This is a show sponsored by NPR and is so liberal it makes Hillary Clinton to look like a moderate. The host must emphasize her Latino name, but not talk like she’s a Latino when interviewing non-ethnic Americans. If you don’t live in LA, abort this program because if you didn’t vote for Kamala or George Gascon, you’re an useful idiot in their eyes.

The first season was great and very interesting. It’s just a liberal grifting podcast now hosting communists, racists, and glorifying criminals. There is no”journalism”, it’s just a interviewers gaslighting one sided DEI garbage. This podcast is just too out of touch with reality now.

Each story from California City to the Nuri Martinez exposé is fascinating. Emily Garin is a thoughtful writer and storyteller keeping me anxiously waiting each week for the next episode to drop. Keep up the excellent work! And thanks!!

California City has been a special interest of mine for a while, so when I heard about this podcast I was really hoping it would be good. It certainly was! I binged the entire thing while cleaning my house today haha. I’m a bit suspicious of some of the low reviews. I can imagine some people in the Cal City area aren’t super happy about this series. Regardless, Im neither “liberal” nor “conservative” (those groups are super culty these days lol), Im a common sense type of person, a Christian, born and raised in Tennessee (and still live there, on my farm with my husband!). I would recommend that if you’re political sensibilities are so offended by the fairly vague comments of the journalist/host in this podcast, or if you are offended by the general idea that someone has different political views than you do: go touch some grass. Spend some time offline, and spend some time not talking about politics for a while. Seriously. You’re in a cult.

You have no idea the stories and things that go on in this town. Honestly. This place has always been something else and sure is not short of crazy stories and bad things. Not all bad… i guess. Its cool to hear these podcasts about the city i was raised in and still live in. Info i havent heard before. Honestly i didnt think anyone (outside of this town) even knew about cal city till the boys disappearing went national.

Excellent podcast, fantastic reporting! Lived all over CA my whole life and never knew about this or even knew it existed; thought I knew CA like the back of my hand. Thank you Emily for not only this great podcast but helping uncover the truth and helping those affected by what happened in CA City. Love how Emily intertwines her own vulnerability into this story, you can see how she truly cares about it. I have listened to this podcast story probably at least ten times! Would love it if we could please get some more updates on what’s been going on in California City, where are these people now, the Wasteland Weekend crowd, water shortage situation, etc. The story is so captivating it makes me want to visit someday.

This show perpetuates racism and hate and it’s gross. Sad they feel they have to do this to get listeners.

Excellent reporting on a crazy story. I hope the water wastage is no longer happening

I loved this podcast. I grew up in the antelope valley, not far from California city. To me, “ Cal City” was a crappy town to go ride dirt bikes and nothing else. Incredible to hear this well-told tale about its history and the people swept up in the scams of a “desert paradise”. Incredible narration. Ads are a little annoying, but I’m not paying for this program so no big deal. Give it 3 episodes, I guarantee you’ll be hooked.

Randomly stumbled upon this series. Very interesting, great reporting!

I didn’t get beyond the overly described introductory scenes.

Investigative journalism about predatory practices affecting communities far beyond just California.

This podcast was so much more that I thought it was going to be. The research and storytelling was phenomenal. The twists and turns come at you so unexpectedly in every episode. Even if the topic doesn’t *seem* like it’s your thing, give it a shot and you’ll be instantly sucked in! Bonus Points for Emily’s excellent narrating!!!

Literally all the first episode she can’t stop pointing out how poor/slow/foreign/underprivileged everyone is I’m so put off by her attitude towards the victims of this scam. “I flew all the way in from LA for this?!”

Fantastic storytelling ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I live in Bakersfield, and have been to Cal City. I had no idea that it’s history was so diabolical and dramatic!

And it just keeps getting deeper and deeper! I loved the story and the intense journalism that got us there. My favorite part is when you can tell the host is just exasperated and she just pauses and sighs. Great, personal storytelling. I felt like I was there in person.

Emily, chill with your political jabs. We get you are a flaming lib and hate conservatives but the need to throw in analogies like, “Rudy Giuliana’s fixer” are comical at best and diminish your credibility. Couldn’t get through one episode without having your political leanings interjected at some point.

Pair it with a virtual tour using google earth to get a really great visual!

I listened to all the originak California City episodes, loved it, highly recommended. But now an entirely different theme, Yeah No I'm ok? Not loving that and shouldn't run under California City, trainwreck. shouldn't cannibalize your channel and focus with completely new subject.i loved the original tho.

This story could’ve been really compelling but it just wasn’t executed well.

A long time ago I went camping in this area with a conservation group. I love the desert, its skies and its contrasts, even with its pockets of heavy industrial activity and junk piles that never decay. But like many places it is great to visit but not buy. Where is the nearest hospital? Supermarket? Elementary school?

When I began listening, I wasn’t sure this story would interest me much. However, Emily has done a very good job of investigative journalism (seriously lacking today) and exposed fraud & a universal warning IF IT SOUNDS TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE...Probably because it IS. Great work!!

Nothing to do with city. Just about her family and ads. Boo

I listen to a lot of podcasts and am pretty picky, but the storytelling style is riveting. I actually really like the detours, the different sides stories about the people involved, and the universal truths that seem to pop up. Having just taught and discussed The Great Gatsby to with my 11th grade students, I can’t help but think how history repeats itself with this illusion of the American Dream. Wow. Well done. Give it a listen!

