Not Another True Crime Podcast

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 ou

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

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

This week, Sara and Danny give their recap and thoughts on the new Max docuseries The Curious Case Of Natalia Grace, which takes a closer look at a bizarre story that NATCP covered back in 2019. They get 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. The six available episodes show the Barnett's POV, with Natalia's side of the story dropping later this summer, so watch this space for NATCP's coverage! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Danny and Sara are joined by UK radio host, podcaster, and true crime aficionado Daisy Maskell! They get into Daisy's documentary Cheat Detectives which investigates the TikTok "loyalty test" trend, find out her latest true crime obsessions, and share their favorite cases from across the pond that don't get the same level of attention in their home countries. Then, some current events updates, including Armie Hammer's charges being dropped, 73 year old Manson girl Leslie Van Houten's appeal, and Anna Delvey's new podcast! 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 this week with a rundown of the Netflix documentary Big Mäck: Gangsters and Gold, which tells the story of Donald Stellwag - a man who was wrongfully imprisoned for a robbery he did not commit, based on little more than a misidentified ear. After nine years, he finally went free... but the story doesn't end there. They get into his post-prison life as a local celeb and low key influencer, and another robbery that he may actually have been involved in and gotten away with. RESOURCES: https://dmtalkies.com/big-mack-gangsters-and-gold-explained-2023-documentary-donald-stellwag/ 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 a recent news story about Katie Sorensen - an "aspiring" Bay Area momfluencer who falsely accused a couple of attempting to kidnap her children in a Michaels store. They get into her QAnon past, her racist profiling of the innocent couple, and the way her lies were unwoven in court. To wrap up the show, Sara and Danny play a round of Can You Buy This Thing At Michaels? RESOURCES: https://www.yahoo.com/news/mom-influencer-convicted-lying-kids-103428492.html https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2023/04/29/instagram-katie-sorensen-convicted-false-crime-reporting/11766191002/ https://da.sonomacounty.ca.gov/woman-convicted-of-knowingly-making-a-false-report-of-attempted-kidnap https://s3.documentcloud.org/documents/23792239/sorensen-peoples-motion-in-opposition.pdf Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sara and Danny are back with some stories from recent headlines. First up is Utah mother and wife Kouri Richins, who wrote a children's book about grief after her husband died... only to then be revealed as her husband's killer. Next, from Sara's own home town, it's the House of Representative's most absurd scammer, George Santos. And finally, checking in yet again on Elizabeth "Liz" Holmes. RESOURCES: https://abcnews.go.com/US/woman-wrote-book-grief-husbands-death-accused-murder/story?id=99199204 https://www.amazon.com/Are-you-me-Kouri-Richins/dp/B0BYBNCZ2K https://www.justice.gov/usao-edny/pr/congressman-george-santos-charged-fraud-money-laundering-theft-public-funds-and-false https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2023/05/the-everything-guide-to-george-santoss-lies.html https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/07/business/elizabeth-holmes-theranos-interview.html Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Sara and Danny delve into the world of fitness and Christianity influencers, with scammer and self-proclaimed "eating disorder solider" Brittany Dawn. They break down how her shady business swindled vulnerable customers and landed her in legal trouble with the state of Texas. To wrap up the show, Sara and Danny play a round of Guess The Apology, where they figure out which quotes belong to which shamed YouTuber apology videos. And an update to the story: Brittany's trial was scheduled for mid-May, but since the time of recording, she has reached a settlement for an undisclosed amount. There will be an additional hearing to finalize the settlement, at an as of yet undisclosed date. RESOURCES: https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/kelseyweekman/brittany-dawn-davis-influencer-lawsuit-fitness https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/ag-ken-paxton-files-lawsuit-against-dfw-influencer-brittany-dawn/2882241/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=diWTplfRYE4 https://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Wellness/video/fitness-influencer-

Sara and Danny are back with a round-up of some current and ongoing stories from the past week's headlines. First up is the ever-present Elizabeth Holmes, who is once again doing whatever it takes to avoid serving her sentence. Next, there are some harrowing updates from the Lori Vallow trial. Then, a viral video reveals that a wanted serial sex offender who faked his own death in the US, has been found in Scotland using a fake name, accent, and potentially several medical ailments. And finally, a woman claiming the identity of missing child Madeline McCann, was exposed (with the help of a psychic PI) as a Polish woman named Julia Wendell. RESOURCES: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/elizabeth-holmes-delays-going-prison-165222939.html https://www.thedailybeast.com/lori-vallow-trial-pathologist-reveals-how-son-jj-vallow-died https://www.cbsnews.com/news/american-fugitive-nicholas-alahverdian-claims-irish-orphan/ https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11986433/Polish-Madeleine-McCann-faker-Julia-Wendell-reporte

This week, Sara and Danny kick off the show with some updates on Billy McFarland and Elizabeth Holmes. Then, they dive into the unsolved murder of Serge Rubenstein - draft dodging, café society denizen who made his millions through currency manipulation and stock fraud, and was so unlikable that even the Rabbi read him for filth at his own funeral. RESOURCES: https://eastsidefeed.com/odds-and-ends/death-of-a-scoundrel-and-the-unsolved-murder-of-serge-rubenstein/ https://www.nydailynews.com/true-crime-justice-story/ny-true-crime-justice-story-serge-rubinstein-20200726-wxzwqblxzzactn62jhwtshe7xa-story.html New York Times divorce announcements, 1949 Rubinstein Case Yielding No Clue - NYT “Fingerprints Studied — Was Rubinstein Murder Mob Killing?” The Florence Times 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 catch up on the Trump indictment and Jen Shah's prison book list, before discussing the actual OG Ponzi schemer, Adele Spitzeder. An actress, womanizer, dog mom, philanthropist, nepo baby... literally what can't this b*tch do (other than successfully run a bank without ending up in prison)? To wrap up the show, they dream cast their own made-for-tv movie about Adele: We Could Have Had It All. RESOURCES: https://www.aier.org/article/adele-spitzeder-the-queen-of-confidence-tricksters/ 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 examine the unsolved case of Long Island's very own missing heiress, Alice Parsons. They discuss her unhappy marriage to an oil heir-turned squab farmer (turned squab paste manufacturer), and how his affair with a mysterious Russian housekeeper may very well have lead to Alice's disappearance and probable death. Fake ransom notes, messy evidence, and fights over fortunes abound! To wrap up the show, they play a round of "Edible Dish or Death Wish?", where they try to suss out unusual foods from fatal concoctions. RESOURCES: https://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/ny-alice-parsons-kidnapping-book-20200905-gvj53zysbrdxdne4kiz72vwcai-story.html https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/175717087/alice-parsons Check out our latest promo codes here: https://betches.com/promos Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sara and Danny dive into one of the most notorious con men in history: Frank William Abignale. Popularized by Catch Me If You Can, he has been immortailzed as the ultimate jet-setting conman, but as it turns out, we might've all been conned by the man himself. To end the show, they play a round of "Con Me If You Can!" where they try to fool each other into believing some lie's about themselves.  Resources: The Greatest Hoax on Earth: Catching Truth, While We Can by Alan C. Logan https://www.biography.com/crime/frank-abagnale https://nypost.com/2023/03/13/catch-me-if-you-can-conman-frank-abagnale-lied-about-his-lies/ Check out our latest promo codes here: https://betches.com/promos Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices