Listen Now: Lawless Planet

Summary

Lawless Planet – Episode Summary: "Listen Now: Lawless Planet"

Release Date: July 28, 2025

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Introduction

In the gripping premiere episode of "Lawless Planet," hosted by Zach Goldbaum and produced by Wondery, listeners are thrust into the tumultuous intersection of environmental crises and criminal activities. This episode sets the stage for a deep dive into how illicit actions are exacerbating the climate crisis, weaving personal narratives with investigative journalism to uncover the hidden threats to our planet.

The Disappearance of Larry "LJ" Price Jr. [01:01 - 04:09]

The episode opens with a real-life mystery that serves as a microcosm for the larger environmental issues discussed throughout the series.

Amy Price's Plea [01:01 - 01:11]: Amy Price reaches out in distress, saying, "I'm trying to figure out my husband. He's been missing for a while. I see him, I can't figure out where he is." (01:01)

Background of LJ Price [01:11 - 02:30]: Larry Price Jr., known as LJ, is portrayed as a significant figure in the Appalachian coal mining industry, with ventures spanning from Virginia to Montana. Amy shares concerns about LJ's recent depression and ominous statements, such as, "If something happens to me, be thankful for the years we've had together. Also, liquidate all the stuff and stay in one location." (01:35)

The Search and Revelation [02:30 - 04:09]: Police efforts intensify as LJ disappears, leading to widespread concern. A pivotal moment occurs when LJ is found nearly 24 hours later, alive but clearly troubled. This event triggers a cascade of events that expose deep-seated corruption within one of the country's largest coal mines.

Environmental Crimes and Corporate Corruption [04:12 - 05:13]

Zach Goldbaum expands the narrative beyond LJ's personal story to highlight systemic issues impacting the environment.

Amy Price's Desperation [03:48 - 04:04]: Amy expresses the dire situation faced by her community: "From coast to coast, people are fleeing flames, wind, and water. We need help out of here. We are stuck." (03:48) Her concerns about safety and environmental degradation are palpable as she questions, "Are we really safe? Is our water safe?" (04:02)

Corporate Malfeasance [04:04 - 04:12]: The narrator confronts the culprits responsible for environmental destruction: "You destroyed our town. We call things accidents." (04:04) Amy insists, "There is no accident." (04:07), underscoring the intentional harm caused by corporate entities.

Zach's Personal Encounter [04:12 - 05:13]: Zach shares a harrowing experience witnessing the aftermath of environmental neglect: "I could tell I was floating in oil, and I remember looking under the rig and seeing the water on fire. And I thought, what have you done?" (04:12). He connects these incidents to a broader pattern of environmental crimes, from activists facing violence to illegal mining operations threatening ecosystems.

Broader Implications and Call to Action [05:13 - End]

Zach Goldbaum emphasizes the urgency of addressing these environmental crimes, framing them as the "crime of the century" that jeopardizes the planet's future.

Zach's Reflection [05:02 - 05:13]: “The crime of the century is the one being waged on our planet. And the time to listen is now.” (05:02) He advocates for storytelling that highlights both the protective and destructive actions impacting Earth, urging listeners to recognize and combat the forces endangering the environment.

Notable Quotes

• Amy Price: "Are we really safe? Is our water safe?" (04:02)
• Narrator: "You destroyed our town. We call things accidents." (04:04)
• Amy Price: "There is no accident." (04:07)
• Zach Goldbaum: "I could tell I was floating in oil, and I remember looking under the rig and seeing the water on fire. And I thought, what have you done?" (04:13)
• Zach Goldbaum: “The crime of the century is the one being waged on our planet. And the time to listen is now.” (05:02)

Conclusion

The inaugural episode of "Lawless Planet" masterfully intertwines personal tragedy with systemic environmental injustices, setting a compelling tone for the series. By spotlighting individual stories like that of LJ Price and broader criminal activities affecting the environment, Zach Goldbaum invites listeners to engage with the urgent and often hidden battles shaping our planet's future. This episode not only informs but also calls to action, emphasizing the critical need for awareness and intervention in the face of escalating environmental crimes.

