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Nellie Bly the woman who check herself into a madness to expose the grim realities inside, but that was only the start for this plucky young stunt reporter. Elizabeth Cochran, practising a thousand-yard stare in a gaslit mirror, because the only way to report the truth is to be locked up with it. What follows is ten days inside the Blackwell Island asylum, where neglect, cruelty, and bureaucracy do their worst behind closed doors. Back in print, the fallout forces uncomfortable questions and real pressure for reform. And just when you think she’s done risking her life for a byline, Joseph Pulitzer hands her the kind of assignment that turns journalism into spectacle: an around-the-world dash that dares Jules Verne’s fiction to keep up. Topics include Her early bylines and the making of a stunt journalist Getting committed on purpose and what she finds inside Blackwell Island asylum Investigative journalism as performance, and as a weapon New York World, publicity, and the machinery behind the story 72 days around the world and the cultural frenzy that follows

In 2019, eBay went full villain in one of Silicon Valley’s biggest cyberstalking scandals. Today we’re diving into the fragile ego at the top, and the lengths the CEO went to in a harassment campaign against a wholesome suburban couple in Boston. After critical posts hit a nerve, eBay’s CEO instructed their Global Security team to take down nay sayers at any cost. Today we track the emails, fake accounts, doorstep packages, and the FBI investigation that drags the whole operation into the light. Topics include EcommerceBytes, Ina and David Steiner, and the criticism eBay could not ignore eBay cyberstalking tactics, fake accounts, and a harassment campaign gone rogue Threat Matrix, private dossiers, and what Global Security thought it was doing How the FBI traced the stalking back to eBay executives and DOJ charges

The West Memphis Three story is a nightmare of panic, pressure, and vanished evidence, where a confession mattered more than truth. In 1993, three eight-year-old boys vanished in West Memphis, Arkansas, then turned up murdered in Robin Hood Hills. As the Satanic Panic crept into the investigation, police chased a satanic ritual narrative and built a case around Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin, and Jesse Misskelley, fuelled by a false confession and courtroom “experts” who should never have been there. Years later, the hair evidence in a ligature knot and the Alford plea that freed them leave one brutal question hanging: if they walked out, who never got caught? Topics include Satanic Panic hysteria and a wrongful conviction built on fear Jesse Misskelley’s false confession and the interrogation tactics behind it Paradise Lost and West of Memphis, and how the documentaries shifted the case The Alford plea, the hair evidence in the knot, and why the case stayed unresolved DNA testing and the long fight for full exoneration

McMillions exposed how McDonald’s Monopoly was quietly hijacked, turning “random” winners into a pattern the FBI could not ignore. It started with a tip that sounded like sour grapes, but then the FBI noticed something odd: all the winners were connected. The lead led to the realisation that the McDonald’s Monopoly game was rigged, and had been for most of its existence. And the man behind it was Uncle Jerry, Jerry Jacobson. What emerged was a secret FBI initiative dubbed Operation Final Answer, and a co-ordinated national sting. Topics include Jerry Jacobson and the inside job at the heart of McDonald’s Monopoly How game pieces were stolen, swapped, and funnelled to “winners” The St Jude prize story and why it made perfect cover Operation Final Answer and the FBI’s plan for simultaneous arrests Simon Marketing and the blind spots that let it run for years

