1 00:00:15,356 --> 00:00:15,836 Speaker 1: Pushkin. 2 00:00:18,596 --> 00:00:21,156 Speaker 2: Hey, this is Jake. I want to let you know 3 00:00:21,436 --> 00:00:23,476 Speaker 2: that I'm hard at work on the next season of 4 00:00:23,516 --> 00:00:27,196 Speaker 2: deep Cover. It's a crazy tale and I'm very excited 5 00:00:27,236 --> 00:00:29,676 Speaker 2: to share it with you. It should be ready in 6 00:00:29,716 --> 00:00:33,516 Speaker 2: the spring, but in the meantime, I've got something for 7 00:00:33,556 --> 00:00:36,196 Speaker 2: you to listen to. Now. It's not my story. It's 8 00:00:36,196 --> 00:00:39,756 Speaker 2: from Australia from a guy named Ali Wards, and it's 9 00:00:39,756 --> 00:00:42,316 Speaker 2: a tale that I enjoyed so much I've decided to 10 00:00:42,396 --> 00:00:45,636 Speaker 2: drop the whole thing into the feed now. Look to 11 00:00:45,676 --> 00:00:49,036 Speaker 2: be clear, this is not a deep Cover production. It's 12 00:00:49,036 --> 00:00:52,756 Speaker 2: a limited series by the Unravel podcast team and Ali 13 00:00:52,836 --> 00:00:57,156 Speaker 2: Wards at ABC Australia that we're sharing. And here's what 14 00:00:57,236 --> 00:00:59,956 Speaker 2: I love about what they did and why it feels 15 00:01:00,076 --> 00:01:03,396 Speaker 2: so right for the deep Cover feed. It's basically a 16 00:01:03,436 --> 00:01:08,676 Speaker 2: story of this lovable family from New Zealand, the Wards mom, dad, 17 00:01:08,796 --> 00:01:13,196 Speaker 2: and three grown sons, Olli he's the youngest. Then comes 18 00:01:13,236 --> 00:01:16,916 Speaker 2: along this American woman named Leslie, who is a character 19 00:01:17,276 --> 00:01:21,476 Speaker 2: right out of deep Cover, which is to say she's charming, smart, 20 00:01:21,756 --> 00:01:27,156 Speaker 2: fast talking and full of deception. Anyway, Leslie ends up 21 00:01:27,156 --> 00:01:31,516 Speaker 2: marrying the Ward's middle son, Greg. She turns their world 22 00:01:31,596 --> 00:01:34,756 Speaker 2: upside down and then she disappears. 23 00:01:35,596 --> 00:01:36,956 Speaker 3: But here's the. 24 00:01:36,916 --> 00:01:41,436 Speaker 2: Part I love Ollie. The youngest brother, well, he sets 25 00:01:41,476 --> 00:01:44,116 Speaker 2: out to solve the mystery of who this woman was 26 00:01:44,676 --> 00:01:47,516 Speaker 2: and what she was after he chases her across the 27 00:01:47,556 --> 00:01:51,596 Speaker 2: globe until he finds her, and he also goes deep 28 00:01:51,676 --> 00:01:55,436 Speaker 2: into his family's own dynamics, which is dicey because his 29 00:01:55,516 --> 00:01:58,596 Speaker 2: brother Greg had really fallen in love with this woman. 30 00:01:59,276 --> 00:02:02,756 Speaker 2: So imagine if your family stumbled into the smoke and 31 00:02:02,836 --> 00:02:06,396 Speaker 2: mirrors world of deep Cover and then your kid brother 32 00:02:06,516 --> 00:02:10,876 Speaker 2: turns it into a podcast. You see why Got Hooked? Now, 33 00:02:11,236 --> 00:02:14,556 Speaker 2: just a heads up, this doesn't exactly sound like a 34 00:02:14,596 --> 00:02:18,156 Speaker 2: deep Cover production. The music is a bit different and 35 00:02:18,196 --> 00:02:22,116 Speaker 2: they occasionally use some voice actors, but the story is 36 00:02:22,196 --> 00:02:26,676 Speaker 2: gripping and touching because it's rooted in family and a 37 00:02:26,756 --> 00:02:31,396 Speaker 2: brother's epic adventure to find answers and make his family whole. 38 00:02:32,356 --> 00:02:34,716 Speaker 2: Stay tuned for the next season of deep Cover in 39 00:02:34,756 --> 00:02:37,876 Speaker 2: the Spring and now Here's Snowball. 40 00:02:40,036 --> 00:02:46,396 Speaker 4: This series contains occasional course language. I was the EMBc 41 00:02:46,516 --> 00:02:51,436 Speaker 4: at my brother's wedding. I did all the usual stuff, housekeeping, toasts. 42 00:02:51,836 --> 00:02:56,756 Speaker 4: I tried to crack a few jokes, but inside I 43 00:02:56,796 --> 00:03:00,356 Speaker 4: had a nagging sense of unease about my brother's charismatic 44 00:03:00,476 --> 00:03:06,236 Speaker 4: Californian bride. It was a feeling that some things just 45 00:03:06,316 --> 00:03:10,516 Speaker 4: didn't add up. I didn't tell anyone how I felt, 46 00:03:10,956 --> 00:03:15,996 Speaker 4: probably couldn't have explained it anyway. My brother was happy, 47 00:03:16,356 --> 00:03:20,556 Speaker 4: That's what matters, right, But maybe I should have paid 48 00:03:20,596 --> 00:03:23,916 Speaker 4: more attention to that feeling, because within a few months 49 00:03:24,436 --> 00:03:28,516 Speaker 4: she had taken off to the US. It wasn't just 50 00:03:28,556 --> 00:03:31,636 Speaker 4: my brother's marriage that fell apart. My whole family went 51 00:03:31,676 --> 00:03:35,116 Speaker 4: down with it, and none of us ever saw her again. 52 00:03:37,556 --> 00:03:39,876 Speaker 5: This woman's a bit kind of like, you know, not 53 00:03:40,236 --> 00:03:41,196 Speaker 5: what she claims to be. 54 00:03:42,196 --> 00:03:47,236 Speaker 6: She had this dark, vivacious, a surface skin and look 55 00:03:47,356 --> 00:03:47,716 Speaker 6: to her. 56 00:03:49,356 --> 00:03:51,676 Speaker 7: I guess when you marry someone you feel like you 57 00:03:51,756 --> 00:03:56,316 Speaker 7: really know them. 58 00:03:54,516 --> 00:03:56,196 Speaker 8: And that was her allure. 59 00:03:56,596 --> 00:03:57,476 Speaker 4: You just followed her. 60 00:03:59,036 --> 00:04:03,196 Speaker 6: She did a manipulative con artist stand by. 61 00:04:03,796 --> 00:04:04,876 Speaker 2: We call her the Black Widow. 62 00:04:05,156 --> 00:04:07,076 Speaker 1: This snowball is about the. 63 00:04:07,196 --> 00:04:20,436 Speaker 4: Day when my mum and dad found out that they 64 00:04:20,436 --> 00:04:23,996 Speaker 4: had lost everything. It was during the Sunday lunchtime rush 65 00:04:24,036 --> 00:04:27,636 Speaker 4: in a Country, New Zealand cafe. They had ended up 66 00:04:27,716 --> 00:04:31,036 Speaker 4: running that cafe, and that day Dad was serving behind 67 00:04:31,036 --> 00:04:31,716 Speaker 4: the counter. 68 00:04:31,956 --> 00:04:34,876 Speaker 9: Taking orders passing them back to the chefs at the 69 00:04:34,916 --> 00:04:37,556 Speaker 9: back next order editor. 70 00:04:38,716 --> 00:04:40,516 Speaker 4: Then you noticed a guy joined the back of the line. 71 00:04:41,036 --> 00:04:44,836 Speaker 4: It wasn't a random customer. Dad recognized him. And when 72 00:04:44,836 --> 00:04:46,756 Speaker 4: this guy got to the front of the queue, he. 73 00:04:46,716 --> 00:04:49,236 Speaker 9: Ordered and he said to me, I'll have a so 74 00:04:49,276 --> 00:04:52,916 Speaker 9: and so and so and so, and I've come today 75 00:04:53,836 --> 00:04:56,036 Speaker 9: to tell you that we are going to liquid ap you. 76 00:05:00,156 --> 00:05:03,956 Speaker 1: I almost fainted. I went blank. 77 00:05:04,356 --> 00:05:07,596 Speaker 9: I could feel the draining of blood from my face. 78 00:05:08,076 --> 00:05:10,276 Speaker 9: I must have been as white as a sheet. 79 00:05:10,876 --> 00:05:12,316 Speaker 4: My Mum realized something was up. 80 00:05:12,516 --> 00:05:16,236 Speaker 6: I'm busy bringing in dishes and doing whatever. 81 00:05:17,236 --> 00:05:18,836 Speaker 1: And then I looked at Dad. 82 00:05:18,876 --> 00:05:23,476 Speaker 6: He'd stepped to one side and he came to me, 83 00:05:24,876 --> 00:05:31,436 Speaker 6: and he looked absolutely dreadful, utterly drained, and I just 84 00:05:31,556 --> 00:05:36,676 Speaker 6: carried on. We didn't have time to reflect on things 85 00:05:36,756 --> 00:05:39,236 Speaker 6: till later in the day. And what they all meant. 86 00:05:40,876 --> 00:05:42,836 Speaker 4: What it all meant was Mum and Dad had lost 87 00:05:42,836 --> 00:05:46,156 Speaker 4: their life savings more than a million dollars, and a 88 00:05:46,156 --> 00:05:48,596 Speaker 4: few days later they found out they were homeless. 89 00:05:52,876 --> 00:05:58,596 Speaker 9: A court bailiff presented us with a paper saying our 90 00:05:58,676 --> 00:06:03,796 Speaker 9: house was to be forfeited to the bank. And I 91 00:06:03,836 --> 00:06:06,516 Speaker 9: said to the guy, I'm not going to sign that, 92 00:06:07,196 --> 00:06:09,916 Speaker 9: and he said it's going to happen. You don't need 93 00:06:09,956 --> 00:06:11,596 Speaker 9: to sign anything. You need to throw it on the 94 00:06:11,636 --> 00:06:12,556 Speaker 9: disk and walked out. 95 00:06:13,556 --> 00:06:16,716 Speaker 4: My parents, in their sixties, went from living in a 96 00:06:16,796 --> 00:06:19,876 Speaker 4: leafy Auckland suburb to squatting in the basement at my 97 00:06:19,956 --> 00:06:24,236 Speaker 4: auntie's house. As my family tried to understand what had happened, 98 00:06:24,556 --> 00:06:27,316 Speaker 4: they realized they might have been the victims of an 99 00:06:27,356 --> 00:06:31,996 Speaker 4: elaborate con job. I was living overseas through most of this. 100 00:06:32,676 --> 00:06:36,196 Speaker 4: Recently I started learning about what happened, and I kind 101 00:06:36,196 --> 00:06:38,236 Speaker 4: of felt guilty. I wasn't there when the walls fell 102 00:06:38,276 --> 00:06:42,036 Speaker 4: down around everyone, so now I want to help figure 103 00:06:42,036 --> 00:06:44,756 Speaker 4: things out. I normally work behind the scenes at an 104 00:06:44,796 --> 00:06:49,156 Speaker 4: Australian radio station, Triple J, helping other people tell stories, 105 00:06:49,716 --> 00:06:52,316 Speaker 4: but I knew I needed to investigate the story of 106 00:06:52,356 --> 00:06:54,676 Speaker 4: my own. It was like the plot of a movie, 107 00:06:55,076 --> 00:06:58,796 Speaker 4: one you'd never expect to feature a pretty average Kiwi family. 108 00:07:01,236 --> 00:07:05,036 Speaker 4: Things got weird, and some of it's kind of funny. 109 00:07:05,236 --> 00:07:08,356 Speaker 9: There's also a lot of randomness there with the story 110 00:07:09,436 --> 00:07:11,676 Speaker 9: muggled out of Armenia. 111 00:07:12,036 --> 00:07:13,956 Speaker 1: What whoa explain? 112 00:07:14,156 --> 00:07:17,716 Speaker 3: Oh my fucking god, are you serious? 113 00:07:18,236 --> 00:07:19,756 Speaker 4: I mean, can I talk about drugs. 114 00:07:19,876 --> 00:07:20,596 Speaker 10: This is weird. 115 00:07:21,116 --> 00:07:23,956 Speaker 11: This was not how normal friendship works. 116 00:07:24,156 --> 00:07:27,156 Speaker 12: We were like her little duckling's following behind her, lots. 117 00:07:26,916 --> 00:07:29,836 Speaker 1: Of little intrigues. Thirty thousand dollars. 118 00:07:30,116 --> 00:07:33,516 Speaker 3: I don't know where this money went. They kind of 119 00:07:33,596 --> 00:07:36,036 Speaker 3: knew that there was some some fuckery. 120 00:07:36,196 --> 00:07:37,796 Speaker 8: We joked that they were hired. 121 00:07:38,516 --> 00:07:43,236 Speaker 6: Its personality bubbly, She was rather lovely, He was rock. 122 00:07:43,636 --> 00:07:46,636 Speaker 13: She took every fucking thing ye out. 123 00:07:49,676 --> 00:07:52,636 Speaker 4: The stranger things get, the more questions I have about 124 00:07:52,636 --> 00:07:57,236 Speaker 4: what happened, like why did this American woman con my family? 125 00:07:57,876 --> 00:08:01,876 Speaker 4: How did she just get away? And who really is 126 00:08:02,596 --> 00:08:08,036 Speaker 4: Leslie Minoukian? In this season of unravel, I'm going to 127 00:08:08,076 --> 00:08:11,196 Speaker 4: find some answers, and to do it, I'm going to 128 00:08:11,276 --> 00:08:14,396 Speaker 4: have to travel across the world to track Leslie down. 129 00:08:17,236 --> 00:08:20,276 Speaker 4: I'm Molly Ward's and this is Snowball. 130 00:08:46,836 --> 00:08:49,596 Speaker 1: So this is recording? Is it? Is there an option 131 00:08:49,676 --> 00:08:51,596 Speaker 1: to edit it afterwards? It's not a test. 132 00:08:52,156 --> 00:08:54,556 Speaker 4: Surely there's no better subject than yourself. 133 00:08:54,956 --> 00:08:59,036 Speaker 7: So it's one or two sentences to describe who I am. 134 00:08:59,236 --> 00:09:01,316 Speaker 1: Yeah, okay, I'm a key. 135 00:09:01,356 --> 00:09:07,996 Speaker 7: We mail late thirties, probably quite typical, trying to pay 136 00:09:07,996 --> 00:09:12,276 Speaker 7: the mortgage and all the bills and look after as 137 00:09:12,516 --> 00:09:14,116 Speaker 7: everyone as best I can in the process. 138 00:09:15,156 --> 00:09:18,036 Speaker 4: I guess my brother Greg is typical in lots of ways. 139 00:09:18,436 --> 00:09:20,916 Speaker 4: He'd be happy with a ten dollar haircut, short back 140 00:09:20,956 --> 00:09:24,356 Speaker 4: in sides, but he definitely has his quirks, Like he'll 141 00:09:24,356 --> 00:09:26,556 Speaker 4: read a street map of a foreign city before bed 142 00:09:26,636 --> 00:09:29,196 Speaker 4: like it's a novel. The other thing to know about 143 00:09:29,196 --> 00:09:31,716 Speaker 4: Greg that partly got us into all of this is 144 00:09:31,756 --> 00:09:34,076 Speaker 4: that he loves everything to do with America. 145 00:09:34,196 --> 00:09:37,476 Speaker 7: There's a term for people interested in Europe, which is eurofile. 146 00:09:38,436 --> 00:09:40,276 Speaker 7: I think I was an American a file. 147 00:09:42,796 --> 00:09:45,436 Speaker 4: So like one night recently, I was brushing my teeth 148 00:09:45,516 --> 00:09:48,996 Speaker 4: and I got a surprise show and tell Greg, you've 149 00:09:48,996 --> 00:09:50,116 Speaker 4: just come out and shown something. 150 00:09:50,116 --> 00:09:50,796 Speaker 1: What do you got here? 151 00:09:51,116 --> 00:09:55,436 Speaker 7: It's a two dollars UIs note and I'm told that 152 00:09:55,436 --> 00:09:58,716 Speaker 7: they're quite rare and they're lucky for either the I 153 00:09:58,716 --> 00:10:02,476 Speaker 7: think it's the North Koreans anyway, that's me. 154 00:10:05,156 --> 00:10:07,316 Speaker 4: Now, this whole thing starts when Greg went off on 155 00:10:07,316 --> 00:10:10,556 Speaker 4: his oe back in two thousand and seve in New Zealand. 156 00:10:10,596 --> 00:10:13,716 Speaker 4: Your OI or overseas experience is kind of like a 157 00:10:13,756 --> 00:10:16,916 Speaker 4: gap year after school or UNI. It's where kiwis live abroad, 158 00:10:17,156 --> 00:10:20,196 Speaker 4: drink foreign beer and have people laugh at us for 159 00:10:20,236 --> 00:10:23,396 Speaker 4: the different words we have for stuff like chilibin. That's 160 00:10:23,396 --> 00:10:25,916 Speaker 4: an eski if you're in Australia, or a cool box 161 00:10:25,956 --> 00:10:30,476 Speaker 4: pretty much anywhere else chilibin. Anyway, as a kiwi, it 162 00:10:30,556 --> 00:10:32,516 Speaker 4: was easier for Greg to work in the UK than 163 00:10:32,516 --> 00:10:34,996 Speaker 4: in the US, so he put his American dreams on 164 00:10:35,076 --> 00:10:41,516 Speaker 4: hold and set himself up in London. One night, he 165 00:10:41,556 --> 00:10:45,036 Speaker 4: was at a house party wearing his favorite American football 166 00:10:45,076 --> 00:10:47,636 Speaker 4: style jacket that makes him look like a high school jock. 167 00:10:48,836 --> 00:10:51,916 Speaker 4: So he's wandering through the party. He steps outside to 168 00:10:51,996 --> 00:10:54,076 Speaker 4: a courtyard and his ears prick. 169 00:10:53,996 --> 00:10:56,636 Speaker 7: Up North American accents used to catch my attention. 170 00:10:57,836 --> 00:10:59,956 Speaker 4: In the corner of the courtyard, there's a woman with long, 171 00:11:00,076 --> 00:11:04,676 Speaker 4: dark hair, smoking a cigarette. She's leading a conversation with 172 00:11:04,756 --> 00:11:06,636 Speaker 4: the confidence just oozing out of her. 173 00:11:08,036 --> 00:11:12,716 Speaker 7: Well, let's throw in there, Kim Kardashian look alike, sophisticated 174 00:11:13,716 --> 00:11:18,436 Speaker 7: female operative ready to woo me as well. 175 00:11:20,316 --> 00:11:22,276 Speaker 4: That sophistication might have been to do with her being 176 00:11:22,316 --> 00:11:25,396 Speaker 4: a fair bit older than Greg. Leslie was late thirties, 177 00:11:25,836 --> 00:11:29,316 Speaker 4: Greg was mid twenties. Greg's not a smoker, but he 178 00:11:29,316 --> 00:11:32,316 Speaker 4: thought he had smoke too. He wanted to talk, and 179 00:11:32,356 --> 00:11:35,036 Speaker 4: so he met Leslie. As they chatted in the dimly 180 00:11:35,116 --> 00:11:37,636 Speaker 4: lit courtyard, Greg started to see the world in her. 181 00:11:38,076 --> 00:11:43,276 Speaker 7: Literally, it was more like the concept of America, as 182 00:11:43,996 --> 00:11:46,956 Speaker 7: you know, it's the biggest economy in the world. What 183 00:11:47,236 --> 00:11:50,676 Speaker 7: they do actually matters to most people on the planet. 184 00:11:50,876 --> 00:11:54,156 Speaker 4: I've never heard of another guy describing being attracted to 185 00:11:54,196 --> 00:11:57,276 Speaker 4: a girl because of the size of her economy. But 186 00:11:57,356 --> 00:11:58,076 Speaker 4: that's my brother. 187 00:11:58,476 --> 00:12:02,076 Speaker 7: You know, if you're interested in politics, they are a superpower. 188 00:12:02,676 --> 00:12:04,996 Speaker 4: Bit of a leap to a girl you meet at 189 00:12:04,996 --> 00:12:05,956 Speaker 4: a house party, though. 190 00:12:05,876 --> 00:12:11,676 Speaker 1: Isn't it. Well. I guess that's how naive I was. 191 00:12:16,756 --> 00:12:20,556 Speaker 4: Greg was also taken in by Leslie's wild story about why. 192 00:12:20,396 --> 00:12:21,156 Speaker 1: She was in London. 193 00:12:21,556 --> 00:12:26,036 Speaker 7: So it originally was to escape from Hawaii because some 194 00:12:26,116 --> 00:12:28,876 Speaker 7: bad people in Hawaii were trying to attack Earth, you know, 195 00:12:28,956 --> 00:12:32,236 Speaker 7: because that frauded her and we're trying to do bad 196 00:12:32,236 --> 00:12:35,036 Speaker 7: stuff to her, and her mum and dad sent her 197 00:12:35,076 --> 00:12:37,356 Speaker 7: to Europe to escape them. 198 00:12:38,036 --> 00:12:40,676 Speaker 4: Leslie would tell everyone some version of the story. I 199 00:12:40,716 --> 00:12:44,916 Speaker 4: actually heard it myself. It went like this. Before she 200 00:12:44,996 --> 00:12:48,156 Speaker 4: was in London, Leslie owned the coolest bar, restaurant and 201 00:12:48,276 --> 00:12:51,116 Speaker 4: nightclub on the island of Maui and Hawaii. 202 00:12:51,876 --> 00:12:53,316 Speaker 1: The bar was called the Breakwater. 203 00:12:55,516 --> 00:12:58,196 Speaker 4: Things were going well until one day Leslie caught the 204 00:12:58,316 --> 00:13:01,556 Speaker 4: head security guard dealing drugs out of the back entrance. 205 00:13:02,356 --> 00:13:04,356 Speaker 4: When she confronted him, he told her he planned to 206 00:13:04,436 --> 00:13:08,636 Speaker 4: keep selling drugs she shouldn't try to stop them. From there, 207 00:13:09,276 --> 00:13:13,916 Speaker 4: deteriorated with the locals, like the electricity got cut off 208 00:13:13,916 --> 00:13:16,396 Speaker 4: at the restaurant through a cousin at the power company. 209 00:13:18,076 --> 00:13:20,756 Speaker 4: Leslie said it all culminated one night when she was 210 00:13:20,796 --> 00:13:24,716 Speaker 4: at home hearing people breaking in. She head under the bed. 211 00:13:25,876 --> 00:13:28,556 Speaker 4: From there she saw the head of security with some 212 00:13:28,636 --> 00:13:32,836 Speaker 4: other guys come in carrying sugarcane knives. While they looked 213 00:13:32,836 --> 00:13:35,556 Speaker 4: for her, they were talking about burying her in the fields. 214 00:13:36,956 --> 00:13:39,956 Speaker 4: She was lucky though they didn't look under the bed. 215 00:13:41,036 --> 00:13:44,516 Speaker 4: As soon as they left, Leslie went to the airport. 216 00:13:44,516 --> 00:13:58,796 Speaker 4: Her dad charted a plane and she escaped to Europe. So, 217 00:13:58,836 --> 00:14:01,116 Speaker 4: according to Leslie, that's how she ended up laying low 218 00:14:01,156 --> 00:14:04,236 Speaker 4: in London. And all of this was fascinating to Greg. 219 00:14:04,516 --> 00:14:06,476 Speaker 4: He started introducing Leslie to his mates. 220 00:14:06,876 --> 00:14:10,756 Speaker 10: Their relationship seemed a normal and almost of relationship, aside 221 00:14:10,756 --> 00:14:13,716 Speaker 10: from the fact that it got very intense, very quickly. 222 00:14:14,556 --> 00:14:16,596 Speaker 10: But you would expect that of Greg. He's not a 223 00:14:16,596 --> 00:14:18,876 Speaker 10: game player and he wears his heart on his sleeve, 224 00:14:18,996 --> 00:14:21,756 Speaker 10: so if he's into you, you'd find out pretty quickly. 225 00:14:22,036 --> 00:14:25,276 Speaker 14: My initial thoughts was that she was really open and friendly, 226 00:14:26,076 --> 00:14:27,676 Speaker 14: maybe a bit too friendly. 227 00:14:27,516 --> 00:14:29,236 Speaker 4: But what do you mean by that? 228 00:14:31,636 --> 00:14:32,716 Speaker 8: She just gave a. 229 00:14:32,676 --> 00:14:38,476 Speaker 14: Lot like she just was pretty quick to chat and 230 00:14:38,516 --> 00:14:41,876 Speaker 14: want to hang out and make plans. And I remember 231 00:14:41,916 --> 00:14:44,676 Speaker 14: thinking it was quite full on that she was so 232 00:14:44,796 --> 00:14:46,756 Speaker 14: open so quickly. Maybe that's it. 233 00:14:50,236 --> 00:14:52,956 Speaker 4: In London, Leslie managed a couple of bars. 234 00:14:53,516 --> 00:14:58,196 Speaker 5: She was very vivacious, bubbly, kind of eff avescent personality, 235 00:14:59,196 --> 00:15:01,796 Speaker 5: bubbly California, and it's like manner, you know, she was 236 00:15:01,876 --> 00:15:04,516 Speaker 5: kind of quite engaging, very chatty. 237 00:15:04,876 --> 00:15:07,076 Speaker 1: You know, she knew how to sort of work people. 238 00:15:07,316 --> 00:15:10,396 Speaker 4: Phil owned one of the bars Leslie worked. He saw 239 00:15:10,396 --> 00:15:11,796 Speaker 4: my brother coming in all the time. 240 00:15:12,756 --> 00:15:16,756 Speaker 5: I can remember Greg. I remember Leslie bringing him into 241 00:15:16,796 --> 00:15:18,316 Speaker 5: the bar and introducing. 242 00:15:17,836 --> 00:15:18,996 Speaker 1: Me to him. 243 00:15:19,236 --> 00:15:21,916 Speaker 5: Hell of a life guy, typical sort of keew in London, 244 00:15:22,476 --> 00:15:25,636 Speaker 5: working hard and then he'd come into the bar during 245 00:15:25,676 --> 00:15:28,516 Speaker 5: the in the evenings to wind down a bit and 246 00:15:28,556 --> 00:15:30,436 Speaker 5: he had a you know what I'd probably described a 247 00:15:30,436 --> 00:15:32,716 Speaker 5: certain naivity about him at the time, and I remember 248 00:15:32,796 --> 00:15:35,156 Speaker 5: sort of thinking, you know, he had Leslie who was 249 00:15:35,156 --> 00:15:38,196 Speaker 5: this sort of very confident, kind of you know thing, 250 00:15:38,476 --> 00:15:41,276 Speaker 5: and there was Greg who was quieter and kind of 251 00:15:41,316 --> 00:15:43,676 Speaker 5: you know, so you could see the dynamic there. 252 00:15:44,116 --> 00:15:46,316 Speaker 4: Lesley would hook Greg and his mates up with drinks. 253 00:15:46,796 --> 00:15:50,396 Speaker 7: We suddenly were invited to a part and his plenty 254 00:15:51,316 --> 00:15:55,156 Speaker 7: blackets of beer being brought to our VIP table in 255 00:15:55,196 --> 00:16:00,996 Speaker 7: the corner in the city of London with business people around, 256 00:16:01,076 --> 00:16:03,356 Speaker 7: and it was like, I. 257 00:16:03,556 --> 00:16:05,116 Speaker 1: Can't a beckpecker. 258 00:16:06,116 --> 00:16:10,436 Speaker 7: And I'm one of the words financial capitals getting beer 259 00:16:10,516 --> 00:16:11,116 Speaker 7: rained on me. 260 00:16:11,796 --> 00:16:13,596 Speaker 4: So you felt like a bit of a rock star 261 00:16:13,716 --> 00:16:14,036 Speaker 4: or something. 262 00:16:14,356 --> 00:16:15,516 Speaker 1: Yeah, I did to be sure. 263 00:16:15,636 --> 00:16:18,396 Speaker 4: Yes, Greg's friend Andy did wonder where it was all 264 00:16:18,436 --> 00:16:19,396 Speaker 4: coming from. 265 00:16:19,116 --> 00:16:20,956 Speaker 10: And she said, oh, it's all going on the tabs 266 00:16:20,956 --> 00:16:23,876 Speaker 10: of different local law firms, so you know that'll come 267 00:16:23,916 --> 00:16:26,356 Speaker 10: to settle up and there'd be a few extra platters. 268 00:16:25,916 --> 00:16:27,316 Speaker 4: And bottles of wine. 269 00:16:27,636 --> 00:16:30,276 Speaker 10: It's just one of her crafty ways of showing. 270 00:16:29,996 --> 00:16:30,956 Speaker 1: All her friends a good time. 271 00:16:30,996 --> 00:16:38,636 Speaker 4: I spoth. Things were getting pretty serious between Greg and 272 00:16:38,716 --> 00:16:42,396 Speaker 4: Leslie and as the saying goes, first comes love, then 273 00:16:42,476 --> 00:16:46,156 Speaker 4: comes me wanting to meet your new bay. I flew 274 00:16:46,196 --> 00:16:50,356 Speaker 4: to London to meet my brother's American dream girl. My 275 00:16:50,396 --> 00:16:53,516 Speaker 4: first impression was that Leslie new stuff. She had been 276 00:16:53,556 --> 00:16:56,876 Speaker 4: everywhere and done everything. I started saying, all the time, 277 00:16:57,196 --> 00:17:00,956 Speaker 4: Leslie knows, and she loved that. We joked about getting 278 00:17:00,956 --> 00:17:05,076 Speaker 4: t shirts made. I was only partly being sarcastic. Leslie 279 00:17:05,116 --> 00:17:08,276 Speaker 4: told me about how she was from Orange County, California. 280 00:17:08,476 --> 00:17:10,396 Speaker 4: She said that she was trust fund type kid, and 281 00:17:10,436 --> 00:17:12,836 Speaker 4: so were her friends. And she said that her dad 282 00:17:12,876 --> 00:17:15,996 Speaker 4: was rich from selling tanks to the US Army. So 283 00:17:16,036 --> 00:17:18,596 Speaker 4: it was all pretty impressive, but I have to admit 284 00:17:18,796 --> 00:17:21,876 Speaker 4: I was nervous that I'd end up together. Somehow, Leslie 285 00:17:21,876 --> 00:17:24,876 Speaker 4: seemed to have a power over Greg, like he wasn't himself. 286 00:17:25,156 --> 00:17:26,796 Speaker 4: I wondered if it was because she was so much 287 00:17:26,796 --> 00:17:30,596 Speaker 4: older than him, but I didn't really dwell on that stuff, though, 288 00:17:30,676 --> 00:17:34,116 Speaker 4: because I remember seeing how much Greg loved her. His 289 00:17:34,236 --> 00:17:37,116 Speaker 4: arm was constantly around Leslie, so I was happy for him. 290 00:17:38,356 --> 00:17:41,436 Speaker 4: After only a few months they moved in together. Things 291 00:17:41,436 --> 00:17:44,796 Speaker 4: were going quickly, but they were about to go into hyperdrive. 292 00:17:46,116 --> 00:17:50,196 Speaker 4: The winter after they first met, Greg proposed to Leslie. 293 00:17:50,356 --> 00:17:52,636 Speaker 4: It was snowing on Christmas Day and they were at 294 00:17:52,676 --> 00:17:54,316 Speaker 4: Disneyland in Paris. 295 00:17:56,036 --> 00:18:03,596 Speaker 7: She honestly was buying everything like Donald Duck, key Ring's 296 00:18:04,916 --> 00:18:12,076 Speaker 7: sherberts Elf, bloody hats, really nice dinner at I think 297 00:18:12,156 --> 00:18:14,276 Speaker 7: that movie Johnny Depp was in Pirates of the Caribbean, 298 00:18:15,236 --> 00:18:18,156 Speaker 7: so they've got a really cool restaurant, beautiful food. 299 00:18:19,076 --> 00:18:21,436 Speaker 4: So you had a ring burning a hole in your pocket. 300 00:18:22,116 --> 00:18:24,276 Speaker 1: Honestly, I don't even remember if I had a ring 301 00:18:24,356 --> 00:18:27,516 Speaker 1: or I didn't. I don't think I did you remember. 302 00:18:27,156 --> 00:18:31,156 Speaker 4: The Johnny Depp Pirates of the Caribbean restaurant. 303 00:18:31,356 --> 00:18:37,036 Speaker 7: Look, Ollie, the whole thing is the entire time I 304 00:18:37,076 --> 00:18:38,596 Speaker 7: was in Europe. I was on a bit of a 305 00:18:38,636 --> 00:18:43,516 Speaker 7: cloud nine anyway, and it had been a great year. 306 00:18:43,756 --> 00:18:49,036 Speaker 7: It was romantic, it was snowing, everything was cool, and 307 00:18:49,156 --> 00:18:49,876 Speaker 7: I thought. 308 00:18:50,236 --> 00:18:51,236 Speaker 1: This is the right thing to do. 309 00:18:52,956 --> 00:18:53,836 Speaker 4: How did she react? 310 00:18:54,676 --> 00:18:59,116 Speaker 7: I think a little bit surprised, but also I said 311 00:18:59,156 --> 00:19:00,316 Speaker 7: yes pretty quick as well. 312 00:19:01,076 --> 00:19:04,036 Speaker 1: So yeah, we were in love. 313 00:19:10,636 --> 00:19:11,556 Speaker 2: We'll be right back. 314 00:19:13,676 --> 00:19:16,836 Speaker 4: Just after he proposed, Greg followed his fiance back home 315 00:19:17,156 --> 00:19:19,396 Speaker 4: to the superpower he had always wanted to visit. 316 00:19:19,716 --> 00:19:21,276 Speaker 1: Yeah, first time in the United States. 317 00:19:21,476 --> 00:19:24,316 Speaker 4: They expected New York to be paved in gold instead 318 00:19:24,316 --> 00:19:24,996 Speaker 4: it was dirty. 319 00:19:25,436 --> 00:19:30,396 Speaker 1: That was my first impressionation was this is rough as cuts. 320 00:19:31,156 --> 00:19:32,956 Speaker 4: Then it was to the West Coast to stay in 321 00:19:33,036 --> 00:19:37,436 Speaker 4: Leslie's childhood home in Orange County, California. Leslie always said 322 00:19:37,436 --> 00:19:39,836 Speaker 4: that she was from a rich background, so you might 323 00:19:39,956 --> 00:19:44,076 Speaker 4: imagine her house to be like a mansion off Laguna Beach. Nah, 324 00:19:44,356 --> 00:19:45,996 Speaker 4: it's as. 325 00:19:47,036 --> 00:19:50,756 Speaker 7: Middle income America as you could possibly find. 326 00:19:51,996 --> 00:19:54,196 Speaker 4: Leslie was warm and social, but it turned out that 327 00:19:54,236 --> 00:19:55,716 Speaker 4: her mum and dad were the kind of parents that 328 00:19:55,716 --> 00:19:57,116 Speaker 4: will make you feel like you have to be on 329 00:19:57,156 --> 00:20:01,196 Speaker 4: best behavior. Her mum, Betty with almost permanently pursed lips, 330 00:20:01,596 --> 00:20:04,636 Speaker 4: and her dad Andrew, had a squint through glasses that 331 00:20:04,756 --> 00:20:08,556 Speaker 4: was somehow at the same time suspicious and disinterested. 332 00:20:09,396 --> 00:20:11,836 Speaker 7: I was put in a room next to her parents, 333 00:20:12,876 --> 00:20:16,156 Speaker 7: and she was put in her old room that she 334 00:20:16,196 --> 00:20:19,556 Speaker 7: grew up in. Be it in the same place with 335 00:20:19,636 --> 00:20:24,876 Speaker 7: the same TV VHS cassettes underneath the TV. 336 00:20:25,476 --> 00:20:28,356 Speaker 4: Remember, Leslie was nearly forty years old at this point, 337 00:20:28,516 --> 00:20:30,236 Speaker 4: but it was a separate bedroom situation. 338 00:20:30,676 --> 00:20:31,356 Speaker 1: At this house. 339 00:20:31,516 --> 00:20:35,516 Speaker 7: There was a camera above the front door, like a 340 00:20:35,516 --> 00:20:41,596 Speaker 7: CCTV camera, and I thought, ah, okay, asked about you 341 00:20:41,636 --> 00:20:43,276 Speaker 7: know why you guys got security, and I remember the 342 00:20:43,316 --> 00:20:44,716 Speaker 7: answer was the Hawaiians. 343 00:20:45,476 --> 00:20:47,716 Speaker 4: Something about that didn't add up for Greg, but he 344 00:20:47,756 --> 00:20:49,876 Speaker 4: was on his best behavior and let it go. He 345 00:20:49,916 --> 00:20:52,156 Speaker 4: had bigger things on his mind. He was about to 346 00:20:52,156 --> 00:20:56,276 Speaker 4: get married. To make immigration and paperwork stuff easier, as 347 00:20:56,316 --> 00:20:59,876 Speaker 4: well as to avoid any discomfort with Leslie's conservative parents, 348 00:21:00,276 --> 00:21:03,036 Speaker 4: they arranged to get hitched quickly at a courthouse in 349 00:21:03,076 --> 00:21:06,996 Speaker 4: Santa Anna. Betty and Andrew seemed happy for them. Betty 350 00:21:07,036 --> 00:21:09,636 Speaker 4: put on a nice dress, Andrew put on a jacket, 351 00:21:09,956 --> 00:21:11,876 Speaker 4: and he drove them to the courthouse in his Cadillac. 352 00:21:13,036 --> 00:21:17,436 Speaker 4: The ceremony was brief. The registry office was no frills, 353 00:21:17,476 --> 00:21:21,196 Speaker 4: just a vase of flowers in the corner. Greg was happy, 354 00:21:21,596 --> 00:21:24,316 Speaker 4: but he was feeling far away from home. And also 355 00:21:24,916 --> 00:21:28,396 Speaker 4: Greg thought making things official would change the sleeping arrangements, 356 00:21:29,196 --> 00:21:31,436 Speaker 4: but it didn't get separate bead situation. 357 00:21:32,156 --> 00:21:37,116 Speaker 7: I was quite keen to not have that situation, but 358 00:21:37,156 --> 00:21:41,916 Speaker 7: I respected it. But you are married now, Well that's. 359 00:21:42,036 --> 00:21:46,196 Speaker 1: What was sort of and I thought, Hey, what else 360 00:21:46,196 --> 00:21:46,756 Speaker 1: do I need to do? 361 00:21:46,836 --> 00:21:52,596 Speaker 4: Here? A man, I've done the deed. I want to 362 00:21:52,596 --> 00:21:53,076 Speaker 4: do the deed. 363 00:21:53,196 --> 00:21:55,596 Speaker 1: Her parents were very, very conservative. 364 00:21:56,556 --> 00:21:58,756 Speaker 4: It didn't matter too much though, because they weren't planning 365 00:21:58,756 --> 00:22:02,076 Speaker 4: on staying. As much as Greg was intrigued by America, 366 00:22:02,156 --> 00:22:04,276 Speaker 4: he thought it'd be easier to settle at home and 367 00:22:04,276 --> 00:22:06,756 Speaker 4: then zed where they were going to have a proper wedding. 368 00:22:07,356 --> 00:22:10,076 Speaker 4: But when it came time to leave California, it seemed 369 00:22:10,076 --> 00:22:12,636 Speaker 4: like Betty and Andrew didn't really want their daughter to go. 370 00:22:13,196 --> 00:22:15,236 Speaker 1: They took us out to the airport to lax, and 371 00:22:16,916 --> 00:22:19,276 Speaker 1: they cried shitloads when we left. 372 00:22:20,436 --> 00:22:23,076 Speaker 4: But it was all, you know, moving to New Zealand 373 00:22:23,076 --> 00:22:24,756 Speaker 4: for a new life. What was their thoughts on that? 374 00:22:25,596 --> 00:22:25,756 Speaker 1: Oh? 375 00:22:25,996 --> 00:22:31,476 Speaker 7: Look, mate, I don't remember ever any optimism of Leslie 376 00:22:31,516 --> 00:22:37,276 Speaker 7: moving to New Zealand. I honestly distinctly remember them being 377 00:22:37,396 --> 00:22:39,716 Speaker 7: really sad her leaving America again. 378 00:22:41,156 --> 00:22:41,396 Speaker 1: Yeah. 379 00:22:43,076 --> 00:22:46,716 Speaker 7: Now, whether that's because you know, it's a loved one 380 00:22:46,836 --> 00:22:52,916 Speaker 7: leaving to another land or another reason, who fucking. 381 00:22:52,636 --> 00:22:54,156 Speaker 1: Knows, Like, what do you mean by that? What would 382 00:22:54,196 --> 00:22:56,956 Speaker 1: another reason be, like knowing that she's going to get 383 00:22:56,956 --> 00:23:00,436 Speaker 1: in trouble again somewhere else they can't keep an eye 384 00:23:00,436 --> 00:23:01,676 Speaker 1: on her. I don't know. 385 00:23:05,956 --> 00:23:07,756 Speaker 4: It's late at night as Greg and I talk on 386 00:23:07,796 --> 00:23:11,436 Speaker 4: the couch, talked about all this stuff. I've kind of 387 00:23:11,476 --> 00:23:14,676 Speaker 4: just wanted to help him. Forget. But now that we're talking, 388 00:23:14,996 --> 00:23:17,396 Speaker 4: the more we get into what happened with Leslie, the 389 00:23:17,396 --> 00:23:20,356 Speaker 4: more tangled up we get. I remember that the story 390 00:23:20,556 --> 00:23:25,476 Speaker 4: was her dad worked in the armaments industry, and you know, 391 00:23:25,516 --> 00:23:27,716 Speaker 4: we've heard that she's a trust fund baby, and there's 392 00:23:27,716 --> 00:23:30,956 Speaker 4: all this money in her family, and you know she's 393 00:23:30,996 --> 00:23:33,596 Speaker 4: from the sort of rich background and everything. 394 00:23:34,356 --> 00:23:35,916 Speaker 1: So none that's true. 395 00:23:37,116 --> 00:23:41,076 Speaker 7: Say that again, Well, none of that's true, less the 396 00:23:41,116 --> 00:23:47,316 Speaker 7: part that and her dad told me that he built 397 00:23:47,356 --> 00:23:48,556 Speaker 7: water tanks for the US. 398 00:23:48,516 --> 00:23:53,956 Speaker 1: Army, not armaments. It was water tanks. 399 00:23:55,916 --> 00:23:59,196 Speaker 4: I think she told me he built tanks for the 400 00:23:59,276 --> 00:24:01,636 Speaker 4: US Army, which is which, to be fair, is kind 401 00:24:01,716 --> 00:24:05,116 Speaker 4: of true. But when somebody says that they're building tanks 402 00:24:05,236 --> 00:24:07,796 Speaker 4: for the army, you don't think water tanks. 403 00:24:07,956 --> 00:24:11,516 Speaker 1: Look, he was an Enginet, so he was Iranian. 404 00:24:11,596 --> 00:24:14,916 Speaker 7: He was born in Sorry he was actually he was 405 00:24:14,916 --> 00:24:17,796 Speaker 7: born in Tehran, but he was Armenian. 406 00:24:19,596 --> 00:24:20,236 Speaker 1: Leslie's bad. 407 00:24:20,396 --> 00:24:27,636 Speaker 7: Yeah, sorry, No adopted father, I never No one's as 408 00:24:27,636 --> 00:24:30,756 Speaker 7: far as I know, were least of all us has 409 00:24:30,836 --> 00:24:33,636 Speaker 7: meant the biological parents. 410 00:24:33,676 --> 00:24:41,516 Speaker 15: She was adopted, right, Okay, I don't know that, but ma'am, 411 00:24:41,876 --> 00:24:45,956 Speaker 15: that brings in the other piece that actually is where 412 00:24:45,956 --> 00:24:49,756 Speaker 15: the trust fund supposedly came from, was from her biological 413 00:24:49,796 --> 00:24:52,996 Speaker 15: parents and what she got left behind, and then she 414 00:24:53,036 --> 00:24:53,716 Speaker 15: was adopted out. 415 00:24:55,236 --> 00:24:58,156 Speaker 4: So somebody adopted a baby with a trust fund. 416 00:24:58,676 --> 00:25:03,556 Speaker 7: Well, this is where, like you know, there's so many 417 00:25:03,596 --> 00:25:11,756 Speaker 7: facets to someone's personality or stories all or other. Eventually 418 00:25:12,756 --> 00:25:16,596 Speaker 7: you actually just kind of give up asking and accept 419 00:25:16,676 --> 00:25:17,676 Speaker 7: some of it and. 420 00:25:19,676 --> 00:25:25,316 Speaker 1: Live in the moment and move on. It's just it 421 00:25:25,516 --> 00:25:29,436 Speaker 1: just seems like bullshit, you know, well, most of it is. 422 00:25:31,036 --> 00:25:33,876 Speaker 4: I knew this story had lots of strange tentacles, but 423 00:25:33,996 --> 00:25:36,836 Speaker 4: as I'm asking Greg this stuff, every answer seems to 424 00:25:36,876 --> 00:25:40,996 Speaker 4: sprout more bizarre limbs for me to understand, even just basic, 425 00:25:41,636 --> 00:25:44,476 Speaker 4: really basic questions like how old is Leslie? 426 00:25:45,876 --> 00:25:47,556 Speaker 1: Yeah, she's obviously a bit older than me. 427 00:25:49,676 --> 00:25:50,436 Speaker 4: How much older? 428 00:25:50,996 --> 00:25:55,436 Speaker 7: Well, she had two birthdates, so I never actually know 429 00:25:55,876 --> 00:25:58,116 Speaker 7: you what do you mean she had two birthdays? 430 00:25:58,956 --> 00:26:00,396 Speaker 1: I feel like I ask, what do you mean? A lot? 431 00:26:00,876 --> 00:26:06,436 Speaker 7: Yeah, that's fine, more in this situation, you should it 432 00:26:06,476 --> 00:26:09,556 Speaker 7: was either eight or ten years. I think, what do 433 00:26:09,636 --> 00:26:12,916 Speaker 7: you mean she had two birthdays? She had two different 434 00:26:12,916 --> 00:26:13,796 Speaker 7: passports as well? 435 00:26:14,596 --> 00:26:18,836 Speaker 4: What, Well, we'll explained explain. 436 00:26:20,836 --> 00:26:26,036 Speaker 7: So there was a US passport, but that there was 437 00:26:26,116 --> 00:26:29,836 Speaker 7: other documentation with different birthdays. 438 00:26:31,116 --> 00:26:32,236 Speaker 4: You didn't think that was strange? 439 00:26:33,876 --> 00:26:41,036 Speaker 7: Well yeah, sure, but there was you know, plausible reasons which. 440 00:26:40,796 --> 00:26:41,156 Speaker 1: Were what. 441 00:26:44,356 --> 00:26:47,116 Speaker 7: Uh I think for memory? 442 00:26:47,476 --> 00:26:48,436 Speaker 1: It was. 443 00:26:50,836 --> 00:26:58,516 Speaker 7: Smuggled out of Armenia, the passport was smuggled out of Noh. 444 00:26:58,636 --> 00:26:59,116 Speaker 1: She was. 445 00:27:01,596 --> 00:27:07,676 Speaker 7: Wow, so we've got that piece, plus all the Hawaiians 446 00:27:07,676 --> 00:27:08,516 Speaker 7: attacking her. 447 00:27:11,676 --> 00:27:13,636 Speaker 1: Mate. She's an enigma. 448 00:27:27,796 --> 00:27:31,476 Speaker 4: Oh hey, Roy, Yeah, I want you to meet my 449 00:27:31,836 --> 00:27:33,196 Speaker 4: older brother, Simon. 450 00:27:33,196 --> 00:27:34,836 Speaker 3: My name Simon, I'm your brother. 451 00:27:35,196 --> 00:27:37,676 Speaker 4: I'm the youngest of us brothers. Greg is in the middle. 452 00:27:37,876 --> 00:27:42,676 Speaker 4: Simon's the oldest. Simon can be intimidating, but he's also charismatic, 453 00:27:43,076 --> 00:27:45,276 Speaker 4: like he'd gate crash your party and then be the 454 00:27:45,316 --> 00:27:48,676 Speaker 4: life of it. He's got a shaved head, thick black beard. 455 00:27:48,996 --> 00:27:51,156 Speaker 4: Can you can get in a few sentences just describe 456 00:27:51,196 --> 00:27:54,356 Speaker 4: yourself for people listening, like, you know, how would you 457 00:27:54,756 --> 00:27:56,636 Speaker 4: in a couple of sentences sum yourself up? 458 00:27:56,996 --> 00:27:57,396 Speaker 1: I don't know. 459 00:27:58,116 --> 00:28:04,356 Speaker 3: I'm an artist, a lover, not no, I'm a brother. 460 00:28:04,516 --> 00:28:06,476 Speaker 3: You're like, what are you men for? 461 00:28:06,596 --> 00:28:09,796 Speaker 4: Kiwi's at home like Simon. When Leslie Minuki turned up, 462 00:28:09,996 --> 00:28:12,396 Speaker 4: she was pretty full on. She was a real different 463 00:28:12,476 --> 00:28:13,356 Speaker 4: character to have around. 464 00:28:14,436 --> 00:28:16,796 Speaker 1: It was. It was just it was. It was a 465 00:28:16,796 --> 00:28:17,356 Speaker 1: bit weird. 466 00:28:17,716 --> 00:28:20,836 Speaker 3: And to tell you the truth, the only interaction I've 467 00:28:20,876 --> 00:28:24,316 Speaker 3: ever had with an American I think, like a proper American, 468 00:28:24,476 --> 00:28:28,276 Speaker 3: Like she's like the quintessential kind of Kelly chick with 469 00:28:28,356 --> 00:28:31,996 Speaker 3: that strong accent. I'd just seen that on TV. Just 470 00:28:32,236 --> 00:28:36,116 Speaker 3: interactions with her. I remember it feeling a bit like TV, 471 00:28:36,516 --> 00:28:37,156 Speaker 3: just because. 472 00:28:37,116 --> 00:28:39,276 Speaker 4: You know what I mean, sort of like an intensity. 473 00:28:39,796 --> 00:28:44,556 Speaker 3: Yeah, man, wicked intensity. It didn't seem like this huge 474 00:28:44,636 --> 00:28:49,716 Speaker 3: love affair. But Greg's quite in dressed anyway. He's quite 475 00:28:50,156 --> 00:28:53,996 Speaker 3: a dreusting guy. So something that may seem strange and 476 00:28:54,196 --> 00:28:57,396 Speaker 3: in another situation, I'm like, oh, this is just Greg, 477 00:28:57,596 --> 00:28:58,396 Speaker 3: this is my brother. 478 00:28:58,756 --> 00:29:01,996 Speaker 4: Gregg's Kui mates also found Leslie quite buzzy. 479 00:29:02,436 --> 00:29:05,476 Speaker 12: You were very quick to get wrapped up in Leslie 480 00:29:05,516 --> 00:29:09,956 Speaker 12: because she was like the life of the past. She'd 481 00:29:09,996 --> 00:29:13,236 Speaker 12: roll up with you know, her Jaegermeister. And to be honest, 482 00:29:13,276 --> 00:29:14,996 Speaker 12: back then, I was so I was ten years ago, 483 00:29:14,996 --> 00:29:18,716 Speaker 12: I was twenty four. So here's this check who was 484 00:29:18,756 --> 00:29:21,476 Speaker 12: like just paying for everything like she was always I mean, 485 00:29:21,476 --> 00:29:23,876 Speaker 12: can I talk about drugs? She was always supplying weed 486 00:29:24,116 --> 00:29:28,476 Speaker 12: and Jaegermeister it's a quick way to a twenty four 487 00:29:28,556 --> 00:29:29,956 Speaker 12: year old's hot weed and yager. 488 00:29:29,796 --> 00:29:31,716 Speaker 1: Mustad oh one hundred percent right. 489 00:29:32,196 --> 00:29:35,076 Speaker 4: Most people were like sweet ass, but for some others 490 00:29:35,436 --> 00:29:37,116 Speaker 4: it was a bit much like. 491 00:29:37,156 --> 00:29:39,356 Speaker 12: For instance, she said, come over, we'll have a drink 492 00:29:39,356 --> 00:29:39,956 Speaker 12: of wine. 493 00:29:40,076 --> 00:29:41,116 Speaker 4: We'd go over there and. 494 00:29:41,236 --> 00:29:43,276 Speaker 12: Have a really expensive bottle of red or something, and 495 00:29:43,276 --> 00:29:45,596 Speaker 12: I'll mention all you that's a really nice bottle. 496 00:29:46,196 --> 00:29:47,276 Speaker 8: She'd turn up the next. 497 00:29:47,196 --> 00:29:49,356 Speaker 12: Day with like a whole case of the stuff and 498 00:29:49,476 --> 00:29:50,556 Speaker 12: be like, this is for you. 499 00:29:50,636 --> 00:29:54,116 Speaker 11: Every time we caught out, she was always showering us 500 00:29:54,156 --> 00:29:59,676 Speaker 11: and gifts, like giving us literally gifts, paying for everything, 501 00:30:00,116 --> 00:30:04,556 Speaker 11: free alcohol, This is amazing. But when it was every 502 00:30:04,636 --> 00:30:06,716 Speaker 11: catch up, I started to be like, this is weird. 503 00:30:07,356 --> 00:30:13,276 Speaker 11: This is not how normal and shipwork. 504 00:30:17,236 --> 00:30:18,116 Speaker 8: Don't put it near me. 505 00:30:19,396 --> 00:30:20,876 Speaker 4: What needs to come near you to record? 506 00:30:20,876 --> 00:30:21,956 Speaker 8: You're just looking at me? 507 00:30:22,516 --> 00:30:28,796 Speaker 4: What that's my mum Julie describing my microphone. Mom's a 508 00:30:28,836 --> 00:30:31,676 Speaker 4: tall lady. She used to be self conscious as a teenager. 509 00:30:32,076 --> 00:30:33,876 Speaker 4: One time she danced with her friend in the girl's 510 00:30:33,916 --> 00:30:35,836 Speaker 4: bathroom because she didn't think any of the boys would 511 00:30:35,836 --> 00:30:38,156 Speaker 4: want to dance with a taller girl, but now she 512 00:30:38,276 --> 00:30:40,876 Speaker 4: owns it. She's pretty sassy and sarcastic. 513 00:30:41,636 --> 00:30:44,796 Speaker 8: Could you just put it sort of over there down there? 514 00:30:45,676 --> 00:30:48,716 Speaker 4: Can you start by just why don't you tell me 515 00:30:48,716 --> 00:30:51,556 Speaker 4: a little bit about yourself? Hello? 516 00:30:52,476 --> 00:30:58,396 Speaker 6: I'm the mother of three boys who I thought I 517 00:30:58,436 --> 00:31:03,276 Speaker 6: would not survive their upbringing. I love the three of 518 00:31:03,316 --> 00:31:07,436 Speaker 6: them to bits. The one we're going to speak of 519 00:31:08,356 --> 00:31:17,276 Speaker 6: is our lovely Greg, who is a kind, fast seeing, intelligent, 520 00:31:18,676 --> 00:31:21,716 Speaker 6: good looking young man. And that people used to even 521 00:31:21,756 --> 00:31:25,316 Speaker 6: say he looked like Tom Cruise, so that must be 522 00:31:25,356 --> 00:31:29,436 Speaker 6: a measure. But in that it seems there's been a 523 00:31:29,436 --> 00:31:30,636 Speaker 6: bit of vulnerability. 524 00:31:31,236 --> 00:31:34,596 Speaker 4: My brother is kind, but I got to say, he 525 00:31:34,636 --> 00:31:38,076 Speaker 4: doesn't look like Tom Cruise. I reckon. Mum thought Leslie 526 00:31:38,076 --> 00:31:39,196 Speaker 4: looked like a movie star too. 527 00:31:40,196 --> 00:31:41,276 Speaker 8: She was rather lovely. 528 00:31:41,436 --> 00:31:48,076 Speaker 6: She had this dark, vivacious a surface skin and look 529 00:31:48,156 --> 00:31:54,116 Speaker 6: to her personality bubbly, very yah yeah American. 530 00:31:55,316 --> 00:31:58,436 Speaker 8: You know how Americans have the accent where they going 531 00:31:58,516 --> 00:32:01,276 Speaker 8: yeah yeah yah yah yah yea yeah, yeah, yeah, I know, 532 00:32:02,076 --> 00:32:06,996 Speaker 8: I just know. So I said, oh, yes, it's just American, 533 00:32:07,036 --> 00:32:08,116 Speaker 8: and we got on with it. 534 00:32:08,476 --> 00:32:11,116 Speaker 4: Mum ended up hanging out with Leslie like every day. 535 00:32:11,476 --> 00:32:12,356 Speaker 8: Each day. 536 00:32:13,676 --> 00:32:16,556 Speaker 6: She would get up and make me take her somewhere 537 00:32:17,356 --> 00:32:19,036 Speaker 6: like let's go. And I was happy to do it 538 00:32:19,076 --> 00:32:19,756 Speaker 6: for goodness sake. 539 00:32:20,916 --> 00:32:22,396 Speaker 4: What was the kind of plan though, I mean, what 540 00:32:22,436 --> 00:32:23,156 Speaker 4: were they going to be doing. 541 00:32:23,156 --> 00:32:28,116 Speaker 6: It's going to buy a business in New Zealand of 542 00:32:28,156 --> 00:32:37,716 Speaker 6: a hospitality nature. One day, she'd been trawling through things 543 00:32:37,796 --> 00:32:41,076 Speaker 6: up in her bedroom and she came down and she said, 544 00:32:41,196 --> 00:32:44,836 Speaker 6: I've found it. I've got it. She said, this is 545 00:32:44,876 --> 00:32:47,396 Speaker 6: a sign I have to buy this place. 