Black Swan Murder

For decades Sean Combs was hip-hop’s reigning mogul—the mastermind who redefined what it meant to have fame, fortune, and dominion over the music industry. But as Combs reached new heights in music, fashion, and business, allegations of misconduct and abuse began to surface, casting a dark shadow over his legacy.

Hosted by Jesse Weber, this series uncovers how Combs built an empire that shaped a generation while navigating a trail of scandals, lawsuits, and criminal allegations.

The Rise and Fall of Diddy explores the intersection of power, fame, and accountability in the life of a man who once called himself a “bad boy for life.” 

Will his empire survive, or is this truly the end of an era?

Listen to The Rise & Fall of Diddy exclusively on Wondery+. Join Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. Start your free trial today by visiting www.wondery.com/shows/the-rise-and-fall-of-diddy

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Ballet dancers from across the globe unite in Charleston, SC for a groundbreaking mission: to diversify an art form historically fraught with rigid standards. At the helm is Ashley Benefield, a 25-year-old former ballerina, who has hand-selected each dancer to fulfill her wave making vision - The American National Ballet. In just five months she had formed a fully-fledged dance company boasting a $2.5 million dollar budget, promising perks like health insurance, American visas, and discounted housing. Dancers leapt at the opportunity to bring on the dance revolution, but come their inaugural day, they’re confronted with the age-old lesson: all that glitters isn’t gold.

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In the summer of 2016, 24 year old ballerina Ashley Byers and 54 year old veteran-turned-entrepreneur Doug Benefield struck up a conversation at a party for a presidential contender. They say it was love at first sight – despite the thirty year age gap. And within just thirteen days of meeting – shocking everyone they knew – the two were married.

A family wasn’t the only thing they set out to build; together, they dream up a wave-making ballet company: the American National Ballet. With a mission and a promise to turn the ballet world upside down with dancers of varying ethnicities, body types, and racial backgrounds, in just two years, the Benefields assembled a troupe of nearly 50 dancers from across the globe, with an annual budget of $2.5 million dollars to back their dance revolution. But just months into the company’s formation, it collapses. And the money isn’t the only thing unaccounted for: Ashley is nowhere to be found. And when she finally emerges, Ashley forges a violent path that leaves two young girls without a father.

From Law and Crime, BLACK SWAN MURDER is the story of a seemingly picture-perfect marriage that turned out to be anything but. Over the course of six episodes, a tale of betrayal and desire unfolds: a woman pushed to her limits, culminating in a gripping crime of passion.  But was it an act of vengeance—or a desperate fight for survival? The answer depends on who you ask. 

In key interviews with investigators, attorneys and those with a front row seat to the Benefields’ turbulent partnership, BLACK SWAN MURDER traces the twisted path of Ashley and Doug Benefield, weaving a years-long timeline of violent behavior and conspiracy-fueled tendencies that ultimately turned a poised and disciplined ballerina into a cold-blooded killer. 

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