Apple Cider Vinegar" And 19 Other Scam Stories You Must Watch And Listen To

 

Apple Cider Vinegar is a riveting Netflix series inspired by the real story of Belle Gibson, an Australian wellness influencer who was accused of fraud — including faking cancer.

BEN KING / Netflix / Courtesy Of Netflix

Starring Kaitlyn Dever, Alycia Debnam-Carey, and Aisha Dee, the show is both funny and heartbreaking — made all the more so by the fact it's based on a true story. 

If, like me, you just can't get enough of scam stories (particularly those involving wellness grifters), here are some shows and podcasts to check out once you've finished binging the six episodes of Apple Cider Vinegar...

TV Shows:

1. Inventing Anna

Aaron Epstein / AARON EPSTEIN/NETFLIX

Like Apple Cider Vinegar, Inventing Anna is a Netflix series inspired by the true story of a young woman with a striking accent who turns out to be a scammer. This time it's Julia Garner who stars as Anna Delvey, a con artist who makes her way through the New York party scene before being exposed by journalist Vivian Kent, played by Anna Chlumsky and inspired by real-life reporter Jessica Pressler.

The Dropout

Hulu

Rounding out the inadvertent trilogy of true crime series focused on young white lady scammers with particular voices is The Dropout. It stars Amanda Seyfried in an incredible performance as Elizabeth Holmes, founder of Theranos, who was charged with fraud after her company's "revolutionary" blood test turned out to be fake. The ABC News podcast the show is based on is also well worth a listen

The Act

Hulu

The Act stars Patricia Arquette and Joey King and is less about a scam itself and more about the horrific consequences of a health fraud. It's a fictionalized adaptation of the true story of Gypsy Rose Blanchard and her mother Dee Dee, who was murdered by Gypsy's boyfriend at the time, Nicholas Godejohn, after Gypsy accused Dee Dee of medical abuse.

 Dirty John

Bravo

Based on the podcast of the same name, the first season of Dirty John is a fictional version of the story of John Meehan, a conman whose grift begins to unravel after he marries businesswoman Debra Newell. The series has a great cast including Julia Garner, Eric Bana, and Connie Britton

Dopesick

Hulu

Before Apple Cider Vinegar, Kaitlyn Dever gave another amazing performance in a different kind of fraud story in Dopesick. Based on the nonfiction book Dopesick: Dealers, Doctors, and the Drug Company that Addicted America by Beth Macy, the show focuses on the opioid epidemic and the fraud case against OxyContin manufacturer Purdue Pharma

 Dr. Death

Peacock

Dr. Death is an anthology series, with each season focusing on a different medical horror story, just like the podcast it's based on. Season 1 stars Joshua Jackson as Christopher Duntsch, a neurosurgeon who was convicted of maiming patients — two of his patients died, while others were permanently injured. Season 2 stars Édgar Ramírez as Paolo Macchiarini, a surgeon and researcher who was convicted after unethically experimenting on his patients. It's harrowing viewing.

Scamanda

Hulu

Like Belle Gibson, Amanda Reilly was a young mother who faked having cancer, built a large internet following, and convinced people to give her a lot of money. The docuseries is a wild ride that was already a hit podcast and remains a compelling watch. 

Sweet Bobby: My Catfish Nightmare

Courtesy of Netflix

Sweet Bobby and the podcast it's based on both give the firsthand account of Kirat, a woman who for several years believed she was dating a man named Bobby — only to discover she was being catfished the whole time. The twists in the tale make for serious WTF moments. 

Bad Vegan: Fame. Fraud. Fugitives.

Courtesy of Netflix

This docuseries tells the wild story of Sarma Melngailis, a Manhattan restauranteur who married a conman and wound up funneling millions of dollars from her raw vegan restaurant to him on the promise that he would make her dog immortal. Sarma herself is interviewed in the series, along with friends, family, and business associates.

Love Has Won: The Cult of the Mother God

HBO

Love Has Won was a cult led by Amy Carlson, who told followers she was a god — Mother God, to be precise. She claimed she could heal people's cancer, amongst other things. This three-episode documentary is hard to look away from, unraveling the unhinged tale through interviews with Amy's followers and family members.