Thank you foe this podcast, explained how people specially immigrants (like me) could fall for the scam. I remember when I just arrive in Colorado 24 years ago I saw an advertisement for “beautiful land in Wyoming for sale”. The ad had wild horses running and beautiful mountains in the back. I remember telling my husband “look this beautiful land is for sale and it is very affordable” he say “oh that is a scam, they do this kind scam all the time. When I was working as a doctor in rural Texas for three years people came from all over the USA to live to their beautiful land and they ended in the middle of no where. It was very sad. I remember how a couple had to buried their car to live in the car underground due to the horrible heat. People taking showers in the local gym, very very sad. Yeah this is a scam” thank goodness I was with an American person who knew the scam. 😅

An objective story might’ve made this enjoyable. Trying to make the parallel between economic hardships of the 70s, which occurred under vastly different circumstances than today, within the first 30 seconds, makes it insufferable.

As a professional storyteller for many years I enjoyed the podcast about the phony ranch investment. But the current one about the bank robbery takes too many detours. Short digressions can add to a story. Those that are too long distract from it. The people involved with the podcast are too good to make this mistake. Less is often more.

I am 43 and grow up in San Diego going to my grammas house on the north Salton Sea. And had uncle and 3 cousins on the west side in Salton City were I spent about 2 weeks every summer with my cousins. I remember going to fundraiser to clean up the sea and see flyers how great it was all going to be once they cleaned the sea. Then Sonny Bono died and so did everyone’s dream. I remember riding my bike around going to all the old foiled hotels and restaurants on the shores. But the one thing that I always thought was who is going to move out here to all these lots for sale. I am still to his day fascinated by the desert. And do a lot of over-landing all over California’s deserts. Thanks for this podcast.

Phenomenal writing and editing of a story that California just keeps trying to bury. Excellent journalism!

Stop what you’re listening to and start listening to California City. Emily is smart and fearless. The content is captivating and so well written, I only wish there was more! Great job, Emily. I can’t wait to see what’s next.

This is a very interesting subject and it has some compelling findings. It should've been 5 episodes, not 10 - the music is so annoying, especially at the beginning of each segment when it escapades... I had to skip it several time, I think the purpose was to raise the intensity but it did not work.

Why didn’t you ask the Assessor what the official assessed value for property tax purposes was? Then give examples of what they were sold gir, even giving an example of any piece resold two or more tunes and the price sold.....it’s sll public records! It’s not illegal to be an idiot and overpay, but if you were to SHOW it on the podcast it eoukd be clearer to those who don’t know about due diligence and caveat emptir. Even worse, California doesn’t make it cheap to look up the info online.....it’s free in many places, not so in California. You guys had the loot....very disappointed.

Took a gamble on this one after listening to several “bingeworthy” podcasts. This one actually merits that description. It’s wonderful journalism, a sufficiently complex story, and engaging narration.

Loved it!!! Will you be doing a podcast on the 2 Baby’s that just went missing from California city 3 weeks ago m??? I think the attention would help find them! Just a thought. Thank you for the podcast!!

This podcast is so well done, and Emily’s narration is professional and soothing, even. It’s clear she’s an actual trained journalist, and knows how to get answers. I really applaud this work! Great all-around, and thanks for uncovering this massive scheme of deceit.

This is an excellent investigation into an opaque and still ongoing real estate scam.

Would have been nice to here the truth without the political agenda. Tried to listen through all of the bull but it was too much.

I can’t get enough of her exposing the evil people who preyed on vulnerable victims!

Thank you, Emily Guerin, for creating the best financial crime series podcast I’ve listened to all year. The whole thing was incredibly well-paced, thoughtful, detailed, and smart. The confrontations within were savvy and respectful, without being too gentle or encumbered by doubt. I danced excitedly several times listening to this podcast. I would love to hear more financial crime series podcasts from you in the future.

Mid-way through the first episode, listening in the car. Material is engaging but OMG the sound mix quality is terrible Have to leave

Narrators audio is normal, everything else is so low I can barely hear it! I had to turn up the audio to hear but then the narrator is way to loud!

This fine journalism answered the many questions that go through my mind when I pass by a California City reference sign. Well done Emily!

This is a real nice example of longform investigative journalism.

Emily Guerin I was so surprised to hear the name of the prosecuting Attorney Ken Donney that murdered his wife. I searched Google to find a photo, finally found one on a newspaper, and amazingly it was the same Ken Donney I graduated with at John Burroughs High in Burbank in 1964. He was in our musical Bye Bye Birdie and played varsity football. You never know, great Podcast.

Emily Guerin and her deep research into the scam that has been California City is presented in a detailed and entertaining way! Looking forward to her next project!

The best journalism. I love the touch of adding real audio recordings, recordings in the car or walking across the parking lot. Really makes it more dynamic when listening too. I literally listened to the whole podcast in a day. It sucked me in! I was born and grew up in California City so as my home town I was curious. I learned a few things I had not known, but I was reenforced with other things I knew. I’ll be looking for other work that this host has done. Keep it up! I believe you had a big part in making a difference.

This was super interesting! I’m usually into just true crime podcasts but this really caught my ear. Great journalism and hosting.

Awesome show, binged it right to the end!

Great podcast, very well researched.