Queen of the Con

Mair Smyth spectacularly scams a Los Angeles politician out of tens of thousands by impersonating his former mistress and making threats of taking their relationship public right before an election. Johnathan also learns that Mair’s been in the blackmail business for a while, conning men she meets on a “Sugar Daddy” dating site. As he uncovers each new head-spinning con, Johnathan wonders just how far down this rabbit hole goes. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Johnathan discovers that Mair Smyth’s cons have gone international, and police from Northern Ireland are hot on her trail. Mair's daughter Chelsea speaks out for the first time about her experience being raised by a con artist and getting roped into helping her scam $500,000 from dozens of victims in Northern Ireland. Chelsea reveals not only that Mair was an unfit mother, but offers a stunning psychological portrait of a woman who uses and exploits family members without a shred of remorse. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After doggedly pursuing law enforcement for years, Johnathan finally gets some relief. Mair Smyth is arrested in Los Angeles, but keeps herself busy awaiting trial. She uses a phony mental illness claim and a pair of crutches to trick a judge into going easy on her. But the folks she’s conned band together and are committed to fighting back. As Johnathan and his fellow victims put it all on the line to see her brought to justice, Mair’s next brazen scam could let her walk away scot-free. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mair Smyth goes on trial for scamming reality TV producer Johnathan Walton out of almost $100,000. But her latest con could prevent Walton from being allowed in the courtroom to testify against her. Victims come out of the woodwork to tell the court how she scammed them. Even her own daughter, Chelsea, shows up and tells the judge Mair is a pathological liar. But Mair's attorney casts doubt on everyone's story, threatening to thwart the justice her victims have sought for so long. As the trial reaches a fever pitch, who will the jury believe? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this bonus episode, Johnathan catches up with Buddha Noah, a Los Angeles spiritual advisor who saw the future months before Mair was charged, arrested, and convicted—and implored Johnathan not to give up just when he was about to throw in the towel. The two talk about the dark energy Buddha Noah saw in Mair Smyth, how he knew Johnathan would ultimately see justice served, and what he thinks karma has in store for this Queen of the Con. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this bonus episode, Johnathan reviews the case of Mair Smyth with Tori Telfer, author of the award-winning book Confident Women: Swindlers, Grifters, and Shapeshifters of the Feminine Persuasion. They talk about the profile of the female con artist, what Telfer has learned from her research on famous con women, why these smart criminals make some of the dumbest mistakes, and how listeners can avoid falling prey to cons. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Lizzie Mulder appears to be a wealthy Orange County CPA, swooping in like an angel to help small business owners manage their companies. After this clever con artist’s scams push her clients to the brink, Lizzie ends up in the crosshairs of an enterprising Laguna Beach detective and the FBI. But even that heat can’t prevent Lizzie from pulling her most brazen con yet. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After going public for putting "The Irish Heiress" con artist Mair Smyth behind bars, Queen of the Con host Johnathan Walton gets deluged by requests from hundreds of victims of other con artists asking for help bringing their scammers to justice. One of the most fascinating cases to come across Johnathan’s desk takes place in Orange County, California. Lizzie Mulder is no Real Housewife—she’s a dazzling CPA with an impressive pedigree and roster of high-end clientele. But things are not what they appear to be, as one of her victims learns the hard way. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When Lizzie’s husband Jesse calls up salon owners Lauren and Geneva to tell them that his wife has been stealing from them, that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Suddenly, Laguna Beach PD’s fraud detective Jordan Mirakian is fielding calls from a number of victims. He learns that Lizzie used an elaborate system of phony emails, invoices, bank accounts, and even voice-disguising technology to con her victims out of hundreds of thousands. But it’s how she gets inside the life and finances of a winery owner that hits a diabolical new low. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When Jay Avery needs to take a break from his new wine business to go to rehab, Lizzie Mulder is there for him like family. And when she takes the reins of his winery, business is booming and Jay gets an attractive offer from a Chinese investor who wants to pump millions into his company. The only problem is that every time they set up a meeting, the investor inexplicably cancels at the last minute. When Jay and his wife Marla finally learn what Lizzie’s really been up to, they go straight to the police. But will anyone believe them? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Is con artist Lizzie Mulder working alone? A trusted business owner known as "The Dog Trainer" gives Lizzie a glowing recommendation to print shop owner and victim Mike Cochran. So Mike hires her to do the books for his business. He also introduces Lizzie to his parents who need tax help. Then tragedy strikes. Mike’s ailing father takes a turn for the worse and gets admitted into hospice care. And con artist Lizzie Mulder… takes full advantage.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

While Lizzie Mulder is scamming the salon, the print shop, and the winery, her biggest victim yet is unknowingly waiting in the wings. Jen Rodriguez is a co-worker of Lizzie’s at a successful website that sells luxury travel experiences to a high-end clientele. Lizzie uses every dirty trick in her arsenal of cons and causes the company to lose millions. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In a shocking turn of events, Lizzie Mulder’s own husband, Jesse, shows up unannounced to the Laguna Beach police department and confesses to detective Jordan Mirakian that his wife is stealing millions of dollars from her clients. And then suddenly, con artist Lizzie Mulder uses the element of surprise to her advantage and ambushes detective Mirakian at a local park; telling him she wants to talk about her case. The detective convinces her to come down to the police station to talk and then records their entire conversation. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Con artist Lizzie Mulder tries her darndest to spin her elaborate scams as innocent misunderstandings, but Detective Jordan Mirakian soon catches her in documented lie after lie. Especially about one victim she scams named Joe Love. While the criminal case against Lizzie Mulder gets stronger and stronger, the detective’s higher-ups and the Orange County DA’s office order him to close the case—and let Lizzie Mulder walk away scot-free. But what Detective Mirakian does next... no one sees coming. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Once Detective Jordan Mirakian gets the IRS and FBI involved with the Lizzie Mulder case, a federal courtroom becomes ground zero for the con artist’s auspicious reckoning. In never before heard audio recordings of the gripping proceedings, victims come out of the woodwork to tell a federal judge just how irreparably damaged they are as a result of Lizzie’s many scams. But will the judge believe them? Or will he believe Lizzie Mulder, who has already proven herself to be one of the most convincing liars?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.