Deep Cover: George Santos

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.  Welcome to a new miniseries, Deep Cover: George Santos.  George Santos, the former Republican Congressman from New York, told a lot of stories about his life and his credentials. Many of which, it turns out, were not true. And now–in just a few weeks–Santos is scheduled to face a criminal trial.  Deep Cover Producer Amy Gaines McQuade, who grew up in Santos’ congressional district, speaks with insiders and experts to try to answer the question: Who is George Santos… really? Amy shares her findings with Jake Halpern as she covers Santos' rise and fall, the double life he led and reports from his upcoming trial in New York. 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,

  • 23 minutes 36 seconds
    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.

    15 December 2025, 10:00 am
  • 42 minutes 14 seconds
    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.

    8 December 2025, 10:00 am
  • 45 minutes 6 seconds
    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.

    1 December 2025, 10:00 am
  • 41 minutes 26 seconds
    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.

    24 November 2025, 10:00 am
  • 42 minutes 4 seconds
    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.

    17 November 2025, 10:00 am
  • 44 minutes 19 seconds
    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.

    10 November 2025, 10:00 am
  • 51 minutes 31 seconds
    Snowball - Episode 1: The Girl With the Dragonfly Tattoo

    Ollie Wards was MC at his brother's wedding. "It was a fun party," he recalls, "kind of rowdy. But inside I had a sense of unease. I couldn't explain it." He ignored the feeling. Greg met his bride while backpacking in London. He was in his twenties and partying hard. But he always had his eye on America. He loved everything to do with the place. So, when he met a dark-haired, older, well-travelled, fast-talking Californian woman named Lezlie Manukian he says he was 'a sitting duck'.

    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.

    3 November 2025, 10:00 am
  • 6 minutes 14 seconds
    Deep Cover Presents: Snowball

    In 2006, Greg Wards was your average Kiwi backpacker on an overseas adventure in the UK, working hard, playing harder — and falling head-over-heels in love. After a whirlwind international romance, Greg married Lezlie Manukian in New Zealand. Their new life started out by setting up a small business north of Auckland. But a snowball had started to roll the day Greg met Lezlie Manukian. It wasn't long before this ball of chaos gathered pace and crushed Greg and his family.

    Starting November 3, 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.

    27 October 2025, 9:00 am
  • 23 minutes 21 seconds
    Episode 5: Santos Released From Prison

    Last week, President Trump commuted George Santos’ prison sentence — a decision that’s prompted both surprise and reflection. Producer Amy Gaines McQuade walks Jake Halpern through the news and checks back in with people who knew Santos to hear their reactions.

    For more on Mark’s reporting on George Santos, check out his book: The Fabulist - The Lying, Hustling, Grifting, Stealing and Very American Legend of George Santos.

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    24 October 2025, 9:00 am
  • 43 seconds
    Deep Cover Live in Boston on December 19

    If you've ever wondered what goes into making an episode of Deep Cover, now's your chance. Join Jake Halpern and Jess McHugh for a live bonus taping of Deep Cover: The Truth About Sarah at WBUR's Boston CitySpace on December 19. Listen to never-before-heard recordings from interviews, go behind-the-scenes on Jake and Jess' reporting and storytelling process.

    Find more details and tickets here: https://www.wbur.org/events/1046207/deep-cover-the-truth-about-sarah-live

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    23 October 2025, 9:00 am
  • 25 minutes 36 seconds
    Rosemarie’s Story

    Rosemarie Coffey helped Sarah Cavanaugh for years. As a community support specialist, her services were paid for by the Wounded Warrior Project. Rosemarie spent countless hours inside Sarah’s home. We wondered - what did Rosemarie see? And what did she learn when Sarah’s lies were exposed?

    Get early, ad-free access to more episodes of Deep Cover: The Truth About Sarah by subscribing to Pushkin+ on Apple Podcasts or Pushkin.fm. Access ad-free episodes, exclusive binges, full audiobooks, and bonus content for all Pushkin shows with Pushkin+.

    Subscribe on Apple: apple.co/pushkin
    Subscribe on Pushkin: pushkin.com/plus

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    23 June 2025, 9:00 am
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