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, an and based in the United States, 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 storytelling. Featured in lists of the best podcasts about con artists and scams, PRETEND investigates crimes of persuasion, trust, and betrayal. New episodes drop regularly with stories that reveal how manipulation shapes modern life, both online and off. [CLAIM:B6BT3XC4]
Episodes
November 1, 2025 • 39 mins
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 they can’t explain.
In Day 3 of PRETEND’s Halloween Marathon, we meet Dr. John Mack, a Pulitzer Prize–winning Harvard psychiatrist who risked his reputation to study these so-called abductees. Using hypnosis and relaxation techniques, Mack tried to uncover whether these encounters were...
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October 31, 2025 • 60 mins
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 Gothic and Fear Daily—two shows that live and breathe ghost stories. Together, we pull back the curtain on haunted tourism: the ghost tours, the myths, and the money that fuels them.
From fake cemeteries built for tourists to real tragedies twisted into folklore, Brandon and I explore what’s re...
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October 30, 2025 • 43 mins
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. As a result, Spotify and Patreon have temporarily taken down the series. My attorneys are already on it, and we expect everything to be restored soon.
In the meantime, it’s Halloween weekend — so let’s have some fun. I’m bringing back some of my favorite spooky episodes from the PRETE...
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October 28, 2025 • 56 mins
Important Update on “Cracks in the Fandom”Meghan Walsh, the subject of my latest series, filed a copyright infringement claim with all major podcast platforms. As a result, Patreon and Spotify have temporarily removed the episodes pending review.The good news? You can still listen to the entire series on Apple Podcasts.
https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/pretend-radio/id1245307962?mt=2
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In the Law & Order: SVU commu...
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October 21, 2025 • 44 mins
Cracks in the Fandom — Part 3 (Edited Copyright Cut)PRETEND: Stories about real people pretending to be someone they’re not
Michelle Ivey has been painted as the villain. Meghan Walsh calls her a stalker, a criminal, a threat to her life. She’s warned not to contact her.
But in this episode, I do just that. I talk to Michelle. And what I find is something very different from the unhinged boogeyman Meghan has described for years.
...
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October 14, 2025 • 41 mins
Meghan Walsh says she is being stalked by three people. One of them is Law & Order: SVU star Mariska Hargitay. Sounds impossible, right?
But she’s not the only one saying it.
In this episode, we meet Lauren. She claims to be the biological mother of Mariska’s adopted daughter. Her story begins with a supposed secret adoption, and spirals into accusations of betrayal and abandonment. Lauren says the actress is not just stalking he...
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October 6, 2025 • 39 mins
🎧 NEW SERIES: “Cracks in the Fandom”
What would you do if you thought your favorite celebrity was stalking you?
That’s exactly what Meghan Walsh claims. She says she’s being harassed by not one, not two—but three stalkers. And one of them? Is Mariska Hargitay, best known as Detective Olivia Benson from Law & Order: SVU.
Yeah. I know how that sounds.
But here’s the thing: the more I looked into it, the more the story started t...
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September 30, 2025 • 32 mins
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...
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September 23, 2025 • 12 mins
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...
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September 16, 2025 • 43 mins
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...
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September 9, 2025 • 40 mins
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 AmesE...
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September 2, 2025 • 36 mins
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 ...
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August 28, 2025 • 71 mins
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 abo...
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August 19, 2025 • 55 mins
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.
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August 12, 2025 • 30 mins
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 Fried...
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August 5, 2025 • 52 mins
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 survivo...
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July 29, 2025 • 43 mins
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 th...
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July 22, 2025 • 39 mins
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 proj...
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July 15, 2025 • 43 mins
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 f...
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July 9, 2025 • 13 mins
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 adve...
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