Ep 1. The Wagon Wheel

In Dirty Money season 2 episode 1, titled "The Wagon Wheel," the focus is on the company Navistar, which manufactured and sold defective truck engines to the US military. The episode begins by introducing viewers to some of the soldiers who were directly impacted by the faulty engines, with one veteran explaining that several of his comrades were killed or injured due to the engines failing while they were on missions.

Navistar, a company with a long-standing relationship with the US military, was contracted to produce engines for military vehicles. However, they ended up cutting corners and using cheaper materials in order to lower their production costs. This resulted in engines that were prone to breaking down or catching on fire, putting countless soldiers at risk.

The episode goes into detail about the various cover-ups and deceits that Navistar employed in order to keep their faulty engines on the market. They knowingly submitted false reports to the military, claiming that the engines were meeting safety standards when they were not. They also failed to disclose important information about the engines during government inspections, in an effort to avoid detection.

Throughout the episode, viewers are introduced to several people who played a role in exposing Navistar's wrongdoing. This includes an Army veteran who became a whistleblower after realizing the extent of the company's deception, as well as a journalist who penned several articles on the scandal. We also see how the families of the soldiers who were killed or injured as a result of the faulty engines banded together to demand justice.

Ultimately, the episode shows how Navistar was able to avoid significant consequences for their actions. Despite being found guilty of violating the False Claims Act and being forced to pay a settlement, the company was not held criminally responsible for their negligence. This leaves viewers with a sense of frustration and disappointment over the fact that those responsible for the deaths and injuries of so many soldiers were able to escape full accountability.

Overall, "The Wagon Wheel" is a powerful and informative look at the true cost of corporate greed. It highlights the importance of holding companies accountable for their actions, especially when it comes to putting the lives of military personnel at risk. This episode is a must-watch for anyone interested in the intersection of business and government, and the ways in which corporate power can be used to manipulate and exploit those in positions of vulnerability.