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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1508: The Christmas Con

PRETEND exposes the masterminds behind some of the most notorious scams and cons. From cult leaders to con artists and undercover FBI agents, this podcast pulls back the curtain on those who've pretended to be someone they're not.

Society & Culture

Personal Journals

History

Philosophy

Places & Travel

Documentary

True crime

The strange and intricate hoax crafted by Saint Jovite "Kota" Youngblood, a hockey dad who posed as a Delta Force agent, unravels in court.  An FBI agent peels back each layer of Youngblood's elaborate scheme that duped dozens of families.

Get early and ad-free episodes:
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/pretendradio
PRETEND+ on Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/channel/pretend/id6443456985
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1705: Hockey Dad Poses as Delta Force Agent to Scam Parents part 2

Saint Jovite Youngblood posed as a Delta Force agent to swindle the families of his son’s hockey team.
Today's episode revolves around two victims: Eric Perardi, an Austin-based real estate developer, and Rebecca Kumar, a hockey mom, whose lives were turned upside down by Youngblood’s elaborate scams. Their experiences may sound like something out of a crime thriller, but they show the danger of falling prey to a master manipulator.

Listen to part 2 now:
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/pretendradio
PRETEND+ on Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/channel/pretend/id6443456985
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1704: Hockey Dad Poses as Delta Force Agent to Scam Parents part 1

BREAKING NEWS - Kaitlyn Braun is Arrested Again for Duping Doulas in Phony Pregnancy Scam

25-year-old Kaitlyn Braun, who is currently under house arrest for prior offenses involving fraud and harassment against doulas, faces new charges as of Tuesday. This week's charges come after new allegations of once again exploiting the trust of unsuspecting doulas by falsely soliciting support related to pregnancy and childbirth.
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1703: The Doula BREAKING NEWS

ABOUT MURDER HOMES PODCAST

The real estate market has never been hotter. Houses sell as soon as 
they’re listed. Bidding wars lead to all cash deals far above the asking
 price. But there is one kind of property that often sits on the market 
for years, no matter how much of a bargain it seems to be. Potential 
buyers come and go, the price keeps going down, and still the house 
stands empty. 

In real estate jargon, it’s called a “stigmatized property” because 
the home comes with a history. An unfortunate one – a horrible death 
occurred here. But what few people know is exactly what happened.... or 
why. 

Each week, Murder Homes tells the story of a single 
property. Who lived there? What secrets did they keep, and what did they
 leave behind? Part history, part murder mystery, this podcast mixes 
expert interviews, witness accounts, and court records to pull back the 
curtain on the hidden stories each property has to tell. 

Would you be able to live somewhere that seems perfect, if it weren’t for the ghosts of its past?

Listen to Murder Homes:
iHeart: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1119-murder-homes-127163602/
Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/murder-homes/id1714612556
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3ZR5QWSlqXBafFkJGyzfof?si=3437778dc31c4cbc
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Introducing: MURDER HOMES

In the second installment of "The Doula" series, we uncover new dimensions of Kaitlyn Braun’s elaborate pregnancy scams. This episode features a new doula speaking out about her experiences, the story of how Kaitlyn was finally caught, and a revealing interview with a former friend whom Kaitlyn also deceived.

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1508: The Christmas Con

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