The Chowchilla bus kidnapping began like any school run, then veered into a buried alive ordeal no one could have imagined. One moment a group of kids are arguing about snacks, the next they are being marched off a bus by men who clearly skipped Kidnapping 101. While the town panics, the abductors bungle their own plan and promptly disappear, leaving 27 people trapped underground with no idea what happens next. What unfolds is a mix of fear, grit, and surprisingly resourceful thinking as the captives take matters into their own hands.   Topics include Chowchilla Michael Marshall Ed Ray Buried alive schoolchildren Largest child kidnapping case in US history Resources and Further Reading   1976 Chowchilla kidnapping -  Wikipedia Edward Ray - The City Of Chowchilla They’ve Taken Our Children, 1993 - by Vern Gillum The ballad of the Chowchilla bus kidnapping - Vox Chowchilla bus kidnapping - Rare photos CBS Host & Show Info Hosts: Kyle Risi & Adam CoxIntro Music: Alice in dark WonderlandCommunity & Calls to Action Review & follow on: Spotify & Apple PodcastsInstagram: @theCompendiumPodcastWebsite: TheCompendiumPodcast.comSupport us: Sign up to PatreonCertified Freaks: Submit your job Descriptions Share this episode with a friend! If you enjoyed it, tag us on social media and let us know your favourite takeaway. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Suffolk Strangler turned Ipswich into a locked-door city. Five women vanish from the red light district and the road home becomes a crime scene. In December 2006, the Ipswich murders unfold at terrifying speed as five women are found dumped on rural roads outside the town. Panic turns the streets silent, while the women at the centre of the story are reduced to headlines instead of humans. Inside Operation Sumac, detectives chase CCTV footage, a Ford Mondeo, DNA evidence and forensic fibres to close in on Steve Wright. Topics include Steve Wright and the Suffolk Strangler timeline The Ipswich serial killer panic and the city’s response Life and risk inside the Ipswich red light district How was Steve Wright caught using CCTV footage and DNA evidence What the case reveals about who gets protected in Ipswich Resources and Further Reading Ipswich serial murders -  Wikipedia Wright guilty of Suffolk murders - The Guardian Murder in the Red Light - Apple TV Host & Show Info Hosts: Kyle Risi & Adam CoxIntro Music: Alice in dark WonderlandCommunity & Calls to Action Review & follow on: Spotify & Apple PodcastsInstagram: @theCompendiumPodcastWebsite: TheCompendiumPodcast.comSupport us: Sign up to PatreonCertified Freaks: Submit your job Descriptions Share this episode with a friend! If you enjoyed it, tag us on social media and let us know your favourite takeaway. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In June 2002, a Federal Heights neighbourhood wakes to panic as the investigation stalls and fractures. With suspicion falling on handyman Richard Ricci, the Smart family turns to the spotlight and America’s Most Wanted. The search may end, but the legal fight begins, with an insanity defence and Elizabeth forced to reclaim her voice. Topics include Brian David Mitchell and Wanda Barzee, and the belief system behind the control Salt Lake City, the LDS Church, and the media storm around the case America’s Most Wanted, the sketch, and the moment Elizabeth was recognised Aftermath, testimony, and survivor advocacy Would you like to move on to the next prompt? Host & Show Info Hosts: Kyle Risi & Adam CoxIntro Music: Alice in dark WonderlandCommunity & Calls to Action Review & follow on: Spotify & Apple PodcastsInstagram: @theCompendiumPodcastWebsite: TheCompendiumPodcast.comSupport us: Sign up to PatreonCertified Freaks: Submit your job Descriptions Share this episode with a friend! If you enjoyed it, tag us on social media and let us know your favourite takeaway. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Two men stalk Los Angeles at night, dumping bodies across the hills as police scramble to understand a pattern of terror unfolding in plain sight. This episode examines the Hillside Stranglers case, following Kenneth Bianchi and Angelo Buono as their murders gripped Los Angeles in the late 1970s. We explore how victims were selected, the pressure mounting on investigators, the bizarre multiple personality defence attempt, and the Veronica Compton plot that nearly derailed justice before the case finally collapsed in on itself. Topics include The Hillside Strangler murders Kenneth Bianchi and Angelo Buono Victim targeting and dumping sites The failed multiple personality defence The Veronica Compton copycat plot Resources and Further Reading The Hillside Strangler – Wikipedia Kenneth Bianchi – Crime & Investigation UK Angelo Buono Jr. Biography & Crimes – Murderpedia Host & Show Info Hosts: Kyle Risi & Adam CoxIntro Music: Alice in dark WonderlandCommunity & Calls to Action Review & follow on: Spotify & Apple PodcastsInstagram: @theCompendiumPodcastWebsite: TheCompendiumPodcast.comSupport us: Sign up to PatreonCertified Freaks: Submit your job Descriptions Share this episode with a friend! If you enjoyed it, tag us on social media and let us know your favourite takeaway. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

