Episodes
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As a holiday treat, Amanda of Wine & Crime, Javier of PRETEND, and Whitney of Navigating Advocacy sit down to chat true crime, being in the podcasting industry, cases that haunt us, dream collaborations, and more! Enjoy this bonus conversation and check out all of these amazing shows wherever you get your podcasts!
Javier Leiva - PRETEND, Criminal Conduct, Ponzi Playbook
Amanda Jacobson - Wine & Crime
https://open.spotify.com/show/5OeKXVPomhbejM9v7CDqxJ?si=4451247ce3704a0a
Whitney - Navigating Advocacy
https://open.spotify.com/show/6I09OWnoDtibLjE7rfQqrH?si=9265b522586d4727
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In today's Christmas episode, we delve into the story of David Ellisor, a man whose grand Christmas scheme left the city of Miami in disbelief. Ellisor, a real-life Grinch, planned to host "Christmas From Around the World," a supposed once-in-a-lifetime event promising the presence of ambassadors, live reindeer, and a spectacle of global traditions. But the event never happened. He collected the cash and made a run for it. This is a Christmas caper for the ages.
Plus, listeners tell their own Christmas con stories.
Merry Christmas! Happy Holidays! And I wish all of you a Happy New Year!
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Missing episodes?
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The true crime podcasting community has come together for the holiday season to discuss all things true crime podcasting. Over the next two weeks, ten shows will be dropping bonus episodes sharing these conversations. In this episode, I'm joined by Alvin Williams (Affirmative Murder) and Josh Hallmark (True Crime Bullsh**) to discuss how we started our shows, true crime as an industry, how we've grown and lessons we've learned, cases we've covered, monetizing true crime, television, the future of our shows, and more.
Check out Josh's and Alvin's shows:
Affirmative Murder
True Crime Bullsh**
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When the IRS knocked on John Coutu's door, demanding $80,000, his girlfriend, Jennifer Mitchell, offered to help with his taxes. It seemed like a simple gesture of support.
But John would soon find himself caught in a troubling situation. Unbeknownst to him, his taxes were never filed, and a series of lies began to unravel. As John speaks out, his story reveals a strange and complicated web that extends beyond his own experience.
Today, we explore what happens when trust, love, and taxes collide.
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So, I've got to tell you about this crazy rabbit hole I slipped into. It's about that bizarre olive lady from the Maury show. Remember her? Olives freaked out Sally because they reminded her of, get this, dead people's eyes. Wild, right?
I always wondered... Was Sally for real or just putting on a show for the cameras? This question led me to Anthony Freire, a guy who used to produce for Maury Povich.
Man, the stuff I learned while putting together this episode! It’s like peeling back the curtain on daytime TV and finding a whole other world. Turns out, there are many mind games and behind-the-scenes tricks that go into making these shows. Anthony spilled the beans on how they get people to react a certain way or amp up their emotions for the audience.
It's not just about Sally and her olive phobia. This episode digs into the bigger picture of how these TV shows mess with people's heads, both the guests and us viewers.
If you're into the psychology used in reality TV shows or love a good behind-the-scenes story, you must check this out. It's not your average episode of PRETEND.
I can't wait to hear what you all think. Tune in, and let's get our minds blown together!
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Lisa Findley tried to steal Elvis Presley’s home. She almost got away with it.
A con artist with a long history of scams almost pulled off her biggest scheme yet—stealing Elvis Presley’s iconic home, Graceland. Using fake documents and fabricated identities, Lisa Findley tried to claim ownership of the historic estate.
In this episode, NBC News reporter Brandy Zadrozny takes us down a rabbit hole and shows us how she unraveled Findley’s web of lies, linking her to years of fraud and harassment.
This is one of the boldest property scams in recent history, and Findley came dangerously close to succeeding/ We'll also talk about the loopholes that make these crimes possible.
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In this episode, Dr. Jan Canty, a psychologist, author, and podcast host, shares essential advice on recognizing and avoiding con artists in modern relationships. Dr. Canty, who experienced betrayal and tragedy in her life, offers insights into the red flags of deceptive individuals and provides practical tips for safeguarding against potential scams. Through her 'Don't Con Yourself' TikTok series, Dr. Canty breaks down each stage of interactions with con artists and how to protect oneself. She also discusses her life’s work in grief counseling, her compelling past, and the importance of trusting your gut feeling in relationships.
