Overview
61 Episodes
When a group of women from all over the country realize they all dated the same prolific romance scammer they vow to bring him to justice. In this brand new season of global number 1 hit podcast, The Girlfriends, Anna Sinfield meets a group of funny, feisty, determined women who all had the misfortune of dating a mysterious man named Derek Alldred. Trust Me Babe is a story about the protective forces of gossip, gut instinct, and trusting your besties and the group of women who took matters into their own hands to take down a fraudster when no one else would listen. Listen here and subscribe to The Girlfriends: Trust Me Babe on the iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcasts!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcribed - Published: 20 April 2026
Saskia Inwood woke up one morning, knowing her life would never be the same. The night before, she learned the unimaginable – that the husband she knew in the light of day was a different person after dark. This season unpacks Saskia’s discovery of her husband’s secret life and her fight to bring him to justice. Along the way, we expose a crime that is just coming to light. This is also a story about the myth of the “perfect victim:” who gets believed, who gets doubted, and why. We follow Saskia as she works to reclaim her body, her voice, and her life. Listen here and subscribe to Betrayal s5 on the iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcasts!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcribed - Published: 31 January 2026
The Brothers Ortiz is the story of two brothers–both successful, but in very different ways. Gabe Ortiz becomes a third-highest ranking officer in all of Texas while his younger brother Larry climbs the ranks in Puro Tango Blast, a notorious Texas Prison gang. Gabe doesn’t know all the details of his brother’s nefarious dealings, and he’s made a point not to ask, to protect their relationship. But when Larry is murdered during a home invasion in a rented beach house, Gabe has no choice but to look into what happened that night. To solve Larry’s murder, Gabe, and the whole Ortiz family, must ask each other tough questions. Listen here and subscribe to The Brothers Ortiz on the iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcasts!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcribed - Published: 13 December 2025
In our last episode, we ask ourselves… Was Elena Sada part of a cult? We sat down to talk with Dr. Steven Hassan, an American mental health professional and author who specializes in cults, undue influence, and mind control. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcribed - Published: 27 November 2025
An exclusive interview with Mexican journalist Ciro Gómez Leyva. In this special episode, Ciro explains the struggle he went through before breaking the news about Marcial Maciel’s crimes in 1997.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcribed - Published: 20 November 2025
Despite distance, memories persist, symbolized by a mysterious package. Elena recounts rebuilding a life in New York, finding solace in writing, and challenging the narrative of Marcial Maciel. The episode also tellsthe story of Mariana MartĂnez, another former member who found a new path after leaving the consecrated life.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcribed - Published: 13 November 2025
When an eight-year-old girl in Cancún revealed that her priest had abused her, her family’s search for justice exposed a powerful network determined to protect its own. Decades later, her story would echo in Chile, Mexico, and beyond—revealing that Marcial Maciel was not an exception, but a reflection of something far darker.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcribed - Published: 6 November 2025
Maciel’s death unleashed a storm of conflicting emotions throughout the Legion of Christ. While some mourn, others grapple with the dark truth of his legacy. The shocking revelation of the Legion’s secret wealth emerges, exposing a stark contrast between their public message of religious devotion and their private accumulation of riches. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcribed - Published: 30 October 2025
Raul Gonzalez knew one rule: never touch his father’s crocodile-skin briefcase. His mysterious dad, supposedly a Shell Oil executive, traveled constantly. He visited with gifts, taking Raul and his siblings on exotic trips. But questions about his father’s many names and guarded life lingered. A magazine cover revealed a shocking truth about the man he called dad. Raul faced a difficult reality. What other secrets did his father keep hidden in that briefcase?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcribed - Published: 23 October 2025
Elena Sada experienced heart-wrenching moments within the Legion of Christ. Her path to freedom was filled with seemingly insurmountable obstacles. Meanwhile, at the Vatican, winds were beginning to change. The protective mantle that had sheltered Marcial Maciel for decades was starting to unravel, and many saw a glimmer of hope for achieving justice. But what was about to be revealed was merely the tip of the iceberg.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcribed - Published: 16 October 2025
