RIGGEDLabs UNRIGGED! Podcast

In this short and solo episode, RIGGEDLabs Podcast Host, Jamie Folk, announces RIGGEDLabs the membership options on Patreon. We've come a long way since launching RIGGEDLabs Podcast back in 2020, diving deep into the Massachusetts drug lab scandals that shattered lives and exposed systemic failures in the US criminal justice system. From the shocking revelations about Annie Dookhan at the Hinton Lab, to the Amherst Lab issues, and the broader implications across state police crime labs—we've uncovered stories that demand public attention. And now, with RIGGEDLabs Season 3 underway, we're expanding our lens to drug lab scandals nationwide, starting with cases like the San Francisco OCME analyst Justin Volk, the earlier Deborah Madden scandal, the Braintree Police Department evidence room scandal and the case of George Hunter White. This work isn't easy. Investigative journalism, interviewing experts, obtaining documents, and producing high-quality episodes takes time, resources, energy, and unwavering commitment. That's why we're thrilled to announce that RIGGEDLabs is now on Patreon! LISTEN to Jamie Folk introducing RIGGEDLabs membership options on Patreon! Patreon.com/cw/RIGGEDLabsRIGGEDLabs Membership options come in three tiers to fit every level of support, with exclusive perks to thank you for standing with us: Membership Option 1Membership Option 2Membership Option 3 Other ways to join RIGGEDLabs as a member are also available if you prefer to give your support via PayPal, Venmo, with Debit/Credit card, or with check by mail. Details on our website. Head over to RIGGEDLabs Patreon page today and join the community that's driving real change in Massachusetts and across the nation. Thank you for listening, sharing our episodes, and believing in this cause. Together, we can expose the truth, push for accountability, and advocate for justice and relief. Stay vigilant and connected with RIGGEDLabs on Patreon, and on our web, blog, and social sites. FOLLOW RIGGEDLabs Podcast on X, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp,

Welcome to RIGGEDLabs UNRIGGED! Podcast | Season 3 Episode 2. In this episode we will review the case of San Francisco lab analyst Justin Volk. Season 3 of RIGGEDLabs Podcast—hosted by investigative journalist Jamie Folk and attorney Ilyas Rona, premieres on November 1, 2025, with weekly episodes available on all major podcast and social platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and the podcast's official website RIGGEDLabs.com The new season dives deep into the 2020 arrest of OCME lab analyst Justin Volk—The San Francisco Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, who was caught in Utah with a sealed evidence bag containing methamphetamine stolen from the very lab he worked in for over a decade. This incident, which potentially tainted thousands of criminal cases—from sexual assaults and DUIs to overdose investigations—exposed a web of lax oversight, ignored protocols, and systemic failures that echoed the fraud and tampering scandals the podcast first uncovered in Massachusetts. Five years after Justin Volk's arrest rocked San Francisco's justice system, the full story remains buried under bureaucratic cover-ups and unaddressed reformsJust like Annie Dookhan and Sonja Farak rigged evidence in Massachusetts drug labs, sending innocent people to prison and eroding public trust, the OCME scandal reveals how forensic labs nationwide prioritize speed over integrity. We're bringing exclusive interviews with whistleblowers, affected families, and legal experts to light the path to accountability.Attorney Rona added, This isn't just about one bad actor — it's about a broken machine. Volk handled up to 25,000 cases, including toxicology tests for 1,200 sexual assaults. Our investigation will reveal how management lowered hiring standards, allowed drug evidence to pile up unchecked, and ignored red flags, much like the Hinton and Amherst labs we exposed in earlier seasons. The parallels are chilling, and the consequences for justice are devastating. The third season will feature groundbreaking reporting, including never-before-heard audio from internal OCME audits, analysis of the San Francisco District Attorney's review that flagged over 2,500 compromised cases, and discussions on the office's loss of national accreditation amid backlogs and mishandled evidence. Episodes will also explore broader implications, such as the 2010 SFPD lab scandal involving technician Deborah Madden, who admitted to skimming cocaine, leading to hundreds of dismissed cases. To sustain this vital work and expand beyond Massachusetts, RIGGEDLabs Podcast is launching simultaneously—with its Season 3—a funding campaign to allow supporters and patrons to help with in-depth probes and to be rewarded with early episode access, bonus content, exclusive Q&A sessions with the hosts, and more. RIGGED Lab Massachusetts podcast — re-branded RIGGEDLabs UNRIGGED! Podcast to reflect new expanded mission, has garnered critical acclaim for its exhaustive coverage of the Annie Dookhan and Sonja Farak cases, which resulted in over 37,000 vacated convictions and inspired the Netflix series ’How to Fix a Drug Scandal’. With the Season 3, the podcast cements its role as the premier voice exposing forensic labs frauds in America. Join the conversation! Follow @RIGGEDLabs on social media.

