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Stanica • Relácie: 5

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Aktuálne 23. 06. 2025
Skutočné krimi príbehy

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Dvojtýždenný seriál

PRED 6 D. · BONUSOVÝ OBSAH

Introducing Everything They Missed

Hey guys, it's Javier here with a new recommendation! I've come across a true crime podcast that I just had to share with you all. It's called 'Everything They Missed' and it's hosted by Stephanie Tinsley. This podcast dives deep into the possible wrongful conviction and police mishandling of the Danny Harris case, a particularly gruesome murder that was mishandled from the get-go. What sets this podcast apart is Stephanie's dedication to uncovering the truth, including hiring her own private investigator https://www.everythingtheymissed.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

pred 6 d. · Bonusový obsah

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35 min
27. 1.

Didn't See It Coming (Part 3)

The sting is set. The bait is in place. Six skeptics are logged into a Zoom call, pretending to be grieving siblings. They've paid $1,400 for a private reading with a medium Susan Gerbic believes is a hot reader. Months of planning have led to this moment. And then... the medium does something no one expected. In the finale of this three-part series, we find out what happened to Operation Banana Cream Pie. Then, Susan shares recordings from other readings she's analyzed, walking us through what she believes is evidence of hot reading in action. We break down the techniques, examine the receipts, and let you decide what it all means. Watch the full videos of Operation Banana Cream Pie on Susan Gerbic's YouTube page: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLcSfdioxwHQGkyFZ68maphdIJuYcb8xln Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

27. 1.

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43 min
18. 11. 2025

The Cancer Sympathy Machine part 1

Some people fake cancer for sympathy. Others do it for money. But the truth is darker than most of us want to believe. In this episode, we break down the tactics, behaviors, and mindsets of some of the most convincing cancer fakers out there. From Madison Russo’s botched medical props to Elizabeth Teckenbrock’s alleged search history...“Is it illegal to fake cancer?” Um, yeah. Bill Petrich, a real cancer survivor who now investigates fake cases, helps us understand the psychology behind the deception. We also take a look at the biggest cancer cons in recent history: Scamanda, Belle Gibson, Jennifer Flynn Cataldo and how these scams went from emotional manipulation to full-on fraud. To learn more about Bill Petrich’s work documenting these cases, check out his TikTok: @faking.cancer.expert: https://www.tiktok.com/@faking.cancer.expert Listen to eLIESabeth podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/2nlxXhewsTRAyJhvyvaQbb?si=5de4d34489f549e9 Protect your business before hackers even make a move. NordStellar centralizes breach, dark web, and attack surface intelligence into one powerful threat-intelligence platform—helping you spot risks early and take action fast. Get 20% off all NordStellar plans with the Black Friday code: BLACKFRIDAY20 (valid until December 10, 2025). Use the link ⁠nordstellar.com/pretend Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

18. 11. 2025

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38 min
20. 1.

Didn't See It Coming (Part 2)

In Part 1, we watched skeptic Susan Gerbic dissect a celebrity psychic's cold reading techniques. But cold reading is the little leagues of the psychic industry. In Part 2, Susan sets her sights on something harder to catch... a hot reader. Hot reading is when a psychic does their homework, researching their clients before the reading even starts. So Susan devises an elaborate sting: fake Facebook accounts, fake obituaries, fake family members, and $1,400 worth of bait designed to catch a medium in the act. Six skeptics go undercover as grieving siblings. They don't know each other. They don't know the backstory. And they have no idea what's about to happen. This episode takes you inside "Operation Banana Cream Pie." Let's just say, the moment the medium logs onto the Zoom call, no one saw it coming. ABOUT SUSAN GERBIC: Susan Gerbic is a Fellow of the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry and founder of Guerrilla Skepticism on Wikipedia, a group that has written over 2,000 Wikipedia articles on science and pseudoscience — viewed more than 200 million times. Her most famous investigation, "Operation Pizza Roll," was featured in The New York Times Magazine and exposed medium Thomas John's hot reading techniques. Susan runs the nonprofit About Time, which funds her ongoing psychic investigations. Want more? Susan Gerbic documented the entire Operation Banana Cream Pie sting on her YouTube channel "Psychics Explained"—20+ videos of behind-the-scenes footage. Link in the show notes. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLcSfdioxwHQGkyFZ68maphdIJuYcb8xln LINKS & RESOURCES: Susan Gerbic's YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@PsychicsExplained About Time Project: https://www.abouttimeproject.org/ NYT Magazine feature on Operation Pizza Roll: https://archive.ph/20190226135004/https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/26/magazine/psychics-skeptics-facebook.html Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

20. 1.

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33 min
13. 1.

