Scamfluencers - Imelda Marcos: The First Lady of Excess Part 1 | 180

Episode Date: September 29, 2025

Imelda Marcos - the former beauty queen turned First Lady of the Philippines – was as famous for her 1,000 pairs of shoes and jawbreaker-sized diamonds as she was infamous for the fortune that she and her husband, President Ferdinand Marcos, stole from their country. While Imelda jet-setted around the globe on the public dime, ordinary Filipinos struggled under a collapsing economy. When Ferdinand’s popularity starts to plummet, he pulls his most ruthless move yet – declaring martial law to keep himself in power.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Hey, scam influencers listeners. If you're as hooked on these jaw-dropping schemes as we are, you'll love Wondry Plus. Think of it as you're all access past the world of scams. Add-free episodes, early access, and exclusive deep dives that uncover even more shocking details. Don't just listen. Emmerse yourself in the chaos with Wondry Plus. Sarah, we all know how I feel about marriage, but I'm curious what you think. about a marriage of convenience for a woman? Like, is it worth it to be married to a dud if he can get you literally anything you want? Wow, I actually have no idea how you feel about marriage. Maybe you can let me know. You know what?

I think that's probably fine. I mean, that's kind of what marriage was forever until quite recently when everyone was like, wait a second, should we be in love? It's always been kind of considered a business transaction almost. So if people are continuing with that tradition, Who am I to judge? Yeah, who's going to get hurt by a little transactional relationship?

If that were me and a guy was like, we obviously don't love each other, this is convenience. I'd say, listen, we can do this, but you have to promise you one thing. Promise me you won't fall in love. Yeah, and then, you know, who knows what happens after that? Yeah, the most twisted romance ever. A true scamful-encers love story, Sarah. Well, today I'm going to tell you about a political wife who understood just how much power there was in being. the effervescent, glamorous, charming plus one.

She's going to take full advantage of it for her own benefit, and no one else's. It's June 1977 on the remote island of Calhuit in the Philippines. A helicopter lands and outsteps Imelda Marcos, First Lady of the Philippines, wife to dictator Ferdinand Marcos, and a self-styled patron of. of beauty and grandeur. Amelda has high cheekbones, glowing skin,

and her dark hair is in a perfect bouffant. Cameras click as she smiles at the crowd of waiting press. Last year, Amelda went on a safari trip and was inspired to amass her own collection of African animals. So, Ferdinand made it happen with a presidential decree. A British game dealer shipped in zebras, giraffes, gazelles, and more from Kenya, transforming Caloitte into the Marcos' own personal serengeti.

Ferdinand and Amelda are politicians who know that appearances are everything. So officially, they say that this park is about helping the world's conservation efforts. But really, it's for them. Amelda's here today to celebrate the animals being released into the park, where they can roam free. But here's the thing. The island of Caloit wasn't empty before the animals arrived. More than 250 indigenous families have been forcibly removed to make way for this fantasy. Oh my God.

tail as old as time and doesn't get any less upsetting. No, it doesn't. And this eviction is only the beginning of the chaos. The animals struggle to adapt to their new home. Ecosystems falter and diseases spread. And locals sneak back onto the island to poach. Meanwhile, the Marcos regime hails the Caloit Safari Park as a triumph of conservation efforts.

Caloit is just one example of how Amelda and Ferdinand have been treating the Philippines as their own personal playground. They rose to power promising to free the Philippines from its colonial past. Instead, they looted billions and stopped at nothing to maintain control. The Marcos has built a political dynasty from next to nothing. But their legacy is a dark stain on global democracy. Grab a coffee and discover Vegas-level excitement with BetMGM Casino. Now introducing our hottest exclusive, friends.

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you my new podcast, Nick Cannon at night. I'm bringing out some of my celebrity friends and the best experts in the business to answer your most intimate relationship questions. So don't be shy. Join the conversation and head over to YouTube to watch Nick Cannon at night or subscribe on the Wondry app or wherever you get your podcast. From Wondry, I'm Sachi Cole and I'm Sarah Hagey and this is scam influencers. A thousand pairs of shoes, diamonds the size of jawbreakers, a fortune stolen from her nation. One woman collected it all. Imelda Marcos, a beauty queen turned political matriarch. Imelda was a tabloid sensation in the 70s and 80s, partying at Studio 54 one night and rubbing

elbows with world leaders the next. She used fashion, architecture, and star power to dazzle the public and deflect attention from her family's brutal power grabs and. massive theft. Today, we're following Amelda's rise from small-town girl to globe-trotting First Lady with very expensive tastes. This is Imelda Marcos, the First Lady of Excess, Part 1. It's a stifling April night in Manila in 1938.

Imelda Ramaldes is eight years old, lying awake on the wooden planks of a makeshift bed in a garage. Her younger siblings toss and turn beside her. Somewhere in the darkness, her mother slips out for some air. But when she returns, it's clear that something's wrong. Amelda's mom is burning up and shaking. Within hours, she's in the hospital. And two days later, she dies from pneumonia.

