Easy Money: The Charles Ponzi Story

About Easy Money: The Charles Ponzi Story

In 1920, a broke immigrant in Boston became one of America’s richest, most infamous men—practically overnight. In just nine months, he swindled the modern equivalent of a quarter billion dollars, upended the world of finance, and etched his name into history as the mastermind behind one of the most notorious scams ever: the Ponzi scheme. Hosted by Maya Lau and featuring award-winning comedian and actor Sebastian Maniscalco, Easy Money: The Charles Ponzi Story is a docudrama that captures the rise and fall—both outrageous and tragic—of the con artist who fooled the world and paid the price. Easy Money: The Charles Ponzi Story is an Apple Original podcast, produced by AT WILL MEDIA. Follow and listen on Apple Podcasts. http://apple.co/EasyMoney

Publisher

Apple TV / AT WILL MEDIA

Category

history · society & culture · true crime

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

28 May 2025

Latest episode

10 Sept 2025

Latest episodes

10 of 10 episodes have a transcript.

1. 

   10 Sept 2025TRANSCRIPT

   Easy Money: A Live Conversation at the 2025 Tribeca Film Festival | 9

   Actress Jamie-Lynn Sigler interviews creator Will Malnati and journalist Maya Lau about the Charles Ponzi story at the Tribeca Film Festival.

2. 

   28 Jul 2025TRANSCRIPT

   No More Tricks | 8

   Host Jake Halpern interviews Charles Ponzi's wife, Rose, as authorities close in on his fraudulent scheme.

3. 

   21 Jul 2025TRANSCRIPT

   Can’t a Guy Catch a Break? | 7

   Host Patrick Radden Keefe explores Charles Ponzi's desperate attempts to salvage his scheme when betrayal leaves him cornered, revealing if his cunning persists or delusion prevails.

4. 

   14 Jul 2025TRANSCRIPT

   The Paper Turns | 6

   Host [Host Name] interviews Charles Ponzi about the intense scrutiny and attacks he faces from Boston's biggest newspaper, forcing him into a desperate fight for survival.

5. 

   7 Jul 2025TRANSCRIPT

   Who’s Ready to Make Some Money? | 5

   Charles Ponzi's rising fame leads to widespread enthusiasm in Boston, but signs of trouble emerge, and his charm begins to falter under increasing examination.

6. 

   30 Jun 2025TRANSCRIPT

   Going Legitimate | 4

   This episode explores how Charles Ponzi's growing ambition and hunger for power blinds him to the warning signs as millions pour in.

7. 

   23 Jun 2025TRANSCRIPT

   Too Big to Fail | 3

   This episode explores Charles Ponzi's rising financial empire in Boston and the emergence of a past figure who threatens to expose his fraudulent scheme.

8. 

   16 Jun 2025TRANSCRIPT

   Genius, Right? | 2

   This episode explores how Charles Ponzi's audacious plan, sparked by a stamp coupon, propels him toward wealth and ruin as he doubles down despite growing doubts.

9. 

   16 Jun 2025TRANSCRIPT

   Give the People What They Want | 1

   This episode explores Charles Ponzi's desperate decision to get rich, which dramatically alters his life and sends ripples through Boston.

10. 

    28 May 2025TRANSCRIPT

    Introducing Easy Money: The Charles Ponzi Story

    Hosts Maya Lau and Sebastian Maniscalco introduce the docudrama podcast, Easy Money: The Charles Ponzi Story, chronicling the life of the infamous con artist.

Inside a recent episode

Easy Money: A Live Conversation at the 2025 Tribeca Film Festival | 9

Published 10 Sept 2025 · Transcript excerpt

[…] And it was documented in papers, and so, you know, he never tells anyone about this, this selfless act that he did, that again, it just goes above and beyond normal. And I think once we hear about that in the podcast, I think it makes you feel something different for him. It makes you feel a different way about this person that you're seeing rip people off. And those are the interesting characters. Those are the people we want to see rather than there's all these podcasts out there that are just about scammers or documentaries that are just about scammers. This is about more than a scammer. It's about a real person who had real feelings and a real, you know, love life and a real road that we try to follow. […]

Who has been a guest on Easy Money: The Charles Ponzi Story

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• Sebastian Maniscalco
• Will Malnati
• Jamie-Lynn Sigler

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

YouTube views

1,077,272,622

Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025

Apple Podcasts (US)

4.5 / 5

638 ratings

Spotify

4.9 / 5

44 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 50 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

26

Social presence

0

YouTube

93

Engagement

91

Contact Easy Money: The Charles Ponzi Story

Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.

Questions about Easy Money: The Charles Ponzi Story