160. The Parasites of Malibu - The Death of Mark Sawusch

Summary

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Into The Dark Episode 160: "The Parasites of Malibu – The Death of Mark Sawusch"

Host: Payton Moreland
Release Date: March 4, 2026
Theme: True Crime, Psychological Manipulation, and Exploitation

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Episode Overview

In this haunting and sobering episode, Payton Moreland explores the tragic story of Mark Sawusch, a brilliant and wealthy ophthalmologist whose life spiraled into chaos after a series of personal losses, culminating in his exploitation and death at the hands of supposed friends. Through meticulous storytelling, Payton dissects the intersection of mental health vulnerabilities, toxic relationships, and financial predation, leaving listeners to reflect deeply on trust, isolation, and the dangers of misplaced loyalty.

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Main Discussion Points & Insights

Mark Sawusch’s Rise and Fall

• Background and Success:
  • Grew up in Florida, son of a doctor, followed in his father's footsteps into medicine ([01:41]).
  • Built a notable career as an ophthalmologist in Los Angeles; was deeply committed to patient care and advocating for their best interests ([02:45]).
  • Achieved substantial financial success through both medicine and savvy investments, amassing around $60 million by age 55 ([03:59]).
• Personal Struggles:
  • Battled bipolar disorder for much of his life ([04:37]).
  • A devastating hand injury prevented him from performing surgeries, undermining his career and identity ([05:03]).
  • Shortly after, the death of his father compounded his grief and led to escalating mental health struggles ([05:38]).
  • Relationship breakdowns further isolated Mark, who began acting erratically and engaging in risky behaviors ([06:21]).

Mental Health Crises and Search for Connection

• Repeated Hospitalizations:
  • Mark underwent a cycle of crisis, treatment, release, and relapse spanning two years and eight different hospitals ([08:10]).
  • Without close friends or family nearby (they lived across the country), Mark was acutely isolated and left to fend for himself ([09:01]).
• Quote:
  • "He began drinking too much, he got into bar fights with strangers. Sometimes Mark would eat alone at fancy restaurants and then leave without paying the bill. Now remember, he had the money; he was choosing not to pay, primarily due to his disorder." – Payton ([06:39])

Meeting Anton and Anna: The Beginnings of Manipulation

• Forming the Relationship:

  • Met Anton (Anthony Flores) and Anna Moore by chance in a Malibu vegan ice cream shop ([11:19]).
  • Anton and Anna, drifters with no strong financial footing, quickly ingratiated themselves, offering to be Mark’s friends and support system ([12:42]).
  • Their response via text:
    • "If this helps you in any way, or if there is anything we can do for you, we will be happy to assist you. Our desire is to add ease and flow to your life and be of great service. Sincerely, your new friends, Anton and Anna." – Anton’s text to Mark ([13:23])
  • By the end of their first day, they embarked on a spontaneous road trip and soon moved into Mark’s mansion rent-free, promising companionship ([14:01]).

• Deepening Enmeshment:

  • Mark became increasingly reliant on Anton and Anna, who began to act as both caregivers and gatekeepers, especially following further breakdowns ([15:11]).
  • Introduced Mark to alternative treatments, including LSD, ketamine, and marijuana, under the guise of mental health support ([19:04]).

Financial Exploitation and Isolation

• Gaining Control:

  • During one arrest, Mark gave Anton access to his bank accounts and power of attorney so Anton could bail him out ([20:36]).
  • Mark intended this to be temporary but never revoked the permissions due to subsequent crises ([21:15]).

• Isolation Tactics:

  • Anton and Anna urged Mark to sever ties with his family and long-time friends, alleging they weren’t looking out for his best interests ([22:07]).
  • Mark became completely dependent on his new “friends,” cutting out everyone else, including his mother ([22:31]).
  • Memorable moment:
    • "So with their encouragement and support, Mark began cutting even more people out of his life. And this included his own mother." – Payton ([22:35])

• Financial Abuse:

  • Anton and Anna transferred money from Mark’s accounts, spent his money on personal luxuries, paid themselves via his funds, and even misled his mother for cash ([23:23]).
  • In just six months, they stole $600,000 ([24:05]).

