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  • A one‑percent fee that let him earn $35M and ignore Madoff

    A one‑percent fee that let him earn $35M and ignore Madoff
    2026/10/30
    No description available.

    A one‑percent fee that let him earn $35M and ignore Madoff

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    © 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
    This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.
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    16 分
  • Ritz-Carlton Purge: $107 Billion Extracted, In Weeks

    Ritz-Carlton Purge: $107 Billion Extracted, In Weeks
    2026/10/29
    A billionaire summit in Purge turns into a detention and asset-extraction operation; how did Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman seize $107 billion?

    Ritz-Carlton Purge: $107 Billion Extracted, In Weeks

    In this episode, we follow the days leading up to the November 4, 2017 night the Ritz-Carlton Purge closed and powerful men were summoned back to its ballrooms. We trace how a young crown prince paired Vision 2030 rhetoric with a sweeping anti-corruption committee to remake Saudi power - and ask what it takes to extract decades of wealth in weeks.

    Person: Mohammed bin Salman
    Date: November 4, 2017
    Location: Ritz-Carlton Purge
    Amount: $107 billion (government-stated recovered settlements)
    Event: Anti-corruption detentions and asset recoveries

    - Ten days before the arrests the hotel hosted NEOM investors and a $500 billion development pitch attended by global financiers.
    - Mohammed bin Salman rose from obscure prince to crown prince and head of the anti-corruption committee within roughly two years.
    - Saudi power had long been distributed across royal branches, where commissions and inflated contracts functioned as loyalty systems.
    - Vision 2030 framed corruption as the barrier to foreign investment, tourism, and a post-oil economy, providing a public rationale for action.
    - On the night reservations stopped, up to 500 men were summoned to the hotel while Saudi banks froze over 2,000 domestic accounts as settlements were negotiated.

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    © 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
    This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.
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    15 分
  • The Zero Weight That Sank Citizen Voices

    The Zero Weight That Sank Citizen Voices
    2026/10/28
    A World Bank indicator claims to reflect citizens, but a key survey gets zero weight-what does this mean for Nairobi?

    The Zero Weight That Sank Citizen Voices

    This episode explores the World Bank's Worldwide Governance Indicators (WGI), a dataset used to measure governance in over 200 countries. It reveals a critical discrepancy between the WGI's public claims of citizen representation and the actual weighting of data sources, particularly concerning the Rule of Law indicator.

    Person: Daniel Kaufmann, Aart Kraay
    Organization: World Bank, World Bank Institute, Gallup World Bank, Global Insight
    Date: 1990s, 1996, 2002
    Topic: Worldwide Governance Indicators, Rule of Law, Foreign Aid, Sovereign Bond Ratings
    Status: Methodologically contested

    - The World Bank's Worldwide Governance Indicators (WGI) were developed in the 1990s to measure governance across six dimensions, including Rule of Law.
    - The Gallup World Bank, a survey of ordinary citizens, was publicly advertised by the World Bank Institute as proof that citizen voices were represented in the WGI.
    - Technical documentation revealed that the Gallup World Bank received zero weight on the Rule of Law indicator, despite public claims.
    - The Rule of Law score, influenced by this zero weighting, is used by Moody's, Standard and Poor's, and Fitch for sovereign bond ratings.
    - The United States Millennium Challenge Corporation also uses this score to determine which poor countries receive foreign aid.

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    © 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
    This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.
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    15 分
  • The same wiring that built a fortune destroyed his career

    The same wiring that built a fortune destroyed his career
    2026/10/27
    A Ukrainian official, coordinating decentralization and EU candidacy, is accused of abusing his ministerial position. His expertise in asset valuation, honed over decades, now faces scrutiny.

    The same wiring that built a fortune destroyed his career

    This episode explores the career of Oleksiy Chernyshov, a high-ranking Ukrainian official, from his early days in post-Soviet Kharkiv to his role in national government, and the allegations that led to his arrest. How did a man indispensable to the state allegedly turn his skills against it?

    Person: Oleksiy Chernyshov
    Date: July 2, 2025
    Location: Ukraine
    Status: Suspect
    Topic: Anti-corruption

    - Oleksiy Chernyshov paid 120 million hryvnia in cash bail after being declared a suspect by Ukraine's National Anti-Corruption Bureau.
    - At his peak, Chernyshov served as Ukraine's Minister of Communities and was a key figure in coordinating decentralization reforms and EU candidacy.
    - His career began in Kharkiv in 1994, where he pursued degrees in economics and law, developing an early understanding of asset valuation.
    - By 21, Chernyshov was working internationally, including a project management course at Westinghouse in Pennsylvania.
    - Before entering public service, he spent nearly two decades in private markets, managing commercial real estate and founding investment firms with offices in Kyiv and Vienna.

    To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

    © 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
    This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.
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    16 分
  • A forged letter accused Muskie of insulting Franco-Americans - and ruined him

    A forged letter accused Muskie of insulting Franco-Americans - and ruined him
    2026/10/26
    A leading presidential candidate, Edmund Muskie, faces a smear campaign involving a forged letter that could cost him the election.

    A forged letter accused Muskie of insulting Franco-Americans - and ruined him

    This episode explores the events of February 26, 1972, when Senator Edmund Muskie's presidential campaign unraveled after a controversial appearance in New Hampshire. What was the true nature of the letter that triggered this pivotal moment?

