Paper Trail

About Paper Trail

Investigative reporters at ProPublica chase down evidence of wrongdoing and bring it to light. That evidence can be on paper — or on thumb drives, in secret recordings, from conversations with whistleblowers. Each episode, you’ll ride along as we talk to reporters and their sources, uncover hidden facts and show you the receipts. When we publish what we find, things can change. Laws are passed, corrupt leaders fall, innocent people walk out of prison and sometimes a life is even saved. Investigative reporter Jessica Lussenhop is your guide. Support our journalism by donating at propublica.org/donate (https://www.propublica.org/donate).

Publisher

ProPublica

Category

news · society & culture

Language

en

Explicit

Yes

First episode

7 May 2026

Latest episode

29 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

13 of 16 episodes have a transcript.

1. 

   29 Oct 2026TRANSCRIPT

   Inside Trump’s Futile Hunt for Noncitizen Voters

   ProPublica reporters Sarah Blustain and Derek Willis investigate President Trump's claims of noncitizen voter fraud, revealing the reality of federal investigations.

2. 

   15 Oct 2026TRANSCRIPT

   Susan Collins and the Case of the Disappearing FBI Probe

   ProPublica reporters Molly Redden and William Turton investigate Senator Susan Collins' alleged involvement in a shelved FBI probe concerning a naval technology CEO's bribery claims.

3. 

   1 Oct 2026TRANSCRIPT

   Who’s the Shadow President?

   Reporter Andy Kroll interviews Russell Vought about his quiet influence reshaping the federal government as director of the Office of Management and Budget.

4. 

   15 Sept 2026TRANSCRIPT

   Don Jr.’s Secret Wedding Guest

   Investigative reporters Justin Elliott and Brett Murphy uncover a potential wedding guest's ties to Vladimir Putin, revealing deeper connections through diligent reporting.

5. 

   10 Sept 2026TRANSCRIPT

   The Predatory Industry Behind MLB’s Dominican Superstar Pipeline

   Reporter Gus Garcia-Roberts interviews Belfi Rivera about the predatory industry exploiting young Dominican baseball players in MLB's pipeline.

6. 

   3 Sept 2026TRANSCRIPT

   How the Planet-Altering Disaster of “Forever Chemicals” Was Kept Secret

   Reporter Sharon Lerner interviews a former 3M scientist about how the company concealed the widespread contamination from "forever chemicals" for decades.

7. 

   20 Aug 2026TRANSCRIPT

   The True Story of Why Immigration Agents Raided a Chicago Apartment Building

   Reporters Melissa Sanchez and Sebastian Rotella investigate an immigration raid, uncovering a different story behind the arrests in this interview.

8. 

   6 Aug 2026TRANSCRIPT

   How “Forgive and Forget” Buried a Church’s Dark Secret

   Host Jessica Lussenhop and reporter Andy Mannix investigate how a church's "forgive and forget" policy concealed a dark secret of child sexual abuse.

9. 

   23 Jul 2026TRANSCRIPT

   What Happened When Trump Officials Destroyed USAID (From Reveal)

   ProPublica reporters Brett Murphy and Anna Maria Barry-Jester reveal how Trump officials destroyed USAID, impacting aid and lives in South Sudan and Kenya.

10. 

    9 Jul 2026TRANSCRIPT

    How Microsoft’s “Little Workaround” Created a Major Pentagon Threat

    Reporter Renee Dudley investigates Microsoft's "digital escorting" arrangement with China, revealing a major Pentagon cybersecurity threat and its impact on government policy.

11. 

    25 Jun 2026TRANSCRIPT

    Should People Who Killed Their Abusers Walk Free?

    Reporter Pamela Colloff explores Oklahoma's controversial "survivor sisterhood" law, examining the complex legal and ethical implications for individuals who killed their abusers.

12. 

    11 Jun 2026TRANSCRIPT

    How a 25-Cent Pill Became a Hundred-Billion-Dollar Business

    Reporter David Armstrong investigates how a 25-cent pill became a hundred-billion-dollar business, revealing the strategies behind America's most expensive healthcare system.

13. 

    28 May 2026TRANSCRIPT

    How to Fight a Health Insurance Denial With a Little-Known Tool

    Reporter Duaa Eldeib shares how Teressa successfully fought health insurance denials using a little-known tool, empowering listeners with a vital strategy.

14. 

    21 May 2026

    How to Lose a Car in 15 Days

    Reporters Ginny Monk and Dave Altimari investigate how a century-old law allows vulnerable drivers to lose their cars, revealing a flawed system profiting from their misfortune in this interview.

15. 

    14 May 2026

    What the FDA Won’t Tell You About Your Medications

    ProPublica reporters Debbie Cenziper and Megan Rose reveal how the FDA concealed critical safety issues in generic drug manufacturing, empowering listeners to discover their medication's origin.

16. 

    7 May 2026

    Introducing “Paper Trail”

    Host and reporter Jessica Lussenhop shares her journey into investigative journalism and its world-changing potential in this introductory episode.

Inside a recent episode

Inside Trump’s Futile Hunt for Noncitizen Voters

Published 29 Oct 2026 · Transcript excerpt

[…] When you don't have someone's social security number, It is incredibly hard to find a person because you would be surprised how many people have the same name and date of birth. That's why DHS is at this conference. In this session packed full of local election officials, they make a pitch. […]

Who has been a guest on Paper Trail

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

• Andy Kroll
• Justin Elliott
• Brett Murphy
• Gus Garcia-Roberts
• Sharon Lerner

Reach and audience

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

Apple Podcasts (US)

4.8 / 5

616 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

109 ratings

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Questions about Paper Trail