In this first episode of RIGGEDLabs Podcast Season 3, Jamie Folk introduces a new season and reads the new press release. - RIGGEDLabs SEASON 3 PRESS RELEASE Contact Information: RIGGED: RIGGED Lab Massachusetts Podcast Mr. Jamie Folk +1-774-291-9493 | Phone ThePodcast@RIGGEDLabs.com | email Release Date: October 10, 2025 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Returning For Season 3 To Uncovering Nationwide Drug Labs Scandals Across the United States of America. Boston, MA – October 10, 2025 – The award-winning investigative podcast—RIGGED Lab Massachusetts podcast announces today the launch of its highly anticipated third season, shifting its unflinching lens nationwide to expose the shocking malfeasance in drug labs across the nation. In a bold expansion of its mission to hold forensic systems accountable. The podcast is also launching a new unified platform and campaign to fund in-depth probes into drug lab scandals across the United States. Season 3 of RIGGED: ThePodcast—hosted by investigative journalist Jamie Folk and attorney Ilyas Rona, will premiere on November 1, 2025, with weekly episodes available on all major podcast and social platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and the podcast's official website RIGGEDLabs.com The new season dives deep into the 2020 arrest of OCME lab analyst Justin Volk—The San Francisco Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, who was caught in Utah with a sealed evidence bag containing methamphetamine stolen from the very lab he worked in for over a decade. This incident, which potentially tainted thousands of criminal cases—from sexual assaults and DUIs to overdose investigations—exposed a web of lax oversight, ignored protocols, and systemic failures that echoed the fraud and tampering scandals the podcast first uncovered in Massachusetts. Attorney Rona added, The third season will feature groundbreaking reporting, including never-before-heard audio from internal OCME audits, analysis of the San Francisco District Attorney's review that flagged over 2,500 compromised cases, and discussions on the office's loss of national accreditation amid backlogs and mishandled evidence. Episodes will also explore broader implications, such as the 2010 SFPD lab scandal involving technician Deborah Madden, who admitted to skimming cocaine, leading to hundreds of dismissed cases. To sustain this vital work and expand beyond Massachusetts, RIGGED: ThePodcast is launching simultaneously—with its Season 3—a funding campaign to allow supporters and patrons to help with in-depth probes and to be rewarded with early episode access, bonus content, exclusive Q&A sessions with the hosts, and more.

Major revelation in today's episode. Apparently the Massachusetts Inspector General's Office concealed that the Governor's lawyer helped to conceal important information from investigators. We review the evidence obtained by Chris Post and uncover more corruption than we previously suspected.

After a year and a half, finally Chris Post and his fellow attorneys have uncovered more details on the cover up by the Massachusetts Inspector General's office. Apparently there were emails prior to the report being published saying "What do you say about what we found on other chemist misconduct outside of Dookhan?". The Inspector General KNEW more chemists than Dookhan were committing crimes and even referred as many as six lab employees for criminal referrals! This has been no where in the media and has been known by the state since they investigated the lab back in 2013. Shocking yet not surprising.

Ilyas and Jamie take a break from the drug lab to do a deep dive into what drives the state to fight their war on drug addicted people. Civil Assist Forfeiture is just a new rendition of the ancient practice of state run overlords using force backed by unfair laws to harass and steal from poor people. Ilyas traces the practice back to the Magna Carta but it certainly predates that. Today police use the principal to take money from the people who the arrest for drug use and distribution to take all of their cash, cars and property. This cash is then used to buy things that don't need to be approved by legislative bodies or reported at all. Boston was caught using this money to buy face recognition technology and placing cameras around the city to spy on its citizens.

The Massachusetts Inspector General made criminal referrals for multiple Hinton Lab Chemists, Supervisors and the Lab Director. They did this while never publicly admitting it. They also knowingly lied to the public when they said in their 2014 report on the Hinton Lab that Annie Dookhan was the lone bad actor at the Hinton Lab.. Jamie, Ilays and Chris examine these newly unearthed criminal referrals from as far back as 2013 and going all the way up to 2015. We also look at evidence uncovered by Jamie that indicates that the Massachusetts State Police Lab also engaged in behavior that the Inspector General thought was egregious enough to refer Hinton Chemists for Criminal Referrals. No referrals have been made for any chemist outside of Sonja Farak who did not work in the Hinton Lab in spite of the State Police and Amherst chemists engaging in the same behavior that got Hinton chemists into trouble with the OIG. This is a developing story and we divulge information in this episode that no news organization has yet to uncover.

So the Massachusetts Inspector General's Office told all the DAs in the state that they were recommending criminal charges against multiple chemists in the Hinton Lab not just Annie Dookhan. They made these recommendations way back in 2014 and 2015 and the DAs did nothing. The Inspector General then knowingly lied to the public and when they told them that Dookhan was the lone back actor at the Hinton Drug Lab in the conclusion of their report. The blatant lying displayed here by the state is truly astounding and there has been zero accountability.

