Pod Crashing Episode 505 Kingdom Of Fraud The Podcast From Michelle McPhee

This episode of 'Arroe Collins View From The Writing Instrument' features a 'pod crash' interview with Emmy-nominated investigative journalist Michelle McPhee about her new podcast series 'Kingdom of Fraud,' co-produced by Novel and iHeartPodcasts. McPhee discusses a sprawling criminal conspiracy involving Jacob Kingston, a member of a polygamist Mormon fundamentalist sect called The Order, and Levon Termendzhyan, a reputed Armenian crime figure known as 'The Lion.' Together, they orchestrated a nearly one-billion-dollar fraud scheme centered on a biofuel subsidy program, which triggered the largest tax investigation in American history. The narrative spans multiple locations—Salt Lake City, Los Angeles, and beyond—as McPhee traces how Kingston, desperate to prove himself within his powerful polygamist clan (his father had over 100 children), became entangled with one of LA's most feared operators. The scheme generated tens of millions in illicit proceeds that required sophisticated money laundering to hide. Beyond the two principals, the conspiracy involves a web of corrupt officials, dirty cops, political connections, and transnational money launderers. A shadowy network called 'The Boys'—allegedly paid federal law enforcement operatives selling access to the highest bidder—was supposedly positioned to protect the operation as authorities closed in. The episode teases the central dramatic tension: whether Kingston's trust in Levon and 'The Boys' will pay off or whether their billion-dollar empire will collapse. McPhee frames the story as one about unlikely alliances corroded by greed and systemic corruption affecting every American citizen. The full 'Kingdom of Fraud' series spans seven episodes and is available on iHeartPodcasts.

Verdict: A compelling true-crime story with an expert journalist, but the episode itself appears to be promotional material for a separate podcast rather than a standalone conversation with real substance.

Arts rubric

• Insight into the work 3/5 20%

  McPhee provides context about the investigation's scope and the unlikely partnership, but this is promotional material that doesn't deeply explore her investigative methodology or reveal novel insights into the fraud itself.

• Expertise and access 4/5 20%

  Michelle McPhee is an Emmy-nominated investigative journalist with demonstrated expertise; her access to the story through extensive travel and reporting suggests real authority on the subject matter.

• Sparks curiosity 5/5 15%

  The premise—a polygamist fundamentalist and an Armenian crime boss defrauding the government of nearly $1 billion—is inherently compelling and the description effectively teases the dramatic tension of the full series.

• Substance 2/5 15%

  The source material is promotional show notes rather than episode content; it outlines the story but provides no actual interview dialogue, analysis, or substantive discussion from the 20-minute episode itself.

• Delivers on its title 3/5 15%

  A 'Pod Crash' episode about 'Kingdom of Fraud' should introduce the podcast and its subject; the description covers this, but without hearing the actual conversation, it's unclear how thoroughly the episode explores McPhee's work.

• Value for time 2/5 15%

  At 20 minutes, this appears to be a brief promotional interview; the show notes suggest it's primarily a teaser for the full series rather than a substantive deep-dive conversation.

How we score Arts

Worth it if you're interested in true-crime investigations, government corruption, or want a quick introduction to the 'Kingdom of Fraud' series before diving into the full seven-episode run.

Content flags

• Sponsored This is explicitly a 'pod crash' promotional interview designed to promote McPhee's new iHeartPodcasts series 'Kingdom of Fraud.'

Based on the episode description. AI-generated; it can be wrong.