For Amelda, it's a shattering loss. Her mother was the only constant in a family already falling apart. The Ramaldezes were once among Manila's elite. Amelda's uncle was a nationalist leader. her father a respected lawyer. But when the economy tanked, her father's law practice collapsed and the family's fortune fell with it.

It also deepened rifts within the family. Amelda's father has children from a previous marriage and he retreated into the main house to live with them, while Amelda, her mother, and her siblings were exiled to the garage. Seven months after her mother dies, Amelda's father sells their house and they all moved to his hometown, on an island on the other side of the Philippines.

For Amelda, it's more than just a change of scenery. It's a fall from grace. In Manila, her last name meant something. On this rural island, she's just another hungry child in hand-me-downs. Amelda claims that by this point, her family's only asset is a jewel necklace, and they have to trade one beat at a time for something to eat. It's an origin story that she'll repeat again later in life to garner sympathy, and while it's compelling, others have since disputed it.

She had a tough childhood. But Amelda is resourceful. After World War II breaks out, she starts serenading American soldiers at GI camps. The soldiers are charmed, and Amelda sees that their attention gives her power. As a teenager, she's determined to regain the wealth and respect her family once had in Manila.

So she enters a local beauty pageant. She wins, and then keeps winning. In her early 20s, she travels to the capital city to compete in the Miss Manila contest, where she gets second place. It's impressive, but not good enough. Emelda protests her loss and turns on the waterworks,

begging the mayor to reverse the decision. He melts, and while he can't give her the crown, he does dub her the muse of Manila. Here's a photo of her from her pageant days. Yeah, this is an old black and white photo, and she's wearing this, like, pretty dress, her hair's done up. She looks really beautiful, and I think it's understandable why she would use her beauty as currency,

see and take it so seriously at this time in her life. Yeah, she's making the most of what she's got. In 1954, Amelda's cousin brings her to work with him at the Filipino House of Representatives, where he introduces her to Ferdinand Marcos. Amelda's 24 and Ferdinand is a 36-year-old congressman. He's also a lawyer, an alleged war hero, and, most importantly, to Amelda,

a man who knows exactly what he wants. On the campaign trail, he told crowds he wouldn't stop what the House of Representatives, he vowed to become the president of the Philippines within 20 years. But what he wants right now is Amelda. Within 20 minutes of meeting her, he proposes. At first, she doesn't know if he's joking, but he's definitely not. Here she is in a 2003 documentary called Amelda describing his obsession with her.

I have never seen anybody was more in love with me than this guy. He could not take his eyes off me and he could not eat, he could not drink. Ferdinin proceeds to bombard her with flowers, chocolates, and diamonds for the next 10 days. In that same Imelda documentary, she recalls her cousin giving her some advice. He said, you know, this guy is a future press. This guy is brilliant. This guy is everything. He's got all the potential, it's legendary, is this, whoever will not bury this guy.

It's stupid. It's funny because this happened so long ago, and the circumstances of her life were pretty difficult. So obviously it isn't out, but anyone would say that now. So many women would be like, you'd be stupid to not go with this guy who's gorgeous, has everything, will be something, go for it. Totally understandable. Emelda decides to accept Ferdinand's proposal. And after just 11 days, they get married.

Here's a picture of them at their wedding. Sarah, can you describe it? He's carrying her the way grooms do when they just get married. she's swimming in this huge white dress and he is a cutie. He has a gorgeous smile. They look perfect. They look perfect.

Amelda thinks she secured her perfect life. But what she doesn't fully realize is that she's marrying into a political machine. One built on charm, ego, and ruthless ambition. And while the wedding looks like a fairy tale, Amelda is about to learn that life inside the halls of power is anything but charmed. Over the next six years, Amelda has three kids

and learns that life as a congressman's wife isn't all it's cracked up to be. In the early 1960s, she looks around and realizes that she's actually miserable. The parties, the handshakes, the ribbon cutting, the schmoozing, it's all one big migraine. Literally, she gets them relentlessly and they're making it impossible to live her life. What else did she expect? She thought she would just get married to a politician and hide in the background.

Yeah, I mean, maybe that's what she was hoping. No. Well, with that face, not happening, Amelda. Well, the pressure is starting to overwhelm her. Eventually, Amelda ends up in a psychiatric hospital in New York, reportedly on the verge of a nervous breakdown. Supposedly, treatment in the Philippines wasn't working, so they decided to go halfway around the world for help.

But the doctors can't find anything medically wrong with Amelda. It seems like she just hates politics. When Ferdinand hears the diagnosis, he says he'll quit right now if that's what makes her happy. This moment changes everything for Imelda. For the first time, she realizes how much power she actually has. She's not just a trophy wife. She's the one person Ferdinand is willing to give up everything for. But she won't let him.

Here she is explaining her decision in the Imelda documentary. I said, if this man would give up his ultimate ambition, To become president of the Republic of the Philippines, why can't I give up something? It was a real turning point. It's a matter of change of attitude. I said, how lucky I am that people come to my home. How lucky I am that I am the one giving a help

rather than I asking for help. I think it's dangerous for her to understand her power is coming from this kind of manipulation, especially someone who has felt probably powerless her whole life. It's kind of like a light bulb moment, right? Yeah, this combination is a bit of a powder keg. Imelda starts practicing auto-suggestion, something she learned from one of her New York psychologists.

The idea is that if she repeats a belief to herself often enough, it will become true. So she reminds herself that she's lucky to have a husband she loves, and who loves her. Lucky to have her life, lucky to be chosen, she repeats it over and over again until it sinks in like gospel. When Amelda returns to Manila, she's transformed.

She's ready to play the part of elegant, beautiful wife. And next up on the itinerary, helping her husband win the highest office in the land. It's 1965 in Manila. The sun is beating down on a packed plaza as 48-year-old Ferdinand steps up to a podium. His dark hair is slicked back, and he flashes his signature grin.

He's still on the campaign trail. but he's smiling like he's already president. His supporters cheer. To them, he's a war hero, a brilliant lawyer, and the man who can make the Philippines stronger. Even his critics have to admit that he knows how power works and isn't afraid to get his hands dirty. The Philippines is still in the early stages of independence.

It's only been two decades since they broke away from the United States, a country that once colonized them and then kept them tethered as a self-governing commonwealth. In that time, the Philippines has had just five presidents. But to many Filipinos, the system already feels stuck. The country's weighed down by gridlock, corruption, and foreign influence that never really went away. There aren't a lot of ideological differences between Ferdinand and his opponent, the current president. This is a vibes-based campaign, and that's something that Ferdinand thinks he can win.

Ferdinand comes from a family of politicians. His father was a governor and his hero. He raised Ferdinand to be cunning and ruthless, drilling two rules into him. Never settle for second place and never pick a fight you can't win. And Ferdinand takes that advice really seriously. As a young man, he was found guilty of assassinating his father's political rival. Even while on trial, he managed to finish law school and supposedly placed first in the national bar exam. Ferdinand appealed his conviction to the Supreme Court, argued his own case, and won.

A judge literally said it would be a waste to put someone who shows as much intelligence and leadership potential as Ferdinand behind bars, no matter what he may or may not have done. Is that how the law can work? For some people. You know, you hear really rare cases of someone like this happening and you're like, I need to experience this person in real life to see how their vibe, could make a judge say that. Yeah, not guilty vibes is what I always aim for. Ferdinand is a man who can turn murder into myth. He's already a congressman.

And now, with the presidency within reach, he's once again surrounding himself with stories and symbols. And Imelda is the biggest of them all. At 36 years old, Amelda is tall, polished, and photogenic. She sings love songs at rallies, kisses babies and floats in and out of banquets with her hair done up beauty queen style. The migraines are behind her, and she's embraced the role of First Lady in Waiting. Imelda is Ferdinand's secret weapon.

The people adore her. Together, they're a one-two punch. Ferdinand's a strong man with a vision, promising to root out rampant corruption. And Amelda is the radiant First Lady, dazzling crowds with her beauty and serenating them on the campaign trail. Ferdinand has created the perfect projection of honest, ambitious, beautiful leadership. But behind the scenes, he's already taking shady contributions from businessmen in exchange for political favors. But it doesn't matter. Ferdinand wins the presidency, and in December 1965, he's sworn into office.

At his inauguration, he declares that he's been given a, quote, mandate for greatness. Ferdinand promised reform, transparency, and a break from the country's colonial past. But now that he's in office, absolute power will reveal who he really is. And the man who swore to root out corruption is about to usher in even more of it. It's September 1966, seven months after Ferdinand is sworn into office, Amelda is traveling with him to the U.S. for their first official state visit. Today, the couple is pulling up outside the Lincoln Center

in a limousine for the grand opening of the new metropolitan opera house. Amelda and Ferdinand share a box with Lady Bird Johnson, the first lady of the United States. They smile and pose for the cameras, thrilled to be recognized as equals with American leaders. In one of these photos, Amelda stands front and center next to Lady Bird, dressed in a shimmering gown looking completely at home.

Sarah, take a look. This is such a glamorous photo. You know, it's black and white. They're wearing gorgeous dresses. All the men are in really formal tuxedos. And you just look at her and you know she's important. Yeah, definitely. World leaders are embracing the Marcos's,

more than previous Filipino politicians. They're glamorous, intelligent, charming, and relentless. And the media is obsessed with them. Officially, Ferdinand is in the U.S. to pledge support for America's Cold War effort. in Southeast Asia, and to negotiate economic and military deals for the Philippines. But unofficially, the trip is all about Amelda. Newspapers call her the First Lady of Asia.

She gets a feature spread in Life magazine, the New York Times puts her on the front page, and a reporter from the London Evening Standard compares her to Queen Elizabeth, Jackie Kennedy, and Princess Grace. When the couple dines at the White House, the dinner menu even features a special dessert, Glassee Amelda. She's more than a political wife.

