Podcast Summary: Behind the Bastards

Episode: Part Two: The Naturopathic Doctor Who Bombed a Plane

Date: April 30, 2026
Host: Cool Zone Media & iHeartPodcasts
Guest: Brandy Posey

Episode Overview

This episode continues the true-crime saga of Robert Spears, a con artist whose exploits spanned decades—culminating in a twisted turn from petty scams and fake medicine to orchestrated mass murder for insurance money. The hosts, joined by comedian Brandy Posey, follow Spears' evolution from small-time grifter to notorious naturopath and, allegedly, a plane bomber. The story blends dark humor, social commentary, and deep dives into the quirks and cruelties of early-mid 20th century American crime.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Recap of Spears’ Scamming Methods (04:02–09:23)

• Early Cons: Spears moves from marrying and bilking women to impersonating a millionaire playboy, Oscar L. Delano, during the 1920s convention boom. He finds success exploiting the trust in fraternal and professional organizations.

• Convention Grift: Poses as Delano to gain the trust of attendees, then calls their families pretending to be in jail and in need of bail—paralleling modern AI kidnapping scams.

  • “He’s really on the ground floor, and he gets away with this for, like, two years.” (08:20, Host 2)

• Automation of Grifting: Recruits sex workers to help gather marks at conventions—a numbers game.

  • “He’s getting high off of this, right? Yeah, definitely ... the adrenaline junkiness of this guy ...” (09:23, Brandy Posey)

Increasing Ambition & Escalation (09:23–16:53)

• Fake Factory Jobs: Places ads for non-existent jobs, charges desperate applicants a steep "broker fee," and ropes in a partner to field confirmation calls—“no one could fake having a phone line.”

• Police Pursuit: His scams escalate to the point where police all-points bulletins read more like dating profiles, commenting on his looks and charm.

  • "Work harder to get this guy laid. God." (14:13, Host 2)

• First Foray into Quack Medicine: Adopts the persona “Eastern Mystic Kigab Gypterm,” dispensing fake spiritual and medical advice while on the run.

The Collaboration with Al Taylor (18:07–21:32)

• Origin of the Henchman: Forms a criminal duo with William Allen Taylor (a.k.a. Ollie Thompson)—the “Marv” to Spears’ “Harry.”
• Life on the Road: Spend nearly a decade conning the country until Taylor retires, marries, and hides his criminal past.

Transition to Naturopathy in Texas (23:35–41:41)

• From Journalist to "Doctor": Spears reinvents himself as a Methodist journalist, but quickly sees opportunity in the burgeoning world of fake medicine.

• Texas—a Grifter’s Paradise: Finds Dallas is the epicenter for “doctors” without credentials. Maneuvers Texas’ lax regulations to secure a fake naturopathic license using a forged diploma and the help of a licensure-happy psychiatrist turned quack.

  • “Dallas is the city of anyone who calls themselves a doctor ... If you call yourself a doctor, Dallas is the city for you.” (40:41, Host 2)

Spears: The Naturopathic Kingpin (45:34–52:20)

• Fast Success: In just five years, Spears is president of the Texas Naturopathic Association and makes $50k/month (in modern dollars) peddling weight loss meds, pseudoscientific medical devices, and illegal abortions.

• Medical “Innovations”: Markets the “radionics machine,” “Bee Slim” pills (possibly amphetamines), and the “electrocychrometer” (scam therapy/e-meter knockoff). Begins promoting his own Theranos-style device.

  • “This guy invented Theranos like 60 years before [Elizabeth Holmes]...” (52:20, Host 2)

• Marriage & Partnership: Marries Frances Massey, a fellow grifter, who scammed people as a fake psychiatrist. They form a power-couple within Dallas’s pseudomedical elite.

Into the Abortion Underground (52:55–58:09)

• Partnership with Donald Loomis: Teams up with notorious Hollywood abortion doctor. Together, they run a cross-country abortion ring using dangerous, often poisonous concoctions—most infamously a “violet paste.”

  • "There was no doubt that it induced abortions, but the FDA quickly announced that this preparation was the most dangerous in existence. The results were devastating. If the drug got into the bloodstream, the patient always died." (61:52, Host 2 quoting Jameson)

• Abortion Scams and Harm: While Loomis takes precautions, Spears exhibits reckless disregard for patient safety, leading to at least one patient death and police attention.

The Plane Bombing Plot (64:57–70:32)

• Unraveling: As Texas cracks down on naturopaths and after a botched, deadly abortion, Spears faces ruin.

• Insurance Murder Plot: Spears arranges for his henchman Taylor to board a plane in his place, after taking out large insurance policies. The plane explodes (suspected bombing), killing 42. Spears tries to have his wife claim the insurance money.

  • "He wanted to, like, do something for his family. And so he may have orchestrated the murder of 42 people on a plane to try and get his wife and kids the insurance money." (68:45, Host 2)

• Aftermath: Spears is eventually caught, but not for the bombing. Dies in prison after conviction on other charges.

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• On Early Convention Scams:
  • “He treats it like tag... when the cops finally get him, he’s like, oh, okay, you got me, guys.” (04:21, Host 2)
• On Job Scam Victims:
  • "People are going into debt to put this up. They're getting loans from their friends and their family... endangering their families..." (12:02, Host 2)
• On Spears’ Notoriety:
  • “Every news article about him makes a point of discussing how hot he is, which turns him into a Robin Hood figure—only without the whole giving to the poor after robbing the rich thing.” (14:20, Host 2)
• On the Chloroform Car Caper:
  • "He tied everyone up in a cornfield, searched and chloroformed them, then drove while partly gassed himself—ultimately tear-gassing the whole town, including the mayor.” (34:13–34:39, Host 2)
• On Spears’ Self-Perception:
  • "Spears doesn't consider himself a stick-up man... he thinks he's a gentleman bandit." (36:59, Host 2)
• On the Dangers of Illegal Medicine:
  • "His patients are rich suburbanites... but as he gets into abortions, the harm becomes fatal." (46:25, Host 2)
  • "A patient's death after an abortion using his violet paste brings Spears down for good." (62:51, Host 2)
• On the Plane Bombing:
  • “We don’t know who blew up the plane... but we know Robert Spears was supposed to be on it and got his friend, the patsy who worshiped him, to get on it instead.” (68:45, Host 2)
• Summing Up the Legacy:
  • “What an end. A bastard.” (70:44, Brandy Posey)

Timestamps for Crucial Segments

• 04:02: Spears' convention scam technique explained
• 08:20: Comparison of past & present con artistry (AI kidnapping scams)
• 12:02: Fake job ads and broker fee collection
• 16:53: Spears’ arrest due to his own hair (posing as a bald man)
• 23:35: Transition from grifter to journalist and budding interest in naturopathy
• 41:41: Texas as hub for fake doctors and Spears getting his fake license
• 45:34: Spears’ rise to power among American naturopaths
• 52:20: Spears invents a fake Theranos device
• 61:52: Dangers of the violet abortion paste
• 68:45: Plane bombing plot and mass murder for insurance
• 70:44: Aftermath, confession, and Spears’ ignoble end

Tone & Atmosphere

The hosts maintain a conversational, irreverent, and darkly comedic style while dissecting Spears’ absurd and horrifying life. They balance shock at his audacity with sadness at the human cost of his crimes, and repeatedly underscore the systemic issues—such as the criminalization of abortion—that provided a stage for grifters like Spears.

Final Thoughts & Social Commentary

The episode closes with reflection on the legal pressures pushing people into the hands of predators and the cyclical nature of quackery and desperation. The hosts remind listeners, with a blend of cynicism and hope, that history’s cruel lessons echo in the present.

Guest Plugs (Brandy Posey) (72:22)

• New comedy album: “Milk Job”
• Comedy record label: Burn This Records (YouTube)
• Podcast: Lady to Lady with Babs Gray & Tess Barker
• Tour: Warped Tour (Summer)
• Social: @Brandazzle

For listeners:
This episode offers a rollercoaster tour of American criminal innovation, the weaknesses of regulation, and the tragic impact of grifters operating in the shadows of need and desperation—driven by wicked ingenuity and the lethality of unchecked desperation.