Crime Waves

True Crime Podcast Team

Welcome to the Crime Waves Podcast Team! We’re a team of dedicated researchers and investigators focused on delivering the latest crime news, chilling tales, and unsolved mysteries. With a deep passion for exploring real-world events, we work hard to bring you gripping and insightful content that keeps you hooked. Get to know the voices behind the podcast and learn what drives us in our quest for the truth.

Host: **Declan Hill**

Declan Hill is an associate professor of investigations at the University of New Haven. He specializes in the study of organized crime and corruption specifically in international sports. He began his interest in this field when researching the links between the Russian mafiya and the stars of the National Hockey League (NHL). He received his doctorate from the University of Oxford in corruption and organized crime studies. As part of his research, he infiltrated a match-fixing gang that traveled the world fixing major sporting events including ATP tennis and FIFA World Cup games. His book ‘The Fix: Organized crime and soccer’ is about this work and has become a best-seller in twenty-one languages and is optioned in Hollywood as a major television series.
His academic work includes peer-reviewed publications and a book adaptation of his Ph.D. thesis ‘The Insider’s Guide to Match-Fixing in Football’. It has been published in Japanese, Lithuanian, and English. Hill has spoken before the Council of Europe and Parliamentary Committees in Brussels and London. In December 2018, he testified before the U.S. Congressional Helsinki Committee about organized crime, corruption, and the changes in U.S. sports gambling laws.
Before his work in sports corruption, Hill was an investigative journalist and news presenter for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC). He did stories on the murder of the Head of the Canadian mafia, Honour Killings in Kurdistan, Blood Feuds in Kosovo, the killings of Filipino journalists, the links between the Russian Mafiya and top-level sports people, and the Underground Railway to protect Iraqi women. His work has also appeared in other media outlets including, PBS Frontline, BBC, The Sunday Telegraph, Der Spiegel, The Times (London), and New York Times.
He has won numerous awards for his work, including Amnesty International’s Best Human Rights Documentary (Canada), Play the Game (Denmark), and the Canadian Association of Journalists. Hill speaks fluent English, French, Spanish, and Italian and is a keen amateur boxer who trains in Havana, Cuba.

Senior Producer: **Alex Klein**

Alex Klein is a staff employee and an accomplished Master’s Student at University of New Haven studying National Security. Alex served as Dr. Henry Lee’s assistant before Dr. Lee retired. Alex’s passion for investigation and national security began in 2014 when police quartered off Boylston Street in Boston. It was the one-year anniversary of the Boston bombing and police detonated a bag filled with a rice cooker from a copycat bomber.
Alex’s ambitions lead to his appointment as Graduate Student Council Vice President of Operations. He looks for objective fact instead of subjective bias. He is also the Founder of the National Security Club 2021 at University of New Haven. He serves on the Criminal Justice Advisory Board for the CT State Community Colleges. Alex will enhance any federal law-enforcement agency he joins.
He received the Chairmans Achievement Award for Most Outstanding National Security Student 2024 at University of New Haven. He has a certificate in Active Shooting Training from FEMA.

Producer: **Jacob Zenger**

Jake is a senior from Lawrence, KS majoring in Interdisciplinary Studies with his focus in Journalism and National Security at the University of New Haven. Aside from academics, he is a pitcher on the baseball team, this is his first year at the university, and has fallen deeply in love with many of the pizza restaurants in the surrounding area. He has a keen interest in sports broadcasting and geopolitical affairs. This is his first podcast that he has had the opportunity to take part in. He looks forward to contributing to the pursuit of evidence and knowledge in the high-profile cases that will be discussed with Dr. Hill.

