Episode 4: Good Cop, Bad Cop

Summary

Royal Swindle – Episode 4: Good Cop, Bad Cop

Podcast: Royal Swindle
Host: Becky Milligan
Date: August 6, 2026

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Episode Overview

In this gripping installment, “Good Cop, Bad Cop,” host Becky Milligan digs deeper into the audacious criminal saga of Evelyn Burton and her partner Lila. The episode explores the couple’s evolution from high-flying “Aussie lesbian lovers” running Melbourne brothels and businesses, to infiltrating British high society with high-stakes cons, leaving ruined investors and baffled detectives in their wake. Through clever storytelling and first-hand interviews, the episode spotlights both the intricacies of their scams and the dogged pursuit by Detective Jim Frost, culminating in tense interrogations, bold getaways, and a steadily closing net.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Melbourne Beginnings & The Sting Operation

(01:38–07:13)

• Evelyn’s Underworld Connections: Evelyn, at this time a brothel madam controlling 16 venues, is approached by a gangster seeking a hitman.
• Setting Up the Gangster: Instead of arranging an actual hit, Evelyn collaborates with the police—her old ally Mitch Brown. They orchestrate a sting using an undercover cop posing as the hitman ("Joe Black"). The gangster is arrested in humiliating fashion.
  • Memorable Moment: “Apparently he pooed himself. Oh, yes, I know. Nasty, nasty, nasty.” – Lila (05:36)
• Evelyn’s Ethics Revealed: Despite her criminality, Evelyn draws the line at murder. Lila stresses:
  • “I don’t get involved in murders and things.” (07:13)
• Irony Highlighted: Evelyn, the swindler, trusts the police when truly threatened.
  • “When her back’s against the wall…Evelyn…does what anyone else might do. She calls the police.” – Becky Milligan (07:16)

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2. The British Con & The Detective’s Trail

(07:16–17:28)

• Detective Jim Frost on the Case: Fast forward to September 1997, St. Albans, UK. Detective Frost goes through Evelyn’s seized briefcase—full of contracts, bank statements, and contacts.
• Victim Testimonies: Through his investigation, Frost interviews investors and victims from the horse-loving British elite: the Hutchinsons, Marjorie and Richard Ramsey, Lucille and Larry (owners of a filly sold to Evelyn).
  • Notable interaction: Evelyn attempts to pay Lucille and Larry, only to produce a laundry ticket instead of a check, feigning an innocent mistake (13:00–13:09).
• Breakthrough Evidence:
  • Frost meets two Belfast businessmen nearly swindled of £100,000; they initially refuse to cooperate due to NDAs. Frost shocks them with Evelyn’s criminal record.
  • “Perhaps you’d like to read those, gentlemen.” – Jim Frost, slamming the list of Evelyn’s prior convictions down on the table (16:30).
  • Frost remarks on the chilling silence that follows: “They went quite thoroughly through these six or seven pages which just listed all Evelyn’s convictions and aliases.” (16:41)
• Evelyn’s Sophistication: The use of non-disclosure agreements, fake investment opportunities, and charm to keep victims hopeful and silent.

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3. High Flying Life & Media Glamour in Australia

(19:27–23:07)

• Celebrity Status: Evelyn and Lila are lionized in the Australian lesbian community for their businesses—brothels, clubs, and notably, the “Australian Lesbian Diary.”
  • “We loved the idea that there were these really successful dyke businesswomen who had money, who were on our side. It was great.” – Kimberly O’Sullivan (Writer, Australian Lesbian Diary) (20:40)
• Erotic Publishing Venture: Evelyn, under her pseudonym “Maggie,” promotes “an empire of lesbian enterprises.”
• Lila as Dominatrix: Reinvented as Madame Zaviera, Lila is a no-nonsense dominatrix with strict boundaries, running her own dungeon.
  • “Never touch madam. Ever. Unless she says, you can do it.” – Lila’s golden rule for clients (22:18)

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4. Escalating Trouble & Policing the Con

(23:07–32:04)

