When people talk about true crime stories, they almost always revolve around murders. Many true crime documentaries are also about murders, from unsolved cases to hard-to-believe stories to those unjustly convicted of a murder they never committed. However, not all true crime docs revolve around someone killing another person.
Thanks to all the various streaming services, there are more available documentaries than ever, and there are several that have to do with crimes other than murder. From fraud and embezzlement to kidnapping and stalking, there is something out for there anyone who wants to see the worst that some humans are capable of.
The Inventor: Out For Blood In Silicon Valley (2019)
- Streaming now on HBO Max.
There is a new movie hitting in 2022 on Hulu called The Dropout that tells the story of Elizabeth Holmes, the woman who promised to revolutionize blood testing but based it all on fraudulent claims on her way to becoming a billionaire.
However, true crime fans can head over to HBO Max and see the actual true story of Holmes' crimes in The Inventor: Out For Blood In Silicon Valley. The documentary follows the rise and fall of Theranos, directed by Emmy-winning documentarian Alex Gibney.
Enron: The Smartest Guys In The Room (2005)
- Streaming now on Prime Video.
In 2005, Alex Gibney picked up an Oscar nomination for his true crime documentary, Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room. This feature film told the story of the 2001 collapse of the Enron Corporation, which led to criminal trials for many top executives after its fall.
While some look at the movie as a political story, it is very much a criminal tale of men who felt they were untouchable and watched their world crumble around them when their misdeeds surfaced. Gibney interviewed a lot of people and set this up so that anyone could understand the financial scandal as it fell apart.
Fyre Fraud (2019)
- Streaming now on Hulu.
There have been a lot of documentaries surrounding the Fyre Festival scandal in 2017. However, one of the most entertaining was the movie Fyre Fraud, which was a Hulu original. The movie followed the festival as people flooded the location only to learn their money was stolen and they didn't get anything they paid for.
Hulu released the movie before Netflix released a similar documentary, and the streaming service received glowing praise from critics. The filmmakers talked to whistleblowers, victims, and insiders while keeping the true crime aspects light, with a touch of comedy.
Jeffrey Epstein: Filthy Rich (2020)
- Streaming now on Netflix.
Jeffrey Epstein made the news when his arrest brought all his crimes that had been perpetrated thanks to his wealth and power to light. Epstein was an American financier and became a wealthy power player who then used his power to abuse women and young girls.
Jeffrey Epstein: Filthy Rich tells the story not of Epstein, but instead of his survivors and victims, who explained how he used his power to commit his horrific crimes. While there was no new information here, it did show the effects of his acts on the women he hurt.
LuLaRich (2021)
- Streaming now on Amazon Prime.
For something a little lighter, LuLaRich tells the story of the LuLaRoe clothing line, which was accused of being a pyramid scheme. The people behind the company, DeAnne Brady and Mark Stidham, took center stage in the story of how they built the company and the fallout from the investigation.
Produced by Amazon Prime, LuLaRich told the story of how these two people built the company to incredible heights, only to see retailers leaving in mass exodus when all of its flaws were exposed. LuLaRoe ended up settling out of court for $4.74 million.
McMillions (2020)
- Streaming now on HBO Max.
McMillions came out in 2020 as a true crime documentary about the McDonald's Monopoly scam that took place between 1989 and 2001. This told the story of how the head of security working for the agency that ran the promotion helped commit $24 million worth of fraud.
An HBO original, Jerry Jacobson set up a huge scheme that had a wide range of accomplices. They cashed in McDonald's game pieces for over a decade, where there were no actual million-dollar winners outside of that crime circle.
The Mystery Of D.B. Cooper (2020)
- Streaming now on HBO Max.
D.B. Cooper has become almost an urban legend in the world since he disappeared with a fortune. What makes him so captivating is that he has never resurfaced and no one knows what happened to the man, or even if he really existed at all.
What makes director John Dower's true crime documentary so interesting is that it isn't interested in figuring out what really happened. Instead, this is a look at who D.B. Cooper could have been, and while there was no way to solve the mystery, it remains a fun glimpse at an almost mythological figure in true crime history.
Operation Varsity Blues: The College Admissions Scandal (2021)
- Streaming now on Netflix.
Operation Varsity Blues is a Netflix documentary that told the story of widespread fraud where wealthy families bought scholarships for their children from universities. They did this by committing fraud, falsifying the applications, and taking limited opportunities away from kids who actually earned them.
What makes this true crime documentary so interesting is that the criminals are familiar faces. It included actress Lori Loughlin and her husband, fashion designer Mossimo Giannulli, as well as actress Felicity Huffman, and ended up with prison time for them all.
This Is A Robbery: The World's Biggest Art Heist (2021)
- Streaming now on Netflix.
This Is A Robbery: The World's Biggest Art Heist is another Netflix true crime documentary. This one was released in 2021 and retold the story of the 1990 robbery of the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum.
The robbery started with two men dressed as police officers entering the museum and then leaving with 13 valuable works of art. Despite security footage and several leads by law enforcement agencies, this documentary reveals that the thieves were never caught over three decades later.
The Tinder Swindler (2022)
- Streaming now on Netflix.
The Tinder Swindler is a true crime documentary that isn't about murder but is almost as scary as following a killer's trail. This is a British true crime saga that tells the story of a conman named Simon Leviev who used the dating app Tinder to meet up with women.
Once he did, he emotionally manipulated them into supporting his lavish lifestyle by pretending that he needed their financial help to escape enemies. He swindled women out of almost $10 million before ending up in prison in two different countries, with arrest warrants in several others.