10 Things to Watch If You’re Hooked on the College Admission Scandal
Fyre and Fyre Fraud
Released on Netflix and Hulu within four days of one another, these documentary films both chronicle the failed 2017 “luxury music festival” in the Bahamas, for which organizer Billy McFarland got six years in prison after investors and customers lost over $26 million.
Dirty Money
Corporate wrongdoing gets a close-up in this Netflix documentary series, with episodes focusing on the Volkswagen emissions scandal, the Valeant drug price inflation controversy, the HSBC money laundering allegations, and other headline-making stories.
Dirty John
Based on the podcast of the same name, this Bravo drama — starring Eric Bana, Connie Britton, and Julia Garner— dramatized the true-life story of an ex-felon, the wealthy woman he conned, and the daughter of hers who killed him.
The Inventor: Out for Blood in Silicon Valley
Elizabeth Holmes was once a heroine of the tech world, claiming that her blood-testing technology could run over a hundred diagnostic tests on just a few drops of blood. These days, Holmes indicted on fraud charges — and the subject of this HBO documentary.
The Act
Patricia Arquette and Joey King star in the first season of this Hulu true crime anthology, respectively playing a mother accused of faking her daughter’s illness and disabilities and the daughter currently serving time for her murder.
American Greed
Since 2007, this CNBC docu-series has explored cases of Ponzi schemes, identity thefts, medical fraud, money laundering, and other white-collar crimes. And one 2013 episode even led to the arrest of one of the FBI’s most-wanted criminals after a viewer called in with a tip.
American Crime
This ABC anthology — created by 12 Years a Slave screenwriter John Ridley and starring Regina King, Timothy Hutton, and, ahem, Felicity Huffman — told David vs. Goliath tales of individuals battling institutions. Season 2 focuses on a rape case at a private school, for example, while Season 3 features dual stories of sex trafficking and immigrant labor.
Seven Seconds
Another Regina King project, this Netflix drama wasn’t true crime but certainly feels that way. In the story, a white police officer inadvertently mows down a black teen outside of New York City, and his cop pals close ranks around him and cover up the accident.
Untitled Anna Delvey TV project
Posing as a German heiress, Anna Delvey enjoyed the lifestyle of the rich and famous around the world… until she was arrested on counts of grand larceny and sent to Rikers. Shonda Rhimes and Netflix have acquired the rights to New York magazine’s profile of her, so a TV adaptation is almost certainly en route.
The nationwide college admissions scam has kept enthralled us ever since Hollywood stars Lori Loughlin and Felicity Huffman were arrested for their alleged roles a month ago as part of Operation Varsity Blues.
If you’re following the developments just as rapidly as we are, check out these shows and TV documentaries which chronicle cases — alleged or proven, and true-life or fictional — of cons, cover-ups, corruptions, frauds, scams, or just plain greed.
