In today's Christmas episode, we delve into the story of David Ellisor, a man whose grand Christmas scheme left the city of Miami in disbelief. Ellisor, a real-life Grinch, planned to host "Christmas From Around the World," a supposed once-in-a-lifetime event promising the presence of ambassadors, live reindeer, and a spectacle of global traditions. But the event never happened. He collected the cash and made a run for it. This is a Christmas caper for the ages.

Plus, listeners tell their own Christmas con stories.

Merry Christmas! Happy Holidays! And I wish all of you a Happy New Year!

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The true crime podcasting community has come together for the holiday season to discuss all things true crime podcasting. Over the next two weeks, ten shows will be dropping bonus episodes sharing these conversations. In this episode, I'm joined by Alvin Williams (Affirmative Murder) and Josh Hallmark (True Crime Bullsh**) to discuss how we started our shows, true crime as an industry, how we've grown and lessons we've learned, cases we've covered, monetizing true crime, television, the future of our shows, and more.

Check out Josh's and Alvin's shows:

Affirmative Murder

True Crime Bullsh**

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When the IRS knocked on John Coutu's door, demanding $80,000, his girlfriend, Jennifer Mitchell, offered to help with his taxes. It seemed like a simple gesture of support.

But John would soon find himself caught in a troubling situation. Unbeknownst to him, his taxes were never filed, and a series of lies began to unravel. As John speaks out, his story reveals a strange and complicated web that extends beyond his own experience.

Today, we explore what happens when trust, love, and taxes collide.

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So, I've got to tell you about this crazy rabbit hole I slipped into. It's about that bizarre olive lady from the Maury show. Remember her? Olives freaked out Sally because they reminded her of, get this, dead people's eyes. Wild, right?

I always wondered... Was Sally for real or just putting on a show for the cameras? This question led me to Anthony Freire, a guy who used to produce for Maury Povich.

Man, the stuff I learned while putting together this episode! It’s like peeling back the curtain on daytime TV and finding a whole other world. Turns out, there are many mind games and behind-the-scenes tricks that go into making these shows. Anthony spilled the beans on how they get people to react a certain way or amp up their emotions for the audience.

It's not just about Sally and her olive phobia. This episode digs into the bigger picture of how these TV shows mess with people's heads, both the guests and us viewers.

If you're into the psychology used in reality TV shows or love a good behind-the-scenes story, you must check this out. It's not your average episode of PRETEND.

I can't wait to hear what you all think. Tune in, and let's get our minds blown together!

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Lisa Findley tried to steal Elvis Presley’s home. She almost got away with it.

A con artist with a long history of scams almost pulled off her biggest scheme yet—stealing Elvis Presley’s iconic home, Graceland. Using fake documents and fabricated identities, Lisa Findley tried to claim ownership of the historic estate.

In this episode, NBC News reporter Brandy Zadrozny takes us down a rabbit hole and shows us how she unraveled Findley’s web of lies, linking her to years of fraud and harassment.

This is one of the boldest property scams in recent history, and Findley came dangerously close to succeeding/ We'll also talk about the loopholes that make these crimes possible.

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In this episode, Dr. Jan Canty, a psychologist, author, and podcast host, shares essential advice on recognizing and avoiding con artists in modern relationships. Dr. Canty, who experienced betrayal and tragedy in her life, offers insights into the red flags of deceptive individuals and provides practical tips for safeguarding against potential scams. Through her 'Don't Con Yourself' TikTok series, Dr. Canty breaks down each stage of interactions with con artists and how to protect oneself. She also discusses her life’s work in grief counseling, her compelling past, and the importance of trusting your gut feeling in relationships.

Tune in to learn more about navigating the complexities of dating and protecting your personal boundaries.

00:20 Jan Canty's Tragic Past

01:05 Recognizing Con Artists

04:34 Understanding Psychopaths and Sociopaths

05:21 First Date Red Flags

14:24 Trusting Your Gut Instinct

16:09 CIA Techniques for Identifying Lies

21:34 Gaslighting

23:29 Dramatic and Unusual Histories

25:10 Understanding the Significance of Tattoos

28:26 The Importance of Personal Boundaries

29:26 Dealing with Missed Warning Signs

32:03 The Dangers of Sharing Personal Information Prematurely

35:14 Early Attempts at Control in Relationships

38:26 Preparing to Exit a Toxic Relationship

46:08 Finding True Love After Hardships

PRETEND podcast featuring Jan Canty's life story

The Sugar Daddy parts 1 & 2: https://open.spotify.com/episode/1jXDdZvO197GVomFLseUiq?si=35087f142efd41bd

A Life Divided: A psychologist's memoir about the double life and murder of her husband - and her road to recovery

https://www.amazon.com/Life-Divided-psychologists-husband-recovery/dp/0578685922

Domino Effect of Murder Podcast

https://jancantyphd.com/podcast/

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The Rise and Fall of LaDonna’s Loudest Surrogate: David McClam

LaDonna Humphrey’s most vocal supporter, David McClam, launched the We Are Not Afraid podcast to defend her against mounting accusations. Episode after episode, McClam promised to deliver proof that LaDonna’s critics were lying.

But instead of delivering proof, McClam brought Alecia Lockhart’s alleged sexual abuser on air to dismiss her claims, issued personal threats to show up at my doorstep and attack me, and even threatened to send the anti-gay hate group Westboro Baptist Church to Anthony Christopher’s gay club for a "blood bath."

This erratic behavior ultimately led to his podcast being pulled down from his hosting provider.

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LaDonna Humphrey groomed Lexi Kakis to be her next close ally—a “surrogate in training,” if you will. Drawn in by their shared passion for cold cases, Kakis found herself getting deeper into Humphrey’s world. Surprisingly, Kakis says she never experienced the harassment others have claimed, but during our interview, she learned how LaDonna truly felt about her.

Kakis was with LaDonna the weekend the Pretend podcast series came out, and in a fit of desperation, LaDonna asked her to retaliate against her enemies. Now, Kakis looks back on how she narrowly avoided becoming more entangled in LaDonna's web.

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What's the old saying? People who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones.

Well, it turns out that Dennis McCaslin, editor of LaDonna's tabloid blog, has some skeletons in his closet.

Listen to part 3 of LaDonna's Surrogates:

https://www.patreon.com/posts/ladonnas-part-3-114712491

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LaDonna Humphrey uses her surrogates to do her dirty work; in part one,

we discuss how she weaponized Dennis McCaslin, a Fort Smith, Arkansas tabloid blogger, to go after her enemies.

Listen to LaDonna's Surrogates Part 2: https://www.patreon.com/posts/ladonnas-part-2-114024374

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It’s hard to imagine former executives, investment fraudsters, and insider traders gathering for weekly support meetings.

When I first heard about a support group for white-collar criminals, I was skeptical. It sounded like an SNL sketch: former hedge fund managers, insider traders, and embezzlers sitting in a circle, sharing their woes. However, Jeff Grant, the founder of the White Collar Support Group, doesn’t see it that way. After serving time for his crimes, Grant emerged with a mission—to help others like him rebuild their lives, one meeting at a time. “I was lost,” he admits.

After his release from prison, Grant realized there was no blueprint for people like him to re-enter society. That’s why he founded the White Collar Support Group, a space for those prosecuted for financial crimes to navigate life after prison.

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