46-Kidnapped in Plain Sight: The Story of Virginia Piper episode artwork

EPISODE · Mar 26, 2026 · 56 MIN

46-Kidnapped in Plain Sight: The Story of Virginia Piper

from Criminally Absurd · host Cosy Nasiedlak and Susie Lewis-Peters

Episode 46- Kidnapped in Plain Sight: The Story of Virginia PiperOn July 27, 1972, Virginia Piper, a socialite wife of investment banker Harry “Bobby” Piper, Bobby who was the chairman of Piper Jaffrey and Hopwood Brokerage in Minneapolis, was kidnapped in broad daylight from the garden of her own estate. She was kidnapped by 2 men wearing ski masks and each had 2 guns. The ransom: $1 million in unmarked bills — one of the largest ever demanded in the United States at the time. Her husband personally delivered the ransom money of 1million dollars - all in $20 dollar bills. He brought the ransom to a back alley of a Minneapolis bar. Two days later, Virginia was found handcuffed and chained to a tree in Jay Cooke State Park which is near Duluth. The ransom was paid, but the case remains officially unsolved.The information presented in this episode is from sources from the most reliable accounts available on the web, inducing an article from the Star Tribune:https://www.startribune.com/50-years-later-the-virginia-piper-kidnapping-remains-a-minnesota-mystery/600173322 An Article from the Medium:https://keithstone.org/true-crime-made-personal-through-genealogy-c0d233d35f84 An Article from Fox 9 News:https://www.fox9.com/news/a-million-dollar-secret-is-the-piper-kidnapping-ransom-buried-in-willow-river Crimes of the Centuries: Feb 1, 2021 - The Million-Dollar Kidnapping of Ginny PiperBook: Stolen from the Garden, by William SwansonPhotos include: A photo of Virginia, Harry “Bobby” and their three sons, Tad, David and Harry Piper III, a photo of Virginia, and a photo of Virginia Piper when found at Jay Cooke State Park.

Episode metadata supplied by the publisher feed · Published Mar 26, 2026

Embed this episode

NOW PLAYING

46-Kidnapped in Plain Sight: The Story of Virginia Piper

0:00 56:50

No transcript for this episode yet

We transcribe on demand. Request one and we'll notify you when it's ready — usually under 10 minutes.

No similar episodes found.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is this episode of Criminally Absurd?

This episode is 56 minutes long.

When was this Criminally Absurd episode published?

This episode was published on March 26, 2026.

Can I download this Criminally Absurd episode?

Yes. Use the download control on the episode player to save the publisher-provided media file.
URL copied to clipboard!