
Loading summary
Vanessa Richardson
Hi there, it's Vanessa Richardson. Crime House is your go to destination for the most gripping true crime shows. On my show, Killer Minds. Join me and forensic psychologist Dr. Tristan Engels for two new episodes as we dive into the twisted story of the doctor Death serial killer Michael Swango. Craving more deep dives into the minds of the world's most dangerous killers? Follow Killer Minds on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music or wherever you listen.
Nicole Lapin
Hey there, it's Nicole Lapin. This is part two of my episode covering the Billionaire Boys Club, originally released in September of 2024. If you want to hear more stories about the dark side of finance, be sure to follow Scams, Money and Murder wherever you listen to podcasts so you don't miss an episode.
Crime House
This is Crime House.
Nicole Lapin
People in bad financial situations do crazy things. Things like being too aggressive with their investments or trying too hard to time the market just right. But in the case of Joe Hunt and the Billionaire Boys Club, they took it to a whole new level. They were in a massive financial hole and and Joe was willing to do anything to get out of it, even if it meant committing murder. As they say, money makes the world go round. What many don't talk about is the time it made people's worlds come to a screeching hole. Halt. Whether it's greed, desperation or a thirst for power, money can make even the most unassuming people do unthinkable things. And sometimes those acts can be deadly. This is Scams, Money and Murder, a Crime House original. I'm your host, Nicole Lapin. Every Thursday we'll alternate between covering infamous money motivated crimes and gripping interviews with the experts or those who directly involved themselves. Crime House exists because of you. So please rate, review and follow Scams, Money and Murder for early ad, free access and bonus content. Subscribe to Crime House plus on Apple Podcasts. This is the second and final episode on Joe Hunt and the Billionaire Boys Club, a social club investment group based in Los Angeles that conned people out of millions of dollars in the early 1980s. Two tragic instances committed murder. Last time I introduced you to Joe Hunt, the founder of the Billionaire Boys Club, I went through how the group was formed, how it targeted vulnerable investors, and how it started to fall apart. In this episode, I'll focus on the club's downfall and the increasingly desperate steps Joe Hunt and his friends took to strike it rich by any means necessary.
Unknown
Just got a new puppy or kitten.
Nicole Lapin
Congrats.
Unknown
But also yikes. Between crates, beds, toys, treats, and those first few vet visits, you've probably already dropped a small fortune, which is where Lemonade Pet Insurance comes in. It helps cover vet costs so you can focus on what's best for your new pet. The coverage is customizable, safe sign up is quick and easy, and your claims are handled in as little as three seconds. Lemonade offers a package specifically for puppies and kittens. Get a'llemonaid.com pet your future self will thank you. Your pet won't.
They don't know what insurance is we all belong outside. We're drawn to nature. Whether it's the recorded sounds of the ocean we doze off to or the succulents that adorn our homes, nature makes all of our lives, well, better. Despite all this, we often go about our busy lives removed from it, but the outdoors is closer than we realize. With alltrails, you can discover trails nearby and explore confidently with offline maps and on trail navigation. Download the free app today.
Nicole Lapin
Joe Hunt and his friends in the Billionaire Boys Club were willing to lie, cheat and steal in order to make money. And apparently Joe was even willing to kill. In the spring of 1984, Joe made it his personal mission to get revenge on Ron Levin, a notorious Beverly Hills con man. Over the past year or so, Ron had thoroughly embarrassed Joe by making him big promises and then backing out of them at the very last second. As a result, the Billionaire Boys Club was nearly bankrupt and their lavish lifestyle was at risk, and Joe was not about to let that happen. By June of 1984, Joe had concocted a plan and told his bunny, Dean Carney, all about it. Joe would go over to Ron's pretending he owed the Mafia a ton of money and he could only pay them back if Ron helped him out. To make it seem more real, the club's head of security, Jim Graham, would show up and pretend to be from the gang Joe owed money to, and threatened to hurt both of them. Joe would promise Ron that it would all be okay as long as he signed a check for $5 million. Then once he did, they'd kill him. It was a drastic step to take, and before Joe literally pulled the trigger on it, he had one more card to play. Over the past few years, Joe had managed to lure in a number of investors by making it seem like he was delivering huge returns on the commodities market. In reality, he was constantly kicking the can down the road by giving them money he had just taken from other investors in a classic Ponzi scheme. And before Joe did anything drastic, he wanted to see if it would work again. At the End of May, Joe wrote a letter to his investors saying things were going so well, he was running out of bandwidth to take on any more investments. They had one more month to add money to their accounts. After that, Joe wouldn't be taking on any additional funds. Okay, so how could anyone actually believe that? Some firms do stop taking people's money, but it's unlikely that they do it if things were going as well as Joe claimed. But Joe was smart. He put a ticking clock on it, and his investors had to think fast. Most of us would like to think we're smart enough to see past this kind of thing. But if you believed you were making a 200% profit on your investments every year like Joe's investors did, wouldn't you do everything you could to keep it going? But we can learn from their mistakes. If you're ever presented with a give us your money now before it's too late kind of thing, Obviously don't fall for it. Remember, you can't predict the market. The saying time in the market beats timing the market is really good advice, but really, when it comes to long term investing, a few days or weeks doesn't make a difference. It's better to do dollar cost averaging and spread out your investments over time instead of doing it all at once. So if you're being pressured to invest in something right now, that is a big red flag. Flag. Do your due diligence. Take your time. Never be compulsive with your money, especially when you're dealing with a lot of it. Unfortunately for Joe, a lot of his investors hit the panic button. The plan brought hundreds of thousands of dollars into the club's coffers. But it still wasn't enough. Remember, the club's lawyer had discovered that they were spending at least six $70,000 a month to keep up its members lavish lifestyles. Assuming Joe wanted to at least try investing some of that money in the commodities market, he and the Billionaire Boys club would be back to square one before too long. If he really wanted to keep it going, he needed way, way more. So at the same time Joe was fooling his investors. He decided it was finally time to put the plan to kill Ron Levin into motion. On the night of June 6, 1984, Joe told Dean Carney to go see a movie. And if anyone asked, Joe was with them. But then, according to Dean, Joe actually headed over to Ron's. The plan seemed to go off without a hitch. With Jim Graham's help, Joe forced Ron to sign a check for $1.5 million then they killed him, wrapped the body in a duvet and buried it in a pit in Soledan Canyon out in the Californian desert, the same place Joe liked to take his friends on hunting trips. The big question now was, would they get away with it? Well, the next morning, two of Ron's friends went over to his house to say hi. But Ron wasn't home and his alarm was off, which never happened. The young men went inside and found two half eaten salads. So if Ron did leave, it had been in a hurry. But none of his stuff was gone. And his friends didn't think he'd gone somewhere because anytime Ron went out, he took his address book with him. And the final nail in the coffin was that there was a green comforter on his bed, but Ron always used a white one. His friends thought something was definitely up and they went to the police. But for the moment, the cops wouldn't do anything. At least 48 hours had to go by before they could declare a person missing. And Ron wasn't exactly known as being an upstanding citizen. One of his friends, who was quoted in the book the Price of Experience, remembered a Beverly Hills PD detective telling him that unless there was blood on the walls, there was no reason to suspect murder. Meanwhile, Joe was trying to cash the $1.5 million check he'd forced Ron to write him. But the Swiss bank the account belonged to refused to hand over the funds. It turned out that Ron had gotten the best of Joe one last time, because, according to Jim, the bank had very specific instructions to only accept check checks that were signed in a very specific area. So when they saw that the check Joe was trying to cash had been signed on the regular signature line, they knew it wasn't legit. Or at least that's what Jim was saying. Either way, Joe's latest get rich quick scheme had been thwarted and the other members of the Billionaire Boys Club were getting antsy. Of course, they had no idea how Joe had gotten that check, just that there was some problem accessing the funds. The only people who knew what was really going on were Jim Graham, Dean Carney, and the club's other founding member, Ben Dasti. And so Joe decided to do something drastic. Tell the truth. On June 24, Joe called a meeting with his most trusted friends in the Billionaire Boys Club. All told, There were 10 people, including Joe, Jim Dean, and Ben. Joe admitted to them that the club's accounts were practically empty. But before he told them anything else, he said they'd have one last chance to leave. When they all decided to stay. Joe dropped the hammer. He and Jim Graham had killed Ron Levin, and none of them seemed to care. Sure, there was a moment of shock, but they didn't dwell on the subject for long. Joe convinced all of the guys that Ron had gotten what he deserved for cheating them. He didn't say how he did it, but he promised them he it was the perfect crime. So long as they all stayed quiet, they'd never get caught. That seemed to be enough for the guys, and if it wasn't, Joe promised to punish them severely. But even so, Joe knew their loyalty would only last so long if he couldn't deliver more money, and soon, he could find himself in a whole world of trouble. But Joe wasn't interested in collecting chunks of change here and there from gullible investors or trying his luck again on the commodities market. He'd gotten this close to getting what he wanted by killing Ron Levin. So when another opportunity to strong arm himself into loads of cash came his way again, he didn't hesitate.
Unknown
Buying a car in Carvana was so easy. I was able to finance it through them.
Nicole Lapin
I just. Whoa, wait, you mean finance?
Unknown
Yeah, finance got pre qualified for a Carvana auto loan, entered my terms and shot from thousands of great car options all within my budget.
Nicole Lapin
That's cool. But financing through Carvana was so easy.
Unknown
Financed, done. And I get to pick up my car from their Carvana vending machine tomorrow.
Nicole Lapin
Financed, right? That's what they said. You can spend time trying to pronounce financing or you can actually finance and buy your car today on car finance financing subject to credit approval, additional terms and conditions may apply.
Crime House
You just realized your business needed to hire someone yesterday. How can you find amazing candidates fast? Easy. Just use Indeed. Stop struggling to get your job post seen on other job sites. Indeed's Sponsored Jobs help you stand out and hire fast. With Sponsored Jobs, your post jumps to the top of the page for your relevant candidates so you can reach the people you want for faster and it makes a huge difference. According to Indeed data, Sponsored jobs posted directly on Indeed have 45% more applications than non sponsored jobs. Plus with Indeed sponsored jobs there are no monthly subscriptions, no long term contracts, and you only pay for results. And listeners of this show will get a $75 sponsored job credit to get your jobs more visibility@indeed.com listen just go to indeed.com listen right now and support our show by saying you heard about Indeed on this podcast. Indeed.com listen terms and conditions apply. Hiring Indeed is all you need.
Nicole Lapin
Around the same Time Joe Hunt killed Ron Levin, he met a young man named Reza Eslamania. Like a lot of other guys in the billionaire boys club, 23 year old Reza came from a lot of money and didn't have much of a work ethic. His father Hedayat was a former high level Iranian government official and after a regime change the family had fled to America with over $30 million in their pockets. Or at least that's what Reza said. They settled in the hills around San Francisco and Hetiot pretty much immediately began using opium and neglecting his kids. By the time Reza was 12, he was pretty much given the run of their massive estate. With zero supervision and without any direction from his dad, Reza didn't know what to do with himself. Back in Iran, Reza was being groomed for big things, maybe even becoming Prime Minister someday. But now he was just another immigrant kid who didn't fit in at school. To fill the void in his life, Reza turned their mansion into a party house. And it wasn't too long before he got into drugs like marijuana, cocaine and lsd. That lack of direction followed Reza after high school and after a few stints in rehab and run ins with the law, he found himself in LA working a sales job for an industrial flooring company. By chance, one of his friends was involved with the Billionaire Boys Club. Sometime In June of 1984, that friend asked Reza to drop off some papers at the group's office. While he was there, he met Joe Hunt's good pal Ben Dosti. Reza desperately wanted to join the club and he told Ben all about his father's wealth and connections in the Middle East. Ben passed his info along to Joe, who agreed that Reza was a good fit, especially if they could get their hands on his family's fortune. But Joe knew better than to suggest they should kill Reza's father. Even though there wasn't any love lost between them. Joe had learned a few key lessons from his experience with Ron Levin. Mainly that they needed him alive, or at least until the money went through. With Reza's approval, they hatched a plan. Joe, Jim Graham, Dean Carney, Ben d' Este and Reza would abduct Hetayat from his condo near San Francisco. They'd hide him in a house somewhere in Los Angeles, then force him to transfer all of his assets to Reza. But there was one piece of information Joe withheld from Reza. Once everything was properly signed over, they would kill his dad. And on the morning of July 29, 1984, the plan went into action. The guys headed up to the Bay Area and spent the night in a motel. The next morning, they rented a U Haul truck and drove over to Hediot's condo. Everything