Criminal Records Podcast is a history show exploring the weird history of crime and punishment, from the earliest recorded murder case to the origins of laws that are in effect today. Join hosts Isaac Meyer and Demetria Spinrad on a wild journey through criminal justice systems all over the world.
You can listen to our episodes in any order, but we recommend starting with our most recent cases and working your way back through our catalogue. We’ve learned a lot about audio editing and structuring hour-long episodes since we first started in 2018!
Where to Listen
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Not sure where to start? Listen to some of our fans' favorite episodes
Con artists and impostors Check out some of our best episodes about scams and lies throughout history
Queer history Learn about the history of sodomy laws, trans rights, and more
Magic, mysticism, and religion Witchcraft, spirit channelling, divine intervention, and other legal strategies
Episodes Listen in your web browser
Recent Episodes Find out more about these historic figures in our show notes
The Reichsbürger movement
Want to crown yourself the king of Germany? Want to conquer Europe because you have really strong opinions about public transit? Want to get rich quick selling fake government ID cards? With this one completely nonsense legal strategy, you too can claim the government of Germany isn’t real and join the ranks of some very iffy far-right extremists.
The Stone of Destiny Heist
To crown the monarch of the United Kingdom, you need a 336-pound block of sandstone. But who really owns that big chunk of stone, and who was the thief who stole it from its rightful place?
The Osaka Incident of 1827, part 2
If you’re going to accuse a gang of spirit mediums of practicing a banned religion on the down low, you have to prove they’re actually members of that religion. But what if your only understanding of how this religious group worships comes from stories about outrageous magical villains?
The Osaka Incident of 1827, part 1
A group of spirit mediums found a way to use their psychic prowess to get rich in the physical realm. But when an investigator started looking into a suspiciously successful prosperity scheme, he uncovered a case of divine fraud.
Lie Detector Tests
Let’s dive into the dangerous, divine, and occasionally kinky history of trying to figure out who’s telling the truth.
Who We Are
Isaac Meyer is a historian, high school teacher, and podcaster. He started The History of Japan Podcast in 2013. Isaac believes that history should be accessible for everyone, both because it is important for us to know our common past and because really, who doesn’t love a good story?
Demetria Spinrad is an author and digital marketing professional. As a storyteller and a true crime fanatic, Demetria likes to use criminal records to help show you the humanity behind the history.
Isaac Meyer
