Fraud Friday: The Con with the “Cure” for Cancer (w/ Caleb Hearon)

Legendary comedian Margaret Cho joins the CONgregation as a self-proclaimed deacon. Margaret helps Laci uncover the surprising connection between Prince, Michael Jackson, and the art of smooth talk—and how it all leads to wire fraud scammer Tanya Smith, who, to her chagrin, is the last person you’d expect to pull one over on the FBI. Laci and Margaret also dive into a "purr-fectly" peculiar lesson about buying a new pet with gift cards and so much more. Stay schemin'! Check out Margaret's new single "Lucky Gift" and tickets to her Live and Livid stand-up tour are on sale now at https://margaretcho.com/tour/ Follow on Instagram: Scam Goddess Pod: @scamgoddesspod   Laci Mosley: @divalaci Margaret Cho:@margaret_cho Research by Kate Doyle. SOURCES https://www.nytimes.com/2024/08/28/books/review/never-saw-me-coming-tanya-smith.html  https://www.theguardian.com/books/article/2024/aug/22/tanya-smith-stole-40m-evaded-fbi-broke-out-prison https://www.instagram.com/neversawmecomingbook/reel/C_egcnYPTTT/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0zfS7IYWx-k https://www.chicagotribune.com/1986/09/24/twin-sisters-found-guilty-of-fraud/

This New Years Eve we thought we'd revisit a classic ep so at midnight you can count down all the ways that so-called civil rights activist Jeffrey Shaun King has continued his scamming ways. Also, a worker in Chile accidentally got paid 286 times his salary. Stay schemin’! (Originally Released 07/18/2022) Signed copies of Laci's book are back in stock on Podswag: https://www.podswag.com/collections/scam-goddess/products/signed-scam-goddess-lessons-from-a-life-of-cons-grifts-and-schemes  Follow on Instagram: Scam Goddess Pod: @scamgoddesspod   Laci Mosley: @divalaci Ashley Ray: @theashleyray Research by Kaelyn Brandt. SOURCES https://www.blackenterprise.com/shaun-king-daughter-kendi-has-a-word-family-move/ https://www.blackenterprise.com/calvin-crime-black-twitter-rips-shaun-king-after-he-begs-for-money-for-new-fashion-line/ https://twitter.com/MrErnestOwens/status/1407733142769831944?s=20&t=XD6Se6jkQmSc6OPoI2L_bw https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwxI_DE4S0A https://jezebel.com/samaria-rice-asks-shaun-king-accused-grifter-how-the-1847160251 https://www.blackenterprise.com/grifter-or-nah-shaun-king-lives-it-up-in-luxe-jersey-estate-while-begging-for-money-for-his-wife/ https://www.yahoo.com/video/shaun-king-asks-assistance-move-153036273.html https://www.newsonyx.com/update-shaun-king-accused-of-clothing-line-scam/ https://scoop.upworthy.com/his-company-accidentally-paid-him-286-times-his-salary-so-he-promptly-resigned-and-disappeared

Jamie Lee (Ted Lasso) joins the CONgregation to discuss an IT help website that accidentally turns into the go-to URL for people seeking murder for hire. Plus, a 50-year-old man tricks twitter followers using FaceApp! Stay schemin'! (Originally Released 04/05/2021) Signed copies of Laci's book are back in stock on Podswag: https://www.podswag.com/collections/scam-goddess/products/signed-scam-goddess-lessons-from-a-life-of-cons-grifts-and-schemes   Follow on Instagram: Scam Goddess Pod: @scamgoddesspod  Laci Mosley: @divalaci Jamie Lee: @reallyjamielee   Research by Sharilyn Vera. SOURCES: https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-features/rent-a-hitman-wendy-wein-murder-for-hire-sting-operation-1066756/ https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/it-expert-bob-innes-rent-a-hitman-murder-13086065.php https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5966845/DIY-detective-snared-string-killers.html https://www.vice.com/en/article/y3g88m/viral-japanese-biker-transformation-woman-faceapp https://twitter.com/Kai_97R/status/1360039242882187264?

Scam-ta baby, ‘tis the season for some holiday ho-ho-hoodwinks with Bridger Winegar (I Said No Gifts!) to find out how the organizers of SantaCon, an Italian social media influencer, and the planners of a kids’ winter wonderland experience all ended up on the Scam Goddess naughty list. Could the reason of the season be to stay schemin'? You'll find Bridger's podcast 'I Said No Gifts!' here:  www.exactlyrightmedia.com/i-said-no-gifts  Signed copies of Laci's book are back in stock on Podswag: https://www.podswag.com/collections/scam-goddess/products/signed-scam-goddess-lessons-from-a-life-of-cons-grifts-and-schemes  Follow on Instagram: Scam Goddess Pod: @scamgoddesspod   Laci Mosley: @divalaci Bridger Winegar: @bridgerwinegar & @isaidnogifts Research by Jack Pineda. SOURCES https://newrepublic.com/post/177441/santacon-isnt-just-obnoxious  https://www.instagram.com/santacon/p/CzzvNg8q8LQ/  https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/jan/13/chiara-ferragni-italy-influencers-charity-christmas-cake-scandal  https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/italys-meloni-takes-aim-influencer-ferragni-over-misleading-claims-2023-12-17/  https://au.lifestyle.yahoo.com/mum-warning-scam-santa-event-fyre-festival-for-kids-winter-village-south-australia-020039916.html  https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/adeonibada/christmas-event-fyre-festival-kids   https://x.com/tom_tanuki/status/1339131734508462081

This week, Jon Gabrus (High and Mighty) joins the CONgregation to discuss Albert Rosenberg, the man who married the heir to the Ovaltine fortune and charmed woman across continents. Plus, a 22-year-old New Jersey man is on the hook after committing unemployment fraud and bragging about it on Instagram. Stay Schemin’! (Originally Released 12/19/2022) Signed copies of Laci's book are back in stock on Podswag: https://www.podswag.com/collections/scam-goddess/products/signed-scam-goddess-lessons-from-a-life-of-cons-grifts-and-schemes   Follow on Instagram: Scam Goddess Pod: @scamgoddesspod  Laci Mosley: @divalaci Jon Gabrus: @gabrus   Research by Kaelyn Brandt. SOURCES: https://torontolife.com/city/yorkville-swindler-albert-rosenberg/  https://www.cbc.ca/documentaries/the-passionate-eye/toronto-s-yorkville-swindler-the-story-of-con-man-albert-rosenberg-in-his-own-words-1.6616921  https://www.nj.com/news/2022/05/nj-man-stole-150k-in-10-state-unemployment-fraud-feds-say.html  https://www.justice.gov/usao-nj/pr/camden-county-man-charged-fraud-connection-unemployment-insurance-benefits