Smoke Screen: Puppy Kingpin, a new investigative podcast that explores the business of puppy laundering

Neon Hum, in partnership with Sony Music Entertainment’s (SME) Global Podcast Division, today launched Smoke Screen: Puppy Kingpin, season four of its hit investigative podcast series that examines an apparent scheme to illegally sell puppy mill dogs, also known as “puppy laundering.” All episodes of the shocking series are available today on The Binge, SME’s one stop destination to binge all episodes of new series each month on the day of its premiere.

Hosted by investigative journalist Alex Schuman, Smoke Screen: Puppy Kingpin will expose one of the masterminds running and controlling the puppy-selling industry. The series shines a spotlight on Jolyn Noethe, a secretive business woman from Iowa who is the target of four lawsuits and unravels the complex scheme that Noethe and others are accused of running for years to hide puppies’ true origins from pet owners and government regulators. The seven-episode podcast will also highlight the first legal case accusing someone of laundering puppies and showcase the growing concern among consumers, animal rights activists, and law enforcement that pet owners are being tricked into buying mistreated animals.

“Puppy Kingpin unravels a complex scheme to go around the growing number of laws designed to stop animal cruelty,” said host Alex Schuman. “This podcast will hopefully empower consumers to avoid the layers of deception and misdirection they can face when they want to bring home a healthy puppy. Our investigation became about so much more than dogs, but at the heart of it is the pets we love."

Smoke Screen: Puppy Kingpin is a production of Neon Hum Media. It is reported, hosted and written by Alex Schuman. The lead producer is Natalie Rinn and the editor is Catherine Saint Louis. The associate producer is Chloe Chaobal and managing producer is Samantha Allison. Executive producer at Neon Hum is Jonathan Hirsch.

Subscribers to The Binge can listen to all seven-episodes of Smoke Screen: Puppy Kingpin all at once today. Listeners can subscribe to Smoke Screen: Puppy Kingpin on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher and wherever you listen to podcasts. For more information on Smoke Screen: Puppy Kingpin and to learn how to avoid getting scammed or buying a puppy from a puppy mill, follow @SonyPodcasts and @Neon Hum on Twitter and Instagram.