A Cheer Mom creates deep fake photos in a revenge scheme targeting her daughter's rivals. The government of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea) ghosts the US, refusing the new President's attempts to contact them. Over in the US, the Texas Rangers promise to stop hypnotizing people -- in other news, Texas law enforcement has been hypnotizing people for about 40 years. All this and more in this week's Strange News.   Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comThey don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Strange News: Cheer Mom Makes Deep Fakes, North Korea Ghosts the US, Texas Rangers Promise to Stop Hypnotizing People

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Toward the end of 2023, a US judge decreed the public had a right to know the names of multiple people listed in court documents pertaining to the crimes of notorious financier and human trafficker Jeffrey Epstein. This list of his known associates includes tycoons, royalty, celebrities, and more than one president. But what about the allegations that Epstein was supplying victims to sexual abusers -- will any of these other people, if guilty, be brought to justice? Tune in as Ben and Matt explore the Epstein files. They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Disclosure: The Epstein Files

Jeffrey Epstein made a name for himself as a mysterious money manager with friends in very high places, from Bill Clinton to Donald Trump, British royalty and more. His firm refused to do business with anyone worth less than one billion dollars, and Epstein traveled the globe, often throwing exclusive parties on his own private island. Yet this jet-setting money whiz was also dogged by rumors -- rumors of ongoing sexual abuse with multiple victims. At least some of these rumors turned out to be true. Any other person would have spent years in jail ...so why is Jeffrey Epstein walking free today? Tune in to learn more. They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

CLASSIC: How Jeffrey Epstein Broke The Law and Got Away

Did you know wealthy people can easily buy citizenship in numerous other countries (and they're doing it at an unprecedented rate)? Plus the ongoing Cybertruck debacle. In two different countries, criminals get caught wheeling corpses to banks for loans and withdrawals. The notorious grifter Patrice Runner is finally convicted in a stunning, long-running global scheme to grift people with 'psychic powers' through the mail. All this and much more -- like FBI agents going broke -- in this week's strange news segment. They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Strange News: The Cybertruck Debacle, Historic Conviction in International Psychic Scam, Loans for the Dead, the Secret World of Extra Passports

For some, drugs represent the downfall of civilization, despite the fact that drug creation and ingestion is one of the oldest discoveries in human history. In tonight's episode, Ben and Matt explore a bizarre genre of conspiracy: What happens when drugs are weaponized? They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Drugs as Weapons

P Brain asks for more information about the health effects of the recent solar eclipse. Anonymous in Central Illinois asks Ben, Matt and Codename: Doc to debate the best -- or worst -- candy. Scoop Murphy drops some knowledge about earmarking certain government positions. Keith the Plumber uses McDonald's for lucid dreams, and GGP Scootch shares an amazing, surely true, story about the perils of human cloning. All this and more in this week's listener mail segment. They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Strange News: Cheer Mom Makes Deep Fakes, North Korea Ghosts the US, Texas Rangers Promise to Stop Hypnotizing People

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