Didn't See It Coming (Part 1)

Skeptic Susan Gerbic invited PRETEND inside one of her psychic sting operations. In Part 1 of this three-part series, we go inside "Operation Gobble Gotcha," a Thanksgiving sting targeting celebrity psychic Matt Fraser. Susan and her team of volunteers infiltrate one of Matt's online group readings to observe his techniques in real time. What they witness isn't a connection to the other side. It's a technique called cold reading. And once you see it, you can't unsee it. BINGE ALL THREE EPISODES: Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/posts/didnt-see-it-2-147839354?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_creator&utm_content=join_link PRETEND+ on Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/channel/pretend/id6443456985 ABOUT SUSAN GERBIC: Susan Gerbic is a Fellow of the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry and founder of Guerrilla Skepticism on Wikipedia, a group that has written over 2,000 Wikipedia articles on science and pseudoscience — viewed more than 200 million times. Her most famous investigation, "Operation Pizza Roll," was featured in The New York Times Magazine and exposed medium Thomas John's hot reading techniques. Susan runs the nonprofit About Time, which funds her ongoing psychic investigations. LINKS & RESOURCES: Susan Gerbic's YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@PsychicsExplained About Time Project: https://www.abouttimeproject.org/ NYT Magazine feature on Operation Pizza Roll: https://archive.ph/20190226135004/https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/26/magazine/psychics-skeptics-facebook.html Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

13. 1.

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39 min
17. 11. 2025 · BONUSOVÝ OBSAH

Dakota Spotlight: Meanwhile in Mankato

On PRETEND, we tell stories about people who build false identities and hide the truth in plain sight. This week, we are featuring a case that fits right into that world. It is the newest season of Dakota Spotlight, titled “Meanwhile in Mankato.” In 1965, an 18-year-old gas station attendant named Ray Dahm was murdered during an overnight shift at a rural Minnesota truck stop. The person who killed him was a clean-cut 17-year-old who looked harmless, the kind of kid no one would ever suspect. On the surface, it seemed simple. A robbery. A terrible act of violence. Case closed. But that was only the beginning. Reporter James Wolner later uncovered that the killer did not stay locked away for long. Within a few years, he was quietly back in the community, working around teenage girls who had no idea they were interacting with a convicted murderer. His past had been buried, ignored, or conveniently forgotten. “Meanwhile in Mankato” is a story about manipulation, vanished accountability, and the people who were left to carry the fallout of one man’s lies. It is exactly the kind of story we look at on PRETEND, because it shows how someone can reinvent themselves while everyone else looks the other way. If you follow PRETEND, you will want to hear this one. It is sharp reporting, unsettling truth, and a reminder that the most dangerous story is often the one no one bothered to check. Subscribe to Dakota Spotlight on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3ZqpK6FfXIvS35TUYjckd6?si=fe79cf9a61264247 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

17. 11. 2025 · Bonusový obsah

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56 min
11. 11. 2025

From Smallville to NXIVM: The Psychology Behind Allison Mack

Smallville's Allison Mack is out of prison, and she's finally talking. What was NXIVM, and how did Allison Mack become a high-ranking member?NXIVM was a self-help organization that sold leadership training and personal development courses. Beneath the surface, it operated as a coercive group led by Keith Raniere, using control tactics like starvation diets, sleep deprivation, emotional manipulation, and eventually a secret “master-slave” subgroup called DOS. Who is Allison Mack?Allison Mack, best known from Smallville, joined NXIVM in the mid-2000s. She rose quickly inside the group and later played a major role in recruiting and controlling women within DOS. Mack pled guilty to racketeering and served three years in federal prison for her crimes. She was released in 2023. What is this episode about?In this conversation, journalist Natalie Robehmed — host of the new CBC podcast Allison After NXIVM — explains how Allison Mack describes her journey from devoted follower to active perpetrator. We break down the psychological mechanics that made NXIVM work: obedience training, emotional conditioning, sexual manipulation, and why even smart people get pulled into systems like this. We also revisit Allison’s early life as a child actor, her abusive relationship before NXIVM, and how these patterns help explain the control she eventually exerted over others. After you listen, check out:👉 Allison After NXIVM from Uncover (CBC + Campsite Media) — Episode 1 is out now. https://open.spotify.com/show/5asD2sDYXsiUCtYi7VUO49?si=0325705c159b4f54 👉 Comic Book Central’s 2016 interview with Allison Mack — recorded before NXIVM collapsed, offering an eerie look at who she was then. https://open.spotify.com/episode/1VXZyFrQGrzwHzgU1D1Cih?si=dd94dae2332a493e 20% off all NordStellar Plans (valid until December 10th, 2025) Link: nordstellar.com/pretend Coupon code is: blackfriday20 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

11. 11. 2025

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43 min
24. 1. · BONUSOVÝ OBSAH

