Where do sovereign citizens go when they need medical attention? Some of them seek help from homeopathic quacks like Rick Van Thiel.

Rick Van Thiel is not a surgeon. In reality, he's a porn star operating on people with dirty scalpels, reused needs, surrounded by filth. And the worst part is, he performs his surgeries in the nude.

The last episode about sovereign citizens was just exposition for what you’re about to hear. I first learned about this story from Jerri William’s podcast called FBI retired Case File Review. Jerri Williams is a retired FBI agent who interviews other former agents on her show. If you haven’t listened to it, you’re missing out. Her episode haunted me for days. So, I asked Jerri if I can share this story with you. If you thought the last sovereign citizen episode was shocking, wait till you hear this.

Disclaimer

It’s safe to assume that most PRETEND episodes are not suitable for young children. Unfortunately, this is one of those episodes. In fact, trigger warning, today, we’re going to talk about sexual assault and suicide. This episode is actually pretty disgusting. So, if you have the stomach for it, please proceed. You’ve been warned.

Story idea?

If you have a story to share, email Javier at [email protected].

For more episodes like this, visit pretendradio.org.

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Today's episode was written and edited by Javier Leiva

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American Sovereign citizens believe that the laws of the United States do not apply to them. Therefore, no authority should tell them what to do: not judges, lawmakers, lawyers, or police officers. Oh, and they don't pay taxes either. 

Sounds crazy, right? It would be crazy if they didn't get away with it so often.

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Story idea?

If you have a story to share, email Javier at [email protected].

For more episodes like this, visit pretendradio.org.

To get early releases and bonus episodes, go to pretendradio.org/donate

Today's episode was written and edited by Javier Leiva

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This is the very first episode I recorded for PRETEND. Hear how a small-time crook went from breaking into houses to running a phony medical clinic.

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FEATURING: Follow the Truth Podcast Trailer

In 1993, James Jordan, father of NBA legend Michael, was murdered in NC. Was the wrong man convicted of pulling the trigger? E1 and E2 release date: 7/22/21

Check out Follow the Truth Podcast:

https://t.co/b4grdGjwJp?amp=1

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Story idea?

If you have a story to share, email Javier at [email protected].

For more episodes like this, visit pretendradio.org.

To get early releases and bonus episodes, go to pretendradio.org/donate

Today's episode was written and edited by Javier Leiva

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This week, we revisit one of PRETEND's most popular episodes. It's called the Hijacker and it's a collaboration with my friend Chris Knittel. Hear Martin McNally describe the day he hijacked a plane.

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Story idea?

If you have a story to share, email Javier at [email protected].

For more episodes like this, visit pretendradio.org.

To get early releases and bonus episodes, go to pretendradio.org/donate

Today's episode was written and edited by Javier Leiva

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Jules Hannaford from the Fool Me Twice podcast joins me to talk about 4 years of PRETEND.

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Story idea?

If you have a story to share, email Javier at [email protected].

For more episodes like this, visit pretendradio.org.

To get early releases and bonus episodes, go to pretendradio.org/donate

Today's episode was written and edited by Javier Leiva

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This week, I turn the mic over to you. Two listeners share stories about their run-in with a con artist.

Our first story is from a long-time listener named Paul Schiffbauer Jr. He tells us about the time he learned the truth about the family business.

Our second story is about a listener whose con artist husband destroyed her life.

Links from the episode:

Amusement Only by Paul Schiffbauer Sr.

https://amzn.to/3uxsbto

Do you have a story to share?

Leave me a voicemail 919-444-2800

or email me at [email protected]

To get early releases and bonus episodes go to pretendradio.org/donate

Today's episode was written and edited by Javier Leiva

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There are two sides to Billy. There's Billy, who just wants to do the right thing. And then there's the criminal lurking from within.

So which way did he go? Did Billy end up becoming a criminal? Or did he choose to be the good guy in his own story? Well, he decided to do both.

If you've listened to this show long enough, you know I go to great lengths to fact-check my episodes. But today is different because it's tough to corroborate Billy's stories. And that's okay. One of my favorite movies is Big Fish with Ewan McGregor. It's about a man who lived an extraordinary life. In the end, it turned out that most of his tall tales were true--but just a little skewed due to time.

And that's how I feel about Billy. Some of these stories are too incredible to be real. But they might be. He's always wrestled between being the good guy and the bad guy. And in the end, managed to be both a criminal and a cop.      

So lean back, relax, and grab your adult beverage of choice. Because today we're going to spend the next half hour or so chatting with Billy the Liquor Guy.

Get a copy of Under Too Long by Billy the Liquor Guy:

https://amzn.to/3sWlmjo    

If you have a story to share, email Javier at info [at] pretendradio [dot] org.

For more episodes like this visit pretendradio.org.

To get early releases and bonus episodes go to pretendradio.org/donate

Today's episode was written and edited by Javier Leiva

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This week's episode is actually the first episode of my other podcast CRIMINAL CONDUCT.

I wanted you, PRETEND listeners to get a sneak peek before it's debut on April 16th. If you like this episode, subscribe to the CRIMINAL CONDUCT feed to listen to the full episode.

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Criminal Conduct is back with a brand new case.

This season, John and Javier investigate a rogue constable in Kentucky who is accused of planting drugs, stealing money, and shaking people down.

Like a police officer, a constable can carry a gun, a badge and drive around town with blue lights. However, unlike police, a Constable has all the powers of a sheriff. He answers to no one but the voters on election day.

Criminal Conduct season 2 returns April 16th.

http://criminalconduct.net/

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Doug Williams, the former Oklahoma City police officer who is best known for his crusade against the polygraph industry, teaches an undercover federal agent how to beat the lie detector test. The agent confessed that he had sex with a minor and was smuggling drugs into a prison. Should Doug Williams continue the training? What if Doug William's techniques get into the wrong hands?

Watch the undercover sting on YouTube.

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Story idea?

If you have a story to share, email Javier at [email protected].

For more episodes like this, visit pretendradio.org.

To get early releases and bonus episodes, go to pretendradio.org/donate

Today's episode was written and edited by Javier Leiva

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Doug Williams is looking over his shoulder because, since 1979, he's been on a crusade to defeat the polygraph machine. In 1996, he started a website called polygraph.com, offering a handbook and one-on-one training teaching people how to pass the test. 

"There is no Pinocchio response. Your nose does not grow when you lie." - Doug Williams, polygraph critic

According to Doug Williams, a lie detector test is about as accurate as a coin toss. He claims the machine doesn't work, and as a result, innocent people are paying the price. Many innocent people have pleaded guilty and skipped trial because they failed a polygraph during an interrogation. And employers routinely administered polygraph tests as part of their hiring process. If you fail a lie detector test in the US federal government, you're potentially placed on a blacklist and never allowed to apply for that government agency job again. 

Doug Willams says that the polygraph is just a stage prop used to scare people. How does he know this? Because he spent most of his law enforcement career using it as what he calls a psychological billy club. To him, it was just a tool to beat a confession out of a bad guy. But over the years, he realized that a polygraph test is just that... a test. It can be cheated. And he was going to devote the rest of his life to destroy it. 

Doug Williams made a career giving people polygraphs exams. Now, he's going to prison for teaching people how to cheat the test.    

To listen to the undercover tape that led to his arrest. 

Check out my latest episodes on YouTube:

Credits

This episode was reported by Javier Leiva. 

Special thanks to George Maschke with antipolygraph.org

Support PRETEND by becoming a member today at pretendradio.org/donate  

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