It's Fraud Friday! This week, we revisit our episode with Solomon Georgio. We discuss Sarma Melngailis, a business woman who went from the “Queen of Vegan Cuisine" to the “Vegan Bernie Madoff”. Plus, pet scams have become such a problem in Michigan that the Michigan Attorney General released a video warning residents. Stay Schemin'!
This was recorded on March 3rd, 2022.
Research by Kaelyn Brandt.
Sources:
https://people.com/food/bad-vegan-fame-fraud-fugitives-true-story/
https://people.com/crime/fugitive-former-vegan-restaurant-owner-caught-after-ordering-dominos-pizza/
https://www.vanityfair.com/style/2016/11/how-sarma-melngailis-became-a-runaway-fugitive
Netflix’s documentary, Bad Vegan
https://www.intheknow.com/post/dog-breeder-scam/
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This week, Laci welcomes Ira Madison III (Pop Culture Writer for GQ, Keep It! Podcast) to discuss Sean Kingston and his mom, accused of defrauding vendors out of 1 million dollars. They discover Sean Kingston's troubled past, Janice Turner's eyebrows, his discography, and where it all stands today. Stay schemin’!
Keep the scams coming and snitch on your friends by emailing us at ScamGoddessPod@gmail.com.
CON-gregation, catch Laci's TV Show Scam Goddess, now on Freeform and Hulu!
Follow on Instagram:
Scam Goddess Pod: @scamgoddesspod
Laci Mosley: @divalaci
Ira Madison III: @irathethird
Research by Kathryn Doyle
SOURCES
https://www.reggaeville.com/artist-details/sean-kingston/about/
https://www.aaemusic.com/artist/sean-kingston/
https://www.theguardian.com/music/2011/may/31/sean-kingston-jet-ski-crash
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/29/us/sean-kingston-mother-fraud-guilty.html
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/24/arts/music/sean-kingston-arrested.html
https://variety.com/2025/music/news/sean-kingston-guilty-wire-fraud-decades-in-prison-1236351705/
https://www.tmz.com/2025/03/28/sean-kingston-found-guilty-federal-wire-fraud-case/
https://nypost.com/2025/03/29/entertainment/sean-kingston-mom-janice-turner-found-guilty-in-florida-federal-wire-fraud-case/
https://mginjuryfirm.com/sean-kingston-jet-ski-accident/
https://nypost.com/2025/03/29/entertainment/sean-kingston-mom-janice-turner-found-guilty-in-florida-federal-wire-fraud-case/
https://abc3340.com/news/entertainment/miami-jury-finds-sean-kingston-and-his-morther-guilty-of-defrauding-vendors-in-high-profile-fraud-case-eenie-meenie-fire-burning-beautiful-girls-south-florida-news-april-4-2025
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In this week's Fraud Friday, Laci is joined by Eliot Glazer (Broad City, An American Pickle) to discuss Lee Israel, a well-known writer who turned to forgery fighting to survive after her declining career as an author. Plus, a group of lawyers and doctors are busted in a massive trip-and-fall scheme. Stay Schemin’! (Originally Released 09/20/2021)
CON-gregation, catch Laci's TV Show, Scam Goddess, now on Freeform and Hulu!
Order “Scam Goddess: Lessons from a Life of Cons, Grifts and Schemes" here: Hachette Book Group
Follow on Instagram:
Scam Goddess Pod: @scamgoddesspod
Laci Mosley: @divalaci
Eliot Glazer: @eliotglazer
Research by Kaelyn Brandt
SOURCES:
https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/features/lee-israel-can-you-ever-forgive-me-oscars-2019-true-story-richard-e-grant-a8758241.html
https://www.townandcountrymag.com/leisure/arts-and-culture/a23084048/can-you-ever-forgive-me-lee-israel-true-story/
https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=94461486
https://nypost.com/2018/10/15/meet-the-author-who-considered-her-forgeries-to-be-her-best-work/
https://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/08/arts/lee-israel-a-writer-proudest-of-her-literary-forgeries-dies-at-75.html
https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdny/pr/attorneys-and-doctors-new-york-charged-defrauding-businesses-and-insurance-companies
Get access to all the podcasts you love, music channels and radio shows with the SiriusXM App! Get 3 months free using this show link: https://siriusxm.com/scam.
It's that time of year, students are finishing school for the summer, and some are graduating for good. Now imagine being unable to graduate because you owe money to your school, despite being promised a debt-free education. Laci welcomes the fabulous Zachariah Porter and Jonathan Carson (Camp Counselors Podcast) to the show to discuss the fiasco behind Jay-Z's Roc Nation school launched at Long Island University in downtown, including text messages of admissions and makeshift studios. Stay schemin’!
Keep the scams coming and snitch on your friends by emailing us at ScamGoddessPod@gmail.com.
Check out the Camp Counselors Podcast
CON-gregation, catch Laci's TV Show Scam Goddess, now on Freeform and Hulu!
Follow on Instagram:
Scam Goddess Pod: @scamgoddesspod
Laci Mosley: @divalaci
Zachariah Porter: @zachariahporter
Jonathan Carson: @hellomynamesjon
Research by Kathryn Doyle
SOURCES
https://www.avclub.com/jay-z-roc-nation-university-mislead-students
https://www.bkmag.com/2025/04/08/jay-z-roc-nation-school-brooklyn-debt-free-scholarship-scam/
https://hiphopdx.com/news/jay-z-roc-nation-school-criticism-debt-free-promise
Get access to all the podcasts you love, music channels and radio shows with the SiriusXM App! Get 3 months free using this show link: https://siriusxm.com/scam.
In this week's Fraud Friday, Laci is joined by Bridger Winegar (Black Monday, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt) to discuss Sergei Mavrodi, the man behind one of the world’s largest Ponzi schemes. Plus, a 73-year-old Long Island woman helps the NYPD catch a scammer. Stay Schemin’! (Originally Released 02/21/2022)
CON-gregation, catch Laci's TV Show, Scam Goddess, now on Freeform and Hulu!
Order “Scam Goddess: Lessons from a Life of Cons, Grifts and Schemes" here: Hachette Book Group
Follow on Instagram:
Scam Goddess Pod: @scamgoddesspod
Laci Mosley: @divalaci
Bridger Winegar: @bridgerwinegar
Research by Kaelyn Brandt
SOURCES:
https://www.nbc15.com/2022/01/22/watch-grandmother-helps-catch-scammers-fun/
https://qz.com/1259524/mmm-and-bitcoin-russian-ponzi-mastermind-sergei-mavrodi-is-dead-but-his-legacy-lives-on-in-crypto/
https://www.rbth.com/history/332261-mmm-fraud-mavrodi
https://historyofyesterday.com/sergei-mavrodi-the-man-who-left-30-million-people-broke-2bbd03a9cd82
https://112.international/society/give-us-our-money-back-how-the-world-will-remember-the-mmm-financial-pyramid-founder-sergei-mavrodi-27224.html
https://www.forbes.ru/biznes/359219-hozyain-piramid-sergey-mavrodi-kak-simvol-lihih-90-h
Get access to all the podcasts you love, music channels and radio shows with the SiriusXM App! Get 3 months free using this show link: https://siriusxm.com/scam.
Can you imagine living in a mansion on a skyscraper 400 feet above the ground? No? Neither can the fugitive businessman Vijay Mallya, who fled the country before ever setting foot in it. Laci welcomes Zach Cherry (Severance, You) to strap on a wingsuit and dive into the story of the self-proclaimed "King of Good Times," his flashy airline, and how his downfall led to the creation of India’s Fugitive Economic Offenders Act. Stay schemin’!
Keep the scams coming and snitch on your friends by emailing us at ScamGoddessPod@gmail.com.
CON-gregation, catch Laci's TV Show Scam Goddess, now on Freeform and Hulu!
Follow on Instagram:
Scam Goddess Pod: @scamgoddesspod
Laci Mosley: @divalaci
Research by Kathryn Doyle
SOURCES
https://vt.co/lifestyle/relationships/billionaires-luxury-20-million-sky-mansion-sits-on-top-of-a-400ft-skyscraper-but-the-tycoon-may-never-live-in-it
https://www.businessinsider.com/sky-mansion-33-story-luxury-apartment-complex-mallya-india-2024-3
https://www.business-standard.com/about/who-is-vijay-mallya#goog_rewarded
https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/vijay-mallya-becomes-first-person-to-be-declared-a-fugitive-economic-offender/articleshow/67394758.cms
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/18/business/vijay-mallya-extradition.html
https://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/30/business/dealbook/india-vijay-mallya-debt-economy.html
https://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/21/business/worldbusiness/21air.html?_r=0
https://www.domain.com.au/news/vijay-mallyas-mansion-on-top-of-a-skyscraper-in-india-will-probably-never-be-lived-in/
https://www.vanityfair.com/style/2012/06/ambani-residence-photos-inside-architecture
Get access to all the podcasts you love, music channels and radio shows with the SiriusXM App! Get 3 months free using this show link: https://siriusxm.com/scam.
In this week's Fraud Friday, Laci is joined by Mitra Jouhari (The Big Sick, Three Busy Debras) to discuss Christian Gehartsreiter aka Clark Rockefeller, who spent 30 years passing himself off as an educated, wealthy aristocrat while taking advantage of people. Plus, three political operatives are accused of defrauding $3.5 million from PAC scams. Stay Schemin’! (Originally Released 01/03/2022)
CON-gregation, catch Laci's TV Show, Scam Goddess, now on Freeform and Hulu!
Order “Scam Goddess: Lessons from a Life of Cons, Grifts and Schemes" here: Hachette Book Group
Follow on Instagram:
Scam Goddess Pod: @scamgoddesspod
Laci Mosley: @divalaci
Mitra Jouhari: @mitrajouhari
Research by Kaelyn Brandt
SOURCES:
https://media.vanityfair.com/photos/54cc01740a5930502f5f4667/master/w_1600,c_limit/image.jpg
https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2008/08/08/the-little-town-and-life-rockefeller-left-for-fame/l20Zs5ZzVbgic07Sf0MB6M/story.html
https://www.standard.co.uk/hp/front/the-four-faces-of-rockefeller-6910914.html
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/11/10/us/politics/pac-operator-charges.html?searchResultPosition=3
Get access to all the podcasts you love, music channels and radio shows with the SiriusXM App! Get 3 months free using this show link: https://siriusxm.com/scam.
This week, Laci welcomes Jessi Klein and Liz Feldman from the Here To Make Friends podcast, who share about being victim to the latest Toll Road scam. Then, Laci takes the gals down the winding road of today's Historic Hoodwink following a Con-Mum who scammed her own son, which leaves Jessi and Liz speechless. Stay scheming’!
Make sure to listen to the Here To Make Friends podcast.
Keep the scams coming and snitch on your friends by emailing us at ScamGoddessPod@gmail.com.
CON-gregation, catch Laci's TV Show Scam Goddess, now on Freeform and Hulu!
Follow on Instagram:
Scam Goddess Pod: @scamgoddesspod
Laci Mosley: @divalaci
Jessi Klein: @youracquaintancejessiklein
Liz Feldman: @thelizfeldman
Research by Kathryn Doyle
SOURCES
https://www.netflix.com/title/81708174
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c14xn65vg2yo
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2025/mar/22/does-she-love-me-no-is-she-capable-of-love-no-my-mother-the-con-artist
https://www.eonline.com/news/1415921/netflixs-con-mum-where-graham-hornigold-is-now
Get access to all the podcasts you love, music channels and radio shows with the SiriusXM App! Get 3 months free using this show link: https://siriusxm.com/scam.
