Betrayal - 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, it's Joel and Matt from How to Money. If your New Year's resolution is to finally get your finances in shape, we've got your back. Prices, they're still high. And the economy is all over the place. But 2026 is the year for you to get intentional and make real progress. That's right.

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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 shot. 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 gotten 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. life with. Someone who

like to take care of their selves. 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, these 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 in 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. And 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 to say, 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 there'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. 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 a 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. It was 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. I said, oh, it's finally my turn for someone to take care of me. Like God has answered my prayers. New year, new goals, and in this economy, a better money plan is more necessary than ever. I am Matt and I'm Joel. We are from the How to Money podcast and every week we help you to spend smarter, save more, and make sense of what's going on out there. If you want 2026 to be the year you finally feel in control of your money, we're here to give you the tools and advice to help you make it happen. Listen to How to Money on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Hi, I'm Dr. Priyanko Wally. And I'm Hurricane DeBolu. It's a new year. And on the podcast's health stuff, we're resetting the way we talk about our health. Which means being honest about what we know, what we don't know, and how messy it can all be. I like to sleep in late and sleep early. Is there a chronotype for that or am I just depressed? We talk to experts who share real experiences and insight.

You just really need to find where it is that you can have an impact in your own life and to start doing that. We break down the topics you want to know more about. Sleep, stress, mental health, and how the world around us, affects our overall health. We talk about all the ways to keep your body in mind, inside and out, healthy. We human beings, all we want is connection. We just want to connect with each other. Health stuff is about learning, laughing, and feeling a little less alone.

Listen on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Every January, we're encouraged to start over. But what if this year is about slowing down and learning how to understand ourselves more deeply? What if this year is about giving ourselves permission to feel what we've been holding and knowing that it's okay to ask for help? I'm Mike Delarocha, host of Sacred Lessons. This is a podcast for men navigating stress, emotional health, fatherhood, identity, and the unspoken pressures were taught to carry alone.

We talk honestly about mental health, about healing generational wounds, and about learning how to show up with more presence and care. If you want a healthier relationship with yourself and the people you love, then Sacred Lessons is the podcast for you. Listen to Sacred Lessons with Mike Dolorotcha on America's number one podcast network, IHeart. Follow Sacred Lessons with Mike DeLaurocha and start listening on the free IHeart Radio app today. Hey there, this is Dr. Jesse Mills, director of the men's clinic at UCLA Health

and host of the Mailroom podcast. Each January, guys everywhere make the same resolutions. Get stronger, work harder, fix, what's broken? But what if the real work isn't physical at all? To kick off the new year, I sat down with Dr. Steve Polter, a psychologist with over 30 years' experience, helping men unpack shame, anxiety, and emotional pain they were never taught to name.

In a powerful two-part conversation, we discuss why men aren't emotionally bulletproof, why shame hides in plain sight, and how real strength comes from listening to yourself and to others. Guys who are toxic, they're immature, or they've got something they just haven't resolved. Once that gets resolved, then there comes empathy as in compassion.

If you want this to be the year you stop powering through pain and start understanding what's underneath, listen to the mailroom on the iHeart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your favorite shows. Jackie met her new boyfriend, Brandon Miller, on a dating site for black singles. Within a few months, he was saying, 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'd 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 size 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 the 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 pay of the pay out 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. This 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 him, 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 and be. 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 could 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

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, 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 is 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 gout, 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 name. 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 bake or whatever, but they just blew me off. Took down my statement and just said, oh, see if it clears. The check 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, yep, 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 day to 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, this Jacqueline?

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. New year, new goals, and in this economy, a better money plan is more necessary than ever. I am Matt and I'm Joel. We are from the how to money podcast and every week we help you to spend smarter, save more, and make sense of what's going on out there. If you want 2026 to be the year you finally feel in control of your money,

we're here to give you the tools and advice to help you make it happen. Listen to How to Money on the IHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hi, I'm Dr. Priyanko Wally. And I'm Hurricane de Bolu. It's a new year. And on the podcast's health stuff, we're resetting the way we talk about our health. Which means being honest about what we know, what we don't know, and how messy it can all be. I like to sleep in late and sleep early.

Is there a chronotype for that or am I just depressed? We talk to experts who share real experiences and insights. You just really need to find where it is that you can have an impact in your own life and just start doing that. We break down the topics you want to know more about. Sleep, stress, mental health, and how the world around us affects our overall health. We talk about all the ways to keep your body in mind, inside and out, healthy. We human beings, all we want is connection. We just want to connect with each other.

Health stuff is about learning, laughing, and feeling a little less alone. Listen on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. A new year doesn't mean erasing who you were. It means honoring what you've survived and choosing how you want to grow. It means giving ourselves permission to feel what we've been holding and knowing that it's okay to ask for help. I'm Mike Dalarocha, host of Sacred Lessons. This podcast is a space for men to talk openly about mental health, grief, relationships, the patterns we inherit, but don't have to repeat. Here, we slow down. We listen. We learn how

vulnerability becomes strength and how healing happens in community, not in isolation. If you're ready to let go of what no longer serves you and step into the year with clarity, compassion, and purpose, Sacred Lessons is your companion on your healing journey. Listen to Sacred Lessons with Mike Delo Rich on America's number one podcast network. IHeart. Follow sacred lessons with Mike Delo Rocha and start listening on the free IHeart radio app today. Hey there, this is Dr. Jesse Mills, director of the men's clinic at UCLA Health and host of the mailroom podcast. Each January guys everywhere make the same resolutions. Get stronger,

work harder, fix, what's broken? But what if the real work isn't physical at all? To kick off the new year, I sat down with Dr. Steve Polter, a psychologist with over 30 years' experience, helping men unpack shame, anxiety, and emotional pain they were never taught the name. In a powerful two-part conversation, we discuss why men aren't emotionally bulletproof, why shame hides in plain sight, and how real strength comes from listening to yourself and to others. Guys who are toxic, they're immature, or they've got something they just haven't resolved. Once that gets resolved, then there comes empathy and compassion. If you want this to be the year, you stop powering through pain and start understanding

what's underneath, listen to the mailroom on the iHeart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your favorite shows. 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 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, oh my God, oh 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 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 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 MasterCard, 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... 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 sent 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 will 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. Only, let me, 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-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 this 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.

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, oh, 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. 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've 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 be 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 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, you know, 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 per 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 crews. 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 4. 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 Andre 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 Melcure. casting support from Curry Richmond. Our IHart 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, it's Joel and Matt from How To Money. if your New Year's resolution is to finally get your finances in shape.

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