan was as also known as 'Razzlekhan', a fledgling rap artist.

CEO Jacob Kingston appears to be a rising star in Utah’s fledgling biofuel industry, until a member of a secretive polygamist group called The Order reveals that Kingston is committing a 1.1 billion dollar fraud.

Crowdfunded charities are supposed to raise funds for good causes, but some are actually scams.

When a judge in Texas is shot four times, a tip leads investigators to Chimene Onyeri, an aspiring Houston rap artist facing prison after his crooked plots are exposed.

Florida teenagers cash in on the opioid crisis, then they expand their operation, jeopardizing their lives of sex, drugs and money.

A wealthy timber baron is rolled by a phony psychic for $15 million while her daughter pretends to be in love with him.

As the opioid epidemic destroys the lives of millions of Americans, billionaire drug mogul John Kapoor looks to cash in. His company, Insys, has its own brand of potentially deadly fentanyl.

Sholam Weiss is a bold and brazen dealmaker. He’s a consultant to con men and the brains behind one of the largest insurance scams in history. But Weiss doesn’t hide in the shadows. He’s attracted to music, gambling and women. Are these the fatal attractions that will do him in? American Greed profiles a multi-million dollar con!

Anthony Elgindy. He's young, self-assured... and loaded. He claims to be a crusader, fighting fraud on Wall Street. But, this so-called good guy is running an insider trading scam... and his partner is a crooked FBI agent. American Greed profiles "The Mad Max of Wall Street!"

When all four members of the McStay family seemingly vanish into thin air, a yearslong quest for answers begins; a biker in the Mojave Desert finds the family members' bodies in shallow graves; a close friend of the family falls under suspicion.

Trash-talking reality star Scott Menaged ("Property Wars") buys up hundreds of foreclosures in Phoenix, then his money lender discovers that Menaged is a fraud, and the consequences are deadly.

Kenny Chatman runs a string of corrupt drug rehab facilities, stealing millions by keeping insured addicts hooked on drugs.

Michael Avenatti makes a splash as the litigator representing porn star Stormy Daniels in her dispute with Donald Trump...but it’s soon revealed that he has legal troubles of his own brewing.

A Michigan doctor treats cancer-free patients with poisonous chemotherapy while taking millions in payment; two Chicago-area bank robbers repel 17 stories to escape the Metropolitan Correctional Center.

Three Miami salesmen with gold fever import billions of dollars’ worth of the precious metal from South America.

A pharmaceutical company ignores FDA safety guidelines and patients pay the price. A would-be marketing mogul relies on investor trust and faith. Jeanetta Standefor convinces clients their cash is rescuing homeowners from foreclosure. But, while investors think they’re helping neighbors stay in their homes, Standefor is helping herself to millions! American Greed profiles a Flipping Frenzy Scam!

In sunny Laguna Beach, social climber Elizabeth Mulder finances her plastic surgery, Arabian horses, and ocean view real estate worth millions by swindling her best friends.

Van Thu Tran and her crime ring steal millions by cheating casinos.

In the city of brotherly love, car wrecks piled up and auto insurance policies were treated like ATM machines. American Greed takes you inside a Philadelphia car insurance fraud ring where everybody got a piece of the action.

Daylon Pierce is a ladies' man who claims to be a licensed stockbroker, wooing unsuspecting women through Internet dating sites. But when they hand over millions of dollars to this "investment expert," he robs them blind, parties his way through their money and breaks their hearts.

An Iowa man rigs a $16.5 million lottery jackpot, triggering the biggest lottery scam in American history; notorious New York City landlord Steven Croman finds a new home in jail.

A mysterious ring of social outcasts. Albert Gonzalez leads a gang with an insatiable appetite for sex, drugs…and your encrypted information. They steal credit card numbers and make a fortune by selling them on the black market. But the multi-million dollar scam has deadly consequences. American Greed profiles the story of Albert Gonzalez... the most cunning cyber crook in American history!

Leaders of a polygamous religious sect demand “Perfect Obedience” from followers, luring them into welfare fraud.

Vitaly Borker scores $18 million selling designer knock-off eyewear as genuine from his website in Brooklyn, N.Y.; when customers complain, they are threatened with violence, even murder.

When a sexy Florida former escort plots to take her husband's money and his life, her lover tips off the police and her deadly plan gets caught on tape.

A man convinces people that he is a movie producer and money management professional while collecting millions to promote his own image.

Businessman Martin Shkreli raises the price of a life-saving drug 5,000 percent, but it's his shady accounting and Internet trolling that lands the "Pharma Bro" in hot water.

A wannabe art dealer sells fake works by American masters of Abstract Expressionism in an $80 million scam, fooling rich collectors and pocketing millions

Fraudster John Rogers builds one of the most impressive photo archives in the world until his partner rats him out; while Larry Bates preaches about salvation through precious metals, his clients wind up investing in "fool's gold."

Darren Berg of Seattle scams several investors, procuring himself two yachts, a private jet and a lakeside mansion; New York socialite Dina Wein Reis executes a grey market selling scam.

Two new Boeing 737 Max jets fall out of the sky five months apart, killing 346 people; investigators home in on a software program known as MCAS; some critics say the real culprit is a corporate culture that values shareholders over passengers.

A crooked New York police officer cashes in as a high-tech burglary crew terrorizes homeowners and business owners.

He’s a philanthropist, diplomat and international man of mystery. Dr. Henry Jones promises to get investors in on a secret gold deal. But Dr. Jones is leading a double life --- a life unknown even to his partners in crime. American Greed profiles the golden allure of an elusive conman and a multi-million dollar Ponzi scheme!

The story of a suburban Eagle Scout turned Dark Web drug lord; Aaron Shamo launches a new type of American drug ring, recruiting other Utah millennials to help him manufacture deadly counterfeit opioids and sell them online.

A neighborhood ice cream parlor in West Roxbury, Mass., lands the Palladino family in a major case of fraud.

Beautiful women with looks that kill are controlled by Russian gangsters to seduce amorous men in nightclubs out of their money and jewelry. It's a super expensive hangover.

Cancer charities that raise millions but gives only three percent to patients and families; a family brings in millions shoplifting in a nationwide crime spree caught on camera.

One man’s bold scheme to get rich quick. Albert Talton puts a modern twist on one of the nation’s oldest crimes – making counterfeit money. American Greed profiles a multi-million dollar con!

Con man/motivational speaker Gary Shawkey needs cash for his wild scams and he’s not afraid to murder to get it. A doctor overprescribes deadly combinations of medication to make a buck from drug addicts, and continues as she hears of her own patients dying.

Self-proclaimed teen millionaire Ephren Taylor preaches his "safe" investments at church seminars and on the internet, fleecing victims out of millions and pumping cash into flashy living and his wife's hip-hop career.

Sports memorabilia titan Bill Mastro rigs his auctions to scam both those who buy from him and consign to him.

Polka band leader Jan Lewan rips off his adoring fans with false promises of sizable investment returns.

A trio of Texas con men scores $100 million, telling investors there's big money in the "life settlement" insurance biz. When the fraudsters fail to pay returns and keep the money for themselves, it all comes crashing down.

Miami party boys turned arms dealers bid on government contracts worth millions to fight the war on terror.

Payday loan scam mastermind, Scott Tucker, swindles millions of cash-strapped borrowers with his convenient online loan business and uses the profits to fuel his race car team dreams.

Steven Warshak is persuasive. He makes millions by selling a product to enhance the sex lives of men. Enzyte appears to be the herbal answer to Viagra. But, Warshak takes advantage of his buyers. He’s racking up illegal credit card charges on thousands of customers! He’s a hedge fund superstar. Investment Manager Kirk Wright takes on tough clients…and steals their money. He recruits NFL football players and they invest. But, when he’s tackled for a multi-million dollar loss, will Wright’s game go into sudden death?

(1) A man threatens investment professionals to make him rich. (2) Two judges get rich off a secret deal to build juvenile detention centers.

A man steals millions from rich wine clients, and spends the money on fast cars and faster hookups, until he himself falls prey to a scheme.

In Grand Rapids, Michigan, Dr. Robert Stokes runs a thriving dermatology practice. He’s making millions. But Dr. Stokes has a dark secret. He’s stealing patient’s money. He reuses medical supplies and endangers patients. Darlene Wooten and Charlene Corley are twin sisters. They’re making a fortune in defense contracts. But behind the scenes, things are not as they seem. American Greed profiles a multi-million dollar fraud against the government!

Disgraced Fyre Festival founder Billy McFarland uses fraud to launch his brand and a luxury music festival in the Bahamas.

A US military contractor loots his company of $190 million and goes on a wild spending spree.

Carlos Rafael makes millions as the owner of one of the largest commercial fishing businesses on the East Coast but his big mouth gets him hooked in an undercover IRS sting with agents posing as Russian mobsters.

Well-heeled financial advisor Peggy Ann Fulford builds a cache of all-star clients and a personal fortune by convincing A-list players like Dennis Rodman that she’s in their corner.

Carlos Wanzeler and James Merrill promise enormous returns on a "work from home" plot selling phone service, and entice nearly one million people in a $1.7 billion Internet scam.

Idaho Guardsman Darryl Wright claims he suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder from his service in Iraq, but his story is an elaborate scam that allows him to live large without working and to steal resources from veterans who truly need help.

When an epidemic of teenage nicotine addiction breaks out across the country, some people ask whether Juul's founders are intent on saving lives or targeting the next generation.

Serial entrepreneur Trevor Milton founds the electric vehicle company Nikola, which suggests it will be the next Tesla, but for long-haul trucks.

A thieving shopaholic son murders his family to cash in on the family's wealth; a Chicago health facility owner uses an inflated billing scheme in a $20 million rip off.

A successful businesswoman is targeted by a serial grifter who poisons her for money.

When Greed and Giving Collide A major charity scam...John Bennett's "Foundation for New Era Philanthropy" stole millions of dollars from unsuspecting patrons. A story of deception, theft and "American Greed." Confessions of a Con Man Eric Stein, mastermind of one of the largest Ponzi schemes in Nevada history, cost his victims nearly $34 million dollars.

A shocking scheme to use strippers to solicit information from Wall Street bankers. Another plan to steal secrets and cash in on stock that's about to soar. Two young traders, David Pajcin and Eugene Plotkin, are the masterminds behind a complex Wall Street con. Al Parish. An economics professor. A trusted financial advisor. A genius. But the self-proclaimed "Economan" is the suspected mastermind behind an $80 million investment scam.

A sting operation brings down a Denver businessman; a charismatic con man uses the promise of huge returns to put $30 million in his own pocket.

Stealing $$$ From Scientologists A religious man leads a deceptive life and scams investors out of more than $600 million! The rise and fall of Scientologist minister Reed Slatkin is a story of "American Greed." The Art of Fraud Enter the mysterious world of art fraud. An elaborate sting operation exposes Dr. Vilas Likhite, a doctor stripped of his medical license who begins a new career as a con man selling fake art treasures!

Dennis Kozlowski, once described as "The Most Aggressive CEO in America," now sits behind bars. A poster boy of excess, the former CEO of Tyco stole millions from his company, using the money for a lavish party, a gilded shower curtain and expensive art. American Greed goes behind prison walls for a rare glimpse into Kozlowski's personal life and one of the biggest cases of white collar theft in U.S. history

Nicholas Cosmo pleads guilty to federal mail fraud and wire fraud in 2009 for his involvement in a Ponzi scheme that resulted in losses of more than $195 million.

