Episode 6

full
Published on:

9th May 2025

"The Wrap Sheet: From Salamanders to Shrapnel"

"The Wrap Sheet: From Salamanders to Shrapnel"

📝 Episode Summary:

In this episode of The Wrap Sheet, we dig into the wildly twisted tale of Mark Hofmann—a man who turned forgery into fine art, conned the Mormon Church with mythical salamanders, and tried to cover his tracks with actual bombs. Hofmann wasn’t just a liar with a laminator—he was a fraud so convincing, even historians and FBI agents fell for his signature sleight-of-hand.

Join us for a 30-minute rollercoaster through forged faith, document deception, and some very real explosions. We’ll unpack how Hofmann fooled everyone from collectors to church leaders, and how his lies literally blew up in his face (and his car).

🔍 What You’ll Learn (and Gasp At):

  • How Hofmann forged his way into Mormon history
  • The bizarre origin of the “Salamander Letter”
  • Why a couple of pipe bombs made everything way worse
  • What the police found that unraveled it all
  • The absurdity of his parole denials (spoiler: chainsaws and clown suits may be involved)

đź’Ł Warning:

This episode contains dry sarcasm, explosive content (literally), and a guy with the moral compass of a broken Magic 8-Ball.

đź”” Call to Action:

Love what you heard? Subscribe, leave a 5-star review, and tell your true crime–loving friends to tune in. I need to start making some money on this thing or else I might have to go back to being a stripper, and that was weird for everyone.

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About the Podcast

Heists, Hustles, and Homicide
True Crime Stories
Welcome to Heists, Hustles, and Homicide — the true crime podcast where brains, betrayal, and blood all share the same spotlight.
I'm Big Steve your host, and each week, I’ll take you into the minds of the boldest criminals, the slickest con artists, and the darkest murderers history has to offer.
Some of these stories you’ve heard whispers of.
Some have been buried.
And some? They were never supposed to be uncovered at all.
We’ll crack open legendary heists that rewrote the rules…
We’ll follow the hustlers who schemed their way into the high life…
And we’ll revisit chilling homicides that still haunt investigators — and victims’ families — decades later.
But this isn’t just about crime.
It’s about people.
What drives someone to pull off the perfect con — or the perfect murder?
Is it desperation? Greed? Ego? Revenge?
Each episode, we’ll unravel one real-life case — beginning to end.
Some episodes will play out like thrillers.
Others will feel like puzzles missing a single, crucial piece.
And in every one, we’ll ask the same question:
How far would you go?
So whether you're into high-stakes break-ins, twisted lies, or unsolved crimes that keep you up at night — welcome.
You’ve found your new obsession.
This is Heists, Hustles, and Homicide.
Make sure to follow the show, and buckle up — episode one drops next week”.
Trust me, you won’t want to miss it.
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Steven Waite