Conspiracy Theories

Over the past two decades, private prisons have increased exponentially to accommodate the rising incarceration rate. But many people wonder: Were the number of private prisons built as a response to the rising incarceration rate…or were they the cause of it? SPONSORS! Framebridge - Listeners get 15% off their first order at Framebrige.com when they use code CONSPIRACY 1-800 Flowers - 1 800 flowers.com and enter code CONSPIRACY Exit Strategy - Get ready for the perfect escape, and pick up a copy of EXIT STRATEGY by Charlton Pettus. Available now, wherever books are sold.

The body of Chandra Levy was found over a year after her disappearance. After numerous missteps by investigators during the homicide investigation, it remains unsolved. Were the investigators covering for somebody? What could this D.C. intern have learned that would lead to her untimely demise? Sponsors! Simple Contacts - Go to simplecontacts.com/conspiracy or enter code CONSPIRACY at checkout for $30 off your contact lens orders.

Chandra Levy was a graduate student from the University of Southern California working at an internship in Washington D.C., when her life was tragically cut short in 2001. After details of Levy’s affair with California congressman Gary Condit surfaced, the press began asking questions about the mysterious details surrounding Levy’s disappearance and the flawed investigation that followed.

With more than 900 people dead, the Jonestown Massacre has sparked many theories over the past 40 years. Did the government have a hand in these deaths? Could the cult have been connected to the mysterious MK-Ultra program? And was Jim Jones murdered, or did he fake his own death?

At the command of Jim Jones, more than 900 followers of The Peoples Temple drank a beverage laced with cyanide in an act that Jones labeled “revolutionary suicide”. Jones himself was found dead from a shot to the head. But the details of this mass suicide doesn't quite line up. Was this truly a mass suicide, or was it a mass murder? And did Jim Jones fake his own death? Sponsors! Framebridge - Go to Framebridge.com and use promo code CONSPIRACY to save an additional 15% off your first order.

Kurt Cobain, the famed musician who influenced grunge music and voiced the emotions of thousands of people, was found dead at only 27 years old. Officially, he lost his battle with depression and drug addiction. But with several suspicious events surrounding his death, many have wondered for years if he was murdered… by his own wife. Unexplained Mysteries - Search for Unexplained Mysteries on your favorite podcast directory, listen, and subscribe! Or visit Parcast.com/UNEXPLAINED to start listening now.

Kurt Cobain’s fame as the lead singer and guitarist of Nirvana, and his tumultuous marriage to Courtney Love, thrust him into the spotlight. But Kurt felt misunderstood by the media, and his drug addiction brought trouble for the young musician. When he was found dead in his home on April 8, 1994, it looked like suicide. But do the mysterious circumstances surrounding his death point to murder? Sponsors! Breach - Subscribe to Breach​ in your podcast app right now. Breach is not a Parcast podcast. Female Criminals - Search for Female Criminals on your favorite podcast directory, listen, and subscribe! Or visit Parcast.com/CRIMINALS to start listening now. HelloFresh - For $30 off your first week of HelloFresh, visit hellofresh.com and enter the code THEORIES30

Reefer Madness and the war on drugs swept the United States in the 1930s but was this war truly started to protect the public? Or did a few powerful men have more personal reasons to ignite this battle? Sponsors! Female Criminals - Listen to Female Criminals now on your favorite podcast directory. Or visit Parcast.com/CRIMINALS to start listening now. Hulu, The Looming Tower - ‘The Looming Tower,’ available now only on Hulu. Casper - Get $50 toward select mattresses by visiting Casper.com/THEORIES and using THEORIES at checkout. Terms and conditions apply.

At the turn of the 20th century, pharmacies sold medicines containing cannabis regularly. There was no stigma surrounding it. But in the 1930s, a few powerful men stirred up fear about marijuana. The official story: in 1937 the government passed the Marijuana Tax, essentially prohibiting weed because it presented a danger to the public in the form of Reefer Madness. ...But is this the truth? Or are there more sinister motives behind this prohibition? Sponsors! Unexplained Mysteries - Search for Unexplained Mysteries on your favorite podcast directory to start listening now. Or visit Parcast.com/UNEXPLAINED to listen now. Framebridge - Go to Framebridge.com and use promo code CONSPIRACY to save an additional 15% off your first order. Someone Knows Something - Subscribe to the Someone Knows Something podcast at cbc.ca/SKS. Someone Knows Something is not a Parcast podcast.

The root of hundreds of conspiracy theories, the modern Illuminati is shrouded in mystery and secrecy. And at the top of the rumored group are the most illuminated ones, 12 ruling bloodlines that control every major event. We dive deep into the Illuminati, investigating the theories that surround this secret society, including their apparent current plan for global domination and possible members and leaders. Sponsors! Mack Weldon - Go to MackWeldon.com and get 20% off using promo code CONSPIRACY. Hulu, The Looming Tower - The Looming Tower, available now only on Hulu. Unexplained Mysteries - Search for Unexplained Mysteries on your favorite podcast directory to start listening now. Or visit Parcast.com/UNEXPLAINED

Please note that today’s episode is going to sound a little different than a typical episode of Conspiracy Theories. We felt it was important for us to share the founding and history of the Illuminati before diving into the conspiracy theories. The Illuminati has stirred up fear and controversy for well over 200 years. This secret society began as a small group, born from the Freemasons, and ended only a few years after its founding… or did it? Sponsors! Hulu - The Looming Tower premieres February 28, only on Hulu. Unexplained Mysteries - Search Unexplained Mysteries on your favorite podcast directory, listen, and subscribe! Or visit Parcast.com/UNEXPLAINED to listen now.

In 1997, a viral email spread across the internet claiming chemicals were being released from planes. No one questioned the news — it was accepted as fact, and has grown since then to become one of the most popular conspiracy theories of our time. We examine theories about chemtrails: what they are, who controls them… and why. Sponsors! CNBC, American Greed -  American Greed returns Monday, February 26 at 10 p.m. Eastern on CNBC. True Crime Garage - True Crime Garage is available on iTunes, Stitcher, and all other podcast platforms, and at TrueCrimeGarage.com. This is not a Parcast podcast.

We’ve all seen it: the long trailing cloud as a plane flies across the sky. These clouds, called aircraft contrails, are officially said to pose no threat to our health or environment. Contrails are reported to be water vapor from the aircraft’s engine…but is this the truth? Or are they actually dangerous chemtrails being released by the government to control everything from the weather, to our minds?

For years, Area 51—and the conspiracy theories surrounding it—has inspired many movies, books and internet debates. Is the government developing incredibly advanced technology? Are they hiding evidence of extraterrestrial life? Did they fake the moon landing, and use Area 51 to film it? We explore these theories and more as we search for the truth.

From its founding in 1955 until 2013, Area 51 was completely top-secret. The CIA did everything to keep it this way, from denying its existence to trying to wipe images of the base off of every map. But how was Area 51 founded… and why? Sponsors! Midroll - Visit podsurvey.com/CONSPIRACY and take the quick anonymous survey, and enter to win a $100 Amazon gift card. Historical Figures - Search for HISTORICAL FIGURES wherever you listen to podcasts. Or visit parcast.com/HISTORY to start listening now.