Episode 9 - This Guy Has Eras

Summary

Once Upon a Con – Episode 9: "This Guy Has Eras"

Introduction

In Episode 9 of Once Upon a Con, titled "This Guy Has Eras," host Caroline D'Amore delves deeper into her harrowing experience with David Bloom, a notorious con artist previously dubbed the “Wall Street Whiz Kid.” This episode chronicles Caroline's journey from betrayal to seeking justice, highlighting the complexities of the legal system and the resilience of those affected by Bloom's schemes.

Recap of Previous Events

The episode begins with a brief recap of Caroline's initial encounter with David Bloom. As she states, “Together with a group of victims, I finally confront David Bloom” (02:24), Caroline sets the stage for the subsequent developments in their pursuit of justice.

David Bloom’s Arrest and Release

Caroline narrates Bloom's initial arrest followed by his unexpected release. “Bloom finally gets arrested, but then released,” she explains (02:36). This setback fuels the victims' determination to take further action beyond the District Attorney's office.

Taking Matters into Their Own Hands

Frustrated by the lack of progress, Caroline and other victims mobilize outside official channels. “Charge David Bloom. Charge David Bloom. Charge David Bloom,” they demand (02:51). Their persistence eventually leads to a significant breakthrough.

District Attorney’s Involvement

Five months after the initial confrontation, in August 2023, Caroline attends a pivotal press conference with Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascon. “We are filing a total of 18 felonies... David Blum... finally facing charges for his crimes,” Gascon announces (03:22). This marks a critical turning point in holding Bloom accountable for his actions.

Legal Proceedings and Challenges

Despite Bloom’s incarceration, the legal process remains sluggish. Caroline shares, “As of July 2024, almost a full year later, no trial date has been set” (05:33). The delay highlights the often painstakingly slow wheels of justice, a sentiment echoed by LA Times reporter James Quealy.

Insights from James Quealy

In an in-depth conversation, James Quealy provides valuable perspectives on the legal intricacies surrounding Bloom’s case:

• Initial Investigation Delays: Quealy recounts the challenges in getting the case moving, stating, “They said it got lost in the e-filing system... that's why I'm so, so grateful for the DA” (22:53).

• Plea Agreements: Discussing potential plea deals, Quealy explains, “A plea agreement normally would partially involve... they may say we'll only convict you for the grand theft as opposed to securities fraud” (12:20). He emphasizes the likelihood of Bloom avoiding a full trial due to the severity and number of charges.

• Courtroom Frustrations: Both Caroline and Quealy express frustration over the repetitive and mundane nature of court hearings. Quealy remarks, “I'm just tapping my foot, annoyed in the courthouse... that part is normal” (09:19).

Community and Victim Support

Caroline highlights the importance of community and victim support in her quest for justice. “Sometimes it just takes one person to say something, and then it gives a lot of other people the comfort to come out and say something as well” (31:36). Her courage in sharing her story inspires others to come forward, reinforcing the collective effort needed to combat fraud.

Current Status of David Bloom

As of the episode's release in April 2025, David Bloom remains incarcerated but awaits a trial date. Caroline remarks, “One thing Bloom's victims can take some solace in is that he isn't going anywhere. Well, not yet, anyway” (19:30). However, the absence of a trial date leaves victims uncertain about the final resolution.

Future Outlook

Caroline remains hopeful yet realistic about the ongoing struggle for justice. “I wanted this moment to be more than just about David Blum... a lesson for all scam artists” (04:19). She underscores the broader implications of Bloom’s case, aiming to deter future fraudsters through awareness and accountability.

Conclusion

Episode 9 of Once Upon a Con offers a compelling look into the prolonged battle against financial fraud and the personal toll it takes on victims. Through Caroline D'Amore’s relentless pursuit and insightful discussions with James Quealy, listeners gain an intimate understanding of the challenges faced in seeking justice against skilled con artists like David Bloom. The episode serves as both a cautionary tale and a testament to the strength and determination of those unwilling to be silenced.

