Marianne Smyth: The Fake Irish Heiress
5/18/202659 min
For years, globe-trotting con artist Marianne Smyth used her charm to manipulate the people closest to her – including her own daughters. Her scam was a classic: she told people she was an Irish heiress with millions on the way, and all she needed was to borrow a little cash to unlock her fortune. People believed her – over and over again. But when she targets reality TV producer Jonathan Walton, she picks the wrong mark. Once he realizes he’s been played, Jonathan doesn’t just walk away – he launches an obsessive crusade to bring Marianne down and get justice for every...
Transcript preview
First 90 secondsSarah Hagi· Host0:00
Audible subscribers can listen to all our episodes of Scamfluencers ad-free right now. Join Audible today by downloading the Audible app. [upbeat music] Saachi, I think about this a lot, not just in the context of the scammers we cover, but just, like, generally seedy people. What type of person do you think it takes to really take down a scammer?
Scaachi Koul· Host0:26
Uh, I think it has to be someone with a almost unhealthy ability to hold a grudge.
Sarah Hagi· Host0:33
[laughs] Yes.
Scaachi Koul· Host0:35
Like, you have to be so strident and so ready, frankly, to ruin your own life again in the pursuit of justice.
Sarah Hagi· Host0:43
Yes.
Scaachi Koul· Host0:43
Which I think is a noble cause.
Sarah Hagi· Host0:45
That is exactly what I think. I mean, it's someone who just can't let something go because they're too stubborn. They are also a little bit crazy, but they have a much stronger sense of justice, in a way.
Scaachi Koul· Host0:56
Yeah. I mean, I think we are those people to some degree.
Sarah Hagi· Host0:59
I mean, hopefully. Well, today I'm gonna tell you about an epic takedown. On the one hand, we have a woman running a classic fake royal scam. On the other, a victim who falls for her grift because he loves drama as much as she does. But when he discovers he's been had, it activates his main character syndrome, and he won't stop until he gets justice and fully upstages her. [mellow music] It's May 2013, and