PRETEND

Opening statements rock the courtroom as federal prosecutors accuse Sean “Diddy” Combs of running a decades-long criminal enterprise built on violence, sex trafficking, and power. The defense hits back hard, painting it all as a toxic relationship, not a RICO case. Then Cassie Ventura takes the stand, and everything changes. Her voice may be quiet. Her story is not.

Subscribe to The Rise & Fall of Diddy: The Federal Trial, exclusively and ad-free, right now on Wondery+. Start your free trial in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

https://wondery.com/shows/the-rise-and-fall-of-diddy/

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This week on PRETEND, we're doing something different. I’m bringing on my friend Johnathan Walton, the mastermind behind Queen of the Con, to share the premiere episode of his brand-new podcast series: Cocaine Air.

Jonathan isn’t just a victim of a con artist—he’s turned his trauma into a storytelling empire. And in Cocaine Air, he tells the true story of TJ Dominguez, a Cuban-American businessman who got scammed out of $100,000 and decided to take matters into his own hands... by becoming one of the world’s biggest cocaine smugglers for Pablo Escobar.

This story is wild, raw, and straight out of the Miami Vice era—but it's all true. If you're into PRETEND, you’re going to love Cocaine Air.

🎙️ Guest: Johnathan Walton
🔗 Listen to the full series: CocaineAir.com
📚 Preorder Johnathan’s book: Anatomy of a Con Artist: The 14 Red Flags of Scammers, Grifters, and Thieves (Out August 19).

Also, listen to Johnathan share his personal scam story for the first time on PRETEND: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3ixMjLTNaxf4ONIuktqq7s?si=e80842100f984067If.

If you liked this episode, text it to a friend who loves true crime. And don’t forget to leave a review for both PRETEND and Cocaine Air. Indie creators like us rely on your support.

—
Created and hosted by Javier Leiva
For more episodes, visit pretendradio.org

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In part 4 of 'The Internet Saves the Bachelor,' we examine the growing cracks in Laura Owens’ story as her pregnancy timeline collapses under scrutiny.

At one hearing, she claims to be 24 weeks pregnant. In another, she says she miscarried months earlier. The dates keep shifting — July, August, October — and still, no medical provider can confirm that she was ever pregnant.

Clayton Echard’s legal team seizes on the inconsistencies. They ask the court to dismiss the case, arguing it was filed in bad faith. Sanctions, attorney’s fees, and even questions of criminal liability begin to surface.

Sources:

SchnitzelNinja69 on YouTube

Dave Neal

Just Jen & Hay Bales – All the Best Research

Justice for Clayton Wiki

Megan Fox on YouTube

Credits:

Written by: Javier Leiva & Mackenzie Ames

Hosted by: Javier Leiva

Music: thechicken.net

Produced by: Creative Babble

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In Part 3 of The Internet Saves the Bachelor, the truth—or at least, what remains of it—is put on trial.

Laura Owens takes the stand. Under oath, she admits to altering the ultrasound she submitted as evidence. Her pregnancy timeline, once shaky, now completely collapses under cross-examination. The judge wants answers. The internet sleuths want accountability. And Clayton Echard? He just wants this nightmare to end.

Part 4 is available right now on Patreon and PRETEND+ on Apple Podcast

Sources:

SchnitzelNinja69 on YouTube

Dave Neal - https://www.youtube.com/@DaveNealComedian

Just Jen & Hay Bales with https://allthebestresearch.com/

Justice for Clayton - https://justiceforclayton.com/wiki/index.php/Main_Page

Megan Fox - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9XP_Ax4_vTi1IqSSRD9ORQ

Credits

Written by: Javier Leiva & Mackenzie Ames

Hosted by: Javier Leiva

Music by thechicken.net

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The story isn’t over. In Part 2, we dig deeper into the chaos that followed Laura Owens’ accusations against Bachelor star Clayton Echard.

Internet sleuths start pulling court records, police reports, and medical documents. Their findings are wild — fake identities, stolen ultrasounds, and a pregnancy that might never have happened.

Laura pushes back. She sues YouTuber Dave Neal and threatens to sue other podcasters for even discussing the case. In court, she testifies under oath. But her story keeps falling apart.

This episode exposes the internet’s role in fighting back, not with conspiracy theories, but with receipts.

