S7 EP6: Patrick Radden Keefe on the opioid crisis, criminal career longevity and why access is overrated

The Louis Theroux Podcast

Spotify Studios

Comedy, Arts, Society & Culture

4.1 • 1.4K Ratings

🗓️ 6 April 2026

⏱️ 90 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Joining Louis in the studio today is award-winning writer and investigative journalist, Patrick Radden Keefe. Patrick tells Louis about his investigation into the Sackler family's involvement in the opioid crisis, how professional criminals keep career longevity, and why he thinks access is overrated. Plus he discusses his latest book, London Falling. Warnings: Strong language and adult themes. Links/Attachments: Book: London Falling: A Mysterious Death in a Gilded City and a Family’s Search for Truth, Patrick Radden Keefe (2026) https://www.panmacmillan.com/authors/patrick-radden-keefe/london-falling/9781035056279 Book: Say Nothing, Patrick Radden Keefe (2019) https://www.waterstones.com/book/say-nothing/patrick-radden-keefe//9780008159269?sv1=affiliate&sv_campaign_id=259955&awc=3787_1770820651_da19805aca482f3e2f7cdd8da31aca44&utm_source=259955&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_campaign=Genie+Shopping+CSS Book: Empire of Pain, Patrick Radden Keefe (2022) https://www.waterstones.com/book/empire-of-pain/patrick-radden-keefe//9781529063103?sv1=affiliate&sv_campaign_id=863943&awc=3787_1770820691_38f3f451369dd9c047c37137a0cb0d42&utm_source=863943&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_campaign=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.octer.co.uk%2F TV Show: ‘Say Nothing’ (2024) - Hulu https://www.channel4.com/programmes/say-nothing Wolf of Wall Street (2013) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0993846/ War Dogs (2016) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2005151/ Nightcrawler (2014) https://tv.apple.com/gb/movie/nightcrawler/umc.cmc.1h8fjzqshxpg22pa0bm7iho27?action=play American Psycho (2000) https://tv.apple.com/gb/movie/american-psycho/umc.cmc.4k3idfzm0x9j5okdedo2s4l50?action=play Book: Rogues: True Stories of Grifters, Killers, Rebels and Crooks, Patrick Radden Keefe (2022) https://www.panmacmillan.com/authors/patrick-radden-keefe/rogues/9781035001767 Glengarry Glen Ross (1992) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0104348/ Article: Larry Gagosian Piece, Patrick Radden Keefe (2023) https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2023/07/31/larry-gagosian-profile Book: Hillbilly Elegy, JD Vance, (2017) https://www.waterstones.com/book/hillbilly-elegy/j-d-vance/9780008220563 Book: Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother, Amy Chua (2012) https://www.waterstones.com/book/battle-hymn-of-the-tiger-mother/amy-chua//9781408822074?sv1=affiliate&sv_campaign_id=259955&awc=3787_1770824539_3e1fda19a55aa22e32d76f01e79f390b&utm_source=259955&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_campaign=Genie+Shopping+CSS Article: The Sinaloa Drug Cartel, Patrick Radden Keefe (2012) https://archive.nytimes.com/6thfloor.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/06/18/behind-the-cover-story-patrick-radden-keefe-on-the-sinaloa-drug-cartel/ Book: Nazi Billionaires, David De Jong (2023) https://www.waterstones.com/book/nazi-billionaires/david-de-jong/9780008299798 Book: Some People Need Killing, Patricia Evangelista (2023) https://www.waterstones.com/book/some-people-need-killing/patricia-evangelista/9781804710081 Book: Killers of the Flower Moon, David Grann (2017) https://www.waterstones.com/book/killers-of-the-flower-moon-adapted-for-young-adults/david-grann/9781398528482 TV Show: Industry (2020 – present) - BBC https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/m000pb89/industry Podcast: Wind of Change (2020 – 2022) - Crooked Media https://crooked.com/podcast-series/wind-of-change/ Song: ‘Wind Of Change’, The Scorpions (1990) https://open.spotify.com/track/3ovjw5HZZv43SxTwApooCM Song: ‘Piano Man’, Bill Joel (1973) https://open.spotify.com/track/70C4NyhjD5OZUMzvWZ3njJ Book: The Journalist and the Murderer, Janet Malcolm (1989) https://www.londonreviewbookshop.co.uk/stock/the-journalist-and-the-murderer-janet-malcolm Article: Carl Icahn, Patrick Radden Keefe (2017) https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2017/08/28/carl-icahns-failed-raid-on-washington Credits: Producer: Millie Chu  Production Manager: Francesca Bassett  Music: Miguel D’Oliveira  Audio Mixer: Tom Guest Video Mixer: Scott Edwards Shownotes compiled by Elly Young Executive Producer: Arron Fellows     A Mindhouse Studios Production for Spotify  www.mindhouse.co.uk __ Open a Moneybox Cash ISA at https://moneybox.onelink.me/Cqlx/y3xncge Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Hello and welcome back to the Louis Theroux podcast.
0:12.6	Today I'm joined by esteemed writer and investigative journalist Patrick Radan Keefe.
0:24.5	A staff writer at The New Yorker and the author of several acclaimed books, including Say Nothing,
0:29.5	which explores the legacy of the troubles in Northern Ireland and Empire of Pain,
0:34.0	his deep dive into the Sackler family and the opioid crisis, Patrick's reporting often
0:39.5	sits somewhere between investigative journalism and narrative storytelling. He writes about,
0:45.5	quote, I think this is his quote, crime and corruption, secrets and lies, the permeable
0:51.2	membrane, separating licit and illicit worlds, the bonds of family, the power of
0:57.6	denial. Patrick is also the host of the popular 2020 podcast, Wind of Change, in which he
1:04.4	investigates whether or not the song of the same name by the Scorpions was secretly written by the CIA.
1:11.5	Personal note, I've read several of Patrick's books.
1:13.9	I'm a reader.
1:14.8	You know this about me.
1:16.7	The first one was the Sackler family one, Empire of Pain.
1:20.0	I'd made my own documentary about the opioid crisis called Heroin Town.
1:24.3	So I was already interested.
1:26.0	Then I read the one about Northern Ireland,
1:28.1	then I read the collection of profiles, and now I've read the new one called London Falling,
1:33.7	a mysterious death in a gilded city and a family search for truth. This all comes up in the chat,
1:39.5	but he has a real gift for storytelling. Like his ability to unfurl a narrative in a way that's completely
1:48.4	engrossing. I dragged the book around on holiday and it was like a little teddy bear and I'd find
1:54.2	cracks in my day, like little moments where I could just read a bit more. You know that feeling when
	...

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