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 —...
最新集數
292 集
Didn't See It Coming (Part 3)
The sting is set. The bait is in place. Six skeptics are logged into a Zoom call, pretending to be grieving siblings. They've paid $1,400 for a privat...
Listener's Reactions: Didn't See It Coming part 2
Patreon supporter Christine Harnos (not the Star Trek actress, the other one) joins Javier to break down Part 2 of the "Didn't See It Coming" series b...
2502: Didn't See It Coming (Part 2)
In Part 1, we watched skeptic Susan Gerbic dissect a celebrity psychic's cold reading techniques. But cold reading is the little leagues of the psychi...
Listener's Reaction: Didn't See That Coming Part 1
Longtime Patreon supporter Rebecca Catalfu joins Javier to unpack her firsthand experience going undercover at Matt Fraser's psychic readings.
<...
2501: Didn't See It Coming (Part 1)
Skeptic Susan Gerbic invited PRETEND inside one of her psychic sting operations. In Part 1 of this three-part series, we go inside "Operation Gobble G...
2408: PRETEND Live AMA
PRETEND's first live YouTube AMA, co-hosted by Patreon supporter Katie Watson. The conversation covers listener questions about the making of PRETEND,...
2407-Licensed to Kill Revisited
A Montana oncologist allegedly treated patients for cancer they never had and made millions doing it. We're re-releasing our two-part investigation in...
2406: The Real Life Grinch
'Tis the season for true crime chaos! Hosts Kristen Seavey from Murder, She Told, Javier Leiva from PRETEND, and Shaun from Sins & Survivors join forc...
Bonus Episode: Listener Reaction - Matthew Fenner vs. Ted Bell
This bonus episode features Kim, a Patreon supporter who connected with the Matthew Fenner story...but not for the reasons you might expect.
2405: The Prophet: Matthew Fenner vs Ted Bell
What happens when the person responsible for prosecuting your case seems more interested in protecting your attackers? Matthew Fenner has been asking...
Off Script: Pretend, Murder She Told & Sins and Survivors Spill the Tea (BONUS)
Join hosts Javier from Pretend, Kristen Seavey from Murder She Told, and
Shaun from Sins and Survivors for a special holiday crossover episode...
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...