Forbes True Crime

Chris Young was only 22 when he was arrested in a federal drug conspiracy case, and because of federal mandatory minimum laws, he received two life sentences. But Chris didn’t want incarceration to be the end of his story. After he came across an encyclopedia in the prison library, he quickly grasped the power of knowledge. He taught himself about everything from finance to history, and philosophy to coding. In a speech that changed his life and eventually garnered national attention, he rattled off everything he had learned to Judge Kevin Sharp before he was sentenced. Judge Sharp’s hands were tied—he was bound by law to sentence Chris to life. But he was so moved by Chris's words—and potential—that he ultimately left the bench and joined Chris’s fight for freedom. With the help of a lawyer, that judge who sentenced him to life, Kim Kardashian, and other advocates, Chris Young ultimately walked out of prison a free man after President Donald Trump commuted his sentence at the end of his first term. Chris wrote a memoir, “The Wound Is Where the Light Enters,” and joined “Forbes True Crime” to discuss his story.

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“Flypaper Lyda” and “Lady Bluebeard”—that’s the legacy left by Lyda Trueblood, one of Idaho’s most infamous female murderers. Between 1915 and 1920, Lyda was widowed four times. She was accused of poisoning each of those men, plus her brother-in-law and daughter, all within that five-year window. Although it was suspected she was responsible for all six deaths, she was only convicted of second-degree murder in the death of her fourth husband. Gregg Olsen and Morgan Olsen tell Lyda’s story in their new book, “Ordinary Wife: The True Story of America’s Forgotten Serial Killer,” and join “Forbes True Crime” to discuss.

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Tausha and Michael Haight, along with their five children, were described as a picture-perfect family in a close-knit community in southwestern Utah. But between 2020 and 2023, there were multiple investigations into the family’s patriarch, Michael Haight, over allegations of abusive behavior. By the end of 2022, Tausha had filed for divorce, and it seemed like she and her children could start anew. But that fresh start never came, because on January 4, 2023, police said Michael fatally shot seven members of the family—Tausha, her mother, Gail Earl, and the couple’s five children, Macie, Briley, Ammon, Sienna and Gavin—before taking his own life. Elizabeth Chambers investigated Tausha’s story in “Toxic: What Happened in the Haight House?” and joined “Forbes True Crime” to discuss the case.

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In less than two decades, Elizabeth Holmes went from Stanford dropout and Silicon Valley superstar to convicted fraudster. In 2003, at just 19 years old, she founded the biotech company Theranos. The startup claimed it had developed technology that could revolutionize the health care industry—it said its device could conduct hundreds of tests with just a few drops of blood. Theranos raised more than $700 million from investors, reaching a valuation of $9 billion. In 2014, Forbes named Holmes the youngest self-made female billionaire, estimating her fortune was worth $4.5 billion. Things began going south for Theranos in 2015 after a bombshell Wall Street Journal exposé raised questions about not only the capabilities of Theranos’ technology, but also the accuracy of its tests. Holmes was ultimately convicted of defrauding investors out of millions, and sentenced to more than 11 years in prison. She and another Theranos executive were also ordered to pay $452 million in restitution. Holmes is the subject of the new documentary “You Can See Everything,” and Jesse Weber, an anchor and host with Law&Crime Network, joined “Forbes True Crime” to break it down.

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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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