Scamfluencers

You never really know someone…especially online. In today’s world, the power of influence can be the quickest path to money and fame, and it often ends in ruin. These are the stories of the world’s most insidious Scamfluencers. And we are their prey. On Wondery’s new weekly series, join co-hosts Scaachi Koul and Sarah Hagi as they unpack epic stories of deception from the worlds of social media, fashion, finance, health, and wellness. These influencers claim to be everything from charismatic healers to trusted financial insiders to experts in dating. They cast spells over millions. Why do we believe them, and how does our culture allow them to thrive? From Black Swan Murder to a fake social media influencer to an audacious Hollywood Ponzi schemer, each season will take the listener along the twists and turns, the impact on victims, and what’s left when the facade falls away.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Hosted by Ash Kelley and Alaina Urquhart from the hit show Morbid.When 90-year-old Laurence Pilgeram drops dead on the sidewalk outside his condo, you might think that’s the end of his story. But, really, it’s just the beginning. Because Laurence and others like him have signed up to be frozen and brought back to life in the future. And that belief will pull multiple generations of the Pilgeram family into a cryonics soap opera filled with dead pets, gold coins, grenades, fist fights, mysterious packages, family feuds, Hall of Fame baseball legends, and frozen heads — lots of frozen heads. From Wondery, comes a story about life, death, and what comes next.Follow Frozen Head on Amazon Music or wherever you get your podcasts. Binge early and ad-free by subscribing to Wondery+ in Apple Podcasts or the Wondery App. Listen to Frozen Head: Wondery.fm/FH_ScamfluenceSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Sergeant Jill Evans is a small town cop in Wales with an impressive record in her job, and a less than impressive record in her love life. After three engagements, two divorces and one affair, she’s beginning to worry that love is only true in fairy tales. That is until she meets: Dean. He’s a wealthy beauty entrepreneur with his own range of toiletries.Girl meets boy. Boy meets girl. They kiss and fall in love. Roll credits.But that would be boring, wouldn’t it? Instead, this is a love story like no other. It’s all going so well for Jill and Dean, until Halloween night, when Dean disappears. And Sgt. Jill is left to pick up the pieces.From Wondery and Novel, comes a new series. Hosted by Kerry Godliman.Follow Stolen Hearts on Amazon Music of wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen early and ad-free by subscribing to Wondery+ in Apple Podcasts or the Wondery App. Listen to Stolen Hearts: Wondery.fm/SH_ScamSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Sheree Warren left her job in Salt Lake City on a mild October evening in 1985. She told a coworker she was headed to meet her estranged husband, Charles Warren, at a car dealership. But she never made it, Sheree vanished. When her car mysteriously surfaced weeks later, hundreds of miles away in Las Vegas, no one could say how it got there.When a young mother disappears under unexplained circumstances, police always turn suspicious eyes towards the husband. And although there was distrust around Charles Warren, he wasn’t the only suspect when Sheree went missing. She also had a boyfriend, a former cop named Cary Hartmann, who lived a sinister double life.Season three follows two suspects– men who both raised suspicion for investigators. But with two strong persons of interest with competing facts and evidence, it muddied the murder investigation. This season, host Dave Cawley, digs into the lives of these two men, the details of the case and examines the intersections between domestic abuse and sexual violence. The COLD team seeks to answer the question: what really happened to Sheree Warren?Hey Prime Members, you can binge all 10 episodes of COLD: The Search for Sheree ad-free on Amazon Music. Download the Amazon Music app today: Wondery.fm/Scam_ColdS3See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What happens when a former ballerina and a shady businessman try to revolutionize the world of dance? Welcome to the Fyre Fest of the ballet world. In this two-episode series, power couple Doug and Ashley Benefield use their money and influence to launch what appears to be a groundbreaking ballet company. One that champions diversity and inclusivity. The only problem is, none of that is true. Because as dancers put their careers on the line for this new company, it all begins to spin out of control — just as Doug and Ashley’s marriage falls apart.Support Our Sponsors!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Dancers go unpaid as American National Ballet struggles to stay afloat. Behind the scenes, Ashley and Doug Benefield's marriage takes a turn for the worse. What starts as a dream will end in murder.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Zach Horwitz owns a sandwich and smoothie shop in Chicago, but dreams of moving to Hollywood to make it as an actor. Luckily, Zach knows a thing or two about creating high-stakes fantasy worlds, just like in the movies. So he crafts an opportunity of a lifetime out of thin air that lands him and his girlfriend, Mallory, in Los Angeles. Mallory is his biggest supporter, and for a while, it seems like Zach is finding fast success… until he bites off more than he can chew. Over the next three episodes, Scaachi and Sarah will explore the meteoric rise of a Hollywood wannabe best-known for his headline-making arrest.Support Our Sponsors!