American Greed: How CNBC Documents White-Collar Crime
A decade-long television series exposing Ponzi schemes, fraud, and corporate scandals across America
CNBC's American Greed, also known as American Greed: Scams, Scoundrels and Scandals, debuted in 2007 as a documentary television series dedicated to exposing the financial crimes that devastate families and corporations alike. The show combines interviews with police investigators, fraud victims, and—in some cases—the perpetrators themselves to tell the stories behind America's most notorious white-collar crimes.
The series cast a wide net across the landscape of American financial fraud. Early episodes profiled cases like Gerald Barnes, a man who impersonated a physician for two decades, founding a lucrative medical practice specializing in executive health examinations while earning a six-figure salary. Aired on June 28, 2007, that same episode also documented the Interstate Bank Mart Bandit, who carried out 43 robberies across a 20-month period using an identical modus operandi while leaving virtually no evidence behind.
As the series progressed, American Greed tackled increasingly complex schemes. One notable case involved Rico Vendetti, the boss of an organized retail crime ring that targeted major big-box retailers, stealing goods that were resold online—operations that moved approximately $700,000 in merchandise before law enforcement caught up. The episode highlighted the broader context: organized shoplifting and retail theft generates an estimated $30 billion annually across the United States.
Violent crimes intertwined with financial motivation also appeared in the series. The case of Nanette Johnston, for instance, revealed how she manipulated a lover into murdering her "sugar daddy," allowing her to steal approximately $250,000 and position herself to inherit a beach house, car, and trustee role controlling an additional $1.2 million.
Perhaps no case better illustrated the intersection of corporate power and callous disregard for human life than the profile of Martin Shkreli, the pharmaceutical executive dubbed "Pharma Bro." When Shkreli's company acquired rights to a lifesaving HIV medication, he raised its price by 5,000 percent overnight. The February 26, 2018 episode captured Shkreli's arrogance—including his penchant for internet trolling—and exposed the shady accounting practices underlying his hedge fund and pharmaceutical ventures.
