Uncover

Introducing | Valley of Shadows: The Devil’s Punchbowl

Valley of Shadows from Pushkin is a new true crime podcast that digs into a nearly 30-year old secret buried in the California desert. On June 11, 1998, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Deputy Jon Aujay set out for a run in California’s Devil’s Punchbowl park — and never came back. Aujay has yet to be found. The Sheriff’s Department rules Aujay’s disappearance a suicide, but friends, family, and fellow deputies insist the story doesn’t add up. Instead, they believe Aujay may have stumbled into the Mojave Desert’s criminal underworld — where outlaw biker gangs crank out methamphetamine and local cops operate on both sides of the law. Through exclusive interviews, revealing wiretaps, and buried police files, journalists Hayley Fox and Betsy Shepherd explore one of Southern California’s most mysterious missing person cases. In Valley of Shadows, they ask: What is the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department hiding? Find Valley of Shadows wherever you get podcasts. [lnk.to/VOSUncover]

S35 E1: It Started in Vancouver | Allison after NXIVM

Former Smallville star Allison Mack is headed to court to be sentenced for her role in NXIVM, the sex cult that lured successful women with promises of personal growth—only to enslave, blackmail, and brand them. When the judge hands down his sentence—three years in federal prison—Allison must begin to unravel the beliefs she once evangelized, parsing what was true and what was manipulation. Journalist Natalie Robehmed sits down with her to explore how she got here: from child actor to TV star to a pivotal moment in Albany that changed everything. To hear all episodes now, early and ad-free, subscribe to CBC True Crime Premium on Apple Podcasts [https://apple.co/cbctruecrime]. Or, find episodes early via CBC True Crime on YouTube [https://youtube.com/@cbctruecrime].

S35 E2: Little Dictator | Allison after NXIVM

After Smallville ends, Allison Mack leaves behind her life in Brooklyn to move full-time to Albany, where she immerses herself in Keith Raniere’s teachings. But when a fellow NXIVM member urges her to consult Keith about her deepest insecurities, boundaries in their relationship begin to blur. Soon, Allison is invited to join a secretive women’s group within NXIVM—one that promises empowerment but demands submission.

S35 E3: The Assignment | Allison after NXIVM

Allison Mack gives a disturbing order to her first slave—and in doing so, crosses a new line. As her devotion to Keith deepens, her daily life begins to mirror his control: 500 calories a day, cold showers, obsessive self-surveillance. But it’s not just her own body she polices—it’s others’ too. As DOS grows, and brandings multiply, concerned family members start stepping in, and rumours spread. Hear episodes early by finding them on our YouTube channel [https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLuMdLmjdG8dcaZM_sTC-HrbLQyT09sQIu] or by subscribing to CBC True Crime Premium [https://apple.co/cbctruecrime] on Apple Podcasts where episodes are also ad-free.

S35 E4: Helter Skelter | Allison after NXIVM

Lauren Salzman, daughter of NXIVM’s co-founder, speaks for the first time about her two-decade journey in the group—including her indoctrination, her relationship with Keith Raniere, and the moment she realized things had gone too far. Meanwhile, as federal scrutiny intensifies, Allison Mack gives a high-stakes interview defending DOS, and Keith flees to Mexico. Inside a beachside villa, a shocking plan is set in motion, and Lauren is forced to confront her loyalty in a moment of chaos. The walls are closing in, and NXIVM’s inner circle is about to fracture. Hear episodes early by finding them on our YouTube channel [https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLuMdLmjdG8dcaZM_sTC-HrbLQyT09sQIu] or by subscribing to CBC True Crime Premium [https://apple.co/cbctruecrime] on Apple Podcasts where episodes are also ad-free.