PRETEND
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]
276
S310: The Prophet – Matthew Fenner vs. the Word...
Who will take over the Word of Faith Fellowship when Jane Whaley is gone?
29 min
277
S309: The Prophet – Inside the Mind of Cult Lea...
In a secret recording, Jane Whaley admits withholding a child sexual abuse allegation because of penitent privilege.
46 min
278
S308: The Prophet - Meet Cult Leader Jane Whale...
The world first learned about the Word of Faith Fellowship cult after an Inside Edition exposé in 1995. The investigation, led by the Trinity Foundation, revealed accusations of abuse within the church. Watch the Inside Edition story:...
43 min
279
S307: The Prophet - Meet Jane Whaley Part 2
Previously on Pretend Radio, I came face-to-face with pastor Jane Whaley of the Word of Faith Fellowship. When I arrived, we met in her office for a few minutes before the church service began. I was surprised by everyone's friendliness. Suddenly, the...
51 min
280
S306: The Prophet - Meet Cult Leader Jane Whale...
As far as I know, I'm the first journalist who has ever interviewed pastor Jane Whaley. Heck, I might be the only member of the media to have attended church service. How was I able to pull this off? The short answer is, I have no idea. In fact, when...
30 min
281
S305: The Prophet - Brazil and the Word of Fait...
Did you know that the Word of Faith Fellowship has nearly 2,000 members internationally? They have affiliate churches all over the world including Brazil, Sweden, Scotland, and other countries. I don’t get it. Why would Jane Whaley want to branch...
32 min
282
S304: The Prophet - Allegations of Cult Abuse a...
When Nancy Burnette was appointed by the courts to be a guardian ad litem, she knew her job wasn’t going to be easy. A guardian ad litem is someone who represents kids in the foster care system. It’s her job to place children in homes with the...
33 min
283
S303: The Prophet - Former Cult Members Speak Out
On April 7th, 2018, more than a dozen former Word of Faith Fellowship members reunited at the Spindale House in Rutherford County, North Carolina. It was an opportunity for former members to answer lingering questions for the citizens in the...
25 min
284
S302: The Prophet - Who is cult leader Jane Wha...
Who is Jane Whaley? Jane Whaley is the pastor at the Word of Faith Fellowship—a conservative, charismatic Christian church. Those who have left the church describe her as a ruthless cult leader. But, we don't know much about her. Where did she come...
33 min
285
S301: The Prophet - Word of Faith Fellowship Cu...
Season 3: The Prophet - Word of Faith Fellowship Revisited I’m back with a whole new season of Pretend Radio. But this time it’s going to be a little different. Instead of telling you a different story each episode, I decided to do a serialize...
58 min
286
S213: The Hijacker, Part 2 - Martin McNally
Martin McNally needed some cash, so what did he do? He hijacked an American Airlines flight with 90 passengers on board. If you haven’t listened to part one, check that out first. Today’s episode, picks up where we last left off. It’s 1972, and...
43 min
287
S212: The Hijacker, Part 1 - Martin McNally
Martin McNally is going to hijack this plane and nobody, not even the FBI, is going to stop him. In today’s episode, Martin McNally recounts his 1972 hijacking of an American Airlines flight heading to Tulsa, Oklahoma. His plan was...
42 min
288
S211: The Jolly Roger Social Club
You may remember Sharon McConnell-Dickerson from episode 8 titled “The Sculptor.” You know, the blind artist who casts the faces of dying blues musicians. When we first recorded that episode, she told me a story that quite frankly was hard to...
37 min
289
Pretend Radio Anniversary Bonus Episode
Guess what? Pretend Radio turns one year old this month. So I thought it would be cool to replay some old guest interviews I've done on other shows. (01:00) Generation Why Podcast Interview - I talk about Vester Flanagan, the reporter who...
37 min
290
S210: The Babalawo - Secrets of Santeria
Today's episode "The Babalawo" is about Santeria… the faith, not the song. Unlike the pop tune, not a lot of people know about this mysterious religion. Santería, also known as Regla de Ochá, La Regla de Ifá, or Lucumí, is an Afro-Cuban religion...
45 min
291
S209: The Good Cop, Bad Cop
How does a good cop turn bad? For Ruben Palomares, a former corrupt LAPD Rampart division officer, the process was slow. He went from receiving LAPD’s highest honor to becoming one of the most corrupt cops in US history. Officer Palomares’...
38 min
292
S208: The Stranger
A lie is only powerful if you choose to believe it. So why do we fall for it every time? In this episode, we’ll hear four different stories. Each describes a tall tale, so persistent, that it’s hard to imagine someone keeping all the lies straight...
33 min
293
S207: The Gambler Part 2 - Art Schlichter
Previously on Pretend Radio, we learned how Art Schlichter’s gambling habits destroyed Anita Barney life. She went from being the wealthy widow of a Wendy’s CEO to becoming broke and struggling to pay her light bill. It started out with a...
20 min
294
S206: The Gambler Part 1 - Art Schlichter
This is the story of disgraced Ohio State quarterback Art Schlichter. In order to understand Art Schlichter’s crimes, you first have to understand how his story ends. Anita Barney, heiress and widow of a former Wendy’s CEO, lost every single penny...
20 min
295
S205: The Reporter - Vester Flanagan
Warning, this episode may be disturbing for some listeners. It describes a shooting that resulted in the death of two people. While this story is not technically about a mass shooting, it has every characteristic of one. I began working on this...
27 min
296
S204: The Taker
Karl comes from a long line of con men. He says both his grandfather and father were swindlers. It's only natural that Karl slipped into the family business. In today's episode, Karl talks about bribing corrupt company building managers. He says he...
25 min
297
S203: The Boy and the Girl
Candis Cox and her husband Adam live in Raleigh, North Carolina. This is their love story. How did I find them? I’m glad you asked. I told my friend Wendy I was looking for a couple profile. She said, “Hang tight. I have the perfect couple for...
19 min
298
S202: The Snake Oil Salesman Part 2 - Curing Au...
Last time on Pretend Radio, I spoke with a group of women who drink a bleach-type chemical that they claim cures everything from cancer to depression. I soon found out that parents are forcefully giving bleach enemas to kids with autism. As a...
26 min
299
S201: The Snake Oil Salesman Part 1 - Curing ca...
I stumbled upon a group of people who self-medicate with chlorine dioxide, a bleach-like substance. They claim it cures everything from headaches, lyme disease, malaria, HIV, hepatitis, and cancer. When I first discovered this trend, I...
24 min
300
S111: The Bigamist
Mary Turner Thomas says she married a bigamist.…
32 min