PRETEND

The Lottery Curse with Murder: True Crime Stories 05.06.2026 5λ

I teamed up with Carter Roy for a special guest collaboration on Murder: True Crime Stories and this one is something else. For the full episode, follow Murder: True Crime Stories on your favorite podcast app: https://pod.link/1745145932In November 2006, Abraham Shakespeare won $30 million in the Florida Lottery. He couldn't read or write, and within two years he'd given most of it away to anyone who asked. Then Dee Dee Moore showed up promising to protect what was left — and within months, she had his house, his insurance, and his power of attorney. Not long after, Abe vanished. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Chain of Command part 4 02.06.2026 42λ

Note: This episode contains graphic descriptions of sexual abuse and psychological manipulation. It started with a revolt. Thirty ministers walked out of NTCC mid-service and never looked back. They thought they were done with high-control leadership, mandatory tithing, and pastors who ruled by fear. They were wrong. In this episode, former pastor Arlen Bradeen and Greg Shepard tell us what happened when they followed Rony Denis to Georgia — and what it cost them to finally get out. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Chain of Command part 3 26.05.2026 34λ

In part three of Chain of Command, we hear from those who grew up in the New Testament Christian Churches of America. From Victor Johanson, a former Army soldier who confirms on tape that NTCC ministers got vasectomies because children would interfere with their ministry. From a woman we're calling Kaylee, who was raised inside the church and was groomed and assaulted by a family member who was also an NTCC minister. And we look at how the church's CEO, Michael Kekel, has publicly stated at one point that no church is under a legal obligation to report child abuse. This episode discusses sexual assault and the grooming of minors. Please take care while listening. Want to keep going? Bonus episodes featuring the full unedited conversations with Victor Johanson and Kaylee are available right now on PRETEND+ on Apple Podcasts and on Patreon. You'll get bonus episodes and full access to the PRETEND archive. Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/channel/pretend/id6443456985 Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/pretendradio Resources mentioned in this episode: Stay Away From NTCC (former member YouTube channel run by Tracy Pelfrey) The Mountain News (Bruce Smith's reporting on NTCC) Washington State Senate Bill 5375 (clergy mandatory reporting law, May 2025) Support and resources: If you or someone you know is currently serving in the military and feels pressured by a religious group, you have options. Military OneSource is available 24/7 at 1-800-342-9647. Your installation chaplain can also provide confidential support across all faiths. If you're a former member of NTCC or another high-control group and looking for support, the International Cultic Studies Association at icsahome.com offers resources, recovery workshops, and a directory of professionals familiar with high-control group recovery. If you've experienced sexual assault, RAINN's National Sexual Assault Hotline is available 24/7 at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673), or online at rainn.org. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Chain of Command part 2 19.05.2026 31λ

Part one was about control. Part two is about the money. Behind the soul-winning and the sermons and the bylaws, the New Testament Christian Churches of America runs a very well-funded business. Tithing is tracked, enforced, and tied to your military paycheck. Fall behind and you go before the general board. Fall further behind and you lose your credentials. So where does the tithing money go? Church CEO Michael Kekel told his congregation they owed $25,000 a year in property taxes on the fellowship hall. But tax records tell a different story. The fellowship hall paid $9.65. The $25,000? That's the bill on a personal house in the name of Kekel's wife. In this episode: -Tracy Pelfrey, former NTCC member of 17 years -Bruce Smith, reporter, The Mountain News, who has covered NTCC for nearly two decades -Sarah DeJonghe, former Navy Seabee and NTCC ex-member -Archival recordings of R.W. Davis, founder of NTCC -Archival recordings of Michael Kekel, CEO of NTCC Next time on Pretend: Former members say that NTCC fosters a culture where adult men courting teenage girls isn't just tolerated — it's encouraged. That's next time. Listen to Part 3 now: Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/pretendradio Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/channel/pretend/id6443456985 If you or someone you know is currently serving in the military and feels pressured by a religious group or organization, you have options. The Military OneSource confidential helpline is available 24/7 at 1-800-342-9647. You can also reach out to your installation chaplain, who can provide confidential support across all faiths and no faith at all. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Raid | From Deep Cover: The Family Man 18.05.2026 39λ

Deep Cover is a true crime show about double lives, brought to you by our friends at Pushkin Industries. Their new season, The Family Man, is a gripping story about how families can deceive each other and the lengths we’ll go to to protect our loved ones. Elise and Marissa grew up in a seemingly normal house in the suburbs of St. Louis—but it was a house built on secrets. There were things their father never told them... like how he really made his money. Everything changed in a single night: The Raid: Police arrived at the front door, seizing boxes of evidence. The Chase: Hours later, the sisters turned on the TV to a surreal sight—their father in the middle of a high-speed police chase. The Identity: The local news identified him as “The Boonie Hat Bandit.” The girls were stunned, struggling to accept a reality they never saw coming. How long had he been lying? What had he done? Who, exactly, was their father? Listen Now: Find Deep Cover: The Family Man wherever you get your podcasts. Binge the Full Season: If you want to know how the story ends right now, you can binge the entire season today. Sign up for a Pushkin+ subscription on the Deep Cover show page in Apple Podcasts or at pushkin.fm/plus. Official Link: lnk.to/DCFMPretend The Secret Life of the SuburbsThe Aftermath[CALL TO ACTION] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Chain of Command part 1 12.05.2026 39λ

In 1996, Sarah DeJonghe was a 20-year-old Navy Seabee stationed in Okinawa, Japan. Two guys in uniform approached her on base and invited her to church. She said no. They came back anyway. Four months later, Sarah was out of the Navy and on her way to a Bible seminary in Washington State. She didn't see it coming. Neither did the dozens of other military members who found themselves drawn into the New Testament Christian Churches of America, a church that has spent decades planting itself outside US military bases around the world, marketing itself as a home away from home for single, lonely soldiers. Former members say it's a cult. Want to keep going? Part Two is available right now on PRETEND+ on Apple Podcasts and on Patreon. You'll get every episode of this series ad-free and a week early, plus bonus episodes and full access to the PRETEND archive. Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/channel/pretend/id6443456985 Patreon: www.patreon.com/cw/pretendradio Resources mentioned in this episode: NTCC bylaws (publicly available): https://myntcc.org/bylaws/ Stay Away From NTCC (former member YouTube channel run by Tracy Pelfrey) - https://www.youtube.com/@StayAwayFromNTCC Bruce Smith's reporting at The Mountain News Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Operation Cockblock Revisited 05.05.2026 54λ

A Colorado businessman with a criminal record, no credit, and a gift for charm somehow convinced dozens of women to finance his cars, his home, and his lifestyle. When they finally compared notes, they didn't get mad. They got organized. This is the story of Bill Sullivan, and the self-appointed militia of scorned women who banded together to take him down: Operation Cockblock. Before you go: Stick around for a sneak peek at Chain of Command, PRETEND's new investigative series about a secretive church that brands itself a "ministry to the military" and has been operating near U.S. military bases around the world. 🎧 Listen now on PRETEND+ on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/channel/pretend/id6443456985 💙 Or on Patreon: https://patreon.com/pretendradio?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLink Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Greatest Podcast Episodes Ever Made (Bonus) 28.04.2026 45λ

Somebody went through hundreds of Reddit comments asking what the greatest podcast episode of all time is, then actually listened to all of them. That somebody is Ivy, the creator behind @watchandlisten.ivy on TikTok, and she has been going viral ever since. In this episode we go through the ones that kept coming up: Reply All: "The Case of the Missing Hit" https://open.spotify.com/episode/0CaOGo6xSN51B2aLAQa1kU Heavyweight: "Gregor" https://open.spotify.com/episode/6LKrLVEAY3tsqHPURec6ke Mystery Show: "Belt Buckle" https://open.spotify.com/episode/7niwu8ksl85o2GP2IUEJdA Radiolab: "Colors" https://open.spotify.com/episode/7ugEsqx79eit9kFVw5xN7a You're Wrong About: "Andes Flight 571" https://open.spotify.com/episode/2Tqgu60WVXQWYMqiwWy5F7 Love and Radio: "The Living Room" https://open.spotify.com/episode/1HQSZAsQ78AanIb68NChHC Follow Ivy: @watchandlisten.ivy https://www.tiktok.com/@watchandlisten.ivy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I Beg Your Pardon part 6: The MAGA Granny 21.04.2026 48λ

On January 6th, 2021, Pam Hemphill followed the Proud Boys to the Capitol, got trampled by the mob, was carried out by a police officer named Joe, and recorded every minute of it. The internet called her the MAGA Granny. She did 60 days in federal prison. And then, slowly, she woke up. When Trump issued sweeping pardons for more than 1,500 January 6th defendants, Pam did something almost no one else did. She said no. She filed a formal letter of rejection, returned to the Capitol to apologize to officers in person, received death threats, lost a 12-year relationship, and kept talking anyway. In a series about people who got pardons they didn’t deserve, Pam Hemphill is the one who deserved consideration and walked away from it anyway. You’ve heard about January 6th. You think you know the story. You don’t know it like this. Quick Links • FBI Affidavit (Case 1:21-cr-00555-RCL): Read the original charging document https://jan6attack.com/DoJ/hemphill-pamela/1469486.pdf • Pam Hemphill’s Wikipedia Page: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pamela_Hemphill • Pam’s January 6th Testimony (PBS, January 6, 2026): Watch on PBS NewsHour • Trump’s Truth Social Post (via HuffPost): Read the coverage • Pam’s Pardon Rejection (NPR): Listen and read on NPR Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I Beg Your Pardon part 5 14.04.2026 29λ

