Luthmann & Volpe Expose Family Court Corruption with Tom Lemons on “Get Real”

On Tom Lemons’ explosive Get Real episode, independent journalists Richard Luthmann and Michael Volpe joined forces to take on one of America’s most taboo subjects — the weaponized corruption of Family Court. Broadcasting from Florida and Chicago, the pair brought raw, unfiltered truth about how a system built to “protect families” has become a billion-dollar scam industry.

Volpe, known for his whistleblower investigations, recounted how he uncovered abuses at Emory University Medical School and later expanded his reporting to expose global guardianship and custody scandals. “These are global issues,” he said. “The same abuses in the U.S. happen in Canada, Japan, Australia, and Israel. The difference is — we’re just a little more transparent about it.”

Luthmann, a legal expert and journalist from Florida, detailed how Family Court judges and court appointees collude to bleed families dry through endless appointments, evaluations, and guardian ad litem fees. “It’s a form of extortion,” Luthmann said. “They tell parents: do everything we say or you’ll never see your kids again.”

The discussion zeroed in on Eddie Engels, a Chicago father threatened with jail for failing to pay inflated guardian ad litem fees — a throwback to the days of debtor’s prison. “We got rid of debtor’s prisons under Andrew Jackson,” Volpe said, “but in Family Court, if you can’t pay, you still go to jail.”

Luthmann also blasted Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs for blocking Family Court reform. “She’s feathering the nests of social workers and trial lawyers,” he said. “They’re protecting their billable hours, not families.”

The episode closed with a fiery discussion on political integrity, as the hosts tackled scandals involving Virginia’s Jay Jones and the double standards of party politics.

Together, Lemons, Volpe, and Luthmann delivered a blistering warning: Family Courts have become the new frontier of state-sanctioned extortion — and journalists are the last line of defense.

https://youtu.be/y9mhRy6IkZg?si=6zD9OSaFzxuFnsyI