Financier Martin Frankel, a con-man who vanished with $200 million dollars! A story of money laundering, prostitution, bizarre sex and drug abuse.

Larry Salander is one of the biggest names in New York’s art world. But collectors see red when he swipes more than $100 million from their pockets. American Greed profiles art collectors who lost a fortune in priceless art. Stefan Wilson says his investment fund is a sure-fire winner. Investors even mortgage their homes to join his fund. But business with Wilson comes at a very high price. American Greed profiles a story of deception!

A respected doctor. Trusting patients. Dr. Michael Rosin runs a thriving dermatology practice specializing in a highly effective procedure for skin cancer. But, Dr. Rosin’s surgery isn’t just a cancer treatment... it’s a goldmine.

A disgraced dentist carves out a gruesome new business. From a secret room in a Brooklyn funeral home he runs a multi-million dollar business... cutting up corpses and stripping the bodies for parts. Michael Mastromarino's is a modern day body snatcher!

Carlos Perez-Olivo is a successful lawyer with a silver tongue and solid gold taste. But when he’s disbarred for fleecing desperate clients, he finds another way to make money…and proves how greed really is a deadly sin. American Greed profiles the story of murder for money.

(1) Two brothers ripped off millions from homeowners in a remodeling scheme. (2) A serial scam artist tricks Florida retirees into fake New York real estate investments.

A Minneapolis businessman buys big companies and makes himself rich in the process

Marc Dreier is a high-powered lawyer with celebrity clients. But Dreier is a conman and steals more than $700 million from hedge funds. American Greed profiles a story of deception and fraud!

(1) A small-town comptroller steals $53 million to fund a horse-breeding empire. (2) A crooked real estate developer lures victims to his phony residential oasis.

Perry Griggs ran an investment fraud claiming to sell coffee futures, when all he did was keep investor money. He was convicted of securities fraud and sentenced to eight years in federal prison.

Convicted fraudster and identity thief Tracii Show Hutsona is once again up on federal charges after a high-profile client discovers more than $1 million missing from her bank accounts.

Robbing Hollywood's A-List Dana Giacchetto advises Hollywood's hottest stars... and finds his own fame and fortune. But, his star-power fades when nearly $10 million goes missing! Soaking The Rich at Auction He's an art collector, the former chairman of Sotheby's and a convicted felon. Alfred Taubman takes us inside the price-fixing scandal at Christie's and Sotheby's.

The Mustang Ranch. It's the famous brothel where sex is always for sale. Joe Conforte is the pioneering pimp who makes millions peddling sex at the Nevada Ranch. He’s creates a brothel empire and defies the law. But his thirst for power and influence ultimately bring him down.

The Sandhogs Local 147, a New York City construction union, whose workers build tunnels and underground passageways, entrusts Melissa King for overseeing union benefits to ensure their retirements. Instead, King uses the workers funds to cut herself checks to the tune of $42 million.

A former champion basketball player’s schemes land him in prison and his mother kicked out of her home.

Michael Lock was a man driven by ambition. He was a Milwaukee crime boss with a business model that took him from cocaine dealing to bank fraud … and Lock had a surefire way to beat the competition.

Covers a film financier company's $68M scheme, involving bank fraud, wire fraud, and spanning eight (8) years.

(1) Three friends go to New York to realize their dreams, which quickly turn criminal. (2) A money trail from drug traffickers leads to a suburban dad and firefighter.

Dr. Mark Weinberger – a self-proclaimed “nose doctor” – has it all and isn’t afraid to flaunt it. But inside The Weinberger Sinus Clinic, all is not what it seems. American Greed profiles a multi-million dollar tale of deception!

Kevin Cohen is an attorney who says he can make dreams come true for couples wanting children. He promises babies … for a hefty price. But unknown to his trusting clients, Cohen is exploiting their hopes and dreams. American Greed profiles a cruel con artist.

