Reed Slatkin engineered one of the greatest Ponzi schemes in history, in the name of Scientology and to line his own pocket. Photo by Mackenzie Marco on Unsplash Investment guru and former minister of the Church of Scientology, Reed Slatkin, used his connections to swindle 800 clients out of nearly $600 million, and he started with those closest to him; his church group. Born in Detroit in 1949, Slatkin lost his father at a young age. His uncle took over guardianship and soon

Alcatraz Island via Wikipedia Located in the San Francisco Bay, Alcatraz Island was initially explored by Juan Manuel de Ayala in 1775, a Spaniard, who named the island Isla de los Alcatraces, meaning ‘island of the pelicans’. In the 1850s, the U.S army built a fortress to protect the San Franciscans from war, but it was never used and instead became a military prison. Finally, in 1909, the fortress was pulled down, and the new jail was built was by prisoners from the militar

Many infamous criminals have spent time in the red brick building. Broadmoor Hospital via The Sun Broadmoor Hospital is the oldest high-security facility in the UK. Originally named the Broadmoor Criminal Lunatic Asylum, it was built for men and women in 1863. However, contrary to popular belief, the facility isn’t a prison, and the daily operations are very different. Instead, sessions are based around therapy rather than the usual prison practises, such as job roles. This i

The Flying Squad took on some of the worst criminals in British history, but their most notable conquest was an infamous diamond heist. In October 1919, Detective Chief Inspector Frederick Wensley called 12 detectives to his office in Scotland Yard, the headquarters of the Metropolitan Police in London. He told them that their task was to combat violent criminals currently occupying the London boroughs through surveillance and capture. They would be known as the Flying Squad.

In 1973, The Exorcist opened in cinemas. The highest-grossing film of its time, the horror movie was believed to be cursed and had problems from the beginning, including a serial killer on their payroll. The Exorcist Premiere at Leicester Square, London via StartsWednesday The set built to film the house scenes burned down when a bird flew into a fuse box, causing production issues and setting filming back significantly. Vasiliki Maliaros, who starred as Father Karra’s mother

Griffith Park's extensive parklands and diverse landscapes make it a popular choice for portraying jungle brush, desert scenes, and summer camps in TV and film productions. However, its vast size and rugged terrain also make it an ideal location for disposing of bodies, suicides, and accidental deaths. Photo by De’Andre Bush on Unsplash The park, which sits on the eastern edge of the Santa Monica mountains, is one of the largest urban parks in North America, with attractions

Dorothy Arnold vanished while shopping on Fifth Avenue, triggering a manhunt that continues to this day. Dorothy Arnold via Wikimedia Commons Born in 1885 to a wealthy goods importer, Dorothy was one of Mary and Francis’ four children. The Arnolds were considered high society and socialised with New York royalty, including the Rockefellers. Dorothy was a writer but had found it near impossible to be published in credible magazines. Her family made fun of her failure, and inst

The Hollywood actress’ case is still unsolved seven decades later. Jean Spangler via Wikipedia On the 7th of October 1949, Jean Spangler said goodbye to her daughter, walked out of her apartment door in Park La Brea, and vanished. This would be the last time Christine would ever see her mother alive. What followed was one of the biggest manhunts in Los Angeles history. Jean Elizabeth Spangler was born on 2nd September 1923 in Seattle, Washington, to Florence and Cecil Spangle

The celebrity publicist was shot in her car on the way home from a party. On the 10th November 2010, Ronni Chasen was driving home from the premiere of Burlesque at the W Hollywood hotel when she was shot through the front passenger window. Ten years later, the truth is still unclear as to why this successful publicist was murdered. Born Veronica Cohen in 1946, Ronni Chasen was a high-profile publicist who lived in Los Angeles, California. Brought up on the other side of the

Carole Baskin’s husband disappeared without a trace in 1997. Don Lewis and Carole Baskin via Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office Just as lockdown began last year, Tiger King dropped on Netflix and became a hot topic of controversy on the internet. Did Joe Exotic really try to have Carole Baskin killed? Why wasn’t anything being done about the issues surrounding animal welfare in the three parks that were featured? Another question on the lips of many was around the mysteriou

The musician was bludgeoned to death in his Skid Row loft, but no one has ever been arrested for the crime. Peter Ivers via Wikipedia.com Peter Ivers had a knack for the odd and the curious. A gifted musician, the Harvard Alum had friends in high places, including Harold Ramis, David Lynch, and John Belushi. The Illinois native moved around during his formative years. With an ill father who eventually died, his mother married a businessman from Boston, where the family would

Did the musician who wrote songs for the ‘sad kids’ kill himself, or was he murdered? Elliott Smith was launched into the spotlight after his involvement in the 1997 Oscar-winner Good Will Hunting, but he didn’t enjoy the sudden fame he experienced. In an interview with Elizabeth Blair in 2000, Smith explained his disregard for the fanfare. “I was pretty happy before all that [performing at the Academy Awards], I was going on tour and making records. It was kind of fun in a w

Over 20 years since her murder, Jill Dando’s death is still shrouded in mystery.

The famous music producer was an abuser of many. On the 3rd of February 2003, Phil Spector emerged from his house in the early hours of the morning. Inside lay 40-year-old model and actress Lana Clarkson, her teeth scattered across the carpet of the Pyrenees Castle in Alhambra, California. Clarkson had been killed by a gunshot to the mouth, which Spector and his high-paid defence lawyers would later claim occurred by suicide. The call to the police was made by Adriano de Souz

The musician was not the only target on his killer’s list. John Lennon and Yoko Ono via Wikimedia Commons When David Bowie stepped out on stage on the 9th of December 1980, there were three empty seats in the front row. He was performing in The Elephant Man at the Booth Theatre on Broadway and the play was only running for another month. Most celebrities had already been to see him in the title role, but his good friend and collaborator John Lennon and his wife were due to wa