Was Benjamin Franklin a fraud? episode artwork

EPISODE · Mar 18, 2026 · 1H

Was Benjamin Franklin a fraud?

from NO SUCH THING · host iHeartPodcasts and Kaleidoscope

We know Benjamin Franklin as a founding father, crucial in the establishment of the United States, discoverer of electricity, kooky writer of almanacs, and inventor of much, much more. But is it possible that good old Benny is actually a complete scammer? We investigate a conspiracy theory that Mr. $100 is not all he’s cracked up to be.  Our guest this week is Claire Aubin, historian and host of This Guy Sucked, with a special thanks to our instigating debaters Kelsey and Rich.  Buy Manny's Book, Colored People Time, and see NO SUCH THING in conversation about the book on March 29 in NYC. For links to research and more, check out our newsletter.  Have a question you want us to answer? Email us at [email protected] or leave a voicemail at ‪(860) 325-0286.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Was Benjamin Franklin a fraud?

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This episode was published on March 18, 2026.

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We know Benjamin Franklin as a founding father, crucial in the establishment of the United States, discoverer of electricity, kooky writer of almanacs, and inventor of much, much more. But is it possible that good old Benny is actually a complete...

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