The Conspiracy Tapes podcast

The Conspiracy Tapes

In the mid-1970s, a man burst onto the evangelical scene with a shocking tale: claiming to be a former witch involved in human sacrifices among elite circles. After converting to Christianity, he toured the nation warning of hidden Satanists and spoke about a secret organization known as the Illuminati. John Todd preached salvation to frightened congregations, urging them to prepare for a world takeover by stockpiling weapons and retreating to remote areas. But John Todd was no saint; he was not the good, honest Christian he claimed to be. He was running from his past. As his influence peaked and his teachings spread through countless tapes, his facade crumbled, and he vanished. Yet, his legacy endured, inspiring acts of extreme violence from Ruby Ridge, Waco, PizzaGate, QAnon right through to the steps of the Capitol on January 6th. The Conspiracy Tapes is part of The Binge - subscribe to listen to all episodes, all at once, ad-free right now. From serial killer nurses to psychic scammers – The Binge is your home for true crime stories that pull you in and never let go. Follow The Binge Crimes and The Binge Cases to get new stories on the first of the month, every month. Hit ‘Subscribe’ at the top of the The Conspiracy Tapes show page on Apple Podcasts or visit GetTheBinge.com. The Binge – feed your true crime obsession. A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find out more about The Binge and other podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts.

In the mid-1970s, a man burst onto the evangelical scene with a shocking tale: claiming to be a former witch involved in human sacrifices among elite circles. After converting to Christianity, he toured the nation warning of hidden Satanists and spoke about a secret organization known as the Illuminati. John Todd preached salvation to frightened congregations, urging them to prepare for a world takeover by stockpiling weapons and retreating to remote areas. But John Todd was no saint; he was not the good, honest Christian he claimed to be. He was running from his past. As his influence peaked and his teachings spread through countless tapes, his facade crumbled, and he vanished. Yet, his legacy endured, inspiring acts of extreme violence from Ruby Ridge, Waco, PizzaGate, QAnon right through to the steps of the Capitol on January 6th. The Conspiracy Tapes is part of The Binge - subscribe to listen to all episodes, all at once, ad-free right now. From serial killer nurses to psychic scammers – The Binge is your home for true crime stories that pull you in and never let go. Follow The Binge Crimes and The Binge Cases to get new stories on the first of the month, every month. Hit ‘Subscribe’ at the top of the The Conspiracy Tapes show page on Apple Podcasts or visit GetTheBinge.com. The Binge – feed your true crime obsession. A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find out more about The Binge and other podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts.

 

#48

The Mask That Hid the Truth -- Hunting the Bogeyman

She survived the attack. Then came the decades of silence. When 21-year-old Nicole is assa... more

12 Nov 2025

09 MINS

09:12

12 Nov 2025


#47

Introducing Cover Up: The Conspiracy Tapes

In the mid-1970s, a man burst onto the evangelical scene with a shocking tale: claiming to... more

06 Jun 2024

02 MINS

02:33

06 Jun 2024


#46

The Conspiracy Tapes | 6. Unmasked

Becoming something of a conspiracy theory himself, no one is fully sure what ever happened... more

05 Jun 2024

49 MINS

49:19

05 Jun 2024


#45

The Conspiracy Tapes | 5. Resurrection

Discredited, John Todd vanishes and is largely forgotten until his speeches resurface onli... more

29 May 2024

34 MINS

34:56

29 May 2024


#44

The Conspiracy Tapes | 4. Contagion

A pastor receives troubling information about Todd's past. His credibility is shattered, b... more

22 May 2024

44 MINS

44:25

22 May 2024


#43

The Conspiracy Tapes | 3. Phenomenon

In 1977, Todd seeks to re-establish himself on the Christian speaker circuit. However, thi... more

15 May 2024

42 MINS

42:16

15 May 2024


#42

The Conspiracy Tapes | 2. Backslide

John Todd’s life takes a bizarre turn in Dayton, Ohio, where after a phase of promoting Ch... more

08 May 2024

30 MINS

30:19

08 May 2024


#41

The Conspiracy Tapes | 1. The Witch

We meet John Todd, a man with a fantastical story, claiming to be a former witch, now conv... more

01 May 2024

39 MINS

39:55

01 May 2024


#40

The Anthrax Threat I 8. Reasonable Doubt

The FBI squad deals with a devastating loss. Those impacted by the attacks try to move on ... more