A conman. Some say an "evil genius." The once- chairman of Cybernet, a wildly successful global technology company, stands accused of stealing millions in an elaborate fraud. American Greed profiles one of the biggest scams of the 21st century!

Richard Scrushy is the Superstar CEO of HealthSouth, a huge provider of outpatient rehab services. But, the billionaire falls from grace after federal prosecutors accuse him of masterminding a $2.7 billion dollar fraud!

Albert Vilar funds symphonies and operas around the world. But it’s curtains for Vilar when he scams the mother of a Hollywood star. William “Boots” Del Biaggio III is a hockey team owner skating on thin ice. His insatiable desire to be a sports mogul causes him to commit a multimillion-dollar fraud!

Lee Farkas was a mortgage mogul, a millionaire and chairman of Taylor, Bean & Whitaker. But unknown to his clients, Farkas made his fortune by peddling fake mortgages and looting his company. American Greed takes you inside a multi-billion dollar scam!

Solomon Dwek was a real estate mogul, philanthropist … and an expert flimflammer. He was the mastermind behind a multi-million dollar real estate scam and bank fraud. But when Dwek’s luck runs out, he becomes an informant in the biggest case of corruption and greed in New Jersey history.

A 28-year-old hacker named Daniel Rigmaiden allegedly steals millions of dollars from the U.S. government; a wise-guy wannabe in witness protection creates a mortgage fraud scam.

It's called the "Miracle Car Club." Starting with members of their own church and then branching out, two young men take investors for a ride to the tune of more than $21 million. American Greed profiles one of the largest car scams in U.S. history! It was known as the Miracle Cars scam. Conned in the Caribbean It sounds too good to be true. An offshore bank promises astronomical returns to investors...100% guaranteed. But, the bank is a sham and investors lose more than $170 million!

A story of deception. They appear to be two “grannies” helping men who are down on their luck - offering food, shelter and clothing. But Helen Golay and her friend Olga Rutterschmidt are ruthless con artists. Their tragic web of deceit is about to unravel. This is the true tale of women who murder for money. The story of The Black Widows…only on American Greed!

Nevin Shapiro is the conman at the center of a college football scandal. He kicked off the controversy with stunning stories of gifts to players and allegations of broken NCAA rules. Who is this man who jeopardized the future of the University of Miami’s football team and how did he steal the millions that made it all possible? American Greed profiles a case of major league fraud!

With a 30 year career in real estate, many thought broker Doug Vaughan was a man to be trusted. His charisma helped make him a fortune in New Mexico real estate. But it was all lies.

Mutual Benefits buys life insurance policies from aids patients, the chronically ill, and seniors and fraudulently resells them as low risk investments to clients. When medical advances help patients live longer, Mutual Benefits collects new investor money to pay returns. 30,000 people get caught in the $1.25 billion ponzi scheme.

(1) Feds investigate financial advisor J.D. Salinas and discover a $39 million scam. (2) A Chicago-area rapper convinces a local businessman that he's got a new gig that doesn't exist.

A famous Texas fruitcake bakery's accountant conducts a check writing scam; a self-proclaimed financial wiz rips off investors while he funds a professional race team with money stolen from his church.

Brothers Darain and Cory Atkinson start a business selling vehicle service contracts, but the warranties prove worthless and the brothers pocket millions.

Ross Mandell’s company Sky Capital has hundreds of employees and investors and he’s living like a king. It’s a huge coup for Mandell who was once known as the Bad Boy of Wall Street, had addiction issues, and run-ins with regulators. Turns out, however, that Mandell is up to his old tricks – and the $140 million raised for Sky Capital goes down the drain in a spiral of greed.

An outlandish con artist poses as a Saudi royal to cheat investors out of millions, promising them access to Arabian oil stock.

Case 1: Meth Identity Thieves It's a new crime wave rippling across the west; thieves are committing identity theft to fund their meth drug addictions. Victims are robbed. But the thief takes more than money, the victim's identity is stolen, too. Case 2: The Wheaton Bandit Wheaton, Illinois - considered a nice place to raise a family. But a shadow hangs over this affluent Chicago suburb. A serial bank robber is armed and ready for a fight.

