Podcast Summary: Love, Lies & Abduction: The Jan Broberg Story

Podcast: I Wish You Were Here
Host: Michelle Cuervo
Date: October 29, 2025

Overview

In this haunting and bewildering episode, Michelle Cuervo unravels the shocking real-life case of Jan Broberg's abduction – a story so bizarre and layered in manipulations, betrayals, and brainwashing that it borders on unbelievable. Drawing from firsthand accounts and documentaries, Michelle closely follows Jan's journey from a blissful childhood in a tight-knit 1970s community to being abducted twice by a trusted family friend. The episode digs deep into the failures of trust, the predatory genius of Jan’s abuser, and the enduring impacts on the Broberg family.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Brobergs’ Idyllic Beginnings (00:30 – 07:00)

• Jan Broberg is introduced as the eldest of three daughters, born to Marianne and Bob “Bob” Broberg in a devout Mormon family in 1970s Idaho. Their tight-knit community and carefree lifestyle are emphasized as a stark contrast to the nightmare that follows.

• Quote:
  “I had a wonderful childhood until I was 12. My parents, we ate dinner together, we talked about everything. We were loved unconditionally.”
  — Jan Broberg, as cited by Michelle (03:39)

2. The Arrival of Robert B. “B” Birchtold (07:00 – 15:00)

• The Brobergs quickly befriend the Birchtold family shortly after their arrival in town. B ingratiates himself through charm, business kinship, and gifts. The families’ closeness grows, and B pays particular attention to young Jan.

• Signs of overfamiliarity, such as special nicknames and an unusual focus on Jan, are noted in hindsight to be deeply sinister.

3. Manipulation & Grooming of the Parents (15:00 – 30:00)

• Michelle details the ways B manipulates both Jan's parents to gain access, including separate romantic and physical entanglements with Marianne and Bob. Both are seduced and blackmailed, creating a web of shame and confusion.

• Quote:
  “I did the worst thing I’ve ever done by breaking the trust and fidelity that I had with my wife.”
  — Bob Broberg, as cited by Michelle (27:34)

• Michelle’s commentary hammers how B’s mastery in deception let him groom the whole family, not just Jan.

4. The First Abduction (30:00 – 50:00)

• On October 17, 1974, B convinces Marianne to let him take Jan horseback riding. Jan never returns that evening.

• The Brobergs’ misplaced trust leads to a delayed response; authorities aren’t alerted until five days later.

• Quote:
  “They were more so calling to say, one of our friends left with our daughter. They haven’t been back. Five days have passed. We’re worried about them…we don’t think that Bea has taken her. We don’t think that something sinister happened.”
  — Michelle (46:30)

• FBI Agent Pete Welsh is the first to break through the parents’ denial, explicitly identifying Jan’s disappearance as a kidnapping.

5. The Brainwashing & Mexico Ordeal (50:00 – 01:07:00)

• Jan awakes drugged in an RV, believing (via a “radio” with recorded voices) that she’s been abducted by aliens and must have a child with B to save her planet, or her family will be harmed.

• Michelle contextualizes Jan’s belief as the result of a year-long grooming process and childhood naivety.

• Quote:
  “When I first heard the voice in the RV…the planting of the seeds is where all that nefarious grooming and manipulation happened. Once that moment happened, I believed it entirely.”
  — Jan Broberg (01:04:20) (as recounted by Michelle)

• Jan and B marry in Mexico, where Jan is just 12 – the age of consent there at the time.

6. The Shocking Aftermath & Dropping of Charges (01:07:00 – 01:20:00)

• Under blackmail and fear for their secrets, Jan’s parents sign an affidavit stating Jan was not taken by force. Charges are dropped. The FBI, however, persists with trying to prosecute B.

• Jan, traumatized and deeply brainwashed, refuses to cooperate, believing her silence keeps her family safe from alien reprisal.

• Quote:
  “They just dropped the kidnapping charges because they wanted to save face, because they didn’t want their filthy secrets coming out.”
  — Michelle (01:17:10)

7. Ongoing Manipulation & The Second Abduction (01:20:00 – 01:36:00)

• B continues to manipulate both Jan and Marianne separately, maintaining sexual and romantic relationships and continuing the facade of the “mission.”

• In 1976, after B moves to Wyoming, Jan pleads to spend time with him, eventually culminating in a second disappearance/abduction. Jan is hidden away in a Catholic school under an alias for 102 days.

8. Aftermath, Family Fallout, and B’s Last Acts (01:36:00 – 01:48:00)

• After Jan's return, family divisions are deep and visible; she is distant and resentful.

• While jailed, B orchestrates the arson of Bob’s flower shop, destroying his life’s work.

• Mental illness is cited as reason for B avoiding conviction; he spends months in a psychiatric facility. B ultimately dies by suicide in 2005, having never been properly punished for his crimes.

9. Jan’s Recovery and Legacy (01:48:00 – 01:56:00)

• It isn’t until Jan turns 16 that she is able to break free of the psychological hold — realizing none of the alien threats were real.

• She finally tells her parents the full truth, begins her long journey of healing, and, with her mother, later authors books and participates in documentaries to help others.

• Quote:
  “It’s hard to believe this isn’t just a story because all of these people lived through it and it was their real life for years.”
  — Michelle (01:55:00)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the era’s innocence and the community’s naiveté:
  “Back then, kids were just out on the street…People often say it takes a village. The Brobergs had a village.” (06:30)

• On blame and denial:
  “I don’t know if they just cared more about their reputation than they did about their daughter’s literal well-being, but that’s what they did.” (01:17:35)

• On Jan’s brainwashing:
  “It took 10 seconds. Once that moment happened, I believed it entirely.” — Jan Broberg (01:04:20)

• On the second abduction and continuing trauma:
  “Every part of her that made her Jan had been destroyed.” (01:43:00)

• On the enduring power of manipulation:
  “He convinced them both that he was in love with them and wanted to live with them forever.” (01:32:00)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• The Brobergs' Idyllic Life: 00:30 – 07:00
• Birchtold’s Introduction and Manipulation: 07:00 – 30:00
• First Abduction and Parental Denial: 30:00 – 50:00
• Brainwashing/Alien Narrative in Mexico: 50:00 – 01:07:00
• Aftermath/Dropping Charges: 01:07:00 – 01:20:00
• Ongoing Abuse and Second Abduction: 01:20:00 – 01:36:00
• Return, Arson, and Final Legal Outcome: 01:36:00 – 01:48:00
• Jan’s Realization, Healing, and Advocacy: 01:48:00 – 01:56:00

Tone & Final Thoughts

Michelle Cuervo’s tone is conversational, incredulous, and fiercely empathetic, punctuating the narrative with her own disbelief and anger at the system and the parents’ actions. She repeatedly asks, “What do you mean?” and highlights the enduring trauma and resilience shown by Jan Broberg.

Michelle wraps up with thoughts on the importance of vigilance, the insidious nature of manipulation, and recognition of the ongoing healing required after such unimaginable harm.