Pod Insights Scamfluencers Imelda Marcos: The First Lady of Excess Part 1 | 180 About this episode Imelda Marcos - the former beauty queen turned First Lady of the Philippines – was as famous for her 1,000 pairs of shoes and jawbreaker-sized diamonds as she was infamous for the fortune that she and her husband, President Ferdinand Marcos, stole from their country. While Imelda jet-setted around the globe on the public dime, ordinary Filipinos struggled under a collapsing economy. When Ferdinand’s popularity starts to plummet, he pulls his most ruthless move yet – declaring martial law to keep himself in power.
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0:00 Sarah Hagi? Audible subscribers can listen to all our episodes of Scamfluencers ad-free right now. Join Audible today by downloading the Audible app.
0:14 Scaachi Koul? Sarah, we all know how I feel about marriage, but I'm curious what you think about a marriage of convenience for a woman. Like, is it worth it to be married to a dud if he can get you literally anything you want?
0:26 Sarah Hagi? Wow, I actually have no idea how you feel about marriage. Maybe you can let me know. You know what? I think that's probably fine. I mean, that's kind of what marriage was forever, until quite recently, when everyone was like, wait a second, should we be in love? It's always been kind of considered a business transaction, almost. So if people are continuing with that tradition, who am I to judge?
0:49 Scaachi Koul? Yeah, who's gonna get hurt by a little transactional relationship?
0:53 Sarah Hagi? If that were me, and a guy was like, we obviously don't love each other, this is convenience, I'd say, listen, we can do this, but you have to promise me one thing. Promise me you won't fall in love. Yeah, and then, you know, who knows what happens after that?
1:06 Scaachi Koul? Yeah, the most twisted romance ever. A true Scamfluencers love story, Sarah. Well, today, I'm gonna tell you about a political wife who understood just how much power there was in being the effervescent, glamorous, charming plus one. She's gonna take full advantage of it for her own benefit and no one else's.
1:34 Scaachi Koul? It's June 1977, on the remote island of Caloocote in the Philippines. A helicopter lands and out steps Imelda Marcos, first lady of the Philippines, wife to dictator Ferdinand Marcos, and a self-styled patron of beauty and grandeur. Imelda has high cheekbones, glowing skin, and her dark hair is in a perfect bouffant. Cameras click as she smiles at the crowd of waiting press. Last year, Amelda went on a safari trip and was inspired to amass her own collection of African animals. So Ferdinand made it happen with a presidential decree. A British game dealer shipped in zebras, giraffes, gazelles, and more from Kenya, transforming Kalaweet into the Marcoses' own personal Serengeti.
2:18 Scaachi Koul? Ferdinand and Amelda are politicians who know that appearances are everything. So officially, they say that this park is about helping the world's conservation efforts. But really, it's for them. Amelda is here today to celebrate the animals being released into the park, where they can roam free. But here's the thing: The island of Kalaweet wasn't empty before the animals arrived. More than 250 indigenous families have been forcibly removed to make way for this fantasy.
2:46 Sarah Hagi? Oh my god. Tale as old as time and doesn't get any less upsetting.
2:51 Scaachi Koul? No, it doesn't. And this eviction is only the beginning of the chaos. The animals struggle to adapt to their new home, ecosystems falter and diseases spread, and locals sneak back onto the island to poach. Meanwhile, the Marcos regime hails the Kalaweet Safari Park as a triumph of conservation efforts. Kalaweet is just one example of how Amelda and Ferdinand have been treating the Philippines as their own personal playground. They rose to power, promising to free the Philippines from its colonial past. Instead, they looted billions and stopped at nothing to maintain control. The Marcoses built a political dynasty from next to nothing, but their legacy is a dark stain on global democracy.
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4:42 Scaachi Koul? From Wondery, I'm Sachi Cole. And I'm Sarah Haggie. And this is Scamfluencers.
4:56 Scaachi Koul? A thousand pairs of shoes, diamonds the size of jawbreakers, a fortune stolen from her nation. One woman collected it all. Imelda Marcos, a beauty queen turned political matriarch. Imelda was a tabloid sensation in the 70s and 80s, partying at Studio 54 one night and rubbing elbows with world leaders the next. She used fashion, architecture, and star power to dazzle the public and deflect attention from her family's brutal power grabs and massive theft. Today, we're following Imelda's rise from small-town girl to globe-trotting first lady with very expensive tastes. This is Imelda Marcos: The First Lady of Excess, Part One.
5:41 Scaachi Koul? It's a stifling April night in Manila in 1938. Imelda Ramaldez is eight years old, lying awake on the wooden planks of a makeshift bed in a garage. Her younger siblings toss and turn beside her. Somewhere in the darkness, her mother slips out for some air. But when she returns, it's clear that something's wrong. Imelda's mom is burning up and shaking. Within hours, she's in the hospital. And two days later, she dies from pneumonia.
6:11 Scaachi Koul? For Imelda, it's a shattering loss. Her mother was the only constant in a family already falling apart. The Ramaldes's were once among Manila's elite. Imelda's uncle was a nationalist leader, her father, a respected lawyer. But when the economy tanked, her father's law practice collapsed, and the family's fortune fell with it. It also deepened rifts within the family. Imelda's father has children from a previous marriage, and he retreated into the main house to live with them, while Imelda, her mother, and her siblings were exiled to the garage. Seven months after her mother dies, Imelda's father sells their house, and they all move to his hometown, on an island on the other side of the Philippines. For Imelda, it's more than just a change of scenery. It's a fall from grace.
6:56 Scaachi Koul? In Manila, her last name meant something. On this rural island, she's just another hungry child in hand-me-downs. Imelda claims that by this point, her family's only asset is a jewel necklace, and they have to trade one bead at a time for something to eat. It's an origin story that she'll repeat again later in life to garner sympathy. And while it's compelling, others have since disputed it. She had a tough childhood, but Imelda is resourceful. After World War II breaks out, she starts serenading American soldiers at GI camps. The soldiers are charmed, and Imelda sees that their attention gives her power. As a teenager, she's determined to regain the wealth and respect her family once had in Manila. So she enters a local beauty pageant.
7:40 Scaachi Koul? She wins, and then keeps winning. In her early twenties, she travels to the capital city to compete in the Miss Manila contest, where she gets second place. It's impressive, but not good enough. Imelda protests her loss and turns on the waterworks, begging the mayor to reverse the decision. He melts. And while he can't give her the crown, he does dub her "The Muse of Manila." Here's a photo of her from her pageant days.
8:07 Sarah Hagi? Yeah, this is an old black and white photo. And she's wearing this pretty dress. Her hair is done up. She looks really beautiful. And I think it's understandable why she would use her beauty as currency and take it so seriously at this time in her life.
8:22 Scaachi Koul? Yeah, she's making the most of what she's got. In 1954, Imelda's cousin brings her to work with him at the Filipino House of Representatives, where he introduces her to Ferdinand Marcos. Imelda's 24, and Ferdinand is a 36-year-old congressman. He's also a lawyer, an alleged war hero, and, most importantly to Imelda, a man who knows exactly what he wants. On the campaign trail, he told crowds he wouldn't stop with the House of Representatives. He vowed to become the president of the Philippines within 20 years. But what he wants right now is Imelda. Within 20 minutes of meeting her, he proposes. At first, she doesn't know if he's joking, but he's definitely not.
9:05 Scaachi Koul? Here she is in a 2003 documentary called "Imelda", describing his obsession with her.
9:10 Speaker 06 I have never seen anybody was more in love with me than this guy. He could not take his eyes off me, and he could not eat, he could not drink.
9:19 Scaachi Koul? Ferdinand proceeds to bombard her with flowers, chocolates, and diamonds for the next 10 days. In that same Imelda documentary, she recalls her cousin giving her some advice.
9:30 Speaker 06 He said, you know, this guy is a future president. This guy is brilliant. This guy is everything. He's got all the potential, he's legendary. Whoever will not marry this guy is stupid.
9:44 Sarah Hagi? It's funny because this happened so long ago, and the circumstances of her life were pretty difficult. So obviously, it isn't out. But anyone would say that now. So many women would be like, it'd be stupid to not go with this guy, who's gorgeous, has everything, will be something. Go for it.
10:01 Scaachi Koul? Totally understandable. Imelda decides to accept Ferdinand's proposal. And after just 11 days, they get married. Here's a picture of them at their wedding. Sarah, can you describe it?
10:12 Sarah Hagi? He's carrying her the way grooms do when they just get married. She's swimming in this huge white dress. And he is a cutie. He has a gorgeous smile. They look perfect.
10:25 Scaachi Koul? They look perfect. Emelda thinks she's secured her perfect life. But what she doesn't fully realize is that she's marrying into a political machine, one built on charm, ego, and ruthless ambition. And while the wedding looks like a fairy tale, Emelda is about to learn that life inside the halls of power is anything but charmed. Over the next six years, Emelda has three kids and learns that life as a congressman's wife isn't all it's cracked up to be. In the early 1960s, she looks around and realizes that she's actually miserable. The parties, the handshakes, the ribbon cutting, the schmoozing. It's all one big migraine. Literally, she gets them relentlessly, and they're making it impossible to live her life.
11:11 Sarah Hagi? What else did she expect? She thought she would just get married to a politician and hide in the background?
11:16 Scaachi Koul? Yeah, I mean, maybe that's what she was hoping.
11:18 Sarah Hagi? No. With that face, not happening, Emelda.
11:21 Scaachi Koul? Well, the pressure is starting to overwhelm her. Eventually, Emelda ends up in a psychiatric hospital in New York, reportedly on the verge of a nervous breakdown. Supposedly, treatment in the Philippines wasn't working, so they decided to go halfway around the world for help. But the doctors can't find anything medically wrong with Emelda. It seems like she just hates politics. When Ferdinand hears the diagnosis, he says he'll quit right now if that's what makes her happy. This moment changes everything for Emelda. For the first time, she realizes how much power she actually has. She's not just a trophy wife. She's the one person Ferdinand is willing to give up everything for. But she won't let him.
12:05 Scaachi Koul? Here she is explaining her decision in the Emelda documentary.
12:08 Speaker 06 I said, "If this man would give up his ultimate ambition to become president of the Republic of the Philippines, why can't I give up something?" It was a real turning point. It's a matter of change of attitude. I said, "How lucky I am that people come to my home. How lucky I am that I am the one giving a help, rather than I asking for help."
12:33 Sarah Hagi? I think it's dangerous for her to understand her power is coming from this kind of manipulation, especially someone who has felt probably powerless her whole life. It's kind of like a lightbulb moment, right?
12:44 Scaachi Koul? Yeah, this combination is a bit of a powder keg. Imelda starts practicing auto-suggestion, something she learned from one of her New York psychologists. The idea is that if she repeats a belief to herself often enough, it will become true. So she reminds herself that she's lucky to have a husband she loves and who loves her. Lucky to have her life, lucky to be chosen. She repeats it over and over again until it sinks in like gospel. When Imelda returns to Manila, she's transformed. She's ready to play the part of elegant, beautiful wife. And next up on the itinerary, helping her husband win the highest office in the land.
13:26 Scaachi Koul? It's 1965 in Manila. The sun is beating down on a packed plaza as 48-year-old Ferdinand steps up to a podium. His dark hair is slicked back, and he flashes his signature grin. He's still on the campaign trail, but he's smiling like he's already president. His supporters cheer. To them, he's a war hero, a brilliant lawyer, and the man who can make the Philippines stronger. Even his critics have to admit that he knows how power works and isn't afraid to get his hands dirty. The Philippines is still in the early stages of independence. It's only been two decades since they broke away from the United States, a country that once colonized them and then kept them tethered as a self-governing Commonwealth.
14:09 Scaachi Koul? In that time, the Philippines has had just five presidents. But to many Filipinos, the system already feels stuck. The country is weighed down by gridlock, corruption, and foreign influence that never really went away. There aren't a lot of ideological differences between Ferdinand and his opponent, the current president. This is a vibes-based campaign, and that's something that Ferdinand thinks he can win. Ferdinand comes from a family of politicians. His father was a governor and his hero. He raised Ferdinand to be cunning and ruthless, drilling two rules into him: never settle for second place and never pick a fight you can't win. And Ferdinand takes that advice really seriously. As a young man,
14:53 Scaachi Koul? he was found guilty of assassinating his father's political rival. Even while on trial, he managed to finish law school and supposedly placed first in the national bar exam. Ferdinand appealed his conviction to the Supreme Court, argued his own case, and won. A judge literally said it would be a waste to put someone who shows as much intelligence and leadership potential as Ferdinand behind bars, no matter what he may or may not have done.
15:22 Sarah Hagi? Is that how the law can work? For some people. You know, you hear really rare cases of something like this happening, and you're like, I need to experience this person in real life to see how their vibe could make a judge say that.
15:36 Scaachi Koul? Yeah, not guilty vibes is what I always aim for. Ferdinand is a man who can turn murder into myth. He's already a congressman. And now, with the presidency within reach, he's once again surrounding himself with stories and symbols. And Imelda is the biggest of them all. At 36 years old, Imelda is tall, polished, and photogenic. She sings love songs at rallies, kisses babies, and floats in and out of banquets with her hair done up, beauty queen style. The migraines are behind her, and she's embraced the role of first lady in waiting. Imelda is Ferdinand's secret weapon. The people adore her. Together, they're a one-two punch. Ferdinand's a strong man with a vision,
16:20 Scaachi Koul? promising to root out rampant corruption. And Imelda's the radiant first lady, dazzling crowds with her beauty and serenading them on the campaign trail.
16:30 Scaachi Koul? Ferdinand has created the perfect projection of honest, ambitious, beautiful leadership. But behind the scenes, he's already taking shady contributions from businessmen in exchange for political favors. But it doesn't matter. Ferdinand wins the presidency and in December 1965, he's sworn into office. At his inauguration, he declares that he's been given a, quote, "mandate for greatness." Ferdinand promised reform, transparency, and a break from the country's colonial past. But now that he's in office, absolute power will reveal who he really is. And the man who swore to root out corruption is about to usher in even more of it.
17:13 Scaachi Koul? It's September 1966, seven months after Ferdinand is sworn into office. Imelda is traveling with him to the US for their first official state visit. Today, the couple is pulling up outside the Lincoln Center in a limousine for the grand opening of the new Metropolitan Opera House. Imelda and Ferdinand share a box with Lady Bird Johnson, the first lady of the United States. They smile and pose for the cameras, thrilled to be recognized as equals with American leaders. In one of these photos, Imelda stands front and center next to Lady Bird, dressed in a shimmering gown, looking completely at home. Sarah, take a look.
17:50 Sarah Hagi? This is such a glamorous photo. You know, it's black and white. They're wearing gorgeous dresses. All the men are in really formal tuxedos. And you just look at her and you know she's important.
18:01 Scaachi Koul? Yeah, definitely. World leaders are embracing the Marcoses more than previous Filipino politicians. They're glamorous, intelligent, charming, and relentless. And the media is obsessed with them. Officially, Ferdinand is in the US to pledge support for America's Cold War effort in Southeast Asia and to negotiate economic and military deals for the Philippines. But unofficially, the trip is all about Imelda. Newspapers call her the first lady of Asia. She gets a feature spread in Life magazine. The New York Times puts her on the front page. And a reporter from the London Evening Standard compares her to Queen Elizabeth, Jackie Kennedy, and Princess Grace.
