1 00:00:05,640 --> 00:00:08,800 Speaker 1: The con woman's likability is the single most important tool. 2 00:00:08,880 --> 00:00:11,480 Speaker 1: She has sharp as a chef's knife and fake as 3 00:00:11,520 --> 00:00:15,000 Speaker 1: a theater mask. Without her likability, she would be nothing. 4 00:00:15,840 --> 00:00:19,320 Speaker 1: If you like her, and you will like her, then 5 00:00:19,360 --> 00:00:21,959 Speaker 1: her work will be so much easier. It'll all be 6 00:00:22,000 --> 00:00:28,720 Speaker 1: over quickly. You'll hardly feel a thing that is. Award 7 00:00:28,760 --> 00:00:32,120 Speaker 1: winning author Tory Telfer reading an excerpt from her latest book, 8 00:00:32,479 --> 00:00:36,800 Speaker 1: Confident Women, about the greatest female con artists of all time. 9 00:00:37,440 --> 00:00:39,920 Speaker 1: She's the perfect person to talk to about the greatest 10 00:00:39,920 --> 00:00:43,199 Speaker 1: female con artist I ever met and got scamped by. 11 00:00:44,000 --> 00:00:47,159 Speaker 1: I'm Jonathan Walton, and this is a bonus episode of 12 00:00:47,280 --> 00:00:49,920 Speaker 1: Queen of the Con where I interview a woman who 13 00:00:49,920 --> 00:00:53,840 Speaker 1: has literally spent years researching and writing about the mayor 14 00:00:53,920 --> 00:00:58,600 Speaker 1: Smith's of the world. This is episode ten, Anatomy of 15 00:00:58,640 --> 00:01:07,400 Speaker 1: a Con. Tori, thank you so much for joining us today. 16 00:01:07,520 --> 00:01:11,480 Speaker 1: I really, really, really enjoyed your book. I finished it 17 00:01:11,480 --> 00:01:14,120 Speaker 1: in two days and it was just a rip roaring 18 00:01:14,200 --> 00:01:20,960 Speaker 1: good time, which is what my Amazon review said. Thank you, congratulations. 19 00:01:21,040 --> 00:01:24,520 Speaker 1: Just what an amazing what an amazing tale of dozens 20 00:01:24,520 --> 00:01:29,039 Speaker 1: of dozens of dozens of different Cohn women throughout history. Yeah, well, 21 00:01:29,040 --> 00:01:32,160 Speaker 1: thank you for having me. So your book focuses on 22 00:01:32,280 --> 00:01:36,480 Speaker 1: female con artists. Is there a difference between male and 23 00:01:36,560 --> 00:01:40,240 Speaker 1: female con artists or are all con artists the same 24 00:01:40,880 --> 00:01:44,320 Speaker 1: on a macro level. I believe all con artists are 25 00:01:44,400 --> 00:01:46,960 Speaker 1: kind of doing the same thing. But there is one 26 00:01:47,080 --> 00:01:50,000 Speaker 1: very notable difference between male and female con artists, which 27 00:01:50,160 --> 00:01:53,800 Speaker 1: is the stereotypes they use, the cliches that they use 28 00:01:53,880 --> 00:01:56,880 Speaker 1: to get you. So male con artists are more likely 29 00:01:56,920 --> 00:01:58,920 Speaker 1: to pretend to be a doctor or a lawyer or 30 00:01:59,320 --> 00:02:03,200 Speaker 1: important busines this man, you know something. Very male female 31 00:02:03,240 --> 00:02:06,120 Speaker 1: con artists know that you're going to be a little 32 00:02:06,120 --> 00:02:08,160 Speaker 1: bit suspicious of a female who's trying to sell you 33 00:02:08,200 --> 00:02:11,560 Speaker 1: the Brooklyn Bridge because women don't. Women aren't in construction, 34 00:02:12,160 --> 00:02:16,120 Speaker 1: so she so she's more likely to be a a 35 00:02:16,320 --> 00:02:20,520 Speaker 1: seer or a you know, a wounded mother or a 36 00:02:20,600 --> 00:02:24,520 Speaker 1: grieving widow. Female con artists are are definitely not afraid 37 00:02:24,520 --> 00:02:27,160 Speaker 1: of sexist stereotypes, and they'll lean into them to get 38 00:02:27,160 --> 00:02:30,360 Speaker 1: what they want. My book, Confident Women is about con 39 00:02:30,400 --> 00:02:34,000 Speaker 1: women throughout the ages, you know, from the Civil War 40 00:02:34,280 --> 00:02:37,440 Speaker 1: to the court of Marie Internette to today. Some of 41 00:02:37,440 --> 00:02:40,280 Speaker 1: these women are still in prison today and I've divided 42 00:02:40,320 --> 00:02:42,840 Speaker 1: it into four sections, so it's kind of four different 43 00:02:42,880 --> 00:02:45,520 Speaker 1: types of con women, from the con women who are 44 00:02:45,520 --> 00:02:47,520 Speaker 1: really obsessed with money to the con women who are 45 00:02:47,560 --> 00:02:51,960 Speaker 1: really obsessed with disguises, and all shades in between. I 46 00:02:52,000 --> 00:02:55,280 Speaker 1: do think my con artist Mayor Smith, kind of borrows 47 00:02:55,320 --> 00:02:59,360 Speaker 1: from every single category. It sounds like, how did you 48 00:02:59,400 --> 00:03:03,640 Speaker 1: get into a con artistry? Were you a victim? Ever? No, 49 00:03:04,160 --> 00:03:06,320 Speaker 1: of nothing more than a few minor cons. You know, 50 00:03:06,360 --> 00:03:09,280 Speaker 1: the type we all experience, the roommate who doesn't do X, 51 00:03:09,400 --> 00:03:11,200 Speaker 1: Y and Z, or the person on the street who 52 00:03:11,200 --> 00:03:13,920 Speaker 1: says they need money for this, but it's for that. No, 53 00:03:14,000 --> 00:03:16,760 Speaker 1: I've never been like a capital of the victim. I 54 00:03:16,840 --> 00:03:19,920 Speaker 1: came at it through writing about female criminals. My first 55 00:03:19,919 --> 00:03:23,440 Speaker 1: book was about female serial killers, so I was looking 56 00:03:23,480 --> 00:03:27,600 Speaker 1: around for something a little later. But as you know, well, 57 00:03:27,840 --> 00:03:31,480 Speaker 1: con artists are not as light as people think they are. Right. 58 00:03:31,560 --> 00:03:33,600 Speaker 1: It's like all fun and games at first, and then 59 00:03:33,600 --> 00:03:37,720 Speaker 1: it gets really dark. Yeah, it's all funny games until 60 00:03:37,760 --> 00:03:41,200 Speaker 1: it happens to you. You know, your book brought me 61 00:03:41,240 --> 00:03:43,760 Speaker 1: so much comfort in a strange way. After I realized 62 00:03:43,800 --> 00:03:47,400 Speaker 1: I was conned, I felt so alone, like I'm the 63 00:03:47,400 --> 00:03:48,880 Speaker 1: only one that's ever happened to you. But then I 64 00:03:48,880 --> 00:03:51,240 Speaker 1: started finding a bunch of other victims of my con artists, 65 00:03:51,240 --> 00:03:54,320 Speaker 1: and the read your book, and I realized that being 66 00:03:54,360 --> 00:03:58,640 Speaker 1: a con artist is a lot of people's full time profession. 67 00:03:58,920 --> 00:04:02,360 Speaker 1: You know, it was Mayor Smith's full time profession. I 68 00:04:02,400 --> 00:04:06,880 Speaker 1: had no idea. Con artists are literally everywhere, but until 69 00:04:07,000 --> 00:04:10,160 Speaker 1: one cons you, you have no idea. You just have 70 00:04:10,280 --> 00:04:12,680 Speaker 1: no idea. I like the excerpt you read from your book, 71 00:04:12,680 --> 00:04:16,120 Speaker 1: the con woman's likability is the single most important tool 72 00:04:16,200 --> 00:04:22,360 Speaker 1: she has. As soon as I read that, I was like, yes, yes, Yes, 73 00:04:22,680 --> 00:04:27,680 Speaker 1: that was Mayor. She was so likable, she was so lovable, 74 00:04:27,720 --> 00:04:31,640 Speaker 1: and that's how she got deep into her victims lives 75 00:04:31,680 --> 00:04:34,520 Speaker 1: to condemn. And that's something you found again and again 76 00:04:34,520 --> 00:04:36,400 Speaker 1: and again in your book. You gotta fall in like 77 00:04:36,520 --> 00:04:40,880 Speaker 1: with them immediately, immediately, because if they're not likable, and 78 00:04:40,920 --> 00:04:44,400 Speaker 1: if you don't personally like them, then it becomes clear 79 00:04:44,520 --> 00:04:48,240 Speaker 1: how outrageous their demands are, or the cracks in their 80 00:04:48,240 --> 00:04:51,720 Speaker 1: story become so apparent. I mean, it's like we would 81 00:04:51,760 --> 00:04:53,640 Speaker 1: do a lot of things for our friends, right If 82 00:04:53,640 --> 00:04:55,560 