went according to plan. After a bit of a struggle, Joe, Jim and Ben were able to subdue Reza's father. Then they stuffed him into a large trunk, threw it in the back of the U Haul, and began the long drive back down to Los Angeles. But along the way, something went horribly wrong. Hetat had been making a lot of noise from the trunk. The boys were worried that someone would hear him, so they taped over the holes they'd made for air. Of course, that created an entirely new problem. It wasn't long before Hedayach stopped making noise at all. And when they pulled over to check on him, he was dead. This time, the police were more willing to investigate this disappearance than they were with Ron Levin. Hettyach had a live in girlfriend, and she got suspicious when her boyfriend was nowhere to be found, but his wallet and keys were still at the apartment. The police agreed that foul play seemed likely. But because of Hettyat's troubles back in Iran, they thought maybe he'd been kidnapped by political enemies. So for the time being, Joe and his friends were in the clear. Of course, getting a hold of Hetiot's assets would be tricky, but this time they had something they'd been missing when Joe killed Ron Levitt. Reza as Heat eldest son Reza was expected to take charge until his father was located. That included managing his fortune. And in order to do that, he had to be approved for a conservatorship. All right, so what does this all mean? You may have heard the term conservatorship before. Think about Britney Spears. When someone isn't able to properly manage their finances or other aspects of their lives, their love, loved ones can apply for a conservatorship. In Britney's case, the conservatorship had to do with mental health challenges. But a lot of times, conservatorships are for people with cognitive diseases like Alzheimer's or dementia, or if the person is permanently disabled. Raza's case was a little different. If his dad really had been kidnapped by enemies, Reza needed the money to keep the investigation going. He also needed to keep an eye on the family fortune. Of course, it was Reza who had kidnapped and killed his dad. And I know what you're thinking. How can I protect my money if someone is trying to take it? Well, luckily, the bar for a conservatorship is pretty high. It's a lengthy process and a lot of proof is needed to show that you are not able to take care of your own money. So really you shouldn't be concerned. But in the case of Hediyat Islamania, he wasn't around to fight back against his son. And considering the urgent nature of his supposed disappearance, the court was happy to quickly grant Reza's request. Especially when Reza presented a forged document saying that he had the power of attorney over Hetiot's affairs. He now had full control over his father's assets. There was only one problem. Reza had no idea how to get a hold of them. But he was pretty sure that his dad had kept a lot of money with Swiss banks. After the debacle with Ron Levin's check, Joe decided that Reza needed to deal with them face to face. So he sent Reza and Ben Dosti to Europe to make sure they got the money. They would have to move fast though. Heading out's girlfriend didn't think he'd been kidnapped. She told the police about a strange encounter she'd had with Reza in the aftermath of his father's disappearance, where his main concern had seemed to be about the money, not his father's well being. If his dad had really been kidnapped by vengeful political enemies, it seemed to her that Reza should be more worried. It was clear that something wasn't right. The authorities in San Francisco had passed the case on to the FBI and they were very curious to learn more about the Billionaire Boys Club. Because someone had snitched on them after killing Hediot, Jim Graham had let it slip to the club's lawyer, Jerry Eisenberg, about what had happened. Remember, Jerry was the one who figured out that Joe and his pals were spending exorbitant amounts of money on themselves. So he was already suspicious of the club. And although he didn't know what had happened to Ron Levin, he believed that Jim was telling the truth about Reza's father. So he called up the FBI and told them he wanted to talk. It wasn't enough to make an arrest just yet, but they told him to keep his eyes and ears open for the time being. And the FBI wasn't the only law enforcement agency sniffing around the club. The Beverly Hills Police Department was finally checking into the disappearance of Ron levin. And on August 16, the same day Reza was granted his conservatorship, a detective named Les Zoller was sent to search Ron's house. Ron's dad walked Detective Zoller through the duplex and everything seemed to be in order. Offhandedly, Mr. Levin gave him A piece of paper he had found on Ron's desk. He said he didn't know what to make of it, but as soon as Detective Zoller saw what was written on it, he knew it was important. It read, to do close blinds, tape mouth, handcuff, kill dog. And next to it, there was a supposed contract between Ron and Joe Hunt. Things were not looking good for Joe, and they were about to get worse because word had spread within the club about what Joe had done to Ron Levin and heat Islamania. And when it became pretty obvious that the murders weren't going to stay a secret for much longer, it turned into a real Lord of the Flies situation. As loyal as these guys were to Joe, they weren't prepared to go to jail for him. Some of them started stealing documents and trying to find ways to cooperate with the authorities. It was clear the tides had turned. It was every man for himself, and Joe wasn't afraid to fight back. He was well aware of the revolt going on within the Billionaire Boys Club club. He kicked out anyone he considered disloyal and remained confident that the police would never be able to get real proof against him. But things were not going Joe's way. Over in Europe, Reza and Ben had managed to locate one of Hen's Swiss bank accounts. But the day they were scheduled to withdraw the funds, the authorities in San Francisco convinced the the bank to deny the transaction. While all of this was going on, Les Zoller and the Beverly Hills Police Department were closing in on Joe, too. With so many members of the Billionaire Boys Club scrambling to save themselves, there was no shortage of evidence, no matter how untouchable Joe thought he was. On October 22, 1984, Joe and Jim Graham were both arrested and charged with the murder of Ron Levin. Even still, Joe was certain he would get away with it. In his mind, he'd planned the perfect crime. But there was one thing he didn't factor in. The betrayal of his closest friend.
Crime House
Warning. The following ZipRecruiter radio spot you are about to hear is going to be filled with F words when you're hiring.
Unknown
We at ZipRecruiter know you can feel frustrated, forlorn even, like your efforts are futile and you can spend a fortune trying to find fabulous people, only to get flooded with candidates who are just fine. Fortunately, ZipRecruiter figured out how to fix all that. And right now you can try ZipRecruiter for free at ZipRecruiter.com Zip with ZipRecruiter, you can forget your frustrations because we find the right people for your roles fast, which is our absolute favorite F word. In fact, four out of five employers who post on ZipRecruiter get a quality candidate within the first day.
Nicole Lapin
Fantastic.
Unknown
So whether you need to hire four, 40 or 400 people, get ready to meet first rate talent. Just go to ZipRecruiter.com Zip to try ZipRecruiter for free. Don't forget that ZipRecruiter.com Zip finally that ZipRecruiter.com zip hi, I'm Mama Jules, your.
Mama Jules
Host of oh no. Media's newest podcast, Rise and Crime, your morning Caffeine crime hit. If you're a true crime enthusiast who wants the newest details of current criminal cases, then get your crime caffeine hit with me. On Mondays and Thursdays days each week on Rise in Crime, we will create a breakfast club of sorts where we dive into the most recent details of the highest profile cases as well as those current cases you may know nothing about. Rise in Crime will also provide you updates on those cases that just left that nagging what happened after everyone stopped paying attention feeling Let us scratch your need to know itch. The best part is Rise in Crime is available everywhere. Watch us on YouTube, TikTok and Instagram and listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you catch your favorite podcasts.
