Forbes True Crime

Emmy Award-winning journalist Mariana van Zeller has spent years investigating black markets and trafficking underworlds. Now she’s taking a look at a different type of crime—romance scams. According to the FTC, Americans have reported losing billions of dollars through these schemes in recent years. In her new project, “Super Scam Me,” Mariana went undercover as an empty-nester looking for love to get a view into this heartbreaking type of con, and joined “Forbes True Crime” to discuss her experiment.

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On August 23, 1971, Melissa Highsmith was just a toddler when she was taken from her Fort Worth home by someone posing as a babysitter. She vanished seemingly without a trace and was missing for over 50 years. But with the help of DNA testing—and her family’s determination—she was found in 2022 and reunited with loved ones she didn’t even know she had. In the podcast “Baby,” Melissa is telling her story of what happened in those 51 years when, unbeknownst to her, she was a missing person. Sean Kipe, the host and producer of “Baby: The Melissa Highsmith Story” joined “Forbes True Crime” to discuss the show.

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Cornell announced Tuesday that former U.S. Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates has been selected to lead an independent review of the university’s response to sexual assault allegations involving multiple former members of a fraternity. A former student known as Jane Doe filed an explosive 101-page lawsuit against the university and others in September, alleging that in October 2024, she was drugged and gang raped at the Chi Phi fraternity house. In a statement, the university said it had previously conducted a “thorough Title IX investigation” into the alleged incident. Within weeks of Jane Doe’s lawsuit being filed, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul appointed state Attorney General Letitia James as special prosecutor to lead a criminal investigation into the allegations. James promised to “review the facts, gather evidence, interview witnesses and, if warranted, pursue prosecutions.” Sexual harassment lawyer Megan Thomas joins “Forbes True Crime” to discuss the developments.

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New York Times best-selling author Harlan Coben is one of the world’s most prolific thriller writers. He has written dozens of novels, and over 10 of his books have been adapted into hit series and movies. Now, he’s taking on true-crime stories in “Harlan Coben's Final Twist,” and he joined “Forbes True Crime” to discuss what’s in store for the second season.

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In the early morning hours of June 5, 2002, 14-year-old Elizabeth Smart was kidnapped from her bedroom, and vanished without a trace from her Utah home in the middle of the night. Her disappearance captivated the nation, and against all odds, Elizabeth was rescued after surviving being held captive for nine months. In the years that followed, she has dedicated her time to advocacy work and has continued to be a prominent voice in the fights against child abduction and sexual violence. She now hosts the podcast, “The Survivor Files with Elizabeth Smart,” and joins “Forbes True Crime” to discuss this new chapter.

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Aileen Wuornos is known as one of America’s most notorious female serial killers—she confessed to killing seven middle-aged men between 1989 and 1990. Authorities said Wuornos would meet the men, eventually fatally shoot them with a .22-caliber pistol, rob them, and in some instances, pawn their belongings. Wuornos initially claimed she killed all the men out of self-defense, but prosecutors argued the murders were calculated and premeditated. The jury in her first trial deliberated for less than two hours before finding her guilty of first-degree murder. Four days later, she was sentenced to death. She then pleaded either no contest or guilty to five other murders, and was given five additional death sentences. After she was convicted, she recanted her claim of self-defense and said she would kill again. The infamous Wuornos was executed by lethal injection on Oct. 9, 2002. Executive producer Stephen Dost and actress Morag Peacock join “Forbes True Crime” to discuss their new series, “Unmasking a Monster: Aileen Wuornos.”

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It took the jury just over two hours of deliberations before they found Caleb Flynn guilty of murdering his wife, Ashley Flynn, on February 16, 2026. Prosecutors said the former “American Idol” contestant killed his wife in their Tipp City, Ohio, home and then staged the scene to make it look like she was shot by an intruder. The state called dozens of witnesses, including Caleb’s former mistress, who read aloud some of the over 100,000 they allegedly exchanged in the year leading up to Ashley’s death. In the texts, Caleb repeatedly said that he wished his wife were dead. Former prosecutor Margaret McLean joins “Forbes True Crime” to discuss the verdict.

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Lindsay Clancy’s attorney, Kevin Reddington, is now claiming there isn’t enough evidence to prove the former labor and delivery nurse killed her three children—an argument the prosecutor called “laughable.” The major pivot happened during Lindsay Clancy’s first hearing since her triple murder trial ended in a mistrial earlier this month. Clancy was charged with murdering her three kids—5-year-old Cora, 3-year-old Dawson and 8-month-old Callan—on the evening of Jan. 24, 2023. During the trial, there was no dispute over who killed the children; instead, the case centered on Clancy’s mental state at the time. At Tuesday’s hearing, no new trial date was set, and Plymouth County District Attorney Tim Cruz said afterward that his office still hasn’t decided whether to pursue a retrial. Shari Karney, an attorney and victims’ rights advocate, joins “Forbes True Crime” to discuss her takeaways from the hearing.

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Prosecutors in central New York are reopening an investigation into an alleged sexual assault case after a former Cornell student filed a lawsuit against the university and others claiming that in October 2024, she was drugged and gang raped by then-fraternity members inside the Chi Phi house. Former prosecutor Mark Astor joins “Forbes True Crime” to discuss the bombshell lawsuit and the district attorney’s decision to reopen the investigation.

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On August 4, 1892, Andrew and Abby Borden were found killed in their Fall River, Massachusetts, home. The murders were particularly grisly—both Mr. and Mrs. Borden were struck with a hatchet-like weapon at least 10 times each. Thirty-two-year-old Lizzie Borden was eventually arrested and charged with killing her father and stepmother—crimes she stood trial for the following summer. Lizzie was the primary suspect as she was one of the few people near the house around the time of the murders, but the prosecution’s case was largely based on circumstantial evidence. No definitive murder weapon was ever identified, and Lizzie, who spoke with authorities shortly after Andrew’s violent murder, wasn’t found covered in blood. After the jury briefly deliberated, she was acquitted of the double murders. No one else was ever charged or convicted of a crime related to the Bordens' deaths, but despite her acquittal, over a century later, many still suspect Lizzie was the one behind the hatchet that day. Cara Robertson, the author of “The Trial of Lizzie Borden,” joins “Forbes True Crime” to discuss the life and legacy of Lizzie Borden. 

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