Fraudish

"I'm grateful she scammed me... at the end of the day I'm better for it"

Can fraud actually lead to positive outcomes? That's the provocative question at the heart of this week's episode, where I sit down with Johnathan Walton – a man who turned his own devastating scam experience into a mission that's helped countless victims reclaim their power.

Johnathan shares the shocking story of how he was ma...

I'm back with renewed Fraudish energy! In this captivating return episode, I welcome Lou Schachter, the investigative mind behind True Crime Road Trip and recent New York Times featured writer. Lou shares his remarkable journey recovering stolen paintings and documenting historical crimes from his home base in Palm Springs.

Don't miss his incredible story of connecting the dots that led to the recovery of two paintings sto...

Scam calls. Scam texts. Scam everything.

This week on Fraudish, I’m talking with Alex Quilici, CEO of YouMail, and let me tell you—we cover it all. From robocalls to text scams to the rise of "romance baiting" (yes, we’re rebranding “pig butchering”), Alex breaks down what’s really going on behind that unknown number blowing up your phone.

We also dig into:

• Why younger people fall for scams more often than you'd thi...

This week, I’m joined by my friend and audit pro Elizabeth McCormick.

We chat about her unexpected path into internal audit, starting her own company Audit Forward, and how tools like Power Query and AI are changing the game. Elizabeth also gets real about growing up with congenital hearing loss and how it’s fueled her push for disability inclusion in the profession.

We cover fraud, ethics, embracing failure, and why showing up as yo...

You know I love a good career plot twist, and this week’s episode has plenty! I’m joined by Dean Baratta, an intelligence analyst with a background that includes retail banking, WeWork, and more. (Yes, that WeWork.)

We talk about Dean’s unconventional path into the world of intelligence and ethics, what he’s learned about fraud along the way, and how AI is shaking things up faster than you can say “ChatGPT.” 

In this episode:

• What...

Women can be criminals too! This episode of Fraudish I speak with Angie Gad of GadIntel all about why society are biased again women… in a good way? Or is it bad? Let’s get into it!

Angie shares her journey from growing up in a post-9/11 era as a child of Arab immigrants in New Jersey to her impactful career in intelligence and counter-terrorism. She has a rather unexpected entry into intelligence and our discussion touch...

In this episode of Fraudish, Kelly sits down with forensic accountant and Certified Fraud Examiner Candy Bellau, whose journey into the world of fraud is anything but typical.

From never picturing herself as a forensic accountant to building a career in the field, Candy brings heart, humor, and a whole lot of real talk. We dive into the personal side of fraud—because let’s face it, there’s always more to the story.

Candy opens up abo...

Think OSINT is just glorified Googling? Think again. In this episode, I chat with Claudia Tietze, a creative technologist who went from film and theater to fraud-fighting. We dig into how OSINT actually works, why creativity matters in investigations, and how AI and ethics collide in this weird little world. Plus, Claudia shares her take on trend spotting and her work building a better OSINT community with Valor.

Connect with Claudi...

In this episode of Fraudish, Kelly sits down with the one and only Matt Kelly to talk all things compliance… and trust us, it’s more than just rules and regulations!

We kick things off with a big question: Do you need to be a lawyer to work in compliance? The answer? Well… it depends. (Yep, we said it.) But this convo goes far beyond JD requirements. Matt shares his take on how the evolving political landscape is quietly shaping the...

In this episode, Kelly sits down with Blair Cohen, founder of AuthenticID, for a fascinating look into how fraud has evolved and how technology is fighting back.

💡 From his early days in employment screening to launching a cutting-edge identity verification company, Blair shares his unique journey and deep industry insights.

🔍 What You'll Learn:

• How fraud has shifted from solo grifters to organized global networks
• The rising...

What happens when a true crime lover, travel industry insider, and ethical researcher combine forces? You get Vacations Can Be Murder - and in this episode, you’ll learn how it all came to life.

Kelly sits down with journalist and author Dawn Barclay, whose latest book blends dark tourism with meticulous storytelling. From haunted hotels to infamous gravesites and real crime scenes across New England, Dawn unpacks how she curates tr...

How do fraudsters convince people to hand over their life savings? And why do so many scams go undetected until it’s too late?

In this episode of Fraudish, we dive into the dark world of investment fraud with Stephen Kirk, Chief Internal Auditor for the Illinois Department of Transportation and author of A Betrayal of Trust. Steven has spent years unraveling Ponzi schemes, asset pooling scams, and securities fraud - cases where vict...

This week, Kelly sits down with Dana Timmerman, a seasoned private investigator and OSINT (Open Source Intelligence) expert, to explore the critical thinking skills behind fraud investigations. Dana dives into cases and how deep social media and asset analysis can expose deception. He shares his personal journey into the world of investigations - fueled by a life-changing experience searching for his daughter. From ethical dilemmas...

What if the word “whistleblower” conjured up something more powerful than a piercing whistle?
This week’s guest thinks it should—and she’s leading the charge to reframe what it really means to blow the whistle.

In this episode of Fraudish, Kelly speaks with Jackie Garrick, founder of Whistleblowers of America and author of Be a Giraffe. Jackie opens up about her own experience as a whistleblower and what it takes to stand tall i...

In this episode of Fraudish, Kelly sits down with Doug Cash, a seasoned forensic accountant and fraud investigator at EideBailly LLP, to explore the ins and outs of catching financial criminals. From his early days in law enforcement to handling complex embezzlement cases in the private sector, Doug shares the twists and turns of a career built on exposing the truth.

You’ll hear:

💼 Doug’s path from cop to CFE (Certified Fraud Examin...

Do you have a personal brand? Yes, you. Yes... even investigators need brands! Luckily Kate Marston is on to help investigators develop their brands and get creative with their investigative careers.
Key points discussed:
The importance of branding for investigators
Kate's career trajextory from the Metropolitan Police to Burberry (yes, like the jackets!)
The need for proper training in investigations, especial...

In this episode of Fraudish, Kelly sits down with Mark O'Riordan, a seasoned polygraph examiner with a background in federal law enforcement and corporate investigations. Mark pulls back the curtain on the mechanics and psychology of polygraph tests, separating fact from fiction and breaking down what really constitutes a lie.

From working with at-risk youth to serving in the Secret Service and eventually launching his own inve...

In this episode of Fraudish, Kelly interviews Everett Stern, an anti-money laundering compliance officer and whistleblower who exposed HSBC Bank's intentional money laundering practices benefiting terrorists and drug cartels. Stern shares his experiences in the financial industry, his journey as a whistleblower, the immense personal and professional challenges he faced, and his ongoing efforts to combat corruption through his ...

In this special episode of Fraudish, I sit down with two experts in investigative interviewing—Mark Anderson, founder of Anderson Investigative Associates, and Colton Seale, a seasoned investigator with a background in counterterrorism and the FBI. Together, we explore the art and science of effective interviews, uncovering how creativity and psychology play a crucial role in uncovering the truth.

Colton shares a gripping case from ...