Nicole Lapin
Unbeknownst to Joe Hunt, his most loyal trusted friend had turned on him. In the weeks since he at Islamania's death, Dean Carney had begun to distance himself from Joe and the Billionaire Boys Club. He just couldn't stomach the guilt of what they had done. At first, Dean wasn't a participant in the mad scramble to dig up dirt on Joe and the club. He started small, like moving out of the apartment he shared with Joe. But by the time Joe was charged with Ron Levin's murder, Dean had had enough. And he probably also realized that if he didn't do something soon, he would get arrested too. In exchange for immunity, Dean agreed to tell the authorities everything he knew. About a month after Joe was arrested, Dean met with investigators on both murder cases and shared all the details about what happened to Ron Levin and Hetayat Eslamania. And while Dean didn't know what Joe and Jim Graham had done with Ron's body, he could show Detective Zoller where they had dumped Reza Eslamania's father. The morning of November 30, 1984, Dean and Detective Zoller drove out to the remote wilds of Soledad Canyon after driving for a While Dean had Zoller turn onto a winding dirt road that led into the high desert. Eventually, he had Zoller stop into a turnout on the side of the road alongside a steep drop off into the canyon below. Zoller scrambled down the hill, and sure enough, he found what they had come out there for. The remains of Hedion Eslamania. When Reza and Ben Dosti got back from their unsuccessful trip to Europe, they realized they they were in hot water. They did their best to lie low, but it was only a matter of time until they were caught. It took a few months, but they were both arrested in August of 1985. At this point, things were not looking good for Joe. He was facing two separate murder trials, and there was plenty of evidence against him. But he wasn't going down without a fight. When Joe's trial for the murder of Ron Levin finally began In February of 1987, his lawyers argued that Ron wasn't really dead. They said that Ron had a lot of people coming after him, and in order to make a clean getaway, he'd faked his death and framed Joe and Jim Graham. Pretty wild stuff, right? But from a practical point of view, is it even possible? Let's take the faking your own death out of the equation and just say you wanted to start your financial life over from scratch. It's not easy. If you declare bankruptcy, your credit score will plummet, it will become extremely difficult to take out a loan, and anything you are approved for will have ridiculous interest rates. If you want to move your money around and start over elsewhere, that's also tough. Forensic accountants can track down just about any financial transaction. Living off cash isn't easy either. Otherwise, criminals wouldn't launder money. The idea of leaving it all behind and living on a beach somewhere sounds really nice, but it's more trouble than it's actually worth. And I highly, highly doubt that's what Ron Levin tried to do. But surprisingly, Joe's lawyers managed to make a decent argument that Ron was alive and kicking. There was a young woman in Tucson, Arizona, who testified that she had seen Ron and a boyfriend filling up at a gas station two years earlier, right after authorities claimed he he'd been murdered. The encounter was especially memorable. The man she'd seen was immaculately dressed, with perfectly styled hair and a beautiful classic car. At the time, she had no idea who this guy was. But when she read an article in Esquire magazine about Joe's trial, she was positive it had been Ron Levin. Maybe he'd pulled off the ultimate Con and managed to pull perfectly fake his death while restarting his life of luxury in Arizona. It was a compelling story, but in the end, the jury was convinced that it wasn't anything more than that, a story. They found Joe guilty of first degree murder and he was sentenced to life in prison without parole. And he still had another another murder trial to go through. By the time Joe's trial for the murder of Hedot Eslamania got started, Reza and Ben had already been found guilty. So things were definitely not looking good for Joe. And for some reason, he decided to represent himself. Unbelievably, it worked. Joe argued in court that Dean had been the one to kill Reza's father. It's hard to say if the jury bought it or not, but they couldn't unanimously agree on a verdict. In the end, the decision came back eight to four in favor of acquittal. That meant a hung jury and that Joe would need to stand trial again. But in the end, the prosecutors didn't think they could make much more of the case, so they dropped the charges. Ultimately, Reza got his conviction overturned and Ben's sentence was reduced as well. And Jim Graham only spent three and a half years in prison. Of course, none of that changed the fact that Joe was still