My cousin spent 23 years in an Illinois prison for a crime she says she didn't know she was committing. She was 33 when a judge handed down a 60-year sentence. She would have been 93 before she saw the outside again. This episode is personal. In "Only God Pardons," we follow my cousin Iris (not her real name) through the Illinois clemency system: what it takes to apply, what the odds actually look like, and what it means to finally get out, only to discover that freedom comes with its own kind of sentence. Along the way, we hear from Margaret Byrne, a Chicago attorney who has spent 45 years fighting for people inside Illinois prisons who shouldn't be there, including the women she represented through the Illinois Clemency Project for Battered Women. And we talk to Jeff Grant, attorney, minister, and co-founder of the White Collar Support Group, who argues that the pardon system doesn't go nearly far enough and who is pushing Congress to add federal expungement as a tool alongside clemency. We also look at what's happening at the federal level, where a booming paid-pardon industry has taken root around the White House. According to federal lobbying disclosures, clients paid firms more than five million dollars in 2025 just to get their clemency cases in front of the president, eight times what was spent seeking pardons from the Biden administration. And then there's Rod Blagojevich, the former Illinois governor convicted of corruption, commuted by Trump in 2020 and fully pardoned in his second term, a man who turned the governor's office into a shakedown operation, pardoned by a president who turned clemency into currency for whoever could afford the cover charge. Meanwhile, my cousin filed her petition the right way. Through the right channels. And waited. In this episode: Margaret Byrne, founder of the Illinois Clemency Project for Battered Women and veteran clemency attorney Jeff Grant, attorney, minister, and co-founder of the White Collar Support Group and the Federal Expungement Initiative Learn more: White Collar Support Group: whitecollaradvice.org Federal Expungement Initiative: contact Jeff Grant through the White Collar Support Group Illinois Prisoner Review Board: illinois.gov/agencies/prisoner-review-board Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I Beg Your Pardon part 4 07.04.2026 25λ

Content Warning: This episode contains detailed descriptions of nursing home neglect, including accounts of residents found in unsanitary conditions. Listener discretion is advised. You're about to hear the story of a man who built a nursing home empire from a tiny office above a pizza parlor in New Jersey. His name is Joseph Schwartz. At its peak, his company Skyline Healthcare owned or operated more than 100 facilities across eleven states. What happened inside those facilities (the rationed diapers, the unpaid bills, the maggots, the residents left without food or clean water) is one of the cruelest stories of corporate neglect you will hear this year. When Schwartz finally got convicted of defrauding the government out of $38 million, he started making calls. In this episode, we'll follow the money from a nursing home empire to a presidential pardon, and then to a violent extortion plot that ended with an FBI arrest in Midtown Manhattan. EPISODE RESOURCES & SHOW NOTES ARTICLES & INVESTIGATIONS Brookings Register: Wave of SD nursing home closures hitting hardest in rural small towns URL: https://www.brookingsregister.com/article/wave-of-sd-nursing-home-closures-hitting-hardest-in-rural-small-towns Arkansas Advocate: Nursing home owner pardoned by Trump ordered to serve state sentence URL: https://arkansasadvocate.com Arkansas Democrat-Gazette (2019): Firm's fall risked care in homes for frail URL: https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2019/apr/28/firm-s-fall-risked-care-homes-frail-201/ Arkansas Democrat-Gazette (2025): Judge orders former nursing home magnate to prison URL: https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2025/dec/18/arkansas-judge-orders-former-nursing-home-magnate/ The Washington Post: Joseph Schwartz Trump Pardon Fraud (Coverage of the $960k lobbying effort) URL: https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/11/23/joseph-schwartz-trump-pardon-fraud/ The New York Times: Pardon Industry Offers Rich Offenders a Path to Trump The New York Times: Trump Pardons: Lobbyist Charged in Extortion Attempt Philadelphia Coverage: Skyline Healthcare: Scenes from the collapse of a nursing-home operator by Harold Brubaker BROADCAST COVERAGE NBC Nightly News: Nursing Home Chain Collapses Amid Allegation Of Unpaid Bills, Poor Care KELOLAND News: Skyline Healthcare owner facing federal charges PRIMARY SOURCE DOCUMENTS State Petition: Attorney General Tim Griffin's Petition to force Schwartz to serve his state sentence URL: https://arkansasadvocate.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Arkansas-v-Schwartz-12022025-Motion.pdf State Civil Lawsuit: State of South Dakota ex rel. Jason Ravnsborg v. Joseph Schwartz, et al. (Case No. 32CIV22-000010) Federal Criminal Complaint: U.S. v. Joshua Nass (Attempted extortion affidavit, Case No. 26-MJ-54) Lobbying Disclosures: Federal filings for Joshua Nass (Merkava Strategies Corporation) and Jack Burkman (J.M. Burkman & Associates) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I Beg Your Pardon part 3 24.03.2026 36λ

You know that little bottle of 5-Hour Energy sitting on the counter of almost every gas station in America? Someone was faking it. Millions of bottles, mixed by hand in a filthy warehouse by day laborers with no training, no sanitation licenses, and no recipe. Just plastic barrels, canoe paddles, and industrial chemicals that may not have been approved for human consumption. In this episode, you meet Geoffrey Potter, an anti-counterfeiting attorney at Patterson, Belknap, Webb and Tyler who only takes cases where the fake product can kill you. Think of him as a private prosecutor with powers most people don't even know a private attorney can have. He helped bring down one of the most sophisticated food counterfeiting operations in US history. You'll also learn what happened after the convictions. How a woman with no obvious connection to the President of the United States managed to secure not one, but two acts of presidential clemency. And how, just 42 days after walking out of prison, she was already running a $59 million scheme in the background. This is the story of Adriana Camberos — a woman who was convicted twice, freed twice, and is still out there. This series is called I Beg Your Pardon for a reason. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I Beg Your Pardon part 2 17.03.2026 40λ

Twelve days. That’s how long David Gentile spent in federal prison for a $1.8 billion fraud that wiped out the retirement savings of 17,000 people. On Thanksgiving 2025, President Trump signed a one-page clemency grant, commuting Gentile’s seven-year sentence to time served and erasing a $15 million restitution order in the process. In this episode, we talk to one of those 17,000 victims, CarolAnn Tutera, a 70-year-old still working because she can’t afford not to. We also talk to securities fraud attorney Adam Gana and Ponzi Playbook co-host Neal McTighe about how the scheme worked, what the pardon means, and what it says about the current climate for white collar crime. CarolAnn Tutera GPB Capital investor and CEO of Tutera Medical tuteramedical.com Adam Gana Securities fraud attorney, Gana LLP ganalawfirm.com/adam-gana Neal McTighe Co-host, Ponzi Playbook podcast Ponzi Playbook on Spotify The Conviction and Sentencing DOJ Press Release justice.gov The Blueprint of the Fraud SEC Civil Complaint sec.gov The White House Response Forbes Breaking News — search: “Karoline Leavitt Asked About Trump’s Commutation Of Private Equity CEO’s Fraud Sentence” 00:00 CarolAnn’s Story 04:06 David Gentile’s Promise 04:38 I Beg Your Pardon 07:02 How a Ponzi Scheme Works 14:21 The Smoking Gun Emails 15:47 CarolAnn’s $400K 16:42 The Takedown 18:38 The Verdict 19:22 The Pardon 20:06 The White House Response 23:12 Restitution Wiped Out 29:51 The Pay-to-Play Pattern 33:41 The Perfect Storm GuestsResourcesChapters36:44 Ponzi Playbook Returns Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I Beg Your Pardon part 1 10.03.2026 38λ

Jerry Bush was a plumber from Virginia with fourteen employees, a wife battling cancer, and a business his father built from nothing. When a big construction job left him waiting on $350,000 he'd already earned, he did what you'd probably do. He looked for a loan. The man who picked up the phone was named Jonathan Braun. Before Braun found Jerry, he was running a half-billion dollar international drug smuggling operation. After he found Jerry, he froze his bank account, drained his father's retirement, took money from his 16-year-old son, and told Jerry his only way out was to win the lottery or die. And then things got worse. By the time it was over, Jerry Bush had lost his business, his savings, and nearly his life. Jonathan Braun had a Ferrari, a Lamborghini, a personal butler, and a very powerful friend. What happens next will make you question everything you think you know about who the justice system is actually designed to protect and who it leaves behind. I Beg Your Pardon is a new investigative series from PRETEND. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Who's Afraid of LaDonna Humphrey Revisited 03.03.2026 42λ

CONTENT WARNING: Graphic content. Listener discretion is advised. Who’s Afraid of LaDonna Humphrey — Revisited A lot of people ask: where should I start if I just discovered PRETEND? The answer is always LaDonna. It’s been almost two years since the first episode of Who’s Afraid of LaDonna Humphrey dropped — and this one is still mind-blowing. Whether you’re a first-time listener or coming back to revisit, this is the place to start. In this episode, we’re replaying Part One. It’s a hell of an introduction. 🎧 Want the full series? We’ve put together a Spotify playlist with all the episodes and updates, tidied up in one place. Check it out below. ➡️ Listen to the full LaDonna Humphrey playlist on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2LOnqAGe8D4JQ4bAwjGn9P?si=54f21cbedfb640f8 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Update on “The Hand That Held Me” 28.02.2026

I want to share a quick update about the "Hand That Held Me" series. Due to some recent developments, I’ve made the decision to postpone the release. I know many of you were expecting it, and I’m sorry for the change. These situations can be complex, and I want to make sure I handle the story the right way. This also leaves an unexpected three-week gap in the schedule while I prepare the next series. I appreciate your patience as I work to queue up what’s coming next. Thank you, as always, for listening and for trusting the work. — Javier Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Pests part 3 & 4 Revisited 24.02.2026 1ώ 21λ

We conclude one of the most disturbing series ever covered on this podcast. Here are parts 3 and 4 of the Pests. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Pests part 1 & 2 Revisited 17.02.2026 1ώ 3λ

This week, we're revisiting one of the most terrifying series ever produced for PRETEND. It's about a gang-stalking internet group known as The Pests. Content Advisory: This episode is disturbing and includes language and topics not suitable for all audiences. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

2505: State of Corruption: The School That Didn't Exist 10.02.2026 39λ

Look, I'm not anti-private school. You want your kid to learn in an environment that matches your beliefs? Cool. To each their own. But should your neighbors be paying for it? North Carolina is funneling half a billion dollars into private schools with almost zero oversight. 87% of new voucher money is going to families who were already paying for private school. Meanwhile, public schools are losing funding and teachers are getting paid near the bottom in the country. In this episode, I talk to a former student, a policy researcher, and a reporter who couldn't find a school that was cashing state checks. Spoiler: it took her seven addresses to track it down. Stephen Cordes — Former student at the Word of Faith Christian School in Spindale, NC Kris Nordstrom — Senior Policy Analyst, NC Justice Center Education & Law Project https://www.ncjustice.org/author/kris-nordstrom/ Blair Reeves — Executive Director, Carolina Forward https://carolinaforward.org/about/ Ann Doss Helms — Former Education Reporter, WFAE (Charlotte's NPR station). 22 years covering education in Charlotte. https://www.wfae.org/people/ann-doss-helms Kris Nordstrom's voucher discrepancy analysis (NC Justice Center) https://www.ncjustice.org/analysis-nc-private-school-voucher-program/ Ann Doss Helms' reporting on TAS Academy (WFAE): Charlotte private school had more vouchers than students: https://www.wfae.org/education/2023-06-27/charlotte-private-school-had-more-vouchers-than-students-and-wheres-the-building The elusive voucher school — some answers and lingering questions: https://www.wfae.org/education/2023-08-01/charlottes-elusive-voucher-school-some-answers-and-lingering-questions Elusive voucher school has a new address in Harrisburg: https://www.wfae.org/education/2024-03-07/elusive-voucher-school-has-a-new-address-in-harrisburg-and-students-are-there Carolina Forward https://carolinaforward.org NC Justice Center — Education & Law Project https://www.ncjustice.org PRETEND Season 3 — Word of Faith Fellowship https://www.pretendradio.org If you live in North Carolina and you have an opinion about how your tax dollars are being spent on private school vouchers, let your legislators know. They work for you. Find your NC state representative and senator: https://www.ncleg.gov/findyourlegislators Call the NC General Assembly directly: 919-733-4111 (ask to speak to your representative or senator) Public Schools First NC also has a full contact list with emails for every member of the General Assembly, including education committee members: https://publicschoolsfirstnc.org/engage/contact-elected-officials/ You don't have to live in North Carolina to care about this. If your state has a voucher program, find out where the money's going. Ask the questions nobody else is asking. Got a story idea? Hit me up: javier@pretendradio.org GuestsResources & Further ReadingMake Your Voice HeardContact Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Introducing Everything They Missed 06.02.2026 34λ

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