Criminalia

Firefighters who set fires, officially called 'firefighter arsonists', may be small in number, but they definitely make an impact. While things like insurance fraud and covering up another crime are common motives for arson outside the firefighting community, experts say those aren't what drive firefighter arsonists. So how does this happen? How does a firefighter turn into arsonist? Well. Let's take a look.

Executive Producers: Maria Trimarchi and Holly Frey

Producer & Editor: Casby Bias

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Hi, Criminalia fans! We're excited to tell you about The Flaky Biscuit, the newest podcast from Shondaland Audio and iHeartPodcasts. Hosted by baker and cookbook author Bryan Ford, we think you'll enjoy this show's infusion of cooking and connection. You don't have to only take our word for it, though. Check out the trailer today for yourself!

About Flaky Biscuit: Welcome to The Flaky Biscuit Podcast! Each episode, award-winning baker, Bryan Ford, welcomes fellow chefs, comedians, actors, musicians, change makers and more to his kitchen table. The guest's favorite, most nostalgic meal sets the tone for the stories of their childhood, growth, failure, triumph, and everything in between. These meals could be anything from a homemade version of a packaged baked good like a Twinkie, to re-creations of a special family gumbo. Bryan will do his best to make these from SCRATCH! Bryan’s goal is to elicit the Proust Effect for his guests, where special memories are triggered by food. Guaranteed for lots of laughs, Bryan doesn’t always get the meal quite right, but they always have fun, get real, and share something delicious.

Listen to The Flaky Biscuit Podcast on the iHeartRadio app, or wherever you get your podcasts!

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The Bronx in the 1970s was a perfect storm of things going wrong in New York City: poor urban planning, white flight, budget cuts to municipal and social services, and discriminatory practices coverged into a pressure cooker -- and the outcome was fiery and devastating. But we can't talk about the Bronx burning without ending on the phoenix that emerged from the rubble: the birth of hip-hop.

Executive Producers: Maria Trimarchi and Holly Frey

Producer & Editor: Casby Bias

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Alexander the Great burned Persepolis to the ground during a night of drunken revelry, after being encouraged to do so by a Greek courtesan named Thaïs. It's said she told Alexander torching the royal palace would be among his crowning achievements, and it's said she inspired his soldiers and followers to take up torches. That is, at least, according to legend. Let's talk about the downfall of the Persian Empire and why anyone would have wanted to torch Persepolis.

Executive Producers: Maria Trimarchi and Holly Frey

Producer & Editor: Casby Bias

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the night of July 21, in 356 BCE, a man named Herostratus took a walk to the Temple of Artemis of Ephesus … and burned it down. "First," he said of his crime, "I was very scared, then it all went away once I imagined the fame I would have … ." In this episode we're shining the spotlight on the ancient Greek who burned one of the Seven Wonders of the World to the ground. 

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"Michael Marin couldn't pay his mortgage, so he burned down his house," began Deputy Maricopa County Attorney Chris Rapp in the prosecution's opening statements at Mr. Marin's arson trial. In this episode about firebugs, Holly and Maria talk about a convicted arsonist who used arson with the intention of committing insurance fraud. But when the case went to court, things took an unexpected turn.

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Join Holly and Maria for a new season of Criminalia, one that's all about arson. In this episode, get introduced to a creature known as the 'pétroleuse', and why according to the rumors around Paris in May of 1871, these 'unruly' female incendiaries were to blame for burning down much of the city.

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Welcome to the final episode of our season on grifts and grafts here on Criminalia, where we've been exploring the stories of some of the most notorious swindles and swindlers throughout history. And, of course there were plenty of cocktails and mocktails to go around, too. Listen as Holly and Maria continue their tradition, highlighting their Top 3 shows and favorite drinks of the season.

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They're called arsonists, torchers, pyromaniacs, and firebugs – and each of their stories is unique, in technique, in damage, and in motivation to set things aflame. Welcome to a new season of Criminalia, where we're talking about arson and the firebugs responsible for igniting illegal blazes throughout history.

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The phrase, "There's a sucker born every minute," is attributed to P.T. Barnum, but it could be about this episode: We're talking about con artists who swindled people into buying some really famous landmarks. George C. Parker sold the Brooklyn Bridge. Among Victor Lustig's most audacious scams was when he sold the Eiffel Tower. And a man known as Natwarlal made a name for himself selling the Taj Mahal among other famous landmarks in India. Let's look at what happened when each of these guys dipped a toe into real estate.

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