facing life behind bars for the murder of Ron Levin. Since then, Joe has appealed his sentence multiple times. His last Attempt was in 2018 when he asked the California governor to commute his sentence. It was unsuccessful. Johan's obsession with making money ruined so many people's lives. His confidence and charm convinced the young men in the Billionaire Boys Club that they could have it all without having to do any real work. Of course, it all turned out to be an illusion. Joe and his friends swindled their investors out of huge sums of cash, money that they never fully recovered. And ultimately, two men lost their lives. Before we wrap up our story on Joe Hunt and the Billionaire Boys Club, I'm going to leave you with one final takeaway. When it comes to your money, desperate times do not call for desperate measures. The market ebbs and flows, sometimes for the better and sometimes for the worse. When things go downhill, you might look for a way to quickly dig yourself out. Obviously, none of us would turn to kidnapping or murder to make a quick buck. But there will always be get rich quick schemes and quote, unquote, quick, foolproof investment strategies. And as nice as these opportunities sound, it's important to stay alert. Always do your research and don't sign anything without knowing what you're getting into. Remember, if someone is telling you something that seems too good to be true. It probably is. Thank you so much for listening. I'm your host Nicole Lapin. Come back next time as I take you through another wild story and offer you some advice along the way. Scams, Money and Murder Is a Crime House Original Join me every Thursday for a brand new episode here at Crime House. We want to thank each and every one of you for your support. If you like what you heard here today, reach out on social media. Crime House don't forget to rate, review and follow Scams, Money and Murder wherever you get your podcasts. Your feedback truly makes a difference and for ad free listening plus early access and bonus content. Subscribe to Crime House plus on Apple Podcasts. Scams, Money and Murder is hosted by me, Nicole Lapin and is a Crime House original. Powered by Pave Studios, this episode was brought to life by the Scams, Money and Murder team. Max Cutler, Ron Shapiro, Alex Benedon, Lori Marinelli, Natalie Persofsky, Sarah Camp and Clare Cronin.
Vanessa Richardson
Hi there, it's Vanessa Richardson. Crime House is your go to destination for the most gripping true crime shows on my show Killer Minds. Join me and forensic psychologist Dr. Tristan Engels for two new episodes as we dive into the twisted stories story of the Dr. Death serial killer Michael Swango. Craving more deep dives into the minds of the world's most dangerous killers? Follow Killer Minds on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music or wherever you listen.
Podcast Summary: "MURDER: The Billionaire Boys Club Pt. 2 - Best of Crime House"
Introduction
In the second installment of "MURDER: The Billionaire Boys Club," host Nicole Lapin delves deeper into the intricate web of deceit, greed, and murder that plagued the Billionaire Boys Club (BBC) in the early 1980s. This episode, released on July 17, 2025, uncovers the dramatic downfall of Joe Hunt and his associates as they navigate the perilous waters of financial fraud and murder to sustain their lavish lifestyles.
Formation and Rise of the Billionaire Boys Club
Nicole Lapin begins by revisiting the origins of the Billionaire Boys Club, a social club investment group based in Los Angeles founded by Joe Hunt. Initially, the group targeted vulnerable investors, promising exorbitant returns through investments in the commodities market. However, it quickly became apparent that Hunt was orchestrating a classic Ponzi scheme, funneling new investors' money to pay off earlier backers while maintaining an illusion of success.
The Desperate Measures
As the club's financial health deteriorated, Joe Hunt's desperation escalated. Lapin explains, "People in bad financial situations do crazy things... but in the case of Joe Hunt and the Billionaire Boys Club, they took it to a whole new level" (01:02). Hunt, determined to salvage his empire, began contemplating drastic measures, including murder, to eliminate obstacles and acquire more funds.
Murder of Ron Levin
The first major turning point in the BBC's story is the murder of Ron Levin, a rival con man who had outmaneuvered Hunt. In the spring of 1984, Joe devised a plan to force Levin into signing a fraudulent check under the pretense of owing money to the Mafia. "Joe would promise Ron that it would all be okay as long as he signed a check for $5 million. Then once he did, they'd kill him" (04:41). The plan initially seemed successful, but complications arose when the bank identified discrepancies in the forged check, highlighting weaknesses in Hunt's scheme.
