Dirty John

Christopher Goffard's investigation of con man John Meehan became one of the defining true crime podcasts for a reason. The story is genuinely terrifying - a charming, manipulative predator who fooled an intelligent woman, her family, and the systems that were supposed to protect people. The journalism is meticulous and the storytelling makes you feel the creeping dread of realizing someone you trusted is dangerous. It's also a story about how society enables certain kinds of predators. Deeply unsettling and masterfully constructed. One of the original true crime podcast sensations. Still holds up.