• The No-Comment Interview:
  • Detective Frost finally brings Evelyn in for questioning at a dreary St. Albans police station, describing her unimposing appearance.
    • “Everything about her screamed, I’m not an international banker.” – Jim Frost (23:39)
  • The interview is textbook; Evelyn refuses to answer every question.
    • “What did you do with the money?” – Frost
    • “No comment.” – Evelyn (29:56–30:05)
  • Evelyn’s objective: to discover how much the police know, not to confess.
    • “She’s here for one reason and one reason only, to find out what the police have on her. And now she knows. Checkmate.” – Becky Milligan (30:44)

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5. The Nature of the Scam: Leveraged Equity Investments

(32:04–35:10)

• Business Model Explained:
  • Leveraged Equity acts as a loan broker, takes upfront fees, but never delivers actual loans—effectively a nationwide (and later international) swindle.
  • “Leveraged equity promises over US$600 million in loans…and collects $1.5 million in fees. Everyone’s a winner. The only thing is…not a single borrower receives a single cent.” – Becky Milligan (32:55)
  • Lila admits:
    • “It wanted to be legit… but it was the sort of swindling… A legit swindle.” (33:44–33:53)
• Hot on Their Heels: Authorities close in; Evelyn claims to have lost her crucial briefcase and faces subpoenas and criminal trials.

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6. On the Run — An International Game of Cat & Mouse

(35:10–39:42)

• Transcontinental Escapes:
  • Evelyn and Lila flee Australia under pressure, trying to set up in New York, but are quickly questioned by police after US authorities are tipped off.
  • Memorable moment: Evelyn casually reassures Lila: “Well, I’ll be home about five or six o’clock tonight. Oh, okay. No trouble? No, not at all.” (36:06)
• Canada, Then London: Evelyn and Lila escape north to Canada, then on to London, preparing for a new round of cons across the UK’s upper crust.
• Pressure Mounts:
  • As evidence mounts in London, Evelyn orchestrates a frenzied getaway. The household (with loyal butler Lars) destroys documents and packs up in haste.
    • “Burn everything, every document, everything must be packed away. Leave nothing.” – Becky Milligan (39:20)
  • Lila’s weariness shows:
    • “Honestly, Evelyn, I’m so sick and tired of filling up suitcases and boxes. And you know, when is it going to end?” – Lila (39:32)
  • Once again, the couple is on the move, planning to escape by ferry to Holland, hoping for a large money transfer.

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Notable Quotes & Moments

• On Evelyn’s criminal boundaries:
  • “I don’t get involved in murders and things.” – Lila (07:13)
• On the irony of calling the police:
  • “When her back’s against the wall...she calls the police.” – Becky Milligan (07:16)
• On Evelyn’s persona:
  • “Everything about her screamed, I’m not an international banker.” – Detective Jim Frost (23:39)
• On the “legit swindle”:
  • “It wanted to be legit…A legit swindle.” – Lila (33:44–33:53)
• On the detective’s efforts:
  • “Perhaps you’d like to read those, gentlemen.” – Detective Jim Frost, on confronting investors with Evelyn’s rap sheet (16:30)

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Key Timestamps

• 01:38–07:13: The gangster’s plot, Evelyn’s sting, and her limits
• 09:45–16:49: Detective Frost interviews the horsey set and uncovers her British scams
• 19:27–22:29: Evelyn and Lila’s celebrity life and entrepreneurial exploits in Melbourne
• 23:07–30:44: The intense, fruitless police interview in St. Albans
• 32:04–35:10: The Australian “loan broker” scam and Evelyn’s mounting legal pressure
• 35:10–39:32: The couple’s flight from Australia, US, Canada, and panicked packing to escape British authorities

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Tone & Language

The episode is infused with Becky Milligan’s wry, ironic narration, blending humor with tension and a dash of jaw-dropping audacity from Evelyn and Lila. The interviews with Lila, Detective Frost, and victims are candid, colored by British understatement and Aussie bravado, making for a darkly comedic, swift-paced true crime romp.

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Conclusion

“Good Cop, Bad Cop” deftly peels back the layers of Evelyn and Lila’s chameleon-like criminality, laying bare their charisma, cunning, and the ways they skirted (and sometimes relied on) the law. The game intensifies as the police close in, and as ever, the listener is left eagerly awaiting—with detective and swindler in lockstep—who will have the final checkmate.

Transcript

[Becky Milligan]

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[Becky Milligan]

A quick warning this story contains adult themes and strong language. Melbourne, 1995 Evelyn gets a call. Remember, by now she's running a chain of 16 brothels. It's a well known gangster. He needs her help.

[Lila]

Well, because she was in the parlor business, he thought that she was, you know, a madam and had some way of getting things done.

[Becky Milligan]

The gangster asks Evelyn if she knows someone. Someone who can, well, get things done. To be specific, to carry out a hit. To murder someone. And guess what? It turns out Evelyn does know someone. Leave it with me, she says. I'll make some calls. So Evelyn goes away. And she does indeed make some calls. She sets up a meeting. A meeting in a posh hotel. No surprise there. The day of the meeting rolls around. Evelyn's in the swanky bar with her trademark mullet and bomber jacket sitting next to her. Her contact, the hitman. In walks the gangster. Mitch Brown knows the story well, that's not his Real name, by the way. Evelyn made the introductions. Meet Joe Black. Evelyn says, that's the hitman.

[Lila]

She said, well, I don't want to know anything about it. Just do it quietly, blah, blah, blah. And she said, we'll talk at a later stage.

[Becky Milligan]

And left them to chat about the business that was to be done.

[Detective Jim Frost]

Which was?

[Becky Milligan]

I like my brother killed Police. Yeah, you heard that right. The gangster wants his own brother killed. Turns out they've been feuding over their mother's will. Joe Black says, I don't care what it's about, just as long as I get my money. You'll get your money, the gangster says. The price is agreed. Ten grand. Blood money. Evelyn, the gangster and Joe Black all go their separate ways. I wonder if she paid the bar bill. Anyway, it's the day of the hit. The gangster's waiting in a park, waiting for Joe Black to turn up to confirm the hit. It's quiet. There's no one around. The gangster checks his watch. Anxious, he stands, he paces and sits back down. He checks his watch again. Still no sign. Then the man turns and sees someone approaching. It's Joe Black. Joe Black nods. It's done, he says. Joe Black hands over the gangster's brother's driving license and watch, evidence that the hit has been executed. Just then, a car slowly pulls up and the gangster knows instinctively something's off here. All hell breaks loose. A squad of officers jump out of the unmarked police car. The criminals are surrounded. And really, it came as such a surprise to him that he had a rather nasty accident in his trousers at the time.

[Lila]

And apparently he pooed himself. Oh, yes, I know. Nasty, nasty, nasty.

[Becky Milligan]

Sorry about that. So the gangster is arrested. But you want to know who doesn't get arrested. And this one will surprise you. Evelyn Burton. Evelyn is in on the whole thing. This is a sting operation. For once, Evelyn is on the side of the angels. Because right after she puts the phone down, after that first call from the gangster, she calls her old mate Mitch Brown, the only cop she's ever trusted. Mitch says to her, tell them you've got somebody.

[Detective Jim Frost]

And we set wheels in motion.

[Becky Milligan]

The gangster is nasty and unpredictable. Evelyn dreads to think what he might do if she refuses his request. What he might do to her, to her girls. Or, heaven forbid, to Lila. And as for the hitman, Joe Black, yes, he's a cop, too. So why do I tell you this story? Well, for two reasons. One, because it may surprise you to learn that, yes, Evelyn might be a liar and a cheat, a thief, a fraud. A swindler. But she does have a line, a line she'd never cross. As Lila puts it, I don't get

[Lila]

involved in murders and things.

