12 episodes
Believable: The Coco Berthmann Story Dear Media
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- True Crime
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4.1 • 858 Ratings
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Coco Berthmann became internet-famous by sharing her story of surviving sex trafficking as a young child growing up in Germany. She was sheltered and supported by families in Utah, where her faith and fame intertwined. But in 2022, Coco was arrested for raising money for a fake cancer diagnosis, and people began to doubt everything that she had ever said. Is her life story truly one big elaborate lie? Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Sara Ganim and Edward R. Murrow Award-winning showrunner Karen Given investigate in Dear Media’s first true crime podcast.
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Episode 10: Call Us Anytime
As Coco Berthmann’s lies are exposed, survivors band together and ask why she wasn’t stopped sooner. Meanwhile, Coco makes her last appearance in court for lying about cancer, but the case against her only addressed a fraction of the money she raised. What happened to the rest of the money? And, as Coco tries to move on after her arrest, more people come forward to suggest that her lies and manipulation continue.
If you or a loved one is struggling, help is available:
Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: Dial 988
National Human Trafficking Hotline: 888-373-7888
RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network): 855-897-5910
National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) Resources
Mental Health Hotline: 866-903-3787
A word from our sponsors:
Factor: This September, get Factor and enjoy eating well without the hassle. Head to factormeals.com/believable50 and use code believable 50 to get 50% off.
Quince: Take the drama out of planning an outfit and upgrade your closet with Quince today. Go to quince.com/coco for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns.
Produced by Dear Media.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. -
Episode 9: The Cocoverse Crumbles
In the spring and summer of 2021, Coco Berthmann seemed to be at the height of her popularity. She recorded a TEDx talk and appeared at events with Elizabeth Smart. But behind the scenes, more and more people were starting to doubt her story. Her solution? Come up with a bigger lie.
But even as Coco announced her cancer “diagnosis” on Instagram, internet sleuths were documenting her every move. And soon, Coco would find that even her most trusted friends were starting to catch on to the truth.
If you or a loved one is struggling, help is available:
Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: Dial 988
National Human Trafficking Hotline: 888-373-7888
RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network): 855-897-5910
National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) Resources
Mental Health Hotline: 866-903-3787
A word from our sponsors:
Daily Harvest: Keep yourself and your freezer full with hassle free meals from Daily Harvest. Go to dailyharvest.com/believable to get up to 65% off your first box.
RocketMoney: Stop throwing your money away. Cancel unwanted subscriptions and manage your expenses the easy way – by going to RocketMoney.com/believable.
Produced by Dear Media.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. -
Episode 8.5: Time to Call in an Expert
From the start of our investigation, we’ve heard the same question over and over again. “Why would someone lie about these things?” This week, we attempt to find out why Coco Berthmann lies ... with Forensic Psychiatrist Dr. Sohom Das.
If you or a loved one is struggling, help is available:
Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: Dial 988
National Human Trafficking Hotline: 888-373-7888
RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network): 855-897-5910
National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) Resources
Mental Health Hotline: 866-903-3787
A word from our sponsors:
- Simply choose your meals and enjoy fresh, flavor-packed meals delivered to your door. Ready in just 2 minutes, no prep, no mess! Head to factormeals.com/believable50 and use code BELIEVABLE50 to get 50% off.
- Stop throwing your money away. Cancel unwanted subscriptions and manage your expenses the easy way – by going to RocketMoney.com/believable.
Produced by Dear Media.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. -
Episode 8: All Hell Breaks Loose
Coco told a lot of lies about her connection to Celine Dion. But to everyone’s surprise, one of the things she said about Celine appears to be rooted in truth. But a conversation that was meant to be a light-hearted look into Coco’s obsession with a pop star quickly turns more serious, as we examine the human cost of Coco’s lies. Plus, thanks to some clues Coco left behind, we get our first real glimpse into her mental health.
If you or a loved one is struggling, help is available:
Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: Dial 988
National Human Trafficking Hotline: 888-373-7888
RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network): 855-897-5910
National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) Resources
Mental Health Hotline: 866-903-3787
Produced by Dear Media.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. -
Episode 7: No Drama Mama
The investigation returns to Germany to answer more questions about Coco’s childhood. This time, we focus on Coco’s accusations against Sebastian, a therapist who Coco says held her hostage and abused her for two years. Spoiler: As near as we can tell, Sebastian never existed. But to our surprise, there is another therapist who seems to have acted unethically, if not illegally, in Coco’s care.
If you or a loved one is struggling, help is available:
Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: Dial 988
National Human Trafficking Hotline: 888-373-7888
RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network): 855-897-5910
National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) Resources
Mental Health Hotline: 866-903-3787
A word from our sponsor:Upgrade your closet this summer with Quince. Go to Quince.com/COCO to get free shipping and 365-day returns on your next order.
Produced by Dear Media.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. -
Episode 6: On the Record
Coco Berthmann’s student visa is set to expire, and she’s desperate to stay in the United States. So… her story grows. Again. Coco meets with a best-selling author to talk about collaborating on a book. She tries to convince journalist Chris Hansen to make a documentary criticizing a major anti-trafficking organization… with her as a central character in the film. And she files rape charges against a well-known anti-trafficking advocate.
But in the middle of all this, the word gets out: Coco Berthmann is not who she claims to be.
If you or a loved one is struggling, help is available:
Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: Dial 988
National Human Trafficking Hotline: 888-373-7888
RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network): 855-897-5910
National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) Resources
Mental Health Hotline: 866-903-3787
A word from our sponsors:
- RocketMoney: Stop wasting money on things you don't use. Cancel your unwanted subscriptions and manage your money the easy way by going to rocketmoney.com/believablerocketmoney.com/believable.
- Daily Harvest: We all deserve easy mornings. Let Daily Harvest give you one less thing to worry about. Go to dailyharvest.com/believable to get up to $65 off your first box.
Produced by Dear Media.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Customer Reviews
Eye opening
So well done! Thank you for your great work!
Great listen
Some people are giving this a bad review because they say it’s unethical to delve into a celebrity’s life?? Hello? When you willingly make yourself a PUBLIC figure based on lies you forfeit the rights to privacy that others of us enjoy. When you DEFRAUD people of money and free rent and endless emotional labor people have the rights to warn others. Also as a society we need to learn about and understand pathological / compulsive liars and what motivates them.
Incredible Job
This is my first exposure to a true crime podcast, and I am very impressed. This is professional storytelling through and through. The journalists gathered so much relevant information, while continuing Coco’s story in a way that helps you to better understand her from all angles. They were kind to Coco and her struggles, while also calling out her deceit and horrible actions. The structure of the podcast is genius, each episode building onto the other. If this is the epitome of true crime journalism, I may be converted to the genre now!
On a personal note, I came to this podcast for answers. I knew Coco personally. In fact, when they refer to the girls who bought her Celine Dion tickets, it’s my voice that’s heard. It’s a sound bite from the Studio 9 news where me and my friends were featured with Coco. You could imagine my surprise to hear my own voice in this incredible work. I greatly appreciated the care that the journalists took to understand Coco’s story from every angle. I hope that others like me, who were directly hurt by her actions, can find healing in knowing this information.
Thank you, truly, to everyone involved in this work.