My Favorite Murder with Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark
Hosted by Georgia Hardstark and Karen Kilgariff
Written by a model from the transcript; not yet reviewed.
In this themed episode of My Favorite Murder, Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark explore infamous historical swindles and scams to celebrate the release of their network's new series, Royal Swindle. Georgia breaks down the massive Roslyn School District embezzlement scandal in Long Island, where superintendent Frank Tassone and assistant superintendent Pam Gluckin stole millions from public funds to fuel their lavish lifestyles. Later, Karen tells the incredible story of Elizabeth Bigley, known as Cassie Chadwick, a prolific turn-of-the-century con artist who convinced elite bankers and investors that she was the illegitimate daughter of steel magnate Andrew Carnegie. The hosts analyze the psychology of charismatic fraudsters, the systemic failures that allow white-collar crimes to go unnoticed for years, and the bizarre personal details of how these elaborate cons eventually collapsed.
Karen and Georgia kick off the episode with a lighthearted banter about their manicures and personal quirks.
The hosts preview their upcoming true‑crime segment, hinting at a scandal involving a school district embezzlement.
The hosts outline the background of the Roslyn embezzlement case, including key figures and initial allegations.
Details emerge about the financial misconduct, the roles of Pam Gluckin and Frank Tassone, and the discovery of hidden funds.
The episode covers the legal consequences for those involved, the prison sentences, and the long‑term impact on the district.
The hosts discuss how the scandal affected public perception of school funding, the Roslyn effect, and lessons learned.
Elizabeth disguises herself as a man to pawn stolen goods and evade police, revealing her early con‑artist tactics.
She fabricates an inheritance card and a forged promissory note to swindle a clerk, illustrating her growing confidence.
Elizabeth’s repeated scams lead to arrest, a sympathetic trial, and eventual release, setting the stage for larger schemes.
She marries a doctor, becomes a fortune teller, and uses fabricated claims to attract clients while hiding her past.
Her schemes collapse, leading to a high‑profile trial, Carnegie’s intervention, and a 10‑year sentence.
Roslyn School District Embezzlementstory
Georgia introduces the infamous 2002 school district scandal in Roslyn, New York, which eventually became the largest school embezzlement case in American history.
Covering Up the Theftstrategy
After discovering that Pam Gluckin stole $250,000, superintendent Frank Tassone convinces the school board to avoid involving the police to protect the district's reputation.
The Student Newspaper Exposestory
A high school senior and editor of the school paper publishes an explosive article detailing the financial corruption after receiving a copy of the anonymous tip letter.
A Multi-Million Dollar Schemedata
Investigators ultimately discover that Frank Tassone and Pam Gluckin stole a staggering $11.2 million from the New York school district.
The Tale of Cassie Chadwickstory
Karen begins the story of Elizabeth Bigley, a turn-of-the-century con artist who successfully posed as the illegitimate daughter of industrialist Andrew Carnegie.
Forging the Carnegie Inheritanceinsight
Cassie Chadwick tricks a lawyer by showing him fake promissory notes and bonds signed by Andrew Carnegie worth millions of dollars.
The Downfall of Cassie Chadwickstory
Andrew Carnegie attends the trial and inspects the forged promissory notes, pointing out amateur typos that exposed the massive fraud.
“In February of 2004, an anonymous letter is sent to the members of the school board, some school administrators, the district attorney, and several local newspapers.”
“The board takes Frank up on this idea, and Pam plays ball, and she goes quietly.”
“In all, six people, including a son and a niece of Pam Gluckin, and the domestic partner of Frank Tison, plead guilty in connection with the thefts from the Roslyn schools.”
“Frank will later say that he and Steven, his partner who lives at his Manhattan house, had an open relationship.”
“Elizabeth will do anything she can to get what she wants.”
“She asks to have all of her hair cut off and then to have a fake mustache made of that hair.”
“She tells people she's an Irish heiress, which, that's a contradiction in terms, right there.”
This week’s episode is scam-themed in honor of our newest podcast, Royal Swindle. Georgia covers the Roslyn School Embezzlement Scandal and Karen tells the story of Elizabeth Bigley, the scamming “Queen of Ohio.” For our sources, please visit https://www.myfavoritemurder.com/episodes. Support this podcast by shopping our latest sponsor deals and promotions at this link: https://bit.ly/3UFCn1g. Head to social media to share your favorite moments from this episode. Instagram: instagram.com/myfavoritemurder http://instagram.com/myfavoritemurder Facebook: facebook.com/myfavoritemurder http://facebook.com/myfavoritemurder TikTok: tiktok.com/@my_favorite_murder http://tiktok.com/@my_favorite_murder Send your hometown stories to [email protected] mailto:[email protected]. Join the Fan Cult to access ad-free episodes of My Favorite Murder. Members also receive merch store discounts, exclusive audio and video content and more! Visit www.fancult.supercast.com http://www.fancult.supercast.com/ to join. Shop for My Favorite Murder and other Exactly Right merchandise here: www.exactlyrightstore.com http://www.exactlyrightstore.com/. Rate, review and follow My Favorite Murder on the iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you like to listen. See omnystudio.com/listener https://omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
14,248 words · 8 speakers
Speaker names marked are inferred from speaking time and the show’s known hosts — they are not voice-verified.
Page updated · transcript and summary are machine-generated