Listen Now: Lawless Planet

Summary

Podcast Summary: Legacy – "Lawless Planet"

Release Date: July 28, 2025
Host: Zach Goldbaum
Produced by: Wondery

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Introduction

In the episode titled "Lawless Planet," host Zach Goldbaum delves deep into the murky intersections of environmental crises and criminal activities that exacerbate the climate emergency. Positioned as a hard-hitting investigative narrative, the episode seeks to uncover the hidden crimes threatening our planet, from corporate malfeasance to grassroots activism.

The Disappearance of LJ Price Jr.

The episode opens with a gripping account of Amy Price's desperation over her husband, Larry "LJ" Price Jr.'s sudden disappearance. Set in the coal-mining town of Bluefield, Virginia, the narrative paints a vivid picture of the community entwined with the coal industry's complexities.

• Amy Price's Concern:
  At [01:01], Amy Price reveals her anxiety:

  "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."

• LJ Price Jr.'s Profile:
  LJ is portrayed as a prominent figure in the coal mining sector, with personal nuances that hint at underlying tensions:

  "LJ 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." ([01:45])

• Suspicious Circumstances:
  Moments before his disappearance, LJ expressed foreboding sentiments to 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." ([01:35])

The Investigation Unfolds

As Amy grapples with her husband's disappearance, law enforcement intensifies their search, revealing cracks within the coal mining operations.

• Search Efforts:
  Police deploy helicopters and canines in a thorough search, highlighting the seriousness of LJ's disappearance.

• Reappearance and New Mysteries:
  Approximately 24 hours after LJ vanishes, he's spotted alive 20 miles away, igniting a slew of questions about his predicament and the surrounding environment.

Unveiling Environmental Crimes

The narrative swiftly transitions from personal drama to a broader exposé of environmental degradation linked to criminal activities.

• Community Devastation:
  Amy Price voices the palpable fear and destruction within her town:

  "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." ([03:48])

• Environmental Catastrophes:
  Grievances mount as the community confronts preventable disasters:

  "You destroyed our town. We call things accidents... There is no accident." ([04:04])

• Host's Reflection:
  Zach Goldbaum shares his personal encounters with environmental activism and the harsh realities faced by activists:

  "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." ([04:13])

The Broader Climate Crisis

"Lawless Planet" contextualizes LJ's story within the larger framework of the climate crisis, emphasizing the role of criminal enterprises in exacerbating environmental harm.

• Critical Commentary:
  The host underscores the urgency of addressing these intertwined issues:

  "The crime of the century is the one being waged on our planet. And the time to listen is now." ([05:02])

• Global Perspectives:
  From illegal gold mining in the Amazon to corruption in the coal industry across multiple states, the episode illustrates a pervasive pattern of exploitation and environmental neglect.

Notable Quotes

• Amy Price on Her Husband's Disappearance:

  "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])

• Community's Plea:

  "From coast to coast, people are fleeing flames, wind and water. We need help out of here." ([03:48])

• Host's Realization:

  "The true crimes fueling the climate crisis." ([04:12])

Conclusion and Takeaways

"Lawless Planet" serves as a compelling exposé on how criminal activities intertwine with environmental degradation, posing a significant threat to our planet's future. Through the poignant story of LJ Price Jr. and the broader investigation into the coal industry's dark dealings, Zach Goldbaum illuminates the urgent need for accountability and systemic change. The episode not only sheds light on individual struggles but also calls listeners to recognize and combat the larger forces driving the climate crisis.

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Listen to "Lawless Planet" on the Wondery app or your preferred podcast platform to uncover more about the intricate battles shaping our world's future.

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.