In 1990s Mexico, amid political chaos and a visit from Pope John Paul II, a priest named Alberto Atie learns about shocking secrets involving a prominent figure, Marcial Maciel. After agreeing to help a former legionary priest seek justice, Atie begins a painful fight within the Church’s system, a fight that would span decades.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcribed - Published: 9 October 2025
In 1960s Spain, Marcial Maciel’s desperate search for morphine hints at a hidden addiction and a dark undercurrent to his revered image. Years later, Jason Berry’s explosive article threatens to expose Maciel’s secrets, but Jose Barba refuses to let the truth be buried.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcribed - Published: 2 October 2025
After years of investigating abuse in the Catholic Church, journalist Jason Barry is ready for a quieter life. But when a mysterious box of documents arrives on his doorstep, he’s pulled into a new investigation. This time, the allegations point to a powerful Mexican priest, Marcial Maciel, and a cover-up that reaches the highest levels of the Vatican. The archival audio clips used in this episode come from the Oscars. The title of the referenced news article comes from The Hartford Courant.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcribed - Published: 25 September 2025
When Elena Sada was eight, she met a priest who would change the course of her life forever. This priest, Marcial Maciel, founded the Legion of Christ, which became one of the world’s largest and wealthiest Catholic institutions. As a child, Elena was drawn into Maciel’s world, attending a Legionary school and eventually dedicating 21 years of her life to the organization. But behind the holy facade lay dark secrets. The archival audio clips used in this episode come from Rome Reports, Milenio and Televisa. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcribed - Published: 18 September 2025
Elena Sada recounts her early experiences with the Legion of Christ, including the moment she felt “chosen” by its founder, Marcial Maciel. Lourdes Barroso shares her story of being personally invited by Maciel to become a consagrada. Both women describe the “spell” that Maciel cast, blurring their perceptions and leading them down a path of strict obedience and hidden manipulation. As the women are molded into ideal servants, they are tasked with recruiting new members and raising funds, becoming key players in the Legion’s expansion and financial empire.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcribed - Published: 18 September 2025
Sacred Scandal is back for a fourth season. The Many Secrets of Marcial Maciel is a gripping investigative podcast that uncovers the mysteries behind one of the Catholic Church’s most powerful and controversial figures. Through the voice of Elena Sada—a former consecrated lady in the Legion of Christ—the series exposes Marcial Maciel’s double life of abuse, fraud, and manipulation, as well as the silence and complicity that allowed him to thrive. Blending survivor testimony and in-depth reporting, the show reveals how faith, power, and secrecy collided to protect a predator, and how those who lived inside his empire found the strength to break free.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcribed - Published: 11 September 2025
Law & Order: Criminal Justice System is back with Season Two, turning its focus to a threat that hides in plain sight, harder to predict and even harder to stop: terrorism. Hear the real stories from those who lived it, worked it, and risked everything to confront it. Listen here and subscribe to Law & Order: Criminal Justice System S2 on the iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcasts!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcribed - Published: 23 August 2025
What does it mean to be a victim, or a villain? What happens when the line between the two starts to blur? On 7th July 2010, Kelly Harnett says her abusive boyfriend murdered a man right in front of her. So how did she end up in prison for it? Anna Sinfield - the journalist behind the global number 1 podcast, The Girlfriends, returns with her toughest story yet. This series isn’t a whodunnit. It’s not even really about what happened. It’s about how a woman who was a victim of domestic violence became a villain in the eyes of the law. Found guilty of murder and locked up for over a decade; Kelly Harnett taught herself the law. And as she battled to overturn her conviction, she became a beacon of hope, fighting for the freedom of the abused women locked up alongside her. Listen here and subscribe to The Girlfriends: Jailhouse Lawyer on the iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcasts!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcribed - Published: 19 July 2025
