Mark Lombardi has met his match – a stunning blonde by the name of Day Barlow. When the couple marry at the Rothko Chapel in Houston, he feels optimistic, the future full of possibility.

At first, Mark weathers the obstacles thrown at him – professionally and personally. But in the wake of the high-profile scandals like the Savings and Loans crisis and the Iran-Contra affair, he appears to fall down a rabbit hole of increasing intensity.

As Mark Lombardi’s obsessions take hold, he delves deeper into these complex connections of power, transforming them into painstaking line drawings that will become his signature style.

He insists his work is entirely based on information in the public domain. But he seems more preoccupied than ever, his behavior growing more erratic. Could he know more about these murky worlds than he’s willing to admit?

Yet his investigations also attract dangerous attention, leading Mark and some of his close friends to fear for his life.

This is episode three of The Illuminator: Art, Conspiracy, and Madness, a new series from Brazen, hosted by Ako Mitchell. For early access to new episodes, ad-free listening, and more, subscribe to Brazen+ at brazen.fm/plus.

To see Lombardi’s expansive BCCI drawing in full, visit brazen.fm/illuminator

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Episode 3: A Whole Other Life