Not Another True Crime Podcast

Sara and Danny are back for the final time, to cover Willy's Chocolate Experience in Glasgow - an event organized by a company named House of Illuminati, that was giving more Fyre Fest than "Pure Imagination." Sara and Danny get into it all, from the AI generated, spelling error-riddled poster, to the off-brand character of The Unknown (a terrifying masked figure who "lives in the walls"), and an Oompa Loompa who appeared to wish she were literally anywhere else but there. Event attendees complained that they didn't quite get what they paid £35 for, and even called the police to complain, although whether or not anything illegal actually occurred remains to be seen. Thank you to all the listeners who have been with us along the way, from our first episode (fittingly about the actual Fyre Fest), to now. Follow Danny @kashmeredanny Follow Sara @saralememe Source: https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/willy-wonka-inspired-chocolate-experience-outrage-rcna140726 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Sara is joined by writer and comedian Josh Gondelman to cover a story from his hometown of Boston: the still-unsolved Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum heist. In 1990, two thieves dressed as policemen walked into the museum in the middle of the night, and carried out the single largest property theft in the world, stealing 13 paintings valued at $500 million. Despite having several mob-affiliated suspects, the pieces were never recovered, and the case went cold. SOURCES: https://www.gardnermuseum.org/organization/theft https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-new-clue-emerges-in-the-gardner-museum-art-heist-saga-180979651/ https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/five-things-know-about-isabella-stewart-gardner-art-heist-180977448/ https://www.bostonglobe.com/2022/02/28/metro/whodunit-gardner-museum-heist-remains-unsolved-decades-later-with-long-list-suspects-most-them-dead/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sara and Danny are back to cover the self-proclaimed "Jeffrey Dahmer of fraud,” Steve Comisar. But first, Sara shares a self-imposed scam of her own, with a recent Uber Pool trip that went off the rails. Then, they get into the extensive grifting resume of Beverly Hills conman Steve Comisar, who shilled everything from solar-powered clothes dryers, to diet pills, to oil wells - and even scammed an 84 year old man out if $500k. Several prison stints and failed attempts at becoming a Hollywood actor later, Comisar is finally pursuing the most noble profession of all: true crime podcasting. SOURCES: https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1999-jul-24-me-59160-story.html https://www.sabrinaerdely.com/docs/TheCreepWithTheGoldenTongue.pdf https://www.einnews.com/pr_news/613431696/on-the-road-to-redemption-with-former-con-man-steve-comisar Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Sara and Danny cover the viral story from The Cut's own financial advice columnist, Charlotte Cowles, who was the unlikely victim of a scam that cost her $50,000. They get into Cowles' article, which details how over the course of just one day, the scammers - posing as Amazon employees and and FTC agents - successfully convinced her that she was the victim of extensive identity theft, with multiple warrants out for her arrest for cybercrimes, money laundering, and drug trafficking. Cowles withdrew and handed the scammers $50,000 from her bank account, before realizing it had all been a lie. SOURCES: https://www.thecut.com/article/amazon-scam-call-ftc-arrest-warrants.html Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sara and Danny are joined by Sky Borgman, director and producer of the new documentary series The Truth About Jim, now streaming on MAX. The documentary follows 32-year old Sierra Barter, as she investigates whether or not her step grandfather, Jim Mordecai, was a serial killer. Skye shares her storytelling approach, how Jim might have flown under the radar for so long, and why there was such a serial killing spike in the Bay Area at that time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sara and Danny are joined by Emmy Award-winning television host, veteran journalist, and bestselling author Tamron Hall, to talk about the latest book in her Jordan Manning series Watch Where They Hide. Tamron shares the real life cases that inspired the novel, how she identifies with the character of Jordan, and the emotional process of writing the book. They get into the media phenomenon of Missing White Woman Syndrome, and the way crime reporting has evolved from the start of her career to now, especially when it comes to racial profiling of suspects. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Sara and Danny cover the civil fraud case of Denver pastor Eli Regalado and his wife Kaitlyn, who claimed they were directed by God to sell millions in fake crytocurrency through the Kingdom Wealth Exchange. They're accused of pocketing $1.3 million for their own extravagant lifestyle that included a Range Rover, vacations, luxury handbags, and more, in what the Denver District Court Judge called "a case of just unmitigated greed." SOURCES: https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2024/01/23/crypto-pastor-colorado-god-eli-regalado/ https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-68072665 https://people.com/denver-pastor-says-the-lord-told-us-to-steal-from-christians-8548486 https://www.denverpost.com/2024/01/30/eli-kaitlyn-regalado-cryptocurrency-scam-accounts-frozen-indxcoin/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sara and Danny are back this week with another con artist from Down Under: Samantha Azzopardi. They get into the innumerable fake identities (including that of a 14 year old girl, and the actress Dakota Johnson) that she adopted along her way from the Sydney suburbs, to Dublin, to Calgary, to prison, and back to Australia, where she once again encountered trouble with the law. SOURCES: https://www.womensweekly.com.au/news/samantha-azzopardi-true-story/ https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/international-con-artist-arrested-on-fraud-charges-in-northcote-20231026-p5effh.html https://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-57284621 https://www.9news.com.au/national/melbourne-news-alleged-con-artist-samantha-azzopardi-withdraws-bail-application/1aa9adac-602d-4d36-a8f0-495c133720e7 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Danny covers the mysterious story of Australian conwoman Melissa Caddick. After falling victim to a romance scam in her early 20s, she pivoted to becoming a scammer herself, cheating friends and family out of millions. As the law began to catch up with her, Melissa mysteriously disappeared, only for a disembodied foot matching her DNA to wash up on the beach months later. Danny gets into the ins and outs of Melissa's scams and disappearance, as well as the theories about whether or not she faked her own death. SOURCES: https://www.cnn.com/2023/05/25/australia/australia-melissa-caddick-fraud-coroner-death-intl-hnk/index.html https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/may/26/the-lady-vanishes-fraudster-melissa-caddick-is-dead-but-the-intrigue-lives-on https://www.smh.com.au/national/the-forever-friend-the-former-boss-the-ex-husband-the-early-victims-of-fraudster-melissa-caddick-20210304-p577wo.html Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sara is joined by Betches News director Amanda Duberman to unpack the 2nd season of MAX's docuseries The Curious Case of Natalia Grace, which focuses on Natalia's side of the story. Sara and Amanda get into it all: Natalia's traumatic experiences with the Barnett family, how things unfolded with her new family, the Mans, the "twist" ending, and and why this style of docuseries is so manipulative. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ahead of Netflix's American Nightmare, dropping on January 17th, we're taking a look back at Sara and Danny's interview with Denise Huskins & Aaron Quinn, the subjects of this three-part docuseries . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sara and Danny are back with some top-of-the-year crime updates. First, Gypsy Rose Blanchard is out of prison after 8 years, and making waves on social media with comments about her husband Ryan. Next, the first batch of long-awaited court documents pertaining to Jeffrey Epstein have been released, with a number of high profile names mentioned. And finally, Andy Cohen claps back at Jen Shah's IG post from prison. SOURCES: https://www.eonline.com/news/1392322/gypsy-rose-blanchard-defends-husband-ryan-anderson-from-jealous-haters https://www.yahoo.com/news/names-more-170-jeffrey-epstein-235431140.html https://www.cnn.com/2024/01/03/business/jeffrey-epstein-documents-list-names/index.html https://www.yahoo.com/news/clinton-trump-named-jeffrey-epstein-002504706.html https://apnews.com/article/jeffrey-epstein-ghislaine-maxwell-virginia-giuffre-3af500d4788ad45301be426628846d71 https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/jan/03/jeffrey-epstein-list-names-released https://people.com/andy-cohen-reacts-after-jen-shah-slams-rhoslc-finale-8422054 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ahead of The Curious Case of Natalia Grace: Natalia Speaks, dropping tonight on MAX, here's a look back to Sara and Danny's recap of the previous 6 part series in 2023. The Curious Case Of Natalia Grace dives into the Barnett family and the strange events that unfolded starting from Natalia's adoption, to the suspicions about her age, police involvement, Natalia's birth family in Ukraine, and the child abandonment trial. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sara and Danny are back with some holiday scams you should be aware of: gift cards, QR codes, "Smishing," ChatGPT, and a pyramid scheme gift exchange. SOURCES: https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/shopping/2023/12/11/gift-card-scam-card-draining-holiday-shoppers-christmas/71876923007/ https://consumer.ftc.gov/consumer-alerts/2023/12/scammers-hide-harmful-links-qr-codes-steal-your-information https://www.axios.com/2023/12/12/beware-chatgpt-holiday-scams https://bucks.crimewatchpa.com/newbritaintwppd/34878/post/gift-card-tampering-card-draining-scam?fbclid=IwAR2UjH5BtX7_7N0gz0Sbm49SLwsK5uV9uBH4EtHUUafZt7VNlDmEEdTAeOk https://www.bbb.org/article/scams/18854-bbb-warning-secret-sister-gift-exchange-is-illegal Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sara and Danny are joined by Ashley Randele, co-host of the new podcast Smokescreen: My Fugitive Dad. At 38 years old, Ashley learned that her father, Thomas Randele, was a bank robber and fugitive by the name of Ted Conrad. Ashley shares her experience of making this docuseries, what it was like investigating her own father's past, and what listeners can look forward to in upcoming episodes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Sara and Danny dive into the world of housing disputes. First up, the story of a pair of bamboccioni (aka big babies) in Italy whose 75 year old mother took them to court for free-loading. Then, they get into an Italian Supreme Court case from 2020 about parents financially supporting their adult children. Fnally, the story of Elizabeth Hirschhorn - aka the "tenant from hell" - who refused to leave (or pay for) her LA rental mansion for over 500 days, and previously pulled a similar stunt in Oakland. SOURCES: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/oct/26/italian-woman-forced-to-court-to-evict-her-two-sons-aged-40-and-42 https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12597887/Airbnb-guest-Elizabeth-Hirschhorn-kicked-Oakland-rental-two-months-moving-Sascha-Jovanovics-Brentwood-mansion-Harvard-grad-overstayed-540-days.html https://www.fox9.com/news/airbnb-guest-stays-rental-500-days-without-paying-refuses-leave https://fox59.com/news/national-world/airbnb-nightmare-tenant-leaves-los-angeles-home-after-nearly-600-days/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sara and Danny are joined by Kiki Monique, host of fellow Betches podcast Pop Crime, to do a deep dive on the saga of Ye's K-12 school, Donda Academy. They cover it all, from bizarre rules about color palettes and staircases, to $10,000 sushi and racial discrimination lawsuits. Kiki Monique: @thetalkofshame Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today, Sara and Danny have a special episode of one of their favorite podcasts to share with you: Pop Crime with host Kiki Monique. Kiki details the ongoing saga of Kanye West, as multiple lawsuits and allegations threaten to bring down his cultural empire. Sara and Danny join, to discuss whether this is the end for Yeezy. Tune in to NATCP on Monday for a deeper dive on the Donda drama, featuring Kiki! @thetalkofshame Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sara is joined by journalist Mandy Matney, host of The Murdaugh Murders Podcast, about the current state of journalism, her new book Blood on Their Hands: Murder, Corruption, and the Fall of the Murdaugh Dynasty, how systemic sexism fostered the environment that enabled Alex Murdaugh, and what it was like covering that unbelievable trial. Guest: @mandy_matney Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sara and Danny catch up on the latest RHOSLC drama before diving into this week's story: aspiring actor-turned-scammer Zachary J Horowitz aka Zach Avery. Avery was charged with wire fraud when he used his company, 1inMM Capital LLC, to collect $650 million in fraudulent regional distribution agreements for various streaming platforms. SOURCES: https://ew.com/celebrity/zach-avery-20-years-in-prison-ponzi-scheme/ https://people.com/crime/actor-zach-avery-arrested-for-running-allegedly-multi-million-hollywood-movie-ponzi-scheme/ https://www.vice.com/en/article/3aq8v8/the-wildest-parts-of-d-list-actor-zach-averys-alleged-ponzi-scheme https://www.justice.gov/usao-cdca/pr/beverlywood-man-arrested-allegedly-bilking-investors-falsely-claiming-license-latin https://www.sec.gov/files/litigation/complaints/2021/comp-pr2021-58.pdf https://www.justice.gov/usao-cdca/pr/la-man-sentenced-20-years-federal-prison-650-million-ponzi-scheme-falsely-claimed Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sara and Danny are joined by attorney Rex Chatterjee, who explains why the FTX case is actually simpler than you might think. He walks Danny and Sara through the basics of wire fraud, how this kind of trial works, Sam Bankman-Fried's strategy of placing the blame on his attorneys, and why venture capitalists keep bankrolling narcissists who "move fast and break shit." Note: This episode was recorded before the verdict was announced. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Danny's flying solo this week with another roundup of recent newsworthy scams. First up, a Massachusetts family defrauds the lottery out of $20 million. Then, an Australian woman is the latest victim of an employment scam, losing her life savings. And finally, striking actors are being recruited for AI research that may end up replacing them in the future. SOURCES: https://nypost.com/2023/10/25/news/how-a-massachusetts-family-scammed-the-lottery-out-of-20-million/ https://www.news.com.au/finance/work/at-work/aussie-mum-loses-her-life-savings-to-a-cruel-employment-scam/news-story/13a9a41820d16246d020b51a0b5dad96 https://www.technologyreview.com/2023/10/19/1081974/meta-realeyes-artificial-intelligence-hollywood-actors-strike/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Sara and Danny cover James Hogue, a champion runner-turned con man, who stole everything from trophies, to bikes, to gemstones - all while posing as a teenage student, despite the fact that he was pushing 30. SOURCES: https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2001/09/03/the-runner https://paw.princeton.edu/article/strange-case-james-arthur-hogue#:~:text=As%20it%20turned%20out%2C%20Alexi,for%20possession%20of%20stolen%20property. https://areomagazine.com/2022/04/08/the-curious-case-of-a-scholar-who-didnt-exist/ https://www.aspentimes.com/news/famed-con-man-who-lived-in-ajax-shack-arrested-again-in-aspen/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In Part 2 of Sara and Danny's deep dive on Barry Minkow, Barry is released from prison and rebrands himself as a pastor, starts a for-profit investigative firm dedicated to uncovering business frauds., and his church parishioners raise funds for a film about his life. But Barry's compulsion for scamming was far from over, and he had to face the legal system once again. SOURCES: https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1988-01-19-me-37107-story.html https://www.fbi.gov/contact-us/field-offices/sandiego/news/press-releases/notorious-conman-turned-pastor-barry-minkow-sentenced-to-five-years-in-prison-for-bilking-congregation-of-more-than-3-million https://www.dailynews.com/2022/01/11/barry-minkow-got-famous-cheating-the-system-now-hes-back-with-king-of-the-con/ https://moneyweek.com/503094/great-frauds-in-history-zzzz-best https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1988-12-15-mn-362-story.html https://www.nytimes.com/1988/01/18/business/company-news-zzzz-best-indictment.html https://web.archive.org/web/20110705125654/http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2011/jul/03/jailhouse-convert/ https://www.miaminewtimes.com/news/barry-minkow-has-to-pay-lennar-corp-583-million-and-serve-five-years-6539824 https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/business/real-estate/sdut-minkow-attacking-lennar-2011jul06-htmlstory.html Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sara and Danny are back with a deep dive on Barry Minkow, a man with a relentless entrepreneurial spirit for cons and scams. In Part 1, they cover his early start as a child telemarketer, and how his adolescent carpet cleaning business ZZZZ Best led him to credit card fraud, stock fraud, getting in bed with the mob, and prison. Come back next week for Part 2, where Barry becomes a born-again Christian. SOURCES: https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1988-01-19-me-37107-story.html https://www.fbi.gov/contact-us/field-offices/sandiego/news/press-releases/notorious-conman-turned-pastor-barry-minkow-sentenced-to-five-years-in-prison-for-bilking-congregation-of-more-than-3-million https://www.dailynews.com/2022/01/11/barry-minkow-got-famous-cheating-the-system-now-hes-back-with-king-of-the-con/ https://moneyweek.com/503094/great-frauds-in-history-zzzz-best https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1988-12-15-mn-362-story.html https://www.nytimes.com/1988/01/18/business/company-news-zzzz-best-indictment.html https://web.archive.org/web/20110705125654/http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2011/jul/03/jailhouse-convert/ https://www.miaminewtimes.com/news/barry-minkow-has-to-pay-lennar-corp-583-million-and-serve-five-years-6539824 https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/business/real-estate/sdut-minkow-attacking-lennar-2011jul06-htmlstory.html Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sara and Danny are joined by journalist, NYT bestselling author, and Pulitzer finalist Tom Wright, to talk about his podcast Crypto Kingpins. The podcast covers the rivalry between two titans in the crypto industry: Sam Bankman-Fried of FTX and Changpeng Zhao of Binance. Tom tells Sara and Danny how Bankman-Fried presented himself as the good boy of crypto, how his rivalry with CZ began, and where things stand with crypto now. With Bankman-Fried currently on trial for fraud, and billions of dollars on the line, there's still more to come with this story. Check out our latest promo codes here: https://betches.com/promos Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sara and Danny are joined by Travon Free and Martin Desmond Roe to talk about their new HBO documentary BS High, which covers the story of a high school football scandal that made headlines 2021. The Bishop Sycamore Centurions - a football team for a high school that doesn't exist - had the internet in a frenzy when they suffered a humiliating loss to IMG Academy that was televised on ESPN. Travon and Martin share how they became aware of and involved with this story, what it was like interviewing self-proclaimed liar Roy Johnson, who orchestrated the scam, and where some of the main characters of the documentary are today. Check out our latest promo codes here: https://betches.com/promos Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Sara and Danny recap some recent celebrity news. First up is Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis, who were in hot water after their letters to the judge in Danny Masterson's rape case were made public. Ashton subsequently resigned as Chairman of the Board at Thorn, the sex trafficking organization he founded with Demi Moore in 2009. Iggy Azalea also faced criticism last month, when the public became aware of *her* letter of support for Tony Lanez regarding the Megan Thee Stallion shooting. And finally, Russell Brand has been accused by multiple women of rape and sexual misconduct, and put out a YouTube video in response to the allegations. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sara and Danny are joined by documentary filmmaker Sam Lipman-Stern, to talk about his 3 part HBO docuseries Telemarketers. This two-decades-long project began back when Sam first started working at the Civil Development Group, where he started recording the bizarre goings-on at the office simply because it was entertaining, all the while unwittingly participating in a massive scam. Sam fills Sara and Danny in on how everything unfolded, the journey to getting the project funded and made, and what he's working on now. Check out our latest promo codes here: https://betches.com/promos Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sara and Danny bid a sweaty farewell to summer with a roundup of some recent festival fiascos and one coming down the pipeline. First up is Burning Man, the week-long festival in the Nevada desert, where each year participants erect (and fully dismantle) Black Rock City. This year, an unexpected rainfall of extreme proportions created a disastrous level of mud, and 70,000 people were subsequently trapped there and forced to shelter in place. Next, NYC's Electric Zoo festival became a massive organizational nightmare, leaving thousands of ticket holders stuck in never ending lines. And finally, Billy McFarland is trying his hand at Fyre Fest once more, with tickets already selling out for the December 6, 2024 event at an as-of-yet undisclosed Caribbean destination. SOURCES: https://www.cnn.com/2023/09/04/us/burning-man-storms-shelter-monday/index.html https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/electric-zoo-attendees-frustrated-chaos-disorganized-three-day-festiva-rcna103258 https://www.insider.com/fyre-festival-2-tickets-lineup-location-billy-mcfarland-2023-8 https://www.curbed.com/2023/08/whats-going-on-at-the-brooklyn-mirage.html https://www.cbsnews.com/newyork/news/mayor-eric-adams-says-city-will-take-action-against-electric-zoo-festival-organizers/ https://www.billboard.com/pro/electric-zoo-festival-canceled-friday-didnt-have-permits/ Check out our latest promo codes here: https://betches.com/promos Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sara and Danny are joined by writer and reporter Susan Burton, to talk all about her podcast The Retrievals, a 5 part narrative series from The New York Times and Serial. The Retrievals details the story of dozens of women who underwent IVF treatment at the Yale Fertility Center, and the nightmare of excruciating pain that ensued. Susan shares her experience producing the podcast and how her own experience with eating disorder recovery informed her interest in stories about women's bodies. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-retrievals/id1691599042 Check out our latest promo codes here: https://betches.com/promos Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Sara and Danny cover the bizarre catfishing case where a romance scammer posed as Stranger Things actor Darce Montgomery to get thousands of dollars in gift cards. Then, a Miami realtor is serving time for misuse of Covid relief funds. And finally, Ghislane Maxwell has suddenly decided to connect with her late father's Jewish faith, presumably to get better food and time off on the Sabbath. RESOURCES: https://nypost.com/2023/08/16/kentucky-woman-mckayla-catfished-out-of-10k-by-scammer-posing-as-stranger-things-dacre-montgomery/ https://people.com/real-estate-broker-who-misused-covid-relief-funds-jailed-for-3-5-years-7724766 https://www.the-sun.com/news/8775674/ghislaine-maxwell-prison-benefits-embracing-jewish-religion/ Check out our latest promo codes here: https://betches.com/promos Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Danny covers the ongoing legal drama between Michael Oher, and the Tuohy family, best known for their portrayal in the 2009 film The Blind Side (based on a book of the same name). Michael is suing the Tuohys, alleging that they lied about adopting him, and in fact placed him under a conservatorship instead, which cheated him out of millions of dollars while they continue to profit off of him. Danny gets into the lawsuit, the Tuohy family's lavish life, and where this is all heading. Check out our latest promo codes here: https://betches.com/promos Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sara and Danny are back with a rundown of some current scams that we all need to be on alert for. First up, people posing as Bank Of America fraud department employees are tricking customers into transferring them money via Zelle. Next is a Florida woman who conned an 87-year-old Holocaust survivor out of $2.8 million. Then, a fake romance crypto scam that began over Hinge and ending with something horrifically called "pig butchering." Finally, what happens when you hire someone to solve your scam... only for the investigator to be a scammer themself? And to wrap up the show, an update on Sarma Melngailis aka The Bad Vegan. RESOURCES: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/jul/28/florida-woman-romance-scam-jailed https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdny/pr/florida-woman-pleads-guilty-defrauding-holocaust-survivor-28-million-connection-romance https://finance.yahoo.com/news/tech-executive-falls-victim-450k-190411822.html https://uk.news.yahoo.com/private-investigator-preyed-dating-scam-113900495.html Check out our latest promo codes here: https://betches.com/promos Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Sara and Danny cover Leah Remini's new harassment and defamation lawsuit against the Church of Scientology. Then, they get into some international elder scams: First, a 73-year-old New York grandmother named Jean, who outsmarted a scammer posing as her grandson. Then, police in Thailand take down an international operation that cheated the elderly out of $87 million. And finally, Japan's projected plan to put an end to elder scams once and for all... by taking away their bank cards. RESOURCES: https://variety.com/2023/film/news/leah-remini-sues-church-of-scientology-1235686180/ https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2022/01/24/elder-scam-grandma-long-island/ https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/thai-police-bust-call-scammers-swindled-older-americans-rcna76271 https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3229623/japan-plans-combat-phone-scams-taking-elderlys-bank-cards-away-people-are-going-panic Check out our latest promo codes here: https://betches.com/promos Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sara