Introducing: Kingdom Of Fraud

May 5, 20262 min

Summary

In this introductory episode of Kingdom of Fraud, investigative reporter Michele McPhee unveils an improbable and high-stakes criminal alliance between a devout polygamist from a secluded Utah sect and a shadowy Armenian tycoon from Los Angeles. This partnership spiraled into a billion-dollar tax fraud conspiracy, triggering the most extensive tax investigation in American history. Listeners will follow the complex trail of this operation, which involved transnational money laundering, corrupt law enforcement, and deep political ties. The narrative is anchored by Jacob Kingston’s desperate pursuit of status within The Order, a powerful polygamist organization based in Salt Lake City. Through expert storytelling and investigative depth, the series explores how these two men constructed a dangerous web of deceit, ultimately exposing the inner workings of a massive financial crime that reached from the heart of Utah to international borders.

Updated May 18, 2026

About This Episode

It’s the most unlikely of criminal partnerships: A devout polygamist from an insular Utah sect joining forces with a shadowy Armenian tycoon from LA. The result– a billion dollar fraud conspiracy.
In the Kingdom of Fraud podcast, investigative reporter Michele McPhee traces the story of Jacob Kingston’s extraordinary relationship with Levon Termendzhyan. Together, the two men trigger the largest tax investigation in American history and weave around themselves a web of dirty cops, influential political relationships and transnational money laundering.
All set against the backdrop of Jacob Kingston’s family – The Order. A wealthy and powerful polygamist organization in Salt Lake City. To whom Jacob is desperate to prove his worth.

Kingdom of Fraud is produced by Novel for iHeartPodcasts. For more from Novel, visit https://novel.audio/.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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More Episodes

1: Jacob's Ladder

May 12, 202644 min

Summary

In the premiere episode of Kingdom of Fraud, investigative reporter Michele McPhee journeys to Salt Lake City to unravel the complex origins of Jacob Kingston. Raised as one of over a hundred children within an insular polygamist sect known as The Order, Jacob spent his early years driven by a desperate need to prove his worth to his family. This ambition led him to launch a high-stakes business venture that eventually spiraled into a world of illicit activity. Listeners will follow McPhee as she reconstructs Jacob’s formative years, examining the psychological and social factors that paved the way for his fateful encounter with a powerful Armenian oil tycoon known as The Lion. This episode sets the stage for a gripping exploration of how a life rooted in religious seclusion transformed into a massive criminal operation with global consequences.

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