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Deep Cover

Pushkin Industries

Deep Cover is a show about people who lead double lives. Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Jake Halpern reveals webs of deception and dark underworlds, through interviews with federal agents and convicted criminals. 

Deep Cover: The Family Man: Elise and Marissa grew up in a seemingly normal house in the suburbs of St. Louis, but it was a house built on secrets. There were things their father never told them—like how he really made his money. One night, the police showed up, raided their house, and seized boxes of evidence. Hours later, the sisters turned on the TV and saw something surreal: their father’s car, in the aftermath of a police chase. The local news identified him as “The Boonie Hat Bandit.” The girls were stunned. They struggled to accept the truth: Dad had been living a double life. How long had he been lying to them? What had he done? And who, exactly, was their father? Deep Cover: The Family Man is a story about the way parents deceive their children and the crimes a desperate father will commit to save his family. It’s also a story about justice—and the question of what punishment these crimes deserve.


Deep Cover Presents: Snowball. A special limited series from the Unravel Podcast team at the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Ollie Wards' family lost everything after their brush with a charming Californian con woman. As he embarks on a quest to find out how she did it, why she did it, and where she is now, he opens the door on a mystery that spans decades and across continents.

In the sixth season of Deep Cover: The Truth About Sarah, Jake Halpern and acclaimed investigative journalist Jess McHugh unravel an epic six-year deception that upended lives of countless people. Sarah Cavanaugh was many things: A decorated veteran. A Marine who saved her comrades. A young woman fighting cancer. She was stoic, humble, tough. In short: a hero. Sarah was everything people wanted her to be—until she wasn’t. Turns out, no one knew the real Sarah. Not her comrades. Not her wife. No one. Jake and Jess interview all of the key sources—including Sarah, herself—to tell this sprawling tale.

Season five covers the rise and fall of George Santos, the former Republican Congressman from New York, and the stories—many of which were not true—he told about his life and credentials.

Season four, The Nameless Man, tells the epic tale of two federal agents who investigate a rumor about a murder that supposedly took place 15 years prior. It is also the story of a family searching for answers about why their brother was killed. These two storylines collide in a courtroom in Philadelphia, where murder, memory, and morality go on trial.

Season three, Never Seen Again, tells the story of two women living on opposite sides of the country, who went missing in the summer of 1999. Seven years later, their stories collided when a small town detective got a tip and became convinced that if he could solve one mystery, he’d solve the other.

Season two, Mob Land, is about a high-rolling lawyer who joins forces with the feds to try to bring down one of the most powerful criminal syndicates in the country.

Season one, The Drug Wars, tells the story of an FBI agent who goes undercover with a biker gang, and follows a trail of clues that eventually leads to the US invasion of a foreign country.

Deep Cover drops on Mondays. To hear episodes early and ad-free, subscribe to Pushkin+ in Apple Podcasts or at pushkin.fm/plus.

iHeartMedia is the exclusive podcast partner of Pushkin Industries.

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  • 22 episodes
  • weekly
  • Avg 36 min
  • English
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  • August 25 · 39 min

    Petra Mathers and Her Michael | From Death of an Artist

    In February 2024, celebrated children’s book author and illustrator Petra Mathers and her husband, photographer Michael Mathers, mailed letters to dozens of friends and family members to let them know they had died by suicide. Petra and Michael were by all accounts healthy, happy, and deeply in love. As much a love story as one about death, it begs the question: what did that decision do to the people left to mourn them? In season 3 of Death of an Artist, journalists Leon Neyfakh and Alice Gregory set out to interview everyone who got one of Petra and Michael’s letters—as one married couple trying to understand another. Told through intimate conversations with Petra and Michael’s friends and family about their own relationships to aging, grief, death, and the friends they thought they knew, Death of an Artist weaves together a portrait of a community grappling with the Mathers’ deaths and the final words they left behind. Search for Death of an Artist wherever you get podcasts. And get early, ad-free access to the entire season now by subscribing to Pushkin+ on the Apple Podcasts show page or at pushkin.fm/plus. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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  • August 17 · 33 min

    The Gypsy Rose Obsession | From PRETEND

    For most of her life, Gypsy Rose Blanchard was in a wheelchair. She had a feeding tube, an oxygen tank, and a list of diagnoses long enough to fill a binder. Then, in 2015, her mother was found stabbed to death in their home, and the world found out Gypsy could walk. The story became a documentary, a TV series, a household name. Case closed. But did she fake it all? In this new series from PRETEND, host Javier Leiva investigates the online world that formed around the case, where no one is a reliable narrator. This is part one of The Gypsy Rose Obsession. Listen to PRETEND wherever you get podcasts. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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  • July 6 · 39 min

    The 14-Year-Old Bank Robber | From Heavyweight

    If you liked this past season of Deep Cover, The Family Man, you'll enjoy this episode from another Pushkin podcast, Heavyweight. It's a great companion to our bank robbery story from this season. Heavyweight, hosted by Jonathan Goldstein, creates space for difficult conversations and resolving long-standing regrets and unanswered questions. In this episode: A young man had just turned 14 when he took his father’s shotgun, skipped school, and robbed a bank for $40,000. Now, 33 years later, he wants to apologize to the people he harmed that day. Find Heavyweight wherever you get your podcasts. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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  • June 29 · 46 min

    The Limits of Manifesting Success with James Forman, Jr.