    Date: February 26, 1972
    Person: Edmund Muskie
    Location: Manchester, New Hampshire
    Opponent: Richard Nixon
    Operation: Committee for the Re-Election of the President (CREEP)

    - Edmund Muskie, a senator from Maine and son of a Polish immigrant tailor, was considered the most dangerous opponent to Richard Nixon's re-election in 1972.
    - Muskie had built a strong political career, serving as Governor of Maine and Vice Presidential candidate in 1968, with his reputation growing even in defeat.
    - CREEP, Nixon's political operation, identified Muskie as their primary obstacle and allegedly masterminded a campaign of fabrications and forged letters.
    - A letter, signed by a non-existent Paul Morrison, arrived at the Manchester Union Leader, accusing Muskie of laughing at a derogatory term for French-Canadians.
    - The Union Leader's publisher, William Loeb III, known for his combative stance, published the letter and a front-page editorial nine days before the New Hampshire primary.

    To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

    © 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
    This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.
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    14 分
  • The Davis bail bond that freed a president toppled the Hall's standing

    The Davis bail bond that freed a president toppled the Hall's standing
    2026/10/25
    A Confederate Memorial Hall in Washington D.C. proudly displayed a bail bond that freed Jefferson Davis, until a federal court intervened. How did this historical anomaly persist for so long?

    The Davis bail bond that freed a president toppled the Hall's standing

    This episode explores the curious case of the Confederate Memorial Hall, a building in Washington D.C. that for decades housed Confederate artifacts and celebrated the Lost Cause. It delves into how this institution operated just blocks from the White House and the eventual legal actions taken against it.

    Person: John Edward Hurley
    Location: Washington D.C.
    Date: 1997
    Event: Federal court ordered building seized
    Status: Accumulated $500,000 in contempt fines

    - The Confederate Memorial Association established the building after the Civil War as a residence for aging veterans.
    - In 1919, the building was formally converted into Confederate Memorial Hall, serving as a library, museum, and social club.
    - The Hall displayed portraits of Confederate figures, a marble bust of Robert E. Lee, battle flags, and the Jefferson Davis bail bond.
    - John Edward Hurley became the Association president in the 1980s and revived the Hall, organizing white tie balls and fox hunts.
    - The institution claimed thousands of members, but records suggested John Edward Hurley was the sole active member.

    To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

    © 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
    This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.
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    15 分
  • The black bag that paid his overdue taxes and toppled a cabinet secretary

    The black bag that paid his overdue taxes and toppled a cabinet secretary
    2026/10/24
    A US cabinet secretary accepts a black bag with $100,000 in cash at his ranch. This secret transaction will soon expose a massive political scandal.

    The black bag that paid his overdue taxes and toppled a cabinet secretary

    This episode details the events surrounding a $100,000 cash delivery to a US cabinet secretary, revealing how this payment was connected to his financial struggles and a major political scandal involving naval oil reserves. How did a private ranch become the center of a national controversy?

    Person: Albert B. Fall
    Date: November 1921
    Location: Tularosa Basin, New Mexico
    Event: Delivery of $100,000 in cash
    Topic: Teapot Dome scandal

    - In November 1921, a black bag containing $100,000 in cash was delivered to the New Mexico ranch of Albert B. Fall, the US Secretary of the Interior.
    - The money was handed to Fall by Ned Doheny, son of oil baron Edward Doheny, while Fall's property taxes had been unpaid for nearly ten years.
    - President William Howard Taft had designated three fields, including Teapot Dome in Wyoming, as protected naval petroleum reserves in 1910, to be controlled by the Department of the Navy.
    - In March 1921, President Warren Harding appointed Albert Fall as Secretary of the Interior, and Fall's ranch was struggling with accumulated debt.
    - Harding signed an executive order transferring the Navy's oil reserves from the Department of the Navy to the Department of the Interior, a move Fall argued was for administrative efficiency.

    To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

    © 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
    This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.
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    16 分
  • The pre-award call that priced timing tech at 1,576M rupees and toppled him

    The pre-award call that priced timing tech at 1,576M rupees and toppled him
    2026/10/23
    A paw print on an athlete's mattress reveals a system of inflated invoices and illegal wages behind India's Commonwealth Games.

    The pre-award call that priced timing tech at 1,576M rupees and toppled him

    This episode explores the 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi, an event intended to showcase India to the world but instead became mired in controversy. It delves into the financial irregularities and human cost behind the ambitious project.

    Person: Suresh Kalmadi
    Event: 2010 Commonwealth Games
    Location: New Delhi, India
    Date: October 3, 2010
    Topic: Public money mismanagement

    - Stray dogs left paw prints on mattresses in the athletes' village, which were invoiced at 80 times their actual cost.
    - Toilet paper was invoiced at 40 times its price, and an altitude simulator valued under $12,000 was invoiced at $250,000.
    - Mani Shankar Aiyar, a cabinet minister, publicly stated in 2007 and 2010 that the Games were a waste.
    - Over 400,000 people were evicted from slum clusters between 2004 and 2010 for Games-related development.
    - More than 70 workers died on construction projects, and children as young as seven were documented at hazardous sites.

    To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

    © 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
    This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.
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    18 分