This week we're heading back to the early 1900s to hear about Violet Charlesworth who lied, swindled and even faked her own death in the pursuit of wealth.

Sources:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c4grj1gpe2ro

https://www.dailystar.co.uk/news/weird-news/heiress-empty-car-found-dangling-33896506

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/103873490

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-13882517/The-original-fake-heiress-Edwardian-woman-staged-death-escape-debts-scamming-people-thousands-finding-celebrity-status-fraudster.html

Lady Swinders podcast - episode 34: Violet Charlesworth - Fake Heiress

This week we're kicking off Emma's Medellin Cartel Saga with Jorges Valdes who went from Cuban child immigrant to the head of US Operations for the Medellin Cartel.

REFERENCES:  

The King of Miami Dr. Jorge Valdes Tells All – Behind NETFLIX Series ‘Cocaine Cowboys’ - Patrick Bet-David (patrickbetdavid.com)

This week we're heading down True Crime lane and talking about the senseless murder of Sherri Rasmussen.

Sources:

https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2011/06/the-lazarus-file/308499/

https://murderpedia.org/female.L/l/lazarus-stephanie.htm

https://web.archive.org/web/20131203003222/http://www.lamag.com/features/2012/09/01/in-plain-sight1

https://people.com/crime/how-lapd-detective-stephanie-lazarus-murdered-sherri-rasmussen/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_Sherri_Rasmussen

https://people.com/crime/how-lapd-detective-stephanie-lazarus-murdered-sherri-rasmussen/

https://web.archive.org/web/20121017084537/http://www.trutv.com/library/crime/notorious_murders/women/stephanie_lazarus/1.html

https://www.dailynews.com/2013/02/25/parents-of-sherri-rasmussen-cant-sue-lapd-over-her-murder-in-van-nuys-at-hands-of-detective-stephanie-lazarus-court-rules/

https://www.oxygen.com/dateline-unforgettable/crime-news/stephanie-lazarus-sherri-rasmussen-now-prison

https://thecinemaholic.com/where-is-john-ruetten-now/

We're hopping into our time machine and heading back to 1950s London to spend time with Donald the poltergeist and the Hitchings family. Or is he actually a lost French prince? You tell us!

Sources:

https://www.historyhit.com/the-terrifying-case-of-the-battersea-poltergeist/

https://www.theargus.co.uk/news/19070127.battersea-poltergeist-story-shirley-hitchings/

https://scaredycatskeptic.co.uk/haunting-of-wycliffe-road-battersea/

The Battersea Poltergeist Podcast - BBC Radio 4

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/4b8PlyxgjRft0T7b0Sjjj3B/the-story-of-the-battersea-poltergeist

https://www.spr.ac.uk/book-review/poltergeist-prince-london-remarkable-true-story-battersea-poltergeist-shirley-hitchings

https://www.mylondon.news/whats-on/film-news/terrifying-moment-battersea-poltergeist-nearly-19843399

https://9now.nine.com.au/today/battersea-poltergeist-shirley-hitchings-recalls-the-night-paranormal-activity-suddenly-began/329ace57-5f69-40f7-ad3c-fc6c69fcb710

https://psi-encyclopedia.spr.ac.uk/articles/battersea-poltergeist-1956

https://livinglibraryblog.com/the-eight-stages-of-a-poltergeist-haunting/

This week Emma tells us about the birth of the Americans with Disabilities Act and the amazing people who gave everything to ensure equality for all Americans with disabilities.

This week we're talking about a baffling case involving a 2009 horror film and the real life case potentially inspired by it. Is Natalia Grace a child abandoned by the people who should have cared for her or is she a sociopathic adult masquerading as a child? You tell us!

Sources:

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/natalia-grace-michael-burnett-adopted-girl-b2351428.html

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/crime/natalia-grace-speaks-abuse-claims-b2470099.html

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/jun/04/natalia-grace-docuseries-hbo-discovery-ukrainian-orphan-con-artist

https://www.historicmysteries.com/unexplained-mysteries/natalia-grace/38340/

https://eu.jconline.com/story/news/crime/2023/05/26/unheard-evidence-revealed-by-prosecutors-in-barnett-abuse-case/70256184007/

https://people.com/where-is-natalia-grace-now-8421187

https://globalnews.ca/news/10206895/curious-case-of-natalia-grace-age-confirmed/

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-features/the-curious-case-of-natalia-grace-revelations-twist-ending-1235779892/

This week we're packing our bags and flying off to Caribbean. See ya suckers! Just kidding, Emma's telling us all about the mystery of the Bermuda Triangle so prepare for some science and some conspiracy as we discuss one of the most enduring geographical mysteries ever. Science !

This week we're trying to bring a positive vibe as we talk about a women who dedicated her life to togetherness, celebration and the protection of others.

Sources:

https://www.vogue.co.uk/arts-and-lifestyle/article/claudia-jones-notting-hill-carnival

https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/blue-plaques/claudia-jones/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Claudia_Jones

https://trinidadandtobagococoahistory.wordpress.com/2019/04/15/the-decline-of-the-cocoa-industry-in-trinidad-and-tobago/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scottsboro_Boys

https://www.eisenhowerlibrary.gov/research/online-documents/mccarthyism-red-scare

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McCarthyism

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McCarran_Internal_Security_Act

https://www.liberationschool.org/claudia-jones-1950-iwd-speech/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_Kelso_Cochrane

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Notting_Hill_Carnival

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commonwealth_Immigrants_Act_1962#:~:text=%2Dcolour%20legislation%22.-,The%20Act,were%20subject%20to%20immigration%20control.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-43782241

This week we're getting in our time machine and heading back to the Middle Ages where we'll be talking about the dancing plagues of Europe. So strap on your best dancing shoes because it's time to cut foot loose!

This week we’re talking about our favourite topic, cults! It’s the FLDS this week. Hear about the generations of people who were conned into giving up their lives for Warren Jeffs to live the high life. Now he’s living that banged up life! 

Sources:

https://www.mrm.org/flds

https://www.splcenter.org/fighting-hate/extremist-files/group/fundamentalist-church-jesus-christ-latter-day-saints

https://www.splcenter.org/fighting-hate/extremist-files/group/fundamentalist-church-jesus-christ-latter-day-saints

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rulon_Jeffs

https://www.discovermagazine.com/mind/the-psychology-behind-cults

https://online.utpb.edu/about-us/articles/psychology/the-psychology-of-cults/

https://aeon.co/essays/how-cult-leaders-brainwash-followers-for-total-control

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/apr/21/fundamentalist-church-of-latter-day-saints-missing-children

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/oct/13/woman-escaped-cult-hq-flds-refuge

https://www.newsweek.com/faith-bistline-flds-church-warren-jeffs-polygamy-1859015

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/flds-documentary-netflix-warren-jeffs-b2097657.html

Keep Sweet. Prey and Obey - Netflix

https://www.phoenixmag.com/2020/08/19/the-callback-kid/