• Accelerated Theft:

  • When Mark began questioning their actions, Anton and Anna manipulated Mark into taking LSD and, once he was incapacitated, scheduled transfers of $2 million to themselves ([26:27]).

Tragic Denouement

• Mark’s Final Days and Death:

  • After realizing the betrayal, Mark kicked Anton and Anna out, but their surveillance continued as they watched him via security cameras ([27:41]).
  • Alone and destabilized, Mark overdosed on ketamine; Anton and Anna watched the slow death on camera and did not call for help ([28:03]).
  • "Through his security cameras, they watched him die horribly. And they didn’t lift a finger to help him." – Payton ([28:27])
  • Mark’s body was discovered by chance when house staff arrived for a scheduled appointment days after his death ([29:32]).

• Aftermath and Legal Battles:

  • Anton and Anna attempted to inherit Mark’s house and fortune by exploiting their access to his financial and legal affairs, but had no legal standing ([30:15]).
  • When Mark’s mother, Patsy, was alerted to the situation months later, she hired lawyers and contacted the police ([31:13]).

• Criminal Investigation and Justice:

  • Police pieced together the fraud, but Anton and Anna fled to Mexico and evaded arrest for years ([32:24]).
  • Their relationship collapsed under the strain, complicating the police’s efforts ([33:08]).
  • In 2023, both were apprehended in separate states ([33:42]).
    • Anton tried to portray himself as innocent on social media, ironically crowdfunding for legal fees ([34:15]).
    • Anna cooperated early, taking a plea deal ([34:41]).
  • Sentencing:
    • Anton received 16 years for multiple counts of fraud, money laundering, and identity theft ([35:41]).
    • Anna received 90 months (7.5 years), double her plea bargain, after the judge decided to set a harsher example, saying:
      • "There comes a time when you have to be held accountable, when you have to stop blaming your boyfriend." – Presiding Judge ([36:39])
    • Both were ordered to pay $1 million in restitution—which has yet to be paid ([37:01]).

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Notable Quotes and Moments

• On friendship and vulnerability:
  • "A really close friend can also tell you the hard truths that you may not want to hear... Everyone needs one good friend, and ideally several of them, to have a healthy, meaningful life. So if you don't have anyone who's close to you or who cares about you, the isolation can cause stress or drive you to make self-destructive decisions and even worse, toxic friendships can really ruin your sense of safety and well being..." – Payton ([01:17])
• On systemic failure:
  • "There was no follow up police investigation. Which means nobody even suspected that Anton and Anna had done anything wrong in this case... In fact, as soon as Mark's body was found and he was legally declared dead, Anna and Anton moved back into his house." – Payton ([29:59])
• On the lesson:
  • "It's important to be careful about who you become friends with, because you never know who really has your back and who's just waiting for the chance to betray you." – Payton ([39:36])

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Important Timestamps

• 00:57 — Host intro; tone set about mental health and isolation
• 03:59 — Mark’s financial success detailed
• 06:21 — Downward spiral and risky behaviors begin
• 09:55 — Mark’s mental health crisis and repeated hospitalizations
• 11:19 — Meeting Anton and Anna at the vegan ice cream shop
• 14:01 - 15:11 — Spontaneous road trip and moving in together
• 19:04 — Anton and Anna introduce alternative medicine and drugs
• 20:36 — Mark gives Anton banking access and power of attorney
• 22:31 — Mark cut off from family, including his mother
• 24:05 — $600,000 stolen in six months
• 26:27 — $2 million transferred during drug-induced state
• 27:41 — Mark overdoses as Anton and Anna watch via security cameras
• 31:13 — Mark's mother discovers the crime and contacts legal help
• 33:42 — Anton and Anna arrested in 2023
• 35:41 — Sentencing details for Anna and Anton
• 39:36 — Closing warning about trust and toxic friendships

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Summary

Payton Moreland crafts a chilling narrative of a wealthy, talented man’s downfall—not at the hands of a classic criminal, but because of psychological vulnerability and predatory acquaintances posing as friends. Through careful use of quotes, timeline, and empathetic analysis, the episode delves into the dangers faced by those suffering mental health crises—a potent reminder to guard against toxic relationships and misplaced trust. For listeners, the tragic lesson is clear: not everyone who offers help is a true friend.

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Transcript

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You're listening to an Ono Media Podcast. Hi everyone and welcome back to the into the Dark podcast. I'm your host Peyton Moreland. I'm so glad you are here listening or watching. If you are watching on YouTube, please just I just got back from the gym. I needed to get this episode out. So yeah, I'm currently in gym attire, red face and all. I'm sorry about it. But also sometimes you just got to do what you got to do. But jumping into my 10 seconds. I've been back at the gym which has been nice. I've also been trying to eat breakfast beforehand which has really helped. Not something I usually did. But yeah, I've been back at the gym. Things are going Good. Quick 10 seconds. But let's get into today's episode. This episode includes discussions of self harm including suicide. So please listen with care. I think it's important to have good friends who you can rely on, people who keep you company, listen to you vent and celebrate your big wins. And a really close friend can also tell you the hard truths that you may not want to hear. Like if you're making a decision that's not in your own best interest or if you need to make serious changes in your life. Everyone needs one good friend, and ideally several of them, to have a healthy, meaningful life. So if you don't have anyone who's close to you or who cares about you, the isolation can cause stress or drive you to make self destructive decisions and even worse, toxic friendships can really ruin your sense of safety and well being or cause irreversible harm. Which is something a man named Mark Sawwish realized far too late. And that is the premise of today's case. Now, Mark Sawish grew up in Florida, and his father was a doctor. So when it was time for Mark to pick a college, there was no question about what he wanted to study. Like his dad, Mark also wanted to become a physician. He ended up getting his degree and became a specialist in ophthalmology. This means he understood different diseases and disorders that affected people's eyes. So after graduation, he actually moved to Los Angeles, California, and began working as a surgeon. And he really cared about his clients. Mark didn't only perform surgery to improve people's vision. He also helped them navigate the complexities of insurance and made sure they were getting the best care possible. Mark's patients really liked him, and so did the people in his social circle. Eventually, Mark fell in love and got married. He's done the whole shebang. Gone to college, become a doctor, got married. But this relationship didn't work out. And he did eventually file for divorce. But before he knew it, Mark fell in love again and walked down the aisle a second time. Except this marriage also ended in divorce. But Mark doesn't give up. He bounced back, explored the dating world, and soon found a serious girlfriend. So he had a great job, love, and money. Okay. In fact, Mark was very good with investments and the stock market. He was particularly talented at spotting small businesses with potential and then using his earnings as a doctor to get on the ground floor and help them grow. And as it turned out, Mark was a natural at this. Many of his investments paid off in major ways. And by the time Mark was 55 years old, now in 2016, he had made $60 million. He's incredibly rich. He lives in a fancy mansion right on the beach. And to all appearances, he had it all. But even though it seemed like Mark was doing great, middle of his life, I mean, succeeding living in California, on the beach, his mental health was actually suffering. See, Mark had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder for most of his life. He had been able to manage it pretty well. Except in 2016, things suddenly took a sharp turn for the worse. It started when Mark had some kind of a serious accident. And I don't know the full details of what happened to him, but I do know the incident damaged his hands, and afterward, he wasn't able to perform delicate surgeries anymore. So Mark lost the career he had spent decades building. He still worked at the same ophthalmology clinic as before, but he couldn't do surgeries anymore. Instead, he had to offer other kinds of treatments that he didn't feel as passionate about. It was just a Huge blow to his sense of identity. And then not long after this accident that took his job away, Mark's father passed away, which meant he had to grieve his father as well as his job. And eventually Mark ended up in a pretty dark place emotionally. He couldn't bring himself to be there for anybody else, including his now girlfriend. And eventually she realized there was no way to make their relationship work when Mark was like this. So they broke up. Now Mark was experiencing one loss after another. Add on the struggles of living with bipolar disorder, and it was almost inevitable that Mark was going to make some self destructive decisions. He began drinking too much, he got into bar fights with strangers. Sometimes Mark would eat alone at fancy restaurants and then leave without paying the bill. Now remember, he had the money he was choosing not to pay, primarily due to his disorder. And then one day in the fall, Mark was supposed to come into work and see his patients just like usual. But he didn't show up. And he also didn't call to say he was sick or running late, which was pretty unlike him. It was mysterious enough for someone to actually call the police and ask them to perform a Wellness check on Dr. Mark. And a few officers end up driving to his beachfront mansion to see if he was okay. It's safe to say they were shocked at what they found. Mark was at home. He was alive, but he was naked and he was rambling and raving. He was clearly suffering from a very severe mental health episode. So Mark checked into a medical facility, they treated him and helped him feel a little bit more stable, and then they released him. But right away he had another crisis and he had to go back to the hospital. He got a little more support, got out, and then plunged right back into another bad period. And the next two years were basically an endless cycle of treatment, release and relapses. So Mark actually visited eight different hospitals during these two years. His doctors said that he wasn't well enough to take care of himself, but there wasn't anyone in his life to watch over him. So without a support network, he just kept spiraling at home alone and lashing out. He also continued behaving erratically, breaking the law. So Mark was repeatedly being arrested for a wide variety of petty crimes. And the longer this went on, the worse things actually became for Mark. In 2017, he attempted to take his own life. Now, luckily, he survived, but he had to go back to the hospital. The good news is it sounds like this time he did get some guidance and treatment that he really needed. Mark was released with supposedly a new outlook on life. He didn't want to die anymore, and he was committed to making healthier choices. Now, before I go on, I just want to clarify that I don't want any judgment for bipolar disorder. This is incredibly difficult disorder to live with and manage. Bipolar disorder isn't black and white, but let's have some grace. So Mark gets out, and he has a plan to make this, you know, healthier life happen. As he told the people who knew him, he wanted to, quote, fill his house with people and music. Basically, he thought that as long as he, you know, gained some friends, had them around, they were willing to spend time with him, things would get better. He would, you know, strengthen his social circle. He wouldn't be lonely, he wouldn't feel depressed. And if Mark did ever have another mental health episode, he figured his friends could intervene and try to get him help early before the situation became too serious. Now, the problem was Mark had always been a pretty private person. He barely even talked to his family about what was going on in his life. And even if he'd wanted a closer relationship with his parents or his siblings, they all still lived in Florida, on the opposite side of the country. Mark wanted the kind of friendship where he could invite his friends over for dinners on the weekend or meet up with them at bars, which just isn't possible when your family is long distance. So instead, he began to try to get to know his neighbors. On June 23, 2017, Mark went to a local ice cream shop that specialized in vegan recipes. And while he was there, he struck up a conversation with a couple. Now, their names were Anna Moore and Anthony Flores, although Anthony went by Anton. So that's what I'll be calling him now. Anna and Anton actually lived in Fresno, California, which was several hours north of la. They were actually only in town for a quick visit when they weren't traveling. Anton and Anna worked a lot of odd jobs to make ends meet. They owned a yoga studio together. They also cleaned windows professionally. And on top of that, Anton was a hairstylist. And Anna was trying to break into acting. She had actually already been cast in a few small roles here and there, but she didn't have an established career yet. Anna and Anton had been dating for five years, since 2012, and they got along great because they had so many interests in common. Both of them liked exploring spiritually, dabbling in drugs to help them unlock their minds. They were also very open to trying new things, meeting new people. So when Mark starts talking to them at this Vegan ice cream shop that day. They listened, and he ends up telling them about his mental health struggles and his desire to make new friends. And Anna and Anton told him they could help. Even though they weren't local, they wanted to find a way to be a part of Mark's life. So they exchanged phone phone numbers, and then later, Anton sent a text. It said, quote, if this helps you in any way, or if there is anything we can do for you, we will be happy to assist you. Our desire is to add ease and flow to your life and be of great service. Sincerely, your new friends, Anton and Anna. Well, Mark writes back, and before long, they were making plans. By sunset, the three of them had agreed to take a road trip. That very day. They literally all got in Mark's car, then spent the rest of the week driving through the state, exploring the beaches and mountains. And by the time the travels were over, Anton and Anna had agreed to actually move into Mark's home with him. You have this combined spontaneity of Mark, who does suffer from a disorder, and Anna and Anton, who are both pretty, go with the flow yoga, you know, nomadic lifestyle. So they're like, let's move in together. That won't be possible if we go back to Fresno. So they work out a deal. Anton and Anna would stay with Mark rent free and give him all of the attention and emotional support he wanted. And in exchange, they got to live in a gorgeous beachfront mansion. Now, Mark was thrilled with this arrangement because he was confident that Anna and Anton would help him get better. Sure enough, a few months went by, and Mark only felt closer to them with each day that passed. For example, at one point, Mark did have another mental health episode and disappeared. And Anton and Anna were the ones who helped organize search parties and tracked Mark down before he could get hurt or arrested. So, honestly, from the outside, it looked like they were stepping in to be his caretakers. Now, when Mark was safe at home after this episode, they also encouraged him to explore alternative mental health treatments, since more traditional remedies hadn't worked well for him. All right, you guys, when I have started the many podcasts I have, it seemed like I had to figure it out all on my own. Scripts, set up filming schedule, logos. It has been overwhelming, and every day seemed to introduce a new decision that needed an answer. So when you're starting off with something new, it seems like your to do list keeps growing every day with new tasks, and that list can easily begin to overrun your life. Finding the right tool that not only helps you out but simplifies everything can be such a game changer. And for millions of businesses, including us, that tool is Shopify. 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Shop [e-mail] Peyton spelled P A Y T O N that's mintmobile.com Payton upfront payment of $45 for 3 month 5 gigabyte plan required equivalent to 15amonth new customer offer for first 3 months only, then full price plan options available, taxes and fees, extra CMIT Mobile for details. Now among other things, this meant giving Mark lsd, ketamine and weed to try and help him manage his symptoms. I'm assuming the drugs helped at least a little because Mark continued taking them under Anna and Anton's guidance. And before anyone realized 2017 was drawing to A close. And Mark was celebrating the holidays with his new live in friends. He'd only known them for about six months by this point. They were some of the most important people in his life. But I want to be clear. Even with Anton and Anna taking care of him, Mark still struggled a lot with his mental health. At one point, he had another breakdown and it was so bad he got arrested again. And I don't know exactly what he did or what the charges were, but while he was in jail, he used his phone privileges to call Anton and ask him to bail him out. Problem was, his bail was very expensive and his friends didn't have money to cover it. So Mark made a few more calls. And as he's sitting in jail, he arranges for Anton to have full access to his bank accounts and all of his other personal finances. Mark also at this point, gives Anton power of attorney so he can make decisions about his accounts without needing to get his permission. However, when Mark called Anton again to explain what he had done, he told his friend, hey, I made this temporary arrangement. I really just need you to have access to this stuff. I plan to revoke the access and the power of attorney once these legal issues are settled. So Anton paid for his release and Mark came home to his closest friends. But Mark also never actually got around to removing anything because soon afterward, he had to deal with another blow. See, Anton and Anna sat him down to have a serious and uncomfortable conversation with him. They explained to Mark that they had noticed some concerning dynamics in his life. They were worried about him. Specifically, they felt like Mark's friends and family members weren't prioritizing his well being as much as they should have been. They were either actively hurting him with their thoughtlessness or just not being there for him in the way that he needed. Either way, Anton and Anna tell Mark it was better for him if he didn't let people like that get too close to him. So with their encouragement and support, Mark began cutting even more people out of his life. And this included his own mother. Before long, Anna and Anton were the only people left to help and support him. Keep in mind, he had known them for less than a year by this point. But now Mark trusted them more than friends and family members who he had loved for his entire life. And I'm sure a lot of people have already spotted the red flags here. Mark brought Anton and Anna into his life because he was lonely and he wanted more of a social network. But instead, after gaining access to his money and learning more about him, they were now Isolating him somehow. He had even fewer loved ones now than before he'd even met these so called friends. Turned out Anton and Anna were actually harming him in a lot of different ways. The isolation was just the tip of the iceberg. See, the problems actually really begun while Mark was in jail. If you remember, he gave Anton access to his bank accounts so he could bail him out with his money. And he granted Anton power of attorney as well. Then afterward, Mark just forgot to revoke these things. So Anton and Anna, in cahoots, both began helping themselves to Mark's cash whenever they felt like it. This meant transferring it out of Mark's bank account and into their own, because they now have the ability to do so. But they also decided to run their own business. And they used Mark's money to pay their startup costs. Remember, he does have quite a lot of money. They also hired a bunch of staff, again with Mark's funds. Now, like I said before, Mark had a history of investing in small businesses. Problem was, he had no idea Anna and Anton were running their own company. He never actually agreed to support them in this way. And he also didn't know that Anna and Anton had hired personal house cleaners and massage therapists not for their business, but for themselves. Again, they used Mark's bank accounts to pay all of these people. Now, between the business expenses and just the outright therapy theft, Anton And Anna took $600,000 from Mark in just six months. Now, you would think that would be enough, but Anton and Anna were not done scamming people. Now, earlier I mentioned that Mark temporarily went missing at some point after making his new friends remember. And they were the ones that organized search parties to track him down and get him home. Well, they also wrote a letter to Mark's mother, Patsy, during that time, and they'd said they had had to pay out of pocket for those efforts. They were looking to be reimbursed. Now, Patsy knew about Mark's mental health struggles and the story is pretty believable. So she sent them a check for $1,000 after that. And then as soon as the payment cleared, Anton and Anna hit Patsy up for money again. This time they said Mark had hired them to work as full time caregivers and he hadn't been giving them their paychecks on time. They also said they had to cover the bills for his groceries and other expenses. They were basically telling his mother they were working for free. They said they needed their money back, so they asked Patsy if she could send some more because according to them, Mark was not in a well enough place to even have these conversations, you know, with them. Basically, they were taking advantage of Mark's disorder and his family's understanding of it. So Patsy was savvy enough, though, to kind of understand what was going on. And she didn't send any more money to them. Instead, she emailed Mark to let him know, hey, your friends are asking me for money. Please don't trust these new people. Now, I'm not sure if Anton and Anna had access to Mark's email account at that time or if he just told them what his mother had said, but this is when they had that difficult conversation about how he had to start cutting people off. They were like, you shouldn't trust your own mother. They, you know, she was emailing you about us. And like I told you, this worked for a while. By May of 2018, Mark hadn't figured anything out yet, but he was starting to feel a little bit suspicious. Not enough to end the friendships or kick them out or cut them off, but enough for him to feel like he needed to figure out what was going on. So shortly before Memorial Day weekend toward the end of the month, Mark asked his friends if they could explain themselves. Anna and Anton, in this conversation, tried to reassure him that they hadn't done anything wrong. But they could tell he wasn't being persuaded. Apparently, they realized at this point that they were about to lose access to all of Mark's assets. They decided it was time to get everything they could while they still could. So Anton and Anna, at this point in this conversation, convince Mark he would feel better if he used drugs with them. His paranoia and suspicion would go away if he could just relax. And with their encouragement, Mark agreed to take some lsd. Hey, want a cookie? Oh, I know you just ate, so

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You guys know I actually have used my own code dark50 off to order factor. That's how much I love it. So eat like a pro this month with Factor New subscribers only varies by plan. One free breakfast item per box for one year while subscription is active. Now once it was clear that the drugs had kicked in and Mark wasn't really paying attention to anything or even remembering what they were talking about, Anton logged into Mark's bank account and he scheduled multiple transfers. The bank had limits on how much money Mark could move around in a single transaction. But Anton worked around those rules. He arranged it so he and Anna would receive a total of $2 million over the next few days. Now, of course, as soon as the drugs wore off, Mark came to and realized what had happened. And he finally had confirmation that Anton and Anna weren't his friends. They didn't actually want to help him. They'd been using him for his money this entire time. Now, of course, this makes Mark angry, but it also hurt. Because he had really trusted these people. And now he couldn't stand to even look at them anymore. So Mark kicked them out of his house. He was done with their theft, their emotional manipulation, and their freeloading. And the good news is that Anton and Anna did listen to him. They grabbed their things, left the home, and checked into a nice hotel. However, I should note, they probably wouldn't even have been able to afford that hotel if not for all of the money they had already taken from Mark. In fact, even though Anna and Anton were gone, they were not done with Mark. While they were at the hotel, they accessed his security camera system and they watched his every move for the next few days. The sources weren't totally consistent about how much time passed, but it sounds like at least 48 hours and at most, maybe a week. And then, before everyone's eyes, a tragedy played out. See, by this point, Mark was spiraling. He'd just Lost his last few friends. Plus, the LSD that Anton and Anna had given him had also triggered very severe symptoms. His bipolar disorder was worse than ever, which is very common on these drugs. And Mark didn't know how to deal with his feelings and his impulses. So he was alone at home, suffering, with nobody to check in on him or see if he was okay. During another mental health crisis, he tried self medicating by taking more of the drugs that Anna and Anton had left behind. And on May 27, he overdosed on ketamine. Now, that day, his supposed friends Anton and Anna were watching the security camera footage. Remember, they were spying. They saw Mark take these drugs. They could tell he had had a bad reaction to them. His overdose was slow and painful. I mean, at any time, they could have called 91 1, but they didn't. Through his security cameras, they watched him die horribly. And they didn't lift a finger to help him. Now, I want to be clear. Anton and Anna did not murder Mark. Neither of them forced him to take those drugs or physically laid a hand on him. They could have saved his life, sure, and they chose not to. But that's not the same thing as committing a homicide. Not in the eyes of the law. And after Mark's death, Anna and Anton made even more questionable choices. And that still weren't technically illegal. But they failed to tell anyone what had happened. They knew Mark was dead. They knew his family and other loved ones deserved to be notified. But they did nothing. Instead, several days after Mark passed away, a pair of massage therapists showed up at his door. Anna and Anton had booked them before they had been kicked out, and they had never canceled their appointment. So the therapist rang the bell and knocked and didn't hear anything. Now, eventually, they found a way to get inside the house, and that's how Mark's body was found. And when Mark received an autopsy, the coroner ruled his death an accidental overdose. There were no signs of foul play, so there was really no follow up police investigation. Which means nobody even suspected that Anton and Anna had done anything wrong in this case, it seemed like they were going to get away with their cruelty. They were not going to suffer any consequences whatsoever. In fact, as soon as Mark's body was found and he was legally declared dead, Anna and Anton moved back into his house. And anytime anyone asked them what they were doing there, they explained, oh, we'd been living here. Mark had left it to them. Now, his will didn't actually say that, but this is a sticky legal situation because Anton had still held the power of attorney. When Mark had died, he claimed that Mark had told him he wanted him and Anna to get the house. And after all, they had been living there. So it seemed reasonable that Mark may have just wanted them to have it. Of course, none of this is legally binding, but it's persuasive enough for more most of the staff and caretakers to just leave them alone. I mean, these are the people who are coming over. Who's going to kick the couple out? Except then Anton began arguing that not only should they inherit Mark's house, he believes he was entitled to a third of Mark's fortune. He actually contacted all of Mark's old banks and stock traders saying he was supposed to receive $20 million for from Mark's estate. Everything was messy enough that one of those financial institutions eventually contacted Mark's mother, Patsy, in June or July of 2018. They had no idea this was going on. It had been three months since Mark's death. And it's worth remembering Patsy had not been in contact with him before he had died. She had been cut off. A lot of his family had been cut off. She knew nothing about his lifestyle except that she didn't trust his so called new friends, Anton and Anna. However, Patsy also knew that Mark hadn't been able to perform surgery since