Season 5

Producer: **Angie Paulus**

Angelina Paulus is a junior at the University of New Haven, majoring in criminal justice with a concentration in investigative services. When it comes to life on campus, Angelina is very involved and passionate about her studies. She is a Resident Assistant for first-year students in a criminal justice themed house, a Learning Assistant for biology, and is in the Honors Program as well as the Alpha Lambda Delta Honors Society with a 4.0 GPA. Angelina is in the developing stages of her Honors Thesis, and will be graduating in Fall of 2025 with plans of attending law school after her undergraduate studies.
In her spare time, Angelina is very passionate about the arts. She plays 9 instruments and is always involved in a theatrical performance (either a musical or a play). Having been involved in these programs from a very young age, Angelina attributes a lot of her life’s achievements to the skillset she has acquired from these disciplines. Due to this, Angelina is looking to carry this personal passion into her professional life; she hopes that, one day, she will be able to make adifference in the criminal justice realm through the use of the arts.

Producer: Akinbusola Akinwunmi

Akinbusola Akinwunmi is a cybersecurity & networks student at the University of New Haven. He is both a long and triple jumper on the University’s track and field team and serves as one of the captains. Akinwunmi is passionate about the manipulation of both technology & computers, and he aims to be a penetration tester in the future. He is certified in CompTIA Security+ and plans to pursue another certification in OffSec’s OSCP certification. He developed an interest in the criminal justice field and investigations through curiosity. After graduation set for May 2025 and receiving his undergraduate degree, he plans to pursue his master’s degree in cybersecurity. Akinwunmi is Nigerian-Canadian and while being fluent in English holds understanding in both Yoruba and French. He is also a graduate of the American Legion Jersey Boys State program from his home state of New Jersey. Outside of school, Akinwunmi continues his athlete journey, and he trains in mixed martial arts at the Vitor Shaolin academy in both Brazilian jiu-jitsu and Muay Thai under the legend Vitor Ribeiro “Shaolin”. In the future he plans to work his way up to the black belt in bjj and go to tournaments to showcase his skills.

Producer: Emily Hinterneder
Emily is a junior at the University of New Haven studying Psychology with a concentration in Forensic Psychology. She is additionally pursuing a Criminal Justice minor and a Critical Criminology certificate. She is a driven student in the Honors Program and is actively working on a thesis about police interactions with justice-involved youth on the Autism spectrum.
Outside of the University, Emily has experience as a Civil Legal Advocate for domestic violence victims at the Umbrella Center for Domestic Violence Services. She also works as a Behavior Assistant at Positive Behavior Support Corporation, a server at several local diners, and a researcher at the Marvin K. Peterson Library.
Emily strives to be of service to others and is the Membership Vice President of Alpha Phi Omega, a national gender-inclusive service fraternity. She is an avid traveler and went abroad in Spring of 2024 to Prato, Italy. While abroad, she traveled to numerous countries and loved being immersed in different cultures. In her free time, you can find Emily baking, reading, writing fiction, or spending time with her family and friends.

Producer: Chloe Randazzo

Chloe Randazzo was born and raised in Boston, Massachusetts, where she obtained her International Baccalaureate certificate upon graduation from the Newman School. This is where her passion for psychology began. She enrolled as an undergraduate student at the University of New Haven, majoring in Psychology with a concentration in Forensics. She has experience in psychological applications of experimental procedures and reporting as well as criminal justice in correctional environments. While her particular interest lies in forensics in psychology across governmental sectors, it is specific in rehabilitation in the carceral setting concerning those within the system. She is committed to pursuing and producing mental health programs and reform for these populations. She is also driven in her fervor to work with marginalized identities. Her work in community outreach specifically with young children has ignited her passion towards helping others and creating a safe space for diverse voices, as well as campaigns to draw attention in regards to such underrepresented discourse. Her major is where she is eager to begin her journey and utilize her knowledge as first steps towards a broader goal. Upon the completion of her Bachelors and Masters degree, her goal is to obtain a PsyD in her major and concentration.

