Podcast Episodes

The Man Who Stole 200 Million Identities

Season 21 Episode 5

In this episode of PRETEND, recorded live at the GISEC cybersecurity conference in Dubai, I spoke with Hieu Minh Ngo, once one of the most prolific identity thieves in the world.

Operating out of Vi…

Published on 4 months ago

2104: The Digital Pickpocket Revisted

Season 21 Episode 4

While speaking at a hacker conference in Dubai, Javier revisits a conversation with professional pickpocket and entertainer James Freedman. James reveals how a childhood scuffle led to a lifelong obs…

Published on 4 months, 1 week ago

LaDonna's Easter Egg Hustle

Season 21 Episode 3

How LaDonna Humphrey Used a Children's Event to Funnel Money Through Oasis of Northwest Arkansas.

What happens when a glow-in-the-dark Easter egg hunt turns into a glowing red flag?

In this bonus e…

Published on 4 months, 2 weeks ago

Faking Insanity

Season 21 Episode 2

Can you really fake being insane—and get away with it? In this episode of PRETEND, host Javier Leiva sits down with forensic psychologist Dr. Tristin Engels to pull back the curtain on the high-stake…

Published on 4 months, 3 weeks ago

My Wife, the Ponzi Schemer

Season 21 Episode 1

Interview with a man convicted of a Ponzi scheme. Bill Livolsi says he was just trying to help his wife, Linda—the ringleader of a multi-million dollar investment scam.

In this episode of PRETEND, Bil…

Published on 5 months ago

I Married a Narcissist part 3

Season 20 Episode 13

Trigger warning: This episode contains graphic discussions of emotional, financial, sexual, and physical abuse. Listener discretion is strongly advised.

When Lindsay first met him, he was charming, s…

Published on 5 months, 1 week ago

I Married a Narcissist part 2 Listener Reactions

Season 20 Episode 12

After publishing the story of a woman trapped in a marriage with a narcissist, I wasn't sure how it would land. It wasn’t flashy. It didn’t end in violence or arrest. But the response was overwhelmin…

Published on 5 months, 2 weeks ago

The Sham: I Married a Narcissist

Season 20 Episode 11

In this episode of PRETEND, we meet “Ashley”—not her real name—who recorded hours of arguments with her husband in an effort to understand what was happening inside her marriage. From the outside, it…

Published on 5 months, 3 weeks ago

The Keepsake Scandal

Season 20 Episode 10

It started with a missing breast milk keepsake. But when Cheyna Lee joined an online group of frustrated customers, she uncovered something much bigger—hundreds of victims, stolen mementos, and a sca…

Published on 5 months, 3 weeks ago

The Gambler Revisited

Season 20 Episode 9

Episode Summary:

While working on the new season of Pretend, I wanted to bring back an episode from 2018 that’s worth another listen. It’s the story of Art Schlichter, a former Ohio State football sta…

Published on 6 months ago