This week on It’s Ben A Week, Ben is joined by fellow barrel racer and friend Sydnee Carter for an episode dedicated to exes, cheating, red flags, and one breakup story that quickly turns into something straight out of a true-crime documentary.
Ben kicks things off by revisiting some of his worst relationships—from discovering a boyfriend cheating through messages on a forgotten laptop and confronting him outside a hotel room, to catching another boyfriend swiping on Tinder while they were sitting together in first class on the way to Mexico. Through it all, Ben reflects on the strange intuition that told him something was wrong before he ever had proof.
Then Sydney shares a breakup story that takes the episode in an entirely different direction.
After ending an on-again, off-again relationship, her ex’s behavior began escalating—from showing up unexpectedly and contacting friends and family to appearing at places she was dating someone new. Then Sydney’s neighbor spotted a man dressed entirely in black running across her property.
Police searched Sydney’s home and discovered a hidden camera in her bedroom.
Then Sydney found another.
And another.
What followed was a years-long ordeal involving police investigations, fingerprints, protective orders, another arrest, probation, allegations of similar behavior involving another woman, and ultimately a shocking prison sentence.
Ben and Sydney unpack how relationships can change after a breakup, why people ignore obvious warning signs, the importance of trusting your intuition, and the unsettling reality that sometimes you don’t fully know how someone will react until a relationship ends.
This episode starts with bad-boyfriend stories and somehow ends in a courtroom. Buckle up.
In this episode:
- Ben’s history of being cheated on
- The gut feeling that told Ben something wasn’t right
- Confronting an ex outside a hotel after watching his messages in real time
- Catching a boyfriend using Tinder on the way to Mexico
- Sydney’s toxic on-again, off-again relationship
- When her ex’s behavior began escalating after their breakup
- Discovering three hidden cameras inside her home
- The police investigation and protective order that followed
- Why trusting your gut—and paying attention to red flags—matters
🎧 Subscribe to It’s Ben a Week
New episodes every week filled with unfiltered stories, wild guests, and brutally honest laughs. Hosted by photographer and professional barrel racer Ben McDonnell.
📍 Listen & Subscribe:
Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Amazon | Wherever you get your podcasts
🔗 Connect with Ben:
Instagram: @itsbenaweek
TikTok: @itsbenaweek
Website: itsbenaweek.com
💬 Want to be on the show?
Submit your story or pitch at itsbenaweek.com
