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PODCAST

PRETEND

Creative Babble, LLC

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 — from financial scams and Ponzi schemes to digital hoaxes and emotional cons. PRETEND explains how and why deception works without shaming victims, combining ethical journalism with cinematic

true crime

All Episodes

32:37

2210: The High School Hoax Update

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2025/09/30

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 even joined the girls basketball team. She wore number 32 on her jersey, which also happened to be her real age.This is the story of Shelby Hewitt, a state social worker who lived a double life. For two years, she convinced students, teachers, and administrators that she was a foster kid with nowhere else to go. She built fake social workers and false

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12:25

2209: The Stalker: Rick Fernandez’s Guilty Plea

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2025/09/23

Breaking news in the stalker case: Rick Fernandez has pleaded guilty to harassment. Instead of facing trial, he admitted responsibility for a new wave of harassment tied to the book he published while awaiting trial on felony charges.His sentence? 180 days in jail (suspended) along with three years of probation. If Rick contacts the victims directly or indirectly, he risks going to jail and facing new charges. In this episode, I dig into what this guilty plea really means, and you’ll also hear

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43:28

2208: The Monster

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2025/09/16

Listener discretion is advised. This episode contains discussions of sexual abuse and may not be suitable for all audiences.In 1964, Winston Moseley stalked and murdered Kitty Genovese. The case became infamous not only for its brutality but also for the silence of neighbors who heard her cries and did nothing. During his trial, Moseley confessed to other killings, including the murder of 15-year-old Barbara Kralik. But another man, Alvin Mitchell, had already confessed to that crime. Two men

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40:37

2208: State of Corruption: Ohio part 2

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2025/09/09

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 $63 million bribery scheme that brought down House Speaker Larry Householder.This is Part Two of State of Corruption from Pretend. Credits: Portions of this episode reference material from the HBO documentary Dark Money Games.Written and Produced by: Javier Leiva & Mackenzie AmesEditor: Puneeth Shenoy with Podcast Pundits Listening on Spotify?

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36:45

2207: State of Corruption: Ohio part 1

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2025/09/02

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 everything.This is the story of how one political insider helped expose a billion-dollar corruption scheme at the heart of Ohio politics. Part two will be available on Patreon and PRETEND+ this weekend. Stay tuned Credits: Portions of this episode reference material from the HBO documentary Dark Money Games. Written and Produced by: Javier Leiva

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71:40

The Real Donnie Brasco - FBI Case File Review

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2025/08/28

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: Where did the name Donnie Brasco even come from?Turns out, it wasn’t made up. Donnie Brasco is a real person. He’s Joe Pistone’s nephew. And not just any nephew — an undercover FBI agent who followed in his uncle’s footsteps. This story blew my mind, and I wouldn’t have known about it if it weren’t for my friend and fellow podcaster Jerri

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55:28

2205: Who’s Afraid of LaDonna Humphrey Part 18: The...

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2025/08/19

A 911 call in Madison County, Arkansas reported what sounded like a violent attack. It should have remained confidential. But when LaDonna Humphrey got involved, that caller’s life was turned upside down.Now she is caught in a web of harassment, conspiracy theories, and public exposure that puts her safety at risk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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30:08

S2204: Who's Afraid of LaDonna Humphrey part 17

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2025/08/12

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 court — to the very person she was fighting, Anthony Christopher.In this episode, you'll hear directly from Anthony Christopher as he reacts to the latest court decision. I also spoke with law professor Joshua M. Silverstein from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock and Mark Friedman from Arkansas Business, who explained how this type of sale is

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52:45

"Nobody Should Believe Me" — When the Advocate Is the...

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2025/08/05

This week on PRETEND, we’re bringing you something special: a feed drop from Nobody Should Believe Me, an award-winning investigative true crime podcast created by author Andrea Dunlop. With over 15 million downloads and a spot on The New York Times' radar as “a rich and harrowing chronicle of the condition,” this show dives deep into one of the most disturbing forms of abuse—Munchausen by Proxy. Told through the voices of survivors and leading experts, Nobody Should Believe Me pulls back the

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43:52

2203: The Playwright part 3

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2025/07/29

Melanie dies. Jayson takes control of her estate. Then he moves in with her mother. Her children are stunned. They suspect something isn’t right, especially as questions about Melanie’s will and health begin to surface. Jayson was the last person caring for her before she passed. Just when we think the story is over, another woman comes forward. We’re calling her Julie. She says she was seeing Jayson during this same time. In this episode, we unravel what really happened after Melanie’s death and

