About this episode
This classic episode of “48 Hours" explores the investigation of ex-cop turned private eye Chris Butler who staffed his San Francisco Bay area firm with local soccer moms. Butler and his firm of private investigator moms became media sensations — Lifetime Television started a reality show based on the P.I. moms. Reporter Pete Crooks was invited to write about the real-life “Charlie’s Angels,” but the story took a strange turn when he learned from a confidential informant that most of the cases were staged, crooked cops were involved, and that Butler was dealing drugs with top California narcotics cop Norm Wielsch. Butler and Wielsch were also running a massage parlor which was allegedly a front for prostitution. The soccer moms were unaware of Butler and Wielsch’s alleged schemes. Butler was sentenced to eight years in prison and was released in 2019. In 2013, Norm Wielsch was sentenced to 14 years in prison. “48 Hours” correspondent Maureen Maher reports. This "48 Hours" episode last aired on 11/17/12. Watch all-new episodes of “48 Hours” on Saturdays, and stream on demand on Paramount+.
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