140. The Philadelphia Poison Ring

In this episode, we explore one of the most chilling and bizarre murder-for-hire plots in American history: the Philadelphia Poison Ring. During the Great Depression and into the early 1940s, a quiet rowhome neighborhood became the center of a deadly scheme led by Italian immigrant cousins Herman and Paul Petrillo. Behind the veil of a magical fix or insurance fraud was a criminal operation that blended superstition, arsenic, and murder for profit. We uncover how the ring manipulated Italian immigrants with promises of love spells and good fortune, only to lead many to their deaths. From poisoned dinners to bludgeonings, this episode dives deep into the Petrillos, thier accomplices, and the victims.

• Our featured music is from Hex Automata with the song "From the Cradle to the Rave".