Listener Reaction: Didn't See It Coming part 2

Patreon supporter Christine Harnos (not the Star Trek actress, the other one) joins Javier to break down Part 2 of the "Didn't See It Coming" series before listening to the finale. They get into the weeds on Susan Gerbic's sting setup: the Facebook accounts she's been maintaining for years, the fake obituary, the hog farm detail. If a psychic mentions pigs, you know something's up. They also discuss the difference between hot reading and cold reading, why "scientifically tested" doesn't mean what mediums want you to think it means, and the troubling relationship between psychic mediums and grief support organizations like Helping Parents Heal. Christine also shares a strange, unexplainable moment from her own life involving her daughter and a daycare power outage. Want more? Susan Gerbic documented the entire Operation Banana Cream Pie sting on her YouTube channel "Psychics Explained"—20+ videos of behind-the-scenes footage. Link in the show notes. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLcSfdioxwHQGkyFZ68maphdIJuYcb8xln Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

24. 1. · Bonusový obsah

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25 min
17. 1. · BONUSOVÝ OBSAH

Listener Reaction: Didn't See That Coming Part 1

Longtime Patreon supporter Rebecca Catalfu joins Javier to unpack her firsthand experience going undercover at Matt Fraser's psychic readings. Rebecca went into this investigation as a believer and came out the other side with a very different perspective. In this conversation, she and Javier break down the patterns they observed across multiple readings: the decision tree (grandparent, parent, or mystery), the "who is that to you?" fishing technique, the stop statements psychics use when they're not getting hits, and the emotional bell curve that takes grievers to rock bottom before lifting them back up with platitudes. Rebecca also shares what it was like to make it into the virtual "panelist waiting room," the inconsistencies she noticed while analyzing readings for Susan's YouTube channel, and why she's most concerned about the predatory potential these readings pose to vulnerable people. Plus: Javier attempts his own cold reading. It does not go well. LINKS: Susan Gerbic's YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@PsychicsExplained Matt Fraser Playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLcSfdioxwHQGkyFZ68maphdIJuYcb8xln Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

17. 1. · Bonusový obsah

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27 min
03. 06. 2025

The Internet Saves the Bachelor part 4

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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

03. 06. 2025

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39 min

PRETEND is an investigative true crime podcast about real people who lie for a living — con artists, scammers, and the victims caught in their web. Hosted by journalist Javier Leiva, PRETEND exposes the human psychology behind deception and fraud. Each episode follows a real case of manipulation — from financial scams and Ponzi schemes to digital hoaxes and emotional cons. PRETEND explains how and why deception works without shaming victims, combining ethical journalism with cinematic storytelling. Featured in lists of the best podcasts about con artists and scams, PRETEND investigates crimes of persuasion, trust, and betrayal. New episodes drop regularly with stories that reveal how manipulation shapes modern life, both online and off. PRETEND is produced by Creative Babble, LLC. © 2026 Creative Babble LLC [CLAIM:B6BT3XC4]

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SKUTOČNÉ KRIMI PRÍBEHY
Welcome to The Ponzi Playbook, the podcast that exposes the dark underbelly of the financial world. Join hosts Neal McTighe and Javier Leiva as they take you on a journey through the seedy world of financial fraud, exploring the twisted minds of the people behind some of the most audacious Ponzi schemes in history.

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OBCHOD
Criminal Conduct is an investigative true-crime podcast series hosted by John Taylor and Javier Leiva. Season 1: The hosts look into the death of Michelle O'Connell, picking up the investigation where the murdered sleuth, Eli Washtock, left off. Season 2: The investigation of a rogue constable in Kentucky who is accused of planting drugs, stealing money, and shaking people down. Season 3: An American Serial Killer in Paradise: The story of serial killer William Holbert, aka "Wild Bill," and his victims. Season 4: Getting Away with Murder: The Death Investigation of Pravin Varughese Season 5: The Life and Death of Buffalo Jim Barrier

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SKUTOČNÉ KRIMI PRÍBEHY

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PRETEND+ is a collection of true-crime podcasts created by Javier Leiva. Get exclusive content and bonus interviews from PRETEND, CRIMINAL CONDUCT, and THE PONZI PLAYBOOK.

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Najobľúbenejšie relácie

Introducing Everything They Missed

Didn't See It Coming (Part 3)

The Cancer Sympathy Machine part 1

Didn't See It Coming (Part 2)

Didn't See It Coming (Part 1)

Dakota Spotlight: Meanwhile in Mankato

From Smallville to NXIVM: The Psychology Behind Allison Mack

Listener Reaction: Didn't See It Coming part 2

Listener Reaction: Didn't See That Coming Part 1

The Internet Saves the Bachelor part 4

Get exclusive episodes, early access, and more

Bonus Episode: Listener Reaction - Matthew Fenner vs. Ted Bell

Why did Paul McCartney's drummer join a cult?

The Stalker - Case Closed (part 19)

BONUS: Prolific Liars

Bonus: The Psychology Behind Parasocial Relationships (Cracks in the Fandom)

The Stalker - It Will Never End (Bonus Content)

The Stalker part 11

The Stalker - Other Victims (bonus)

BONUS: Everyone has a story

The Stalker - Normal People (bonus)

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PRETEND+

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PRETEND+

Get exclusive episodes, early access, and more

Najlepšie epizódy: PRETEND+

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