𝗦𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗰𝗿𝗶𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀. 𝗢𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗵𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆.

Investigate how high-stakes crimes—heists, cons, disappearances, and scandals—expose the hidden forces shaping the modern world. Each week features a gripping case study, sparking discussion about 𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿, 𝗱𝗲𝗰𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲, and 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲.

This isn’t about glorifying criminals. It’s about understanding how crime and justice intersect with economics, politics, and society. Through layered storytelling, thoughtful debate, and real-world connections, we will sharpen 𝗰𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 and 𝗵𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗹𝘆𝘀𝗶𝘀 while gaining a deeper perspective on the forces that shaped the 20th and 21st centuries.

This course is flexible and welcoming:

Drop in anytime — each week is a self-contained topic, no prior weeks required.

🗓 Quarterly Breakdown:

(Please note some topics may be added or removed, but this is a general idea of the types of conversations we will have.)

Quarter 1: Female Masterminds & Media Myths

• Griselda Blanco: The "Black Widow" of the Drug Trade
• Elizabeth Holmes & The Theranos Scandal
• Belle Gunness: Insurance Fraud & Murder
• Mata Hari: Spy, Seductress, or Scapegoat?
• Bonnie & Clyde: Outlaws of the Depression
• The Papin Sisters: Class Struggles & Murder
• Sante Kimes: The Killer Con Artist
• How Female Criminals Are Portrayed in Media

Quarter 2: Organized Crime Syndicates

• Al Capone & Prohibition-Era Crime
• John Gotti & The Five Families
• Pablo Escobar & The Global Cocaine Trade
• The Fall of the Italian-American Mafia
• The Yakuza: Japan’s Organized Crime Syndicate
• The Russian Mafia & Post-Soviet Crime
• The Chicago Outfit & the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre
• How Organized Crime Still Operates Today

Quarter 3: Unsolved Crimes & Lasting Mysteries

• Jack the Ripper & Victorian London
• DB Cooper: The Skyjacker Who Vanished
• The Zodiac Killer: Codes, Ciphers & Fear
• The Black Dahlia Murder
• The Disappearance of Jimmy Hoffa
• The Dyatlov Pass Incident
• The Mystery of the Somerton Man
• Why Some Crimes Stay Unsolved

Quarter 4: Financial Crimes & Major Heists

• How Financial Crimes Shape the Economy
• The Great Train Robbery
• The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum Heist
• Bernie Madoff & The Ponzi Scheme
• The Brinks Job: America’s Biggest Cash Heist
• Frank Abagnale & “Catch Me If You Can”
• The Antwerp Diamond Heist
• Course Reflection & Modern Parallels