American Greed: Scams, Scoundrels and Scandals Season 11 Episode 9 Recipe for Murder

In season 11, episode 9 of American Greed: Scams, Scoundrels and Scandals, viewers are introduced to a chilling case known as "Recipe for Murder". The episode delves into the scheme orchestrated by a con artist named Albert M. Taderera, who exploited his victims' trust to steal their life savings and ultimately murder one of them.

Taderera was a charismatic and smooth-talking scam artist who preyed on vulnerable and unsuspecting victims, particularly elderly women. He presented himself as a successful businessman and pastor of his own church, gaining the trust of his victims through his charm and convincing persona.

Through a Ponzi scheme, Taderera promised high returns to his investors, accumulating over $1 million in funds. He further convinced his victims to invest in his import/export business, where he claimed to sell exotic herbs and other goods from his native Zimbabwe. However, in reality, Taderera was simply pocketing the money and providing false reports and statements to his investors.

One of Taderera's investors, Eugenia "Jeannie" Campbell, was initially successful with her investment, receiving substantial returns and even working for Taderera's church for a time. However, upon realizing that the returns stopped coming and that Taderera was unresponsive to her inquiries, Campbell became suspicious and began to investigate Taderera's business practices.

Campbell's investigation led her to discover Taderera's Ponzi scheme and his fraudulent business dealings. She promptly reported him to the authorities, and Taderera was arrested and charged with wire fraud, money laundering, and obstruction of justice. However, his arrest did not stop him from pursuing his criminal activities.

While incarcerated, Taderera concocted a sinister plot to eliminate Campbell, as she was the sole witness against him in his trial. Taderera used his network of contacts to hire a hitman to carry out the murder, promising him a portion of Campbell's life insurance policy as payment. On the day of the murder, Taderera provided the hitman with a homemade poison disguised as a natural remedy for Campbell's arthritis.

The hitman executed Taderera's plan, and Campbell died from ingesting the lethal poison. However, Taderera's plan did not go as smoothly as he had hoped. The hitman was caught and subsequently cooperated with authorities, leading to Taderera's arrest and second trial for Campbell's murder.

Through interviews with former investors, law enforcement officials, and legal experts, the episode explores the atrocities committed by Taderera and the immense harm he caused to his victims and their families. The episode also examines the inner workings of Ponzi schemes and the warning signs for investors to look out for when dealing with fraudulent business practices.

Overall, season 11, episode 9 of American Greed: Scams, Scoundrels and Scandals is a chilling and cautionary tale about the dangers of trusting too easily and falling prey to the lies of con artists and schemers. It serves as a reminder that greed and deception can lead to tragic and devastating consequences, and the importance of vigilance and due diligence in protecting oneself from financial fraud and exploitation.