American Greed: Scams, Scoundrels and Scandals Season 9 Episode 5 The Cash King

In season 9 episode 5 of American Greed: Scams, Scoundrels, and Scandals titled "The Cash King," viewers witness the story of James Fayed. Fayed was a self-styled millionaire businessman from California who ran a successful gold-trading business, but he wasn't content with just legitimate wealth. Instead, he wanted to become a legend, and he thought the best way to do that was to orchestrate the murder of his estranged wife, Pamela Fayed.

The first half of the episode chronicles the early years of James's life and his marriage to Pamela. Through interviews with friends and family members, and archival footage of James describing his business methods, American Greed portrays a man who was always looking for the next big score. After several failed business ventures, James hit it big in the gold trading industry and used his newfound success to acquire luxurious homes, cars, and expensive jewelry. Despite his materialistic tendencies, those who knew James described him as an intelligent and driven man who never gave up on his dreams of becoming wealthy.

However, things took a dark turn when James and Pamela's marriage began to unravel. According to interviews with those close to the couple, Pamela wanted to divorce James and take half of his fortune. James, unwilling to give up any of his assets, decided that the only way to prevent Pamela from getting what she wanted was to have her killed.

The second half of the episode describes the elaborate plan James set in motion to have Pamela murdered. Using his connections in the criminal underworld, he hired hitmen to carry out the deed. The murder itself was gruesome, with Pamela being stabbed over 10 times in the shower of her apartment building. But the investigation into her death didn't end there.

American Greed goes in-depth into the investigation and subsequent court case, which was filled with twists and turns. One of the hitmen James hired was caught and turned on him, providing crucial evidence that led to James's arrest. But even then, James refused to take responsibility for his actions, claiming that he was being set up by the hitman who had agreed to testify against him.

In the end, the jury didn't buy James's story, and he was sentenced to death for his role in the murder of Pamela Fayed. The episode concludes with interviews from those who worked on the case, as well as friends and family members of Pamela, reflecting on the impact she had on their lives and the tragedy of her death.