Crooked politicians, Russian spies, and Fox News knife-fighters—those are just some of the folks The Daily Beast exposed in 2018. From the White House to the courthouse, from scientific triumphs to unspeakable tragedies, The Beast was there. Thanks to the support of our members, we were able to dive deep into exclusive investigations, gripping yarns, and saucy stories from inside the halls of power. Here are some of our favorites from 2018:
1. How an Ex-Cop Rigged McDonald’s Monopoly Game and Stole Millions
It’s the story that broke the internet—and set off an epic Hollywood bidding war. The Daily Beast’s long look at how a network of mobsters, psychics, strip-club owners, and drug traffickers won almost every prize for 12 years in McDonald’s Monopoly game became a genuine cultural phenomenon. If you haven’t read it yet, do it now before Ben Affleck and Matt Damon bring it to the big screen.
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2. Porn Star: Donald Trump and Stormy Daniels Invited Me to Their Hotel Room
It’s safe to say no one saw how twisted the Stormy Daniels/Donald Trump/Michael Cohen/Michael Avenatti saga would become. Revisit where it all began—who could forget Stormy’s infamous quote about Trump running around in his “tighty-whities”?
3. ‘Lone DNC Hacker’ Guccifer 2.0 Slipped Up and Revealed He Was a Russian Intelligence Officer
In March 2018, The Daily Beast reported that Guccifer 2.0—the so-called “lone hacker” who claimed responsibility for leaked DNC emails—really was a Russian intelligence officer. In July 2018, Robert Mueller’s office officially indicted him.
4. John Kelly: Rex Tillerson Was on the Toilet When I Told Him He’d Be Getting Fired
John Kelly’s most telling moment as chief of staff may have been when he shared this extremely TMI story about former Secretary of State Rex Tillerson.
5. Trump Lawyer Michael Cohen Received Inside Info From Russia Probe
During Mueller’s investigation, closed-door testimony didn’t exactly stay behind closed doors.
6. Omarosa Secretly Recorded Trump and Played the Audio to Others
When The Daily Beast exclusively revealed that Omarosa Manigault-Newman had secretly recorded Trump, the betrayal was especially shocking. But, as we later learned, it was only just the start.
7. Fox News Goes to War Against Its Own: Kimberly Guilfoyle
Kimberly Guilfoyle quit Fox News in order to hit the campaign trail with Don Jr., her boyfriend. Then, sources told The Beast, the network quietly tried to take revenge.
8. No Food, No FEMA: Hurricane Michael’s Survivors Are Furious
Hurricane Michael wreaked havoc on Florida, but the government essentially ghosted residents when they needed help the most. The Beast was on the ground in Panama City looking for answers.
9. Trump on Coming Debt Crisis: ‘I Won’t Be Here’ When It Blows Up
The U.S. national debt currently clocks in circa $21 trillion, and sources say the president is effectively shrugging it off. The Daily Beast explored what this indifference could mean for the economy.
10. Stan Lee Breaks His Silence: Those I Trusted Betrayed Me
Marvel legend Stan Lee left behind a long, complicated legacy. Here he speaks out for the first time—just a month before his death.
11. Golden State Killer, Joseph DeAngelo, Arrested After 40-Year Hunt, Authorities Say
The Daily Beast first reported that Joseph James DeAngelo was suspected of being the Golden State Killer, who notoriously murdered 12 people in California in the '70s and ’80s.
12. The Interstitium, the Largest Organ We Never Knew We Had
It was one of the bigger, more controversial scientific discoveries of the year—and The Beast had the inside story of how it came to be.