Credits:

Hosted, Produced: Javier Leiva

Written by: Mackenzie Ames

References:

⁠https://allthebestresearch.com⁠ 

Dave Neal's YouTube: ⁠https://youtube.com/@davenealcomedian?si=buUz1EGyODwQ6aGv⁠

https://justiceforclayton.com/wiki/index.php/Laura_Michelle_Owens_-_Court_Case_History

https://www.reddit.com/r/JusticeForClayton/

https://victimsoflauraowens.com/coverage/

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After a one-night hookup with a fan-turned-client, former Bachelor star Clayton Echard faced an unexpected legal battle — and public accusations that threatened to ruin his life.

But Clayton wasn’t her first target. When no one else believed him, the internet showed up and started pulling Laura’s story apart.

Stayed tuned for part 2 and 3 of the "Internet Saves the Bachelor." Be the first to listen on Patreon and PRETEND+ on Apple Podcast.

Credits:

Hosted, Produced: Javier Leiva

Written by: Mackenzie Ames

Additional Reporting: The Dating Detectives Podcast

References:

https://allthebestresearch.com 

Dave Neal's YouTube: https://youtube.com/@davenealcomedian?si=buUz1EGyODwQ6aGv

https://justiceforclayton.com/wiki/index.php/Laura_Michelle_Owens_-_Court_Case_History

https://www.reddit.com/r/JusticeForClayton/

https://victimsoflauraowens.com/coverage/

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In this episode of PRETEND, recorded live at the GISEC cybersecurity conference in Dubai, I spoke with Hieu Minh Ngo, once one of the most prolific identity thieves in the world.

Operating out of Vietnam, Hieu stole and sold personal data on over 200 million Americans. We're talking names, birth dates, Social Security numbers—everything you’d need to become someone else.

But he didn’t hack his way in. Instead, he used open-source intelligence and even impersonated a private investigator to gain legal access to massive data broker networks.

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While speaking at a hacker conference in Dubai, Javier revisits a conversation with professional pickpocket and entertainer James Freedman. James reveals how a childhood scuffle led to a lifelong obsession with the art of pickpocketing, evolving from swiping coins to mastering social engineering and even digital fraud.

🔗 Listen to Part 2
Click here for The Digital Pickpocket, Part 2 →

💬 Connect with Javier on social

🛡 Stay safe:

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How LaDonna Humphrey Used a Children's Event to Funnel Money Through Oasis of Northwest Arkansas.

What happens when a glow-in-the-dark Easter egg hunt turns into a glowing red flag?

In this bonus episode of PRETEND, host Javier Leiva exposes a so-called family event that promised “magic,” but delivered mayhem — all tied to LaDonna Humphrey and her questionable nonprofit, Oasis of Northwest Arkansas.

Held at Mt. Hebron Park on April 12, 2025, the event was marketed as an unforgettable glow-in-the-dark Easter experience. According to the Facebook ad, attendees were told to:

“Embark on an egg-citing adventure under the starry sky..." “Search high and low for luminescent treasures..." “Watch the park come alive with a kaleidoscope of vibrant colors..." “A plethora of prizes and surprises await..."

But in reality, it was more like the FYRE Festival of Easter egg hunts.

One parent described the event as “no different than any free egg hunt at a church”—except this one cost $50 per family.

Instead of a kaleidoscope of vibrant colors, this event featured crying kids, confused parents, and a nonprofit operating in the dark, literally and figuratively.

👀 New LaDonna episodes are in the works — featuring new fake accounts, missing persons cases, and a sheriff caught in the crossfire. Stay tuned.

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Can you really fake being insane—and get away with it? In this episode of PRETEND, host Javier Leiva sits down with forensic psychologist Dr. Tristin Engels to pull back the curtain on the high-stakes world of mental health evaluations in the criminal justice system.

We explore how some criminals try to game the system, what psychologists look for when evaluating claims of mental illness, and why even experts can be fooled. Plus, we revisit infamous cases like Richard Speck, George Metesky (aka The Mad Bomber), Ted Bundy, and Ed Kemper to examine how psychology—and its blind spots—played a role in their investigations.

Guest:

Dr. Tristin Engels is a licensed clinical and forensic psychologist, published author, and co-host of the podcast Killer Minds.

👉 If you want more criminal psychology deep-dives, check out Dr. Engels’ podcast Killer Minds, where she breaks down infamous cases through the lens of a forensic expert.

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