[Becky Milligan]

And two, because I think it's interesting and, well, just a little bit ironic to know that when her back's against the wall, really against the wall, Evelyn, the thief, the fraud, the swindler, does what anyone else might do. She calls the police. From USG Audio, Blanchard House and exactly right. Media. This is Royal Swindle. I'm Becky Milligan. Episode 4 good cop bad cop. Two years later September 1997, St. Albans, just north of London. Detective Jim Frost is at home relaxing, playing the piano. He's still weighing up whether he should bring Evelyn in for questioning. Amazing how a little Chopin can bring some clarity. No, he thinks he needs to bide his time for just a little while longer. He needs more evidence. Once he's broken cover and Evelyn knows he's onto her, there's no going back. But with that tan briefcase, Evelyn's briefcase, it's like all of Jim's Christmases and birthdays have come at once. It's proving a treasure trove of leads, of contracts, of invoices, bank statements and business cards, names and numbers. Jim picks up the phone and starts dialing.

[Detective Jim Frost]

We started to speak to people saying, yes, I have invested money, I've not had a return. So we began to go to see people to obtain witness statements. One thing led to another. We got in contact with the Hutchinsons. You know, you started getting other names given to you.

[Becky Milligan]

The Hutchinsons, that's Francis Hutchinson, who provided the staff for the multi million pound country house Evelyn and Lila were planning to buy. And they pass on more contacts to Jim, like Marjorie and Richard Ramsey. Remember Evelyn offered Marjorie that job of a lifetime. Stud manager at Evelyn's show jumping stud farm. Jim Frost turns up at Marjorie and Richard's house, takes out his little notebook and asks them about their encounters with Evelyn. They very quickly become big fans of our detective. I thought he was a, a very nice chap and B, but also very efficient.

[Lila]

I thought he would catch them.

[Becky Milligan]

Did you?

[Detective Jim Frost]

Yes.

[Becky Milligan]

Margery takes a bit of a fancy to him.

[Lila]

Gorgeous man. Yes.

[Becky Milligan]

Jem's not that used to dealing with the horsey set and he's thoroughly entertained by the welcome he gets speaking with

[Detective Jim Frost]

that almost fake posh accent, you know, hello, officer, do come and sit down and you think. Do you really speak like that? All the time. Having said that, I like them. They were, they were good fun to be with.

[Becky Milligan]

Marjorie and Richard. Tell Jim all about how Evelyn offered them a cottage on her new estate and told them that if they sold their own house, they could invest the money in her lucrative prime bank guarantees. Also in Evelyn's briefcase, two more names. Lucille and her husband Larry, the couple who sold their Arab filly to Evelyn for £15,000. £15,000 that Evelyn is very reluctant to pay. Jim knocks on their door too, and again takes out his little notebook. Lucille and Larry tell him all about a confrontation at a local show.

[Detective Jim Frost]

Evelyn had rolled up at some sort of horse event in Sussex in the hired but not paid for Bentley. Apparently Evelyn was sitting in the passenger seat with her little stumpy legs up on the dashboard of the Bentley.

[Becky Milligan]

Larry is pretty shocked by Evelyn's casual pose. That's not the demeanor you would expect from a woman who's got plenty of dosh. Well, never mind that. This is a chance to challenge Evelyn face to face, get her to pay up.

[Lila]

I said, I believe you've got some money for us.

[Detective Jim Frost]

And Evelyn puts her hand in her pocket and said, yes, I've got it

[Becky Milligan]

here, and says to Lucille, I'm sorry

[Lila]

it's taken so long.

[Becky Milligan]

Lucille and Larry can't believe it. At last they're going to be paid.

[Detective Jim Frost]

She pulled her hand out of her pocket and produced a laundry ticket and immediately said, oh fuck, I must have left the check at the laundrette.

[Becky Milligan]

I said, well, you can keep that because I'd rather have your check for £15,000. Evelyn has fobbed them off again. Back home at his piano, Jim mulls it all over. It's all important background for sure, but there's no killer evidence just yet, nothing decisive. This case is proving harder than he thought. But then a breakthrough. Evelyn's briefcase yields two new leads. Very promising leads. Two people who Jim thinks might actually give him enough evidence to bring Evelyn in for questioning. Jim is on his way to Belfast in Northern Ireland. He's going to meet two businessmen who've invested in Evelyn's famous prime bank guarantees. Well, at least they think they have. They put in nearly a hundred thousand pounds. That's more than a quarter of a million US dollars in today's money. But things don't go quite, quite as he's expecting. When he gets to the meeting, he immediately senses a bit of a frosty atmosphere. And the two businessmen aren't alone. They've brought a solicitor along with them.

