Wondery Launches “Lawless Planet” – True Crime Podcast Exposes Global Environmental Corruption

Environmental crime isn’t just happening in the shadows—it’s shaping our future. With its new podcast Lawless Planet, Wondery steps straight into this dangerous world, offering a gripping, cinematic look at the battles being fought over our planet’s most precious resources.

Lawless Planet podcast cover featuring a globe surrounded by crime scene tape – Wondery’s new environmental crime series hosted by Zach Goldbaum

Launching July 28, the weekly series is hosted by Zach Goldbaum, an Emmy-winning journalist known for his fearless reporting from some of the world’s most volatile regions. But this time, he’s taking listeners somewhere even more complex: the hidden intersections of ecology, corruption, and global crime.

Forget dry statistics or policy debates—Lawless Planet unpacks real stories of illegal deforestation, corporate cover-ups, underground trade, and eco-warfare, told through the voices of the people living it.

Table of Contents

🔍 Inside the World of Environmental Crime: What “Lawless Planet” Reveals

Environmental crime is a trillion-dollar global enterprise—and still, one of the least prosecuted. Wondery’s Lawless Planet digs deep into these underreported stories, exposing the secret networks of organized crime, corporate corruption, and international conflict that fuel the destruction of ecosystems around the globe.

What Listeners Can Expect:

Illegal deforestation operations tearing apart the Amazon
Corporate conspiracies masking toxic pollution
Eco-activists vs. tycoons in high-stakes conflicts
Spy games involving private security and intelligence operatives
True stories of whistleblowers, journalists, and local communities risking their lives

Each story is carefully pieced together using first-hand interviews, field recordings, and narrative-driven investigations—a hallmark of Wondery’s immersive podcasting style.

🎙️ Meet the Host: Zach Goldbaum – Award-Winning Journalist & Global Storyteller

Zach Goldbaum brings a hard-hitting, emotionally intelligent approach to hosting Lawless Planet. A journalist whose work has appeared in The New York Times, VICE, and Viceland, Goldbaum is no stranger to dangerous assignments and moral complexity.

Career Highlights:

🏆 Emmy Award Winner for documentaries like Meet the World’s Most Honorable Bank Robbers and Heartache in the Hot Zone (co-produced with Nicholas Kristof)
🎤 Host of Noisey on Viceland, interviewing cultural icons like Kendrick Lamar
📘 Investigated social issues from Islamophobia in Paris to police violence in São Paulo
🕶️ Broke a viral story on Detroit’s underground economy tied to Cartier sunglasses for the Detroit Metro Times

Goldbaum’s narrative voice—sharp, empathetic, and relentlessly curious—guides listeners through a dangerous global maze of lies, deals, and ecological damage.

🌐 Beyond Headlines: Why Environmental Crime Needs a Spotlight

Environmental crime rarely dominates mainstream media. Yet the impact is enormous.

According to Interpol and the UN, illegal environmental activity generates over $250 billion per year, often involving transnational organized crime groups. These crimes include:

Illegal logging
Wildlife trafficking
Toxic waste dumping
Overfishing
Mining without permits

Despite the staggering damage, law enforcement often lacks the resources or jurisdiction to prosecute, making this one of the most under-policed sectors in the world.

Why This Podcast Matters:

“We want to tell these stories like thrillers—not lectures—because that’s what they are,” says a Wondery producer. “This is crime at its most global, most devastating, and most invisible.”

🎧 Wondery’s Signature Style: Immersive, Investigative, and Cinematic

Wondery has built a name with hits like Dr. Death, The Shrink Next Door, and Against the Odds. Lawless Planet fits squarely into that tradition but pushes the genre into new, eco-journalistic territory.

Key Production Features:

🌍 On-location sound design capturing real-world textures
🗣️ Multi-source interviews with victims, whistleblowers, and officials
🎞️ Narrative tension rivaling blockbuster thrillers
🕵️‍♀️ Investigative research rooted in journalism ethics

Whether it’s tracking deforesters in Brazil or uncovering water theft in California, Wondery’s team crafts a vivid audio landscape that keeps listeners on the edge of their seats.

🛑 The Human Cost: Whistleblowers, Activists, and the Fight for Earth’s Future

One of the most chilling realities of environmental crime is the threat to those who resist it. According to Global Witness, over 200 environmental defenders were killed in 2024 alone—often in countries where corruption and corporate collusion run deep.

Highlighted in Lawless Planet:

Indigenous leaders facing violence and displacement
Government whistleblowers risking prosecution
Undercover journalists going dark to avoid retaliation
Everyday citizens documenting crimes with smartphones

These are not just stories of crisis—they are stories of courage, sacrifice, and defiance.

🌱 Storylines to Watch: Teased Topics from Season One

Wondery has remained tight-lipped about full episode titles, but here’s what early teasers hint at:

“The River That Disappeared” – Tracking stolen water rights in a drought-stricken U.S. state
“Palm Oil Wars” – How agribusiness moguls used private militias in Southeast Asia
“Logging Cartels of the Amazon” – The mafia-style operations behind the destruction of rainforest reserves
“Toxic Diplomacy” – How a multinational buried an oil spill scandal with political favors
“Blood Gold” – Inside Africa’s illegal mining trade tied to militant groups

📱 When & Where to Listen

Launch Date:
🗓️ July 28, 2025

Frequency:
🎙️ New episodes every week

Platforms:

Wondery+
Apple Podcasts
Spotify
Amazon Music
Pocket Casts

🧠 Final Thoughts: Crime, Climate, and the Power of Storytelling

As the climate crisis accelerates, Lawless Planet reminds us that the battle is not just against emissions—but against criminal empires, political betrayal, and global systems of exploitation.

With investigative rigor and a cinematic flair, Wondery’s new podcast offers an unflinching look at the darkest corners of the environmental fight—and the heroes who dare to challenge it.

Whether you’re a climate activist, a true crime fan, or just a curious listener, Lawless Planet is set to become one of the most talked-about series of the year.