Hello, Sacred Scandal Fans! We want to share our new show, "Cold Case Files: Miami." About the show: Joyce Sapp, 76; Bryan Herrera, 16; and Laurance Webb, 32—three Miami residents whose lives were stolen in brutal, unsolved homicides. Cold Case Files: Miami follows award‑winning radio host and City of Miami Police reserve officer Enrique Santos as he partners with the department’s Cold Case Homicide Unit, determined family members, and the advocates who spend their lives fighting for justice for the victims who can no longer fight for themselves. Listen here and subscribe to "Cold Case Files: Miami" on the iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcasts!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcribed - Published: 19 June 2025
Hello, Sacred Scandal Fans! We want to share our new show, "My Friend Daisy." About the show: After 19-year-old Daisy De La O was murdered outside her Compton apartment, her friends and family looked to authorities to make an arrest. When that didn’t happen, they took matters into their own hands. Their secret weapon? TikTok. The online videos spawned an international manhunt, rallying amateur detectives to do something radical: Help catch a killer. From London Audio, iHeart Radio, and executive producer Paris Hilton, My Friend Daisy is a ten-part investigative series written and hosted by L.A. journalist Jenn Swann. Each episode dives deep into the murder investigation and its fallout, exposing what went wrong, how it went viral, and why American communities are turning to social media to find justice. After 19-year-old Daisy De La O was murdered outside her Compton apartment, her friends and family looked to authorities to make an arrest. When that didn’t happen, they took matters into their own hands. Their secret weapon? TikTok. The online videos spawned an international manhunt, rallying amateur detectives to do something radical: Help catch a killer. Listen here and subscribe to "My Friend Daisy" on the iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcasts!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcribed - Published: 28 March 2025
To kick off Marketplace’s season premiere, we’re sharing a conversation with one of our favorite writers, Hanif Abdurraqib. He joins Reema for a wide-ranging discussion about the moral judgments often made regarding people’s financial circumstances, notions of success and legacy, and what it means to be “good” versus “bad” in an unequal world. Hanif also opens up about one of the most challenging financial moments of his life and his commitment to giving away a significant portion of his income. Hanif is an award-winning poet, cultural critic, and author from Columbus, Ohio. He’s written six books, several of which are bestsellers, including his most recent, “There’s Always This Year.” His work spans sports, pop culture, and politics, often focusing on issues of race and class, while also exploring themes of grief, beauty, and love. Hanif has received a MacArthur Foundation “genius grant” and was a finalist for the National Book Award, among other accolades.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcribed - Published: 30 January 2025
An extended interview with writer and professor Roberto Lovato, whose book “Unforgetting: A Memoir of Family, Migration, Gangs, and Revolution in the Americas” helped inspire the series.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcribed - Published: 8 August 2024
A special conversation with Salvadoran American comedian Marcella Arguello, whose giant tattoo of Oscar Romero sparked the series. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcribed - Published: 1 August 2024
The rise of President Nayib Bukele, and what that means for El Salvador’s future. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcribed - Published: 25 July 2024
In the aftermath of the Salvadoran Civil War, gangs like MS 13 and Barrio 18 rise to power in the US and El Salvador. Jasmine interviews her aunt Vilma about the murder of her son. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcribed - Published: 18 July 2024
The murder of 6 Jesuit priests finally ends the war in El Salvador, and brings into question who really holds the power. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcribed - Published: 11 July 2024
A lonely town in the Salvadoran mountains becomes a symbol for the lies of the government. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcribed - Published: 4 July 2024
Days after Jasmine’s mother, Ana, left for the US, her sister Margarita was “disappeared.” Her body was later discovered on a rural road, along with the bodies of 4 men. Through interviews with her family, Jasmine finally reveals the mystery of who is responsible for the murders. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcribed - Published: 27 June 2024
Jasmine gets an unexpected visit from some cousins, who reveal the reason why her family left for the US. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcribed - Published: 20 June 2024
The bodies of four American Catholic nuns are found on the side of a rural road. As violence spiraled out of control, this tragic event sounded the alarms in the country that was the biggest sponsor of the Salvadoran military: the United States. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcribed - Published: 13 June 2024
Roberto D’Aubuisson, a military officer who plotted a coup and came back as a respected political figure, was beloved by some but feared by many. He was a boogeyman of sorts, one that created and led vicious death squads that terrorized El Salvador. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcribed - Published: 6 June 2024