Tune in to learn more about navigating the complexities of dating and protecting your personal boundaries.
00:20 Jan Canty's Tragic Past
01:05 Recognizing Con Artists
04:34 Understanding Psychopaths and Sociopaths
05:21 First Date Red Flags
14:24 Trusting Your Gut Instinct
16:09 CIA Techniques for Identifying Lies
21:34 Gaslighting
23:29 Dramatic and Unusual Histories
25:10 Understanding the Significance of Tattoos
28:26 The Importance of Personal Boundaries
29:26 Dealing with Missed Warning Signs
32:03 The Dangers of Sharing Personal Information Prematurely
35:14 Early Attempts at Control in Relationships
38:26 Preparing to Exit a Toxic Relationship
46:08 Finding True Love After Hardships
PRETEND podcast featuring Jan Canty's life story
The Sugar Daddy parts 1 & 2: https://open.spotify.com/episode/1jXDdZvO197GVomFLseUiq?si=35087f142efd41bd
A Life Divided: A psychologist's memoir about the double life and murder of her husband - and her road to recovery
https://www.amazon.com/Life-Divided-psychologists-husband-recovery/dp/0578685922
Domino Effect of Murder Podcast
https://jancantyphd.com/podcast/
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The Rise and Fall of LaDonna’s Loudest Surrogate: David McClam
LaDonna Humphrey’s most vocal supporter, David McClam, launched the We Are Not Afraid podcast to defend her against mounting accusations. Episode after episode, McClam promised to deliver proof that LaDonna’s critics were lying.
But instead of delivering proof, McClam brought Alecia Lockhart’s alleged sexual abuser on air to dismiss her claims, issued personal threats to show up at my doorstep and attack me, and even threatened to send the anti-gay hate group Westboro Baptist Church to Anthony Christopher’s gay club for a "blood bath."
This erratic behavior ultimately led to his podcast being pulled down from his hosting provider.
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LaDonna Humphrey groomed Lexi Kakis to be her next close ally—a “surrogate in training,” if you will. Drawn in by their shared passion for cold cases, Kakis found herself getting deeper into Humphrey’s world. Surprisingly, Kakis says she never experienced the harassment others have claimed, but during our interview, she learned how LaDonna truly felt about her.
Kakis was with LaDonna the weekend the Pretend podcast series came out, and in a fit of desperation, LaDonna asked her to retaliate against her enemies. Now, Kakis looks back on how she narrowly avoided becoming more entangled in LaDonna's web.
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What's the old saying? People who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones.
Well, it turns out that Dennis McCaslin, editor of LaDonna's tabloid blog, has some skeletons in his closet.
Listen to part 3 of LaDonna's Surrogates:
https://www.patreon.com/posts/ladonnas-part-3-114712491
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LaDonna Humphrey uses her surrogates to do her dirty work; in part one,
we discuss how she weaponized Dennis McCaslin, a Fort Smith, Arkansas tabloid blogger, to go after her enemies.
Listen to LaDonna's Surrogates Part 2: https://www.patreon.com/posts/ladonnas-part-2-114024374
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It’s hard to imagine former executives, investment fraudsters, and insider traders gathering for weekly support meetings.
When I first heard about a support group for white-collar criminals, I was skeptical. It sounded like an SNL sketch: former hedge fund managers, insider traders, and embezzlers sitting in a circle, sharing their woes. However, Jeff Grant, the founder of the White Collar Support Group, doesn’t see it that way. After serving time for his crimes, Grant emerged with a mission—to help others like him rebuild their lives, one meeting at a time. “I was lost,” he admits.
After his release from prison, Grant realized there was no blueprint for people like him to re-enter society. That’s why he founded the White Collar Support Group, a space for those prosecuted for financial crimes to navigate life after prison.
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Where do sovereign citizens go when they need medical attention? Some of them seek help from homeopathic quacks like Rick Van Thiel.
Rick Van Thiel is not a surgeon. He's a porn star operating on people with dirty scalpels, reused needles, surrounded by filth. And the worst part is that he performs his surgeries in the nude.
This episode is part of my sovereign citizens series. I first learned about this story from Jerri William's podcast called FBI retired Case File Review.
