Not Another True Crime Podcast

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-nearl

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/2011070512565

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:/

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-ti

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