A missing child returns under suspiciously perfect circumstances, sparking a decades-long battle over identity and truth. This episode traces the disappearance and reappearance of four-year-old Bobby Dunbar, the contradictions that muddied the investigation, and the families pulled into the fallout. Through contested identifications, clashing testimonies, and the revelation of a century-late DNA test, we explore how a single child’s return became one of America’s most enduring mysteries. Topics include The Swayze Lake disappearance Conflicting newspaper accounts Disputed identifications The Anderson and Walters family claims The DNA evidence that reshaped the case Resources and Further Reading A Case for Solomon – by Tal McThenia & Margaret Dunbar Cutright The Ghost of Bobby Dunbar –  This American Life The Strange Case of Bobby Dunbar – Country Roads Magazine Disappearance of Bobby Dunbar - Wikipedia Host & Show Info Hosts: Kyle Risi & Adam CoxIntro Music: Alice in dark WonderlandCommunity & Calls to Action Review & follow on: Spotify & Apple PodcastsInstagram: @theCompendiumPodcastWebsite: TheCompendiumPodcast.comSupport us: Sign up to PatreonCertified Freaks: Submit your job Descriptions Share this episode with a friend! If you enjoyed it, tag us on social media and let us know your favourite takeaway. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

A neonatal unit descends into crisis as accusations of murder, medical error, and systemic failure collide around nurse Lucy Letby. This episode examines the events inside the Countess of Chester’s neonatal unit, where unexplained collapses and conflicting evidence fuelled one of the NHS’s most divisive scandals. We explore the debates over air embolisms, ventilator failures, and hospital negligence while asking whether this tragedy points to deliberate harm or a system buckling under pressure. Topics include The Countess of Chester neonatal incidents Conflicting medical interpretations Air-embolism and ventilator-error debates Allegations of hospital negligence Questions around possible miscarriage of justice Resources and Further Reading The Nurse Who Hated Babies, 2023 – Channel 4 Lucy Letby – Wikipedia The Thirlwall Inquiry – “The Thirlwall Inquiry Lucy Letby International Expert Panel Press Conference - Youtube Three bosses at Letby hospital arrested for ‘manslaughter – Press Reader Host & Show Info Hosts: Kyle Risi & Adam CoxIntro Music: Alice in dark WonderlandCommunity & Calls to Action Review & follow on: Spotify & Apple PodcastsInstagram: @theCompendiumPodcastWebsite: TheCompendiumPodcast.comSupport us: Sign up to PatreonCertified Freaks: Submit your job Descriptions Share this episode with a friend! If you enjoyed it, tag us on social media and let us know your favourite takeaway. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

A bitter rivalry spirals out of control as two palaeontologists race to outdo each other and rewrite the story of the dinosaurs. This episode explores the Bone Wars, the feud between Edward Cope and Othniel Marsh that pushed American palaeontology to new heights and embarrassing lows. From sabotage and rivalry to genuine scientific breakthroughs, we trace how their obsession uncovered extraordinary fossils while nearly destroying their reputations. Topics include The Cope and Marsh rivalry Sabotage within early palaeontology Landmark dinosaur discoveries Scientific mistakes and rushed publications The long-term impact on dinosaur research Resources and Further Reading The Bone Wars - Wikipedia The Bone Wars That Made Dinosaurs So Popular – I Know Dino (Podcast) Host & Show Info Hosts: Kyle Risi & Adam CoxIntro Music: Alice in dark WonderlandCommunity & Calls to Action Review & follow on: Spotify & Apple PodcastsInstagram: @theCompendiumPodcastWebsite: TheCompendiumPodcast.comSupport us: Sign up to PatreonCertified Freaks: Submit your job Descriptions Share this episode with a friend! If you enjoyed it, tag us on social media and let us know your favourite takeaway. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

A man is found dead in a locked hotel room with no signs of a struggle, leaving investigators with a mystery that makes no sense. This episode follows the case of Greg Flanagan, whose death in Room 348 seemed straightforward until private investigator Ken Brennan uncovered evidence hiding in plain sight. We trace the overlooked clues, the chain of small mistakes that derailed the initial inquiry, and the reasoning that finally revealed what happened inside that locked room. Topics include The discovery in Room 348 Early investigative missteps Key forensic details Ken Brennan’s reconstruction of events How the true cause of death was uncovered Resources and Further Reading Body in room 348 - Vanity Fair Body in room 348 - People Host & Show Info Hosts: Kyle Risi & Adam CoxIntro Music: Alice in dark WonderlandCommunity & Calls to Action Review & follow on: Spotify & Apple PodcastsInstagram: @theCompendiumPodcastWebsite: TheCompendiumPodcast.comSupport us: Sign up to PatreonCertified Freaks: Submit your job Descriptions Share this episode with a friend! If you enjoyed it, tag us on social media and let us know your favourite takeaway. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