18:43 Scaachi Koul? When the couple dines at the White House, the dinner menu even features a special dessert, glase emelda. She's more than a political wife. Emelda has become a global celebrity. Emelda believes that if she looks glamorous and powerful, the world will assume the Philippines is too. Here she is explaining her philosophy to a CBC News correspondent.
19:04 Speaker 06 As first lady, I have to flaunt love and beauty so that the 50 million Filipinos will see what is to love and what is perfection. I've always claimed to be some kind of a soldier for beauty and a soldier for love, which is some kind of a frivolity in this age and stage of mankind when there is so much deprivation. And yet, it is so basic for survival of a human being.
19:32 Scaachi Koul? It's so upsetting when someone with power is talking about how like, I'm a soldier for beauty, I'm a soldier for love. That's not tangible. That's not what people want. People want things. You being gorgeous is awesome to look at, but I want something. Yeah, yeah. I mean, call me when you being beautiful gets me food or a job. But Emelda really believes that being fabulous is good for the Philippines. And she's being very patriotic. So she starts spending. She collects lavish gowns, designer shoes, and custom jewelry. Emelda also leans into her family's wealthy reputation. She wants people to believe she and Ferdinand have always had money, so no one will question
20:16 Scaachi Koul? how they have so much now. But later, intel suggests that she and Ferdinand started stealing public funds for their private luxury at this point. Unfortunately, we don't know the specifics. Their global coming out party wasn't just a PR dream. They secured political successes, too. Ferdinand negotiates increased economic assistance from the US for the Philippines, including $45 million in agricultural programs and at least $16 million in military equipment. With this money, Ferdinand starts delivering on some of his campaign trail promises. He invests in infrastructure and education, and he comes down hard on violent criminals. It seems like progress, but behind the glitz and the glamour of the first couple are
21:00 Scaachi Koul? the seeds of a scam that will change the course of the Philippines forever. The Marcoses will claim their lifestyle glorifies all of their countrymen, while siphoning billions of dollars from the very people who elected them.
21:19 Speaker 07 You stepped out for your morning jog, except it's not your usual morning jog. You started listening to an epic sci-fi book on Audible. Thirty chapters later, you've accidentally run a half marathon. You lost track of how far you've run, somewhere just past the city limits. You can't stop. You have to find out what happens next. Then it's over. The universe seems bigger. You feel different. You feel like you have no idea where you are. Audible, stories that speak to you.
21:50 Speaker 08 Journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia spent her life exposing powerful people. Then, in 2017, she was killed in a car bombing. I'm Stephen Gray, and for the past nine years, I've been trying to find out who wanted her dead. That search took me to Malta through secret companies, organized crime, and eventually to one of the island's richest and most powerful men. Now, after years of waiting, his trial has finally happened. But when the verdict came in, the case took a turn that almost no one had expected. In a brand-new update to the multi-award-winning podcast Who Killed Daphne?, I'm returning to Malta to find out how we got there and where the search for the truth goes next.
22:32 Speaker 08 Listen to the new episode of Who Killed Daphne? wherever you get your podcasts, and you can hear the full six-part investigation from the beginning, ad-free with Audible. Join Audible today by downloading the Audible app and by subscribing on Apple Podcasts.
22:57 Scaachi Koul? It's 1966, still less than a year into Ferdinand's first term. Since Imelda became first lady, she's been spending like her life depends on it, and Ferdinand has to find ways to keep the cash flowing. Back when he was just an attorney, his net worth was in the tens of thousands of dollars. But as soon as Ferdinand takes office, this number starts to grow. The details about his kickbacks and personal dealings at this time are murky at best. But there's one bit of wheeling and dealing we do know about. In 1966, an American electronics company called GTE decides to sell its shares in a Philippine subsidiary. A buyer is all lined up. Then, suddenly, another group swoops in and convinces GTE to sell to them, a group
23:42 Scaachi Koul? that just so happens to include Ferdinand and his cronies. GTE ends up paying at least $4.5 million to this group through secret commissions, credits, and uncollected loans. Ferdinand himself picks up shares that will later be worth $15 million. That's equal to nearly $140 million in today's money. Right after the deal is done, the paper trail disappears. It seems like the sale of the phone company was just a cover for moving money around. And if all of this sounds confusing, it's because it's meant to be that way. Ferdinand does deals like this over and over, making the transactions so complex that they mostly go undetected at the time.
24:24 Scaachi Koul? It'll later take law enforcement years to make sense of it.
24:28 Sarah Hagi? He has a whole team of people behind him, so in my mind, there's definitely some people turning a blind eye towards a lot of this, or perhaps benefiting from it.
24:37 Scaachi Koul? Yeah, exactly. The only people who have any idea that this is even happening are in his and Imelda's inner circle, and presumably, they're also profiting off of these schemes as well. And then, two years later, in 1968, Ferdinand uses a fake name to deposit nearly $1 million into four Credit Suisse accounts. It's unclear where exactly this money came from, but he and Imelda see it as theirs. They use the names William Saunders and Jane Ryan to access the account. Ferdinand even practices his fake signature on official government letterhead. Ferdinand and Imelda may feel untouchable, but someone from Imelda's past is about to become their loudest critic.
25:21 Scaachi Koul? It's February 1969, and Benigno Aquino, better known as Ninoi, is standing at a podium. He's 36 years old, short and stocky, with large, wire-rimmed glasses and a comb over. He's the sharp-tongued leader of the Liberal Opposition Party and a rising star in the Philippine Senate. Ninoi has been building a reputation as one of the fiercest critics of the Marcoses. He hates what they've done to the country. He accuses Ferdinand of turning the Philippines into a military state and putting loyalists into positions of power. He warns that if Filipinos elect Ferdinand for a second term, he'll only get more authoritarian. And this is all without Ninoi even knowing the extent of his grift.
26:03 Scaachi Koul? Ninoi calls for transparency, civil liberties, and a return to constitutional rule. He promises to bring reforms that will benefit ordinary Filipinos, not just the elite. He's only just been elected to the Senate, but his party has hopes that, in former years, he'll run for president himself. They just need to make sure democracy survives, because Ninoi's not so sure that Ferdinand will peacefully hand over power when the time comes. Interestingly, Ninoi also has a bit of history with Imelda. They knew each other as teenagers, and according to some sources, he even briefly courted her. It's unclear whether they've had any further interactions as adults.
26:45 Sarah Hagi? I really think this guy sounds like a threat. Anyone who has this kind of power to be a critic and have people feel brave through their speech, like Niño is in dangerous territory here. And maybe his little history with Emelda also creates a bit more danger for him.
27:06 Scaachi Koul? Yeah, he's definitely making himself a target because he's going out of his way to blast Emelda's latest architectural project, the cultural center of the Philippines. It's a huge, modern building with an eye-catching design and an extravagant water feature out front. Here's a picture of it. Sarah, can you describe it?
27:25 Sarah Hagi? So this is one of those very sleek, classy-looking, brutalist buildings. And it has a giant fountain in front of it. Like, I always feel like I never understand the purpose of fountains like this. And then I get sucked in by one by just staring at it for a long time. And I'm like, you know what? This low-key eats. It's cool to watch a fountain sometimes. And this is a cool fountain. What can I say?
27:49 Scaachi Koul? I actually think this is so ugly. It's so scary.
27:52 Sarah Hagi? It's scary, but it's a cool-looking building. Like, it's clearly signaling a type of sophistication, right?
27:58 Scaachi Koul? Yes, that's true. But Niño rails against just how much the center is costing the Philippines. Since the start of construction in 1966, the budget for the project has ballooned to about $35 million, or about $306 million today. And to make matters worse, Emelda pulled money from other public funds to cover the extra expenses without asking for congressional approval. Niño criticizes her for misappropriating funds. He says Emelda's not creating culture by building this venue. She's destroying it by not helping actual Filipinos. Their slum housing literally next door to the new center. In a speech titled "A Pantheon for Emelda", Niño calls the extravagant center "a monument to shame",
28:43 Scaachi Koul? and he labels Emelda, quote, "a megalomaniac with a penchant to captivate." Other Filipinos say that she has "an edifice complex."
28:53 Sarah Hagi? Wow, these are sick burns. I will say that it's very clear that Imelda's entire thing is about seeming cosmopolitan, being a patron of the arts, like, kind of fulfilling this classy role that powerful people seem to have. And of course, like, yeah, art centers are good, but when people are homeless nearby and it's costing that much money in such a terrible time, like, Nino is only stating the obvious.
29:22 Scaachi Koul? Yeah, and his speech catches the attention of the Marcoses. Ferdinand defends Imelda in the press by calling Nino a congenital liar. Nino refuses to be silenced, but the Marcoses have a special pull on the Philippine people. Imelda's Cultural Center opens up that September, and a few months later Ferdinand wins reelection. But Nino won't let up. As far as he's concerned, Ferdinand's reelection campaign was a total sham. He points to massive vote buying, rampant intimidation, and the suspicious surge in spending by the Marcos camp. To Nino, it's clear the Marcoses bought the election. But Nino is not the only one taking hits at the Marcoses.
30:05 Scaachi Koul? Soon, a scandal is gonna rock the palace and shift the balance of power in Imelda and Ferdinand's relationship forever.
30:15 Scaachi Koul? About a year after Ferdinand's reelection, Imelda is alone in one of the palace's gilded sitting rooms, watching the television flicker to life. She's expecting the usual broadcast: a political speech, maybe footage of Ferdinand cutting another ribbon, but what she sees instead stops her cold. It's not her husband on the screen, it's his mistress. The woman is Dovey Beams, an American actress who came to the Philippines two years earlier to film a low-budget movie. Dovey has big doe eyes and long brown hair that looks like she just rolled out of bed in a very supermodel kind of way. Amelda knows her husband has had affairs before, but he's kept his indiscretions discreet, until now.
30:59 Scaachi Koul? And Duffey is different. She's not a one-night-stand. She's his mistress. And today, she's ruining everything. She's hosting a press conference and spilling every detail of her relationship with the president. How it began, how long it lasted, and what he said in bed. And then she reveals that she has tapes, secret recordings of her and Ferdinand in bed together. Ferdinand recently broke things off with Duffey, which is why she's releasing the tapes now. She claims it's for her own protection, in case something happens to her. Now, Amelda is forced to acknowledge her husband with another woman. And not only did he betray her, he's put their hard-earned image as a loving, doting first couple at risk.
