A shocking murder rocks South Korea when a young woman, obsessed with true crime stories, kills a random stranger to satisfy her darkest curiosity. But how can fascination with real-life murder cases spiral into deadly actions? Are true crime podcasts and shows fueling dangerous fantasies? Can constant exposure to violence blur the line between entertainment and reality? We investigate the chilling case, examine the media's responsibility, and ask: Does true crime content do more harm than good? True Crime Reports is nominated for the Signal Awards for Most Innovative Video Podcast and Best True Crime Podcast. While we wait for the judges' decisions, you can help us win the listeners' vote. Vote True Crime Reports for Best True Crime Podcast. In this episode: Dr Alex Taek-Gwang Lee (@Worldless), Professor of cultural studies at Kyong Hee University Craig Wainwright, Victim of false accusations Episode credits: This episode was written and produced by Anna Staufenberg and hosted by Halla Mohieddeen. Executive Producer: Ney Alvarez Production Manager: Bronte Baskin Senior Producers: Marthe van der Wolf Post-Production Supervisor: Andrés Rivera Assistant Producers: Leo Danczak and Catherine Nouhan Fact-checking by Ruby Zaman, Catherine Nouhan, and Rached El-Moctar Audio editing by Alan Leer Music composition by Tom Biddle Lead of Engagement: Aya Elmileik Engagement Producers: Adam Abou-Gad, Munera AlDosari, and Vienna Maglio Al Jazeera’s Head of Audio: Ney Alvarez Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on X, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube
--------
33:01
--------
33:01
Kenya’s Wildlife Murder Mystery
Esmond Bradley Martin spent decades going undercover in the dangerous world of ivory and rhino horn trafficking, risking his life to expose shadowy smuggling rings and the powerful figures protecting them. But just as he was preparing to reveal his most explosive findings yet, Esmond was found murdered in his grand Nairobi home. Was this the revenge of an illegal wildlife syndicate he’d finally crossed, or is there more to Esmond’s death? Was it because of his work - or was it a different reason altogether? True Crime Reports is nominated for the Signal Awards for Most Innovative Video Podcast and Best True Crime Podcast. While we wait for the judges' decisions, you can help us win the listeners' vote. Vote True Crime Reports for Best True Crime Podcast. In this episode: Dr Paula Kahumbu, (@paulakahumbu), conservationist and campaigner Dan Stiles, (@Kenyadan10), Wildlife Trade Investigator Episode credits: This episode was written and produced by Anna Staufenberg and hosted by Halla Mohieddeen. Executive Producer: Ney Alvarez Production Manager: Bronte Baskin Senior Producers: Marthe van der Wolf Post-Production Supervisor: Andrés Rivera Assistant Producers: Leo Danczak and Catherine Nouhan Fact-checking by Ruby Zaman, Catherine Nouhan, and Rached El-Moctar Audio editing by Alan Leer Music composition by Tom Biddle Lead of Engagement: Aya Elmileik Engagement Producers: Adam Abou-Gad, Munera AlDosari, and Vienna Maglio Al Jazeera’s Head of Audio: Ney Alvarez Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on X, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube
--------
32:42
--------
32:42
The Hidden Victims of China's One-Child Policy
After her son was kidnapped in 1988, a mother spent 32 years looking for him. Never giving up, she put up over 100,000 flyers and travelled across the country. But little did she know, she wasn’t alone in this nightmare. As many as 200,000 children go missing in China every year, a number that links back to the 1970s, the One Child Policy and a dangerous industry of child trafficking. What’s happening to China’s children? True Crime Reports is nominated for the Signal Awards for Most Innovative Video Podcast and Best True Crime Podcast. While we wait for the judges' decisions, you can help us win the listeners' vote. Vote True Crime Reports for Best True Crime Podcast. In this episode: Nikwi Hoogland, (@mynameislifang), Founder, Adoptiepedia Jingxian Wang, (@notts_jingxian), Child Trafficking Expert Episode credits: This episode was written and produced by Anna Staufenberg and hosted by Halla Mohieddeen. Executive Producer: Ney Alvarez Production Manager: Bronte Baskin Senior Producers: Marthe van der Wolf Post-Production Supervisor: Andrés Rivera Assistant Producers: Leo Danczak and Catherine Nouhan Fact-checking by Ruby Zaman and Catherine Nouhan Audio editing by Alan Leer Music composition by Tom Biddle Lead of Engagement: Aya Elmileik Engagement Producers: Adam Abou-Gad, Munera AlDosari, and Vienna Maglio Al Jazeera’s Head of Audio: Ney Alvarez Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on X, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube
--------
33:31
--------
33:31
Drug Trafficking on the Dark Web
Ross Ulbricht built an empire in the shadows—a sprawling digital bazaar called The Silk Road, hidden on the dark web. There, drugs, weapons, and stolen secrets flowed freely, all paid for in untraceable cryptocurrency. To his global clientele, he was a legend: the Dread Pirate Roberts. But after a dramatic arrest and a staggering double life sentence, Ulbricht’s fate took another twist. Just days into his second term, President Trump pardoned him, sparking outrage and debate. So, did he deserve his punishment? Did justice prevail, or was power at play? And how did a digital outlaw become the ultimate wild card in America’s justice system? True Crime Reports is nominated for the Signal Awards for Most Innovative Video Podcast and Best True Crime Podcast. While we wait for the judges' decisions, you can help us win the listeners' vote. Vote True Crime Reports for Best True Crime Podcast. In this episode: Nicholas Cristin (@nc2y), Online Crime Professor at Carnegie Mellon University David Yaffe-Bellany (@yaffebellany), Technology Reporter for the New York Times Episode credits: This episode was written and produced by Anna Staufenberg and hosted by Halla Mohieddeen. Executive Producer: Ney Alvarez Production Manager: Bronte Baskin Senior Producers: Marthe van der Wolf Post-Production Supervisor: Andrés Rivera Assistant Producers: Leo Danczak and Catherine Nouhan Fact-checking by Ruby Zaman and Catherine Nouhan Audio editing by Alan Leer Music composition by Tom Biddle Lead of Engagement: Aya Elmileik Engagement Producers: Adam Abou-Gad, Munera AlDosari, and Vienna Maglio Al Jazeera’s Head of Audio: Ney Alvarez Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on Instagram, X, Facebook, and YouTube
--------
40:13
--------
40:13
A Tiny Island's Big Secret
Far out in the Pacific, Pitcairn Island was once seen as an untouched paradise. But beneath the tranquil surface, police uncovered years of devastating abuse—crimes against women and girls that everyone knew about, but no one stopped. When the truth finally emerged, it exploded into a global scandal that shattered lives and exposed a legacy of silence and betrayal. In a place so isolated, can justice ever truly reach the people who need it most? In this episode: Dennis McGookin, Former Detective Superintendent Sue Farran, Law Professor at Newcastle University Episode credits: This episode was written and produced by Anna Staufenberg and hosted by Halla Mohieddeen. Executive Producer: Ney Alvarez. Production Manager: Bronte Baskin. Senior Producers: Marthe van der Wolf and Bronte Baskin.. Post-Production Supervisor: Andrés Rivera Assistant Producers: Leo Danczak and Catherine Nouhan. Fact-checking by Ruby Zaman and Rached El-Moctar. Audio editing by Alan Leer. Music composition by Tom Biddle. Translation by Diana Larrea Maccise and Ney Alvarez. Lead of Engagement: Aya Elmileik. Engagement Producers: Adam Abou-Gad, Munera AlDosari, and Vienna Maglio. Al Jazeera’s Head of Audio: Ney Alvarez. Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on Instagram, X, Facebook, and YouTube
This is immersive true crime, done differently. True Crime Reports brings you crime stories from the global south and beyond; tales of corruption, power, and injustice that often haven’t reached headlines in the West.
Hosted by journalist Halla Mohieddeen, each week you’ll be taken to countries like Peru, South Africa, Syria, and Cambodia, hearing from eyewitnesses, journalists, and family members right at the heart of these stories.
Polska