Dateline NBC: Talking Dateline — The Prince, The Whiz Kid, & The Millionaire

Original Air Date: October 15, 2025
Host: Lester Holt
Guests: Josh Mankiewicz (Correspondent), David Ketterling (Producer)

Episode Overview

This episode of Talking Dateline delves deep into the making and impact of “The Prince, The Whiz Kid, & The Millionaire,” a true-crime investigation into the disappearance and murder of Palm Springs socialite and retired art collector Cliff Lambert. Host Lester Holt is joined by correspondent Josh Mankiewicz and producer David Ketterling for behind-the-scenes insights, reflections on the rich cast of real-life characters, and answers to questions from viewers.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. A Crime Years in the Making

• The making of the Dateline episode took about two and a half years, with COVID delays and multiple trials extending the timeline.
• Characters and the locale — especially Palm Springs — added distinct color and depth to the story.

"This took about two and a half years... The richness of the characters in this episode, I thought really made a difference."
— Josh Mankiewicz (01:56)

2. Cliff Lambert: The Victim Behind the Headlines

• Cliff was depicted as a lonely man whose vulnerabilities were exploited.
• His losses from the AIDS epidemic in the 80s and 90s contributed to his isolation, making him a target.

"Cliff was a lonely person who made some foolish romantic choices... he’d lost a lot of people. There's no way that doesn't weigh on you."
— Josh Mankiewicz (03:08)

• The criminals observed that Cliff had few close friends or family, mistakenly thinking his disappearance wouldn't be noticed.

3. How the Crime Unraveled

• The plot began to come apart when a real estate agent, neighbors (alerted by a suspicious U-Haul), and Cliff’s loyal friend Eddie took notice.
• Eddie’s concern, after Cliff failed to appear at the Festival of Lights, triggered the investigation.

"Eddie, who was waiting for Cliff at the Festival of Lights... was the first who thought something's wrong."
— Josh Mankiewicz (04:11)

4. The Web of Con Artists: The Key Players

• The Prince (Kishal Nerula): Self-styled as a Nepalese prince and skilled chameleon, Nerula played a major role in the con and murder.

"He's the kind of guy that you want to have if you're doing a grift... He's got this very posh, erudite, ‘I went to the best schools’ accent."
— Josh Mankiewicz (06:22)

• The Whiz Kid (Danny): Expert in cons ranging from financial scams to orchestrating Clifford’s downfall.
• Other Defendants: Included David Replogle (a lawyer), and complicit associates like Craig McCarthy, who “flipped” for leniency.

5. Turning Points in the Case

• Police initially considered that Cliff may have been part of an insurance scam before evidence mounted to suggest foul play.
• Mistakes by the perpetrators (voicemails, conspicuous moving activity) gave police crucial leads.

"These guys were very sharp about some things, and incredibly stupid about others..."
— Josh Mankiewicz (07:13)

6. The Prosecution’s Challenges and Triumphs

• Prosecutor Lisa Di Maria: Diligently built the case over years, but convictions were temporarily overturned due to a judge's remark, leading to multiple retrials.

"Lisa Di Maria is about one of the last people I’d want coming after me... she lived and breathed that thing for years."
— Josh Mankiewicz (09:54)

• Eventually, Rob Hightower successfully retried the case and secured convictions.

7. Behind-the-Scenes Stories & Unseen Characters

• Steven Valentino Interview Unveiled:
  • Valentino crossed paths with "Prince" Nerula, who stole millions in jewelry from his mother.

"I went into my mother's bedroom... Millions worth of jewelry missing. What immediately went through my mind... was, where is Kishal right now?"
— Steven Valentino (via Josh Mankiewicz, 14:57)

8. Palm Springs: A Story Setting and Character

• The look and feel of Palm Springs were integral, with its diverse, colorful community.
• Barbara Wisby, a vibrant local, gave memorable interviews shedding light on Lambert’s world and the local lifestyle.

"Barbara's one of those people... after you interview them, you think: were you a witness to any other crimes? I'll put you in any story."
— Josh Mankiewicz (20:14)

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On the Cons’ Motivation:

  "They were all kind of trying to one up each other on who's the better con... And then when Kashal got out ... maybe he was a little bit desperate or something. And it escalated at that point."
  — David Ketterling (27:09)

• On Cliff’s Art:

  "Cliff Lambert, rest his soul, bragged himself into an early grave. He told everybody how much money he had … and it was all B.S."
  — Josh Mankiewicz (18:37)

• On True Friendship:

  "Cliff and Eddie clearly were very good friends. And Eddie... was like, no, no, something’s wrong. If Clifford left town, I’d know about it."
  — Josh Mankiewicz (05:07)

Audience Questions & Insights

How Did Crime Scene Investigators Miss the Blood? (23:29)

• Forensic question about bleach, cleaning, and luminol usage.
  • Josh explains: They likely cleaned the scene extremely well, enough to offset modern techniques.

  "Maybe they shouldn't have been grifters. Maybe they should have been house cleaners because they might have been better at that."
  — Josh Mankiewicz (24:34)

About Dennis, the Self-Proclaimed Sociopath (24:39)

• On interviewing someone who calls themselves a sociopath:

  "I'm not sure I have ever interviewed anyone who self identified as a sociopath. That was a little surprising."
  — Josh Mankiewicz (24:48)

• Audience reaction: Dennis, oddly, appeared most likable among the criminals.

Why Did the Grifters Kill Cliff? (25:46)

• Money was the original motive. When the cons failed, the plot escalated to murder.
  • Cliff’s lack of social ties made him a more tempting mark.
  • No evidence Danny was present for the killing; he was more of a mastermind.

Noteworthy Segments & Timestamps

| Timestamp | Segment Description | |-----------|----------------------| | 00:42–01:56 | Episode introduction & setup of the case | | 03:08–04:02 | The loneliness of Cliff Lambert & why he was targeted | | 04:11–05:00 | How the plot came to light (thanks to Eddie and the neighbors) | | 06:22–08:08 | The role of "Prince" Kashal Nerula and his performance as a con man | | 09:28–10:37 | Prosecutor Lisa Di Maria’s tenacity and the legal twists | | 13:30–14:57 | Behind-the-scenes: Producer David Ketterling introduces the story of Steven Valentino and the Prince’s past thefts | | 18:37–19:17 | The truth about Cliff’s art collection | | 20:08–21:39 | Barbara Wisby’s unique insights and classic quotes | | 23:29–24:34 | Audience Q&A: Forensics and cleaning the crime scene | | 24:39–25:46 | Audience Q&A: Interviewing sociopath Dennis and comments from viewers | | 26:08–27:33 | Why the murder happened – escalation from con to homicide |

The Episode's Tone & Style

• Conversational, candid, and occasionally laced with dry humor (notably from Josh Mankiewicz).
• Deeply empathetic towards the victim while sharply critical of the perpetrators’ actions and mistakes.
• Strong appreciation for the unique characters brought into the story, both victims and investigators.

Final Thoughts

This episode of Talking Dateline offers a gripping look at not only a twisted crime, but also the personalities and place that made it so intriguing. Through thorough reporting, humanizing anecdotes, and humorous asides, listeners get a full sense of why this case stands out—even among Dateline’s long history of true-crime stories. The conversation emphasizes how the lines between conning and violence blur when unchecked and underscores the lasting impact vigilant friends, neighbors, and determined law enforcement can have.

For those interested in visuals of Palm Springs and the cast of characters, Josh and the team encourage watching the episode on Peacock for the full experience.