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Follow "Lawless Planet" on the Wondery App or your preferred podcast platform to stay informed about the ongoing struggles and stories that are shaping our planet's destiny.

Transcript

[Zach Goldbaum]

What if I told you the biggest crime story of our time is happening right under our noses and we're all witnesses. Introducing Lawless Planet, the new podcast from Wondering that exposes the dark underbelly of the climate crisis. From the Amazon rainforest to small town America, host Zach Goldbaum uncovers shocking tales of murder, corporate cover ups and greed. You'll hear about the brave activists risking their lives for their beliefs, the corrupt tycoons destroying ecosystems for profit, and the ordinary people caught in the crossfire. This isn't some distant threat. It's happening right now. And each episode drops you into a battle for our planet's future. There are mysterious deaths, daring heists, and billion dollar scams, all with the fate of our world hanging in the balance. This is Lawless Planet. You're about to hear a clip from Lawless Planet. Follow Lawless Planet on the Wondry app or wherever you get your podcast.

[Amy Price]

9:1, 1 Where's your emergency? Yeah, I was just calling. I'm trying to figure out my husband. He's been missing for a while. I see him, I can't figure out where he is.

[Narrator]

It's just before 2am on April 18, 2018. Amy Price is in her home in Bluefield, Virginia, an Appalachian coal mining town on the border of West Virginia. Amy last spoke to her husband around 8pm he said there were a few things he needed to take care of at a coal mine he does business with. But Amy hasn't heard from him since and now she's scared.

[Amy Price]

But he's been kind of depressed lately and I know there's a lot of things going on with him. I'm just real concerned. Okay, what's his Name?

[Narrator]

Larry Price Jr. Larry Price Jr. Or LJ as he's known to friends, is 38 years old, 5' 10, muscular build, with a tattoo of a panther on his bicep and another of Jesus with the cross on his chest. LJ has spent his life in coal mines and he's risen to become a bit of a power player in the industry involved in mines from Virginia all the way to Montana. But lately, Amy could tell things at work were not going well. A week earlier, LJ told Amy, if something happens to me, be thankful for the years we've had together. Also, liquidate all the stuff and stay in one location. On this night in Virginia, police officers, helicopters and canines fan out across the county looking for LJ Detectives contact the last person who Amy believes has seen him. It's his pastor who tells police that he and LJ had prayed together over a business decision. Amy Price doesn't sleep that night. And as the sun begins to rise the following day, she starts to fear the worst. Then, nearly 24 hours after LJ went missing, another call comes in to 911, this time from a driver who spotted a man walking along the side of the road about 20 miles away from Amy's home. The man is wearing boots, jeans, and a flannel jacket. And beneath the neckline of a blue T shirt is a tattoo of Jesus with the cross. LJ Price is alive, but his troubles are just beginning. LJ's sudden disappearance and reappearance will set off a chain of events that will expose not only LJ Price, but the dirty underbelly of one of the country's largest coal mines. From Wondry, I'm Zach Goldbaum, and this is Lawless Planet.

[Amy Price]

From coast to coast, people are fleeing flames, wind and water. We need help out of here. We are stuck. We have caught on firearms.

[Zach Goldbaum]

Nature is telling us. I can't take this anymore.

[Amy Price]

Are we really safe? Is our water safe?

[Narrator]

You destroyed our town. We call things accidents.

[Amy Price]

There is no accident.

[Narrator]

This was 100% preventable.

[Zach Goldbaum]

I could tell I was floating in.

[Narrator]

Oil, and I remember looking under the rig and seeing the water on fire. And I thought, what have you done? Over the years, I've reported on environmental activists chaining themselves to pipelines in the swamps of Louisiana, butterfly conservationists in Mexico who were killed for standing up to cartels. I've met Brazilian street gangs doing illegal gold mining in the Amazon. And I've come to realize that these are the stories about our changing planet, that we need to tell stories about people and the things we're doing to either protect the earth or destroy it. In other words, the true crimes fueling the climate crisis.

[Zach Goldbaum]

The crime of the century is the one being waged on our planet. And the time to listen is now. You can listen to new episodes of Lawless Planet early and ad free right now by joining Wondery. Start your free trial in the Wondery app, Apple podcasts, or Spotify.