Explore more publications!

True Crime Podcast Series Discusses Financial Scam, Whistleblower Fatality, and Aviaiton Fraud

True Crime Cases You Haven't Heard

WAKE FOREST, NC, UNITED STATES, January 21, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- True Crime Cases You Haven't Heard, a documentary podcast focused on overlooked federal cases, has released three new episodes examining criminal cases that generated combined court records exceeding 6,300 pages. The episodes cover aviation fraud that caused 10 deaths in Guam, a check fraud ring coordinated through a Telegram group called "Fraud Academy," and what prosecutors described as one of the fastest whistleblower retaliation murders in recent history.

Episode: Bodies Falling from the Sky — John Walker Aviation Fraud

The newest episode examines John D. Walker, founder of Hansen Helicopters, who was convicted on 110 counts in the United States District Court of Guam (Case No. 18-00010). According to federal prosecutors, Walker operated 48 shell companies while falsifying helicopter maintenance records, leading to 10 deaths and 16 serious injuries in crashes across Guam and Saipan between 2010 and 2016.

On August 23, 2023, Walker was sentenced to 405 months in federal prison and ordered to forfeit more than $70 million. The episode is built from court documents, FAA inspection reports, and trial testimony.

The episode is available on all major podcast platforms.

Episode: Check Fraud Case — The SWIPE GOD Conspiracy

The second episode covers Hunter Hudson Jr., a 25-year-old Montgomery, Alabama rapper who coordinated a multi-state check fraud conspiracy through a Telegram group chat named "Fraud Academy." According to federal court documents filed in Case 2:24-cr-212-RAH-KFP (Middle District of Alabama), the conspiracy deposited more than $2 million in fraudulent checks with insider assistance from two postal workers and a bank teller.

While under federal investigation, Hudson released an album titled "SWIPE GOD" and gave a 27-minute interview explaining how he named the album after what he rapped about—"swiping," slang for check fraud.

Ten defendants received a combined 648 months of federal prison time. The episode draws from 294 pages of federal court documents.

Episode: The Whistleblower Who Had 48 Hours to Live

The third episode examines the murder of Eliud Montoya, a 41-year-old naturalized U.S. citizen who was shot six times exactly 48 hours after filing a federal EEOC complaint in Savannah, Georgia. According to the Department of Justice, Montoya's complaint exposed a $3.5 million labor trafficking scheme operated by his supervisor.

In Case No. 4:18-cr-00274 (Southern District of Georgia), Juan Rangel-Rubio was sentenced to life without parole for firing the shots. His brother Pablo Rangel-Rubio, who ordered the killing, received 584 months. A civil jury subsequently found Wolf Tree's parent company, Davey Tree Expert Company, 90 percent responsible for Montoya's death.

The episode incorporates 3,090 pages of federal court records, including the getaway driver's 141-page confession transcript.

All three episodes are available at TrueCrimeUnheard.com/episodes.

About the Podcast

True Crime Cases You Haven't Heard focuses on federal prosecutions that received limited media coverage. Each episode is built from court documents available through PACER and public records, with source attribution throughout.

The podcast is hosted by Steve Rhode, an investigative writer with 30 years of experience covering financial crime. Rhode previously worked as a police dispatcher and served as a search and rescue pilot.

New episodes release weekly. The complete archive is available at TrueCrimeUnheard.com.

Steve Rhode
True Crime Cases You Haven't Heard
email us here
Visit us on social media:
Instagram
Facebook
YouTube
TikTok
X
Other

Legal Disclaimer:

EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.

Share us

on your social networks:
AGPs

Get the latest news on this topic.

SIGN UP FOR FREE TODAY

No Thanks

By signing to this email alert, you
agree to our Terms & Conditions