    When Keith Giammanco started robbing banks in 2007, he sought to minimize his legal risk. Keith says he never carried a weapon, and he confessed to the authorities the same day he was arrested. But, ultimately, he faced two prosecutions - federal and state. And he served nearly two decades in prison. Jake sits down with legal scholar James Forman, Jr. to unpack how this all unfolded, why a lawyer never tries to "manifest success,” and what justice looks like in a case like this. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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  • June 22 · 27 min

    My Oldest, Dearest Friend

    Mike Walton was shocked to learn his lifelong friend, Keith, had been living a double life as the Boonie Hat Bandit. He’d seen reports about the serial bank robber on the news, but never recognized him. Jake speaks with Mike about their friendship and why, sometimes, it’s hard to see the thing right in front of you. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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  • S7 · E6
    June 15 · 42 min

    The Release | Episode 6

    Keith’s daughters, Elise and Marissa, face new trials on their own while Keith serves his time. After decades in custody, Keith nears his release date, and the Giammanco family grapples with the past and the choices they’ve made. To learn more about Keith’s story, check out Bank Notes Revisited, co-written with Caroline Giammanco. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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  • S7 · E5
    June 8 · 37 min

    The Trial | Episode 5

    Federal and county prosecutors all want to hold Keith accountable for his crimes. Against the advice of his counsel, Keith takes his case to trial, hoping a jury will show him and his family some mercy. In the courtroom, his victims tell their side of the story. Subscribe to Pushkin+ to binge the entire season, ad-free. Find Pushkin+ on the Deep Cover show page in Apple Podcasts or at Pushkin.fm. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    • Transcript
  • S7 · E4
    June 1 · 30 min

    The Downfall | Episode 4

    Keith’s arrest makes national news, forcing Elise and Marissa to defend their dad to the world. Their mother makes a surprise reappearance, moving in and bringing new troubles along with her. Subscribe to Pushkin+ to binge the entire season, ad-free. Find Pushkin+ on the Deep Cover show page in Apple Podcasts or at Pushkin.fm. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    • Transcript
  • S7 · E3
    May 25 · 33 min

    The Confession | Episode 3

    The Boonie Hat Bandit robs a 12th bank. And things don’t go according to his plan. His teenage daughters, Elise and Marissa, are left to pick up the pieces. They wonder: how had he managed such an elaborate deception? And what’s going to happen to their family now? Subscribe to Pushkin+ to binge the entire season, ad-free. Find Pushkin+ on the Deep Cover show page in Apple Podcasts or at Pushkin.fm. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    • Transcript
  • S7 · E2
    May 18 · 40 min

    The Gamble | Episode 2

    In 2008, Keith Giammanco, also known as the Boonie Hat Bandit, went on a crime spree. Today, he lives in a remote cabin somewhere in the Ozarks. What choices led him here? And what was the original gamble that set it all in motion? Subscribe to Pushkin+ to binge the entire season, ad-free. Find Pushkin+ on the Deep Cover show page in Apple Podcasts or at Pushkin.fm. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    • Transcript
  • S7 · E1
    May 18 · 36 min

    The Raid | Episode 1

    One night in 2008, Elise and Marissa Giammanco were home, wondering where their dad was and why he hadn’t answered any of their texts. Then the police showed up. Suddenly, the seventeen-year-old twins had to question everything they thought they knew about their father. Subscribe to Pushkin+ to binge the entire season, ad-free. Find Pushkin+ on the Deep Cover show page in Apple Podcasts or at Pushkin.fm. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    • Transcript
  • May 11 · 4 min

    Deep Cover: The Family Man

    Every family has its secrets. On the new season of Deep Cover, Jake Halpern tells the story of the crimes one man committed in the name of fatherhood–and what happened when his daughters discovered he was living a double life. New episodes drop May 18. Subscribe to Pushkin+ to binge the entire season, ad-free. Find Pushkin+ on the Deep Cover show page in Apple Podcasts or at Pushkin.fm. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    • Transcript
  • S6 · E9
    Dec 29, 2025 · 52 min

    The Truth About Sarah Revisited (LIVE at WBUR)

    Jake sits down with his Season 6 co-host Jess McHugh at WBUR CitySpace for a live conversation. They discuss the value of trust, share some never-before-heard tape, and give an update on what’s happened with Sarah since our season ended. If you’d like to support Patrol Base Abbate (https://www.pbabbate.org), follow this link: https://donate.pbabbate.org/give/373840/#!/donation/checkout. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    • Transcript
  • S6 · E17
    Dec 22, 2025 · 44 min