31:45 Sarah Hagi? Oh, gosh. This is always so interesting to me because it's like, she knows he had affairs, and she's basically OK with it in a "don't ask, don't tell" kind of way. The problem here is that the narrative is out of her control. It's not that he was with someone else or had a mistress. It's all about her power and image.
32:05 Scaachi Koul? Yes.
32:06 Sarah Hagi? Which is pretty common with powerful couples.
32:08 Scaachi Koul? Yeah, exactly. And Amelda refuses to let Ferdinand's stupid mistake cost them everything. She reportedly begins to use the situation as leverage to get what she wants. And now, she wants more than jewels, shoes, or lavish trips. She wants real decision-making authority. It's the beginning of what people will come to call a conjugal dictatorship, where a dictator's wife has as much, if not more, power than her husband. Amelda's found a way to take her most embarrassing moment and weaponize it, tipping the balance of power in her marriage in her favor, while Ferdinand is left to deal with the consequences. And his next move could define more than just their marriage.
32:51 Scaachi Koul? It could define the future of the Philippines itself.
32:57 Scaachi Koul? It's early 1971, and Ferdinand's second term is off to a rough start. The economy is collapsing under years of debt-fueled spending. Inflation is skyrocketing. Foreign reserves are nearly gone, and the gap between the rich and the poor is wider than ever. People are fed up and worried that Ferdinand will somehow try to stay in power for longer than his two constitutionally-allowed terms. Students have been demanding reform and calling for the end of the Marcos regime. Some demonstrations turned violent, but even the peaceful ones are growing harder for Ferdinand to ignore.
33:31 Sarah Hagi? Yeah, it's scary to think of how far he will go to protect himself and his image and this life he built. I'm scared of where this is gonna go.
33:42 Scaachi Koul? Yeah, you're right to be worried. Because inside the palace, Ferdinand begins to consider martial law. It's an unprecedented step in the democratic era and one that would give him sweeping power. But his advisers warn him against it. The international community is watching. And as Ferdinand's father taught him, "You never want to pick a fight you can't win." So he decides to wait. But in August, things escalate. Grenades explode at a political rally for the opposition, killing nine people. Rumors start swirling that the grenades were ordered by Ferdinand, but whether he knew or gave the orders is still being debated to this day. What's clear is this: Ferdinand is dead-set on holding on to his power and access to
34:27 Scaachi Koul? money. But he's been elected twice, so constitutionally, he can't run again. He and Imelda hoped that they could get her elected as his successor, but the grenade attack seems to have boosted support for the opposition. In the 1971 congressional elections, several of Ferdinand's hand-picked candidates are defeated. And a recent survey showed that 80% of Filipinos rejected the idea of Imelda as president. An election would be incredibly risky. So Ferdinand considers his options. He could take the democratic route and step aside, or he can hold on to power by any means necessary. Ferdinand chooses the latter, and he and Imelda begin planning to institute martial law.
35:08 Scaachi Koul? Ferdinand even calls US President Richard Nixon and warns him what he's about to do. And apparently, Nixon doesn't voice any objections.
35:17 Sarah Hagi? You don't say. He's like, "I wish I could do that."
35:22 Scaachi Koul? He was jealous. On September 21, 1972, Ferdinand signs the documents that place the Philippines under martial law. Two days later, the country wakes up to Ferdinand's troops locking down the capital. All TV stations, most radio stations, and every major newspaper are shut down. The streets are cleared, and for more than 12 hours, the Philippines is essentially cut off from the outside world. During this time, Ferdinand's henchmen carry out a plan called Operation Sagittarius. They arrest opposition leaders, including Senator Ninoi. He's slapped with trumped-up charges of murder, illegal possession of firearms, and subversion, and thrown into a military prison.
36:05 Scaachi Koul? The jails fill with hundreds more, including students, journalists, and union organizers. And a new set of orders are handed down. There's a nationwide travel ban and midnight curfew, and demonstrations are outlawed. Then, at 7:15 PM, Ferdinand's voice crackles onto radio and TV stations owned by his cronies. He announces that he's taken sweeping control of the government to "save the republic from communist anarchy." Here's the start of his declaration, preserved by the AP archives.
36:37 Speaker 09 I, as your duly-elected president of the republic, use this power, which may be implemented by the military authorities, but still is a power embodied in the constitution to protect the Republic of the Philippines and our democracy.
36:55 Scaachi Koul? By declaring martial law, Ferdinand becomes a dictator. There are no longer any checks and balances with other branches of government. Congress is dissolved, and dissent is criminalized. Fair trials are no longer guaranteed, and Ferdinand is left to do whatever he wants with the help of the military. And while all of this is happening, Ferdinand opens another secret Swiss bank account.
37:20 Sarah Hagi? You know, it's really scary how a president could just turn into a dictator. Like, there's really nothing stopping him. So to me, I'm like, of course, he was gonna open another bank account. And of course, he's gonna take money from the people of the Philippines. Like, they never really mattered. And I don't know, I feel like this is just a really terrifying development for everyone. And it makes me scared for Ninoi.
37:42 Scaachi Koul? Yeah, I mean, who's gonna stop him? It's the dawn of a new era for Ferdinand, Imelda, and the Philippines, one that will be marked by human rights abuses, corruption, and paranoia. But it's also the beginning of a slow unraveling. Ferdinand has unchecked power now, but he's made a lot of enemies. And soon, one of them is going to come for his wife.
