Gay Grifters Series ‘American Hustlers’ in Development at Hulu and WBTV

“American Hustlers,” the scripted series based on the true story of the downfall of the “Gay Grifters” crime ring, is currently in development at Hulu in partnership with Warner Bros. Television. The notorious ring, led by Kaushal Niroula and Danny Garcia, made headlines for their financial scams where they posed as art dealers, real estate developers, and even Nepalese royalty. Their schemes took a dark turn when they targeted Cliff Lambert, a Palm Springs art dealer, resulting in his tragic murder in 2008.

The series takes inspiration from the popular true crime podcast and book “Until Someone Gets Hurt” by Sherrie Lueder. It follows the captivating exploits of Niroula and Garcia as they team up with a group of eccentric con artists to swindle unsuspecting victims out of millions of dollars over a decade. Their crimes culminated in murder, until Tyson Wrensch, an ordinary individual, courageously decided to dedicate himself to bringing them to justice.

Jim Campolongo, known for his work on “The Blacklist” and “The Sandman,” is writing the series based on Frequency Machine’s podcast “American Hustlers” and Lueder’s book. The series is executive produced by Rachel Kaplan and Alex Beattie, with Stacey Book consulting on the project.

After falling victim to Garcia’s scam, Wrensch became a citizen detective, committed to uncovering the truth behind the Gay Grifters. His story was recently featured on “Dateline,” shedding light on the years-long journey to bring Niroula and Garcia to justice after their 2020 convictions were overturned and a retrial took place in 2023.

Kaplan, the former head of scripted at Keshet Studios, and Beattie, who has a strong partnership with director Ken Kwapis, are instrumental in bringing this gripping true crime story to the screen. Campolongo, Kaplan, and Beattie are all represented by reputable agencies in the entertainment industry.

The development of “American Hustlers” promises to deliver a captivating and thrilling portrayal of one of the most intriguing true crime stories in recent history. Stay tuned for more updates on this exciting project!