Disclaimer
It's safe to assume that most PRETEND episodes are unsuitable for young children. Unfortunately, this is one of those episodes. In fact, trigger warning: today, we're going to talk about sexual assault and suicide. This episode is pretty disgusting. So, if you have the stomach for it, please proceed. You've been warned.
Check out my Spotify Radar Billboard in New York City:
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DA8vNvnOSTF/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
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In this episode of PRETEND, we uncover the unbelievable story of Carlos
Henrique Raposo, better known as "Kaiser," the man who lived the life of
a soccer legend without ever kicking a ball. He partied like a star,
signed with major teams, and tricked the entire football world for
nearly three decades. I sit down with the producer of Kaiser: The Greatest Footballer Never to Play Football, Louis Myles, to unravel how Kaiser pulled off this audacious stunt and the real story behind the myth.
Keep the conversation going. Join the official PRETEND Facebook Group:
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In this episode of PRETEND, I’m taking you back to the case of Tanya and Rick Fernandez—the Arizona couple behind one of the most bizarre harassment campaigns I’ve ever covered. For those of you who followed The Stalker series, you might think this story ended when they struck a plea deal, but not so fast. Despite completing court-ordered counseling and walking away without convictions, it looks like the Fernandezes are back at it.
I'll fill you in on everything that's happened since our last episode, including an anonymous email, a bizarre self-published book, and their children's involvement in keeping the harassment alive.
If you thought this story was over, you’ll want to hear what’s happened since.
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Can you believe this is the 16th episode of our investigation into LaDonna Humphrey—a story that, honestly, I didn’t think would last this long. But here we are.
Now, if you’ve followed along, you know this has been a wild ride. LaDonna, once a respected figure in the true crime community, has become the center of some truly shocking accusations. Stealing evidence from the Fort Smith Police Department? Allegations of harassment? Manipulating people for her own gain? It’s been hard to keep up, even for me.
In this episode, we’ll get a little help trying to make sense of it all. I brought in retired FBI profiler Julia Cowley—yes, the Julia Cowley, the one who worked on the Golden State Killer case. She will help us break down LaDonna’s behavior and explain why someone might go to such extreme lengths to control others. You might be surprised by some of the parallels she draws between white-collar criminals and more violent offenders.
We’re also going to revisit some of the disturbing messages that LaDonna has allegedly sent to her victims. And I’ll share some new evidence we’ve uncovered—evidence that links multiple harassing messages to a phone number connected to LaDonna herself. It’s the kind of proof that, quite frankly, is hard to ignore.
But here’s what makes this episode different: today, we’re not just looking at the past. We’re asking what’s next for LaDonna Humphrey. With court cases, potential criminal investigations, and a growing list of accusers, is the end finally near for her? Or is this just another chapter in a never-ending saga?
Guest:
Julia Cowley, Retired FBI Profiler
https://www.truecrimeconsult.com/
Watch LIVE Q&A:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJr5bDWJ2nY
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We continue our investigation into Charles Ray Vines and his potential
involvement in the Melissa Witt murder. In this episode, we track down
Vines’ former neighbor and friend, Thomas Seymour. Seymour claims that
he spoke with Vines just before Vines was heading to the bowling alley
to meet a girl named Melissa. What other information does Seymour have
that could shed light on this 30-year-old mystery?
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I’ve been investigating the Melissa Witt case for a while now, and just
when I thought I had a handle on it, a new lead dropped into my lap. In
this episode, I sit down with Patti Rush, a victim advocate who might
have uncovered the most crucial evidence yet. We’re talking
about a case so warped by misinformation that even those
closest to it can’t tell what’s real anymore. But now, we’re pulling on a
thread that could unravel the whole story—and maybe, just maybe, lead
us to the truth about who really killed Melissa Witt.
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"Javier, aren't you worried that LaDonna might target you next?" That's the question I get asked most frequently. The answer is too late.
Even before this series dropped, LaDonna began sending me spoof emails. I've received various messages, including some from fake accounts, and even attempts to hack into my podcast platform. Additionally, LaDonna tried other creative ways to obstruct my investigation and stop the legitimate reporting of her abusive behavior toward others.
Fun, fun.
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If you need an Intellectual Property attorney, I know a good one.
https://www.casimirjones.com/
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