PRETEND

PRETEND
PRETEND+

Get exclusive access

$4.99/mo or $49.99/yr after trial

From cult leaders to con artists and undercover FBI agents, PRETEND exposes those pretending to be someone they're not.

  1. 4D AGO

    The Sham: I Married a Narcissist

    In this episode of PRETEND, we meet “Ashley”—not her real name—who recorded hours of arguments with her husband in an effort to understand what was happening inside her marriage. From the outside, it looked like petty spats over groceries or laundry. But when you hear the audio, you realize this was something darker. Ashley’s husband was emotionally abusive, manipulative, and battling addiction. It wasn’t until COVID lockdowns that his mask slipped and she could see who he really was. He used suicide threats to control her, drained her financially, and isolated her from support. And yet, as is often the case with narcissists, everyone else thought he was the victim. This is not one of the most outrageous stories we’ve told on PRETEND—but it’s one of the most common. It’s a story many people quietly live through and struggle to name. This is what emotional abuse sounds like. 🛑 Warning Signs of Narcissistic Abuse: Constant criticism or belittling (often about “small” things like chores or tone of voice) Love-bombing followed by extreme withdrawal or cruelty Gaslighting: making you question your memory, reality, or emotions Isolation from friends, family, or support systems Walking on eggshells to avoid setting them off Financial control or sabotage Using guilt, blame, or self-harm threats to manipulate behavior Alternating between praise and punishment Jealousy of your attention—especially toward children 📌 If you’re in a similar situation, here are resources that can help: National Domestic Violence Hotline (U.S.): 800-799-7233 or thehotline.org — Free, confidential, 24/7 Psychology Today Therapist Finder: psychologytoday.com Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services (SAMHSA) Helpline: 1-800-662-HELP (4357) Narcissist Abuse Recovery Support: DomesticShelters.org – Includes emotional abuse filters One Mom’s Battle: onemomsbattle.com – Focused on divorcing narcissists and protecting children Love is Respect (for younger listeners): loveisrespect.org Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    55 min
  2. Licensed to Kill part 1

    FEB 25

    Licensed to Kill part 1

    What if your doctor wasn’t trying to save you, but trying to cash in on you? In this episode of Pretend, we uncover the shocking case of Dr. Thomas Weiner, an oncologist accused of prescribing years of brutal chemotherapy treatments to patients who may not have even had cancer. We follow the story of Scott Warwick, a man who was told he had stage 4 lung cancer and endured 11 years of toxic treatments—only to later learn there was no biopsy confirming his diagnosis. When Dr. Randy Sasich, a pulmonary critical care specialist, began questioning Weiner’s practices, he faced pushback, intimidation, and threats. But Weiner’s case isn’t unique. Across the country, doctors like Farid Fata, Jorge Zamora-Quezada, and Michael Swango have been caught exploiting patients for profit, exposing just how broken the U.S. healthcare system truly is. In this episode, we dive into: ✔️ How financial incentives reward doctors for prescribing unnecessary treatments ✔️ The loopholes in insurance billing that allow fraud to go undetected for years ✔️ The whistleblower who risked everything to expose the truth ✔️ The cult-like following that still defends Dr. Weiner 🔍 Sources & Additional Reading: ProPublica’s Investigative Report: "Eat What You Kill" : https://www.propublica.org/article/thomas-weiner-montana-st-peters-hospital-oncology 🎧 Next Time on Pretend: Meet a patient who underwent three years of cancer treatments—for cancer she never had. 🔔 Subscribe on Patreon or Pretend Plus for early access to Part 2: Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/pretendradio PRETEND+ on Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/channel/pretend/id6443456985 📢 Follow us: @PretendPod on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Twitter, and Facebook 💬 Have thoughts on this episode? Leave a review or send us a message—we’d love to hear from you! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    43 min

Trailers

Shows with Subscription Benefits

  • 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

  • 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.

PRETEND+

Get exclusive access

$4.99/mo or $49.99/yr after trial

4.7
out of 5
2,197 Ratings

About

From cult leaders to con artists and undercover FBI agents, PRETEND exposes those pretending to be someone they're not.

More From PRETEND+

You Might Also Like

Content Restricted

This episode can’t be played on the web in your country or region.

To listen to explicit episodes, sign in.

Stay up to date with this show

Sign in or sign up to follow shows, save episodes, and get the latest updates.

Select a country or region

Africa, Middle East, and India

Asia Pacific

Europe

Latin America and the Caribbean

The United States and Canada