SVU: Gambling addiction made him kill his best friend

A Hudson University student who'd been making money selling term papers is found dead. Elliot and Fin trace Caroline's diamond ring to a football player who lost it to her in a poker game. They learn she was a high-rolling card shark, and her lifelong friend and poker-cheating partner Adam admits to strangling Caroline for running up a huge debt.

Seeing a bit of himself in Adam, Stabler feels sympathy for the killer. The defense says his gambling addiction was to blame, but Novak discovers his motivation was the money needed to keep his rich girlfriend from dumping him.

We're taking you to school for Special Victims Unit season 7 episode 17 "Class." Our guest is Lani Diane Rich from the "How Story Works" podcast.

This episode takes some cues from the cheating scandal around Walmart heiress Elizabeth Paige Laurie.