Dateline NBC “The Devil Wore White” May 29 2026
Dateline NBC revisits one of America’s most notorious mother-son crime duos in “The Devil Wore White,” airing Friday, May 29, 2026, at 9/8c. Reported by Keith Morrison, the broadcast explores the extraordinary story of Sante and Kenny Kimes, whose decades-long trail of fraud, deception, and violence shocked the nation and culminated in the disappearance of a wealthy New York socialite.
At the center of the story is Irene Silverman, an 82-year-old Manhattan widow and prominent socialite who vanished from her Upper East Side brownstone in July 1998. Silverman had recently rented a room in her elegant home to a man using an alias. That tenant was later identified as Kenny Kimes, who had been operating under one of many false identities connected to a family history of scams and criminal schemes.
Investigators quickly became suspicious when Silverman disappeared without warning. Evidence found inside the brownstone suggested foul play, and detectives soon traced a web of forged documents, stolen property, and suspicious financial transactions back to Kenny and his mother, Sante Kimes. Although Silverman’s body was never recovered, prosecutors argued that the pair murdered her to gain control of her valuable real estate holdings and financial assets.
The investigation uncovered much more than a single crime. Authorities learned that Sante Kimes had spent decades manipulating those around her while leading a life built on fraud, theft, and deception. Charismatic and stylish, she projected the image of a wealthy socialite while orchestrating criminal enterprises across multiple states. Her son Kenny grew up under her influence and became her closest accomplice.
The case also exposed deep divisions within the Kimes family. While one son, Kent Kimes, eventually distanced himself from his mother and cooperated with investigators, Kenny remained fiercely loyal. Prosecutors described their relationship as one of complete control and devotion, with Kenny willing to carry out whatever schemes his mother devised.
“The Devil Wore White” examines how a missing-person case led investigators to uncover years of criminal behavior and allegations of multiple murders. Through interviews, archival footage, and courtroom evidence, Dateline traces the rise and fall of a family whose crimes fascinated the public and became one of the most infamous true crime stories of the late twentieth century.
Keith Morrison’s report explores not only the disappearance of Irene Silverman, but also the psychology behind the mother-son partnership that left a trail of victims across the country. The result is a chilling portrait of manipulation, greed, and loyalty taken to a deadly extreme.
