TRUE

In January 2012, over 4,000 passengers and crew boarded the Costa Concordia cruise ship for a week of fun off the coast of Italy. The luxury ship was called “the Ferrari of the seas” and like any sport vehicle, you have to see what it can do every now and then. That is, of course, unless it’s a 1,000 ft long, 150 ft tall floating city on water. In that case, maybe don’t steer too far off course? Solid advice that, unfortunately, was not taken by the captain. The result was a disaster.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Like everyone else, even nuns just want to have fun. After devoting their lives to helping those in need, it’s hard to blame them for wanting to let loose every now and then. Some sisters find peace along the Las Vegas strip, trading Rosary beads for casino chips. But their holy connection doesn’t always pay off. To fund her gambling addiction, one nun in California is currently facing up to 40 years in prison after stealing close to $1 million from the grade school where she was principal. Across the ocean, a woman in Italy has avoided police for over 2 years by moving from convent to convent posing as a holy sister. There are tons of stories about nuns doing amazing work, but this episode is not about them. This one is all about when good nuns go bad!

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

When it comes to air travel, no one enjoys long layovers or flight delays. Now imagine being stuck inside an airport terminal not just for a few hours, but for years. That’s exactly what happened to a traveler who ended up stuck in France’s busiest airport for an incredible 18 years. Even more amazing, that’s not the only person this has happened to, nor is it even close to the longest!

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Behind the innocent jingles and delicious frozen treats, the beloved ice cream truck isn't always what it appears. In the 1980s, criminal organizations in Scotland used the friendly neighborhood vehicles to conduct drug deals and sell stolen merchandise. Like any typical gang, protecting your turf often meant resorting to violence. It’s not always sunshine and smiles when it comes to serving up cones. Sometimes it can be sprinkled with arson, robbery, baseball bats, and even murder.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

When Carlina White was a child, she was kidnapped from a hospital by a woman disguised as a nurse. It was 1987 and the case would make history, becoming the first infant abduction from a hospital in New York. It took over 20 years to solve the mystery of her disappearance and it wasn’t police or the FBI that figured it out. Carlina White is part of a rare group of people who were fortunate enough to solve their own kidnapping. These are some of their stories.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Coal mining is one of the most dangerous occupations in the world. Explosions, collapses, and flooding are just some of the ways a miner could lose their life on the job. But in the early 1900s, not being a member of the coal miner’s union could get you killed just as easily. The Coal Wars, as they were called, saw striking union members carry out some of the most violent protests in the history of labor relations in the United States. Over the course of 2 days in June 1922, the town of Herrin, Illinois became the scene of a real-life horror movie as hundreds of armed strikers brutally murdered dozens of their replacements. The media quickly dubbed the killing spree the Herrin Mine Massacre.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On July 23, 1983, Air Canada Flight 143 lost power to both engines half way through its flight. The Boeing 767 with 69 passengers and crew onboard was flying at over 40,000 feet when the incident occurred and the chances of survival were not looking good. Without power, the flight crew would have to fly the 315,000 lb commercial airplane like a glider. It was a seemingly unwinnable situation with zero margin for error, and that’s when things got worse.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

With the motto "Money, Sex, and Joy", you could be fooled into thinking that being part of The Order of the Solar Temple sounds fun. Their motto might have sounded attractive, but the strict rules, complete loyalty, and oh yeah, dying at the whim of your leader might be a turn off. In October 1994, the world watched as the bodies started to pile up in Europe and Canada. Members and their families were ritualistically murdered before being ceremonially set on fire. This club is not for everyone!

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

When the new homeowners arrived at their dream house, they were touched to find a welcome letter in the mailbox. It was such a thoughtful and old-fashioned custom for 2014. But what they read was terrifying and marked the beginning of a nightmare that lasted for years. "Allow me to welcome you to the neighborhood. My grandfather watched the house in the 1920s and my father watched in the 1960s. It is now my time. Do you know what lies within the walls? You have children. I have seen them. Once I know their names, I will call to them and draw them to me. Welcome my friends, welcome. Let the party begin.” It was signed The Watcher.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It’s all fun and games … until you get caught. In the 1950s, game shows were all the rage. Producers were under immense pressure to make the shows entertaining to keep audiences tuning in. They quickly realized the guaranteed way to create drama was to rig the outcome. But when a disgruntled “loser“ blew the whistle, the hoax was revealed and the genre almost disappeared forever.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices