Betrayal Weekly - Jackie | Betrayal Weekly

Episode Date: September 18, 2025

She wanted a companion for the last chapter of her life. But an online romance compromised everything she’d worked for.    If you would like to reach out to the Betrayal Team, email us at [e-mail] and follow us on Instagram at @betrayalpod  To access our newsletter and additional content and to connect with the Betrayal community, join our Substack at betrayal.substack.com. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an I-Heart podcast. Guaranteed Human. Hey, I'm Dr. Maya Shunker, a cognitive scientist and hosts of the podcast, a slight change of plans, a show about who we are and who we become when life makes other plans. I wish that I hadn't resisted for so long the need to change. We have to be willing to live with a kind of uncertainty that none of us likes. You can have opinions. You can have like a strong,

dance. And then there's your body having its own program. Listen to a slight change of plans on the IHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hi, listeners. I'm Jamal Jordan, the host of Roershack, Murder at City Hall podcast. In July 2003, Councilman James E. Davis, an ambitious rising star in Brooklyn politics, was murdered inside New York City Hall, shot to death in front of more than 200 people. The killer?

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Math and Magic takes you behind the scenes of the biggest businesses and industries while sharing insights from the smartest minds in marketing. Coming up this seasonal Math and Magic, CEO of Liquid Death, Mike Cesario. People think that creative ideas are like these light-balled moments that happen when you're in the shower.

where it's really like a stone sculpture. You're constantly just chipping away and refining. Take to Interactive CEO, Strauss Selnick, and our own chief business officer, Lisa Coffey. Listen to Math and Magic on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. Hey, Betrayal fans, I have exciting news to share. Season 3 of Betrayal is now a docu series on Hulu.

It's the gripping story of Stacey Tyler and the doctor who betrayed them. See the voices you've come to know in Betrayal, Under His Eye, streaming now on Hulu. The state trooper traced two of the wallets, one to Shanghai, one to Nigeria. And she said the building was as big as a casino full of tables and computers and people scamming. I'm Andrea Gunning, and this is Betrayal, a show about the people we trust the most and the deceptions that change everything. I've always been an advocate for the underdog.

I would give anything to help people, and I always stick up for people as well. That's Jackie Crenshaw. She's a mammographer in New Haven, Connecticut. That means she administers breast cancer screenings, and she's been doing that for over 30 years. She was the first black woman to manage the imaging center at Yale New Haven Hospital. And when I go to conferences around the country, they might be like, oh, I've heard your name. It's more than a career for her. She's passionate about addressing racial disparities in breast cancer detection. Statistically, African-American women are diagnosed later as the breast cancer has progressed.

I am the outreach coordinator. So I teach people how to examine their breasts. Some people just do well when they see someone like themselves. I actually do, they're called beauty shop. chats. So we go to beauty shops and I teach breast cancer prevention. She's the one calling her four older sisters, checking to see if they've had their annual breast exam. I have to say I'm not bossy, but I've always taken the lead. Even as the fifth of five girls, a rainy day back then there was no computers or any of that stuff. So I was the teacher as the youngest.

Jackie never had kids of her own. But I have raised. Many. I probably have 50, 60 nieces and great nieces and nephews. So a lot of checks of college, you name it, I did it. She always put her career and her friendships over romantic relationships. The last serious relationship I had was about 15 years ago. It was a 10-year relationship. She ended it because he seemed threatened by her independence. Her whole life, Jackie's been the breadwinner. And she's had a hard time finding a partner who was comfortable with that. Most of my people around me would say, oh, people are intimidated by you because of my career and, you know, wit and everything. And Jackie was comfortable on her own.

At that time, say in May of 2023, I had everything I needed. I owned my condo, I had a nice car, good job. I basically was at a place where I could have got. anything I wanted, and I had everything I wanted as far as material things. Around that time, Jackie started thinking about what she wanted the last chapter of her life to look like. She'd been saving for retirement for decades. I would put extra away, just putting away a nice amount every two weeks and stacking things up. I thought I would, you know, retire. First, I thought about 62, and then I'm like, nah, 65.

She wanted to travel and take it slow in retirement. And the more she thought about it, she realized... I didn't feel like I was desperate or lonely or any of those things, but I was ready for some companionship. She'd never been on social media, much less on a dating app. And then... A friend of mine suggested this website, which specialized in African-American dating. So Jackie gave herself a pep talk.

I was like, okay, Jack, maybe try this site because, again, she helped me set up my profile because I didn't know anything. She picked her photos and set her preferences for a potential match. She wanted someone self-sufficient, someone who had their own thing going. But she also wanted someone fun to experience the next stage of her life with. Someone who liked to take care of themselves, you know, they didn't have to be a muscle head. or anything like that. And someone who liked to travel.