    Shame, Scams, and The Stories We Tell Ourselves (with Ollie Wards)

    Jake sits down with Snowball creator Ollie Wards to discuss how a family mystery became an international hit. They trace Ollie’s journey from the first recorded conversation with his dad – recorded under a hotel duvet – to the heart-pounding moment he found himself face-to-face with the con artist herself: Lezlie Manukian. Along the way, they touch on the challenges of reporting on family, the psychology of scammers and their victims, and the strange kind of closure that comes when truth is messier than justice. Listen to Deep Cover Presents: Snowball ad-free with a Pushkin+ subscription. Find Pushkin+ on the Deep Cover show page in Apple Podcasts or at pushkin.fm/plus. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    • Transcript
  • S6 · E16
    Dec 15, 2025 · 23 min

    Snowball - Episode 7: The Morning After

    After the confrontation in the supermarket carpark, Ollie is left feeling confused — has he been charmed just like everyone else in this story? Lezlie left promising Ollie she would meet for a proper interview the next day. Will she turn up... or leave him and his family hanging? More details come to life about the consequences of Lezlie's reckless lifestyle and how little she has prospered. Ollie asks himself if he should be feeling sorry for her. Listen to Deep Cover Presents: Snowball ad-free with a Pushkin+ subscription. Find Pushkin+ on the Deep Cover show page in Apple Podcasts or at pushkin.fm/plus. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    • Transcript
  • S6 · E15
    Dec 8, 2025 · 42 min

    Snowball - Episode 6: Stakeout

    Ollie and Simon have criss-crossed California to find themselves parked in their American muscle car staking out exits from a supermarket they think Lezlie works in. They may only have one shot to talk to her and finally get some answers. In preparation, Ollie speaks with psychologist and professional poker player Maria Konnikova, who tells him the real meaning of the term "con artist". Her most potent tip is to beware the charm offensive...and be prepared to use it in return. Listen to Deep Cover Presents: Snowball ad-free with a Pushkin+ subscription. Find Pushkin+ on the Deep Cover show page in Apple Podcasts or at pushkin.fm/plus. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    • Transcript
  • S6 · E14
    Dec 1, 2025 · 45 min

    Snowball - Episode 5: Black Widow

    Ollie and Simon follow the trail of broken dreams and failed restaurants to Paso Robles, California. Ollie discovers his former sister-in-law has manufactured an image of a successful restauranteur in Hawaii, Lake Tahoe and New Zealand. Her exotic CV and exciting stories pull a new family into her web... with disastrous consequences. Finally, they get a tip-off that might lead them directly to Lezlie. Her lies may be about to catch up to her. Listen to Deep Cover Presents: Snowball ad-free with a Pushkin+ subscription. Find Pushkin+ on the Deep Cover show page in Apple Podcasts or at pushkin.fm/plus. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    • Transcript
  • S6 · E13
    Nov 24, 2025 · 41 min

    Snowball - Episode 4: Charmed

    Ollie turns to Lezlie's emails for clues of her whereabouts. Here, he uncovers a bizarre story involving a book deal, a ghost writer and a famous actress. Could this web of lies reveal Lezlie's motivations as a scammer? Ollie and Simon then take a flight to California and hit the road. When the trail runs cold, they decide to chase down a lead at Lezlie's first restaurant in the resort town of Lake Tahoe. If you can’t wait to find out what happens, binge episodes of Deep Cover Presents: Snowball early and ad-free with a Pushkin+ subscription. Find Pushkin+ on the Deep Cover show page in Apple Podcasts or at pushkin.fm/plus. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    • Transcript
  • S6 · E12
    Nov 17, 2025 · 42 min

    Snowball - Episode 3: The Coconut Wireless

    The stories Lezlie Manukian has told people about her time in Hawaii usually end with murderous local mobsters running her off the island. But this is also coming from the tall tale telling Californian trickster we've heard can even swindle a bank. When Lezlie left New Zealand, never to be seen again, it seemed like the only way for Greg Wards to understand who he really married was to ask the Hawaiian police what really happened. If you can’t wait to find out what happens, binge episodes of Deep Cover Presents: Snowball early and ad-free with a Pushkin+ subscription. Find Pushkin+ on the Deep Cover show page in Apple Podcasts or at pushkin.fm/plus. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    • Transcript
  • S6 · E11
    Nov 10, 2025 · 44 min

    Snowball - Episode 2: The Great Houdini

    What looks like a dream marriage for Ollie Wards' brother Greg soon morphs into a nightmare. With the whole family drawn into the mess, his parents go from a comfortable retirement to being homeless and squatting in the basement at his Aunty's house. Even though she was on a tourist visa in New Zealand, Greg's American wife had secured a massive loan from the country's state-owned bank. After she flies off, never to be seen again, a box of documents from the bank transaction surfaces. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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