Amelda has become a global celebrity. Amelda believes that if she looks glamorous and powerful, the world will assume the Philippines is too. Here she is explaining her philosophy to a CBC news correspondent. As First Lady, I have to flaunt love and beauty so that the 50 million Filipinos will see what is to love and what is perfection. I've always claimed to be some kind of a soldier for beauty. a soldier for love, which is some kind of a frivolity in this age and stage of mankind

when there is so much deprivation. And yet it is so basic for survival of a human being. It's so upsetting when someone with power is talking about how like, I'm a soldier for beauty, I'm a soldier for love. That's not tangible. That's not what people want. People want things. You being gorgeous is awesome to look at, but I want something. Yeah, yeah, I mean, call me when you being beautiful gets me food or a job. But Amelda really believes that being fabulous is good for the Philippines, and she's being very patriotic. So she starts spending.

She collects lavish gowns, designer shoes, and custom jewelry. Imelda also leans into her family's wealthy reputation. She wants people to believe she and Ferdinand have always had money, so no one will question how they have so much now. But later Intel suggests that she and Ferdinand started stealing public funds for their private luxury at this point. Unfortunately, we don't know the specifics. Their global coming out party wasn't just a PR dream. They secured political successes too.

Ferdinand negotiates increased economic assistance from the U.S. for the Philippines, including $45 million in agricultural programs and at least $16 million in military equipment. With this money, Ferdinand starts delivering. on some of his campaign trail promises. He invests in infrastructure and education, and he comes down hard on violent criminals. It seems like progress, but behind the glitz and the glamour of the first couple

are the seeds of a scam that will change the course of the Philippines forever. The Marcos'es will claim their lifestyle glorifies all of their countrymen, while siphoning billions of dollars from the very people who elected them. In November 1974, IRA bombs ripped through two Birmingham pubs killing 21 innocent people. Hundreds more were injured. It was the worst attack on British soil

since the Second World War. When a crime this appalling and shocking happens, you want the police to act quickly. And boy, did they. The very next day, they had six men in custody. Confessions followed, and the men were sent down for life. Good riddance, you might think,

except those men were innocent. Join me, Matt Ford. And me, Alice Levine. For the latest series of British scandal all about the Birmingham Six. It's the story of how a terrible tragedy morphed into a travesty of justice and how one man couldn't rest

until he'd exposed the truth. Follow British Scandal now wherever you listen to podcasts and binge entire series early and ad-free on Wondery Plus. Hi, I'm Denise Chan, host of Scam Factory. You might remember hearing about our investigative series that exposed what's really happening behind those suspicious texts you get.

Inside heavily guarded compounds across Asia, thousands are trapped and forced to scam others or risk torture. One of our most powerful stories was Jellas, a young woman who thought she'd found her dream job, only to end up imprisoned in a scam compound. Her escape story caught the attention of criminals Phoebe Judge and am honored to share more details of Jella's journey with their audience. But Jella's story is just one piece of this investigation.

In Scam Factory, we reveal how a billion-dollar criminal empire turns job seekers into prisoners and how the only way out is to scam your way out. Ready to uncover the full story? Binge all episodes of Scam Factory now. Listen to Scam Factory on the Wondery app Or wherever you get your podcasts. I feel like a legend. It's 1966, still less than a year into Ferdinand's first term.

Since Imelda became first lady, she's been spending like her life depends on it, and Ferdinand has to find ways to keep the cash flowing. Back when he was just an attorney, his net worth was in the tens of thousands of dollars. But as soon as Ferdinand takes office, this number starts to grow. The details about his kickbacks and personal dealings at this time are murky at best. But there's one bit of wheeling and dealing we do know about.

In 1966, an American electronics company called GTE decides to sell its shares in a Philippine subsidiary. A buyer is all lined up. Then, suddenly, another group swoops in and convinces GTE to sell to them, a group that just so happens to include Ferdinand and his cronies. GTE ends up paying at least $4.5 million to this group through secret commissions, credits, and uncollected loans. Ferdinand himself picks up shares that will later be worth $15 million. That's equal to nearly $140 million in today's money.

Right after the deal is done, the paper trail disappears. It seems like the sale of the phone company was just to cover for moving money around. And if all of this sounds confusing, it's because it's meant to be that way. Ferdinand does deals like this over and over, making the transactions so complex that they mostly go undetected at the time. It'll later take law enforcement years to make sense of it. He has a whole team of people behind him. So in my mind, there's definitely some people turning a blind eye towards a lot of this,

or perhaps benefiting from it. Yeah, exactly. The only people who have any idea that this is even happening are in his. his and Amelda's inner circle, and presumably they're also profiting off of these schemes as well. And then, two years later, in 1968, Ferdinand uses a fake name to deposit nearly $1 million into four Credit Suisse accounts. It's unclear where exactly this money came from, but he and Amelda see it as theirs. They use the names William Saunders and Jane Ryan to access the account. Ferdinand even practices his fake signature on official government letterhead.

Ferdinand and Amelda may feel untouchable, but someone from Amelda's past is about to become their loudest critic. It's February 1969, and Benino Aquino, better known as Ni Noi, is standing at a podium. He's 36 years old, short and stocky, with large wire-rimmed glasses and a comb over. He's the sharp-tongued leader of the Liberal Opposition Party and a rising star in the Philippine Senate.

Ninoi has been building a reputation as one of the fiercest critics of the Marcos's. He hates what they've done to the country. He accuses Ferdinand of turning the Philippines into a military state and putting loyalists into positions of power. He warns that if Filipinos elect Ferdinand for a second term, he'll only get more authoritarian. And this is all without Ninoi even knowing the extent of his grift. Ninoi calls for transparency, civil liberties,

and a return to constitutional rule. He promises to bring reforms that will benefit ordinary Filipinos, not just the elite. He's only just been elected to the Senate, but his party has hopes that in four more years, he'll run for president himself. They just need to make sure democracy survives, because Ninoi's not so sure that Ferdinand will peacefully hand over power when the time comes. Interestingly, Ninoi also has a bit of history with Imelda. They knew each other as teenagers, and according to some sources, he even briefly courted her. It's unclear whether they've had any further interactions as adults.

I really think this guy sounds like a threat. Anyone who has this kind of power to be a critic and have people feel brave through their speech like Nino is in dangerous territory here. And maybe his little history with Amelda also creates a bit more danger for him. Yeah, he's definitely making himself a target. because he's going out of his way to blast Imelda's latest architectural project, the cultural center of the Philippines.

It's a huge, modern building with an eye-catching design and an extravagant water feature out front. Here's a picture of it. Sarah, can you describe it? So this is one of those very sleek, classy-looking, brutalist buildings, and it has a giant fountain in front of it. Like, I always feel like I never understand the purpose of fountains, like this, and then I get sucked in by one by just staring at it for a long time,

and I'm like, you know what, this low-key eats. It's cool to watch a fountain sometimes, and this is a cool fountain. What can I say? I actually think this is so ugly. It's so scary. It's scary, but it's a cool-looking building. Like, it's clearly signaling a type of sophistication, right? Yes, that's true.

But Ninoi rails against just how much the center is costing the Philippines. Since the start of construction in 1966, the budget for the project has balloon to about $35 million or about $306 million today. And to make matters worse, Imelda pulled money from other public funds to cover the extra expenses without asking for congressional approval. Ninoi criticizes her for misappropriating funds. He says Amelda's not creating culture by building this venue.

She's destroying it by not helping actual Filipinos. Their slum housing literally next door to the new center. In a speech titled, a pantheon for Amelda, Ninoi calls the extravagant center a monument to shame and he labels Amelda, quote, a megalomaniac with a pension to captivate.

Other Filipinos say that she has an edifice complex. Wow, these are sick burns. I will say that it's very clear that Amelda's entire thing is about seeming cosmopolitan being a patron of the arts,

like kind of fulfilling this classy role that powerful people seem to have. And of course, like, yeah, art centers are good. But when people are homeless nearby and it's costing that much money in such a terrible time, like, Ninoi is only stating the obvious. Yeah. And his speech catches the attention of the Marcos's.

Ferdinand defends Amelda in the press by calling Ninoi a congenital liar. Ninoi refuses to be silenced. But the Marcoses have a special pull on the Philippine people. Amelda's cultural center opens up that September, and a few months later, Ferdinand wins re-election. But Ninoi won't let up.

As far as he's concerned, Ferdinand's re-election campaign was a total sham. He points to massive vote-buying, rampant intimidation, and the suspicious surge in spending by the Marcos camp. To Ninoi, it's clear the Marcos' bought the election. But Ninoi's not the only one taking hits at the Marcos'. Soon, a scandal.

is going to rock the palace and shift the balance of power in Amelda and Ferdinand's relationship forever. About a year after Ferdinand's re-election, Amelda is alone in one of the palace's gilded sitting rooms watching the television flicker to life. She's expecting the usual broadcast, a political speech may be footage of Ferdinand

cutting another ribbon, but what she sees instead stops her cold. It's not her husband on the screen, it's his mistress. The woman is Dovey Beams, an American actress who came to the Philippines two years earlier to film a low-budget movie. Dovey has big, dough eyes and long brown hair

that looks like she just rolled out of bed in a very supermodel kind of way. Emelda knows her husband has had affairs before, but he's kept his indiscretions discreet until now. And Dovey is different. She's not a one-night stand. She's his mistress. And today, she's ruining

everything. She's hosting a press conference and spilling every detail of her relationship with the president, how it began, how long it lasted, and what he said in bed. And then she reveals that she has tapes, secret recordings of her and Ferdinand in bed together. Ferdinand recently broke things off with Duffy, which is why she's releasing the tapes now. She claims it's for her own protection in case something happens to her. Now, Amelda is forced to acknowledge her husband with another woman. And not only did he betray her, he's put their hard-earned image

as a loving, doting first couple at risk. Oh, gosh. This is always so interesting to me because it's like she knows he had affairs and she's basically okay with it in a don't ask, don't tell kind of way. The problem here is that the narrative is out of her control.