38:11 Speaker 10 Hi, I'm Kenya Barris.
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39:31 Scaachi Koul? It's December 1972, 11 weeks since Ferdinand declared martial law. Imelda is onstage at a ceremony for the National Beautification and Cleanliness Council, her latest pet project. She's dressed immaculately, handing out awards for a citywide contest, when suddenly, a man in a dark suit lunges at her with a 12-inch bolo knife. The man swings the knife wildly, people scream, security rushes the stage, and for several long surreal seconds, no one can stop him from hacking at her as she tries to fight him off. Eventually, a soldier opens fire and the man drops to the ground.
40:15 Scaachi Koul? The whole thing is caught on camera and broadcast across the country. Here's a bit of archival news footage of the event.
40:21 Speaker 13 In the Philippines, President Marcos resorts to martial law to quiet his country's unrest. When he fails to appear at a public gathering, a crazed assailant stabs Mrs. Marcos instead. Seventy-five stitches are required to close her wounds.
40:37 Sarah Hagi? Yeah, I feel like something like this is never really that surprising to me because these people feel very siloed by the violence they created and the violence that's happening because of their policies. And now, under martial law, there is no way for regular people to express their outrage. So inevitably, someone will resort to violence out of desperation. And of course, it's going to come back to the people who kind of created the violence in the first place.
41:05 Scaachi Koul? Yeah, tale as old as time. Imelda is airlifted to the hospital by helicopter. Ferdinand, who was playing golf during the ordeal, rushes to her side. Imelda's got minor injuries to her hands and arms, but overall, she's fine. The man is identified as an engineer with no obvious motive, but Ferdinand steps in with a neat explanation. The attacker must have been after him, and the fact that he got so close to Imelda proves that there's a larger conspiracy at play. It's exactly the kind of threat Ferdinand needs to justify martial law. And Imelda can see how perfectly the moment plays into their hands. It's all so convenient. Some whisper that the Marcoses staged it, which isn't a stretch,
41:49 Scaachi Koul? considering Ferdinand's history of using sneaky tactics to fool the public. They're known as false flag attacks. Basically, when you stage something bad and make it look like your enemies did it, so you can justify cracking down on them.
42:03 Sarah Hagi? Would I put it past them to do a false flag? No, of course not. And this is how conspiracy theories start. When the government is this dishonest, everything becomes a conspiracy theory.
42:14 Scaachi Koul? Yeah. Well, there's no proof that's what happened here. But Imelda's not about to contradict her husband. At her next public appearance, her arm is held in a chic, gold chain sling. Can you read what she says when she's asked about the attack?
42:28 Sarah Hagi? Yes. She says, "If there's somebody who's going to kill me, why is it to be a bolo that is so ugly? I wish they put some kind of yellow ribbon or some kind of nice thing. Why such an ugly instrument?" You know, it's just so sick. These people are so sick. That's your response? Mocking the climate they created that made this happen, you know?
42:51 Scaachi Koul? Yes, but also that is the most Asian woman response I've ever heard in my life. That just sounds like my mother. Well, Imelda and Ferdinand are using every weapon at their disposal to justify the existence of martial law, even if the weapon is originally aimed at them. And as they tighten their grip on the country, they continue to build a regime that doesn't just take advantage of the system, it bleeds it dry. In January 1973, just weeks after surviving an assassination attempt, Imelda travels to Washington DC without Ferdinand to represent the Philippines at President Nixon's second inauguration. She's radiant in a leopard skin coat, flanked by an entourage of 21 people and 200 suitcases.
43:36 Scaachi Koul? But the American Capitol is just the first stop on a whirlwind tour. From there, she jets off to London. She already owns a penthouse there, but instead of staying in it, she books a lavish hotel suite. Her crew orders smoked salmon, roast turkey, and entire cases of Dom Perignon for a dinner party. The night ends on the dance floor at Annabelle's, an elite London club where the party doesn't stop until sunrise. Naturally, Imelda loves a disco.
44:04 Sarah Hagi? Oh, this is so brutal. All this with stolen money. These people in her country are suffering. She was only a marriage away from being one of the people who continue to suffer. And when people are this flagrant about their spending, I'm always waiting for the moment it turns around on them. So I'm patiently waiting.
44:24 Scaachi Koul? Well, while Imelda's trips abroad are always framed as official business, she also indulges in international shopping sprees. Harrods in London, Bloomingdale's in New York, Liberty House in Honolulu. Imelda sweeps through each one like a general conquering new territory, floor by floor, section by section, racking up bills in the hundreds of thousands. She doesn't worry about paying them. Ferdinand, given the Philippine National Bank, orders to disburse whatever she wants, no questions asked, using a secret intelligence account. So her private shopping is always covered by public funds. Within the year, Imelda's personal wealth is estimated at $250 million. Within two years, that number climbs to $350 million.
45:09 Scaachi Koul? And it doesn't stop there. A decade later, she and Ferdinand will have hoarded $1.6 billion, all while the average Filipino makes less than 200 bucks a year.
45:22 Sarah Hagi? This makes me so deeply sick to my stomach. And also, this is crazy that it's like $1.6 billion decades ago.