Speaker 1: a friend asked to borrow a cup of sugar, borrow 83 00:04:55,600 --> 00:04:58,240 Speaker 1: five dollars. That's not weird. If a total stranger on 84 00:04:58,240 --> 00:05:00,520 Speaker 1: the street asks those same thing, things were going to 85 00:05:00,600 --> 00:05:02,720 Speaker 1: be wary. So the con woman has to become our 86 00:05:02,760 --> 00:05:06,920 Speaker 1: friend really fast. And yeah, like all these women in 87 00:05:06,960 --> 00:05:11,200 Speaker 1: my book are so good at socializing, it's really stunning. Yeah, 88 00:05:11,360 --> 00:05:14,360 Speaker 1: she's skilled, a skilled socialize her. She knows how to 89 00:05:14,400 --> 00:05:16,520 Speaker 1: get in deep and get in quick and make make 90 00:05:16,560 --> 00:05:19,760 Speaker 1: you like her. That's the common thread. I've spoken to 91 00:05:19,920 --> 00:05:23,040 Speaker 1: my gosh, dozens of victims of Mayor Smith, and all 92 00:05:23,080 --> 00:05:26,800 Speaker 1: of them say the same thing. They liked her immediately. Wow. Yeah, 93 00:05:26,839 --> 00:05:35,600 Speaker 1: I'm not surprised. What is the psychological profile of a 94 00:05:35,720 --> 00:05:38,960 Speaker 1: con what motivates them, what drives them? I think con 95 00:05:39,040 --> 00:05:41,719 Speaker 1: artists have a lot of different things going on, but 96 00:05:41,760 --> 00:05:45,680 Speaker 1: if I was gonna find one or two commonalities, money 97 00:05:45,760 --> 00:05:48,000 Speaker 1: is a huge one. It's not that romantic, but it 98 00:05:48,080 --> 00:05:51,520 Speaker 1: is such a consistent presence in these stories. But I 99 00:05:51,520 --> 00:05:57,400 Speaker 1: think another commonality is power, you know, power over the victims, 100 00:05:57,440 --> 00:06:01,320 Speaker 1: over their own narrative. And actually that's something I saw 101 00:06:01,360 --> 00:06:05,080 Speaker 1: in serial killers too. It's very different crimes, but the 102 00:06:04,800 --> 00:06:08,159 Speaker 1: the criminal comes down to having this desire for power 103 00:06:08,240 --> 00:06:11,000 Speaker 1: over other people. It's funny, you say that it kind 104 00:06:11,000 --> 00:06:13,120 Speaker 1: of reminds me, And don't hate me for saying this. 105 00:06:13,640 --> 00:06:18,200 Speaker 1: Rape rape is not really about sex most times exactly, 106 00:06:18,560 --> 00:06:23,320 Speaker 1: It's about power, and it's also about having instilling fear 107 00:06:23,400 --> 00:06:26,840 Speaker 1: in someone's eyes and getting off on that fear. Yes, yeah, 108 00:06:26,920 --> 00:06:31,359 Speaker 1: I think that crimes, or at least these particularly violent 109 00:06:31,600 --> 00:06:37,000 Speaker 1: or just major crimes, are often not about what they 110 00:06:37,000 --> 00:06:40,200 Speaker 1: sound like on the surface, which ties into a belief 111 00:06:40,240 --> 00:06:43,160 Speaker 1: I held for like ten years now, especially living in 112 00:06:43,160 --> 00:06:46,640 Speaker 1: this town, Los Angeles. Nothing is what it appears to be. 113 00:06:47,160 --> 00:06:50,000 Speaker 1: Looks are deceiving. Things look one way when really it's 114 00:06:50,000 --> 00:06:52,320 Speaker 1: the other way, But you have no idea until you're 115 00:06:52,360 --> 00:06:56,919 Speaker 1: into it. One of my favorite movies of all time 116 00:06:57,360 --> 00:07:00,159 Speaker 1: is Dirty Rotten Scoundrels. Have you seen that movie a 117 00:07:00,200 --> 00:07:03,559 Speaker 1: long time ago? So don't quiz me on it. Steve 118 00:07:03,640 --> 00:07:07,080 Speaker 1: Martin and Michael Caine. It's about, you know, con women 119 00:07:07,160 --> 00:07:11,800 Speaker 1: and con men. On the French Riviera. I was showing 120 00:07:11,880 --> 00:07:14,200 Speaker 1: Nicolas property in Florida. He goes, if I'm going to 121 00:07:14,280 --> 00:07:17,240 Speaker 1: invest sixteen million bucks, I want to do with someplace? Now, 122 00:07:17,360 --> 00:07:20,440 Speaker 1: I say, like, we're He goes, how about Australia and 123 00:07:20,480 --> 00:07:22,800 Speaker 1: then he hits me boom, or Australia. What are you 124 00:07:22,880 --> 00:07:25,880 Speaker 1: kidding me? We gotta go meet Mr Australia himself. I 125 00:07:26,000 --> 00:07:28,200 Speaker 1: say so, he goes why not? I go why up? 126 00:07:28,200 --> 00:07:33,080 Speaker 1: Pretty soon the whole group goes, why so? Here we are. 127 00:07:33,840 --> 00:07:37,520 Speaker 1: And never for a second did I think any of 128 00:07:37,560 --> 00:07:41,239 Speaker 1: those gargantu and elaborate, unbelievable cons featured in the movie 129 00:07:41,640 --> 00:07:45,520 Speaker 1: were based on real stories. But your book is chalk 130 00:07:45,640 --> 00:07:49,400 Speaker 1: full of stories like that, and each con is more 131 00:07:49,440 --> 00:07:53,040 Speaker 1: elaborate and magnificent than the one before. The woman pretending 132 00:07:53,040 --> 00:07:55,880 Speaker 1: to be Maria Antoinette, I'd never heard this story before 133 00:07:55,960 --> 00:07:58,640 Speaker 1: until I read your book. She scams the jeweler out 134 00:07:58,680 --> 00:08:03,840 Speaker 1: of a million dollar diamond necklace, essentially using elaborate impersonations 135 00:08:03,880 --> 00:08:09,040 Speaker 1: and really forged letters. Right. That was Mayor Smith's go 136 00:08:09,240 --> 00:08:12,720 Speaker 1: to the modern day equivalent of forged letters, forged emails 137 00:08:13,160 --> 00:08:16,440 Speaker 1: to scam people. How is that story not better known? 138 00:08:16,480 --> 00:08:18,480 Speaker 1: How have I never you know? I'm an educated guy, 139 00:08:18,640 --> 00:08:21,560 Speaker 1: I am well read. I've never heard that story before. 140 00:08:21,960 --> 00:08:23,520 Speaker 1: Why is it not more known? Why is it not 141 00:08:23,560 --> 00:08:28,000 Speaker 1: like a big Hollywood movie about the Marie Antoinette necklace scam? 142 00:08:28,040 --> 00:08:31,080 Speaker 1: I think there are two reasons. One is probably just 143 00:08:31,200 --> 00:08:34,800 Speaker 1: plain old fashioned sexism. We do know the stories of 144 00:08:34,880 --> 00:08:38,560 Speaker 1: con men a lot better. Ponzi made off ABC, Nail, 145 00:08:38,640 --> 00:08:40,960 Speaker 1: the guy who sold the Brooklyn Bridge twice. These are 146 00:08:41,000 --> 00:08:44,000 Speaker 1: just more famous than the con women's stories. But in 147 00:08:44,080 --> 00:08:48,120 Speaker 1: terms of this specific con woman, she was really a nobody. 148 00:08:48,400 --> 00:08:52,920 Speaker 1: She was an orphan, she was poor, she was not 149 00:08:53,080 --> 00:08:58,240 Speaker 1: very proper, and I think that historians with a capital 150 00:08:58,480 --> 00:09:01,120 Speaker 1: H looked down on her story for a very long 151 00:09:01,160 --> 00:09:04,319 Speaker 1: time and we're like, oh, that can't possibly be um 152 00:09:04,320 --> 00:09:07,640 Speaker 1: worthy of examining. But as a matter of fact, she 153 00:09:07,800 --> 00:09:10,080 Speaker 1: kind of. She was one of the one of the 154 00:09:10,120 --> 00:09:13,800 Speaker 1: things that kicked off the French Revolution. Actually, my gosh, 155 00:09:14,080 --> 00:09:16,120 Speaker 1: just such a compelling story, and it reminded me of 156 00:09:16,160 --> 00:09:19,760 Speaker 1: Mayor because, like you said, she she came from nowhere. 157 00:09:19,840 --> 00:09:23,880 Speaker 1: She was poor, but through fake emails and fake text 158 00:09:23,920 --> 00:09:27,679 Speaker 1: messages and impersonating different people, she could appear to be 159 00:09:27,800 --> 00:09:32,080 Speaker 1: this well connected woman dating a politician, an Irish Heiri's 160 00:09:32,120 --> 00:09:35,560 Speaker 1: worth millions. All of these these things came to life 161 00:09:35,720 --> 00:09:38,480 Speaker 1: with Mayor when you'd read emails addressed to her. Her 162 00:09:38,520 --> 00:09:45,960 Speaker 1: best friend was Jennifer Aniston. Of course, Jennifer Aniston would 163 00:09:45,960 --> 00:09:48,160 Speaker 1: text and email her all the time, and she would 164 00:09:48,200 --> 00:09:50,720 Speaker 1: show the victim. Look, Jennifer Aniston just texted me this, 165 00:09:50,880 --> 00:09:54,360 Speaker 1: just email me this. You know, So there's a fake 166 00:09:54,400 --> 00:09:57,040 Speaker 1: Brad Pitt in my book. So this is There are 167 00:09:57,080 --> 00:10:01,600 Speaker 1: so many parallels here, Yes, yes, yes, yes. Psychic Rose 168 00:10:01,679 --> 00:10:05,160 Speaker 1: Marx is another con artists you profile in your book. 169 00:10:05,360 --> 00:10:07,680 Speaker 1: She scams, I mean, she scams a bunch of people, 170 00:10:07,760 --> 00:10:10,800 Speaker 1: but really her best known victim is as an author 171 00:10:11,360 --> 00:10:14,560 Speaker 1: ju Devereaux. She scams Jude out of twenty million dollars 172 00:10:14,679 --> 00:10:19,160 Speaker 1: using a thousand different confidence tricks and emotional manipulations over 173 00:10:19,200 --> 00:10:24,400 Speaker 1: the course of years. In my estimation, Rose Marx is 174 00:10:24,440 --> 00:10:27,800 Speaker 1: what Mayor Smith was working towards, but she never found 175 00:10:27,880 --> 00:10:30,960 Speaker 1: such a wealthy client. Mayor ended up scamming tens of 176 00:10:31,000 --> 00:10:33,320 Speaker 1: thousands from a bunch of different clients and that's all 177 00:10:33,360 --> 00:10:35,439 Speaker 1: they could afford to pay. But I guess she was 178 00:10:35,480 --> 00:10:38,680 Speaker 1: looking for a big fish like Rose Mars found. Yeah. 179 00:10:38,720 --> 00:10:41,280 Speaker 1: I think Rose Marks really lucked out when it comes 180 00:10:41,320 --> 00:10:44,480 Speaker 1: to being a con artist. There can't be that many, 181 00:10:44,600 --> 00:10:48,360 Speaker 1: you know, extremely successful millionaires who happened to be in 182 00:10:48,360 --> 00:10:51,440 Speaker 1: a vulnerable position when the con artists comes around. I mean, 183 00:10:51,679 --> 00:10:54,480 Speaker 1: for this poor author Jude Devereaux. It was just like 184 00:10:55,200 --> 00:10:58,240 Speaker 1: a horrifically perfect situation. When she met the con woman. 185 00:10:58,360 --> 00:11:00,960 Speaker 1: She was having marriage troubles, she couldn't have a kid, 186 00:11:01,120 --> 00:11:04,800 Speaker 1: you know, just everything in her life was upset, and 187 00:11:04,880 --> 00:11:08,440 Speaker 1: so Rosemar swooped in and was able to maintain this 188 00:11:08,559 --> 00:11:11,440 Speaker 1: decades long relationship. But I think she kind of just 189 00:11:11,520 --> 00:11:14,360 Speaker 1: got lucky, like there probably aren't too many people like 190 00:11:14,440 --> 00:11:18,280 Speaker 1: that out there for the people like Mayor Smith to find. Yes, 191 00:11:18,400 --> 00:11:21,040 Speaker 1: but she did do damage, i'll reveal to listeners now 192 00:11:21,120 --> 00:11:22,840 Speaker 1: is something that's not in any of the podcast, so 193 00:11:22,880 --> 00:11:25,200 Speaker 1: we didn't cover because we never got an actual interview 194 00:11:25,520 --> 00:11:29,080 Speaker 1: from this victim who Mayor scammed as a psychic. So 195 00:11:29,360 --> 00:11:32,160 Speaker 1: this victim came to see Mayor as a psychic and 196 00:11:32,240 --> 00:11:34,920 Speaker 1: she ended up testifying against her. You'll hear her in 197 00:11:35,040 --> 00:11:38,719 Speaker 1: episode eight. She testifies on the stand against her. She 198 00:11:39,080 --> 00:11:41,360 Speaker 1: found a Mayor as a psychic, and then Mayor quickly 199 00:11:41,400 --> 00:11:44,199 Speaker 1: convinced her, Oh, by the way, I'm also a psychologist 200 00:11:44,200 --> 00:11:47,600 Speaker 1: IV a degree in psychology, so i also offer life coaching. 201 00:11:47,640 --> 00:11:50,960 Speaker 1: So she started offering this woman life coaching and then 202 00:11:51,080 --> 00:11:54,040 Speaker 1: quickly impersonated the woman confided in her I'm in love 203 00:11:54,080 --> 00:11:56,839 Speaker 1: with this guy, you know, and think to yourself, how 204 00:11:56,840 --> 00:11:58,360 Speaker 1: many times have you been in love with someone you 205 00:11:58,360 --> 00:12:00,840 Speaker 1: would move heaven and earth to get them right. So 206 00:12:01,240 --> 00:12:04,480 Speaker 1: Mayor sees is on that she starts impersonating the guy 207 00:12:05,520 --> 00:12:07,800 Speaker 1: and she tells the victim, Oh, by the way, the 208 00:12:07,840 --> 00:12:10,440 Speaker 1: guy you're in love with, he's also taking life coaching 209 00:12:10,480 --> 00:12:12,880 Speaker 1: for me. And I know this is improper, but I 210 00:12:12,920 --> 00:12:15,200 Speaker 1: can broke her a romance, you know, if you want 211 00:12:15,240 --> 00:12:16,920 Speaker 1: me to. It's just gonna take so many more life 212 00:12:16,920 --> 00:12:19,600 Speaker 1: coaching sessions, you know. So over the course of a year, 213 00:12:20,040 --> 00:12:26,120 Speaker 1: this victim shells out dollars ten dollars because she thinks, 214 00:12:26,160 --> 00:12:27,760 Speaker 1: you know, and every time she comes to a life 215 00:12:27,760 --> 00:12:30,400 Speaker 1: coaching Mayor would show her a text. Oh look at 216 00:12:30,400 --> 00:12:32,760 Speaker 1: what Jesse. Jesse was the guy's name. Look at what 217 00:12:32,840 --> 00:12:34,840 Speaker 1: Jesse just texted me. He's thinking about you. He's going 218 00:12:34,920 --> 00:12:37,439 Speaker 1: to ask you out. So it wasn't until a year 219 00:12:37,480 --> 00:12:41,160 Speaker 1: into it the woman finally realized Jesse wasn't taking life 220 00:12:41,160 --> 00:12:43,520 Speaker 1: coaching from her, like there was all a scam to 221 00:12:43,559 --> 00:12:45,920 Speaker 1: shake money out of her, and she was just devastated. 222 00:12:46,360 --> 00:12:50,360 Speaker 1: You know, Oh that that's got hurt so much. Yeah, 223 00:12:50,520 --> 00:12:53,160 Speaker 1: I mean, the audacity to pull off something like that 224 00:12:53,480 --> 00:12:57,319 Speaker 1: is just mind blowing to me. And it's heartless. You 225 00:12:57,720 --> 00:13:01,040 Speaker 1: really can't have any feeling or for another human being 226 00:13:01,080 --> 00:13:02,840 Speaker 1: to impersonate the one they're in love with and then 227 00:13:02,880 --> 00:13:05,440 Speaker 1: try to trick them out of money. No, most of 228 00:13:05,440 --> 00:13:08,360 Speaker 1: these con women are incredibly selfish, you know. I would 229 00:13:08,400 --> 00:13:11,040 Speaker 1: say maybe after their likability, that's the most notable thing 230 00:13:11,040 --> 00:13:13,600 Speaker 1: about them. I mean, because the likability is all fake, 231 00:13:14,200 --> 00:13:19,800 Speaker 1: oh totally, And they don't like anyone except themselves exactly, 232 00:13:19,920 --> 00:13:23,440 Speaker 1: and and and who they present themselves to be isn't real. 233 00:13:23,679 --> 00:13:25,880 Speaker 1: So what you're liking as a victim, because you know, 234 00:13:25,920 --> 00:13:28,080 Speaker 1: she was my best friend for four years. I loved her, 235 00:13:28,120 --> 00:13:30,360 Speaker 1: she was like a sister. But all of that was 236 00:13:30,400 --> 00:13:32,760 Speaker 1: fake and I never really knew the real her, the 237 00:13:32,800 --> 00:13:36,520 Speaker 1: real her, she's a con woman who scammed victims all 238 00:13:36,520 --> 00:13:38,920 Speaker 1: over the world. I never knew that was the real her. 239 00:13:39,040 --> 00:13:41,720 Speaker 1: The woman that I saw was a damsel in distress 240 00:13:41,760 --> 00:13:44,680 Speaker 1: and Irish heiress who am helping get her inheritance. I 241 00:13:44,720 --> 00:13:48,160 Speaker 1: even feel stupid saying that out loud, but but I 242 00:13:48,200 --> 00:13:52,040 Speaker 1: fell for it. I fell for it, hook line and sinker. Yeah, yeah, 243 00:13:52,160 --> 00:13:56,559 Speaker 1: I mean, you're not alone, As you know, well, so 244 00:13:56,600 --> 00:13:59,480 Speaker 1: many victims of con artists don't come forward because they 245 00:13:59,520 --> 00:14:03,800 Speaker 1: do feel so gullible and ashamed. Very true. And I've 246 00:14:03,800 --> 00:14:06,800 Speaker 1: had so many arguments with victims on the phone because 247 00:14:06,800 --> 00:14:08,920 Speaker 1: they would call me victims of my can artists and 248 00:14:08,960 --> 00:14:11,480 Speaker 1: they tell me the story. There were a couple real 249 00:14:11,600 --> 00:14:13,720 Speaker 1: estate investors in New York that she scammed out a 250 00:14:13,720 --> 00:14:16,800 Speaker 1: sixty grand because she tricked them into believing her daughter 251 00:14:17,080 --> 00:14:20,160 Speaker 1: had cancer and needed emergency surgery and insurance didn't cover it, 252 00:14:20,320 --> 00:14:23,560 Speaker 1: and she needed sixty dollars quick. There's always an element 253 00:14:23,600 --> 00:14:26,160 Speaker 1: of I need this quick because she's gonna die. So 254 00:14:26,200 --> 00:14:30,080 Speaker 1: they wired her sixty grand. Oh, there's always wires, always wired. 