Episodes

In the 1930s, America was in the midst of an epidemic that no one could stop. But it wasn’t an illness we were up against, it was a crime: kidnapping. Every year, thousands of people were abducted and held for ransom while law enforcement struggled to deal with the massive problem. Watching all this go down was a small-time bootlegger turned bank robber: George “Machine Gun” Kelly. And he wanted in. Listen to American Criminal: Machine Gun Kelly wherever you get your podcasts, or to get early, a...

Growing up in Memphis, George Kelly Barnes starts dabbling in crime from a young age. First he blackmails his father, then he grows a successful bootlegging business for himself. But how did this small-time crook earn one of the most famous names in criminal history? And why don't we talk about his most famous crime? To listen to all four episodes of 'Machine Gun Kelly' right now and ad-free, subscribe in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠AmericanCriminal.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more abo...

After his first botched kidnapping attempt, George "Machine Gun" Kelly goes back to what's familiar: robbing banks. But as the Great Depression ravages the economy, it's getting harder and harder to get a good haul, so George and his wife start plotting what will become one of the most famous kidnappings in American history. To listen to all four episodes of 'Machine Gun Kelly' right now and ad-free, subscribe in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠AmericanCriminal.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn...

George "Machine Gun" Kelly and his partner in crime, Albert Bates, pull off a flawless abduction of one of the richest men in Oklahoma. But their victim, Charles Urschel, has a superpower that's going to ruin everything. To listen to all four episodes of 'Machine Gun Kelly' right now and ad-free, subscribe in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠AmericanCriminal.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With the entire country watching, J Edgar Hoover's Bureau of Investigation turns their efforts to hunting down the infamous Machine Gun Kelly and his wife, Kathryn. To listen to all four episodes of 'Machine Gun Kelly' right now and ad-free, subscribe in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠AmericanCriminal.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In June, 1933, a crime that would shock that nation was committed outside a train station in broad daylight. No one saw the Kansas City Massacre coming, and as the nascent FBI scrambled to deal with the fallout, they were shaping their own legacy, as well as the future of crime-fighting in America. To listen to all four episodes of 'Machine Gun Kelly' right now and ad-free, subscribe in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠AmericanCriminal.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choic...

In the early 1930s, there was more going on in America than the Great Depression and a spate of kidnappings. We're joined by author and acclaimed journalist Joe Urschel to discuss the evolution of law enforcement, the impact of media reporting on the Machine Gun Kelly case, and the eternal need to prove your father wrong. To listen to all four episodes of 'Machine Gun Kelly' right now and ad-free, subscribe in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠AmericanCriminal.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn m...

In January 1932, Howard Woolverton and his wife were run off the road by some thugs, who grabbed Howard and drove away. They held him for ransom in a plot that captured the nation's attention. But just who was behind the scheme has never been conclusively proven. Erik Rivenes speaks with author Kevin Meredith about the kidnapping, and why the world thinks Machine Gun Kelly is the one to blame. To listen to all four episodes of 'Machine Gun Kelly' right now and ad-free, subscribe in Apple Podcast...