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Zach Horwitz is finally living out his movie star dream. He even has a new stage name. The call sheet has him listed as Zach Avery. But behind the scenes, he's starting to break character as a businessman. His Ponzi scheme disguised as a production company is beginning to fumble. If Zach plans to continue fooling his investors, he'll need to keep the cash flowing.Support Our Sponsors!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Zach's fake business deals and lies are starting to catch up with him. The money has stopped flowing, and entertainment bigwigs are hounding him for answers. But like everyone else in Hollywood, Zach thinks he's just one box-office smash away from solving all his problems.Please support us by supporting our sponsors!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Malachi Love-Robinson, a sickly teenager from South Florida, has dreams of becoming a doctor someday. The only problem? He doesn’t want to wait. With just a white lab coat and a stethoscope, Malachi transforms himself into “Doctor Love” and launches a medical career. Unfortunately, as with all good scammers, he gets too ambitious, raising the stakes higher and higher, until one day, the “Doctor” meets the wrong “patient.”Please support us by supporting our sponsors!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Beloved gospel singer and congresswoman, Flordelis dos Santos de Souza was revered in Brazil as the “Mother of the Nation” for adopting 55 children. But when her husband is killed during an armed robbery -- everyone in the family becomes a potential suspect. The investigation unravels a deception so twisted it shocks the nation. Is Floredlis a superstar or super-criminal?Please support us by supporting our sponsors!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Suspicion builds around Flordelis and her mega-sized family as the investigation unfolds and the horrifying truth comes to light. When a suspect is arrested and Flordelis’ children begin to turn on her, it becomes clear that her saintly facade may have been the greatest con of all.Support us by supporting our sponsors!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Prince Khalid bin al-Saud is an international playboy from an ultra-wealthy Saudi family. He's posted hundreds of photos on Instagram showing off his lavish lifestyle, complete with private jets, designer bags, and a diamond-encrusted jaguar-shaped bracelet. But there's one problem -- he's a fake. His real name is Tony Gignac and he's from Detroit, Michigan. And he's about to pull off a series of daring cons from Dubai to Miami.Please support us by supporting our sponsors!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Anthony Gignac, masquerading as a Saudi prince, is finally living the life of luxury he’s always dreamed of. But of course, it’s not enough. He’s planning his biggest scam yet. He’s going to buy one of Miami’s most iconic hotels. That is, until a billionaire real estate magnate starts digging around… and discovers a trail of lies.Please support us by supporting our sponsors!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Chinese real estate executive Serena Shi appears to be living the American dream. She’s wealthy, glamorous, and runs a business showing other Chinese investors how they, too, can cash in on California real estate. When she announces her latest project — a luxury resort she plans to build in Coachella Valley — she quickly nets millions of dollars. There’s just one problem: Her dazzling desert property is nothing more than a mirage.Please support us by supporting our sponsors!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Ever since childhood, Katie Griggs has been searching for her purpose in life. When she discovers kundalini yoga, she becomes convinced she’s finally found it. She follows her vision and decides to start her own yoga studio in Los Angeles. RA MA Institute attracts celebrities, garners glowing press, and expands into a global yoga empire. But behind the scenes, the woman who now calls herself Guru Jagat isn’t nearly as enlightened — or as trustworthy — as she seems.Please support us by supporting our sponsors!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

As Guru Jagat starts spewing dangerous conspiracy theories, her followers become determined to expose her for what she really is: A fraud. Their revelations, coupled with explosive new allegations from other members of the kundalini yoga community, force everyone to choose a side: Guru Jagat or… reality.Support us by supporting our sponsors!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On Instagram, Hushpuppi flaunts an extravagant international lifestyle. He wears head-to-toe Fendi and poses next to Bentleys and private jets. His millions of followers know him as the former “Yahoo boy” — a Nigerian email scammer — who transcended poverty and now calls himself the Billionaire Gucci Master. But his haters, including more than a few rappers, all want to know: Where is his money coming from? Support us by supporting our sponsors!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Hushpuppi is expanding his business with some new partnerships, including with the North Korean cyber criminals who hacked into Sony. He’s becoming one of the most elite Internet scammers in the world, and he’s well on his way to pulling off a massive, multi-million dollar money laundering scheme… If only he could stop posting about it on the gram.Support us by supporting our sponsors!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On Bravo’s The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City, Jen Shah drives a Porsche, throws lavish parties, and brags about her $50,000-a-month shopping sprees. But when she gets arrested on camera and charged with serious federal crimes, including conspiracy to commit money laundering, it becomes clear she’s been leading a double life. Now, this drama queen is getting her own reality check. Support us by supporting our sponsors!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.