Ray William Johnson: True Story Podcast

Tommy Thompson is an American marine engineer who made history in 1988 by locating the SS Central America, a California Gold Rush-era steamship that sank in 1857 with tons of federal gold. While initially celebrated for recovering millions in treasure from the "Ship of Gold" using deep-sea robotic technology, his triumph quickly soured when the 161 private investors who funded his expedition sued him for failing to share the profits. Instead of complying with a 2012 court order to reveal the whereabouts of a missing batch of 500 gold coins, Thompson became a fugitive, living under aliases in Florida hotels

Jolly Joseph is an Indian woman from Koodathayi, Kerala, who confessed to murdering six of her family members over a 14-year period between 2002 and 2016

Kenan Thompson lost an estimated $1.5 million in childhood earnings after a trusted family accountant absconded with his money. Thompson, who had granted the accountant power of attorney, discovered the devastating theft while attempting to buy his first home in Atlanta. He later faced unpaid tax issues with the IRS, which forced him into bankruptcy.

Mark Winger is an Illinois nuclear engineer who was initially hailed as a hero in 1995 after claiming he shot and killed a shuttle driver, Roger Harrington, who had broken into his Springfield home and bludgeoned Winger's wife, Donnah, with a hammer. Police originally closed the case believing Harrington acted in retaliation over a previous customer complaint, allowing Winger to collect life insurance and marry his daughter's new nanny.

James "Jimmy the Gent" Burke was a ruthless Irish-American associate of the Lucchese crime family who masterminded the 1978 Lufthansa heist at JFK Airport, netting over $5 million. Driven by paranoia, he subsequently orchestrated the murders of numerous accomplices to keep the stolen money and avoid prosecution.