Within a few days, she got a match that piqued her interest. She opened his message. Hi, Jacqueline. My name is Brandon. And you're beautiful, blah, blah, blah. When she looked at his photos,

one thing immediately stood out. The eyes, his blue eyes. Brandon worked in construction and he looked like a family man. There's pictures of him with the kids, pictures of him at work. Brandon was also a little cheeky. She hovered over one photo in particular. It's like a picture, beautiful face, and you could like see his bum a little bit, just laying on the bed.

I was like, oh my God, you're showing your asses? His messages kept coming. The first few times it might have been twice a day or something like that, but, It became very regular. Brandon wanted to start talking on the phone, so a few days later, he gave her a call. He didn't have a deep, deep voice, but it was just very calm and soft-spoken. They started talking on the phone almost every night, sharing their life stories. He's like, oh, you know, I just went back to work two years after losing my wife.

His wife had died in a car accident. right at the beginning of COVID, leaving him as a single parent to their two sons. He had kids later in life after starting a successful career. Now Brandon was 50 and ready to date again. He trusted Jackie with really personal challenges. He told me one of his sons had like stopped talking when the wife died, but he said, oh, but we'll have enough money to, you know,

get him special help and all these different things. Brandon lived in New York City, a two and a half hour drive from New Haven. And after a few weeks of talking, they set a date to meet in Connecticut. He made reservations at a really nice seafood restaurant, which I'm like, God, does he know? He'd clearly done his research and picked a place that would really impress. It would be his first date after his wife's death. So this was a big deal. And he knew Jackie was nervous, too.

So we offered to get her a gift in advance, a new date night outfit. something she would feel beautiful in. He sent her a few hundred dollars and she got an expensive dress. But as the date approached, Jackie started to get cold feet. So she asked her older sister for advice. She's like, no, don't go.

You're going to get kidnapped or something. So I didn't go to the restaurant. She sent him a text to let him know. Brandon said he understood. They were both new to online dating. He could see why she'd, be cautious. So they decided to slow things down and get to know each other more. Brandon started wooing her from afar. So he's like, oh, what's your address? I'm going to send you

something. And he did. It was a bouquet of flowers and balloons. It made her smile. And from there, he started sending little deliveries. Like if I got home late and, you know, I worked a 10 to 12 hour day or something like that. And I'm like, oh, I'm just going to eat bowl cereal. then they'd be food delivered and that was like every single weekend he asked about her favorite restaurants whenever she had a long day he started sending her food that would be waiting for her

at her front door oh my god he must really care about me that he was feeding me and just looking out for me whenever he saw an opportunity to make her feel special he took it oh there were love songs

poems, you know, very touching. And it's like, oh, I haven't had this in a while. They looked at the calendar to see if there was another weekend they could meet in person. A redo of their first date when Jackie got spooked. But Brandon traveled a lot for work. If he was on a work contract, he could be tied up for weeks, if not months. Plus, being a single dad made it even more difficult to find time. But he wanted Jackie to know he was serious about her.

He's like, I feel like we have a connection and we should get off the site. That's when we really started talking quite a bit, like maybe three, four times a day. It felt good. After that, they were official. He was the best, like, perfect boyfriend that you could think of. He just kept saying, I'm here for you. I'm going to take care of you. Jackie told her friends and family about Brandon.

They were almost relieved. I think they were generally happy for me. You know, oh, she's found somebody finally. He was a good match, someone who grounded her when she got overwhelmed. He always said to me, calm down, calm down, calm down. A few months in, they started saying those three words. He said it first. But she felt it too.

Brandon opened up more about his two sons. The loss of their mother caused both the kids to shut down. It sounded like the whole family was just coming out of a very dark period. He was like, oh, I thought about taking my own life. You know, and I'm like, you gotta leave these kids with no parents. On the phone at night, Brandon would sometimes cry. Jackie had helped her siblings raise their kids, and she knew how exhausting it could be to be

single parent. Brandon also traveled for work, which meant that the kids mostly stayed with a nanny. He just be like, can't wait to get back with the boys after this job. Faith had been a huge part of Brandon's life and had helped him through the grieving process. So on the phone one night, Brandon asked if they could pray together. It became something they did every night. And it was like, oh, pray that the kids and then this and that and it's just that was your turn. no, it's my turn, you know, back and forth. Jackie's a spiritual person, but praying together with a partner was new to her. It took her spiritual practice to another level.

I started praying not like I ever had before. Jackie was about to turn 60, and for the first time in her life, she had a true partner, someone who would take care of her. All that I've given to my community and taking care of everyone, And I said, oh, it's finally my turn for someone to take care of me. Like, God has answered my prayers. You can have opinions. You can have like a strong stance.

And then there's your body having its own program. I'm Dr. Maya Shunker, a cognitive scientist and hosts of the podcast, a slight change of plans, a show about who we are and who we become when life makes other plans. We share stories and scientific insights to help us all better navigate these periods of turbulence and transformation. There is one finding that is consistent, and that is that our resilience rests on our relationships. I wish that I hadn't resisted for so long the need to change. We have to be willing to live with a kind of uncertainty that none of us likes. Listen to a slight change of plans on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts,

or wherever you get your podcasts. On a recent episode of the podcast, Money and Wealth with John Hope Bryant, I sit down with Tiffany the budgetista Aliche to talk about what it really takes to take control of your money. What would that look like in our families if everyone was able to pass on wealth to the people when they're no longer here? We break down budgeting, financial discipline, and how to build real wealth, starting with the mindset shifts.

Too many of us were never, ever taught. Financial education is not always about, like, I'm going to get rich. That's great. It's about creating an atmosphere for you to be able to take care of yourself and leave a strong financial legacy for your family. If you've ever felt you didn't get the memo on money, this conversation is for you to hear more. Listen to Money and Wealth with John O'Brien from the Black Effect Network

on the I'd Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever. you get your podcast. Hi, everyone. I'm Cheryl Strayed, author of Wild and Tiny Beautiful Things. I'm excited to share that I have a new podcast called Mind Over Mountain.

In each episode, I interview athletes, adventurers, and adrenaline seekers to discuss the inner landscapes and life experiences that informed and inspired their extraordinary feats. I also bring a bit of advice into the mix

so we too can better understand how to face our own seemingly insurmounting. challenges. Do you know what I'm going to do? I'm going to pull out what you already have inside. We're coming into this world, fighting for our lives. All I'm going to do is pull out what you already got inside. We're there to support and celebrate each other. And that's not like your story versus my story. You're going to walk up and over that dang mountain. You're not just going to put your mind over it. Yep. Yep. Exactly. And if I can't walk up and over it, I'm going to go through

it. Listen to Mind Over Mountain every Thursday on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your What's up? I'm Miles Turner. And I'm Brianna Stewart. And our podcast, Game Recognized Game, has never been done before. Two active players giving you a real look at our lives and what we actually think, on and off the court. Nothing's off limits. We talk trade requests. What's the vibe of that when it's like your star player is like, well, I want to leave? And then actually now I'm going to stay.

We talk tanking. I mean, honestly, like, I might get in trouble for this answer, but I think it's like definitely happening in the W. and play. And yeah, we talk about our mistakes, too. They pulled me to the side and was like, hey, man, we got a call last night, man. You can't be rolling around the city like this tonight before games, no, you know, doing this, doing whatever. And of course, family stories. And we're like, Mommy, why did you miss that? Mommy, do you play basketball? Check out Game Recognized game with Stuy and Miles on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever

you get your podcasts. Jackie met her new boyfriend Brandon Miller on a dating site for black singles. Within a few months, he was saying things to her like, Oh, you seem like someone I want to settle down with. You're the one. I want you to raise my kids. We're going to be together.

I used to call Mr. Miller. I'd be like, hey, Mr. Miller. And he had his own pet names for her. He would always say queen. My queen, baby. you know, Mrs. Miller. Yeah, like perfect. It was easy to envision a future together.

She wasn't intimidated by the idea of helping him raise his sons. I've been taking care of children my entire adult life. So it wasn't like, oh my God, I'd be overwhelmed by children. And at my age, how are you going to meet someone who does not have children? Plus, he could afford a full-time nanny for the kids. And he continued to send Jackie gifts. He even sent me a necklace that had my picture on one side and his on the other. When she would send him pictures of her day, he noticed she wasn't wearing the necklace.

He's like, oh, you're not wearing a necklace. I said, no, I'm not going to wear until you get here. They hadn't met in person yet, but it was always just around the corner. The next time he finished a work contract and had time available, he promised to come visit her. I'm going to come, I'm going to see you. We're going to be together. One of Brandon's side hobbies was investing. He had invested the payout from his wife's life insurance, which helped him to stay afloat during COVID.

He used that money to invest and get all this money to be able to invest more and just keep investing. Because that's all he had to do during COVID with kids at home was learning all about investing. And he wanted to help Jackie learn how to do the same. He said, oh, have you heard of crypto? I said, I've heard about it, but most people, you know, like it. And he's like, oh, I've really got to read up on it. And, you know, I know a lot about it. Let me know if you think you want to invest.

He sent her screenshots of his returns. So then he starts to send me these statements, which he had, I think, at that time, I don't know, invested $2 million and had $4 million. Jackie thought about her own accounts and what it would mean to double that number. Doubling her retirement fund would mean being able to travel more. Maybe she could buy a vacation home and bring her family there too. I'm like, I really want to retire. All right. So, okay, I'm going to do it.

She decided to start small with $40,000 from her 401K. The account would be in her name and she would be the only one with access to it. But Brandon would help her set it up. He put her in touch with a friend of his who could broker the deal. The second person whose name is Mike, he has like an English accent. He calls me and he's going to help me set up the account, show me how to buy Bitcoin. So Jackie invested $40,000. It was pretty easy.

And the next month... They sent me a statement, and I was like, what is this? $100,000, $100,000 and something. This didn't make sense. No returns could be that high. This must be someone else's money. And that meant someone else had access to her account. She called Brandon.

And I said to them, you told me nobody would have access. And I even have a email that I sent. And I said, I want my money back because I was told that this was only going to be my account. He said, no, no, no, I wanted to put this in so you could grow your money faster. Brandon had invested some of his own funds as a gift to increase her returns. And he also wanted to open up a shared account, one where they could both invest in their future. So then he's like, you know, I'm going to send you $100,000 and we'll invest it, you know, more. They started painting the picture of what their life together could look.

like what this money could buy them. They also started planning for the moment they'd finally meet in person. So the holidays come and he's not able to come again, but it's like, look, I'm going to make this up to you. Your 60th birthday's coming. And I said, well, you know, I had a 50th birthday party on a yacht. If a yacht is what she wanted, Brandon can make it happen. He offered to pay for Jackie's 60th birthday party. He wanted it to be the celebration of a lifetime because she deserved it. This party was especially meaningful because Brandon would be there to meet all of Jackie's family and friends. And I was like, well, what's the budget?

He says blank check. Blank check. Blank check is the kind of phrase that does something to your body. She'd never been worried about money. But this was the first time in her life she'd gotten to play with money. Now I know how to plan a party. So I find this boat.

I start making all these plans. I mean, I had a photo booth, a cigar bar, sparkles, DJ, everything you could think of to the tune of 80 grand. Now, if I was retiring, there's no way in a hell, I would have paid that much. for a party. My other party 10 years before, it might have been 20,000. But you know, my birthday's in July, and I always want to give my friends and family the experience that they would never have.

When it came time for Brandon to pay, he sends 16,000 back my way through wire transfer to my account. I get a cashier's check and I pay the vendors. Her confidence in him and their relationship started to deepen. Whenever he said he would do something, He was good for it. When Jackie's niece joined the party planning, Brandon was happy to connect with her. My niece and I went to see the boat, and he called, and he was talking to myself and my niece.

Plus, Jackie was already seeing returns from her initial investment. So she decided to invest more with Brandon's broker. And I showed several people, and I was like, they're like, oh, wow, you're making all this money. That's when Jackie got a letter about a shareholder opportunity. It was from one of Brandon's connections in the finance world. This letter was addressed to both of us. It was an opportunity to get in on the ground floor of a new crypto company.

It was a million dollar buy-in. Brandon agreed to split it with her. At this point, Jackie was all in. She cashed out one of her retirement accounts. Which was $419,000 after taxes. And she made the transfer. bought Bitcoin transfer to the wallet. Their party was still a few months away.

The relationship felt strong. And the returns on their investment were even stronger. By now, I think he has like $10 million in his gown, you know, and I think mine may have reached $2 million. Jackie was counting down the days until her party. She'd booked the vendors and sent out the invites. So all the buildup for, my 60th birthday party was going to be, everyone was so excited to meet Brandon. They were going to meet

Brandon and the kids and this is a person who I was going to spend my life with. And I think everyone was knowing I deserved a partner to spend the rest of my life with knowing how I've dedicated my life to my family and all my coworkers and the hospital. I've been loyalty to a fault. So they were really, you know, looking forward to it. Brandon planned to come a few days in advance to finally meet her and help with last-minute preparations. And in the weeks leading up to it, they were constantly in touch. So we're planning the party.

I'm buying dresses and sitting in pictures. Oh, that's beautiful. They're going to look beautiful. That blank check Brandon mentioned, he followed through. Jackie got a check for $100,000. So eventually the check did come and I'm like, I told my girlfriend. Jackie's friend was excited for her, but she was also a little skeptical. $100,000 was a huge amount of money to receive in the mail.

And there was something else about this check that didn't seem right. Brandon's name wasn't on it. Instead, it was a woman's name, a woman Jackie had never heard of. when she asked Brandon about it. He told me that she was one of his clients and she owed him money. I'm like, all right. But Jackie's friend wasn't convinced. She encouraged Jackie to go to the police to make sure the check was safe to cash.

I go to the police and I say, I've got this check. I don't know if it's fraud or it's a fake or whatever, but they just blew me off. Took down my statement. and just said, oh, see if it clears. The check cleared. If the cops weren't worried about it, Jackie wasn't either. Brandon had one more surprise.

The day after the party, he wanted to take her on a trip. We were going to Santorini. That trip would be the beginning of their life together, finally in the same place. So he wanted to move to Connecticut. I was like, you know, the weather's like here. And he's like, yeah, he, you know, had been in New York and Virginia. And that's when he started sending me, along with these statements, he's sending me real estate listings of million-dollar homes in affluent parts of Connecticut.

They were strategizing about which town and neighborhood would be best for his kids. And he's like, oh, what are the schools like around there? And I'm telling them about the country day schools and where they are. The date of the party was growing closer. Brandon was finishing up a work contract across the country. And he's still, he's coming, he's coming, he's coming, he's wrapping up the job in California. About a week before the party, I get a call on my cell phone and I says, East Haven Police. Oh my God, what the hell do they want?

She picked up. And it's a detective Tran. He says, is this Jacqueline Crunch? So I say yes? He said, Jacqueline, we got a call, an anonymous call from a gentleman with a thick Indian accent stating, you were being scammed and they felt sorry for you. You can have opinions. You can have like a strong stance.

And then there's your body having its own program. I'm Dr. Maya Shunker, a cognitive scientist and hosts of the podcast, a slight change of plans, a show about who we are and who we become when life makes other plans. We share stories and scientific insights to help us all better navigate these periods of turbulence and transformation. There is one finding that is consistent, and that is that our resilience rests on our relationships. I wish that I hadn't resisted for so long the need to change. We have to be willing to live with a kind of uncertainty that none of us LISN To listen to a slight change of plans on the I-HeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

On a recent episode of the podcast, Money and Wealth with John O'Brien, I sit down with Tiffany the budgetista Aliche to talk about what it really takes to take control of your money. What would that look like in our families if everyone was able to pass on wealth to the people when they're no longer here? We break down budgeting, financial discipline, and how to build real wealth, starting with the mindset, shifts, too many of us were never, ever taught. Financial education is not always about, like, I'm going to get rich. That's great. It's about creating an atmosphere for you to be able to take care of yourself and leave a strong financial legacy for your family.

If you've ever felt you didn't get the memo on money, this conversation is for you to hear more. Listen to Money and Wealth with John O'Brien from the Black Effect Network on the I'd Heart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Will Ferrell's Big Money Players and IHeart Podcasts presents soccer moms. So I'm Leanne. Yeah. This is my best friend Janet.

Hey. And we have been joined at the hips since high school. Absolutely. Now a redacted amount of years later, we're still joined at the hip. Just a little bit bigger hips, wider. This is a podcast. We're recording it as we tailgate our youth soccer games in the back of my Honda Odyssey. With all the snacks and drinks.

Sidebar. Why did you get hard seltzer instead of beer? Oh, they had a bogo. Well, then you got it. Do you want a white color or something here? Just take it. Oh, what are y'all doing? Microphones?

Are you making a rap album? Oh, I would. Come on. How did you believe? I would buy it. Cuts through the defense like a hot knife through sponge cake. That sounds delicious. Oh, you're lucky.

I'm not a drug addict. You're lucky I'm not an alcoholic. You are. I'm lucky I'm not a killer. I love this team, and I'm really trying to be a figure in their lives that they can rely on. Oh. Listen to soccer moms on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, Ernest, what's up?

Money is something we all deal with, but financial literacy is what helps turn income into real wealth. On each episode of the podcast, Earn Your Leisure, we break down the conversations you need to understand money, investing, and entrepreneurship. From stocks and real estate to credit, business, and generational wealth, we translate complex financial financial topics into real conversations everyone can understand. Because the truth is, most people will never taught how money really works. But once you understand the system, you can start to build within it. That means ownership, smarter investing, and creating opportunities not just for yourself, but for the next generation.

If you want to learn how to build wealth, understand the markets, and think like an owner, earn your leisure is the podcast for you. Listen to Earn Your Leisure on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you you get your podcast. After planning a blank check 60th birthday party, scheduling a trip to Santorini, and going in on million-dollar investments, Jackie still hadn't met Brandon.

That's when she got a call from a detective. He says, is Jacqueline cringe? So I say yes? He said, Jacqueline, we got a call, an anonymous call from a gentleman with a thick Indian accent stating, you were being scammed. and they felt sorry for you. I think I, like, blanked out, maybe had a little seizure or just that gut punch.

He was like, hello. I said, uh, he said, are you being scammed? And I said, uh, no, like very doubtful. Like, oh, shit. So I hung up. Immediately, Jackie tried to sign into her online account where she managed all of her investments. But the website was down. She was locked out.

In that moment, everything clicked for Jackie. The doubts she pushed away about Brandon, about that $100,000 check. She wasn't ready to admit it out loud, but she knew the truth. My head exploded. Like, I said, oh my God, oh my God, oh, my God, oh, my God, my God. I sat for probably two hours. Numb, very numb, thinking, oh, my God. Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God.

And just trying to tally up all the losses. The loss was massive. She'd cashed out all of her retirement accounts, hundreds of thousands. She'd even borrowed against the value of her home. While she was reeling, she knew one thing. She couldn't let Brandon know that she had been tipped off. So the next day, Brandon called. I said, oh, I'm not feeling well.

You know, I've got a sinus headache, and I didn't say anything. I just was trying to figure out what the hell I was going to do. She went to the police again. This time, it wasn't a suspicion. She knew something was wrong, and she wanted her money back. I get an appointment with the state police, and he's like, you know, try to bring you all the information you can. And Jackie had the receipts. Thousands of them.

She went to Geek Squad Best Buy to transfer all of her text messages and emails with Brandon to a hard drive. It took them six hours. I think there has to be over 10,000, I don't know, 20,000 text messages and all this stuff. I made copies and I have a suitcase full of these text messages. So I went dramatically to the state police dragging a suitcase. in this C drive. The investigation would take some time and the cops wanted to get as much out of Brandon as they could.

When I went to the state police, they tried to get me to still talk to him, but I just couldn't fake it any longer. She needed to confront Brandon about all the money he had stolen from her. I said, you ruined my life. You know, he denied it. He's like, oh, where's this?

coming from. And I was like, I can't even believe this. And he just like, no, let me talk to my broker. I'm going to get this straightened out. This confrontation wouldn't be without consequence. I was getting all these rejection letters from credit unions, Christian credit unions, credit card companies all over. I'm like, what is this? I did not apply for any of this. Since Brandon knew Jackie was onto him, he made a last ditch effort to see. squeeze her for all she was worth. Suddenly, Jackie was getting notifications from banks and credit card companies she'd never heard up.

How could I owe Citibank $100,000 when my limit was $40,000? On my credit report, there is an account from Fifth Third Bank. I do not have the Fifth Third account. So if that count was open at that bank, they may have used checks to make payments to my master card, which were fake checks anyway. but they paid them. After that, Brandon went MIA. He disappeared from Jackie's life entirely.

And the police investigation uncovered that the real person in Brandon's photos was a gentleman from Australia. The guy in the pictures had no idea who Jackie was. He lived in Australia, worked in construction. And unbeknownst to him, someone somewhere had been stealing his photos straight from his public social media profiles.

Jackie was reeling because she'd spoken to Brandon's two kids on the phone. All of a sudden, she realized those must have been adults disguising their voices and playing the part of children. He was controlling it all because he was like texting me at the same time, I guess, acting like he was the kids. It was so intricate. There was no way Brandon could have done this alone. The police had been investigating her case.

and they came back with a few answers. The state trooper traced two of the crypto wallets, one to Shanghai, one to Nigeria. The investigation led the police across the world to warehouses full of computers. And the police actually investigatively had traveled to Thailand and Cambodia and said the building was as big as a casino full of tables and computers and people scamming.

So I stepped into something huge. I think it is international, and I have no idea where this person is. As far as that $100,000 check Jackie got in the mail, the police went back to check it out. They found out that it was sent from a woman in Florida, who was another victim of this complex scam. I find out later from the state police that she said two people, $100,000, and she thought I was an investor.

That's what she was told. One thing she doesn't have the answer to is who called to tip off the police. She wonders if it was Brandon himself disguising his voice or someone else who she'd never met. My girlfriend thinks that maybe it was him. and she's like, I think he's had feelings for you. And I think somebody probably, if you were talking to me for a year, you'd probably get feelings for me too. While detectives chased wallets across borders,

Jackie had to live in the wreckage at home. There was still the question of her party, which was supposed to be the following week. Why would I cancel if I was already I, someone was invested like 72 grand? She'd already paid for the party. So she might as well enjoy it. It was a white party.

It was open bar. It was unbelievable. Some people would never experience this again in their life. You know, it was a beautiful day. So, you know, we're all just on this 60th birthday party, having a great time. But the whole party was built on an illusion. And Jackie was one of the only ones that day, Who knew the truth?

It was hard enough for Jackie to go through with the party. She couldn't bring herself to tell her friends and family what really happened. So we go on, the party goes on without a hitch. You know, they're like, oh, where's the old? Couldn't, you know, couldn't make it. Because I was kind of, it was kind of dark. And I'm going through with the state police and the investigation. But after the party, it was time to face the music.

I'm starting to have to deal with what is happening now with all these finances. It seemed like Mission Impossible with how I was trying to deal with this. She had to tell her family and friends what happened. I tell my niece and I tell my best friend. My godmother, who's in her 80s, I thought she was going to have like a heart attack. She was so heartbroken that someone would do this to me. Even Jackie was having a hard time believing it. Everything about Brandon felt so real.

They prayed together. He sent her meals multiple times a week. He really knew her. It made Jackie question the things she knew to be true about herself. I thought I was like a sharp attack in the box. It seems ridiculous because there was some of my friends are like, Jack, come on, can't show his face. This is a scam. And maybe twice I heard this is a scam.

When she reflects on how this happened. It's a psychological thing where I feel like I got softened by that partner being just that great and supported. And I'm so proud of you and da-da-da, this and that. But I am human. And I think that human factor got in. And he was able to, whether you say manipulate me or just have me trust him. The emotional manipulation is the thing that she struggles to make sense of.

She wasn't desperate for her partner. She was just open to connection. And Brandon, whoever he was, took advantage of that. It was enough of an opening for the scam to work. He really sold me like, yep, we're going to be together. So I think just that vulnerability, which I didn't at the time think I had, it is so hard to stop my brain from just, you know, rehash, rehash, rehash, rehash. Jackie's had to face steep financial consequences.

When we asked her the total amount, she started shuffling through papers. 40,420,000, 189,000 plus another 150,000, plus 100,000 to Bank of America, 30,000 to Navy Federal. Did I say Citibank $100,000? It's definitely over a million. She'd been wiped out. For the first time in decades, she had to budget for every dollar.

I was in my local grocery store, and this cheese company had some smoke good of cheese. So I said, oh, I'll taste that. And I said to them, oh, how much is this? It was $8.99. And I said, shit, I can't justify paying almost $10 for a little tiny ball of cheese. Jackie borrowed money from her niece to get an attorney to file for Chapter 13 bankruptcy. I owe Citibank $100,000.

They want $2,500 a month. What I tried to do was negotiate, but it's not working. My credit went from $790 to now, 500. I've never, ever had bad credit. I never missed a payment on anything. But now having to see what bad credit does, I work hard, I make my money, and it's going right back out. Because of this scam, she'll never have the retirement she planned and saved her entire life for. That part brings a lot of anger and hurt. I got a tax bill from the IRS for the 403B.

I owe 55,000, 56 now. And I'll have to make a payment plan. And because she borrowed against the value of her home? I'm in a short sale. We got to find somewhere to live. I'm just not sure what the future holds. She held out hope for a few months that the police could recover her assets. But because crypto transactions use the blockchain and not traditional banks,

that money can't be traced back to individuals. The police hit a dead end. I know I'm not going to get a dime of that money back, but they are keeping the case open. The police were so worried about Jackie's mental health that they sent a social worker to do a wellness check. Maybe because I do have a gun permit and I have a gun that they might look like, uh-oh, because people have taken their lives or harmed themselves with all of this going on and with just the

pure magnitude of how much money I lost. But that was never a thought, ever a thought. Jackie's resilient. She kept going. I don't let it consume me because that would paralyze me. I'm like, I got to go to work. I got to face these people and that right was one of the hardest things that I had to do at that time was put a smile on my face and continue on. There's a ignition in me that is going to prevail with this. She says her line of work puts loss in perspective. Working at a cancer hospital, you know, I like stuff. I like nice things, but you can't take any of it with you. Her niece stepped up and started a fundraising campaign, which helped Jackie cover a few bills.

Maybe like 4,000 people gave what they could, but I was overwhelmed with people just being generous. Unfortunately, this type of crime is prevalent in older demographics, and Jackie's story, while devastating, is not unique. AARP, a nonprofit organization that provides resources related to. to aging, reached out to Jackie. They wanted to work with her to help educate others about these types of scams. I was a spotlight

speaker for April. And one woman confessed that she was scammed and she's like, you know, how do you move on? I said one day at a time. There's times I want to beat myself up, but

nope, I just educate people. And I always say, don't do what I did. That's what is motivating me to fight. Jackie wants to help prevent this kind of scam from happening to other people to show how sophisticated these scams can be. Jackie didn't trust Brandon based on his online messages alone. He invested real money into her life.

And she saw the payoff. Her favorite meals were delivered to her door. Expensive jewelry arrived in the mail. her bank accounts grew. It was more than just a promise of luxury. It was the true taste of it for many months. Scammers like Jackie's are willing to spend $100,000 on their victims if it means they will eventually get a million back.

These scams don't happen in the blink of an eye. The scammers invest money, emotion, and time into their victims for months before pulling their rug out from under them. We end every weekly episode with the, same question. Why do you want to share your story? I have to tell myself every day I'm a victim. Whoever is on these websites scamming people, their entire job is to distance me with my money. And I know just talking to people, they are plagued with fear and embarrassment.

and that fight in me said, if you go hide and you don't tell your story and you know, you're embarrassed, you're not going to help anyone. On the next episode of Betrayal Weekly. Within seconds, I get a Facebook message. Is this about your dad? And I got like a chill down my back.

I responded with yes, with like a bunch of dots. And he immediately replied with, I know this because it happened to me too. Before we end the episode, I have some exciting news. Betrayal will be doing our first ever live show as part of the Virgin Voyages' True Crime Cruise. We'll be answering listener questions and discussing them live on stage

with Stacey and Tyler from Betrayal Season 3, as well as Caroline from season four. So if you have a question for us, please email us at BetrayalPod at Gmail.com with the subject line listener question. And if you want to join us on the Caribbean cruise, there are still spots available.

Search Virgin Voyages.com slash true crime. If you would like to reach out to the Betrayal team or want to tell us your betrayal story, email us at Betrayalpod at gmail.com. That's Betrayal P-O-D at Gmail.com. or follow us on Instagram at BetrayalPod. You can also connect with me on Instagram at It's Andrea Gunning.

To access our newsletter, view additional content, and connect with the Betrayal community, join our Substack at Betrayal.substack.com. We're grateful for your support. One way to show support is by subscribing to our show on Apple Podcasts. And don't forget to rate and review Betrayal. Five-star reviews go a long way. A big thank you to all of our listeners. Betrayal is a production of Glass Podcasts, a division of Glass Entertainment Group and partnership

with IHeart Podcasts. The show is executive produced by Nancy Glass and Jennifer Fasin, hosted and produced by me, Andrea Gunning. Written and produced by Monique Laborde. Also produced by Ben Federman. Associate producers are Caitlin Golden, Olivia Hewitt, and Kristen Malkuri. Casting support from Curry Richmond. Our IHeart team is Ali Perry and Jessica Kreincheck. Audio editing and mixing by Matt Dalvecchio.

Additional audio editing by Tanner Robbins. Betrayals theme composed by Oliver Baines. Music library provided by Mib Music. And for more podcasts from IHeart, visit the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, I'm Dr. Maya Shunker, a cognitive scientist and hosts of the podcast,

a slight change of plans, a show about who we are and who we become when life makes other plans. I wish that I hadn't resisted for so long the need to change. We have to be willing to live with a kind of uncertainty that none of us likes. You can have opinions. You can have like a strong stance. And then there's your body having its own program.

Listen to a slight change of plans on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hi listeners, I'm Anna Sinfield, host of The Girlfriends Trust Me Babe. I'm excited to share the Girlfriends Trust Me Babe story with you. And I want to let you know that you can get access to all episodes of season 1, 2, 3 and 4 of The Girlfriends. And every single episode of The Girlfriends Trust Me Babe, 100% ad-free with an I-heart True Crime Plus subscription. Available exclusively on Apple Podcasts. Plus, you'll get access to all episodes of The Girlfrients. friends, trust me, babe, one week ahead of everyone else. Available only to I Heart True Crime Plus

subscribers. So don't wait, head to Apple Podcasts, search for IHeart True Crime Plus, and subscribe today. Hi, listeners. I'm Jamal Jordan, the host of Roarshack, Murder at City Hall podcast. In July 2003, Councilman James E. Davis, an ambitious rising star in Brooklyn politics, was murdered inside New York City Hall, shot to death in front of more than 200 people. The killer? His political opponent, a man named Neil Askew. The full story of this shocking public murder

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Plus, you'll get access to all episodes of Rochack Murder at City Hall one week ahead of everyone else, available only to IHeart True Crime Plus subscribers. So don't wait. Head to Apple Podcasts, search for IHeart True Crime Plus, and subscribe today. Hi, I'm Bob Pittman, chairman and CEO of IHeart Media, and I'm kicking off a brand new season of my podcast, Math and Magic, Stories from the Frontiers of Marketing. Math and Magic takes you behind the scenes of the biggest businesses and industries while sharing insights from the smartest minds in marketing. Coming up this seasonal Math and Magic, CEO of Liquid Death Mike Sessario.

People think that creative ideas are like these light bulb moments that happen when you're in the shower. It's really like a stone sculpture. You're constantly just chipping away and refining. Take two interactive CEO, Strauss Snelly, and our own chief business officer, Lisa Coffey. Listen to Math and Magic on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. This is an IHeart podcast. Guaranteed human.