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7:30

Listen Now: Business Wars

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2025/07/23

In the year 2000, the merger of AOL and Time Warner seemed like themoment that the pendulum shifted from offline to online media. But the megamerger went off script fast. In-fighting, cooked books and incompatible corporate cultures would turn it into a marriage from hell, one that would scar both companies. But before any of that could happen, AOL had to overcome the odds…to take America online. In this season of Business Wars, we explore why the biggest merger in US history turned into a

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40:19

2202: The Playwright part 2

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2025/07/22

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 Bartlett, the play was billed as a bold, political drama. It was a plan meant to honor a woman he claimed to love. But former cast members and collaborators started noticing red flags. Was this play ever really meant to open? Or was it all just a front? Was The History of Now a sincere artistic project...or just another performance? Written and Produced by: Javier

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43:55

2201: The Playwright part 1

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2025/07/15

In this episode, we investigate the mysterious Jayson Bartlett and the many women whose lives he upended.Emma was a single mother in England who fell for Bartlett’s charm and artistic persona. At first, everything seemed perfect. But soon, she realized she was being gaslit, lied to, and emotionally manipulated. Then there’s Melanie. She lived in North Carolina and had been diagnosed with a terminal illness. She thought she had found love and a creative partner. Instead, Jayson took control of her

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13:12

BONUS: The Digital Trail to Epstein’s Island

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2025/07/09

What if your phone could place you at the scene of a crime—years later?In this bonus episode of PRETEND, we uncover how nearly 200 mobile devices that visited Jeffrey Epstein’s private island left behind invisible data trails. Using just a free trial from a location data broker, an outsider was able to map those devices back to homes, offices, and even gated communities across the U.S. This episode dives into how mobile advertising IDs—those “anonymous” trackers buried inside your apps—are

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45:50

The Pale Faced Lie Revisited

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2025/07/01

David Crow says he was his father's criminal accomplice.In today's episode, we delve into the extraordinary story of David Crow, author of the book titled "The Pale-Faced Lie." It's the story of a father and son entangled in a life of crime. David recounts his experiences as his father's criminal accomplice, always by his side. And what it was like growing up with a violent and convicted felon who used the Native American reservation as a refuge to evade his enemies. This episode is the story of

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32:21

2112: The Stalker - New Charges part 21

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2025/06/24

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 flew in a court-runner to watch the hearing, dug through fresh police files, and pieced together how a self-published book and two midnight phone calls may blow up Rick & Tanya’s “clean-slate” diversion deal.🎧 New to this saga? Binge the entire 20-part series first: The Stalker — Season 12 playlist on Spotify. Start there, then come right

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49:21

Cocaine Air

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2025/06/10

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 the premiere episode of his brand-new podcast series: Cocaine Air.Jonathan isn’t just a victim of a con artist—he’s turned his trauma into a storytelling empire. And in Cocaine Air, he tells the true story of TJ Dominguez, a Cuban-American businessman who got scammed out of $100,000 and decided to take matters into his own hands... by becoming one of

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40:04

2109: The Internet Saves the Bachelor part 4

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2025/06/03

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.At one hearing, she claims to be 24 weeks pregnant. In another, she says she miscarried months earlier. The dates keep shifting — July, August, October — and still, no medical provider can confirm that she was ever pregnant. Clayton Echard’s legal team seizes on the inconsistencies. They ask the court to dismiss the case, arguing it was filed

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37:19

2108: The Internet Saves the Bachelor part 3

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2025/05/28

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 the stand. Under oath, she admits to altering the ultrasound she submitted as evidence. Her pregnancy timeline, once shaky, now completely collapses under cross-examination. The judge wants answers. The internet sleuths want accountability. And Clayton Echard? He just wants this nightmare to end. Part 4 is available right now on Patreon and PRETEND+ on Apple

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42:00

2107: The Internet Saves the Bachelor part 2

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2025/05/20

The story isn’t over. In Part 2, we dig deeper into the chaos that followed Laura Owens’ accusations against Bachelor star Clayton Echard.Internet sleuths start pulling court records, police reports, and medical documents. Their findings are wild — fake identities, stolen ultrasounds, and a pregnancy that might never have happened. Laura pushes back. She sues YouTuber Dave Neal and threatens to sue other podcasters for even discussing the case. In court, she testifies under oath. But her

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