45:31 Scaachi Koul? Yeah, it's so much money. And here's another thing. Around this time, Imelda also orders bulldozers to demolish her childhood home, along with that garage that she once lived in. The official reason is beautification. But to her, it's something deeper. It's about erasing her past. She's now running in circles with crown princes, billionaire heiresses, and American presidents. She doesn't want a reminder of where she came from. She's only looking towards where she's going. While Imelda builds her empire abroad, Ferdinand is busy fortifying his own power at home. And the Marcoses aren't just siphoning cash anymore. They're rigging entire industries, all to get as rich as possible.
46:18 Scaachi Koul? By 1973, one year into martial law, Ferdinand feels untouchable. The headlines are favorable because he controls what gets published. There's no dissent in the streets because he jails all of his enemies. And in the halls of the palace, he's living it up and enriching himself while the country struggles. He's skimming gold off the top of the country's reserves and stashing it away in his own bank accounts. Gold is one of the Philippines' biggest exports. The previous year, after two decades of steady growth, the Philippines produced over 57 metric tons of it. But now, thanks to Ferdinand, these reserves suddenly plummet by over 40%. At the time, that's a loss of $280 million.
47:02 Scaachi Koul? Eventually, US intelligence agencies will start looking into the missing gold and become suspicious of Ferdinand and his associates. But for now, no one's batting an eye in the Philippines, because Ferdinand is the government. Meanwhile, Ferdinand hands out monopolies like party favors: coconuts, sugar, tobacco, bananas. He arrests the son of a media tycoon on bogus charges, forcing the family to sell their $400 million utility company to him for half the price, so he can rake in profits. And when brute force doesn't work, he uses decrees, shell companies, and his loyal friends to take what he wants. Ferdinand and Amelda know it's only a matter of time before the public notices the outrageous amount of new money in their hands.
47:47 Scaachi Koul? So Ferdinand develops a system to hide the evidence. He starts putting businesses, properties, and bank accounts in other people's names. He then has them write deed transfers, but they leave the name blank. For all intents and purposes, the deeds belong to Ferdinand, but now, there's no paper trail.
48:07 Scaachi Koul? The scams only get bigger and bolder from there. Ferdinand starts stealing foreign aid, war reparations, and even US military support. Coconut farmers are forced to pay a bogus $216 million levy that's supposedly for industry reform. But it all ends up in Swiss bank accounts. And with so much dirty money pouring in, Ferdinand sets up his own shadow banking system to clean it. By the time anyone starts asking questions, it's too late. The corruption isn't a bug, it's the entire system. Meanwhile, Imelda continues her never-ending campaign for beauty. In the summer of 1974, she hosts the Miss Universe Pageant at the Folk Arts Theater in Manila, yet another venue that was hastily constructed under her
48:51 Scaachi Koul? orders. She boasts about how it's the first time the pageant has ever been held in Asia, and that she was the one who brought it to her people. Ultimately, this is Imelda's biggest scam: distracting and deceiving the world from the true horrors that are happening under her husband's dictatorship. But the Filipino people are starting to catch on, and the groundswell of hate against Ferdinand and Imelda is growing. Soon, someone will speak out against their corruption, and they'll make sure the world is watching when they do.
49:28 Scaachi Koul? Follow Scamfluencers on the Audible app or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to all episodes of Scamfluencers ad-free by joining Audible.
49:38 Scaachi Koul? This is Imelda Marcos, the First Lady of Excess, Part One. I'm Sachi Cole.
49:43 Sarah Hagi? And I'm Sarah Haggie. If you have a tip for us on a story that you think we should cover, please email us at [email protected] . We use many sources in our research. A few that were particularly helpful were The Rise and Fall of Imelda Marcos by Carmen Navarro Pedrosa, Waltzing with a Dictator: The Marcoses and the Making of American Policy by Raymond Bonner, and Laura Greenfield's documentary, The Kingmaker.
50:09 Scaachi Koul? Alex Burns wrote this episode. Additional writing by us, Sachi Cole and Sarah Haggie. Olivia Bryle is our story editor. Fact checking by Gabrielle Jrolle. Sound design by James Morgan. Additional audio assistance provided by Augustine Lim. Our music supervisor is Scott Velazquez for Frieze on Sync. Our managing producer is Desi Blaylock. Our senior managing producer is Callum Pluse. Janine Cornellow and Stephanie Jens are our development producers. Our associate producer is Charlotte Miller. Our producer is Julie McGruder. Our senior producers are Sarah Enni and Ginny Bloom. Our executive producers are Jenny Lauer Beckman, Marshall Louie, and Erin O'Flaherty. For Wondery.
50:53 Speaker 14 Hey, I'm Cassie DePecce, the host of Against the Odds from Audible Originals. In each episode, we share thrilling true stories of survival, putting you in the shoes of the people who lived to tell the tale. In our latest series, we track the story of Hugh Glass, the real-life revenant that inspired the 2015 film starring Leonardo DiCaprio. In 1823, Glass was brutally mauled by a grizzly bear in present-day South Dakota and left for dead. His survival depended on trekking through 350 miles of wilderness alone with grave injuries. But he was driven by his thirst for revenge. Follow Against the Odds wherever you get your podcasts. Audible subscribers can binge all episodes of Against the Odds early and ad-free right now. Join Audible in the Audible app or by subscribing on Apple Podcasts.
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