With exclusive interviews and thought-provoking discussion, Andrew Jenks examines the people involved and the larger debate around higher education in America.

Through transcriptions of wiretapped conversations between Rick Singer, Felicity Huffman, and others, Episode 1 brings to life just how dirty these schemes were. We also hear from a student who cheated on his SAT, a psychologist who deals with students and parents trying to game the system to get more time to take the SAT and ACT, and Jenks breaks news by finding the ringleader, Rick Singer, in an unlikely place.

Lines are drawn, as Wayne LaPierre’s supremacy is tested, and the rift spills out into public.

A financial surplus becomes a deficit once Wayne LaPierre is elevated to EVP, and he is questioned about the relationship with Ackerman McQueen, more than 20 years ago. An old friend with a clever maneuver helps to keep the status quo.

A dream job slowly becomes something very different for a former NRA fundraiser, as ethical questions come to light.

The NRA has a new program to help lift them out of financial despair, and a fresh face to run it. But both turn out to be disasters.

Could this be more than business? Could it be personal? A deeper look at the NRA attorney at the center of everything. 

Board members are receiving money directly from the NRA. A fundraiser and a major donor decide they’ve seen enough.

A former Ackerman employee explains how expenses were hidden. Leaked audio of Wayne LaPierre lets people know the real damage under his watch. Where will the NRA go from here?

Following the last episode of Season 2, the creators of Gangster Capitalism received a tip about a secret scheme to keep Wayne LaPierre in power.  

The C13Originals Peabody nominated series is back for Season Three: Jerry Falwell Jr. and Liberty University. A sex scandal rocks one of the world’s largest Christian universities, and the man at the center of it. But that scandal is just the beginning. The award-winning Gangster Capitalism team spoke with more than 80 former and current Liberty students, faculty, staff, high-ranking administrators, and those with intimate knowledge of Falwell Jr. What emerges is the inside story of how the university, and the family who founded it, have been rocked by power, greed, hypocrisy, and of course money. 

A never-before told story details Jerry and Becki Falwell’s behavior at the height of their power. And a favor comes with big enough strings attached to change the course of an election. 

Rick Singer’s “Side Door” has another, more expensive option that clients like actor, Lori Loughlin opt for. The scam? $500,000 to get your kids accepted to college as Division 1 athletes - even if they never actually played the sport. Race and status are explored, as this scandal forces all of us to confront uncomfortable subjects. 

Giancarlo Granda, AKA “The Pool Boy” reveals the predatory nature of the Falwells. Exclusive audio reveals another side, and another character in the middle of this story.

Liberty has failed to address, and even covered up the stories of women who have been sexually harassed and assaulted on campus.

Jerry Falwell Sr founds Liberty University in 1971. Amid financial turmoil, Jerry Falwell Jr takes over in 2007. Business booms, but at what cost?

From the Liberty Police Department, to the student newspaper, to faculty, staff, and administration, loyalty was constantly tested, and enforced.

It pays to be connected to the Falwells. 

Atypical Liberty students face enormous and sometimes dangerous pressure on campus.

Liberty University strayed far from its mission under the leadership of Jerry Falwell Jr, but even in the wake of his departure, the future of the school may be determined by those who enabled him.

More survivors of sexual violence at Liberty speak for the first time, revealing yet again how deeply the coverup culture on campus is rooted. Our reporting has led to a lawsuit against Liberty, in which the women featured in episode 3, those in this episode, and others have joined.

Jane Doe 15 tells her story.

College holds a mythic place in American culture. It’s often hailed as the best four years of your life and revered as a beacon of integrity and excellence, but beyond the scripted campus tours and glossy brochures lies a far more complicated reality. Campus Files is a new weekly podcast series produced by the award winning studio, Audacy Originals. Every week, a new episode, a new scandal, and a new story.

Federal agents make an arrest for securities fraud, and get much more than expected. They are offered information that leads to a man they’d never heard of - Rick Singer, and the biggest scandal in education history. Once Singer is caught, he brings everybody else with him through conversations that shed light on the world of those involved, and their sense of entitlement.

Between 1993 and 2011, UNC operated a shadow curriculum—hundreds of courses and independent studies that never met, required no work, and awarded high grades. The reason? To keep athletes eligible for UNC's multi-million dollar sports program.

