Sometimes it's not enough to cheat people out of money, spend the ill-gotten gains, and try to kidnap one's own son. If a fella really wants to be the "best hated" guy in the US, he's gotta bankrupt an American hero. And that's exactly what Ferd Ward did.

Sometimes it's not enough to cheat people out of money, spend the ill-gotten gains, and try to kidnap one's own son. If a fella really wants to be the "best hated" guy in the US, he's gotta bankrupt an American hero. And that's exactly what Ferd Ward did.

True Crime is more than blood, guts, mayhem, and murder. Zaron Burnett and Elizabeth Dutton share outlandish tales of capers, heists, and cons that shine a light on the absurd and outrageous side of criminality. Always 99% murder-free and 100% ridiculous, this is Ridiculous Crime, a podcast by iHeartRadio.

Ridiculous Crime

The Best Hated Man in the United States: Ferdinand Ward

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/519d5ca9-acce-4c71-bdb9-b0d700ef6205/transcript

A man who called himself Lord Gordon Gordon sure knew how to con 'em. He scammed jewelers, land owners, and railroad magnates with great alacrity on both sides of the Atlantic. But in the hierarchy of criminals, the robber barons generally come out on top, and Gordon Squared just didn't anticipate that. 

A man who called himself Lord Gordon Gordon sure knew how to con 'em. He scammed jewelers, land owners, and railroad magnates with great alacrity on both sides of the Atlantic. But in the hierarchy of criminals, the robber barons generally come out on top, and Gordon Squared just didn't anticipate that.&nbsp;

A Con So Nice, He Named Himself Twice: Lord Gordon Gordon

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/7bfa8ebb-0e5b-458c-bbc1-b3b7001217f0/transcript

Frank Sinatra and Ava Gardner had one of the great love affairs of the last century. But it was actually a love triangle that included the famously-reclusive Howard Hughes. It gets wilder than that –– their love rivalry lasted decades and involved the mafia and the CIA. In fact, the dynamic forever changed Las Vegas and even ended the Rat Pack Era. This one is a wild midcentury tale... and 100% criminally ridiculous!

Frank Sinatra and Ava Gardner had one of the great love affairs of the last century. But it was actually a love triangle that included the famously-reclusive Howard Hughes. It gets wilder than that &ndash;&ndash; their love rivalry lasted decades and involved the mafia and the CIA. In fact, the dynamic forever changed Las Vegas and even ended the Rat Pack Era. This one is a wild midcentury tale... and 100% criminally ridiculous!

The Love Triangle of Frank Sinatra, Howard Hughes and Ava Gardner

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/10d23b5f-f263-4ef5-a8b5-b3b40143643a/transcript

Using his logistical and felonious prowess, Adam Worth developed a sophisticated criminal network stealing money, art, and jewelry from high-value targets on two continents. Understated and cunning, Worth was so successful he inspired one of literature's greatest criminal masterminds. Quite the criming legacy. 

Using his logistical and felonious prowess, Adam Worth developed a sophisticated criminal network stealing money, art, and jewelry from high-value targets on two continents. Understated and cunning, Worth was so successful he inspired one of literature's greatest criminal masterminds. Quite the criming legacy.&nbsp;

The Napoleon of Crime: Adam Worth

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/10399ef0-74ed-4282-98ce-b3af01485108/transcript

The Best Hated Man in the United States: Ferdinand Ward

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