The Dirtiest Con

American Greed Podcast

CNBC

Tv & Film, Society & Culture, Documentary, True Crime

4.6 • 2K Ratings

🗓️ 24 February 2026

⏱️ 41 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

A man claims to be reformed after serving seven years in prison for turning his carpet cleaning company into a multimillion-dollar scam. (Original television broadcast: 2-19-2015) Want to binge watch your Greed? The latest episodes at: https://www.cnbc.com/american-greed/

Transcript

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0:00.0	This is the American Greed podcast presented by CNBC.
0:04.1	I'm Stacey Keach.
0:07.4	In this episode of American Greed, Barry Minko starts a business in high school.
0:13.4	If you work hard and you're honest, you'll do fantastic.
0:16.4	And he becomes a sensation on Wall Street.
0:19.3	Barry Minco made his first million by the time he was 19.
0:23.4	From teenage millionaire, he grows up to become a nationally known fraud fighter.
0:27.9	Even profiled by the likes of 60 Minutes.
0:30.6	He searches public records, employs private detectives, and goes undercover.
0:35.5	But all along, Barry Minco is pocket pocketing millions in his own perfect scab.
0:40.3	We know fraud, and you're just fraud.
0:43.3	He should know.
0:44.3	Because Barry Minko, acting as a fraud fighter,
0:47.3	is like having a thief guard the bank vault.
0:50.3	The Bank vaults. In the working-class town of Reseda, California, just north of Hollywood, a 16-year-old boy is about to prove that the American dream is alive and well.
1:09.0	His name is Barry Minko, diagnosed as hyperactive, he's alive and well. His name is Barry Minko.
1:11.9	Diagnosed as hyperactive, he's skinny and awkward
1:15.5	and desperate for recognition.
1:18.3	And so in 1982, when Minko is still in high school,
1:22.3	he chooses an unlikely ticket to fame and fortune.
1:28.3	Carpet cleaning.
1:29.3	My name is Barry. Can I help you?
	...

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