For 30 years, a man claimed to be a priest. He performed baptisms and took confession. Every time he ran into trouble, Father Ryan would move on to another small Midwestern town and start his scheme all over again. Followers who once worshiped him, now accuse him of exploitation, fraud and abuse. In season one of Smoke Screen, join Alex Schuman as he unravels this con and gets answers from this white-collar criminal himself.



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Introducing... Smoke Screen: Fake Priest

Ryan Scott, known to some as “Father Ryan,” was no ordinary con man. He’d been accused of abusing followers and enriching himself with their money. He's left a wake of angry people across multiple states. And that’s not all. There are questions surrounding the brutal deaths of two priests he associated with. Investigative reporter Alex Schuman explores Scott's bizarre, quizzical, and sometimes dangerous world.

Smoke Screen is an investigative documentary series on people with complex motives and morals. Follow characters on the fringes of society - con artists, cult leaders, corrupt politicians - as they seduce their marks and bend communities to their will. Join us as we unravel their stories and bring justice to the people they've deceived. 

Want the full story? Unlock all episodes of Smoke Screen, ad-free, right now by subscribing to The Binge. Plus, get binge access to brand new stories dropping on the first of every month — that’s all episodes, all at once, all ad-free.

Just click ‘Subscribe’ on the top of the Smoke Screen show page on Apple Podcasts or visit GetTheBinge.com to get access wherever you listen.

A Sony Music Entertainment production.

Find out more about The Binge and other podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts.

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In the 1970s, John Todd exploded onto the evangelical scene with a shocking claim: a secret group of devil-worshiping elites called the Illuminati were planning a violent world takeover, and Christians needed to arm themselves against them to protect their families and way of life. But none of it was true—so why did the idea spread so quickly?



Dive into John Todd’s dark and distorted world with journalist Paul Murphy on Cover Up: The Conspiracy Tapes. Featuring sensational tales of witchcraft and human sacrifice from recorded tape of John Todd’s original testimony, this story unravels the threads of Todd’s deceptions, and traces his legacy as an originator of modern day conspiracy theories.



Available now wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribers to The Binge can listen to all episodes of Cover Up: The Conspiracy Tapes right now, completely ad-free.
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The Most Dangerous Man You've Never Heard Of - Who is John Todd?

On March 2, 2018, an anonymous and deadly package bomb detonated on the doorstep of a home in Austin, Texas. Soon after -  another was discovered, and another—each one a little more sophisticated than the last, and each target seemingly more and more random. Confusion and panic set in across the city - who was this elusive serial bomber? Why were they planting these bombs? And why were they so hard to track down? Find out on Witnessed: 19 Days - The story behind the frantic race to catch the Austin serial bomber. Join host Sean Flynn as he traces the case from its origins to its shocking conclusions. Available now wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribers to The Binge can listen to all episodes of Witnessed: 19 Days right now, completely ad-free.
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Inside the High-Stakes Chase to Catch Austin's Serial Bomber

In 2001, a series of letters laced with a deadly powder called anthrax appeared on the desks of prominent journalists and politicians in New York City and Washington D.C causing a national panic. But what started as an unprecedented case soon turned into an unsettling mystery. Who had sent these letters? And why? Join us as we trace the FBI’s costly investigation into the attacks, all with an eye toward the question that remains today: Did the FBI identify the true killer, or is this case still unresolved? Unravel the story the played out behind closed doors on Cover Up: The Anthrax Threat, listen now wherever you get your podcasts.



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The Untold Story of the 2001 Anthrax Attacks

In the Fall of 2020, 14 men were arrested for allegedly conspiring to kidnap the governor of Michigan. Americans were shocked to hear the news of the foiled plot but were left to wonder - what really what happened here?



Find out on this season of the award-winning podcast, Chameleon: The Michigan Plot. You’ll eavesdrop in on this group of alleged kidnappers through the actual wire recordings (that have never been heard by the public) from the FBI informant that infiltrated it. Unravel the story behind the headlines on Chameleon: The Michigan Plot, listen now wherever you get your podcasts



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The Secret Lives of the Men Who Plotted to Kidnap the Governor of Michigan

In the small town of Montrose, Colorado - Megan Hess ran the Sunset Mesa funeral home. Known for her kindness and warmth, Megan was beloved by her customers. But behind this sweet demeanor, Megan was hiding a dark, twisted and shocking secret operation. What was going on in the back room of Sunset Mesa funeral home? Find out on this season of Cover Up: Body Brokers, listen now wherever you get your podcasts.



Subscribers to The Binge can listen to all episodes of Cover Up: Body Brokers right now, completely ad-free.



Catch new episodes of Cover Up: Body Brokers every week wherever you get your podcasts or subscribe to The Binge and unlock all episodes ad-free today.
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Introducing... Smoke Screen: Fake Priest

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