The City of Everglade City was founded by smugglers, so it should be no surprise that a century later, the locals kept that tradition going. Only by then, they'd moved on to pot smuggling. It was a highly lucrative profession, far more than fishing or crabbing, but pot smuggling was also highly illegal. Never the less, the locals were enjoying their lawless ways, right up until the feds caught wind of the overwhelming size and scale of the south Florida dope game. But while those good times rolled, what a high time the whole town enjoyed.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Maps are beautiful, functional works of art. Even the most utilitarian paper map has its charms. But when a map has historical value, it can fetch an incredible amount. Which, of course, makes them catnip for crimers. Come navigate the world of fake maps, stolen maps, collectors, and dedicated cons.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The police of Philadelphia were flummoxed by a new crime trend. As the crime statistics in the city were falling, one category of crime was spiking. And it was all thanks to a crew of beef pirates. The bucaneers of the tri-state area were constantly hitting big rigs and making off with highly valuable loot. The police launched Operation Beef Bandit to combat the thieves. But really it was Instagram that spelled doom for the larcenous beef burglars.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A poet named Ern, so they say/Wrote verses that dazzled one day/But Ern, it turned out, was a hoax, past a doubt/Cooked up by two dorks just for play!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Elmer McCurdy came of age at the end of the Old West, and as it vanished he tried to grab at that outlaw life while it was still a real thing. Trouble was, he was not good at being a bad man. In death, he became an avatar and totem of the fast disappearing Wild West. There he remained, until one day the story of an astronaut and test pilot freed him from his bizarre afterlife. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's a lot of money to be made in tourism, especially in culturally rich areas like Italy's Veneto region. So what's a philanthropist/entrepreneur/orchestra conductor to do? Build a fake ancient amphitheater, of course! The Italian government, though, doesn't take kindly to that kind of scamming. Sparisci, truffatore!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Last week, Elizabeth shared a story from the Gold Rush. And this week, Zaron brings us a story from the Yosemite Gold Rush. If you've never heard of it, that's when a bunch of dirtbag rock climbers who called Yosemite home learned about a downed pot smuggler's plane that was trapped in a frozen lake not far from the park. That whispered rumour led to a extravganza of amateur pot smuggling as the various climbers attempted to rescue the weed and bring it to market. Ah, the 1970s! It was such a simpler time... for pot smugglers.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Marie Suize made her way from France to the foothills of California for the Gold Rush. One of just a few women up there mining for gold, she managed to make a fortune and gain the respect of her fellow prospectors. In an effort to be practical and comfortable, she started wearing pants. But that just wasn't done. Well, tell that to Marie.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Raised in difficult cirumstances, it was no surprise that Brenden Abbott turned to a life of crime. But once he got going, he was an endless source of surprises for the Australian police who struggled to capture and recapture him, as he broke out of multiple prisons and enjoyed life on the lam as Australia's favorite bank robber and outlaw folk hero. Come for the ridiculousness, stay for Zaron's attempts at an Australian accent.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.