Case 1: Religious Prey: Baptist Foundation of Arizona The Baptist Foundation of Arizona is a non-profit fundraiser dedicated to the church. Investors believe their money will be secure but millions are lost! “American Greed" unravels the elaborate Ponzi scheme which left a religious community betrayed and baffled. Case 2: Medical Scams: Dr. Mikos The story of a murderous Chicago doctor who bilked Medicare! He’s a caring doctor with a sterling bedside manner. His practice is lucrative. But beneath the charm lies a con artist; a doctor playing the system and making off with more than a million.

Patients are at risk. A respected pharmacist is on the take. Robert Courtney mixes a prescription of greed; diluting life-saving drugs and the hopes of cancer patients.

He’s a trusted advisor. A philanthropist. Bob McLean runs a successful investment firm and donates millions to his favorite causes. But McLean has a dark, devastating secret. American Greed profiles a story of phony philanthropy!

A slaughterhouse employs hundreds of workers in a small Iowa town. But there are whispers of threats, extortion and shocking child labor abuses. Sholom Rubashkin runs the family business. Is he a dutiful son or a corporate crook?

Arthur Nadel conjures a $330 million hedge fund. In the blink of an eye, he disappears and leaves clients without their life savings. American Greed profiles a multi-million dollar Ponzi scheme!

The collapse of Erpenbeck wreaks financial havoc for area home buyers, subcontractors and banks with three company employees pleading guilty to bank fraud.

(1) Rivertown Financial, a home's equity and owners becoming homeless. (2) A financial planner reaps millions from client accounts, including the 401k of workers at a camp for seriously ill children.

A former Army intelligence officer known as "Mr. X" stole millions through a fake veterans' charity and eluded authorities by using an array of false identities.

(1) The infomercial pitchman who claimed he was broke and could not pay a $37.6 million fine imposed by the Federal Trade Commission is chronicled. (2) An examination of Remington Financial Group's advanced-fee scam that defrauded investors in small businesses.

While an estimated $100 billion in COVID relief funds is stolen, this seasoned family of fraudsters easily grabs millions of dollars Americans desperately need to buy themselves mansions, jewelry and gold.

With his long white beard, ponytail and ubiquitous advertising, a former police officer who is now an attorney, James Morris Balagia of Manor, Texas, is also known as the 'D.W.I. Dude'. He is well-known in Texas as a flamboyant defense lawyer who can get 'drunk driving' defendants out of a jam. His advertising slogan was, 'Busted? Call the Dude!'. However, he pocketed money that he told drug dealers would be used to bribe officials, prosecutors said. In the end, when Jamie Balagia, now age 65, got convicted for his crimes in May 2021, he was sentenced to 15 years in prison.

Personal injury attorney Tom Girardi posits himself as a champion for the little guy, but jilted clients cry foul when they discover him cheating them out of millions of dollars in settlement money as Girardi's wife flaunts her wealth on reality television. Girardi was the subject of 205 attorney ethics complaints between 1982 and June 2022 when he was disbarred in California.

A man schemes to strike it rich in the North Dakota oil fields and he lets no one get in his way.

Case 1: Art Heist: Fine Arts Express A museum quality art collection worth more than $4 million dollars is stolen! Two men, who in a twist of fate, end up working at Fine Arts Express, together hatch a plan to steal the art… museum quality pieces by Picasso, Matisse, and Rothko. Case 2: Medical Scams: Dr. Martinez It sounds like a nightmare—long needles repeatedly jabbed to a patient’s back. But for Dr. Jorge Martinez, it's routine business. Expensive, painful and unnecessary shots are all part of a multi-million dollar billing scheme.

A once $100 million publishing fortune creates tension between mother and son when he's accused of squandering millions on sex, diamonds, and fraud.