Expanding the Criminal Endeavors
Undeterred by the setback with Ron Levin, Joe Hunt shifted his focus to Hetayat Eslamania, an affluent individual with significant assets. Reza Eslamania, Hetayat's son, was introduced as a naive and affluent young man who became an easy target for the BBC. Hunt and his associates kidnapped Hetayat, intending to coerce the transfer of his wealth. However, the plan went awry when Hetayat died in the trunk of their vehicle, raising suspicions and attracting more attention from law enforcement.
Internal Struggles and Betrayal
As the BBC's criminal activities continued, internal tensions began to surface. The failure to secure adequate funding and the increasing number of murders put immense pressure on the group. "Joe knew their loyalty would only last so long if he couldn't deliver more money, and soon, he could find himself in a whole world of trouble" (04:41). Dean Carney, one of Joe's closest allies, began to feel the weight of guilt and eventually turned against Hunt, providing investigators with crucial information that would lead to the group's unraveling.
Law Enforcement Closes In
The accumulation of evidence from the murders and financial fraud prompted both local and federal authorities to intensify their investigation. Detective Les Zoller played a pivotal role in uncovering the truth behind Ron Levin's disappearance by analyzing incriminating documents found at Levin's residence. "Detective Zoller saw what was written on it, he knew it was important," Lapin notes, highlighting the critical breakthrough in the case (16:36).
The Trials and Convictions
Joe Hunt's confidence in his "perfect crime" was shattered as multiple arrests followed. In February 1987, Joe went to trial for Ron Levin's murder, where his defense argued that Levin had faked his death to escape legal troubles. Despite compelling testimonies, the jury found Joe guilty of first-degree murder, sentencing him to life in prison without parole. The subsequent trial for Hetayat Eslamania's murder was mired in complications, resulting in a hung jury and eventual case dismissal. However, Joe remained incarcerated for Levin's murder, while his accomplices faced varying degrees of punishment.
Notable Quotes
Nicole Lapin on the extremes taken by Joe Hunt: "People in bad financial situations do crazy things... but in the case of Joe Hunt and the Billionaire Boys Club, they took it to a whole new level." (01:02)
On the initial betrayal by Ron Levin: "Joe would promise Ron that it would all be okay as long as he signed a check for $5 million. Then once he did, they'd kill him." (04:41)
Discussing internal loyalty: "Joe knew their loyalty would only last so long if he couldn't deliver more money, and soon, he could find himself in a whole world of trouble." (04:41)
On Detective Zoller's realization: "Detective Zoller saw what was written on it, he knew it was important." (16:36)
Conclusions and Lessons Learned
Nicole Lapin concludes the episode by reflecting on the tragic outcomes of greed and deceit. She emphasizes the importance of due diligence and caution in financial dealings, warning listeners against "get rich quick" schemes that promise unrealistic returns. "If someone is telling you something that seems too good to be true, it probably is," Lapin advises (40:15).
The story of the Billionaire Boys Club serves as a cautionary tale about the destructive power of unchecked ambition and the lengths individuals may go to in pursuit of wealth. It underscores the necessity of ethical standards and transparency in financial operations to prevent such dark chapters in history from repeating.
Final Thoughts
"MURDER: The Billionaire Boys Club Pt. 2" offers a comprehensive look into one of the most notorious financial crime rings intertwined with murder in American history. Through meticulous storytelling and insightful analysis, Nicole Lapin provides listeners with a gripping narrative that not only recounts the events but also imparts valuable lessons on financial vigilance and moral integrity.
Join the Conversation
For more engaging true crime stories and in-depth analyses, follow Crime House Studios on Instagram and TikTok @crimehouse, and subscribe to "Scams, Money and Murder" on your preferred podcast platform. Engage with the community, share your thoughts, and stay informed about the latest in the world of financial crimes and mysteries.