Big Sugar

As the case finally wraps up, Celeste asks what happened to the cane cutters, and what happened to the lawyers whose lives were consumed by this case. And we ask what’s next for Big Sugar?

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It’s a battle for the heart of Florida and the soul of American politics as Celeste lays bare the environmental impact and political influence of the sugar industry.

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A healthcare worker discovers the shocking truth about the real PR power of Big Sugar.

Full statement from the Sugar Association: http://bit.ly/sugarassociation

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The case continues as the lawyers seek justice for the cane cutters. The jury reaches a decision.

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Host Celeste Headlee goes on the hunt for the Fanjul brothers in Palm Beach, Florida and uncovers an even more devastating truth about the American sugar industry’s past. J. Edgar Hoover’s FBI and the movie The Godfather play a part in our story.

Correction: In 2021, the average price for cane sugar in the world market was $0.214 per pound. In the U.S., the price was $0.4759 per pound, more than twice the price. While the price multiple in the episode is correct, the average prices were not $21.40 in the world market and $47.59 in the U.S.

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We travel to 1950’s Cuba to meet the Fanjul family, sugar barons whose experiences with sugar, Castro and the Tropicana nightclub shine a light on where this story really begins.

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The lawyers gather evidence as they prepare to take on the biggest players in the sugar industry. Tens of millions of dollars are at stake, but who are they really up against?

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Tensions between workers and a sugarcane farm erupt into violence. A ragtag group of lawyers seek justice for thousands of sugarcane cutters who have allegedly been underpaid for their grueling labor.

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Meet Victor and Selvin, who initially feel lucky to travel from Jamaica to Florida to cut sugarcane. The experiences of cane cutters like them lead two ambitious journalists to try and uncover the devastating truth about the labor supporting the American sugar industry.

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Join host Celeste Headlee for a deep dive into the inner workings of the multi-billion dollar sugar industry.

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