78 episodes
The Opportunist Opportunist
-
- True Crime
-
-
4.8 • 9.7K Ratings
-
The Opportunist tells true stories of regular people who turn sinister by embracing opportunity. How does an everyday person turn into a thief, a scammer or a cult leader? Perhaps the most dangerous person is the one who appears the most normal. Perhaps there is a dark potential lurking inside all of us that is just waiting for the right opportunity to emerge. The Opportunist is an original podcast hosted by Hannah Smith.
-
OOBAH BUTLER Part 1 of 1: Internet Prankster
Before he even opened its doors, Oobah Butler's restaurant was number one on TripAdvisor. He had no staff, no menu, and no real location. In fact, the restaurant was a lie. It would launch his career as an internet prankster, blurring the line between reality and illusion, begging the question: can you take a joke too far?
-
Vault Release: CHRIS BATHUM Part 5 of 5: Criminal
Multiple investigations close in on Chris Bathum as his behavior leads to dire consequences, including a drug arrest with a former CRLA client named Erika Littell. As his criminal trial gets underway, the prosecution battles with the idea of victim credibility, and Chris' defense is unintentionally reinvigorated thanks to evidence provided by Cliff Brodsky.
-
Vault Release: CHRIS BATHUM Part 4 of 5: The Sleeping Bear
Rose searches for evidence to bring to law enforcement and comes across a CRLA laptop, as Jill realizes the awful truth behind Chris' behavior. A hopeful new client named Amanda enters CRLA with the intent to stay sober, but suddenly finds herself isolated and alone with Chris Bathum.
-
Vault Release: CHRIS BATHUM Part 3 of 5: Rumors
More rumors circulate around Chris Bathum, especially over the death of a beloved client named Mo. Meanwhile, a devoted employee named Jill is skeptical of CRLA's insurance billing and Rose sets out to find the truth behind the biggest rumor of them all.
-
Vault Release: CHRIS BATHUM Part 2 of 5: Hypnotist
Chris tells Rose that all the rumors about him are because of Cliff Brodsky, a former investor in CRLA's predecessor, Walking Miracles. Chris paints Brodsky as his nemesis, an unhinged wild card who wants to destroy their community. But his battle against Brodsky gets out of hand when he suggests desperate measures to stop him.
-
Vault Release: CHRIS BATHUM Part 1 of 5: Rehab Mogul
In 2013, Rose Stahl sought the help of Christopher Bathum, a therapist and CEO of a burgeoning recovery organization called Community Recovery Los Angeles. Chris would eventually offer Rose a job at CRLA. But after a while, she started hearing unsettling rumors surrounding Chris' behavior, especially towards female clients.
Find the episode transcript here: tinyurl.com/opppodcast
Customer Reviews
Fascinating
Great podcasts!
Excellent podcast
This is a quality podcast. The reporting is professional, the sound quality is excellent, and the storytelling is extremely good. A much-needed light is shown on certain individuals that should come with warning labels attached to them. My heart goes out to the victims. As someone who did all the work and put all the time in to become an actual licensed mental health professional, I am particularly disturbed by the hypnotherapist who thought he was a mental health clinician and put himself out as someone trying to do good for a vulnerable community. He is just one of many who have taken advantage of the lack of oversight often involved in the rehab industry.
Love this podcast
Incredible story telling, great production value and real human stories. Such a big fan of every season!