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Chain of Command part 1
In 1996, Sarah DeJonghe was a 20-year-old Navy Seabee stationed in Okinawa, Japan. Two guys in uniform approached her on base and invited her to church. She said no. They came back anyway. Four months later, Sarah was out of the Navy and on
Operation Cockblock Revisited
A Colorado businessman with a criminal record, no credit, and a gift for charm somehow convinced dozens of women to finance his cars, his home, and his lifestyle. When they finally compared notes, they didn't get mad. They got organized. Th
The Greatest Podcast Episodes Ever Made (Bonus)
Somebody went through hundreds of Reddit comments asking what the greatest podcast episode of all time is, then actually listened to all of them. That somebody is Ivy, the creator behind @watchandlisten.ivy on TikTok, and she has been going
I Beg Your Pardon part 6: The MAGA Granny
On January 6th, 2021, Pam Hemphill followed the Proud Boys to the Capitol, got trampled by the mob, was carried out by a police officer named Joe, and recorded every minute of it. The internet called her the MAGA Granny. She did 60 days in
I Beg Your Pardon part 5
My cousin spent 23 years in an Illinois prison for a crime she says she didn't know she was committing. She was 33 when a judge handed down a 60-year sentence. She would have been 93 before she saw the outside again. This episode is persona
I Beg Your Pardon part 4
Content Warning: This episode contains detailed descriptions of nursing home neglect, including accounts of residents found in unsanitary conditions. Listener discretion is advised. You're about to hear the story of a man who built a nursin
I Beg Your Pardon part 3
You know that little bottle of 5-Hour Energy sitting on the counter of almost every gas station in America? Someone was faking it. Millions of bottles, mixed by hand in a filthy warehouse by day laborers with no training, no sanitation lice
I Beg Your Pardon part 2
Twelve days. That’s how long David Gentile spent in federal prison for a $1.8 billion fraud that wiped out the retirement savings of 17,000 people. On Thanksgiving 2025, President Trump signed a one-page clemency grant, commuting Gentile’s
I Beg Your Pardon part 1
Jerry Bush was a plumber from Virginia with fourteen employees, a wife battling cancer, and a business his father built from nothing. When a big construction job left him waiting on $350,000 he'd already earned, he did what you'd probably d
Who's Afraid of LaDonna Humphrey Revisited
CONTENT WARNING: Graphic content. Listener discretion is advised. Who’s Afraid of LaDonna Humphrey — Revisited A lot of people ask: where should I start if I just discovered PRETEND? The answer is always LaDonna. It’s been almost two years
Update on “The Hand That Held Me”
I want to share a quick update about the "Hand That Held Me" series. Due to some recent developments, I’ve made the decision to postpone the release. I know many of you were expecting it, and I’m sorry for the change. These situations can b
The Pests part 3 & 4 Revisited
We conclude one of the most disturbing series ever covered on this podcast. Here are parts 3 and 4 of the Pests. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices
The Pests part 1 & 2 Revisited
This week, we're revisiting one of the most terrifying series ever produced for PRETEND. It's about a gang-stalking internet group known as The Pests. Content Advisory: This episode is disturbing and includes language and topics not suitabl
State of Corruption: The School That Didn't Exist
Look, I'm not anti-private school. You want your kid to learn in an environment that matches your beliefs? Cool. To each their own. But should your neighbors be paying for it? North Carolina is funneling half a billion dollars into private
Introducing Everything They Missed
Hey guys, it's Javier here with a new recommendation! I've come across a true crime podcast that I just had to share with you all. It's called 'Everything They Missed' and it's hosted by Stephanie Tinsley. This podcast dives deep into the p
How to Spot a Fake ICE Agent
Criminals have been impersonating ICE agents, using fake badges to rape, rob, kidnap, and terrorize communities across America. These imposters have conducted workplace raids, street stops, and home invasions. They wear tactical gear, drive
Listener Reaction: Didn't See It Coming Part 3
Patreon supporter Kenito Wills joins Javier to break down the finale of the "Didn't See It Coming" series. They talk through Susanne Wilson calling off the reading at the last minute. Did she know it was a sting? Did she just have a bad fee
Didn't See It Coming (Part 3)
The sting is set. The bait is in place. Six skeptics are logged into a Zoom call, pretending to be grieving siblings. They've paid $1,400 for a private reading with a medium Susan Gerbic believes is a hot reader. Months of planning have led
Listener Reaction: Didn't See It Coming part 2
Patreon supporter Christine Harnos (not the Star Trek actress, the other one) joins Javier to break down Part 2 of the "Didn't See It Coming" series before listening to the finale. They get into the weeds on Susan Gerbic's sting setup: the
Didn't See It Coming (Part 2)
In Part 1, we watched skeptic Susan Gerbic dissect a celebrity psychic's cold reading techniques. But cold reading is the little leagues of the psychic industry. In Part 2, Susan sets her sights on something harder to catch... a hot reader.
Listener Reaction: Didn't See That Coming Part 1
Longtime Patreon supporter Rebecca Catalfu joins Javier to unpack her firsthand experience going undercover at Matt Fraser's psychic readings. Rebecca went into this investigation as a believer and came out the other side with a very differ
Didn't See It Coming (Part 1)
Skeptic Susan Gerbic invited PRETEND inside one of her psychic sting operations. In Part 1 of this three-part series, we go inside "Operation Gobble Gotcha," a Thanksgiving sting targeting celebrity psychic Matt Fraser. Susan and her team o
PRETEND Live AMA
PRETEND's first live YouTube AMA, co-hosted by Patreon supporter Katie Watson. The conversation covers listener questions about the making of PRETEND, behind-the-scenes stories, and what's coming next. Highlights include: how Javier knows w
Licensed to Kill Revisited
A Montana oncologist allegedly treated patients for cancer they never had and made millions doing it. We're re-releasing our two-part investigation into Dr. Thomas Weiner, plus a brand new interview with whistleblower Dr. Randy Sasich on wh
The Real Life Grinch
'Tis the season for true crime chaos! Hosts Kristen Seavey from Murder, She Told (https://open.spotify.com/show/0n9q2IMjGQyrHMMByvnA2H), Javier Leiva from PRETEND, and Shaun from Sins & Survivors (https://open.spotify.com/show/1W2swCx9LP38s
Listener Reaction: Matthew Fenner vs. Ted Bell (Bonus)
This bonus episode features Kim, a Patreon supporter who connected with the Matthew Fenner story...but not for the reasons you might expect. Kim's been through the criminal justice system herself. She was prosecuted, sentenced, and spent tw
The Prophet: Matthew Fenner vs Ted Bell
What happens when the person responsible for prosecuting your case seems more interested in protecting your attackers? Matthew Fenner has been asking that question for eight years. After a 2017 mistrial in his assault case against Word of F
Off Script: Pretend, Murder She Told & Sins and Survivors Spill the Tea (BONUS)
Join hosts Javier from Pretend, Kristen Seavey from Murder She Told, and Shaun from Sins and Survivors for a special holiday crossover episode where three true crime podcasters let their guard down and talk shop. Featured Guests: Kristen Se
2404: Open Enrollment, Open Season for Scammers
This is the story of Simple Health Plans, a $150 million health insurance scam that preyed on desperate Americans and left thousands buried in medical debt. We'll meet Dawn, who nearly fell victim to their scheme, and Steven Dorfman, the ma
2403: The Cancer Sympathy Machine part 3
Harry spent nearly two years believing the woman he loved was dying of brain cancer. He stood by her for every surgery, organ failure...None of it was real. In this episode, Harry walks us through the emotional fantasy Rachel built. Want th