[Detective Jim Frost]

People don't normally call their solicitors if they're going to make a witness statement. They usually call them when they're about to be arrested.

[Becky Milligan]

Anyway, Jim gets straight to the point. He explains that he's investigating Evelyn Burton. He says that he suspects Evelyn, she's an international fraudster posing as an investment banker. And he tells the businessman that if he's right, which he's pretty sure he is, they've been duped big time. Now Jim expects some reaction. I mean, they've just been told they've lost a lot of money. But the businessmen say nothing. Instead, their solicitor speaks for them.

[Detective Jim Frost]

He said, my clients have signed a contract with Evelyn Burton and in the contract there is a non disclosure agreement and if they disclose anything of this deal to anyone. And he said, I believe that includes you. They will not get their money.

[Becky Milligan]

Smart of Evelyn to use an NDA. Always one step ahead. Jim is getting frustrated. He tells them that they don't seem to understand that Evelyn Burton is not the person they think she is. The non disclosure agreement is meaningless, but they're having none of it.

[Detective Jim Frost]

They still believe they might get their money. And their initial reaction was not to speak to me.

[Becky Milligan]

But Jim's come prepared. It just so happens that he's very recently received a fax and from the police in Melbourne in Australia with an extensive list of Evelyn's previous convictions. He opens his briefcase, takes out the

[Detective Jim Frost]

papers and I threw them down the table and I said perhaps you'd like to read those gentlemen.

[Becky Milligan]

The three men on the other side of the table sit there in silence.

[Detective Jim Frost]

They went quite thoroughly through these six or seven pages which just listed all Evelyn's convictions and aliases.

[Becky Milligan]

And the horror of it dawns on them. As we say in the uk, they've been stitched up like a kipper. Finally, the two businessmen agree to cooperate. Back home at his piano, Jim thinks maybe it's time time to invite Ms. Burton into the station to answer a few questions.

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[Becca and Tanya]

This is Becca and Tanya from Scrubbing in with Becca Tilly and Tonya Rad.

Becca, can I ask you a question? How do I convince myself I need something before I buy it?

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[Becky Milligan]

Three years earlier Melbourne, Australia Lila and Evelyn have been happily married for more than a decade. Money's not a problem. Evelyn is doing well. She's got fingers in a lot of pies. There are the brothels, of course, but she's also dabbling in various companies, nightclubs, and she also runs a magazine, the Australian Lesbian Diary. The monthly glossy has all sorts of articles written by lesbians for lesbians, about lesbians. There's Lolli Lipstick's gossip page, an agony aunt, a matchmaking column, and plenty of explicit erotic photos. The community are wowed by Lila and Evelyn. We were a bit mesmerized by them. Kimberly o' Sullivan wrote for the magazine and they were very unashamedly lesbians. We loved the idea that there were these really successful dyke business women who had money, who were on our side. It was great. There's a column in the magazine called Maggie's Soapbox. And who's Maggie? Yes, Evelyn, of course. She uses it to promote her grand plan, her vision. An empire of lesbian enterprises. Clubs, bars, racy novels. I got a sense that they were businesswomen who knew how to make a buck. And then there are the lesbian porn movies made by her very own production company, Philippa Productions. That was named after Lila's cat, Philippa. Philippa plans to make a trilogy of erotic films. Lusty Afternoon, Lusty Evening and Lusty Midnight. But in the end, only Lusty Afternoon was shot and released. So Evelyn is working hard. Lila, too. Now, at 46, she's reinvented herself as the one and only Madame Zaviera. And her speciality?

[Lila]

Bondage and discipline. Bandy.

[Becky Milligan]

Yes. Bondage and discipline. Lila is a dominatrix. And the best thing about being a dominatrix is there's no sex at all

[Lila]

involved in what I do.

[Becky Milligan]

Ever. That's how she likes it. She has her own dungeon where she's in complete control.

[Lila]

In the dungeon, they had to do exactly as I told them. Otherwise they got into terrible trouble.

[Becky Milligan]

And she has one rule which clients break at their peril.

[Lila]

Never touch madam. Ever. Unless she says, you can do it.

[Becky Milligan]

Three years later. April 1998. St. Albans, Hertfordshire. A small cathedral city about 25 miles north of London. Very quaint, very quiet. And very English. English almost picture perfect, except for one building. A gray 1960s office block. A real eyesore. The police station, where Detective Constable Jim Frost is expecting a very special someone.

[Detective Jim Frost]

This short lady comes in. Barely see over the counter. He was about 5 foot tall and 5 foot wide.

[Becky Milligan]

Yes, Evelyn. The hunter and the hunted, face to face for the first time. They size each other up. Evelyn sporting her bomber jacket and baggy jeans. Jim is genuinely surprised. Is this really the woman who's passed herself off as some kind of financial genius?

[Detective Jim Frost]

Everything about her screamed, I'm not an international banker.

[Becky Milligan]

He thanks her for coming in voluntarily. She isn't under arrest. There's no charge. Not yet, at least. Evelyn is unlike any fraudster he's ever met. And he's met quite a few in his time. Okay, so it's first impressions. But Jim's flabbergasted. He just can't understand how anyone could

[Detective Jim Frost]

look at Evelyn and think, that is an international banker. That woman could make me lots of money. I don't get it.

[Becky Milligan]

Well, appearances can be deceptive and all that, Jim. Now, it's a risk bringing Evelyn in for questioning. Of course, Jim doesn't expect her to hold her hands up and confess. But if he can just get her talking, catch her off guard, maybe she'll let something slip, something important, a detail. He's decided it's worth the risk. Jim buzzes Evelyn in past the front desk and through the station. The station is utilitarian to say the least. Off white walls, linoleum floor. The corridors are long and soulless. No cheapness spared is how Jim describes it. It's all rather stifling, but there is one touch of class. Just like in every police station, a framed photo of Queen Elizabeth has pride of place. Maybe Evelyn catches sight of it as Jim leads her past the the offices and down to the basement floor. And maybe she recalls with pride meeting the Queen at the Royal Windsor Horse show, how they chatted about the vast home Evelyn was going to buy. Well, St. Alban's police station is an awfully long way from all that. Jim leads Evelyn down to the dingy basement. Take a right turn and you'll arrive at the interview rooms. Take a left and you'll find yourself in the cells. But Evelyn's not worried about turning left anytime soon. Not at all. Because she has a plan. She's here for one reason and one reason only. She's playing the detective at his own game.

[Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Advertiser]

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Whatever you're into, the all new Galaxy Z Fold 8 is the right size. To get really into it, save up to $1,200 with eligible trade in when you pre order NC6 wallet supplies last see trade in terms of conditions that

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[Becca and Tanya]

This is Becca and Tanya from Scrubbing in with Becca Tilly and Tanya Rad

Becca, can I ask you a question. How do I convince myself I need something before I buy it?

Oh, so we're doing that today?

Well, I'll be shopping online and suddenly I'm like, well, technically this counts as self care.

You're definitely not alone there.

That's why Klarna stands out. It's about smarter tools that help you feel more confident with your money.

Klarna brings payments, cash back and money management together in one place with flexible ways to pay. It helps you make smarter money moves without the stress.

That's the goal, right? Having tools that make your money work with you.

Download the Klarna app today or visit klarna.com to learn more. California resident loans made or arranged pursuant to a California Finance Law License NMLS Number 135. Klarna Balance Account Required to be eligible for cashback points. Limitations, terms and conditions apply.

[Becky Milligan]

They enter the interview room. Four white walls, one door, no windows. Strip lighting runs across the low ceiling. It's blinding, clinical. There's nowhere to hide here and no one can hear you. Beyond these walls, they're completely soundproof. In the middle of the room is a wooden table with two plastic chairs on either side, all bolted to the floor. An ancient looking tape recorder sits on the table. Evelyn and Jim take their seats opposite each other like two chess grandmasters. Jim turns on the tape recorder and presses the record button. Evelyn folds her arms and waits for the detective to make the first move. Jim goes through the drill just as he has done hundreds of times before.