his injury. She assumed that had to have hurt his career and his ability to earn money. And she was aware that Anna and Anton had been begging for cash and claiming that Mark wasn't paying his bills. So she actually figured that when her son died, he was broken in debt. She was just trying to draw a conclusion based on what she had seen. Except now she had received a letter from a financial institution saying that Anton and Anna wanted a cut of his assets, which were worth $60 million. Now this comes as a huge shock. And when his mom realized how much money was at stake, Patsy immediately hired a lawyer to fight Anton's claims. She also notified the police as well. Now, once the investigators heard about the case, they began looking into Mark's finances. And in no time at all, they uncovered everything. The theft, the fake investments, the amount of money Anton and Anna had been given or stolen, all of it. The problem was that even though the investigation was moving quickly, Anton and Anna were moving quicker. In fact, they had had a multiple month head start since it took Mark's family so long to realize what was going on and even get involved. By the time the police were ready to arrest the two, it was 2020 and Anton and Anna had pocketed money and moved To Mexico. But from the sound of things, the stress of scamming a man and leaving him to die was getting to the couple. After eight years of dating, the two broke up, which just made the police's job even harder, because they wanted to arrest both of the scammers, and they didn't want to apprehend one just to scare the other into hiding. So the detectives had to wait for a time when Anton and Anna were both in the US at the same time, even though they weren't dating or traveling together anymore. And they finally got their chance in late January of 2023, when they tracked Anton to his previous hometown of Fresno. And that's where authorities arrested him. But they kept it quiet. A few days later, Anna was scheduled to fly to Houston, Texas. And as soon as she stepped off the plane, they put her in handcuffs, too. The officials charged them with multiple counts of money laundering, identity theft, and fraud. And Anton and Anna responded very differently to these charges. Anton insisted he was innocent. Every chance he got, he posted on social media. He hadn't done anything wrong. Mark had willingly given him the money. Anton also set up a crowdfunding account to try and raise money for his legal fees, which is pretty ironic. He was being charged for scamming someone out of a lot of money, all while asking strangers to give him even more money to fight this. Now, as for Anna, she was actually cooperative. She signaled a willingness to accept a plea bargain early on. And eventually, it sounds like Anton also realized he wasn't going to beat the charges. So he followed in Anna's footsteps and asked for a deal. Now, in late 2023, they each worked out a separate arrangement. Anna pled guilty to seven different financial counts, and Anton pled guilty to nine. Now, since the charges against her were less serious, and since she had been cooperative the entire time, her sentence was supposed to be pretty short, A little over three years. And as for Anton, he was looking at a sentence of 16 years, so, a much harsher punishment. When he went to his sentencing hearing, the judge upheld the terms of the deal. But when Anna had her day in court, he thought her arrangement was too lenient. The judge actually said he didn't want to set the wrong example for future criminals, that it was possible for them to commit crimes and then plea their way to a lighter sentence. Well, Anna countered that a harsher punishment wasn't fair. She said the scams hadn't even been her fault. Instead, according to Anna, Anton was the one who had come up with the idea to commit fraud. He was the one who had actually initiated the illegal transfers and taken the money. While Anna admitted she could have done more to stop this, she said she didn't deserve to spend a long time in prison. But the judge still didn't buy it. He said, quote, there comes a time when you have to be held accountable, when you have to stop blaming your boyfriend. And then he sentenced Anna to 90 months in prison, or seven and a half years. This is more than double what she had agreed to in the plea bargain. But the judge clearly felt this sentence was more appropriate than the lighter terms would have been. Anna and Anton were also required to give $1 million back to Mark's family as restitution for crimes. Except as of this recording, they haven't returned a penny by now. It's clear that Anton and Anna were never good friends of Mark. They weren't even good people. They took advantage of someone who was in the midst of a mental health crisis, someone who was already vulnerable. And then they stole from him, isolated him, manipulated him, and then literally left him to die. So this story can stand as a warning to the rest of us. It's important to be careful about who you become friends with, because you never know who really has your back and who's just waiting for the chance to betray you. That is the devastating death of Mark Sawish. Thank you so much for listening to today's episode. I will see you next time as we go further into the dark together. Bye.

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I'm Heidi Wong, an artist, poet and creator. And if you've seen my TikTok, YouTube or Instagram, you'll know I'm obsessed with horror movies. And every Monday on my new podcast from crime house Twisted Tales, I'll take you deep into the real life events that inspired the world's most terrifying blockbuster busters and the ones too twisted to make it to screen. Twisted Tales is a crime house original podcast powered by Pave Studios. Watch Every Monday on YouTube or listen wherever you get your podcasts.