It's not that he was with someone else or had a mistress. It's all about her power and image. which is pretty common with powerful couples. Yeah, exactly. And Amelda refuses to let Ferdinand's stupid mistake cost them everything. She reportedly begins to use the situation as leverage to get what she wants. And now she wants more than jewels, shoes, or lavish trips.

She wants real decision-making authority. It's the beginning of what people will come to call a conjugal dictatorship, where a dictator's wife has as much, if not more, power than her husband. spin. Amelda's found a way to take her most embarrassing moment and weaponize it, tipping the balance of power in her marriage in her favor, while Ferdinand is left to deal with the consequences. And his next move could define more than just their marriage. It could define the future of the Philippines itself. It's early 1971, and Ferdinand's second term is off to a rough start. The economy is collapsing under years of debt-fueled spending, inflation,

is skyrocketing, foreign reserves are nearly gone, and the gap between the rich and the poor is wider than ever. People are fed up and worried that Ferdinand will somehow try to stay in power for longer than his two constitutionally allowed terms. Students have been demanding reform and calling for the end of the Marcos regime. Some demonstrations turn violent, but even the peaceful ones are growing harder for Ferdinand to ignore. Yeah, it's scary to think of how far he will go.

go to protect himself and his image and this life he built. I'm scared of where this is going to go. Yeah, you're right to be worried. Because inside the palace, Ferdinand begins to consider martial law. It's an unprecedented step in the Democratic era and one that would give him sweeping power. But his advisors warn him against it. The international community is watching. And as Ferdinand's father taught him, you never want to pick a fight you can't win.

So he decides to wait. But in August, things escalate. Grenades explode at a political rally for the opposition, killing nine people. Rumors start swirling that the grenades were ordered by Ferdinand, but whether he knew or gave the orders is still being debated to this day. What's clear is this.

Ferdinand is dead set on holding onto his power and access to money. But he's been elected twice, so constitutionally he can't run again. He and Amelda hoped that they could get her, elected as his successor, but the grenade attack seems to have boosted support for the opposition. In the 1971 congressional elections, several of Ferdinand's hand-picked candidates are defeated. And a recent survey showed that 80% of Filipinos rejected the idea of Imelda as president. An election would be incredibly risky.

So Ferdinand considers his options. He can take the Democratic route and step aside, or he can hold on to power by any means necessary. Ferdinand chooses the latter, and he and Amelda begin planning to institute martial law. Ferdinand even calls U.S. President Richard Nixon and warns him what he's about to do. And apparently, Nixon doesn't voice any objections. You don't say. He's like, I wish I could do that. He was jealous.

On September 21st, 1972, Ferdinand signs the documents that place the Philippines under martial law. Two days later, the country, wakes up to Ferdinand's troops locking down the Capitol. All TV stations, most radio stations, and every major newspaper are shut down. The streets are cleared, and for more than 12 hours, the Philippines is essentially cut off from the outside world. During this time, Ferdinand's henchmen carry out a plan called Operation Sagittarius. They arrest opposition leaders, including Senator Ninoi.

He slapped with trumped up charges of murder, illegal possession of firearms, and subversions. and thrown into a military prison. The jails fill with hundreds more, including students, journalists, and union organizers. And a new set of orders are handed down. There's a nationwide travel ban and midnight curfew and demonstrations are outlawed. Then, at 7.15 p.m.,

Ferdinand's voice crackles onto radio and TV stations owned by his cronies. He announces that he's taken sweeping control of the government to save the Republic from communist anarchy. Here's the start of his declaration, preserved by the AP archives. I, as you're duly elected president of the Republic, use this power, which may be implemented by the military authorities, but still is a power embodied in the Constitution

to protect the Republic of the Philippines and our democracy. By declaring martial law, Ferdinand becomes a dictator. There are no longer any checks and balances with other branches of government, Congress is dissolved and dissent is criminalized. Fair trials are no longer guaranteed, and Ferdinand is left to do whatever he wants with the help of the military. And while all of this is happening,

Ferdinand opens another secret Swiss bank account. You know, it's really scary how a president could just turn into a dictator. Like, there's really nothing stopping him. So to me, I'm like, of course he was going to open another bank account. And of course he's going to take money from the people of the Philippines. Like, they never really mattered. And I don't know, I feel like this is just a really terrifying development for everyone. And it makes me scared for Ninoi.

Yeah, I mean, who's going to stop him? It's the dawn of a new era for Ferdinand, Imelda, and the Philippines. One that will be marked by human rights abuses, corruption, and paranoia. But it's also at the beginning of a slow unraveling. Ferdinand has unchecked power now. But he's made a lot of enemies. And soon, one of them is going to come for his wife. On Boxing Day, 2018, 20-year-old Joy Morgan was last seen at her church, Israel United in Christ, or IUIC.

I just went on my Snapchat and I just see her face plastered everywhere. This is the missing sister, the true story of a woman betrayed by those she trusted most. IUC is my family and like the best family that I've ever had. But IUIC isn't like most churches. This is a devilish cult. You know when you get that feeling, man, you just, I don't want to be here. I want to get out. It's like that feeling of like I want to go hang out.

I'm Charlie Brink Coast Cuff, and after years of investigating Joy's case, I need to know what really happened to Joy. Binge all episodes of The Missing Sister, exclusively an ad-free, right now on Wonderry Plus. Start your free trial of Wondry Plus on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or in the Wondry app. It's your man, Nick Cannon, and I'm here to bring you my new podcast, Nick Cannon at night.

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It's December 1972, 11 weeks since Ferdinand declared martial law. Emelda is on stage at a ceremony for the National Beautification and Cleanliness Council, her latest pet project. She's dressed immaculately, handing out a war. for his citywide contest, when suddenly a man in a dark suit lunges at her with a 12-inch bolo knife.

The man swings the knife wildly, people scream, security rushes the stage, and for several long, surreal seconds, no one can stop him from hacking at her as she tries to fight him off. Eventually, a soldier opens fire and the man drops to the ground. The whole thing is caught on camera

and broadcast across the country. Here's a bit of archival news footage of the event. In the Philippines, President Marcos resorts to martial law to quiet his country's unrest. When he fails to appear at a public gathering, but praised assailant stabs Mrs. Marcos instead. 75 stitches are required to close her wounds. Yeah, I feel like something like this is never really that surprising to me because these people feel very siloed by the violence they created. And the violence that's happening because of, you know, their policies.

And now, under martial law, there is no way for regular people to express her outrage. So inevitably, someone will resort to violence at a desperation. And of course, it's going to come back to the people who kind of created the violence in the first place. Yeah, tale is old as time. Imelda is airlifted to the hospital by helicopter. Ferdinand, who was playing golf during the ordeal, rushes to her side. Amelda's got minor injuries to her hands and arms, but overall, she's fine. The man is identified as an engineer with no obvious motive,

but Ferdinand steps in with a neat explanation. The attacker must have been after him, and the fact that he got so close to Amelda proves that there's a larger conspiracy at play. It's exactly the kind of threat Ferdinand needs to justify martial law, and Amelda can see how perfectly the moment plays into their hands. It's all so convenient. Some whisper that the Marcos' staged it,

which isn't a stretch, considering Ferdinand's history of using sneaky tactics to fool the public. They're known as false flag attacks. Basically, when you stage something bad and make it look like your enemies did it so you can justify cracking down on them.

Would I put it past them to do a false flag? No, of course not. And this is how conspiracy theories start when the government is this dishonest, everything becomes a conspiracy theory. Yeah. Well, there's no proof that's what happened here. But Emelda's not about to contradict her husband.

At her next public appearance, her arm is held in a chic, gold chain sling. Can you read what she says when she's asked about the attack? Yes, she says, If there's somebody who's going to kill me, why is it to be a bolo that is so ugly? I wish they put some kind of yellow ribbon or some kind of nice thing.

Why such an ugly instrument? You know, it's just so sick. These people are so sick. That's your response. mocking the climate they created that made this happen, you know? Yes, but also that is the most Asian woman response I've ever heard in my life. That just sounds like my mother. Well, Imelda and Ferdinand are using every weapon at their disposal to justify the existence of martial law,

even if the weapon is originally aimed at them. And as they tighten their grip on the country, they continue to build a regime that doesn't just take advantage of the system. It bleeds it dry. In January 1973, just weeks after surviving an assassination attempt, Amelda travels to Washington, D.C., without Ferdinand, to represent the Philippines at President Nixon's second inauguration. She's radiant in a leopard-skin coat,

flanked by an entourage of 21 people and 200 suitcases. But the American capital is just the first stop on a whirlwind tour. From there, she jets off to London. She already owns a penthouse there, but instead of staying in it, She books a lavish hotel suite. Her crew orders smoke salmon, roast turkey, and entire cases of Don Perri-on for a dinner party. The night ends on the dance floor at Annabelle's,

an elite London club where the party doesn't stop until sunrise. Naturally, Amelda loves a disco. Oh, this is so brutal. All this with stolen money, these people in her country are suffering. She was only a marriage away from being one of the people who continue to suffer. And when people are this flagrant about their spending, I'm always waiting for the moment it turns around on them.

So I'm patiently waiting. Well, while Amelda's trips abroad are always framed as official business, she also indulges an international shopping sprees. Herods in London, Bloomingdale's in New York, Liberty House in Honolulu. Amelda sweeps through each one like a general conquering new territory, floor by floor, section by section, racking up bills in the hundreds of thousands.

She doesn't worry about paying them. Ferdinand's given the Philippine National Bank orders to disperse whatever she wants, no questions asked, using a secret intelligence account. So her private shopping is always covered by public funds. Within the year, Amelda's personal wealth is estimated at $250 million.

Within two years, that number climbs to $350 million. And it doesn't stop there. A decade later, she and Ferdinand will have hoarded $1.6 billion, all while the average Filipino makes less than $200 a year. This makes me so deeply sick to my stomach, and also this is crazy that it's like $1.6 billion decades ago. Yeah, it's so much money. And here's another thing. Around this time, Amelda also orders bulldozers to demolish her childhood home, along with that garage that she once lived in. The official reason is beautification.

But to her, it's something deeper. It's about erasing her past. She's now running in circles with crown princes, billionaire heiresses, and American presidents. She doesn't want a reminder of where she came from. She's only looking towards where she's going. While Amelda builds her empire abroad, Ferdinand is busy fortifying his own power at home.

And the Marcos's aren't just siphoning cash anymore. They're rigging entire industries. all to get as rich as possible. By 1973, one year into martial law, Ferdinand feels untouchable. The headlines are favorable because he controls what gets published. There's no dissent in the streets

because he jails all of his enemies. And in the halls of the palace, he's living it up and enriching himself while the country struggles. He's skimming gold off the top of the country's reserves and stashing it away in his own bank accounts. Gold is one of the Philippines's biggest exports. The previous year, after two decades of steady growth, the Philippines produced

over 57 metric tons of it. But now, thanks to Ferdinand, these reserves suddenly plummet by over 40%. At the time, that's a loss of $280 million. Eventually, U.S. intelligence agencies will start looking into the missing gold and become suspicious of Ferdinand and his associates. But for now, no one's batting an eye in the Philippines, because Ferdinand is the government. Meanwhile, Ferdinand hands out monopolies like party favors. Coconuts, sugar, tobacco, bananas. He arrests the son of a media tycoon on bogus charges, forcing the family to sell their $400 million utility company to him for half the price

so he can rake in profits. And when brute force doesn't work, he uses decrees, shell companies, and his loyal friends to take what he wants. Ferdinand and Amelda know it's only a matter of time before the public notice. the outrageous amount of new money in their hands. So Ferdinand develops a system to hide the evidence. He starts putting businesses, properties, and bank accounts in other people's names. He then has them write deed transfers, but they leave the name blank.

For all intents and purposes, the deeds belong to Ferdinand, but now there's no paper trail. The scams only get bigger and bolder from there. Ferdinand starts stealing foreign aid, war reparations, and even U.S. military support. Coconut farmers are forced to pay a bogus $216 million levy that's supposedly for industry reform. But it all ends up in Swiss bank accounts. And with so much dirty money pouring in, Ferdinand sets up his own shadow banking system

to clean it. By the time anyone starts asking questions, it's too late. The corruption isn't a bug. It's the entire system. Meanwhile, Amelda continues her never-ending campaign for beauty. In the summer of 1974, she hosts the Miss Universe pageant at the Folk Arts Theater in Manila,

yet another venue that was hastily constructed under her orders. She boasts about how it's the first time the pageant has ever been held in Asia, and that she was the one who brought it to her people. Ultimately, this is Amelda's biggest scam, distracting and deceiving the world from the true horrors that are happening under her husband's dictatorship.

But the Filipino people are starting to catch on, and the groundswell of hate against Ferdinand and Imelda is growing. Soon, someone will speak out against their corruption, and they'll make sure the world is watching when they do. Loving scam influencers, get exclusive episodes and early access to new ones all ad-free on Wondry Plus. Join now in the Wendry app, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. Before you go, help us out by taking a quick survey,

at Wondry.com slash survey. This is Amelda Marcos, the First Lady of Excess, part one. I'm Sachi Cole. And I'm Sarah Hagey. If you have a tip for us on a story that you think we should cover, please email us at scamfluencers at Wondry.com.

We use many sources in our research. A few that were particularly helpful were the rise and fall of Amelda Marcos by Carmen Navarro Pedrosa, waltzing with a dictator, The Marcos's and the Making of American Policy by Raymond Bonner and Laura Greenfield's documentary, The Kingmaker. Alex Burns wrote this episode.

Additional writing by us, Sachi Cole and Sarah Haggy. Olivia Briley is our story editor, fact-checking by Gabrielle Droulet, sound design by James Morgan, additional audio assistance provided by Augustine Lim. Our music supervisor is Scott Velasquez for Frieson Singh. Our managing producer is Desi Blaylock. Our senior managing producer is Callum Pluse.

Janine Cornelow and Stephanie Jens are development producers. Our associate producer is Charlotte Miller. Our producer is Julie Magruder. Our senior producers are Sarah Eni and Ginny Bloom. Our executive producers are Jenny Lauer Beckman, Marshall Lully, and Aaron O'Flaherty. For Wondry.