Following the Archbishop’s murder, thousands gather to mourn Oscar Arnulfo Romero. His funeral becomes the battleground, where the two sides of the war finally show their faces.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcribed - Published: 30 May 2024
On March 24th, 1980, Archbishop Oscar Romero was presiding over mass when he was shot through the heart. His gruesome and public murder sent a signal to the people of El Salvador: None of you are sacred. None of you are safe. The Archbishops death would spark a war that would change the lives of thousands of people, including our host, Jasmine Romero. While on a quest to understand the Archbishops murder, she finds deaths in her own family that connect back to the slain priest. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcribed - Published: 23 May 2024
In 1980, one man held together a fragile peace in the tiny nation of El Salvador: Archbishop Oscar Romero. When he is brutally and publicly assassinated on the pulpit, his murder starts a war that would leave 75,000 dead, and a million more displaced around the globe. Sacred Scandal season 3, Nation of Saints, follows host Jasmine Romero as she uncovers the holy war that followed the Archbishop's death, and led to an unsolved murder in her own family. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcribed - Published: 16 May 2024
Leaving a high control group isn’t as simple as walking out through the front door. A cult is not simply a physical location, it’s a lifestyle, a belief system, a community and a state of mind. So is it possible to know if the preacher, the yoga guru, or the beloved politician you, or a loved one, are so taken with, is really a narcissistic psychopath cult leader in disguise? In this episode, we attempt to highlight some of the signs, that can signal the red flags.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcribed - Published: 10 August 2023
Through the perspective of whistleblower Sochil Martin and the emergence of an online forum, we delve into the intricate web of events that led to the downfall of Naason Joaquin, the leader of the controversial religious organization La Luz del Mundo.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcribed - Published: 3 August 2023
The counts against Naason are plenty. The Accusations are damning! And finally, after countless postponements, the five Jane Does get ready to face their abuser in court. But nothing goes as planned.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcribed - Published: 27 July 2023
We dive into the life of Karem León to better understand what LLDM has in store for those that dare to push against the church’s airtight defenses. In 1997, Moises Padilla, Amparo Aguilar and Karem Leon spoke out against La Luz del Mundo, but their accusations were ignored, leading to devastating consequences for the victims. When members leave the cult, there’s ongoing trauma. In the case of Karem de Leon – who faced constant threats from the organization – that led to her tragic death. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcribed - Published: 20 July 2023
The leaders of LLDM, known as the "royal family," preach about austerity and sacrifice to their followers, but behind the scenes, they live in opulence with luxurious mansions and private zoos. The question remains: where is all this wealth coming from, and what is the true source of the church's financial power? In this episode, we dive into the finances of LLDM and uncover the secrets behind their lavish lifestyle.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcribed - Published: 13 July 2023
Where does the victim end and the perpetrator begin? The story of Alondra Ocampo, Naason's confidant and also a survivor. To understand how Alondra Ocampo: the victim, became Alondra Ocampo: the predator – we take a closer look at the inner workings of the cult - the tight control, the constant fear, the guilt and shame, the psychological manipulation - that is life inside La Luz Del Mundo.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcribed - Published: 6 July 2023
The Mexican Press calls them “The Vestals” -  a group of women inside LLDM with an unholy task: to groom young boys and girls for the Apostle. Alondra Ocampo’s road to hell on earth began when she was 8 years old. While her parents went to the temple, she went to the kid’s room, unknowingly entering a world of abuse that would continue for over thirty years. A path through the life of both a victim and a vestal.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcribed - Published: 29 June 2023
A woman is shot dead in Guadalajara. There are multiple witnesses. Security camera footage. But no one comes forward and the case remains unsolved. We look at LLDM's deep connections with the police, and their hush-hush operations. LLDM's longstanding connections with influential figures and politicians have helped them evade accountability time and again, but as public scrutiny intensifies, will justice finally be served? In this episode, we explore the extent of LLDM's power and influence, and the growing calls for accountability.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcribed - Published: 22 June 2023