On this week's Fraud Friday, actor Behzad Dabu joins us to discuss how one summer camp shut down after 6 days of opening and is being referred to as the “Fyre Fest” of summer camps. Plus, a woman steals from a Walmart just by pretending to be a manager. Stay Schemin’! (Originally released 8/16/21)
Research by Kaelyn Brandt.
Sources:
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/inside-the-landmark-forum_b_90028
https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2009/08/landmark-42-hours-500-65-breakdowns/
https://boston.cbslocal.com/2021/07/23/camp-quinebarge-new-hampshire-camp-closes-suddenly/
https://www.bostonglobe.com/2021/07/22/metro/fyre-fest-overnight-camps-closes-after-6-days/
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/07/24/us/summer-camp-reopen-counselors.html
https://www.campquinebarge.com/
https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/connecticut/articles/2021-07-16/kids-weight-loss-camp-that-closed-has-history-of-violations
https://www.fox10tv.com/news/suspected-serial-con-artist-accused-of-pretending-to-be-a-walmart-manager-to-steal-cash/article_3f56855e-f017-11eb-879b-f3164939a999.html
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kw5cT8nfp1U
Get access to all the podcasts you love, music channels and radio shows with the SiriusXM App! Get 3 months free using this show link: https://siriusxm.com/scam.
Joel Kim Booster (Wondery’s Bad Dates and Bravo’s Love Hotel) joins Laci to dive into all of your scams and stories, CON-gregation! First, Joel shares his own heartbreaking story of being caught shoplifting. Then, they dive into letters revealing an Ocean’s Eleven-level grocery store checkout scam (also… stop locking everything up, grocery stores!!!), how to dupe the public transit system with a screenshot, a boss becoming someone's “John,” and a text-ual relationship that was sketchy as hell. Stay schemin’!
Be sure to check out Joel hosting Bravo's Love Hotel out now! on BRAVO!
Keep the scams coming and snitch on your shady friends by emailing us at ScamGoddessPod@gmail.com.
CON-gregation, catch Laci's TV Show Scam Goddess, now on Freeform and Hulu!
Follow on Instagram:
Scam Goddess Pod: @scamgoddesspod
Laci Mosley: @divalaci
Joel Kim Booster: @ihatejoelkim
Confession Stories by the CONgregation
Curated By Jessica Cisneros
Get access to all the podcasts you love, music channels and radio shows with the SiriusXM App! Get 3 months free using this show link: https://siriusxm.com/scam.
In this week's Fraud Friday, Laci is joined by Clark Moore (Love, Simon, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend) to discuss a particular scam involving the Ukrainian Marriage industry. Plus, we look into how scammers are taking advantage of billionaire MacKenzie Scott’s pledge to donate half her fortune. Stay schemin'! (Originally Released 07/26/2021)
CON-gregation, catch Laci's TV Show, Scam Goddess, now on Freeform and Hulu!
Order “Scam Goddess: Lessons from a Life of Cons, Grifts and Schemes" here: Hachette Book Group
Follow on Instagram:
Scam Goddess Pod: @scamgoddesspod
Laci Mosley: @divalaci
Clark Moore: @mrclarkmoore
Research by Kaelyn Brandt
SOURCES:
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-57358241
https://www.news18.com/news/buzz/british-man-duped-of-250000-on-pretext-of-marriage-to-a-ukrainian-3886691.html
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/24/business/mackenzie-scott-giving-scams.html?action=click&module=Top%20Stories&pgtype=Homepage
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/20/business/mackenzie-scott-philanthropy.html
https://nyfights.com/worldwide/no-i-didnt-pull-a-cancer-scam-says-podcaster-jonathan-leir-aka-jonny-straws/
Get access to all the podcasts you love, music channels and radio shows with the SiriusXM App! Get 3 months free using this show link: https://siriusxm.com/scam.
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