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Moms and Mysteries: A True Crime Podcast

Moms got ya covered-feed

True Crime

4.6 • 8.8K Ratings

🗓️ 11 March 2026

⏱️ 57 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Introducing "Rachel Hoffman Case: Florida Police Informant Operation Gone Wrong (Tallahassee)" from Crime Salad. Follow the show: Crime Salad In late spring 2009, Florida State University students in Tallahassee, Florida were wrapping up finals when 23-year-old Rachel Hoffman became the center of a police operation that would end in tragedy. In this episode of Crime Salad, we break down the Rachel Hoffman case, focusing on how a “controlled” and “by-the-book” confidential informant (CI) operation unraveled, and why officers reportedly waited more than 90 minutes after her last contact before launching a search. Rachel Hoffman was a college student with big plans, described as driven and fearless, working toward her future when she was asked to assist law enforcement as an informant during a drug sting in Tallahassee. What happened next raised serious questions about informant safety, police procedures, and accountability when undercover operations go wrong. We cover the timeline, the decisions made leading up to that night, and the broader issue of how confidential informants are used in drug investigations, especially when the informant is young, vulnerable, or under pressure. This is the story of Rachel Hoffman, and the failures that followed. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices DISCLAIMER: Please note, this is an independent podcast episode not affiliated with, endorsed by, or produced in conjunction with the host podcast feed or any of its media entities. The views and opinions expressed in this episode are solely those of the creators and guests. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	What I've dedicated my life to is revenge.
0:04.0	A brand new drama based on the best-selling novel.
0:07.0	They think they're better than us.
0:08.0	Who do you think you are?
0:10.0	I'm going to prove to them that they're wrong.
0:12.0	She's punishing me.
0:13.0	You destroyed my family.
0:14.0	I will not rest until I've destroyed yours.
0:17.0	A Woman of Substance on Channel 4 starts tonight at 9.
0:20.0	The Woman of Substance on Channel 4 starts tonight at 9.
0:27.7	This story takes us to Tallahassee, Florida.
0:30.1	It's late spring of 2009.
0:34.7	I got a feeling is blasting from car speakers, windows down on purpose.
0:38.9	College students at Florida State University are grinding through finals,
0:44.2	counting down the days until they leave town for the summer. But until then, it's schoolwork,
0:48.6	meeting friends for late night food runs, and living in that familiar everyday rhythm.
0:56.2	Until one night everything shatters, because when a controlled, planned, and by the book police operation fails,
1:02.6	and an innocent college student's life is put at risk, it opens up a lot of questions.
1:09.1	And when you learn Rachel Hoffman was only 23, just beginning her adult life, it's hard to believe that this even happened.
1:11.4	This is the story of Rachel Hoffman. I'm Ashley.
1:14.7	And I'm Ricky.
1:15.7	And this is Crime Salad.
	...

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