Show Notes
This week's "Ponzi Playbook" episode features a special crossover with Javier's acclaimed podcast, "PRETEND." Listeners are introduced to "The Red Collar Killer," the first of a two-part series. This engaging segment delves into the world of 'red collar' criminals, a concept coined by Frank Perri, an attorney, CPA, and certified fraud examiner. These criminals, originally involved in white-collar crime, resort to violence to hide their fraudulent activities. PRETEND's "The Red Collar Killer" offers an intriguing look into this unique criminal behavior. For those captivated by this episode, part 2 will be available on "PRETEND," on your podcast platforms of choice.
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2vaCjR7UvlN9aTIzW6kNCo?si=7452a3292b1d4ec4
Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/pretend-a-true-crime-podcast-about-con-artists/id1245307962 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
More from The Ponzi Playbook
This is an Interview with a man convicted of a Ponzi scheme. It originally aired on the PRETEND podcast.
What happens after the feds kick in your door?
What if you could create thousands of songs using AI… and make millions off them without a single fan? That’s exactly what prosecutors say Michael Smith did.
When the FBI raided financial advisor Dawn Bennett’s luxury penthouse in 2017, they expected to find evidence of fraud. What they didn’t expect? Freezers packed with mason jars—each containing a severed cow tongue, labeled with the initials of SEC attorneys investigating her. Bennett, once a well-respected investment advisor, promised her clients 15% annual returns. Instead, she drained millions from retirees and funneled the cash into her lavish lifestyle—funding high-end fashion, $100K in cosmetic treatments, and nearly $1 million in payments to Hindu priests she believed could perform rituals to keep investigators at bay. In this episode, we unravel the bizarre world of Dawn Bennett’s Ponzi scheme—where financial fraud meets mysticism. From luxury sportswear investments that never paid off to occult rituals designed to silence her enemies, this case proves that some con artists will try anything to keep the scam alive. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
A guaranteed 10% return in just 90 days—sounds too good to be true, right? Well, it was. In this episode, we investigate Todd Burkhalter and Drive Planning, a Georgia-based financial firm that promised real estate-backed investments but instead ran a massive $372 million Ponzi scheme. Hosts Javier and Neal expose how Burkhalter and his team lured in over 2,000 investors, convinced them to hand over their life savings, and then used their cash to fuel an extravagant lifestyle—complete with private jets, luxury vacations, and a $3.1M yacht named Live More. We break down the tactics he used, the warning signs investors ignored, and how the SEC finally unraveled the scheme. Plus, we dig into exclusive testimony from Drive Planning’s executives—including some incredibly shady responses (or lack thereof) during questioning. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices