DiscoverOur American StoriesHow a Fake Bottle of Wine Sparked a $35 Million Fight for Justice
How a Fake Bottle of Wine Sparked a $35 Million Fight for Justice

How a Fake Bottle of Wine Sparked a $35 Million Fight for Justice

Update: 2025-10-15
Share

Description

On this episode of Our American Stories, it began with a few rare bottles and a collector who thought he’d found perfection. But what looked like the discovery of a lifetime turned out to be one of the most elaborate wine scams in modern history. Billionaire Bill Koch, known for his meticulous taste and love of authenticity, discovered that his prized collection included counterfeits, some forged so well that even experts were fooled. Rather than quietly move on, he poured millions into uncovering the truth. The investigation led to Rudy Kurniawan, a charismatic con artist whose deception stunned the wine world and exposed the lengths people will go to chase prestige. Here's Bill with the story.

Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Comments 
00:00
00:00
x

0.5x

0.8x

1.0x

1.25x

1.5x

2.0x

3.0x

Sleep Timer

Off

End of Episode

5 Minutes

10 Minutes

15 Minutes

30 Minutes

45 Minutes

60 Minutes

120 Minutes

How a Fake Bottle of Wine Sparked a $35 Million Fight for Justice

How a Fake Bottle of Wine Sparked a $35 Million Fight for Justice

iHeartPodcasts