We meet Sochil Martin, the whistleblower who played a pivotal role in the downfall of NaasĂłn JoaquĂn GarcĂa. Sochil takes us on a journey through her childhood as a faithful member of the church and the dark tasks she was asked to perform as part of her service to the apostle. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcribed - Published: 15 June 2023
We delve into the remarkable expansion of LLDM under the leadership of its second Apostle, Samuel JoaquĂn GarcĂa, and trace the origins of LLDM back to its founding Apostle, Aaron JoaquĂn. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcribed - Published: 8 June 2023
Moises Padilla was brutally attacked, stabbed 68 times after denouncing the heinous crimes committed by the religious group called La Luz del Mundo It was in 1998 when Moises Padilla was brutally attacked, stabbed 68 times after denouncing the heinous crimes committed by the religious group called La Luz del Mundo, the largest cult on earth which, after decades of abuse, has recently come to light.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcribed - Published: 1 June 2023
Discover the stunning downfall of the leader of religious organization "La Luz del Mundo," NaasĂłn JoaquĂn GarcĂa. Join us as we explore the shocking events that rocked the religious organization "La Luz del Mundo" when its leader, NaasĂłn JoaquĂn GarcĂa, celebrated his 50th birthday at Mexico City's prestigious cultural center, only to be arrested weeks later on charges of heinous crimes.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcribed - Published: 25 May 2023
Sacred Scandal, named one of Podtrac’s Best New Podcasts of 2022, embarks on its second season, focusing on Mexico-based megachurch La Luz del Mundo (Light of the World). It tells the story of NaasĂłn JoaquĂn GarcĂa, a self-proclaimed apostle, who is currently behind bars after pleading guilty in June 2022 of sexually abusing girls from his congregation. NaasĂłn is currently serving a nearly 17-year sentence, but maintains his innocence. Host and investigative journalist Roberta Garza explores NaasĂłn's control over a multitude of devotees, some of whom now describe their experiences in the church as "pure evil." In this true-crime series, survivors share stories about this powerful religious leader and the alleged sexual abuse that followed, many relating to minors.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcribed - Published: 18 May 2023
For lovers of true crime, EXILE Content Studio proudly presents their latest show, Shoot the Messenger: Espionage, Murder, & Pegasus Spyware (subscribe here). Beginning with the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, Shoot the Messenger investigates the sophisticated spyware used on his inner circle, Pegasus - and how vulnerable we all might be.  Jamal Khashoggi’s life, assassination, and betrayal opened up a timeline for a new digital battle: cyber-surveillance weapons.  In 2018, Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi entered the Saudi consulate in Turkey and was never seen again. Weeks later, the Turkish intelligence released secret tapes of Khashoggi’s last moments before being brutally murdered, causing an international uproar. It has been four years since Khashoggi’s murder, and what we now know is that the first weapon used against Khashoggi was digital and it’s called Pegasus - a kind of software that can be used to hijack your phone; a military-grade, spyware software.  A new biweekly serialized podcast, every season Exile Content Studio investigates one international new story. You may have heard the headlines — this is the deep dive. The first season examines the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, and his inner circle that has had the world's most sophisticated military-grade spyware confirmed on their phones. It's called Pegasus. How did this spyware come to be, how does it work, and how vulnerable are you?  Shoot the Messenger is hosted by Rose Reid and Nando Vila and is a production of Exile Content Studio.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcribed - Published: 8 February 2023
Melanie and Paula answer questions from listeners, review updates from the war in Ukraine, and discuss stories and interviews that didn't make it to the series. If you want to get in touch, email us on hello@sacredscandalpodcast.com. And for behind-the-scenes photos and videos follow us on Instagram @SacredScandal To help support the people of Ukraine at this time, visit https://www.globalgiving.org/projects/ukraine-crisis-relief-fund/ If you’re concerned about or have experienced abuse in your own place of worship contact the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP) https://www.snapnetwork.org/. If you liked the original music from this series, you can listen to it on Spotify or Apple Music Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcribed - Published: 14 March 2022
Melanie and Paula look back on their conversation at the monastery
Transcribed - Published: 7 March 2022
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