A quiz show champion reaches the million-pound question, only for suspicious coughs to spark a scandal that grips the nation. This episode revisits the Who Wants to Be a Millionaire coughing scandal, tracing how Charles Ingram, his wife Diana, and Tecwen Whittock became the centre of a media storm and courtroom battle. We explore the evidence, the trial, the role of Chris Tarrant, and the twists that inspired ITV’s Quiz, all while asking whether the Coughing Major was truly guilty. Topics include The night of the alleged coughing Charles and Diana Ingram’s involvement Tecwen Whittock and studio dynamics Key trial evidence and testimony The cultural legacy of ITV’s Quiz Resources and Further Reading Charles Ingram Fraud Scandal Footage - YouTube Charles Ingram - Wikipedia Quiz Miniseries 2020 – by ITV/AMC Bad Show: The Quiz, The Cough, The Millionaire Major – by Bob Woffinden & James Plaskett Reasonable doubt: was ‘the Coughing Major’ innocent? – James Plaskett Host & Show Info Hosts: Kyle Risi & Adam CoxIntro Music: Alice in dark WonderlandCommunity & Calls to Action Review & follow on: Spotify & Apple PodcastsInstagram: @theCompendiumPodcastWebsite: TheCompendiumPodcast.comSupport us: Sign up to PatreonCertified Freaks: Submit your job Descriptions Share this episode with a friend! If you enjoyed it, tag us on social media and let us know your favourite takeaway. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

A failed explosion beneath Parliament ignites a chain of treason, torture, and myth-making that still echoes every Bonfire Night. This episode traces the real story of Guy Fawkes, from Robert Catesby’s radical plot to the brutal aftermath that shaped Britain’s most famous annual ritual. We explore whether Fawkes was the mastermind or the perfect scapegoat, and how a botched act of rebellion became a national night of fire, memory, and political symbolism. Topics include The Gunpowder Plot’s origins Guy Fawkes’s role and interrogation Robert Catesby’s leadership King James I’s response The making of Bonfire Night tradition Resources and Further Reading The Gunpowder Plot - Wikipedia The Gunpowder Plot: Terror and Faith in 1605 – by Antonia Fraser Guy Fawkes and the Gunpowder Plot – Tower of London Guy Fawkes night - Wikipedia Host & Show Info Hosts: Kyle Risi & Adam CoxIntro Music: Alice in dark WonderlandCommunity & Calls to Action Review & follow on: Spotify & Apple PodcastsInstagram: @theCompendiumPodcastWebsite: TheCompendiumPodcast.comSupport us: Sign up to PatreonCertified Freaks: Submit your job Descriptions Share this episode with a friend! If you enjoyed it, tag us on social media and let us know your favourite takeaway. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

A young artist survives unimaginable pain and transforms it into paintings so bold and intimate they redefine what art can be. This episode explores Frida Kahlo’s turbulent life, from the accident that reshaped her body to the politics, passion, and creative defiance that fuelled her work. We trace her self-portraits, her fractured relationship with Diego Rivera, and the way she turned personal suffering into a visual language that made her an icon of rebellion and self-expression. Topics include Frida Kahlo’s life-changing accident Her most influential self-portraits Politics, identity, and artistic rebellion The complexities of her relationship with Diego Rivera Her legacy from La Casa Azul to global recognition Resources and Further Reading Frida (2002) – Directed by Julie Taymor Frida: A Biography of Frida Kahlo – by Hayden Herrera Complete Works – Frida Kahlo – Frida Kahlo Foundation Frida: The Making of an Icon – Exhibition at Tate Modern Host & Show Info Hosts: Kyle Risi & Adam Cox Topic Suggested by: Samantha Bingley Intro Music: Alice in dark Wonderland by Aleksey Chistilin Trailer Music: Stealy Move by Soundroll Community & Calls to Action  Review & follow on: Spotify & Apple Podcasts  Follow us on Instagram: @theCompendiumPodcast  Visit us at: TheCompendiumPodcast.com ️ Early access episodes: Patreon  Share this episode with a friend! If you enjoyed it, tag us on social media and let us know your favorite takeaway. Host & Show Info Hosts: Kyle Risi & Adam CoxIntro Music: Alice in dark WonderlandCommunity & Calls to Action Review & follow on: Spotify & Apple PodcastsInstagram: @theCompendiumPodcastWebsite: TheCompendiumPodcast.comSupport us: Sign up to PatreonCertified Freaks: Submit your job Descriptions Share this episode with a friend! If you enjoyed it, tag us on social media and let us know your favourite takeaway. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.