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, 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. PRETEND is produced by Creative Babble, LLC. © 2026 Creative Babble LLC [CLAIM:B6BT3XC4]

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Episoder(312)

2013: I Married a Narcissist part 3

2013: I Married a Narcissist part 3

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, ...

8 Apr 202551min

2012: I Married a Narcissist part 2 Listener Reactions

2012: I Married a Narcissist part 2 Listener Reactions

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 overwhelming...

1 Apr 202515min

2011:  I Married a Narcissist part 1

2011: I Married a Narcissist part 1

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 ...

25 Mar 202555min

2010: The Keepsake Scandal

2010: The Keepsake Scandal

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 scam...

21 Mar 202534min

2009: The Gambler Revisited

2009: The Gambler Revisited

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...

11 Mar 202541min

2008: Licensed to Kill part 2

2008: Licensed to Kill part 2

n part two of Licensed to Kill, we continue the shocking investigation into doctors who exploit their patients for profit. This episode follows Patty Hester, a fitness instructor who was misdiagnosed ...

4 Mar 202532min

2007: Licensed to Kill part 1

2007: Licensed to Kill part 1

What if your doctor wasn’t trying to save you, but trying to cash in on you? In this episode of Pretend, we uncover the shocking case of Dr. Thomas Weiner, an oncologist accused of prescribing years o...

25 Feb 202541min

2006: Operation Cock Block

2006: Operation Cock Block

A group of women, all with eerily similar stories, say they were deceived—emotionally and financially—by the same man: William Sullivan. But instead of staying silent, they took matters into their own...

19 Feb 202549min

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