Read Jay and Mary's book: https://www.nebraskapress.unl.edu/potomac-books/9781640122468/cheated/

For a transcript of this episode: https://bit.ly/campusfiles-transcripts

For years, UNC protected its athletic dominance wth fake classes to keep athletes eligible. In 2011, the secret exploded into public view, threatening to shatter the university’s athletic standing.

Read Andy’s book: https://press.umich.edu/Books/D/Discredited2

Read Dan Kane’s reporting:

https://www.newsobserver.com/profile/218713930/dan-kane

For a transcript of this episode: https://bit.ly/campusfiles-transcripts

In 2013, Alpha Gamma Delta senior Melanie Gotz made national headlines when she revealed that sorority hopefuls were being cut from rush based on race. Her allegations shed light on the entrenched segregation within the University of Alabama’s Greek system — a system that, in over 100 years, had extended a bid to just one Black woman.

Read Abbey and Matt’s reporting: https://thecrimsonwhite.com/16498/news/the-final-barrier-50-years-later-segregation-still-exists/

For a transcript of this episode: https://bit.ly/campusfiles-transcripts

In 2002, Harvard undergraduate student Amit Paley stumbled upon a strange entry in Harvard’s archival database: “Secret Court Files, 1920.”

This discovery unearthed a dark and little-known chapter in Harvard’s history—a secret disciplinary tribunal convened in 1920 to investigate and punish students for being “guilty” of homosexuality.

Read Amit's original reporting: https://www.thecrimson.com/article/2002/11/21/the-secret-court-of-1920-at/

For a transcript of this episode: https://bit.ly/campusfiles-transcripts

In 2023, Joe Gow, the long-serving chancellor of the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, began posting pornographic videos featuring him and his wife online, revealing a double life the couple had long kept hidden. This revelation ultimately cost him his job. Through interviews with a journalist who covered the story, a former coworker, and archival audio, this episode explores the boundaries of free speech within higher education today.This episode contains references to pornography and sex and may not be suitable for younger listeners.

For a transcript of this episode: https://bit.ly/campusfiles-transcripts

In 2023, Joe Gow, the long-serving chancellor of the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, began posting pornographic videos featuring him and his wife, revealing a double life the couple had long kept hidden. This revelation ultimately cost him his job. In this episode we visit Joe and his wife, Carmen Wilson, at their home to hear their side of the story.

This episode contains references to pornography and sex and may not be suitable for younger listeners.

For a transcript of this episode: https://bit.ly/campusfiles-transcripts

In February 2011, George Desdunes was kidnapped by freshman pledges as part of a hazing ritual. He was blindfolded, tied up, and made to consume a lethal amount of alcohol. When George's mother stepped in to get answers, she was met with silence.

For a transcript of this episode: https://bit.ly/campusfiles-transcripts

In 2016, police uncovered a multi-million dollar drug ring operated by fraternity brothers at the College of Charleston. The police report reads like a Breaking Bad episode, complete with firearms, grenade launchers, and hundreds of thousands of dollars in hidden cash.

Read Max's book about this story: https://www.harpercollins.com/products/among-the-bros-max-marshall?variant=41509299290146

For a transcript of this episode: https://bit.ly/campusfiles-transcripts

In 2022, Columbia University math professor Michael Thaddeus published a 21-page analysis accusing his own university of submitting flawed data to U.S. News & World Report. His findings would cause the entire academic world to question the legitimacy of college rankings.

For a transcript of this episode: https://bit.ly/campusfiles-transcripts

In 2019, after nearly two decades at Duke University, one of its most popular—and controversial—professors was abruptly ousted. For the first time, Evan Charney reveals the untold story behind his departure.

For a transcript of this episode: https://bit.ly/campusfiles-transcripts

A best friend, a mentee, and a former coworker provide an intimate account of Rick Singer’s transition from the boy determined to transform himself, to the coach who refused to accept failure, to the man whose obsession with wealth would be his ultimate undoing. These people, and their stories are being heard for the first time, and a new picture of who Rick Singer really is, finally emerges.

Holden Thorp was the chancellor of UNC when the university faced the worst atheltic scandal in its history. This week, he opens up about his experience—revealing what he knew, what he kept hidden from the public, and what he would do differently if given the chance.

For a transcript of this episode: https://bit.ly/campusfiles-transcripts

In 2010, USC launched a fully remote version of its prestigious social work program. According to USC’s website, it offered the same professors, curriculum, and career services as the on-campus version. However, those who enrolled—at a cost of over $100,000—soon discovered that the program was far from what it claimed to be. In fact, it wasn’t even being run by USC.

For a transcript of this episode: https://bit.ly/campusfiles-transcripts

Cornell's Brian Wansink was at the top of his field, renowned for translating behavioral science into practical tips for improving eating habits. He famously popularized the notion that we tend to eat more when served in large bowls. But, when skeptical researchers and journalists exposed Wansink for manipulating data, his fall from grace led to the dismantling of Cornell's entire food psychology department, and raised questions about the state of scientific research as a whole.

For a transcript of this episode: https://bit.ly/campusfiles-transcripts

In 2016, a woman overdosed on meth in a Pasadena hotel room. The man who provided the drugs: Dr. Carmen Puliafito, the dean of USC’s Keck School of Medicine. As one reporter at the Los Angeles Times fought to expose the truth, he encountered a power structure that made publishing the story all but impossible.Read Paul's book about this story: https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250824103/badcity/

For a transcript of this episode: https://bit.ly/campusfiles-transcripts

Half of all college students and 73% of social fraternity members experience hazing. As it turns out, hazing has a long and deadly history in the United States and we know about this history in large part because of the hard work of one man, Hank Nuwer.

For a transcript of this episode: https://bit.ly/campusfiles-transcripts

For the last 30 years, a group of schools have targeted America's most vulnerable students, saddling them with mountains of debt and a poor education, all for the sake of profit. Mike DiGiacomo fell victim to two of these schools.

For a transcript of this episode: https://bit.ly/campusfiles-transcripts

Ashley Pizzuti fell in love with photography from an early age, and found what felt like the perfect opportunity to start the career of her dreams. She would soon learn that her school was part of an industry designed to prey upon students like her, and that legislators were key to finding relief.

For a transcript of this episode: https://bit.ly/campusfiles-transcripts

The future of for-profit schools, and the millions of students who have attended them hangs in the balance as a key legal protection is under threat from the courts and the Trump administration.

For a transcript of this episode: https://bit.ly/campusfiles-transcripts

It’s been called the most powerful—and most secretive—fraternity in America. For decades, a shadowy group known as The Machine has controlled student government at the University of Alabama through intimidation and backroom deals. And it matters—because its influence stretches far beyond campus and into national politics.

For a transcript of this episode: https://bit.ly/campusfiles-transcripts

Few people know that most of our modern medical knowledge is based on centuries old research using human remains, often stolen. While those practices are thankfully gone today, the market for human remains is as strong as ever. In 2023, the public got a glimpse into that world when the Harvard Morgue was implicated in the illegal trade of human remains.

For a transcript of this episode: https://bit.ly/campusfiles-transcripts

A Singer parent negotiates a deal for her son to have the ACT taken for him, without him even being in the same state, and a college admissions insider reveals the a la carte menu that wealthy parents have when donating to schools, also known as “The Backdoor.” But as it turns out, paying top dollar for access to admissions offices can start as far back as preschool. This episode looks at the legal ways in which parents get their kids into college, no matter how dubious they may seem.

For years, Dartmouth’s student newspaper quietly struggled to stay afloat. Then in 2021, a student uncovered a case of massive financial fraud that would shake the paper to its core.

For a transcript of this episode: https://bit.ly/campusfiles-transcripts

Mills College, the first all-women’s college west of the Rocky Mountains, had a rich history of social justice and women's leadership. That is, until the school shocked everyone by announcing it was going bankrupt and would soon be absorbed by a new owner, leaving its storied legacy hanging in the balance.

For a transcript of this episode: https://bit.ly/campusfiles-transcripts

Pranks are a legendy part of life on campus in America. There's one campus in particular that has a unique tradition of it's own. This is the story of how Bessie, a 300 pound fiberglass cow, found her way to the top of the Great Dome at MIT.

For a transcript of this episode: https://bit.ly/campusfiles-transcripts

In 2016, Loyola University welcomed a new president, sparking excitement on campus — the first woman and the first layperson ever to lead the school. But the honeymoon didn’t last. Soon, the student paper found itself facing an administration determined to protect the university’s image at all costs — even if it meant censoring the press.

For a transcript of this episode: https://bit.ly/campusfiles-transcripts