We have been saying it for years but now, thanks to the release of new documents from the OIG, we know that the OIG wanted to charge multiple employees of the drug lab not named Annie Dookhan with criminal misconduct. We discuss these new developments and where the case, and the podcast, are going. Amazing that there is still new news on this case that is over ten years old.

As a police officer, how do you prove to a pastor who calls you a tyrant that you are, indeed, not a tyrant? If your name is Worcester Police Officer Michael Cappabianca Jr. it's simple. You taser the living shit out the priest inside his church and then throw a pregnant woman to the ground. You then arrest the pastor and his son and make up several charges that didn't happen. How could anyone ever consider this man to be a tyrant?! Today's episode has independent journalist Bill Shaner, Andrew Quemere and Chris Post talking all things Worcester PD and how the city enables its police to be truly terrible.

Jamie, Chris and Ilyas discuss the inditement of former Massachusetts Police Union head Dana Pullman and the tragic tale of former Springfield PD Evidence Officer Kevin Burnham. These two cases show just how corrupt the justice system in Massachusetts truly is and how absolute power corrupts absolutely.

In another example of the system walking slowly toward doing the right thing in the drug lab case, a judge in Middlesex County is looking into if Annie Dookhan was, in fact, the lone bad actor. Everyone who is reading this knows that and has known it since this Podcast came out back in 2020 but it is good that the wheels of justice are finally turning. Cheris returns to discuss what this could mean and where the case could go from here.

Closing out our review of the Madness within the Framingham PD, Ilyas and Jamie discuss the many alleged crimes committed by members of the department only this time it isn't the people that they arrest making the accusations but the officers of the department itself. Many officers sued each other and accusing each other of lying under oath and other crimes, all somehow, under the nose of the local media who never reported any of these shenanigans. This one needs to be heard to be believed.

Luke is back to discuss the recent news that he has reached an agreement with the state of Massachusetts for 14 million dollars to cover costs associated with the wrongful conviction of 31 thousand drug lab victims. We discuss the settlement and how it came about and the potential of future settlements with the state.

Andrew Quemere from The Mass Dump comes on and reviews the state of public records and transparency laws in Massachusetts. Andrew has been submitting public records for 11 years and has seen first hand law enforcement officials knowingly violate the public records law. We get into that plus other drug lab related topics on this episode of Rigged.

Before Briana Taylor and George Floyd there was Eurie Stamps. Eurie was a devoted father and grandfather who was laying on his couch on January 5th 2011 12:30 AM watching a Celtics game when the Framingham Police threw a flash bang into his home, smashed in his door and ordered him to the ground. Eurie did as he was ordered and yet he was still shot in the back of the head by a member of the town's paramilitary SWAT Team. This team was disbanded after this incident but that didn't bring back Mr. Stamps or console his grieving family. In this episode we review this case with former Middlesex Daily News Editorial Page Editor Rick Holmes. Mr. Holmes not only discusses this case in detail but also tells the story of Mark Tinsley. Mr. Tinsley committed the heinous crime of driving 40 in a 25 MPH speed zone. For this act he was dragged out of his car and savagely beaten by the Framingham Police who pulled him over. These cases are truly horrifying yet somehow not surprising in the nation's most liberal police state.

Chris was unavailable for this episode so it was just Jamie and Ilyas talking about the Real Cost of Prisons with activist Lois Ahrens. We discuss what are the drivers behind mass incarceration in Massachusetts and what people who want to advocate for change can do to force their elected officials to take action. This is a great conversation for those who wonder why nothing was ever done about what happened at the drug labs and with other scandals in Massachusetts involving law enforcement.

Chris, Ilyas and Jamie interview MassLive and Republican reporter Stephanie Barry about her reporting on the Greg Bigda case and the Springfield PD in general. Stephanie has been reporting on Springfield PD corruption for years and her insights and thoughts on these cases. This is a great, thought provoking episode on how corrupt our criminal justice system really is in Massachusetts.

To say that this episode is disturbing is a major understatement. Jamie, Ilyas and Chris review the video of Springfield Detective Greg Bigda who was indicted in 2018 by a federal grand jury for excessive force in connection with allegedly punching and kicking young car theft suspects during an arrest in 2016, two counts of “abusive interrogation” for threatening to kill and plant drugs on them, plus drafting a false police report. He faced up to 15 years behind bars if convicted. Bigda was unbelievably acquitted of these charges by a jury that truly needs to have it's collective heads examined. The jury heard the same audio that is featured in this podcast. They heard an unhinged man screaming at teenagers and threatening to murder them and "get away with it" and that he was going to plant drugs on one of the kids and lock him away for 15 years. This is truly an unbelievable episode that will leave you shocked and outraged. Enjoy!

The second half of our review of the federal investigation of the Springfield Police Department. *Spoiler Alert* The Springfield PD REALLY likes punching people in the face.