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(329)

S803: The Sovereign Man

S803: The Sovereign Man

Sean David Morton was arrested in 2016 after being charged with more than 50 counts related to filing phony tax documents and bogus government bonds. He was also accused of conspiracy to defraud the I...

31 Aug 202136min

S802: The Naked Sovereign Surgeon

S802: The Naked Sovereign Surgeon

Where do sovereign citizens go when they need medical attention? Some of them seek help from homeopathic quacks like Rick Van Thiel. Rick Van Thiel is not a surgeon. In reality, he's a porn star oper...

17 Aug 202151min

S801: The Sovereign Citizen

S801: The Sovereign Citizen

What is a sovereign citizen?  American Sovereign citizens believe that the laws of the United States do not apply to them. Therefore, no authority should tell them what to do: not judges, lawmakers, ...

4 Aug 202142min

Birth of a Con Man (Revisited)

Birth of a Con Man (Revisited)

This is the very first episode I recorded for PRETEND. Hear how a small-time crook went from breaking into houses to running a phony medical clinic. ------- FEATURING: Follow the Truth Podcast Traile...

20 Jul 202147min

The Hijacker (Revisited)

The Hijacker (Revisited)

This week, we revisit one of PRETEND's most popular episodes. It's called the Hijacker and it's a collaboration with my friend Chris Knittel. Hear Martin McNally describe the day he hijacked a plane. ...

6 Jul 20211h 10min

PRETEND turns 4

PRETEND turns 4

Jules Hannaford from the Fool Me Twice podcast joins me to talk about 4 years of PRETEND. ________ Story idea? If you have a story to share, email Javier at javier@pretendradio.org. For more episodes...

22 Jun 202129min

S710: The Sham vol. 1

S710: The Sham vol. 1

The Sham vol.1 This week, I turn the mic over to you. Two listeners share stories about their run-in with a con artist. Our first story is from a long-time listener named Paul Schiffbauer Jr. He tell...

11 Mai 202135min

S709: The Liquor Guy

S709: The Liquor Guy

There are two sides to Billy. There's Billy, who just wants to do the right thing. And then there's the criminal lurking from within. So which way did he go? Did Billy end up becoming a criminal? Or ...

27 Apr 202130min

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