255 00:14:30,400 --> 00:14:34,720 Speaker 1: Money is always being wired, always wires. Yeah, that's yeah. 256 00:14:34,760 --> 00:14:37,120 Speaker 1: So when someone asks you for a wire, make sure 257 00:14:37,200 --> 00:14:39,880 Speaker 1: you're not getting calm, because that's like a red flag, right. Yeah. 258 00:14:42,200 --> 00:14:45,440 Speaker 1: Near the end of my investigation, after police arrested Mayor, 259 00:14:45,560 --> 00:14:47,880 Speaker 1: these New York real estate guys called me up and 260 00:14:47,880 --> 00:14:49,360 Speaker 1: they're like, hey, we want to pay you, we want 261 00:14:49,360 --> 00:14:50,720 Speaker 1: to reward you for what you've done, we want to 262 00:14:50,720 --> 00:14:53,440 Speaker 1: help you. And I'm like, I don't want your money, guy, 263 00:14:53,720 --> 00:14:55,480 Speaker 1: I want you to go to police and file a 264 00:14:55,560 --> 00:14:57,680 Speaker 1: report so she can get arrested in New York. That 265 00:14:57,720 --> 00:15:00,000 Speaker 1: would help me, Can you do that? But they didn't 266 00:15:00,040 --> 00:15:08,160 Speaker 1: want to because they're embarrassed. They fell for it, so 267 00:15:08,640 --> 00:15:15,800 Speaker 1: sante times. She was kind of like Mayor Smith on steroids. Right. 268 00:15:16,680 --> 00:15:20,240 Speaker 1: She would introduce her husband Kenneth, as an ambassador, a 269 00:15:20,320 --> 00:15:22,960 Speaker 1: ploy that got them into a lot of important places 270 00:15:23,360 --> 00:15:26,400 Speaker 1: like the White House during the Ford administration. She kind 271 00:15:26,400 --> 00:15:29,400 Speaker 1: of looked a little bit like Elizabeth Taylor if you squinted, 272 00:15:29,440 --> 00:15:34,040 Speaker 1: so she would impersonate Elizabeth Taylor, and her last con 273 00:15:34,480 --> 00:15:37,520 Speaker 1: lead to murder essentially right, because she didn't start out 274 00:15:38,000 --> 00:15:42,360 Speaker 1: a murderer. She tried to scam this New York socialite 275 00:15:42,440 --> 00:15:46,640 Speaker 1: out of her seven point seven million dollar apartment, and 276 00:15:47,400 --> 00:15:50,120 Speaker 1: similar to Mayor Mayor tried to scam Bob, the Newport 277 00:15:50,160 --> 00:15:52,160 Speaker 1: Beach engineer out of his too homes. She tried to 278 00:15:52,160 --> 00:15:55,000 Speaker 1: trick him into adding her name to the title of 279 00:15:55,040 --> 00:15:56,760 Speaker 1: his two homes because she was going to buy this 280 00:15:56,840 --> 00:16:00,640 Speaker 1: fifteen million dollar Newport Beach home with her an inheritance 281 00:16:00,680 --> 00:16:04,280 Speaker 1: that was coming any day they got a realtor. She 282 00:16:04,400 --> 00:16:07,160 Speaker 1: looked at the house a bunch of times. Bob brought 283 00:16:07,200 --> 00:16:08,960 Speaker 1: his kids, one of the last times to pick out 284 00:16:09,000 --> 00:16:10,560 Speaker 1: their bedroom. She was going to buy one of the 285 00:16:10,640 --> 00:16:14,520 Speaker 1: kids a Lamborghini like the kids loved her, and she 286 00:16:14,640 --> 00:16:19,440 Speaker 1: put in an offer on the house. You know, as 287 00:16:19,440 --> 00:16:21,840 Speaker 1: long as it's on paper, you can do anything right. 288 00:16:22,120 --> 00:16:26,360 Speaker 1: And con artists know this. But what differentiates the Mayor 289 00:16:26,360 --> 00:16:30,320 Speaker 1: Smith from Sante Climes is Mayor didn't actually kill anyone yet, 290 00:16:30,560 --> 00:16:34,080 Speaker 1: but Sante did. Why did Sante kill that woman? Well, 291 00:16:34,200 --> 00:16:37,080 Speaker 1: Santa actually killed more than one person, or rather had 292 00:16:37,080 --> 00:16:40,760 Speaker 1: her son do it. This wealthy woman was her third victim, 293 00:16:41,840 --> 00:16:46,240 Speaker 1: and she I think she's an example of what happens 294 00:16:46,400 --> 00:16:49,800 Speaker 1: when a con artist. Well let me let me rephrase. Maybe. 295 00:16:49,880 --> 00:16:52,880 Speaker 1: I don't think that every con artist is capable of murder. 296 00:16:52,920 --> 00:16:55,280 Speaker 1: I mean, that's a huge that's a very different crime. 297 00:16:55,800 --> 00:16:59,240 Speaker 1: But in this case, things escalated and she got in 298 00:16:59,440 --> 00:17:02,560 Speaker 1: so deep, and she was so desperate for money, and 299 00:17:02,760 --> 00:17:04,760 Speaker 1: she did a million cons, but none of them were 300 00:17:04,880 --> 00:17:07,359 Speaker 1: quite working out. I don't know if Mayor ever reached 301 00:17:07,359 --> 00:17:10,040 Speaker 1: that point where she had her cons bubbling, but the 302 00:17:10,080 --> 00:17:12,720 Speaker 1: money wasn't quite coming in, and so that's on things 303 00:17:12,840 --> 00:17:17,440 Speaker 1: escalated to murder because it was out of desperation or 304 00:17:17,480 --> 00:17:20,040 Speaker 1: and in one murder no, two murders out of a 305 00:17:20,119 --> 00:17:22,600 Speaker 1: fear that the victim would talk. So it was a 306 00:17:22,680 --> 00:17:25,879 Speaker 1: very like end of the road type scenario for her. 307 00:17:25,920 --> 00:17:29,159 Speaker 1: If that makes sense, It does make sense. And I 308 00:17:29,320 --> 00:17:33,240 Speaker 1: used to think Mayor Smith was not capable of murder, 309 00:17:33,280 --> 00:17:37,720 Speaker 1: but I have since reevaluated because for the first time 310 00:17:37,760 --> 00:17:42,199 Speaker 1: ever we spoke to her daughter. Her daughter ended up 311 00:17:42,240 --> 00:17:45,840 Speaker 1: testifying against her during the trial, and her daughter wove 312 00:17:45,920 --> 00:17:50,119 Speaker 1: this tail of being raised by a con artist her daughter. 313 00:17:50,920 --> 00:17:53,919 Speaker 1: She was having her daughter forged signatures on hundreds of 314 00:17:53,920 --> 00:17:56,960 Speaker 1: mortgage documents. You know, she got away with like half 315 00:17:57,000 --> 00:18:00,240 Speaker 1: a million dollars from Northern Ireland, and her daughter, as 316 00:18:00,240 --> 00:18:04,760 Speaker 1: a child, unknowingly helped her do that. So someone tipped 317 00:18:04,800 --> 00:18:07,960 Speaker 1: Mayor off that police in Northern Ireland are investigating her, 318 00:18:08,040 --> 00:18:10,120 Speaker 1: so they had to get out of there quick. And 319 00:18:10,480 --> 00:18:13,840 Speaker 1: while they're packing up Mayor's husband at the time, Stephen Smith, 320 00:18:14,480 --> 00:18:18,080 Speaker 1: he had like seventeen greyhounds. He was a greyhound racer, 321 00:18:18,440 --> 00:18:21,320 Speaker 1: so they didn't have time to rehome them. So Mayor 322 00:18:21,480 --> 00:18:27,520 Speaker 1: made him put down the seventeen greyhounds. Wow, oh no, yeah, 323 00:18:27,760 --> 00:18:30,560 Speaker 1: killed seventeen dogs without even thinking about it. Oh, she's 324 00:18:30,720 --> 00:18:34,120 Speaker 1: Cruella de Ville she is, and she wore them back 325 00:18:34,160 --> 00:18:36,720 Speaker 1: to Tennessee. Kidding, we don't know that. I don't think 326 00:18:36,760 --> 00:18:41,800 Speaker 1: she did m But after I heard that story, and 327 00:18:41,800 --> 00:18:44,000 Speaker 1: I'm a dog owner, I take it you're a dog owner. 328 00:18:44,480 --> 00:18:47,680 Speaker 1: I'm not, but a dog lover, a dog's sympathizer. Yes, 329 00:18:48,359 --> 00:18:51,280 Speaker 1: if she has the cold bloodedness to do that, she 330 00:18:51,320 --> 00:18:53,600 Speaker 1: could kill. She could kill without even a piece of 331 00:18:53,600 --> 00:18:57,399 Speaker 1: remorse or guilt. She could kill. Yeah. Yeah, that that 332 00:18:57,480 --> 00:19:00,640 Speaker 1: shows some real narcissism. You know, dogs are in my way. 333 00:19:00,800 --> 00:19:05,760 Speaker 1: Dogs get killed this story. I mean, I am a 334 00:19:05,800 --> 00:19:08,960 Speaker 1: little bit jealous. I didn't hear about it for my book. 335 00:19:09,080 --> 00:19:13,320 Speaker 1: It's so intense. It's as if con artist Mayor Smith 336 00:19:13,800 --> 00:19:17,639 Speaker 1: read your book and chose different elements from all the 337 00:19:17,680 --> 00:19:21,720 Speaker 1: female con artists you profiled to create her own con 338 00:19:21,840 --> 00:19:24,720 Speaker 1: artists self. She mixes and matches from all the great 339 00:19:24,760 --> 00:19:26,600 Speaker 1: cons in your book, which is just amazing. But I 340 00:19:26,640 --> 00:19:29,119 Speaker 1: know that's impossible because your book only came out this 341 00:19:29,200 --> 00:19:32,600 Speaker 1: year and she's been conning since she was a little girl. Yes, 342 00:19:33,280 --> 00:19:36,360 Speaker 1: con artists are very intelligent people, that's a fair statement. 343 00:19:37,200 --> 00:19:40,080 Speaker 1: But for being so intelligent, they make a lot of 344 00:19:40,119 --> 00:19:43,600 Speaker 1: stupid mistakes that ultimately lead to their demise. Why is 345 00:19:43,680 --> 00:19:47,840 Speaker 1: that my con artist gave me her email password. At 346 00:19:47,840 --> 00:19:51,080 Speaker 1: one point in our relationship two years in, she's stuck 347 00:19:51,080 --> 00:19:53,280 Speaker 1: on the highway in traffic. She thinks she can't get 348 00:19:53,280 --> 00:19:55,600 Speaker 1: into her email account from her phone. She thinks she's hacked. 349 00:19:55,920 --> 00:19:57,680 Speaker 1: She calls me, I'm at work. I got hacked. I 350 00:19:57,720 --> 00:19:59,719 Speaker 1: got hacked. So she asked me to log in and 351 00:19:59,760 --> 00:20:02,520 Speaker 1: make sure her email account was still okay. So I did, 352 00:20:02,520 --> 00:20:04,240 Speaker 1: and it was, and I forgot the whole thing. Ever 353 00:20:04,320 --> 00:20:06,840 Speaker 1: happened until a few months after I got condom like, 354 00:20:06,840 --> 00:20:10,280 Speaker 1: oh my god, I have her email password. Did it 355 00:20:10,359 --> 00:20:13,760 Speaker 1: still work? Yes? Oh, I logged into her account. I 356 00:20:13,800 --> 00:20:16,000 Speaker 1: found twenty three other aliases. I found a bunch of 357 00:20:16,040 --> 00:20:18,960 Speaker 1: other victims. She was scamming. She had a profile on 358 00:20:19,000 --> 00:20:21,240 Speaker 1: sugar Daddy for me dot com men were paying her 359 00:20:21,280 --> 00:20:23,720 Speaker 1: monthly fee for sex. Then she was blackmailing them to 360 00:20:23,720 --> 00:20:25,119 Speaker 1: go to their wives when they wanted to end the 361 00:20:25,119 --> 00:20:29,960 Speaker 1: payment arrangement. Another classic con. Yes, but I wasn't the 362 00:20:30,000 --> 00:20:32,280 Speaker 1: only one. She gave her email password too. She gave 363 00:20:32,280 --> 00:20:34,000 Speaker 1: it to you, another victim she was scamming. When the 364 00:20:34,080 --> 00:20:37,520 Speaker 1: victim was helping her set up an Amazon firestick so 365 00:20:37,560 --> 00:20:41,320 Speaker 1: it's like this, she's so smart and yet so dumb. 366 00:20:41,720 --> 00:20:44,639 Speaker 1: Maybe it's stemming from the narcissism we keep talking about, 367 00:20:44,680 --> 00:20:48,520 Speaker 1: where it's like they assume everyone else is dumb or 368 00:20:48,680 --> 00:20:51,000 Speaker 1: just not at their level. So it's like, it's no 369 00:20:51,040 --> 00:20:53,160 Speaker 1: big deal to give you my email password because you're 370 00:20:53,200 --> 00:20:55,800 Speaker 1: not going to create aliases and you don't know how 371 00:20:55,840 --> 00:20:58,280 Speaker 1: I work. You know, it seems to me to be 372 00:20:58,320 --> 00:21:01,359 Speaker 1: a very narcissistic move, like, sure, you can go ahead 373 00:21:01,359 --> 00:21:04,560 Speaker 1: and have my password. I don't care, you'll never catch me. Ironically, 374 00:21:04,680 --> 00:21:08,280 Speaker 1: you did catch her. I do think it's a case of, like, 375 00:21:08,760 --> 00:21:11,680 Speaker 1: you know that famous statement, how does it go? Does 376 00:21:11,720 --> 00:21:15,000 Speaker 1: the lion ever waste time thinking about what the lambs 377 00:21:15,080 --> 00:21:19,520 Speaker 1: are doing? So we're all like sheep to her, and 378 00:21:19,560 --> 00:21:22,440 Speaker 1: she's the lion thinking, oh, I can give them my password. 379 00:21:22,480 --> 00:21:24,400 Speaker 1: I can give them ammunition against me, but they'll never 380 00:21:24,480 --> 00:21:27,240 Speaker 1: use it because they're too stupid. You know, she's overly 381 00:21:27,320 --> 00:21:30,879 Speaker 1: confident in that case. Yeah, I think that makes a 382 00:21:30,920 --> 00:21:33,720 Speaker 1: lot of sense. Another thing she did that ultimately led 383 00:21:33,720 --> 00:21:37,080 Speaker 1: to her demise is while she was dating her Newport 384 00:21:37,119 --> 00:21:40,560 Speaker 1: Beach victim Bob, she texted me a picture of him 385 00:21:40,640 --> 00:21:42,480 Speaker 1: and asked me what I thought of him, and I said, oh, 386 00:21:42,480 --> 00:21:44,199 Speaker 1: he's a good looking guy. I think he's great, you know, 387 00:21:44,280 --> 00:21:46,560 Speaker 1: go for it because we were best friends. But I 388 00:21:46,680 --> 00:21:49,800 Speaker 1: ended up using that very picture of Bob and I 389 00:21:49,880 --> 00:21:52,520 Speaker 1: started my blog with I know his name is Bob, 390 00:21:52,640 --> 00:21:54,919 Speaker 1: I know he's an engineer Newport Beach, and I know 391 00:21:55,040 --> 00:21:58,080 Speaker 1: maryor Smith is scamming him. And I didn't really believe 392 00:21:58,200 --> 00:22:00,520 Speaker 1: for a second that Bob would actually find my blog, 393 00:22:00,600 --> 00:22:05,360 Speaker 1: but by god, he did. His ex wife found it 394 00:22:05,960 --> 00:22:08,000 Speaker 1: and sent it to him, and then he ended up 395 00:22:08,080 --> 00:22:10,639 Speaker 1: dumping mare. And you know, she was this close. She 396 00:22:10,680 --> 00:22:12,639 Speaker 1: had drawn up the paperwork for him to add her 397 00:22:12,760 --> 00:22:15,240 Speaker 1: name to the titles of his two Newport Beach homes 398 00:22:15,400 --> 00:22:17,600 Speaker 1: because she put an offer on this fifteen million dollar 399 00:22:17,640 --> 00:22:20,199 Speaker 1: home she's gonna buy, and it comes so close. He 400 00:22:20,200 --> 00:22:23,760 Speaker 1: found it in the nick of time. Your blog saved him, 401 00:22:23,800 --> 00:22:26,080 Speaker 1: it did, but that's her fault. Like if I didn't 402 00:22:26,080 --> 00:22:29,040 Speaker 1: have that picture of him, there was no way if 403 00:22:29,080 --> 00:22:32,000 Speaker 1: I started the blog without the picture, you know, it 404 00:22:32,000 --> 00:22:34,080 Speaker 1: wouldn't resonate, no one would know who I'm talking about. 405 00:22:34,119 --> 00:22:37,200 Speaker 1: But his ex wife googled her, found his picture, found 406 00:22:37,240 --> 00:22:40,520 Speaker 1: my blog, and realized she's a con artist, but she 407 00:22:40,560 --> 00:22:42,960 Speaker 1: would get off on that. She would have barbecues and 408 00:22:43,040 --> 00:22:47,760 Speaker 1: dinner parties with multiple victims she's scamming, and multiple victims. 409 00:22:47,760 --> 00:22:51,120 Speaker 1: She's told different stories too, So at any point one 410 00:22:51,119 --> 00:22:53,920 Speaker 1: of us could have said something where the stories didn't 411 00:22:53,960 --> 00:22:55,920 Speaker 1: matched up and out at her, but we never did. 412 00:22:56,640 --> 00:22:58,840 Speaker 1: But she must have got off on that razor thin 413 00:22:58,960 --> 00:23:01,919 Speaker 1: like I can get caught and minute. Yeah, that sounds 414 00:23:01,960 --> 00:23:05,520 Speaker 1: like some very classic thrill seeking behavior. You know, like 415 00:23:05,760 --> 00:23:09,520 Speaker 1: maybe she unconsciously or subconsciously wanted to increase the stakes 416 00:23:09,560 --> 00:23:13,520 Speaker 1: for herself. She wanted to flirt with getting caught, increase 417 00:23:13,560 --> 00:23:18,160 Speaker 1: the danger, and so she gave you passwords and pictures 418 00:23:18,160 --> 00:23:21,040 Speaker 1: just to like up the stakes, right, will this be 419 00:23:21,160 --> 00:23:23,639 Speaker 1: enough for them to catch me or not? It's weird, 420 00:23:24,440 --> 00:23:28,160 Speaker 1: It's super weird. What is your takeaway? You've studied con 421 00:23:28,280 --> 00:23:31,080 Speaker 1: artists for years and you put a ton of research 422 00:23:31,119 --> 00:23:34,400 Speaker 1: into your book, Confident Women, which most people don't know. 423 00:23:34,480 --> 00:23:36,439 Speaker 1: And I mentioned this in my podcast, but we can 424 00:23:36,480 --> 00:23:41,680 Speaker 1: repeat it here. Con artist is short for confidence artist. Yes, 425 00:23:42,080 --> 00:23:44,400 Speaker 1: very few people know that. I didn't know it myself 426 00:23:44,480 --> 00:23:47,080 Speaker 1: before I started my book. I felt like I was 427 00:23:47,119 --> 00:23:49,760 Speaker 1: born knowing it at this point because they and still 428 00:23:49,800 --> 00:23:52,399 Speaker 1: confidence in their victims, in them to scam them, and 429 00:23:52,400 --> 00:23:57,000 Speaker 1: they're also very confident people themselves. Absolutely, But do you 430 00:23:57,080 --> 00:24:02,760 Speaker 1: believe con artists are born or are a maid? Oh? 431 00:24:02,960 --> 00:24:06,000 Speaker 1: I think it's a little of both. But I will 432 00:24:06,040 --> 00:24:08,639 Speaker 1: say many of the women in my book, I do 433 00:24:08,800 --> 00:24:12,080 Speaker 1: think we're born into some form of conning. I mean 434 00:24:12,480 --> 00:24:15,679 Speaker 1: the con artists who do have that pathological liar streak, 435 00:24:15,920 --> 00:24:19,560 Speaker 1: that's sociopathic streak born, because I don't think you can 436 00:24:19,680 --> 00:24:22,680 Speaker 1: grow into a sociopath, right, That's something I mean, I 437 00:24:22,720 --> 00:24:25,080 Speaker 1: don't know if we fully understand it yet as a species, 438 00:24:25,200 --> 00:24:27,159 Speaker 1: but it's interesting you bring up the phrase or the 439 00:24:27,240 --> 00:24:30,600 Speaker 1: term sociopath. So for the longest time, I believed Mayor 440 00:24:30,880 --> 00:24:33,639 Speaker 1: was a sociopath. But I've since done some research about 441 00:24:33,680 --> 00:24:38,280 Speaker 1: sociopaths versus psychopaths. I'm not even sure what the difference 442 00:24:38,359 --> 00:24:41,600 Speaker 1: is anymore. I've read so many conflicting definitions of the two, 443 00:24:42,000 --> 00:24:44,400 Speaker 1: and today in our culture, as I'm sure you've noticed, 444 00:24:44,480 --> 00:24:48,360 Speaker 1: we use them totally interchangeably. I'm a Google expert, so 445 00:24:49,080 --> 00:24:53,520 Speaker 1: my latest Google tells me psychopaths tend to be more manipulative, 446 00:24:53,560 --> 00:24:56,440 Speaker 1: can be seen by others as charming, lead a semblance 447 00:24:56,440 --> 00:24:59,359 Speaker 1: of a normal life and minimize risk in criminal activities. 448 00:24:59,800 --> 00:25:03,359 Speaker 1: A psychopath doesn't have the ability to feel guilt, whereas 449 00:25:03,359 --> 00:25:06,960 Speaker 1: a sociopath tends to be more erratic and rage prone 450 00:25:07,359 --> 00:25:10,199 Speaker 1: and they're unable to lead a normal life. When a 451 00:25:10,240 --> 00:25:14,320 Speaker 1: sociopath commits a crime, it's usually spur the moment or 452 00:25:14,440 --> 00:25:18,320 Speaker 1: reaction in a rage. It's not planned. Okay, okay, I 453 00:25:18,320 --> 00:25:21,200 Speaker 1: mean we definitely use them interchangeably in culture. But that's 454 00:25:21,240 --> 00:25:23,240 Speaker 1: really good to know. So sociopath is more of like 455 00:25:23,280 --> 00:25:28,080 Speaker 1: a berserker maniac type, right, can't control his emotions exactly. 456 00:25:28,680 --> 00:25:32,320 Speaker 1: But a psychopath is the CEO or the you know, 457 00:25:32,480 --> 00:25:36,359 Speaker 1: the politician. Yeah, they can look normal, they can be 458 00:25:36,400 --> 00:25:39,000 Speaker 1: friendly and charming, but and they know what they're doing 459 00:25:39,000 --> 00:25:40,560 Speaker 1: and they're not going to get caught. Mary Smith is 460 00:25:40,560 --> 00:25:43,960 Speaker 1: a psychopath, but I think she was born a psychopath 461 00:25:44,040 --> 00:25:47,440 Speaker 1: because in the podcast we hear from her childhood friend 462 00:25:47,440 --> 00:25:50,240 Speaker 1: who knew her at eleven twelve years old, Mary Smith 463 00:25:50,280 --> 00:25:52,680 Speaker 1: tricked this girl as Mary Smith is a girl herself, 464 00:25:52,960 --> 00:25:56,240 Speaker 1: tricking another girl into going into a stranger's house, going 465 00:25:56,240 --> 00:25:59,119 Speaker 1: into a bedroom, putting on a stranger's clothes and taking 466 00:25:59,119 --> 00:26:02,560 Speaker 1: a picture. And it made such a mark in this 467 00:26:02,680 --> 00:26:05,280 Speaker 1: girl's life, who is now a woman. Jen Westwood who 468 00:26:05,320 --> 00:26:07,639 Speaker 1: called me up because she's like, why did she have 469 00:26:07,800 --> 00:26:09,760 Speaker 1: me do that? It just doesn't make any sense. But 470 00:26:10,320 --> 00:26:14,080 Speaker 1: it's an eleven year old girl flexing her muscle of manipulation. 471 00:26:14,359 --> 00:26:17,120 Speaker 1: Can I get this girl to do the crazy things? Yes? 472 00:26:17,200 --> 00:26:20,560 Speaker 1: I can. Oh, that's so sinister. And it's that risk 473 00:26:20,640 --> 00:26:23,960 Speaker 1: taking behavior to you know, it's like will I get caught? 474 00:26:23,960 --> 00:26:28,159 Speaker 1: Will she get caught? So that makes me think. You know, 475 00:26:28,240 --> 00:26:33,240 Speaker 1: Mayor Smith is a born con artist. Yeah, I buy that. 476 00:26:33,640 --> 00:26:37,000 Speaker 1: She claims she had childhood trauma. She claims she was 477 00:26:37,080 --> 00:26:40,399 Speaker 1: molested to other people, but I don't believe that because 478 00:26:41,280 --> 00:26:43,560 Speaker 1: she tried to make her daughter claim she was molested 479 00:26:43,600 --> 00:26:47,760 Speaker 1: by her grandfather and it wasn't true. Yeah, it wasn't true. 480 00:26:47,760 --> 00:26:50,400 Speaker 1: And and that drove the daughter against Mayor early on, 481 00:26:50,480 --> 00:26:52,359 Speaker 1: because she was trying to get her to lie to 482 00:26:52,400 --> 00:26:55,600 Speaker 1: say she was molested when she wasn't. Wow, that's really dark. 483 00:26:56,040 --> 00:26:57,879 Speaker 1: It is dark, but there's a light at the end 484 00:26:57,880 --> 00:27:09,840 Speaker 1: of this tunnel. Come with mere. Smith's daughter did end 485 00:27:09,880 --> 00:27:12,600 Speaker 1: up testifying against her, and one of the most profound 486 00:27:12,640 --> 00:27:14,960 Speaker 1: things she said in talking to her in the interview 487 00:27:15,440 --> 00:27:19,120 Speaker 1: is and I'm quoting Chelsea here. My mom is always 488 00:27:19,240 --> 00:27:22,439 Speaker 1: far away from the place that she's lying about. She 489 00:27:22,480 --> 00:27:24,800 Speaker 1: grew up in Maine, but I grew up in Tennessee, 490 00:27:24,920 --> 00:27:26,800 Speaker 1: so she was lying to a bunch of people in 491 00:27:26,880 --> 00:27:30,600 Speaker 1: Tennessee about stuff that happened in Maine. So she always 492 00:27:30,640 --> 00:27:34,080 Speaker 1: makes sure her lives are hard to dispute. Is that 493 00:27:34,119 --> 00:27:36,400 Speaker 1: a theme you see? And the con artists you studied, 494 00:27:36,600 --> 00:27:38,840 Speaker 1: they're lying about things that it's hard to check the 495 00:27:38,920 --> 00:27:40,760 Speaker 1: truth of what they're lying about, so you let it go. 496 00:27:41,119 --> 00:27:44,760 Speaker 1: Oh one, I don't even know which anecdote to start with. 497 00:27:44,880 --> 00:27:47,920 Speaker 1: I mean, there's a woman in my book who lived 498 00:27:48,000 --> 00:27:50,040 Speaker 1: during the time of the Civil War. Her name was 499 00:27:50,160 --> 00:27:53,399 Speaker 1: probably Lauretta J. Williams, but we don't really know. I 500 00:27:53,440 --> 00:27:57,639 Speaker 1: remember this one, yeah, and she she wrote a memoir about, 501 00:27:57,680 --> 00:27:59,520 Speaker 1: you know, dressing as a man and fighting for the 502 00:27:59,560 --> 00:28:02,680 Speaker 1: Confederate at side, and she made it hard to fact 503 00:28:02,760 --> 00:28:08,320 Speaker 1: check by conveniently leaving out last names, just fluring the details. 504 00:28:08,440 --> 00:28:10,840 Speaker 1: So it's like, you know, she says she fought under 505 00:28:10,920 --> 00:28:14,520 Speaker 1: General Dave, Like who can check that there might be 506 00:28:14,560 --> 00:28:16,720 Speaker 1: a hundred of them? There might be a hundred And 507 00:28:16,760 --> 00:28:19,360 Speaker 1: then The distance thing reminded me a lot of Margaret 508 00:28:19,440 --> 00:28:23,760 Speaker 1: Lydia Burton, who actually conned with her daughter and they 509 00:28:23,800 --> 00:28:27,240 Speaker 1: were moved around the US like so frequently. They were 510 00:28:27,240 --> 00:28:29,359 Speaker 1: on the run, always on the run. That's such a 511 00:28:29,359 --> 00:28:33,000 Speaker 1: great chapter in your book. Yeah, but they Margaret which 512 00:28:33,080 --> 00:28:36,440 Speaker 1: was her real name, was always lying about the place 513 00:28:36,480 --> 00:28:38,440 Speaker 1: she had just come from. So you know, she would 514 00:28:38,560 --> 00:28:41,479 Speaker 1: she would run out, run from Virginia to Georgia, and 515 00:28:41,520 --> 00:28:44,760 Speaker 1: then she would say back in Virginia, I was a 516 00:28:44,800 --> 00:28:48,080 Speaker 1: general's wife, but he died tragically and I lost both 517 00:28:48,120 --> 00:28:52,160 Speaker 1: my kids, you know. So and this in the fifties too. Um, 518 00:28:52,440 --> 00:28:54,880 Speaker 1: so we don't people can't look her up on Facebook 519 00:28:55,080 --> 00:28:58,400 Speaker 1: or whatever. Right, you could just google her? Yeah, right. 520 00:28:58,440 --> 00:29:00,120 Speaker 1: And so it's like, Okay, she told me she was 521 00:29:00,120 --> 00:29:03,239 Speaker 1: a wealthy widow from Virginia, I'm in Atlanta, Georgia. Like, 522 00:29:04,040 --> 00:29:06,680 Speaker 1: what are you gonna do? We're prone to believe. So, yeah, 523 00:29:06,720 --> 00:29:09,000 Speaker 1: that distance thing is a big part of a lot 524 00:29:09,000 --> 00:29:11,920 Speaker 1: of these cons. Yeah, they're always lying about someplace far 525 00:29:11,960 --> 00:29:16,520 Speaker 1: away that it's hard to check. Yes. Interesting. So I 526 00:29:16,560 --> 00:29:20,960 Speaker 1: have a question about psychics. The vast majority of psychics 527 00:29:21,000 --> 00:29:25,400 Speaker 1: I think are con artists. Is that your take I guess. 528 00:29:25,440 --> 00:29:27,760 Speaker 1: I mean, I hate to throw a whole population under 529 00:29:27,800 --> 00:29:30,320 Speaker 1: the bus, just the majority. I mean, do you believe 530 00:29:30,480 --> 00:29:34,280 Speaker 1: psychics are real? I don't know for sure, but I 531 00:29:34,320 --> 00:29:37,280 Speaker 1: will say I wouldn't be surprised if someone if I 532 00:29:37,320 --> 00:29:39,120 Speaker 1: got a vision, if someone told me for sure, like 533 00:29:39,200 --> 00:29:42,040 Speaker 1: this person can actually just have some connection to the 534 00:29:42,080 --> 00:29:44,440 Speaker 1: spirit realm, I would believe that. I think there have 535 00:29:44,640 --> 00:29:48,640 Speaker 1: been instances in history of people who just had these 536 00:29:49,120 --> 00:29:53,280 Speaker 1: extra sensory powers. That being said, you know, I talked 537 00:29:53,280 --> 00:29:56,840 Speaker 1: to Rosemark's son, the psychic son, and he was very 538 00:29:56,920 --> 00:29:59,920 Speaker 1: much talking about how all the psychics in their air, 539 00:30:00,120 --> 00:30:02,920 Speaker 1: in their community, we're using the same tricks as his mom, 540 00:30:03,320 --> 00:30:05,320 Speaker 1: but his mom happened to get caught and go to jail. 541 00:30:05,480 --> 00:30:08,320 Speaker 1: So just based on that little piece of anecdotal evidence, 542 00:30:08,840 --> 00:30:12,120 Speaker 1: you know, he seemed to think they were all doing 543 00:30:12,160 --> 00:30:15,000 Speaker 1: the same thing, which would imply that they are all 544 00:30:15,080 --> 00:30:19,960 Speaker 1: con artists. I mean, I do believe psychics are real, 545 00:30:20,080 --> 00:30:25,920 Speaker 1: and I do believe Mayor Smith had psychic abilities. I've 546 00:30:25,960 --> 00:30:29,600 Speaker 1: witnessed her read strangers and bring them to tears with 547 00:30:29,840 --> 00:30:33,480 Speaker 1: specific things. One time, this woman sits down. We went 548 00:30:33,520 --> 00:30:36,880 Speaker 1: to a party and the hotel had hired Mayor to 549 00:30:36,920 --> 00:30:40,040 Speaker 1: do readings for the guests. So my husband and I 550 00:30:40,080 --> 00:30:43,560 Speaker 1: are there, and you know, a woman sits down and 551 00:30:43,680 --> 00:30:46,360 Speaker 1: Mayor's like, you're dating a guy in l A and 552 00:30:46,400 --> 00:30:48,160 Speaker 1: New York. You've got to make a decision. You're gonna 553 00:30:48,200 --> 00:30:50,680 Speaker 1: lose them both. And the woman just starts crying like 554 00:30:50,720 --> 00:30:53,320 Speaker 1: I don't know what to do, Like how did she 555 00:30:53,400 --> 00:30:55,840 Speaker 1: pick that out of the air? Okay, are you positive 556 00:30:55,920 --> 00:30:58,720 Speaker 1: she didn't research the guests beforehand, because some psychics do that. 557 00:30:59,080 --> 00:31:02,280 Speaker 1: I'm positive because they were random hotel guests. You couldn't know. 558 00:31:02,760 --> 00:31:04,560 Speaker 1: This is a party open to the public. You don't 559 00:31:04,560 --> 00:31:07,719 Speaker 1: know who's going to be there. Okay, So you know, 560 00:31:07,920 --> 00:31:10,400 Speaker 1: there are some psychics who are good people, working hard 561 00:31:10,480 --> 00:31:12,760 Speaker 1: and trying to do good for the world. But a 562 00:31:12,800 --> 00:31:15,400 Speaker 1: lot of psychics are con artists, especially Rose Marks. When 563 00:31:15,400 --> 00:31:17,280 Speaker 1: they start telling you it's gonna you're gonna have to 564 00:31:17,280 --> 00:31:19,280 Speaker 1: sacrifice this much money if you want this good thing 565 00:31:19,320 --> 00:31:21,040 Speaker 1: to happen, and you're gonna have to give this much 566 00:31:21,040 --> 00:31:22,280 Speaker 1: money if you want this good thing, and I can 567 00:31:22,280 --> 00:31:25,120 Speaker 1: set a spell, you know, right, Once huge amounts of 568 00:31:25,160 --> 00:31:27,560 Speaker 1: money get involved, then it's no, you're no longer doing 569 00:31:27,560 --> 00:31:29,960 Speaker 1: a service. You know you're not You're no longer providing 570 00:31:30,000 --> 00:31:33,880 Speaker 1: a solace to people. And something I'm gonna shock you 571 00:31:33,920 --> 00:31:36,120 Speaker 1: with because as I'm interviewing you now, the podcast is 572 00:31:36,120 --> 00:31:38,520 Speaker 1: still being edited. You haven't heard it. You have no idea, 573 00:31:38,600 --> 00:31:44,440 Speaker 1: but this was a revelation. Mayor Smith practiced witchcraft. She's spooky. 574 00:31:44,520 --> 00:31:48,680 Speaker 1: I have scared her. Yeah, she is spooky. She would 575 00:31:48,720 --> 00:31:52,160 Speaker 1: do these binding spells where she uses chicken bones douse 576 00:31:52,240 --> 00:31:55,600 Speaker 1: with dragon's blood. You know what dragon's blood is. No, 577 00:31:56,560 --> 00:31:58,640 Speaker 1: it's not blood from a dragon. It's some kind of 578 00:31:58,680 --> 00:32:01,920 Speaker 1: oil they sell in botanic Us, where like you know, voodoo, 579 00:32:01,920 --> 00:32:03,960 Speaker 1: people go to buy there. It's like a target for 580 00:32:04,040 --> 00:32:07,800 Speaker 1: like witchcraft, a botanica. And she would get these penis 581 00:32:07,800 --> 00:32:10,880 Speaker 1: shaped candles and carve a man's name into it and 582 00:32:10,880 --> 00:32:13,040 Speaker 1: burn it. It's supposed to make the men want you. 583 00:32:13,720 --> 00:32:17,440 Speaker 1: And she had like voodoo dolls. She practiced witchcraft. Is 584 00:32:17,440 --> 00:32:19,760 Speaker 1: that a thing you've seen with con women you've studied? 585 00:32:19,800 --> 00:32:21,840 Speaker 1: Were any of them witches? I know you have a 586 00:32:21,920 --> 00:32:27,080 Speaker 1: chapter The Spiritualists where you talk about people wanting to 587 00:32:27,080 --> 00:32:30,200 Speaker 1: communicate with the dad. So they'll pretend they're talking to 588 00:32:30,240 --> 00:32:32,240 Speaker 1: your dead relative if you pay them so much money, 589 00:32:32,280 --> 00:32:34,440 Speaker 1: and they have all the parlor tricks and the noises 590 00:32:34,440 --> 00:32:36,960 Speaker 1: in the light and the smoke. Yeah, none of them 591 00:32:37,040 --> 00:32:40,200 Speaker 1: were practicing witches. I I don't think any of the 592 00:32:40,240 --> 00:32:44,520 Speaker 1: women in my chapter bought their own stick at all. Um, So, no, 593 00:32:44,760 --> 00:32:46,800 Speaker 1: that's not something I've seen. I mean, do you think 594 00:32:46,960 --> 00:32:49,640 Speaker 1: Mayor was just doing it as like an aesthetic thing 595 00:32:49,720 --> 00:32:53,240 Speaker 1: to seem more spooky, or do you think she really 596 00:32:53,280 --> 00:32:56,720 Speaker 1: meant it? No, she really meant it, because other accounts 597 00:32:56,720 --> 00:32:59,680 Speaker 1: I've heard that are not included that I'll mention here 598 00:33:00,080 --> 00:33:02,720 Speaker 1: mother victims. When she would want to shut someone up, 599 00:33:02,880 --> 00:33:04,240 Speaker 1: and I know she must have done this with me 600 00:33:04,280 --> 00:33:07,160 Speaker 1: when I was onto her, she would go and buy 601 00:33:07,360 --> 00:33:11,760 Speaker 1: the whole tongue of a cow, and she would cut 602 00:33:11,800 --> 00:33:14,440 Speaker 1: the tongue. Apparently you can buy cow tongues from places 603 00:33:15,000 --> 00:33:17,200 Speaker 1: like a butcher shop. I mean, I'm a vegetarian. The 604 00:33:17,240 --> 00:33:20,240 Speaker 1: whole thing disgusts me. But she would buy a cow tongue, 605 00:33:20,520 --> 00:33:23,600 Speaker 1: she would cut the cow tongue open, she'd write the 606 00:33:23,640 --> 00:33:26,240 Speaker 1: person's name on a piece of paper, put it in 607 00:33:26,280 --> 00:33:29,320 Speaker 1: the cow tongue, sew it up, and then freeze it 608 00:33:29,640 --> 00:33:32,040 Speaker 1: and that person can no longer speak ill of you 609 00:33:32,080 --> 00:33:34,120 Speaker 1: because their name is on a piece of paper in 610 00:33:34,160 --> 00:33:37,320 Speaker 1: a cow tongue frozen. Well, it didn't work for you. 611 00:33:37,800 --> 00:33:41,520 Speaker 1: It didn't work, But I do believe she believed. She 612 00:33:41,600 --> 00:33:44,960 Speaker 1: believed that it would work. I believe she did. Yeah, 613 00:33:45,120 --> 00:33:46,600 Speaker 1: So do you think your name is in a cow 614 00:33:46,680 --> 00:33:50,600 Speaker 1: tongue and a freezer? Still? I am sure? And it's 615 00:33:50,600 --> 00:33:54,680 Speaker 1: an honor. How many people can say they're in a 616 00:33:54,680 --> 00:34:01,600 Speaker 1: frozen cow tongue? But I can very few. Ultimately, I 617 00:34:01,640 --> 00:34:04,720 Speaker 1: believe good triumphs over evil eventually, and I think that's 618 00:34:04,760 --> 00:34:07,280 Speaker 1: what happened here. And um, I'm glad I got her, 619 00:34:07,320 --> 00:34:09,080 Speaker 1: and it turned me onto this whole world of con 620 00:34:09,200 --> 00:34:12,719 Speaker 1: artists and my god, your book. I had such a 621 00:34:12,719 --> 00:34:14,359 Speaker 1: good time reading it, and it brought me so much 622 00:34:14,400 --> 00:34:17,680 Speaker 1: comfort because it just made me feel like I'm not alone. 623 00:34:17,719 --> 00:34:20,040 Speaker 1: I was the victim of I know they say prostitutions 624 00:34:20,080 --> 00:34:22,920 Speaker 1: the oldest profession, but I disagree. I think con artistry 625 00:34:23,040 --> 00:34:26,520 Speaker 1: is the oldest profession and con artists are everywhere. So 626 00:34:26,560 --> 00:34:30,520 Speaker 1: if you're listening, the next time a stranger introduces themselves 627 00:34:30,520 --> 00:34:32,840 Speaker 1: into your life and they're kind and loving and they 628 00:34:32,880 --> 00:34:35,200 Speaker 1: want to help and they want to become friends real fast, 629 00:34:35,719 --> 00:34:39,520 Speaker 1: you're probably getting caught, and do not do wire transfers. 630 00:34:39,960 --> 00:34:42,799 Speaker 1: Do not if anyone wants you to wire them money. 631 00:34:42,840 --> 00:34:45,800 Speaker 1: It's a con. Yes, Tory Telfer, thank you so much 632 00:34:46,239 --> 00:34:50,239 Speaker 1: for joining us here today. Your book, Confident Women is 633 00:34:50,280 --> 00:34:53,480 Speaker 1: available anywhere books are sold. It's a page turner. I 634 00:34:53,520 --> 00:34:55,680 Speaker 1: read it in two days. And you also do a 635 00:34:55,719 --> 00:34:59,360 Speaker 1: podcast also Criminal Broads if you like stories of women 636 00:34:59,400 --> 00:35:03,920 Speaker 1: who have committed crimes. I've got about sixty two. I 637 00:35:03,960 --> 00:35:08,080 Speaker 1: have a feeling Mayor Smith is going to be sixty three. Well, 638 00:35:08,120 --> 00:35:10,080 Speaker 1: you have yourself a great day, Tory, thank you so much, 639 00:35:10,360 --> 00:35:20,759 Speaker 1: Thank you so much. Alright, byebye, Queen of the con. 640 00:35:21,080 --> 00:35:23,680 Speaker 1: The Irish Heiress is a production of a y R 641 00:35:23,800 --> 00:35:27,760 Speaker 1: Media and I Heart Radio, hosted by Me Jonathan Walton. 642 00:35:28,320 --> 00:35:33,520 Speaker 1: Executive producers Jonathan Walton for Jonathan Walton Productions and Eliza 643 00:35:33,640 --> 00:35:38,000 Speaker 1: Rosen for a y R Media. Written by Jonathan Walton, 644 00:35:38,480 --> 00:35:44,759 Speaker 1: Consulting producer Evan Goldstein, Senior Associate producer Eric Newman. Sound 645 00:35:44,800 --> 00:35:49,839 Speaker 1: designed by Cameron Taggy, Mixed and mastered by Cameron Taggy. 646 00:35:50,320 --> 00:35:54,719 Speaker 1: Audio engineering by Elliott Herman. Legal counsel for A y 647 00:35:54,840 --> 00:35:59,000 Speaker 1: R Media. Gianni Douglas Executive producer for I Heart Radio, 648 00:35:59,400 --> 00:36:00,280 Speaker 1: Chandler Eights