19 Apr 2024

35 MINS

35:18

19 Apr 2024


#39

The Anthrax Threat I 7. The Unraveling

Reeling from stress, an FBI suspect begins acting erratically. But the agents in charge of... more

12 Apr 2024

29 MINS

29:03

12 Apr 2024


#38

The Anthrax Threat I 6. The Closers

New agents take over the anthrax investigation and zero in on a prime suspect: a bacteriol... more

05 Apr 2024

29 MINS

29:58

05 Apr 2024


#37

The Anthrax Threat I 5. Mr. Anthrax

The FBI turns to a renowned biodefense lab in Fort Detrick, Maryland, to aid their investi... more

29 Mar 2024

42 MINS

42:36

29 Mar 2024


#36

The Anthrax Threat I 4. The Scapegoat

Acting as an amateur sleuth, one scientist claims that she has identified the anthrax kill... more

22 Mar 2024

41 MINS

41:05

22 Mar 2024


#35

The Anthrax Threat I 3. Collateral Damage

Congress scrambles to draw a connection between the anthrax attacks and enemies overseas. ... more

15 Mar 2024

32 MINS

32:09

15 Mar 2024


#34

The Anthrax Threat I 2. A Tale of Two DCs

As Senate staffers brace for a possible bioterrorism attack, D.C. postal workers fight to ... more

08 Mar 2024

32 MINS

32:34

08 Mar 2024


#33

The Anthrax Threat I 1. Scramble the Jets

In the wake of 9/11, a handful of media and government workers started experiencing a trou... more

01 Mar 2024

31 MINS

31:44

01 Mar 2024


#32

Introducing Cover Up Season 4: The Anthrax Threat

In the wake of 9/11, a series of letters laced with a deadly powder called anthrax appeare... more

23 Feb 2024

02 MINS

02:28

23 Feb 2024


#31

Body Brokers I 8. Ashes to Ashes, Dust to Dust

A judge makes a decision in the case against Megan and Shirley. The people they deceived t... more

20 Feb 2024

40 MINS

40:18

20 Feb 2024


#30

Body Brokers I 7. Montrose versus Megan

The community of Montrose reels after learning what was going on inside Megan’s funeral ho... more

13 Feb 2024

33 MINS

33:38

13 Feb 2024


#29

Body Brokers I 6. The Results

Families discover the truth about the ashes Megan returned to them. A person close to Mega... more

06 Feb 2024

34 MINS

34:05

06 Feb 2024


#28

Body Brokers I 5. The Donor Surgeon Speaks

The FBI comes to Sunset Mesa, and Shirley does something no one sees coming. Unlock all ep... more

30 Jan 2024

33 MINS

33:13

30 Jan 2024


#27

Body Brokers I 4. Body Snatchers

Real life former body broker Philip Guyett takes us inside the murky world where people bu... more

23 Jan 2024

36 MINS

36:11

23 Jan 2024


#26

Body Brokers | 3. Mother and Daughter

A look into Megan’s first funeral home job and her early years. Who is Shirley Koch, Megan... more

16 Jan 2024

30 MINS

30:52

16 Jan 2024


#25

Body Brokers | 2. "Cactus, Is It You?"

A widow whose husband is cremated at Megan Hess’ Sunset Mesa Funeral Home gets an odd feel... more

09 Jan 2024

30 MINS

30:55

09 Jan 2024


#24

Body Brokers | 1. The Funeral Director

Small town funeral director Megan Hess is so involved in her community, so generous and co... more

02 Jan 2024

33 MINS

33:42

02 Jan 2024


#23

Introducing Cover Up Season 3: Body Brokers

For eight years, Megan Hess ran Sunset Mesa Funeral Home in the small town of Montrose, Co... more

18 Dec 2023

02 MINS

02:57

18 Dec 2023


#22

"I Don't Want You Telling Anybody" - The Secret Life of My Fugitive Dad

Meet Ashley Randele. Ashley’s Dad, Thomas Randele, was her favorite person in the world. A... more

04 Dec 2023

02 MINS

02:19

04 Dec 2023


#21

*Crime Waves: Cold Truth*

How far would you go to save the world from itself? Dr. Eugene Mallove believed that a new... more

08 Nov 2023

03 MINS

03:00

08 Nov 2023