Conspiracy theories are numerous. Conspiracies are rare. And of those that exist, few are uncovered, let alone explained. This story is the exception.

In 2016, the media giant Gawker was forced to declare bankruptcy after a $140 million court ruling due to an illegally recorded sex tape of Hulk Hogan. The case was no accident: it was the result of a nearly decade-long plan, orchestrated by billionaire Peter Thiel.

With exclusive access to the key players, Ryan Holiday takes us behind the scenes of this extraordinary and sometimes surreal story, turning the events into an analysis of the controversial methodology - the conspiracy - and into an enlightening cautionary tale about the use, abuse, and consequences of power and secrecy in the modern age.