[Detective Jim Frost]

This interview is being recorded. My name is Detective Constable Jim Frost from the Hertfordshire Constabulary Fraud Squad, and I'm about to interview you, Ms. Evelyn Burton. You are not obliged to say anything, but it may harm your defence if you do not mention something you later rely on in court. Anything you do say can be given in evidence. Do you understand?

[Becky Milligan]

Evelyn understands. The game begins. Jim gets straight to the point.

[Detective Jim Frost]

What did you do with the money?

[Becky Milligan]

No comment.

[Detective Jim Frost]

Have you invested it?

[Becky Milligan]

No comment.

[Detective Jim Frost]

What have you done with it?

[Becky Milligan]

No comment. It's a poor start, but he perseveres and puts forward all the allegations he's gathered so far. No comment. Allegations of investment fraud. No comment. All those statements from the horsey set. Lucille and Larry, Marjorie and Richard. No comment. Jim keeps pressing. The tape runs out. He starts another an hour and a half later. No comment.

[Detective Jim Frost]

All the way through.

[Becky Milligan]

Jim doesn't get a thing. And he was never going to, because this was all in Evelyn's game plan. She's here for one reason and one reason alone, to find out what the police have on her. And now she knows. Checkmate. Jim tells her she's free to leave. He escorts her back out along those long, airless corridors. And she emerges into the bracing St. Albans air, leaving one very frustrated detective behind her. And Evelyn already knows what she needs to do next. Because she's been here before. THREE YEARS EARLIER Melbourne, AUSTRALIA As I said before, Evelyn has her fingers in many pies. Brothels, lesbian magazines, porn movies. But what I didn't go into is her investment company, Leveraged Equity Investments International. All very grand.

[Lila]

They opened up a lovely office in

[Becky Milligan]

Collins street in the heart of the swanky business district in Melbourne. And it's doing very well, according to newspaper reports at the time. Here's Evelyn's business model. Leveraged Equity is a loan broker. In other words, it introduces a borrower to a lender. If you're the borrower, all you need to do is pay Evelyn a modest upfront fee and Evelyn will get you your loan. You're laughing all the way to the bank. Very simple and very lucrative for Evelyn.

[Lila]

All I know is that she would usually come home with, you know, 10 grand for me, and just, you know, here, there's some money for you. Go and play with it. And of course I did.

[Becky Milligan]

Now, according to that press coverage from the 1990s, in today's money, leveraged equity promises over US$600 million in loans and collects $1.5 million in fees. Everyone's a winner. The only thing is, it's reported that out of those 600 million in promised loans, not a single borrower receives a single cent. Not one. But of course, they've all paid out that upfront fee, which means the only person really laughing all the way to the bank is Evelyn. So do you think this company was sort of.

[Lila]

It wanted to be legit, but it

[Becky Milligan]

was the sort of swindling?

[Lila]

Yes, but it wanted to be legit.

[Becky Milligan]

A legit swindle.

[Lila]

Yeah.

[Becky Milligan]

Now, none of this has escaped the attention of the authorities. They're on to Evelyn, but get this. She tells them that the information she needs is in a briefcase. A briefcase that she's lost. What is it about Evelyn and her briefcases anyway? The Australian Securities Commission have asked her to appear before them in a week's time. And it turns out Evelyn's feeling the heat on all sides. Remember that gangster's hit job from the start of the show? Well, she's been asked to appear as a witness in his criminal trial. That's the last thing she needs, all things considered. It's fair to say that life down under is getting pretty uncomfortable for our duo. Evelyn realizes she and Lila have only one option. To skip town. Leaving the police investigating a reported 8 million Australian dollars in fraud and unpaid bills. That's more than US$12 million today.

[Lila]

We just went off to New York and we stayed at the Hilton for a little while and the plan was to find a flat to rent in New York, but it was a very difficult situation.

[Becky Milligan]

Evelyn reassures Lila that her American associates will get them out of this mess. But it doesn't quite go to plan. The Australian authorities are tracking her. They've contacted US immigration and before long the police come knocking.