and Danny are joined by intellectual property entertainment lawyer Joshua Greenberg, who explains the Shien lawsuit and what actually constitutes copyright infringement. They also discuss the potential problems that may arise with Elon's X-branded Twitter pivot. Check out our latest promo codes here: https://betches.com/promos Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sara & Danny are back with a conman from New York history, Ferdinand Ward, who earned himself a reputation worthy of the nickname "Young Napoleon of Finance" - and eventually, the "Best-Hated Man" in the country. Sara and Danny dive into his early scams and how he leveled up into a bank-collapsing Ponzi scheme that landed him in Sing Sing - but that still wasn't the end of his misdeeds. RESOURCES: https://moneyweek.com/economy/people/601293/great-frauds-in-history-the-downfall-of-ferdinand-ward-the-napoleon-of https://archives.nypl.org/mss/22284 A Disposition to Be Rich: Ferdinand Ward, the Greatest Swindler of the Gilded Age by Geoffrey Ward “Read all about Geneseo's dirty rotten scoundrel” - Livingston County News https://www.brooklynpaper.com/family-guile-historian-discusses-his-criminal-ancestor/ Check out our latest promo codes here: https://betches.com/promos Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Sara and Danny cover Cassie Chadwick, aka Betty Bigley, aka Madam Marie Rosa, aka Madame Lydia Devere - a scammer with an unbelievable track record of defrauding banks and millionaires. They get into her many crimes and identities and the immense amount of money she got away with swindling, all the way to her ultimate demise. RESOURCES: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-high-priestess-of-fraudulent-finance-45/ Crime in Cleveland Cassie Chadwick: The Con Artist of Millionaires' Row CLEVELAND: THE BEST KEPT SECRET by George E. Condon Check out our latest promo codes here: https://betches.com/promos Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sara and Danny cover a still-unsolved mass murder from 1912, where a family of six and two guests were bludgeoned to death in their Villisca, Iowa home. They get into the events leading up to the murders, the investigation, and the three major suspects - one of whom may have been a serial killer. RESOURCES: https://www.villiscaiowa.com/ https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/2022/06/09/1912-villisca-ax-murders-what-to-know-iowa-cold-case/7567590001/ https://iowacoldcases.org/case-summaries/villisca-axe-murders/ http://iagenweb.org/boards/montgomery/documents/index.cgi?read=114416 https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-ax-murderer-who-got-away-117037374/ Check out our latest promo codes here: https://betches.com/promo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sara and Danny are joined by criminal defense attorney Jason Goldman, who shares his unique insight and perspective on the justice system, as well as some past and present high profile cases, including the Idaho murders, Natalie Holloway, Scott Peterson, and Adnan Syed. Jason explains why the alibi defense is his least favorite, what the biggest misconceptions people get from crime TV shows are, and the story behind how he chose to go into this area of law. Check out our latest promo codes here: https://betches.com/promos Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Sara and Danny are going back to the 1800s to cover C.L. Blood, a con man who posed as a doctor, and claimed that oxygenized air (aka nitrous oxide) could cure a whole slew of medical ailments. They get into all of Blood's shady associates, his trouble with the law, and how it all led to a botched blackmailing and a gruesome murder. RESOURCES: “A Wily Doctor: The Career of Charles L. Blood, Once of Boston” - The Boston Weekly Guide “A Man of Ominous Name”: The Inter Ocean “The Crime of Cain” San Francisco Call Check out our latest promo codes here: https://betches.com/promo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sara and Danny are joined by broadcast journalist and producer Charlie Webster, to talk all about her true crime podcast Scamanda. The 8 episode series details the story of Amanda Riley, who made headlines in 2022 for faking her cancer diagnosis and swindling donors out of more than $100k. Charlie shares how she got involved with this story, some of the wildest things that have come up in her investigation, and how Amanda managed to convince so many people of her lie. To close out the episode, they check in on the latest Anna Delvey update. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices