134: Red Handed pt.2: Hamburgler

Grant Thomas
Dec 3, 2025
1 min read

Updated: Dec 9, 2025

For more than two decades you had a better chance of winning the lottery than the McDonalds Monopoly Millions. Unless... you knew the right guy, who knew a guy, a shadowy figure named "Uncle Jerry." What started as one of McDonalds most successful promotional campaigns in it's history also managed to fund organize crime, exotic vacations, and at least one strip club/church in South Carolina. Burgers are sold, lives are ruined, any yet we have to ask... do you want to be a Millionaire?

Chapters

00:00:00 Catch-Up

00:33:29 Hamburgler

01:01:25 Birth of the Game

01:10:18 Who is Uncle Jerry

01:25:35 The Other Jerry

01:51:48 Do Not Pass Go

01:57:06 Main Character Moment or Literal Crime?

Photos Referenced

*McDonald's Monopoly Cards - courtesy of Reach*

*Jerry Columbo pictures after winning the Dodge Viper in the McDonald's McMillions - courtesy of McDonald's*

Uncle Jerry through the years - courtesy of McMillions the HBO Doc — *Uncle Jerry through the years - courtesy of* McMillions the HBO Doc

Sources

McMillions - HBO Documentary

A Tale of Two Jerrys - White Collars, Red Hands Podcast

Jerry "Uncle Jerry" Jacobson: The McDonald's Monopoly Scammer - You Had Me At Fraud Podcast

The McDonald's Monopoly Game Was a Smash Hit. But the Man Behind It Was Siphoning $24 Million in Cash and Prizes - People

The ex-cop who reportedly rigged McDonald's Monopoly game was also behind a mysterious $1 million donation that puzzled America for years - Business Insider

McDonald's Monopoly - Wikipedia

McMillions - Wikipedia

2 Comments

Ron Luis

Dec 31, 2025

If you’re planning something in Odesa, take a look at Odesa for local options.

Abbott Ford

Dec 28, 2025

'Uncle Jerry,' huh? This McMillions drama sounds wild! I was just reading about the Michigan Paycheck Calculator and now this. Makes you wonder what other secrets are hiding in plain sight, right? Maybe over my coffee break, I'll look up more about this McDonalds Monopoly scam!