Podcasts Like The Dropout: Are you a fan of investigative podcasts that uncover the most scandalous revelations? If so, you’ve likely stumbled upon the absorbing narrative of ‘The Dropout’ in your search for gripping stories.
‘The Dropout’ takes you on a journey through the investigation and trial of Elizabeth Holmes, the founder of Theranos, a biotech company. It unravels an unmissable tale of corruption and greed, highlighting how the company, once hailed for revolutionary blood-testing technology, ultimately turned out to be Silicon Valley’s most infamous fraud.
A captivating story like ‘The Dropout’ can indeed leave you craving for more. Thus, we have curated a list of 13 podcasts like The Dropout’ that are a must-listen in 2013.
List of Podcasts Like The Dropout:
1. The Agent
The Agent: Self-hosted by Alden Ehrenreich, The Agent is produced by Imperative Entertainment. It has a total of 25 episodes spanning one season.
The Agent delves into the riveting life of Jack Barsky, the longest-surviving known member of KGB’s intensely secretive illegals program, operating during the tensest periods of the Cold War.
As a KGB agent undercover, Barsky lived double lives on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean. At that time, he was hiding away and blending into American society for 10 years. However, his life soon turns upside down when he is offered to make a choice.
- Main Character: Jack Barsky
- Episodes: 20
- Release Date: October 30, 2021
2. Shrink Next Door
Shrink Next Door: Ranking in the true crime genre, Shrink Next Door is a masterpiece hosted by Joe Nocera. The audio series has 14 episodes in 1 season.
Shrink Next Door tells a bizarre and captivating story of a therapist, Isaac Herschkopf, who manipulated and controlled the personal lives of his patients for decades. This compelling narrative explores the power dynamics between the therapist and his patient Martin Markowitz, a story that unfolded behind closed doors.
The audio series ranked number one for three weeks on Apple podcast charts after its release. The narrative is said to be based on a true story, with both Isaac Herschkopf and Martin Markowitz, emerging as actual people.
- Main Character: Isaac Herschkopf and Martin Markowitz
- Episodes: 14
- Release Date: May 21, 2019
3. Serial
Serial: The investigative journalism podcast, Serial is hosted by Sarah Koenig. It is co-produced by Koenig and Julie Synder and was created as a spin-off of This American Life. The series comprises three seasons with a total of 33 riveting episodes.
Serial explores real-life criminal cases and investigates one story each season with intensive research and in-depth reporting. The first season talked about the murder of Hae Min Lee.
The second season focused on the gripping case of Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl, tracking his dramatic captivity by the Taliban. In the third season, the podcast shifted its focus to a series of cases within the Justice Center Complex in the Cleveland area.
- Main Character: No central main character
- Episodes: 33
- Release Date: October 3, 2014
4. Dirty John
Dirty John: True crime podcast Dirty John is hosted by Christopher Goffard. It has 2 seasons with 16 episodes in total. The audio series inspired a TV adaption with the same name.
Dirty John is based on the real-life story of conman John Michael Meehan. He got the nickname “Dirty John” from his classmate during his time at the University of Dayton. However, the real reasoning behind the name is never revealed during the podcast.
The series tells the story of John Meehan’s deceit and exploitation throughout his life. The podcast mainly covers the story of his final victim Debra Newell whose younger daughter killed the conman in an act of self-defense.
- Main Character: John Michael Meehan
- Episodes: 16
- Release Date: October 2, 2017
5. Queen of the Con
Queen of the Con: A true crime story of another con artist in this list is Queen of the Con. It is hosted by Johnathon Walton. It has a total of 26 episodes in four seasons.
Queen of the Con spotlights the life of a different con artist in each new season. It delves not only into the world of deception but also provides insights into their psychology.
One stand-out story within the series revolved around the Irish heiress who managed to swindle a huge sum of money from the podcast’s host. However, it is their fourth season that gained particular attention when it featured Jeh Shah from The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City.
- Main Character: No central main character
- Episodes: 26
- Release Date: September 30, 2021
6. Sweet Bobby
Sweet Bobby: Sweet Bobby is a true crime podcast presented by Alexi Mostrous. The series features a gripping story told across 6 episodes with an additional special Q&A episode.
Sweet Bobby unravels an astonishing story of Kirat Assi, a Punjabi radio presenter, who was deceived online for nearly a decade. Kirat faced intense distress as her catfisher created almost 50 fake personas and constructed a whole virtual world that wreaked havoc on her real life.
However, the perpetrator in this story turns out to be someone closer to Kirat than she could have ever imagined.
- Main Character: Kirat Assi
- Episodes: 7
- Release Date: October 25, 2021
7. The Missing Cryptoqueen
The Missing Cryptoqueen: The Missing Cryptoqueen is a compelling investigative podcast created by Jamie Bartlett. It has a total of 16 episodes spanning 1 season.
The Missing Cryptoqueen delves into the mysterious disappearance of Dr. Ruja Ignatova, a self-proclaimed Cryptoqueen, who executed one of the biggest cryptocurrency scams in history.
Ignatova claimed that she had invented a revolutionary cryptocurrency, One Coin, that could rival Bitcoin. She then gathered millions of investors worldwide before vanishing in thin air, leaving investors and followers in a state of shock.
- Main Character: Dr. Ruja Ignatova
- Episodes: 16
- Release Date: September 19, 2019
8. Death in Ice Valley
Death in Ice Valley: Death in Ice Valley is a true crime podcast presented by Marit Higraff and Neil McCarthy. This award-winning audio series consists of 13 episodes in total.
Death in Ice Valley is an immersive investigative podcast based on the mystery surrounding an identified woman’s death in the remote Isdalen Valley of Norway in 1970. This cold case is famously known as the Isdal Woman case.
- Main Character: Pilot
- Episodes: 13
- Release Date: April 16, 2018
9. The Glitch
The Glitch: Hosted by Jay Walkerden, The Glitch is a talk show based on a real-life story. It has a total of 10 episodes.
The Glitch takes you into the extraordinary life of Dan Saunders, an Australian who stumbled upon an unexpected ATM card glitch that granted him to transact $1.6 million.
With an exciting narrative, it explores how Saunders went on a spending spree of 4 months before ultimately leading to his dramatic surrender to the authorities.
- Main Character: Dan Saunders
- Episodes: 10
- Release Date: February 27, 2022
10. Swindled
Swindled: Another true crime story on this list is Swindled, created by an anonymous man who prefers to go by “A concerned citizen.” It has a total of 100 episodes spanning 7 seasons.
The riveting podcast delves into some of the most astonishing white-collar crimes and corporate scandals in history. Swindled sheds light on the darker side of the business world and society.
Through intense research, the audio series informs the listeners about the high-stakes deceit, cover-ups and the devastating impact it has on the victims and society at large.
- Main Character: Anonymous
- Episodes: 100
- Release Date: January 7, 2018
11. The Opportunist
The Opportunist: Hosted by Hannah Smith, The Opportunist is a Kast Orginal podcast. It has released 82 episodes in a span of 8 seasons.
The Opportunist digs into true crime stories revolving around unsuspected individuals who exploit opportunities, manipulate situations, and seize moments for their personal gain.
The podcast basically explores cases of people who commit crimes to pursue their ambitions.
- Main Character: Hannah Smith
- Episodes: 82
- Release Date: February 16, 2021
12. The Immaculate Deception
The Immaculate Deception: Reported and hosted by Jenny Kleeman, The Immaculate Deception is a compelling podcast that has brought forth a total of 10 episodes. These include an intriguing introduction and two bonus episodes.
The Immaculate Deception takes you deep into the intriguing world of Doctor Jan Karbaat’s renowned Rotterdam clinic. His fame rested on his extraordinary ability to help women achieve pregnancy.
The audio series unearths the unsettling truth about the moral boundaries that the doctor was willing to cross to achieve success.
- Main Character: Doctor Jan Karbaat
- Episodes: 10
- Release Date: March, 2020
13. O.C. Swingers
O.C. Swingers: O.C. Swingers, hosted by journalist Justine Harman, unravels the bizarre and sordid world of sex crime cases. It has released a total of 11 episodes.
O.C. Swingers is a true crime podcast focusing on the disturbing case of Doctor Grant Robicheaux, an orthopaedic surgeon and his wife, Cerissa Riley, a substitute teacher. The couple has faced allegations of drugging and sexually assaulting multiple women.
- Main Characters: Doctor Grant Robicheaux and Cerissa Riley
- Episodes: 11
- Release Date: March 29, 2021
Final Words
True crime podcasts continue to captivate audiences, consistently ranking among the most popular genres today. Listeners love digging into intricate details of unsolved mysteries and unravelling complex narratives.
If you are as passionate about this as we are, you’re in for a treat with our list of top podcasts like The Dropout! In this series, we have brought you 13 gripping stories filled with intrigue, ambitions and unriveting twists, much like The Dropout itself.
As we conclude, we urge you to explore more such interesting podcasts that will leave you on the edge of your seat.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are there any similar podcasts like The Dropout?
Yes, The Agent, Shrink Next Door, Serial, Dirty John, Queen of the Con, Sweet Bobby, and The Glitch are some of the similar podcasts like The Dropout.