In 1988, the FBI raided Omaha’s Franklin Community Federal Credit Union. Thirty-eight million dollars was missing, and its politically connected manager, Lawrence E. “Larry” King Jr., was indicted on 40 counts.

That was just the beginning of the story.

A financial fraud case gave way to allegations of child abuse, trafficking, political protection, and ritual violence. The names of missing children became entangled with testimony from troubled witnesses. Institutions failed vulnerable kids. Records disappeared. Investigations reached radically different conclusions.

The Franklin scandal became part criminal history and part cultural mythology. Its core narratives mutated and went viral in the 21st century through Pizzagate and QAnon.

Nearly four decades later, what is actually known about the allegations that rocked Nebraska in the late ‘80s?

In the limited podcast series Raising Hell, hosts Jack LaRoche and Julian Feeld unravel the story by reexamining the original reporting, government records, court proceedings, and witness accounts. Featuring original interviews with people directly involved and affected by the controversies, Jack guides listeners through one of the darkest and deepest rabbit holes of the American midwest.

Some crimes were proven. Some allegations were dismissed.

Some questions never went away.

The first two episodes are available now. New episodes released weekly.