IT'S A TRUE-CRIME SERIES ABOUT TRUE CRIME.

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC EXAMINES OUR TRUE-CRIME OBSESSION WITH "PATHOLOGICAL: CHASING A TRUE-CRIME CON MAN," THE CHILLING STORY OF HOW BESTSELLING AUTHOR AND SERIAL KILLER EXPERT STÉPHANE BOURGOIN UNRAVELED

From The New Yorker Studios and Left/Right, New Docu-Series PATHOLOGICAL Expands The New Yorker's 2022 Investigation of Bourgoin, Whose Illustrious Career was Built on Lies

WASHINGTON, D.C./PASADENA, Calif. (FEB. 8, 2024) - National Geographic announced today the greenlight of PATHOLOGICAL: CHASING A TRUE-CRIME CON MAN, an all-new docu-series following the rise and fall of bestselling French author and serial killer expert Stéphane Bourgoin, whose remarkable career was built on a foundation of morbid lies that are finally being unveiled in full. A meta-commentary on the global, cultural phenomenon of true-crime entertainment, PATHOLOGICAL takes viewers through the dramatic twists and turns of Bourgoin's life in front of and behind the camera and tracks his pursuit by a group of true-crime enthusiasts, whose passion for the genre turned them into amateur sleuths and seekers of truth.

Based on The New Yorker's 2022 piece on Bourgoin from journalist Lauren Collins and a comprehensive new investigation by Emmy(R)-nominated filmmaker Ben Selkow, the three-part series is produced by The New Yorker Studios and award-winning Left/Right, the production company behind the acclaimed documentary "The New York Times Presents: Framing Britney Spears."

"True crime, a massive industry with a dedicated fandom and murky ethical lines, is put under the microscope in PATHOLOGICAL. National Geographic seeks to expose the truth behind the lies and deceit of this fascinating story," said Tom McDonald, EVP of Global Factual and Unscripted Content, National Geographic. "Using new access coupled with Left/Right's dedication to groundbreaking storytelling and The New Yorker's reporting prowess, this is a compelling, entertaining story that we hope sparks commentary on the ethics of true crime."

With unprecedented access, the series features the first on-camera interviews with members of the 4ème Oeil Corporation (aka the "4th Eye"), an anonymous collective of five true-crime aficionados working across three countries, whose unfolding investigation unearthed the mysteries of Bourgoin's past. In countless media appearances, Bourgoin claimed that he had interviewed 77 serial killers and was trained by the FBI. He presented himself as a grieving widow whose lover was murdered by a serial killer in the 1970s, a trauma that sparked his lifelong pursuit to understand the mind of murderers. The 4th Eye's shocking findings refuted many of Bourgoin's claims, exposing the hard truths of a man who exploited the true-crime industry to enrich himself on the backs of victims.

At the heart of PATHOLOGICAL is extensive reporting by Collins, beginning with her 2022 The New Yorker story and then expanded by a rigorous new investigation with the team at Left/Right. This new probe includes Bourgoin's first on-the-record interview with an English-language production and interviews with previously anonymous members of the 4th Eye, Bourgoin's former colleagues and even members of his family. In an attempt to answer the last lingering question of Bourgoin's origin story, the series follows Collins as she searches for the truth about a photograph that Bourgon used to elicit sympathy about his murdered partner.

The docu-series - a story that highlights the power and peril of the true-crime industry and the fandom it has cultivated - raises uncomfortable questions about the thin line between Bourgoin's macabre predilections, the obsessive fans who took him down, and the viewers at home. It's a true-crime series about true crime.

Directed and executive produced by Ben Selkow. For The New Yorker Studios, Helen Estabrook, Sarah Amos, Lexy Altman and Lauren Collins are executive producers. For Left/Right, Banks Tarver, Ken Druckerman and Anneka Jones are executive producers. For National Geographic, Betsy Forhan is executive producer, Bengt Anderson is senior vice president of unscripted content, and Tom McDonald is executive vice president, global factual and unscripted content.

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About National Geographic Content

Award-winning and critically acclaimed National Geographic Content, part of a joint venture between The Walt Disney Company and the National Geographic Society, creates and delivers riveting stories and experiences in natural history, science, adventure and exploration. Inspiring a deeper connection to the world, the content studio reaches 300 million people worldwide in 180 countries and 33 languages across the global National Geographic channels (National Geographic Channel, Nat Geo WILD, Nat Geo MUNDO), National Geographic Documentary Films, and direct-to-consumer platforms Disney+ and Hulu. Its diverse content includes Emmy(R) Award-winning franchise Genius, series Life Below Zero and Secrets of the Whales, and Oscar(R)- and BAFTA award-winning film Free Solo. In 2022, National Geographic Content was awarded eight News and Documentary Emmys, in addition to Life Below Zero's Emmy win for Outstanding Cinematography for a Reality Program, it's sixth Emmy overall. For more information, visit natgeotv.com or nationalgeographic.com, or follow Nat Geo on Facebook, X, Instagram, YouTube and LinkedIn.

About Left/Right

Left/Right has produced hundreds of hours of television in an extraordinarily eclectic mix of genres ranging from hard-hitting documentaries to side- splitting comedies, covering topics from sex to secret societies to stand-up comedy to science fiction to school segregation. Past and present productions include the groundbreaking political series THE CIRCUS (Showtime), multiple episodes of the acclaimed investigative series FRONTLINE (PBS), the buzzy documentary THE NEW YORK TIMES PRESENTS: FRAMING BRITNEY SPEARS (FX and Hulu), and our award-winning TV adaptation of the popular public radio show THIS AMERICAN LIFE (Showtime). Our shows have been nominated for numerous Emmy(R) Awards and have won multiple awards, including a Peabody(R) and the Emmy(R) for Best Nonfiction Series. Left/Right is a North Road company.

About The New Yorker Studios

The New Yorker Studios is the film-and-television arm of The New Yorker, bringing the magazine's world-class storytelling to the screen. The in-depth reporting, political and cultural commentary, fiction, poetry, and humor that have distinguished The New Yorker since its founding, in 1925, today extend far beyond the pages of the magazine to projects including feature-length films and documentaries. This work has received numerous honors, including fifteen Oscar nominations, an Emmy Award, a Peabody Award, and multiple Edward R. Murrow Awards.