PRETEND

Pretend- a true crime podcast about con artists investigates people living a lie. The show's documentary style offers straightforward reporting, careful analysis, and captivating storytelling. Host Javier Leiva follows each case, risking his safety along the way.

Javier, who also produces the podcast, has worked in TV and marketing. As an investigative podcaster, Javier reported from inside a cult and exposed a woman for selling bleach to cure autism. These are only two of the successes that he shares here.

The complex tales of the most elusive con artists often need more than an hour to tell. Pretend offers a series on the most notorious of these figures. "The Real Catch Me If You Can Series" uncovers the life story of Frank Abagnale, a famous American con man. Did he commit all the crimes he recounted in his autobiography? According to Javier, 90% of his story is false. The host uses facts to disprove each of Frank's falsehoods. Can he "catch a conman in a lie"?

Another series, "The Stalker," discusses a cyber stalker who terrorizes a couple. The police can't find the criminal. They suspect the wife may have a mental disorder and could be the stalker herself. Is this a case of Munchausen by proxy? The thirteen podcast episodes detailing the case reveal chilling reports of child abuse and human failing.

The "Word of Faith Fellowship" series on the podcast tells another kind of story. It examines con woman and "cult" leader Jane Whaley and her husband, Sam. In 1979, they started their new church in North Carolina. Congregants adored them and felt loved. As the years passed, things started to change. Jane and Sam began to control their lives. They'd take followers' children away to live with ministers. There was physical and emotional abuse. Did Sam and Jane get involved in human trafficking? How did members escape their influence? Why does the church continue today?

Pretend- a true crime podcast about con artists may surprise and terrify listeners. The events and lives it reveals are enthralling. Javier provides answers when he can. Listeners can hear new episodes each week.