IAFCI Presents... The Protectors

In this special New Year’s Eve episode of The Protectors Podcast, the team comes together for a year-in-review conversation reflecting on the cases, conversations, and insights that defined the past year. Hosts Mark and Mike are joined by Executive Producer Doug Taylor and Editor-in-Chief Chris Warner to revisit standout moments with expert guests who helped shed light on today’s most complex financial crimes. The discussion highlights key themes, lessons learned, and how the show continues to evolve. The episode also looks ahead to the coming year, teasing new perspectives, deeper investigations, and powerful voices listeners can expect next. It’s a thoughtful close to the year — and a compelling setup for what’s ahead.

The Protectors Podcast — Educating and Protecting, All Year Long.

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IAFCI Website: https://iafci.org/

Phone: 916-939-5000

Advertising Opportunities and Guest Appearance: [email protected]

In this episode of The Protectors Podcast, Mike and Mark sit down with Detective Mark DiBone from the Maricopa County Police Department in Arizona to talk about a type of crime we haven’t spent much time on before — healthcare fraud. Mark walks them through a real case involving stolen identity, insurance fraud, and fraudulent medical billing that added up to nearly half a million dollars. It’s a complex web of deception that impacts hospitals, insurers, and most importantly, innocent victims. These crimes happen every day, quietly piling up hundreds of millions of dollars in fraudulent debt nationwide. Tune in — this is an eye-opening episode you won’t want to miss.

The Protectors Podcast — Inside the Investigations That Protect Us All.

Mark DiBone LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mdibone/

Federal Trade Commission: https://www.ftc.gov/

Identity Theft - What to Do Next:

1. Inform the three major Credit Bureaus
2. Contact the Social Security Administration (SSA)
3. File a Police Report

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IAFCI Website: https://iafci.org/

Phone: 916-939-5000

Advertising Opportunities and Guest Appearance: [email protected]

Recorded live on stage in front of a packed audience at the 2025 IAFCI Conference in Oklahoma City, today’s episode of The Protectors Podcast features U.S. Marshals Service veteran Kaitlyn Kent. Kaitlyn breaks down how following the money helps close violent cases and how the IAFCI’s network gives investigators the edge. Her perspective comes straight from the front lines of the Marshals Service, where financial leads can make or break a case. This is the kind of insight most people never get to hear.

The Protectors Podcast - Powered by Partnerships That Close Cases.

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IAFCI Website: https://iafci.org/

Phone: 916-939-5000

Advertising Opportunities and Guest Appearance: [email protected]

On this episode of The Protectors, Mike and Mark are joined by Sarasota Police Detectives Andrew Rowe and Carlos Verdoni—two investigators who’ve been uncovering one of the most surprising types of organized fraud happening today.

We first met Andrew and Carlos at the 2025 Oklahoma Conference, and their story stuck with us. What started with a simple fraud report quickly led to something much bigger—a network of prison-based gangs running multimillion-dollar scams that stretched across states and into the world of cryptocurrency.

It’s a story about connection, coordination, and collaboration—law enforcement across the country working together to shut down a scheme run from behind bars, and the detectives who helped bring it all to light.

The Protectors Podcast - Where Crime Meets Consequence.

Detective Andrew Rowe LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-rowe-bb8893270/

Detective Carlos Verdoni LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carlos-verdoni-cfci-41ab1a83/

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IAFCI Website: https://iafci.org/

Phone: 916-939-5000

Advertising Opportunities and Guest Appearance: [email protected]

In this episode of The Protectors Podcast, Mike and Mark sit down with NYPD Detective Daniel Alessandrino. Dan pulls back the curtain on a darker, more organized side of financial crime—where powerful gang alliances cross borders, and human trafficking “campuses” drive a multibillion-dollar global fraud operation - one call and one victim at a time.

It’s a chilling look at the new face of organized crime—and one conversation you won’t want to miss.

The Protectors Podcast - Protecting Lives, Rights, and the Truth.

Detective Alessandrino LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-alessandrino-7a37b1126/

Operation Shamrock: https://operationshamrock.org/

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IAFCI Website: https://iafci.org/

Phone: 916-939-5000

Advertising Opportunities and Guest Appearance: [email protected]

Today on The Protectors Podcast, Mike and Mark are coming to you from the 2025 IAFCI International Conference in Oklahoma City. They sit down with forensic accountant Steve Pedneault, who pulls back the curtain on what it really means to be a forensic accountant — how it’s different from traditional accounting, how financial investigations uncover fraud and embezzlement, and how his work supports law enforcement and prosecutors in bringing cases to justice. He also shares valuable insight for business owners — large and small — on the red flags to watch for and how to protect your organization from the inside out. It’s a sharp reminder that sometimes, the numbers tell the whole story.

The Protectors Podcast — Education is Protection.

Forensic Accounting Services, LLC: https://www.forensicaccountingservices.com/

Steve Pedneault LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephenpedneault/

Steve's Books: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Stephen-Pedneault/author/B0028S2T9W?ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true

Justice for Fraud Victims Project: https://www.justiceforfraudvictimsproject.org/

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IAFCI Website: https://iafci.org/

Phone: 916-939-5000

Advertising Opportunities and Guest Appearance: [email protected]

They may go by different names—psychics, healers, spiritual guides—but the con is always the same: taking people’s money by promising the impossible. Today on The Protectors Podcast, Mike and Mark welcome Audrey Moy to the conference studio at the 2025 IAFCI Convention in Oklahoma City. Audrey is a retired investigator who now volunteers with AARP to protect elders from fraud. She’s here to warn us about the “blessing scam,” a cruel twist on the same tricks behind psychic cons—fake healers exploiting fear for profit—this time targeting people in the Asian community. Audrey shares the red flags to watch for, how to stay safe, and what victims should know. Knowledge is protection, and this conversation delivers both.

The Protectors Podcast - Information That Protects.

SFPD Blessing Scam Awareness Video: https://vimeo.com/1051992697?utm_source=chatgpt.com

AARP Online Fraud Resources: https://states.aarp.org/florida/online-and-printable-fraud-resources

AARP Watchdog Alert Handbook: https://www.huntsumres.org/pdf/aarp-fraud-watch-network-handbook-2022.pdf?utm_source=chatgpt.com

National Association of Bunco Investigators (NABI): https://www.nabihq.org/

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IAFCI Website: https://iafci.org/

Phone: 916-939-5000

Advertising Opportunities and Guest Appearance: [email protected]

Today, The Protectors Podcast comes to you from the 2025 IAFCI National Convention in Oklahoma City with a conversation that digs deep into one of the most controversial cases of our time. Mike and Mark welcome Professor Declan Hill of the University of New Haven, a world-class investigator whose students conducted the most thorough investigation into the death of Jeffrey Epstein, going further than any other agency to uncover what really happened. The results of their work are both eye-opening and hard to ignore. If you think you’ve heard the full Epstein story before, think again.

The Protectors Podcast - Shedding Light, Sharing Knowledge

Declan Hill, Univ. of New Haven: https://www.newhaven.edu/faculty-staff-profiles/declan-hill.php

Crimewaves Podcast: https://www.crimewavespodcast.com/

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IAFCI Website: https://iafci.org/

Phone: 916-939-5000

Advertising Opportunities and Guest Appearance: [email protected]

In this episode of The Protectors Podcast, Mike and Mark sit down with retired detective Tony Fiscella to revisit a case that shook a community to its core — the murder of 24-year-old Valerie Reyes. Known as The Girl in the Red Suitcase, Valerie’s story is as haunting as it is unforgettable. Detective Fiscella not only led the investigation that brought her killer to justice, but also carried the emotional toll of a case that changed him and his department forever. Tune in and hear the story behind a case that left its mark long after justice was served.

The Protectors Podcast - Behind every case, a protector stands.

The Girl in the Red Suitcase, by Anthony Fiscella: https://www.amazon.com/Girl-Red-Suitcase-Anthony-Fiscella-ebook/dp/B0F2JGD26B/ref=sr_1_1?crid=RK9IRF1I3SUX&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.sbOrVUICcyOOqzAsGInSrg.sM7e8oM1U9I7hOSVYfAePbExZ4JJtKAUeybEN1DXcg8&dib_tag=se&keywords=the+girl+in+the+red+suitcase+book&qid=1757380293&sprefix=the+girl+in+the+red+suitcase+bo%2Caps%2C262&sr=8-1

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IAFCI Website: https://iafci.org/

Phone: 916-939-5000

Advertising Opportunities and Guest Appearance: [email protected]

In this episode of The Protectors Podcast, Mike and Mark sit down with fraud experts Jim De La Torre and Jon Reader to unpack how criminals gain victims’ trust—and then exploit it. From email schemes to social media ploys, they reveal how much of your personal information is already out there and why vigilance is your best defense. They also emphasize the importance of educating yourself - whether it’s understanding how scams work, recognizing what to look for in a financial planner, or making informed investment decisions - knowledge is the first step to protection. Join us and stay alert - your best protection is knowing the playbook before they run it.

The Protectors Podcast - One Step Ahead of the Scam.

My advantage.us: https://www.myadvantage.us/

Jim De La Torre: [email protected]

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IAFCI Website: https://iafci.org/

Phone: 916-939-5000

Advertising Opportunities and Guest Appearance: [email protected]