Producer: Justina Zgaljardic
Justina Zgaljardic is from New York City and is a second-year student at the University of New Haven pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Homeland Security looking to graduate a year early. With an on-campus job as an Academic Peer Mentor (APM), Justina loves being able to meet new people and aid in them achieving their academic goals. She is enrolled in the 4+1 program and plans to continue her education with a masters degree in Emergency Management completing it in only a year. After finishing her masters degree, Justina hopes to work within the federal government to aid in first-hand responses to natural disasters, and the response to terrorism. To work for the Federal Emergency Management Agency, or FEMA, is one of Justina’s careers aspirations, allowing her to help others in times of need and rebuild communities when they need it the most. Outside of education she enjoys being outdoors, hiking, reading and hockey. Being from NYC she is a big Buffalo Bills and New York Islanders fan. Justina’s favorite author is Ernest Hemingway, and her favorite book is Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. Outside her career aspirations Justina would love to travel the world and visit Yellowstone Park.

Producer: **Kendall Kollmer**
My name is Kendall Kollmer and I am a senior at the University of New Haven majoring in Criminal Justice with a concentration in Investigation Services. After graduation, I hope to move South and plan to pursue a career as an adult probation officer. I live about half an hour from campus in a small beach town called Old Saybrook where I work for our family’s ice cream business. I love working with my family, as well as engaging with people in the community. I enjoy spending time with my family and pets, lifting weight, and hanging out with my church community.

Producer: **Elizabeth Scalzo**
Elizabeth Scalzo is a junior at the University of New Haven studying Psychology with a concentration in Forensics. Elizabeth works at two different gyms as a desk attendant, which has given her a multitude of social skills as well as meeting people from a variety of backgrounds. Elizabeth has always been keen on conducting investigations, especially those involving serious crimes. Upon obtaining her bachelors degree, Elizabeth plans on going to graduate school to get her masters degree in child psychology. Elizabeth hopes to work in a Crimes Against Children unit in the FBI or in the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, as she has a passion for helping children have the best futures possible given their circumstances. Elizabeth plans on conducting investigations within the field in order to hunt down, track, arrest, and prosecute perpetrators of heinous crimes against children. Outside of her career goals, Elizabeth has a passion for fitness and weightlifting, as she hopes to compete in her first powerlifting competition within the next year.

Producer: **Mikhael Seepersaud**
Mikhael Seepersaud is a sophomore honours student at the University of New Haven,pursuing a dual degree in forensic science, leading to a master’s degree in microbiology.
Hailing from Jamaica, Mikhael is deeply passionate about criminal and social justice, with a strong commitment to making a meaningful impact in the lives of others through her career. An active member of the Forensic Science Association, Mikhael has served on the fundraising committee and will be leading a committee this year.
Beyond her academic pursuits, Mikhael is an avid reader and the author of short stories and poems. Her love for criminology and investigation fuels her desire to contribute to her community, combining her passion for helping others with a career dedicated to improving lives.

Producer: **Jaime Pereira**
Jamie is a junior at the University of New Haven studying Forensic Science with a concentration in Chemistry. Forensic science combined her interest in law as well as her passion for science. Last year, she worked as a learning assistant for General Chemistry I and General Chemistry II but has moved onto becoming a forensic science peer tutor at her school’s Center for Learning Resources. Over the summer she worked for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the Department of Disability Services as direct care. Jamie loves helping those who need it and wants to continue to do that throughout her career. After receiving her Bachelor of Science, she intends to continue her education in chemistry and travel abroad. In hopes of pursuing a career in ballistics, she plans to do firearm research to tackle one of the most developing subjects worldwide, both politically and scientifically. She wanted to join the crime waves team to improve her investigative mind. Although she has read about cases from an outside perspective, she would like to hear from those involved in case investigations. When she is not at school or work, she is reading and hanging out with her cat or going out with her friends.

Producer: Maddie Backus

Maddie Backus is a senior Undergraduate Computer Science Student at the University of New Haven with a concentration in Cybersecurity. With two club positions as Treasurer and Executive Assistant of Gaming Club and Class of 2025 respectively, much of her time is spent talking with others and organizing events. Her hometown is down towards the south, where she has had a few summer jobs and regularly volunteers at a local animal shelter. In her free time, she loves doing anything from reading and drawing to playing with her two huskies. She has a passion for investigation and analysis and hopes to one day work for her state branch of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in their computer lab before, one day, moving into investigations in either their CID or DID department.