[Lila]

Well, they said we want to speak to Evelyn. They spoke to Evelyn, took her away and I said, what are you being arrested for? She said, I don't know. She said, haven't got a clue.

[Becky Milligan]

And a few hours later she calls Lila and let's just say she's no longer at the Hilton.

[Lila]

They chained her up the way they chained up the prisoners over there, you know, with the leg cuffs and the whole thing.

[Becky Milligan]

Really?

[Lila]

Yeah.

[Becky Milligan]

Did you see her like that?

[Lila]

No, she told me all about it and I said but that's the way they usually drag, you know, murderers off and child molesters and God knows what else. She said, well, I'll be home about five or six o' clock tonight. Oh, okay. No trouble? No, not at all.

[Becky Milligan]

Now to be fair, the trail goes a bit cold here. Lila's memory's pretty hazy and we don't know why the US authorities let Evelyn go. We did ask them, but they had no record. But they did let her go. And as soon as she's home, Evelyn tells Lila to pack her bags. With their impeccable sense of timing, they do it all over again. Their disappearing act. This time on a train to Canada and a flight to London to sweet talk their way into the horsey set and carry out their most audacious, most daring, most risky swindle yet. But fast forward a year and Detective Jim Frost is hot on their heels. And now he's called their trusty butler Lars in for interview at St. Albans police station. Lars is led down those same soulless corridors, past the portrait of Her Majesty and into the same airless interview room Jim led Evelyn into. The tape is switched on and the questioning starts. But Lars is tight lipped. I only told him the sort of day to day routine. I didn't tell him anything about the bad things. The bad things being what? The bad things being that they were fraudsters. They conned people out of money that I did not say a word about. So in a way, you were complicit in it could be seen that way, yes. Lars is no snitch. Loyal to a T. So Evelyn knows Jim's very busy gathering evidence. She senses he's a smart cookie. And she knows if she stays put, sooner or later he'll arrest her. The good times are over. She knows it's time to split. Yes, that impeccable timing again. So you know exactly what's coming now, don't you? The safe house is a hive of activity. Evelyn is barking orders at their butler, Lars. Burn everything, every document, everything must be packed away. Leave nothing. All the purchases Lila had made, clothes, trinkets, everything packed.

[Lila]

Everything.

[Becky Milligan]

Lila watches the frenzied activity around her. She's stuck with Evelyn through thick and thin. But this time, her patience is running out.

[Lila]

I said, honestly, Evelyn, I'm so sick and tired of filling up suitcases and boxes. And you know, when is it going to end?

[Becky Milligan]

The car is packed and Lars takes the wheel. Evelyn's prepared for this moment. She has an escape plan. They're heading for the coast. Then they'll take the ferry across the English Channel to Holland, where Evelyn is expecting a very large money transfer. We're talking millions. And then the world is their oyster. Unless Detective Jim Frost can catch them first. You've been listening to Royal Swindle at Blanchard House. Production for USG Audio in partnership with Exactly Right Media. Hosted by me, Becky Milligan. It's written and produced by me, Becky, Becky Milligan and Seren Jones. Original music is by Daniel Lloyd Evans, Louis Nankmanel and Toby Matamol. Sound design and mix engineering is by Volkan Kiziltug, Toby Matimong and Daniel Lloyd Evans. Story development by Duncan Barber. The managing producer is Amica Shortino Nolan. Production support from Josh Lalonghi at USGWorld Audio. The creative director at Blanchard House is Rosie Pye. The executive producer and head of content at Blanchard House is Lawrence Grisel. Our executive producer from USG Audio is Josh Block.

[Dr. Doug Lucas]

This episode is supported by FX's the Shards, a seductive drama from executive producer Ryan Murphy. Set in 1980s Los Angeles, the series follows a group of glamorous, deeply entangled high school seniors drawn into a life of wealth, beauty, parties and excess. At its center is Brett, whose reality begins to unravel when the arrival of a new student coincides with a series of mysterious murders. FX's the Shards, now streaming on Hulu.

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