546 00:32:48,196 --> 00:32:49,156 Speaker 4: And what was the sign. 547 00:32:49,276 --> 00:32:54,516 Speaker 6: The sign was that she had a big dragonfly tattooed 548 00:32:54,516 --> 00:32:55,316 Speaker 6: across her back. 549 00:32:55,916 --> 00:32:58,556 Speaker 4: And so the cafe is called the Dragonfly. She's got 550 00:32:58,556 --> 00:33:03,396 Speaker 4: a dragonfly tattoo. It's a sign meant to be. The 551 00:33:03,476 --> 00:33:06,876 Speaker 4: Dragonfly Cafe was in a small town called Matticana, an 552 00:33:06,916 --> 00:33:11,716 Speaker 4: hours drive north of Auckland. Around Medicana, lush native bush 553 00:33:11,796 --> 00:33:15,636 Speaker 4: and farms sit next to sandy white beaches. There's a 554 00:33:15,676 --> 00:33:19,636 Speaker 4: farmer's market vibe. Sometimes ducks waddle around town from the river, 555 00:33:19,756 --> 00:33:22,956 Speaker 4: which is lit up by fairy lights at night. The 556 00:33:23,036 --> 00:33:26,436 Speaker 4: Dragonfly was on the main road leading into Meticana. At 557 00:33:26,476 --> 00:33:29,156 Speaker 4: the front, a gift shop sold scented candles and beach 558 00:33:29,196 --> 00:33:33,076 Speaker 4: house knickknacks. On the back patio. The cafe looked down 559 00:33:33,076 --> 00:33:38,076 Speaker 4: a slope towards a natural waterfall, all surrounded by native bush. 560 00:33:38,236 --> 00:33:40,636 Speaker 4: If you looked back up towards the cafe, you'd see 561 00:33:40,636 --> 00:33:42,716 Speaker 4: a house with a log cabin feel to it, with 562 00:33:42,796 --> 00:33:46,596 Speaker 4: exposed wooden beams. This is where Greg and Leslie would live. 563 00:33:47,276 --> 00:33:50,836 Speaker 8: It was lovely seaper staff. 564 00:33:51,276 --> 00:33:53,636 Speaker 1: And you remember how much it was going to be. 565 00:33:53,636 --> 00:34:00,236 Speaker 8: Worth over a million. 566 00:34:01,636 --> 00:34:04,396 Speaker 6: Because it had the house with it in the beautiful 567 00:34:04,516 --> 00:34:06,636 Speaker 6: land and the business. 568 00:34:11,556 --> 00:34:15,196 Speaker 4: Okay, ready to rock and roll, And finally from our fam, 569 00:34:15,236 --> 00:34:16,836 Speaker 4: this is my dad, David. 570 00:34:17,436 --> 00:34:22,156 Speaker 9: I am a kei we fellow who has had lots 571 00:34:22,196 --> 00:34:27,236 Speaker 9: of jobs, met lots of people. I feel feely comfortable 572 00:34:27,276 --> 00:34:32,516 Speaker 9: in myself. I have developed a fairly strong Christian faith 573 00:34:33,396 --> 00:34:35,596 Speaker 9: and I think that's served me very. 574 00:34:35,476 --> 00:34:38,276 Speaker 4: Well my whole life. Dad has looked the same. He's 575 00:34:38,276 --> 00:34:42,876 Speaker 4: got a round, warm face, incapable of showing anger, square glasses, 576 00:34:43,276 --> 00:34:46,956 Speaker 4: silver gray hair, just only on the sides. Maybe it's 577 00:34:46,996 --> 00:34:48,756 Speaker 4: because I've been away from home for so long, but 578 00:34:48,836 --> 00:34:51,676 Speaker 4: sometimes I hear Dad like Murray the manager from Flight 579 00:34:51,716 --> 00:34:54,316 Speaker 4: of the Concords. Oh you're like a cool looking pair 580 00:34:54,356 --> 00:34:56,636 Speaker 4: of it. It it's Dad was there to help Leslie 581 00:34:56,636 --> 00:34:58,196 Speaker 4: get set up when she came to New Zealand. 582 00:34:58,636 --> 00:35:02,436 Speaker 9: So she needed a lawyer in order to look at 583 00:35:02,476 --> 00:35:06,956 Speaker 9: properties and do some conveyancing. And I thought, poor girl, 584 00:35:07,796 --> 00:35:10,756 Speaker 9: she doesn't know anybody can have our lawyer, So I 585 00:35:10,836 --> 00:35:11,756 Speaker 9: introduced her. 586 00:35:11,636 --> 00:35:12,396 Speaker 1: To our lawyer. 587 00:35:12,716 --> 00:35:15,116 Speaker 4: This Auckland based lawyer had been acting for mom and 588 00:35:15,196 --> 00:35:18,356 Speaker 4: dad for twenty five years. When my parents bought their 589 00:35:18,356 --> 00:35:21,796 Speaker 4: house in nineteen eighty two, he was there. Dad bought 590 00:35:21,796 --> 00:35:24,236 Speaker 4: a business that hired out party equipment. He worked on that. 591 00:35:24,756 --> 00:35:26,156 Speaker 4: It made sense to get him on the job for 592 00:35:26,236 --> 00:35:28,556 Speaker 4: Leslie too, now that she was part of the family. 593 00:35:29,156 --> 00:35:32,756 Speaker 4: With that sorted, Leslie went to New Zealand's state owned bank, 594 00:35:33,076 --> 00:35:36,636 Speaker 4: creatively titled Kiwi Bank, and she asked for a loan. 595 00:35:37,156 --> 00:35:39,876 Speaker 4: The conditions included Leslie proving to Kiwi Bank that she 596 00:35:39,956 --> 00:35:42,836 Speaker 4: had a trust fund. She was able to show the 597 00:35:42,876 --> 00:35:45,916 Speaker 4: bank that she had five million US dollars in her 598 00:35:45,996 --> 00:35:49,316 Speaker 4: trust fund and five thousand coming to her each month 599 00:35:49,716 --> 00:35:52,276 Speaker 4: for life, but Leslie had only just come to New 600 00:35:52,356 --> 00:35:55,196 Speaker 4: Zealand and she was still on a tourist visa. Another 601 00:35:55,236 --> 00:35:58,196 Speaker 4: condition of the loan was having a Keywi garanteur. Dad 602 00:35:58,236 --> 00:36:00,596 Speaker 4: had just sold his party higher company and retired, so 603 00:36:00,676 --> 00:36:02,316 Speaker 4: it seemed natural for them to get involved. 604 00:36:02,756 --> 00:36:04,436 Speaker 9: There were a lot of people that were sort of 605 00:36:04,476 --> 00:36:11,956 Speaker 9: saying things. She'd cautioning us, you sure, that's a huge 606 00:36:11,956 --> 00:36:16,476 Speaker 9: thing to do, And I was thinking, Leslie seems to 607 00:36:16,516 --> 00:36:18,316 Speaker 9: be on top of all this. She has all this 608 00:36:19,036 --> 00:36:26,436 Speaker 9: fantastic references from running restaurants over in America and in Hawaii. 609 00:36:28,156 --> 00:36:32,436 Speaker 9: She talks to talk. She convinced our lawyer that it 610 00:36:32,476 --> 00:36:33,276 Speaker 9: was a good thing to do. 611 00:36:34,236 --> 00:36:36,156 Speaker 4: I tried to talk to this lawyer, but he didn't 612 00:36:36,156 --> 00:36:38,596 Speaker 4: want to be interviewed, and in case that happened later, 613 00:36:38,876 --> 00:36:40,556 Speaker 4: he said he never told mom and Dad that it 614 00:36:40,596 --> 00:36:42,796 Speaker 4: was a great venture. He said he doesn't give that 615 00:36:42,876 --> 00:36:46,196 Speaker 4: kind of advice to his clients. But Dad remembers things differently. 616 00:36:46,916 --> 00:36:50,556 Speaker 9: He said to me, you don't have to do anything, David, 617 00:36:50,676 --> 00:36:55,956 Speaker 9: because I would say she's a human dynamo. It's his words, 618 00:36:56,036 --> 00:36:59,916 Speaker 9: she is a human dynamo. We're thinking every now and again, 619 00:36:59,956 --> 00:37:02,116 Speaker 9: you've got to stick your neck out. You stick your 620 00:37:02,196 --> 00:37:08,476 Speaker 9: neck out and it'll pay off. So we guaranteed alone 621 00:37:08,316 --> 00:37:12,876 Speaker 9: on loan to purchase one and a half million dollars 622 00:37:12,916 --> 00:37:15,596 Speaker 9: worth of property and business. 623 00:37:17,196 --> 00:37:18,396 Speaker 3: We'll be right back. 624 00:37:21,556 --> 00:37:25,156 Speaker 9: It was a lawful lot on trust here on my 625 00:37:25,316 --> 00:37:30,676 Speaker 9: part and our part huge amount we did stick our 626 00:37:30,716 --> 00:37:31,316 Speaker 9: Niecks out. 627 00:37:32,996 --> 00:37:35,156 Speaker 4: Greg and Leslie moved into the house at the Dragonfly. 628 00:37:35,316 --> 00:37:37,316 Speaker 4: Over the last few months of two thousand and seven. 629 00:37:37,996 --> 00:37:40,156 Speaker 4: Greg wouldn't have much to do with the cafe. He 630 00:37:40,196 --> 00:37:43,716 Speaker 4: had his own job. Lesley was in charge. But soon 631 00:37:43,796 --> 00:37:45,796 Speaker 4: my brother Simon got roped in on the food side 632 00:37:45,836 --> 00:37:46,396 Speaker 4: of the business. 633 00:37:46,676 --> 00:37:49,036 Speaker 3: So I may have embellished the story, but I remember 634 00:37:49,076 --> 00:37:51,876 Speaker 3: it being just a few days before the cafe opened, 635 00:37:52,036 --> 00:37:55,916 Speaker 3: shared a blue with the chef and so and then 636 00:37:56,076 --> 00:37:59,676 Speaker 3: so I was just like the chef is and he quit, 637 00:37:59,956 --> 00:38:00,996 Speaker 3: a French guy and he quit. 638 00:38:02,876 --> 00:38:05,476 Speaker 4: When the cafe reopened, there was a lot of buzz 639 00:38:05,516 --> 00:38:08,716 Speaker 4: around it. Things were going well. Leslie was making an 640 00:38:08,716 --> 00:38:12,436 Speaker 4: impact on the chilled out Mattkana community. Here was this 641 00:38:12,596 --> 00:38:16,596 Speaker 4: California power business lady shaking things up. The local magazine 642 00:38:16,596 --> 00:38:17,276 Speaker 4: did a wride up. 643 00:38:17,756 --> 00:38:21,236 Speaker 12: Now under its new owner, Leslie Minuchian, who has previously 644 00:38:21,276 --> 00:38:24,436 Speaker 12: owned restaurants in Lake Tahoe and the US and in Hawaii, 645 00:38:24,756 --> 00:38:26,636 Speaker 12: Dragonfly is getting better. 646 00:38:26,436 --> 00:38:30,996 Speaker 4: By the day. Meanwhile, preparations were underway for a massive wedding, 647 00:38:31,716 --> 00:38:35,076 Speaker 4: but it soon became clear that none of Leslie's trust 648 00:38:35,076 --> 00:38:37,516 Speaker 4: fund friends from America were going to make it. She 649 00:38:37,596 --> 00:38:39,836 Speaker 4: said none of them could hack the thirteen hour flight 650 00:38:39,916 --> 00:38:42,596 Speaker 4: to Auckland. So kee we girls that Leslie had known 651 00:38:42,636 --> 00:38:44,836 Speaker 4: for only a matter of months started getting the call 652 00:38:44,916 --> 00:38:47,196 Speaker 4: up to the bridal party, like Carla, who was back 653 00:38:47,236 --> 00:38:47,676 Speaker 4: in London. 