PRETEND
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PRETEND
PRETEND is an investigative true crime podcast about real people who lie for a living — con artists, scammers, and the victims caught in their web. Hosted by journalist Javier Leiva, PRETEND exposes the human psychology behind deception and fraud. Each episode follows a real case of manipulation —...
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2404: Open Enrollment, Open Season for Scammers
This is the story of Simple Health Plans, a $150 million health insurance scam that preyed on desperate Americans and left thousands buried in medical...
2403: The Cancer Sympathy Machine part 3
Harry spent nearly two years believing the woman he loved was dying of brain cancer. He stood by her for every surgery, organ failure...None of it was...
Listener Reaction: The Cancer Sympathy Machine (BONUS)
In this bonus episode, Ali, one of my longtime Patreon supporters, reached out after listening to the Cancer Sympathy Machine series.
Ali...
2402: The Cancer Sympathy Machine part 2
Why would anyone fake cancer?
Money? Sure.
Attention? Definitely.
But as I learned in this episode… the motives...
The Cancer Sympathy Machine part 1
Some people fake cancer for sympathy. Others do it for money. But the truth is darker than most of us want to believe.
In t...
Dakota Spotlight: Meanwhile in Mankato
On PRETEND, we tell stories about people who build false identities and hide the truth in plain sight. This week, we are featuring a case that fits ri...
2309: From Smallville to NXIVM: The Psychology Behind Allison Mack
Smallville's Allison Mack is out of prison, and she's finally talking.
What was NXIVM, and how did Allison Mack become a high-ranking mem...
Bonus: The Psychology Behind Parasocial Relationships (Cracks in the Fandom)
This bonus episode is a chance to step back and make sense of everything that just unfolded in Cracks in the Fandom. If you listened to the series, yo...
The Hypnotist - Alien Abductions
Alien abductions.Hundreds of people say it’s happened to them.They’re not looking for fame or attention.Some keep it a secret...haunted by memories th...
The Haunted Tourist
It’s Day 2 of my Halloween Marathon, and today we’re diving into The Haunted Tourist.
I’m joined by Brandon Schexnayder, host of Southern...
The Real Vampires
Hey, it’s Javier. Quick update: Meghan Walsh, the subject of my Cracks in the Fandom series, has filed copyright complaints on every major platform. A...
2304: Cracks in the Fandom part 4
Important Update on “Cracks in the Fandom”Meghan Walsh, the subject of my latest series, filed a copyright infringement claim with all major podcast p...
2303: Cracks in the Fandom part 3
Cracks in the Fandom — Part 3 (Edited Copyright Cut)PRETEND: Stories about real people pretending to be someone they’re not
Michelle Ivey...
2302: Cracks in the Fandom part 2
Meghan Walsh says she is being stalked by three people. One of them is Law & Order: SVU star Mariska Hargitay. Sounds impossible, right?
...
2301: Cracks in the Fandom part 1
🎧 NEW SERIES: “Cracks in the Fandom”
What would you do if you thought your favorite celebrity was stalking you?
That’s exa...
2210: The High School Hoax Update
A 32-year-old woman enrolled herself in three Boston high schools and passed as a teenager. She sat in classrooms, made friends with freshmen, and eve...
2209: The Stalker: Rick Fernandez’s Guilty Plea
Breaking news in the stalker case: Rick Fernandez has pleaded guilty to harassment. Instead of facing trial, he admitted responsibility for a new wave...
2208: The Monster
Listener discretion is advised. This episode contains discussions of sexual abuse and may not be suitable for all audiences.
2208: State of Corruption: Ohio part 2
Tyler Fehrman went undercover for the FBI after his mentor, Ohio GOP chair Matt Borges, offered him a $15,000 check. His recordings helped uncover a $...
2207: State of Corruption: Ohio part 1
Tyler Fehrman went undercover to bring down the Speaker of the Ohio House. He wore a wire. He met with mentors who turned into suspects. He risked eve...
The Real Donnie Brasco - FBI Case File Review
If you’re a longtime listener, you probably remember my interview with Joe Pistone, the real Donnie Brasco. But I forgot to ask one important question...
2205: Who’s Afraid of LaDonna Humphrey Part 18: The 911 Caller
A 911 call in Madison County, Arkansas reported what sounded like a violent attack. It should have remained confidential. But when LaDonna Humphrey go...
S2204: Who's Afraid of LaDonna Humphrey part 17
LaDonna Humphrey has spent years trying to overturn a $3.57 million judgment. But in a rare legal move, her right to appeal was sold in bankruptcy cou...
"Nobody Should Believe Me" — When the Advocate Is the Abuser
This week on PRETEND, we’re bringing you something special: a feed drop from Nobody Should Believe Me, an award-winning investigative true crime podca...
2203: The Playwright part 3
Melanie dies. Jayson takes control of her estate. Then he moves in with her mother.
Her children are stunned. They suspect something isn’...
Listen Now: Business Wars
In the year 2000, the merger of AOL and Time Warner seemed like the
moment that the pendulum shifted from offline to online media. But th...
2202: The Playwright part 2
In Part 2 of The Playwright, we shift focus to the show at the center of it all: The History of Now.
Written and directed by Jason Bartl...
2201: The Playwright part 1
In this episode, we investigate the mysterious Jayson Bartlett and the many women whose lives he upended.
Emma was a single mother in Eng...
BONUS: The Digital Trail to Epstein’s Island
What if your phone could place you at the scene of a crime—years later?
In this bonus episode of PRETEND, we uncover how ne...
The Pale Faced Lie Revisited
David Crow says he was his father's criminal accomplice.
In today's episode, we delve into the extraordinary story of David Crow, author...
2111: The Stalker - New Charges part 21
Rick Fernandez—yes, the same Rick who thought he’d escaped six felonies—just got slapped with brand-new criminal charges in Phoenix Municipal Court. I...
2110: Cocaine Air
This week on PRETEND, we're doing something different. I’m bringing on my friend Johnathan Walton, the mastermind behind Queen of the Con, to share th...
2109: The Internet Saves the Bachelor part 4
In part 4 of 'The Internet Saves the Bachelor,' we examine the growing cracks in Laura Owens’ story as her pregnancy timeline collapses under scrutiny...
2108: The Internet Saves the Bachelor part 3
In Part 3 of The Internet Saves the Bachelor, the truth—or at least, what remains of it—is put on trial.
Laura Owens takes...
2107: The Internet Saves the Bachelor part 2
The story isn’t over. In Part 2, we dig deeper into the chaos that followed Laura Owens’ accusations against Bachelor star Clayton Echard.
2106: The Internet Saves the Bachelor part 1
After a one-night hookup with a fan-turned-client, former Bachelor star Clayton Echard faced an unexpected legal battle — and public accusations that...
2105: The Man Who Stole 200 Million Identities
In this episode of PRETEND, recorded live at the GISEC cybersecurity conference in Dubai, I spoke with Hieu Minh Ngo, once one of the most prolific id...
2104: The Digital Pickpocket Revisted
While speaking at a hacker conference in Dubai, Javier revisits a conversation with professional pickpocket and entertainer James Freedman. James reve...
2103: LaDonna's Easter Egg Hustle
How LaDonna Humphrey Used a Children's Event to Funnel Money Through Oasis of Northwest Arkansas.
What happens when a glow-in-the-dark E...
2102: Faking Insanity
Can you really fake being insane—and get away with it? In this episode of PRETEND, host Javier Leiva sits down with forensic psychologist Dr. Tristin...