Note: This episode contains graphic descriptions of sexual abuse and psychological manipulation.
It started with a revolt. Thirty ministers walked out of NTCC mid-service and never looked back. They thought they were done with high-control leadership, mandatory tithing, and pastors who ruled by fear. They were wrong. In this episode, former pastor Arlen Bradeen and Greg Shepard tell us what happened when they followed Rony Denis to Georgia — and what it cost them to finally get out.
 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit <a href="https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices">podcastchoices.com/adchoices</a>

Note: This episode contains graphic descriptions of sexual abuse and psychological manipulation. It started with a revolt. Thirty ministers walked out of NTCC mid-service and never looked back. They thought they were done with high-control leadership, mandatory tithing, and pastors who ruled by fear. They were wrong. In this episode, former pastor Arlen Bradeen and Greg Shepard tell us what happened when they followed Rony Denis to Georgia — and what it cost them to finally get out. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Note: This episode contains graphic descriptions of sexual abuse and psychological manipulation.
It started with a revolt. Thirty ministers walked out of NTCC mid-service and never looked back. They thought they were done with high-control leadership, mandatory tithing, and pastors who ruled by fear. They were wrong. In this episode, former pastor Arlen Bradeen and Greg Shepard tell us what happened when they followed Rony Denis to Georgia — and what it cost them to finally get out.
 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit <a href="https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices" rel="noopener noreferrer">podcastchoices.com/adchoices</a>

Chain of Command part 4

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]

Society & Culture

Technology

True Crime

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]

Share Chain of Command part 4

Sign up to save your podcasts

Chain of Command part 4

Chain of Command part 4

More shows like PRETEND

Swindled

The Expert Witness from Uncover

Something Was Wrong

Dakota Spotlight: True Crime & Cold Case Investigations

Criminal Conduct

Guru: Don't Cross Kat

The Binge Cases: U R NEXT

Chameleon

The Opportunist

The Binge Crimes: Cut, Color, Kill

Queen of the Con

Scamfluencers

Nobody Should Believe Me

Betrayal Weekly

Infamous

What Came Next

The Ponzi Playbook