654 00:38:47,956 --> 00:38:51,756 Speaker 14: I remember sitting at my desk in Hoxton and at 655 00:38:51,756 --> 00:38:54,476 Speaker 14: my office and I remember thinking, fuck, this is so 656 00:38:54,676 --> 00:38:56,916 Speaker 14: weird and sort of saying to a few of the 657 00:38:56,916 --> 00:39:00,156 Speaker 14: girls in the showroom late, so I've just asked to 658 00:39:00,196 --> 00:39:03,716 Speaker 14: be a bridesmaids to this girl I barely know. In 659 00:39:03,796 --> 00:39:06,036 Speaker 14: New Zealand in January. 660 00:39:05,996 --> 00:39:08,996 Speaker 4: One of the other bridesmaids, Alisha, hadn't known Leslie for 661 00:39:09,196 --> 00:39:09,676 Speaker 4: long either. 662 00:39:10,076 --> 00:39:11,916 Speaker 13: I was asked to be a bride manage, which was 663 00:39:12,316 --> 00:39:15,956 Speaker 13: quite surprising. I think she said something about her cousin 664 00:39:16,036 --> 00:39:20,516 Speaker 13: couldn't come, so I think I was kind of filling in, 665 00:39:21,276 --> 00:39:23,236 Speaker 13: like she didn't really have any family here. 666 00:39:23,436 --> 00:39:25,836 Speaker 1: And yeah, I mean I guess I was happy. 667 00:39:25,676 --> 00:39:27,796 Speaker 13: To do it because we were, you know, we were close. 668 00:39:27,596 --> 00:39:28,036 Speaker 8: At the time. 669 00:39:28,716 --> 00:39:31,556 Speaker 4: After everything that went down, my mum stopped referring to 670 00:39:31,596 --> 00:39:35,116 Speaker 4: it as the wedding. She renamed it and our family. 671 00:39:35,476 --> 00:39:41,716 Speaker 4: It's now known as the event. The event happened on 672 00:39:41,756 --> 00:39:44,836 Speaker 4: a blue sky summer day, just after Christmas in a 673 00:39:44,876 --> 00:39:48,476 Speaker 4: small colonial era church with painted white arches and stiff 674 00:39:48,476 --> 00:39:49,956 Speaker 4: wooden pews. 675 00:39:49,876 --> 00:39:51,476 Speaker 1: And it just was really surreal. 676 00:39:51,796 --> 00:39:53,436 Speaker 14: It was like I was kind of acting. I was 677 00:39:53,476 --> 00:39:55,716 Speaker 14: acting in a sitcom or something like that was my 678 00:39:55,796 --> 00:39:57,836 Speaker 14: role to arrive and then then I was going. 679 00:39:57,756 --> 00:39:59,356 Speaker 1: To go walk, you know, down island. 680 00:39:59,796 --> 00:40:01,476 Speaker 8: It was. It was so weird. 681 00:40:02,116 --> 00:40:05,996 Speaker 4: The ceremony was pretty standard a priest, those Bible readings 682 00:40:06,036 --> 00:40:10,556 Speaker 4: from every church wedding ever, Love is patient, Lover's kind. 683 00:40:11,516 --> 00:40:13,996 Speaker 4: After that, the party started straight away in a hall 684 00:40:14,036 --> 00:40:17,156 Speaker 4: next door. I was living in London by this point 685 00:40:17,236 --> 00:40:20,076 Speaker 4: and I had flown home especially for the wedding. I 686 00:40:20,116 --> 00:40:23,236 Speaker 4: was happy to be the MC. I remember making a 687 00:40:23,316 --> 00:40:25,836 Speaker 4: joke like Geez, I go away for a couple of 688 00:40:25,836 --> 00:40:28,516 Speaker 4: months and I come back and Greg's got a cafe, 689 00:40:28,756 --> 00:40:33,196 Speaker 4: a house and a waterfall. I can't find any recordings 690 00:40:33,196 --> 00:40:37,156 Speaker 4: of that night. Pretty much everyone we know in New 691 00:40:37,236 --> 00:40:40,556 Speaker 4: Zealand was there. More than one hundred and fifty people came. 692 00:40:40,796 --> 00:40:43,956 Speaker 4: There were even wedding crashes watching from the deck. But 693 00:40:44,116 --> 00:40:47,596 Speaker 4: here's the weird thing. Almost all the guests were from 694 00:40:47,676 --> 00:40:51,076 Speaker 4: Greg's side. The only guests that weren't already friends or 695 00:40:51,116 --> 00:40:54,556 Speaker 4: family of Greggs were Leslie's parents, Betty and Andrew. 696 00:40:55,876 --> 00:41:02,276 Speaker 3: There was two people, yeah, no friends, no family. I 697 00:41:02,276 --> 00:41:04,156 Speaker 3: think the weirdest thing, and I think the weirdest thing 698 00:41:04,236 --> 00:41:07,636 Speaker 3: for everyone just about the event was the parent thing. 699 00:41:07,716 --> 00:41:09,796 Speaker 1: Her parents just how. 700 00:41:11,836 --> 00:41:13,716 Speaker 3: I think there was a lot of this. They would 701 00:41:13,716 --> 00:41:16,396 Speaker 3: just stand offish, they were just like, I don't know it, 702 00:41:16,676 --> 00:41:19,276 Speaker 3: it was just fucking weird. I don't remember really being 703 00:41:19,276 --> 00:41:21,036 Speaker 3: able to talk to them at all. There was no 704 00:41:21,076 --> 00:41:21,756 Speaker 3: really interaction. 705 00:41:22,076 --> 00:41:26,236 Speaker 6: They were very quiet and you couldn't raise a lip 706 00:41:26,276 --> 00:41:27,276 Speaker 6: of a smile. 707 00:41:27,436 --> 00:41:29,356 Speaker 8: You couldn't get a weird out of them. 708 00:41:29,716 --> 00:41:30,876 Speaker 4: They looked. 709 00:41:34,076 --> 00:41:39,316 Speaker 8: Very she looked very pale and colorless. 710 00:41:40,676 --> 00:41:44,196 Speaker 4: The best man, Nat made a special effort with Leslie's parents. 711 00:41:44,756 --> 00:41:47,516 Speaker 10: They were very, very hard to try and make them 712 00:41:47,556 --> 00:41:48,556 Speaker 10: feel welcome. 713 00:41:48,676 --> 00:41:51,516 Speaker 9: So I just remember at one point just walking away 714 00:41:51,796 --> 00:41:52,796 Speaker 9: thinking out well. 715 00:41:52,996 --> 00:41:55,796 Speaker 13: I remember joking with Mad about the fact that potentially 716 00:41:56,236 --> 00:41:59,596 Speaker 13: you know Leslie's parents, even her real parents, or did 717 00:41:59,596 --> 00:42:01,916 Speaker 13: she just ring in a couple actives. 718 00:42:02,036 --> 00:42:04,356 Speaker 6: They seemed a little bit standing like because they were 719 00:42:04,356 --> 00:42:06,076 Speaker 6: a sort of a bit there but not there. 720 00:42:06,276 --> 00:42:11,076 Speaker 12: We joked that they were hired actors because yeah, why. 721 00:42:10,916 --> 00:42:11,276 Speaker 1: I don't know. 722 00:42:11,316 --> 00:42:15,476 Speaker 12: They just because they definitely didn't fit the profile of 723 00:42:15,516 --> 00:42:17,156 Speaker 12: like who you think her parents would be, and they 724 00:42:17,156 --> 00:42:19,316 Speaker 12: were kind of weird and quiet, and there wasn't like 725 00:42:19,836 --> 00:42:23,156 Speaker 12: a lot of love and like vibing relationship between the 726 00:42:23,196 --> 00:42:26,036 Speaker 12: two like you would expect from a parent and child. 727 00:42:26,476 --> 00:42:27,156 Speaker 1: Like I didn't like. 728 00:42:27,196 --> 00:42:29,236 Speaker 3: I honestly like to this stay. I have no idea 729 00:42:29,236 --> 00:42:32,236 Speaker 3: if that's your pearance, no idea. I wouldn't be surprised 730 00:42:32,236 --> 00:42:34,556 Speaker 3: if that as not. I don't remember seeing any kind 731 00:42:34,556 --> 00:42:35,316 Speaker 3: of love going on. 732 00:42:35,796 --> 00:42:38,036 Speaker 4: I remember Betty and Andrew they brought me a pair 733 00:42:38,076 --> 00:42:40,756 Speaker 4: of Levi jeans as a gift. That was cool, but 734 00:42:40,836 --> 00:42:43,556 Speaker 4: they didn't really talk to me either. I still don't 735 00:42:43,596 --> 00:42:45,876 Speaker 4: know what they knew about what was going on or 736 00:42:45,996 --> 00:42:47,436 Speaker 4: what their role was in all of this. 737 00:42:47,836 --> 00:42:50,436 Speaker 3: I think they kind of knew that there was some 738 00:42:50,436 --> 00:42:52,716 Speaker 3: some fuckery involved, you know what I mean. 739 00:42:56,836 --> 00:42:58,836 Speaker 4: It wasn't long after the wedding that people started to 740 00:42:58,876 --> 00:43:00,156 Speaker 4: notice some of that fuckery. 741 00:43:01,436 --> 00:43:03,196 Speaker 12: I was up in room or sharps and I bumped 742 00:43:03,196 --> 00:43:06,396 Speaker 12: into Leslie and she had just come out of the 743 00:43:06,476 --> 00:43:10,596 Speaker 12: public library and she was showing me this document that 744 00:43:10,676 --> 00:43:13,156 Speaker 12: she had sent over from the US because she was 745 00:43:13,196 --> 00:43:16,476 Speaker 12: trying to get her driver's license in New Zealand, but 746 00:43:16,556 --> 00:43:20,676 Speaker 12: she had to submit like a driving record from the US. 747 00:43:21,236 --> 00:43:22,916 Speaker 12: And we were having a laugh because she had all 748 00:43:22,956 --> 00:43:26,236 Speaker 12: these duy and some like suspended licenses or something like 749 00:43:26,316 --> 00:43:29,076 Speaker 12: a She had like a few things, and she was 750 00:43:29,156 --> 00:43:33,316 Speaker 12: in the public library, no joke, she was twinking out 751 00:43:33,556 --> 00:43:36,436 Speaker 12: these from her record that obviously she had asked for 752 00:43:36,516 --> 00:43:39,396 Speaker 12: and been sent over from the US, twinking these out 753 00:43:39,396 --> 00:43:41,836 Speaker 12: and then rephotocoppying them and then touching them up and 754 00:43:41,836 --> 00:43:43,916 Speaker 12: rephotocopping them until it looked legit. 755 00:43:44,436 --> 00:43:46,436 Speaker 4: By the way, twink is one of those words that 756 00:43:46,476 --> 00:43:49,596 Speaker 4: people laugh at us Kiwi's about it's wide out liquid 757 00:43:49,596 --> 00:43:51,036 Speaker 4: eraser twink. 758 00:43:51,476 --> 00:43:53,236 Speaker 12: And I just remember standing on the road with her, 759 00:43:53,796 --> 00:43:56,836 Speaker 12: like so vividly, just her showing me the document in 760 00:43:56,876 --> 00:43:58,276 Speaker 12: her and not having a laugh about it, and I 761 00:43:58,276 --> 00:44:01,836 Speaker 12: was thinking, wow, like that, I think was the first 762 00:44:01,836 --> 00:44:04,316 Speaker 12: time I was like, she's like, she's got some secrets, 763 00:44:04,356 --> 00:44:06,436 Speaker 12: you know, like you're hiding some stuff. 764 00:44:07,276 --> 00:44:09,996 Speaker 4: End Up at the Dragonfly CAFA, things were starting to 765 00:44:09,996 --> 00:44:10,436 Speaker 4: go wrong. 766 00:44:11,916 --> 00:44:14,996 Speaker 13: We ran out of water, so we didn't have access 767 00:44:15,396 --> 00:44:18,276 Speaker 13: in the kitchen to water, and so Greg and likewise 768 00:44:18,276 --> 00:44:20,796 Speaker 13: were kind of running back and forward to the house 769 00:44:20,916 --> 00:44:23,476 Speaker 13: trying to get like bottles of water, trying to get 770 00:44:23,756 --> 00:44:26,596 Speaker 13: stuff to wash dishes. And there were just so many 771 00:44:26,676 --> 00:44:29,996 Speaker 13: days like that where something was going wrong and there 772 00:44:30,076 --> 00:44:34,436 Speaker 13: was just no fixing it. I don't think Leslie was 773 00:44:34,476 --> 00:44:36,996 Speaker 13: around for much of that. I remember coming in really 774 00:44:37,036 --> 00:44:40,676 Speaker 13: strong at the beginning and then kind of not being 775 00:44:40,756 --> 00:44:44,396 Speaker 13: around and all that stuff were like, what's happening. 776 00:44:45,916 --> 00:44:49,676 Speaker 7: There was one moment where it was a bit of 777 00:44:49,676 --> 00:44:53,956 Speaker 7: a watershed moment for me, and that's when the milk 778 00:44:54,236 --> 00:44:58,316 Speaker 7: supplier for the cafe arrived. And then I said, today, 779 00:44:58,436 --> 00:45:03,196 Speaker 7: how are you? And he basically said that he had 780 00:45:03,276 --> 00:45:06,676 Speaker 7: never been paid for milk. It wasn't his first attempt 781 00:45:06,716 --> 00:45:09,396 Speaker 7: at getting money. I could tell that it was a 782 00:45:09,396 --> 00:45:13,036 Speaker 7: bit worked up about it, and you know, I thought, 783 00:45:13,116 --> 00:45:17,676 Speaker 7: this is this is, this is not right. And I 784 00:45:17,756 --> 00:45:21,876 Speaker 7: recall talking to Leslie about it and she sort of 785 00:45:22,556 --> 00:45:23,916 Speaker 7: and she did with lots of things. 786 00:45:24,236 --> 00:45:26,996 Speaker 1: I'll take care of it. Don't get involved, leave it 787 00:45:27,036 --> 00:45:27,236 Speaker 1: to me. 788 00:45:28,276 --> 00:45:31,276 Speaker 4: The Dragonfly was becoming a total cluster. A bunch of 789 00:45:31,276 --> 00:45:32,956 Speaker 4: people were saying they weren't getting paid. 790 00:45:33,036 --> 00:45:38,476 Speaker 7: I became very frustrated that I couldn't access in information. 791 00:45:38,556 --> 00:45:40,716 Speaker 7: I couldn't I couldn't ever get to the bottom of anything. 792 00:45:41,876 --> 00:45:49,436 Speaker 7: Leslie almost got angry at me for attempting to, you know, 793 00:45:49,556 --> 00:45:53,036 Speaker 7: try and help and get more involved. The more it happened, 794 00:45:53,796 --> 00:45:55,956 Speaker 7: the more angry she got at me, the more frustrated 795 00:45:55,996 --> 00:45:58,836 Speaker 7: I got, And that became a real strain. 796 00:45:59,316 --> 00:46:02,876 Speaker 9: I started to feel very uneasy, and we needed to 797 00:46:02,916 --> 00:46:06,956 Speaker 9: find out what was going on. We weren't able to 798 00:46:06,996 --> 00:46:08,756 Speaker 9: find out a heck of a lot from the bank. 799 00:46:09,516 --> 00:46:16,636 Speaker 9: We weren't actually owners of the business. We weren't signatories 800 00:46:16,716 --> 00:46:22,196 Speaker 9: to anything. Even Greg wasn't able to find out a 801 00:46:22,236 --> 00:46:22,916 Speaker 9: lot of stuff. 802 00:46:23,156 --> 00:46:26,956 Speaker 4: But you were the guaranteurs, and you know, you guys 803 00:46:26,956 --> 00:46:30,476 Speaker 4: would put money on the line, but you would signed 804 00:46:30,516 --> 00:46:32,316 Speaker 4: up to be the guarantees, but not signed up to 805 00:46:32,316 --> 00:46:33,316 Speaker 4: be able to see anything. 806 00:46:33,396 --> 00:46:33,916 Speaker 1: Isn't that weird? 807 00:46:35,236 --> 00:46:37,236 Speaker 9: You could say it like that. But I did follow 808 00:46:37,316 --> 00:46:41,316 Speaker 9: my lawyer's advice that she knows what she's doing. She's 809 00:46:41,356 --> 00:46:42,276 Speaker 9: a human dynamo. 810 00:46:46,476 --> 00:46:48,636 Speaker 4: Leslie would spend most of the day locked in the house, 811 00:46:48,636 --> 00:46:51,316 Speaker 4: which had become a sanctuary from the outside world and 812 00:46:51,436 --> 00:46:54,476 Speaker 4: the questions people were starting to ask. A date was 813 00:46:54,516 --> 00:46:56,516 Speaker 4: set for a meeting where an accountant was going to 814 00:46:56,516 --> 00:46:59,836 Speaker 4: start combing through the books, but Leslie didn't show up. 815 00:47:01,596 --> 00:47:03,956 Speaker 4: Greg knew he needed to do something, so he came 816 00:47:04,036 --> 00:47:04,596 Speaker 4: up with a plan. 817 00:47:05,316 --> 00:47:10,036 Speaker 7: If she was here, she would block her learning about 818 00:47:10,196 --> 00:47:13,236 Speaker 7: what the reality was. I told her to go and 819 00:47:13,276 --> 00:47:15,876 Speaker 7: see appearance and go over holiday, get out of the country. 820 00:47:16,196 --> 00:47:18,196 Speaker 4: And you actually thought that would be an opportunity to 821 00:47:18,556 --> 00:47:19,036 Speaker 4: look around. 822 00:47:19,116 --> 00:47:26,196 Speaker 1: Probably it was the only way, yep. And what was you. 823 00:47:26,156 --> 00:47:27,636 Speaker 4: Know, if you don't mind me asking, what was the 824 00:47:27,716 --> 00:47:29,196 Speaker 4: kind of relationship like at that. 825 00:47:29,196 --> 00:47:35,996 Speaker 7: Point, Frosty, I'm just completely untrusting on both sides. 826 00:47:42,156 --> 00:47:44,956 Speaker 4: At pretty short notice, Leslie booked a flight to America 827 00:47:45,356 --> 00:47:47,956 Speaker 4: to visit her family, so my mum and dad would 828 00:47:47,996 --> 00:47:51,756 Speaker 4: have to step up and look after the cafe. As 829 00:47:51,796 --> 00:47:55,076 Speaker 4: Greg drove her to Auckland Airport, things were tense. There 830 00:47:55,156 --> 00:47:58,036 Speaker 4: was a lot unsaid, but Greg wanted to work this 831 00:47:58,076 --> 00:48:00,236 Speaker 4: whole mess out and get back to life with Leslie 832 00:48:00,276 --> 00:48:01,516 Speaker 4: when she got back from the States. 833 00:48:03,316 --> 00:48:10,236 Speaker 7: So we're parked, checked and formalities are done. It's me 834 00:48:10,276 --> 00:48:14,436 Speaker 7: and Leslie now walking upstairs to the actual departure gate, 835 00:48:17,396 --> 00:48:23,596 Speaker 7: where there's not a lot of love going on. There 836 00:48:23,716 --> 00:48:31,476 Speaker 7: was probably a nervous but cold hug. I hope to 837 00:48:31,516 --> 00:48:35,996 Speaker 7: see you again. Let's try and work this out. And she, 838 00:48:37,996 --> 00:48:42,236 Speaker 7: right at the last moment, put it right out there 839 00:48:43,796 --> 00:48:48,116 Speaker 7: that Greg, the Snowball is about to hit you. 840 00:48:55,836 --> 00:48:59,476 Speaker 4: Next episode the Snowball heads. 841 00:49:00,676 --> 00:49:03,636 Speaker 1: We cried. We just were destroyed. 842 00:49:04,036 --> 00:49:08,116 Speaker 9: That was a fundamental wow moment for me. When you 843 00:49:08,196 --> 00:49:11,236 Speaker 9: present that to a bank and they accept it. 844 00:49:11,476 --> 00:49:13,196 Speaker 4: Adrenaline is my best friend. 845 00:49:13,396 --> 00:49:19,236 Speaker 3: That's quite calculated. That's fucking out there. Somebody has been 846 00:49:19,236 --> 00:49:22,676 Speaker 3: wronged using my name and rightfully believes that the person 847 00:49:22,716 --> 00:49:23,596 Speaker 3: who wronged them is me. 848 00:49:23,916 --> 00:49:27,636 Speaker 6: I found it, he said, George janitors should have found it. 849 00:49:27,956 --> 00:49:29,676 Speaker 4: How often would you go in there and look? 850 00:49:29,996 --> 00:49:31,036 Speaker 9: At least once a week? 851 00:49:34,156 --> 00:49:39,156 Speaker 1: It's so weird. That is weird. It is weird. 852 00:49:41,236 --> 00:49:45,236 Speaker 4: Snowball is hosted and produced by me, Polly Warts. Big 853 00:49:45,356 --> 00:49:48,476 Speaker 4: ups to my brave brother Greg and my entire family 854 00:49:48,476 --> 00:49:52,956 Speaker 4: for letting me tell this story unrebls, totally stoic and awesome. 855 00:49:52,956 --> 00:49:59,636 Speaker 4: Supervising producer is Tim Rothsborough. Our super diligent audio producer 856 00:49:59,796 --> 00:50:04,556 Speaker 4: is Emma Lancaster. Assisting with audio production is Shane Anderson, 857 00:50:05,036 --> 00:50:08,796 Speaker 4: who is also our whit smart fact Checker. Sound designed 858 00:50:08,836 --> 00:50:12,316 Speaker 4: by the very creative Left and Right panning John Jacobs 859 00:50:12,436 --> 00:50:16,276 Speaker 4: and Tim Jenkins. A big thanks to my prolific and 860 00:50:16,396 --> 00:50:20,676 Speaker 4: legendary mates from Flight Facilities for the funky ass Unravel 861 00:50:20,716 --> 00:50:27,036 Speaker 4: theme song. Additional music by the talented tunsmith Bryce Halliday. 862 00:50:27,876 --> 00:50:29,996 Speaker 4: You can check out some behind the scenes stuff over 863 00:50:30,036 --> 00:50:33,316 Speaker 4: at my Instagram at Olly Ward's O l l a 864 00:50:33,396 --> 00:50:39,636 Speaker 4: e WRDS. Unravel is a product of ABC Audio Studios, 865 00:50:39,956 --> 00:50:48,436 Speaker 4: led by the aboliant, thoughtful, and patient Kelly Reardon and 866 00:50:48,596 --> 00:50:52,876 Speaker 4: Unravels expert and excitable executive producer is Ian Walker. 867 00:51:13,756 --> 00:51:14,116 Speaker 6: Binge. 868 00:51:14,156 --> 00:51:18,556 Speaker 2: Episodes of deep Cover Presents Snowball early and AD free 869 00:51:18,836 --> 00:51:22,596 Speaker 2: with a Pushkin Plus subscription. Find Pushkin Plus on the 870 00:51:22,636 --> 00:51:26,876 Speaker 2: deep Cover show page in Apple Podcasts or at pushkin 871 00:51:27,156 --> 00:51:31,836 Speaker 2: dot fm slash Plus. Pushkin Plus subscribers can access ad 872 00:51:31,876 --> 00:51:36,756 Speaker 2: free episodes, full audiobooks, and exclusive binges of other true 873 00:51:36,756 --> 00:51:38,876 Speaker 2: crime podcasts throughout the year.