Notable Quotes

• Caroline D'Amore: “But I want this moment to be more than just about David Blum. I want this moment to be a lesson for all scam artists...” (04:19)

• George Gascon (DA): “We are filing a total of 18 felonies... The man who stole so much from me and so many other victims is finally facing charges for his crimes.” (03:22)

• James Quealy: “Court is not like TV... it's a bunch of really boring, perfunctory hearings.” (09:19)

• Caroline D'Amore: “Sometimes it just takes one person to say something, and then it gives a lot of other people the comfort to come out and say something as well.” (31:36)

Key Takeaways

• Persistence is Crucial: Despite setbacks, Caroline and other victims demonstrate that perseverance can lead to significant legal actions against fraudsters.

• Legal System's Slow Pace: The episode underscores the frustrations of navigating a sluggish legal process, even in clear-cut cases of fraud.

• Community Support Matters: Sharing experiences empowers victims and strengthens collective efforts to seek justice.

• Education and Awareness: Highlighting Bloom’s methods serves as an educational tool to prevent future scams and protect potential victims.

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Note: This summary excludes all advertisements, promotional segments, and non-content-related sections of the podcast transcript to focus solely on the narrative and discussions pertinent to Caroline D'Amore's pursuit of justice against David Bloom.

Transcript

[Caroline D'Amore]

When you haven't found love, it can feel like everyone else has. It's in every movie, every song, and all the PDA looking for love sucks. Thankfully, California Psychics can give you the guidance you need to find the one. We guarantee if your reading isn't life changing, it's free and new customers receive 20 minutes for just $20. Visit CaliforniaPsychics.com and experience the joy of certainty. California Psychics PayPal lets you pay all your pals like your graduation gifters. Who's paying for the mattress topper? You mean the beanbag chair? Aren't we getting a mini fridge? Can we create a pool on PayPal?

[James Quealy]

It lets us collect the money before we buy.

[Caroline D'Amore]

Ooh, yes, that's smart. Glad we can agree on something easily. Pool split and Send Money with PayPal. Get started in the PayPal app. A PayPal account is required to send and receive money. A balance account is required to create a po. Did you know that parents rank financial literacy as the one most difficult life skill to teach?

[James Quealy]

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[Caroline D'Amore]

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[James Quealy]

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[Caroline D'Amore]

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[James Quealy]

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[Caroline D'Amore]

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[James Quealy]

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[Caroline D'Amore]

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[James Quealy]

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[Caroline D'Amore]

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[James Quealy]

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[Caroline D'Amore]

Previously on Once Upon a Con. I apologize to you. Why would you do that to me when I thought we were friends?

[James Quealy]

We are friends. Well, I. I'm not.

[Caroline D'Amore]

But. What did you gain from that?

[James Quealy]

Nothing.

[Caroline D'Amore]

What was the purpose?

[James Quealy]

Nothing.

[Caroline D'Amore]

I almost lost everything. Everything. Together with a group of victims, I finally confront David Bloom. I chose to tell another story because I didn't know they're called lies when.

[James Quealy]

They'Re a different story.

[Caroline D'Amore]

Bloom finally gets arrested, but then released. And then in March of 2023 after 10 months of no action, a group of us decide to take action outside the District Attorney's office.

[James Quealy]

Charge David Blum. Charge David Blue. Charge David Blum.

[Caroline D'Amore]

And then finally, it's five months later, August of 2023, and I'm invited to attend a press conference being held by the Los Angeles District Attorney himself, George Gascon. He utters the words I was starting to think I'd never hear.

[James Quealy]

We're here to announce today that we are filing a total of 18 felony.

[Caroline D'Amore]

Counts against David Blum. Nine counts for fraud and nine counts for grand theft. The man who stole so much from me and so many other victims is finally facing charges for his crimes. I'm Caroline D'Amore, and this is Once Upon a Con. Episode 9 this guy has erasing.

[James Quealy]

How does it fade?

[Caroline D'Amore]

I was the only one of Bloom's victims to speak at that District Attorney's press conference. I'm now going to turn it over to Caroline to say a few words.

[James Quealy]

And then we'll take any questions you may have.

[Caroline D'Amore]

Caroline. Thank you. Okay. Hi. Okay. To me, he pretended to be a business mentor, someone who believed in me and wanted to help me. He knew I was a struggling single mom going through a divorce and had her heart set on becoming a businesswoman in the food space. I spoke about the whole food scam Bloom played on me and my business partners, luring us to Texas under the guise of meeting the CEO. I spoke about the months and months of manipulation and gaslighting. He makes you feel like he believes in you and like you're smart and talented. David had a knowing that he was never going to get caught. He knew it was hard to prove these crimes, and he knew he was going to get away with it for so long. But I want this moment to be more than just about David Blum. I want this moment to be a lesson for all scam artists, for everybody who thinks that. That life is glamorous and that you can just get away with it forever. This is a moment where we say that we are not the ones that need to be embarrassed. You are. Thank you very much. Almost a full year after that press conference, Bloom, thankfully, is sitting in jail. But as of July 2024, almost a full year later, no trial date has been set. They say the wheels of justice move slowly, but in this case, they seem to be barely moving at all. Well, it's been a while since I've seen you or even really thought about David Bloom.

[James Quealy]

I would imagine you don't want him renting a lot of space up There, so I would understand that.

[Caroline D'Amore]

I'm sitting down with LA Times reporter James Quealy, who you heard from in episode two. We're talking about what's happened since that fateful day. I asked him how he first found out Bloom was finally getting arrested and charged.

[James Quealy]

I had been on and off in touch with the captain of the Commercial Crimes Division for lapd, which had investigated this case for over a year. Because, you know, I remember back with the protest with you, back the first time we spoke. Yeah, there was definitely a lot of confusion as to why he hadn't been charged. And, you know, because we knew that the behavior was. We had seen the behavior be repeated before, so it was a legitimate concern. And just to his credit, you know, I had bothered that poor guy. The captain, not David Bloom. David has not responded to my inquiries. Shockingly, you know, the captain, like, every couple weeks. Did you do it yet? Did you arrest him? Did you arrest him? Was like. I forgot how to say hello after a while. Poor guy was like, did. Did you arrest him? Was the only greeting I could come up with. And then I forgot to check in for a few weeks. And of course, some random Tuesday when I'm in the courthouse and my email starts going off and just told me. They told me they picked him up. That was probably 24, 36 hours before the press conference. I don't think I called you because I think they told me they were gonna get in touch with you, and I didn't want to, like, take law enforcement place. I know we talked the next day because I saw you either in the bail court or at the call of justice across the street.

[Caroline D'Amore]

Yeah, I just remember waiting kind of by the phone to find out and just being so scared that he was gonna flee, but then remembering that he doesn't, you know, and my friend had seen him on. My friend Hamilton had seen him on the street and, like, hollered out at him, and he was just standing on, like, coincidentally, right in front of a Whole Foods on Santa Monica in West Hollywood. I just spotted David Blum on the fucking street at the bus stop, folks. Hey, what's up, scammer? You scamming people at the bus stop? That's what's up today, huh? And then I remember kind of just losing sleep, wondering when he was gonna get picked up, wondering where he even was. Hearing from people who had seen him at different restaurants throughout Hollywood who had then seen the story and who actually were saved because of my Instagram story. They were like, I was literally this couple, girlfriend and boyfriend had called me and they said, I literally have his phone number in my phone because we were talking last night and then out of nowhere. Yeah. Found out he was in jail. And I was super stoked, just relieved, because the man just does not stop.

[James Quealy]

I mean, this has been. That's been the drumbeat, right. He was accused of doing this in the 80s. He was used to doing this in the 2000s. He was accused of doing this in the 2000s. Leopards, stripes and all that.

[Caroline D'Amore]

So, yeah, I mean, so there really hasn't been any sort of, like, movement in what's going to happen in the past year other than just checking to make sure he's still there.

[James Quealy]

Yeah. Unfortunately, court is not like tv, especially not here. It's a bunch of really boring, perfunctory hearings. I actually have never laid eyes on the guy. I've seen the photos that have been, you know, slipped to me.

[Caroline D'Amore]

Yeah, I know.

[James Quealy]

We looked at him in jail. No, not of him in jail, of him. Just him at the barbecue. At the. I don't know if it was the barbecue that you told me about, but, like, there's somebody. The photo that we used in all the stories of him at the pool.

[Caroline D'Amore]

Oh, yeah.

[James Quealy]

It's actually the only time I've ever laid eyes on him. He was not in court any of the times I've gone. You've probably been to court more than.

[Caroline D'Amore]

Me on this case. It's not been like three times.

[James Quealy]

Yeah, yeah. Which that. I think you're leading three to one. That on the scoreboard on me.

[Caroline D'Amore]

I got an email from the DA recently. Kind of worried me.

[James Quealy]

Paul Prislomac.

[Caroline D'Amore]

Thank you, Paul.

[James Quealy]

That's public record. That's not a secret.

[Caroline D'Amore]

5:30. So this was maybe two weeks ago. He just said, I had a court appearance on this case this morning. In my conversation with the defense attorney, he indicated that he was interested in pursuing a potential plea agreement to resolve this case. He further advised me that he is nearly complete with the preparation of a mitigation packet which he would like to submit to my office for consideration. I will accept anything that he wishes to submit to me. However, before any offers are discussed or extended to the defense attorney, I'll meet with any victims who would like to discuss. Discuss a disposition of this case so that you can provide input. Please let me know if you are interested in participating in that process. Our next court date is scheduled for July 2nd. But what exactly does that mean? Does that mean that they're just trying to get.

[James Quealy]

Yeah, okay. Yeah, I can play. I Can play legal expert. I do not have a bar card, but I guess I know court stuff.

[Caroline D'Amore]

You know, more than I do. You live in court, don't you?

[James Quealy]

I married a lawyer, so I just try to remind her that she's always smarter than me. So that. Yeah, that's kind of a little bit standard. So most cases, I don't know if, you know, it's like almost any. Almost like 98% of all cases end in a plea deal. It's very rare that something goes to trial. A lot of times defendants look to settle things bloom. I think both of his prior cases ended in a plea agreement. The Manhattan. The second Manhattan one definitely did. What they're talking about with the mitigation package is basically how the. The package they would submit to let them know, you know, reasons that might lessen culpability. Like, they could say he has a mental health issue. For argument's sake. They could say, you know, they might raise questions about circumstantial evidence. Like, they may try to point to just poke any holes in the strength of the case, maybe. Or they might could say that a certain count doesn't fit the statute of limitations. They might try to point to an admissibility issue with LAPD with evidence. I have nothing to suggest any of that is what. What's going on. But those are just examples of things that could be that. So they could try to seek a. And a plea agreement normally would partially involve. Not. Not. He would not be convicted or held on no contest of all 18 counts. They may say, okay, we'll only convict you for the grand theft as opposed to securities fraud. Again, this is just, like, potential.

[Caroline D'Amore]

Potential idea. Yeah.

[James Quealy]

So. Yeah, but I don't. I don't know off the top of my head what the sentencing range for these offenses are, but I. I don't think with that many counts and his criminal history, he's not, like, a strong candidate for probation. I would not swear on a stack of Bibles to you that he wouldn't get probation, but it doesn't seem very likely. So, yeah, he has to give you as much information as he can possibly share about the terms of any plea or what this defense attorney brings together in this packet of mitigation before they do anything. So it's not like if you don't answer by the second, he's going to strike a deal without telling you.

[Caroline D'Amore]

Right.

[James Quealy]

Like, you have to. He'll have to. If something happens between, like, for argument's sake, tomorrow he wakes up and there's a plea offer in Negotiation. He'll tell you.

[Caroline D'Amore]

All right, thank you very much.

[James Quealy]

Being a legal nerd is occasionally useful to people.

[Caroline D'Amore]

I try it. It's interesting because I'm still in touch with David's wife and she texts me every, I don't know, couple weeks just making sure he's still in jail because for some reason she's not one of the victims that is getting outreach from the da. And I just think everybody just really wants to make sure that. I mean, at this point, it's pretty good that he's been in jail for over a year now. Yeah.

[James Quealy]

The reach that he had. I don't. This is just like a funny little aside in my head. I still will randomly end up talking to people who. Not that they know who I am, but they recognize the name only because of him. I was booking our union's Christmas party at a bar that we will leave out of this in December. And the guy on the phone is like, oh, yeah, yeah, you can do it. No fee, by the way. Cause like, David Bloom. And I'm like, I'm sorry, what? And the guy apparently knew somebody who had been victimized by him or allegedly victimized by him. And yeah, so I got a couple of free beers out of the story, at least. Not that I need a parade. Doesn't hurt. I'm Irish.

[Caroline D'Amore]

Listen, anybody who has been a part of help helping get this man off the streets deserves a keg.

[James Quealy]

I'll take it.

[Caroline D'Amore]

I'll take it.

[James Quealy]

It's tax season and by now.

[Caroline D'Amore]

I know we're all a bit tired of numbers, but here's an important one you need to hear. $16.5 billion.

[James Quealy]

That's how much money in refunds the.

[Caroline D'Amore]

IRS flagged for possible identity fraud last year.

[James Quealy]

Here's another 20%. That's the overall increase in identity theft.

[Caroline D'Amore]

Related to tax fraud in 2024 alone.

[James Quealy]

But it's not all grim news.

[Caroline D'Amore]

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[James Quealy]

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[Caroline D'Amore]

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[James Quealy]

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[Caroline D'Amore]

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[James Quealy]

Off terms apply when you haven't found love.

[Caroline D'Amore]

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[James Quealy]

How's Nancy doing by the way?

[Caroline D'Amore]

She's okay. She moved away.

[James Quealy]

She's out of California.

[Caroline D'Amore]

She's out of California.

[James Quealy]

Business where she is.

[Caroline D'Amore]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. LA Times reporter James Queeley and I talk about Nancy, David Bloom's ex wife in episode five. She told us all about her harrowing experience being married to a con man. She's moved away. Obviously she's had a lot of financial struggles after all of everything that he put her through. But she's a strong really Strong woman, and it seems like she's doing okay. Everybody just wants to make sure that he stays in jail. Or, I mean, he can't stay in jail for that long, right? I mean, who knows? But then if he comes out, he's just going to keep doing it. He's probably doing scams in jail right now. I would not be surprised.

[James Quealy]

I mean, when you've repeated this behavior this long, I definitely don't think I could make a strong counter argument against that. I don't know how far selling prior access to IPOs gets you in Men's Central Jail. I have thankfully never been a resident of Men's Central Jail. But, yeah, I mean, I like to believe that people can change. I have written plenty of stories about people who have been wrongfully accused, got out of prison, changed their lives. There are plenty of reformation stories, but based on the track record we've seen, I'm not gonna bet one way or the other if he would be one of them. But I totally hear where you're coming from.

[Caroline D'Amore]

One thing Bloom's victims can take some solace in is that he isn't going anywhere. Well, not yet, anyway. His bail was originally set at $500,000, but then got reduced by a lot. Prosecutors told me that Bloom had to prove the money he was using to post bail didn't come from one of his scams. He had to show pay stubs, which he didn't have. He had to show some sort of proof of clean money. And that is why I'm so, so grateful for the DA because he had been trying every which way to figure out how to get himself the bail.

[James Quealy]

Yeah, no bail source hearing is critical in something like this. That's honestly something they usually use against, like, drug dealers or gang members to make sure they're not using the proceeds of their criminal conduct. But, yeah, for a financial crime, somebody like this, that makes. It makes too much sense that he would do that.

[Caroline D'Amore]

I heard there was a woman, someone new in David's life, who was offering to pay his. I have no doubt it's someone he was scamming right before he got arrested. And it's certainly proof of how powerful of a con artist he is. I mean, he convinced this woman to give him money from the confines of a jail cell. Thank God the judge didn't allow it. And thank God David Bloom is still behind bars, waiting like the rest of us for what's next.

[James Quealy]

It's a painfully slow process, and I get that that's got to be incredibly frustrating for you, even Even once they charge, like, it can just take an eternity.

[Caroline D'Amore]

That's kind of the vibe that I've. I've gotten throughout this entire experience. You think, like from tv, that it's like this super slick covert operation with like plans in place and I don't know, after this, I just kind of. Yeah. Couldn't believe how slow the process is. I mean, with someone like this, you just think it's a slam dunk. Like how many times his name has been mentioned, how many people have come out and said that he's done this? He's been convicted twice in New York. And for it to take this long blows my mind. How is that even possible?

[James Quealy]

Some of it's weird. Some of what happened in this case is particularly weird. And then some of it is courts are slow. Like, you know, from when we first talked. The fact that LAPD moved to make an arrest, which they, you know, if they do that on a random street crime, like to stop a violent incident or someone's, you know, acting wild in the street, that might be just like they make an arrest and they figure out if they have enough to charge later.

[Caroline D'Amore]

Do you know where he was when he got arrested?

[James Quealy]

I actually don't. Yeah, I probably have that, like in a file somewhere, but I don't know where he got picked up. I think it was somewhere. I think it was somewhere in Hollywood only because of who was running the investigation. But. But the fact that this was a like months long investigation for what I understand they were, you know, they were doing financial stuff. They were talking to people in the Villa Carlotta at the time. When they do this kind of long form investigation, that usually means they believe they have enough to charge. And it's. Commercial crimes is like one of the higher end. You know, they do art theft, they do financial fraud. Like, this is one of like the. No disrespect to your average cop, but this is where like the smart cops go, like. So usually they pile together their. Their cases. Like they bring this stuff to the D.A. kind of gift wrapped. So it's a little weird that it took as long as it did. I don't know if you remember when we first met, there was this weird ping ponging of like, oh, we didn't get the case, it got lost in the mail kind of type. That's not literally what happened, but it's more or less what happened.

[Caroline D'Amore]

That's kind of what it felt like.

[James Quealy]

They said it got lost in the E filing system, so it got lost in the spam folder effectively, like that's the closest analog.

[Caroline D'Amore]

How does that happen? How does a convicted criminal with all of these victims get lost in the E filing?

[James Quealy]

If I knew, I would tell you and probably write something about it.

[Caroline D'Amore]

That's really terrifying.

[James Quealy]

That was just weird. But the other parts that you've described, the like, court is boring, court is slow, all the continuances. That is, unfortunately, that is the unsexy part of my job that doesn't end up in the newspaper and is like 80% of what I do just tapping my foot, annoyed in the courthouse on Temple Street. So that part is normal. And I'm sorry, but that part's everybody.

[Caroline D'Amore]

Do you know anything about his defense attorney or who he has or public defender's office?

[James Quealy]

Okay, I don't know if you remember early on in the investigation, the LAPD had said, you know, of course, definitely, despite allegedly stealing as much money as he did, didn't have a lot of it on hand, not a lot of it in the bank accounts, he qualified for indigent defense for the public defender's office. Meaning he doesn't have enough money to pay for a private attorney.

[Caroline D'Amore]

That's insane. Like, where did he put all this money? Like, that's a shocker. He's got it stashed somewhere for when he gets out for sure.

[James Quealy]

That's an argument. That's an argument to be made for that. Obviously. Also, I believe other victims had made this claim. And also the cops did suggest that. I don't know what happened to exactly after you guys confronted him, but that when. When threatened with exposure. Right. He sometimes would move money like that one victim paid him to pay off another.

[Caroline D'Amore]

Yes, he definitely did that a lot for sure.

[James Quealy]

So that's possible. Again, I'm not a forensic accountant.

[Caroline D'Amore]

In one of our episodes, we literally uncovered the fact that my money that he stole went straight to Vincent. And then I was the one that actually, like, called Vincent and was like, the one that kind of alerted him to the fact that he just got scammed.

[James Quealy]

That's both amazing and kind of horrifying.

[Caroline D'Amore]

Yes, it really is. His story was so gut wrenching. But they all are with this man, this ruthless man. But I just like to say, you know what? He messed with the wrong. The wrong one this time. When you haven't found love, it can feel like everyone else has. It's in every movie, every song, and all the PDA Looking for love sucks. Thankfully, California psychics can give you the guidance you need to find the one. We guarantee, if your reading isn't life changing it's free and new customers receive 20 minutes for just $20. Visit californiapsychics.com and experience the joy of certainty. California Psychics PayPal lets you pay all your pals like your graduation gifters. Who's paying for the mattress topper? You mean the beanbag chair? Aren't we getting a mini fridge? Can we create a pool on PayPal?

[James Quealy]

It lets us collect the money before we buy.

[Caroline D'Amore]

Ooh yes, that's smart. Glad we can agree on something easily. Pool split and Send Money with PayPal. Get started in the PayPal app. A PayPal account is required to send and receive money. A balance account is required to create a pool. Now I'd like to introduce you to Meaningful Beauty, the famed skincare brand created by iconic supermodel Cindy Crawford. It's her secret to absolutely gorgeous skin. Meaningful Beauty makes powerful and effective skin care simple and it's loved by millions of women. It's formulated for all ages and all skin tones and types. And it's designed to work as a complete skin care system, leaving your skin feeling soft, smooth and nourished. I recommend starting with Cindy's full regimen which contains contains all five of her best selling products including the Amazing Youth Activating Melon Serum. This next generation serum has the power of melon leaf stem cell technology. It's melon leaf stem cells encapsulated for freshness and released onto the skin to support a visible reduction in the appearance of wrinkles. With thousands of glowing five star reviews, why not give it a try? Subscribe today and you can get the Amazing Meaningful Beauty system for just $49.95. That includes our Instagram introductory five piece system, free gifts, free shipping and a 60 day money back guarantee. All that [e-mail].

[James Quealy]

Clorox Sentiva smells like grapefruit, cleans like Clorox and feels like.

[Caroline D'Amore]

Yeah, okay, we could be here all day. Try Clorox Sentiva for a trusted clean with long lasting freshness. Also available in lavender and coconut. News as directed.

[James Quealy]

Someone sent me your story. I don't remember who it might have been. It might have been one of the initial victims.

[Caroline D'Amore]

I'm talking to LA Times reporter James Quealey about con artist David Blume. I realize when we first spoke back in 2022, I never asked him how he found this story in the first place.

[James Quealy]

The Villa Carlotta resident emailed my editor and we joke about this now, but at the time I almost didn't even look at the story because it was so. He sent me a Note that was so, like, rambling and incoherent. It kind of looked like in a movie when they, like, taped the magazine letters together for a ransom note. Me and this person laughed about it now, but he was kind of annoyed when I made that joke the first time. But it was just kind of like, there's a scammer and he's getting away with it and he's been doing it since Manhattan, and, like, you gotta stop him. And, like, I get emails. Like, not emails specifically like that, but I get, you know, messages. My cousin was wrongfully convicted and, like, Nixon did it, type emails all the time. So I was like, oh, not another one of these. Like, God damn it, I have too much fucking work to do. And then, like, a court case got canceled. Something happened that day that I suddenly became less busy than I was.

[Caroline D'Amore]

And I was like, all right, I'll look into this.

[James Quealy]

What is this? And I stumbled across the New York Times article and the name tracked. And I reached out to lapd and they were like, yeah, no, we. We know this person. Like, oh, shit, this is real. So I started kind of clawing at it from there. And I spent two different days at the Frolic. I met him, the informant that I just described there once, and, you know, got his story, but then another. He told me that if you just randomly go in there one day and start mentioning Bloom's name, like, people are going to get angry and tell you stories. I was like, all right, what the hell? Why not? Being in a bar is better than being at work at, like, 3:00 on a Friday. So I started a very early happy hour, Just sat down with, like, a. Specifically, I think it was an Amstel light and a Jameson and just started talking to people. And, yeah, somebody told me if they found him, they were gonna beat the shit out of him in about five minutes. Because from what I remember, the original piece, I went to the Villa Carlotta. I spoke to several victims from the Villa Carlotta, which is so crazy. Some who I don't. I don't know have even been named on this yet. Everybody who was on the record in the original story was. Nancy, were the Venice victims from the Snapchat era back in 2016? I like how this guy has eras, like his epoch.

[Caroline D'Amore]

His eras. Yeah, Of. Of. Yeah. His activities. Yeah.

[James Quealy]

But, yeah, somebody pointed me to you, I want to say. I reached out to you on Instagram DM and was like, assuming you were going to think I was some weirdo, but you have a million followers. I was Like, I was. I think I. I feel like I. I typed and deleted, like, please don't think I'm a creeper. Like, three times to open up the. The. The message. But, yeah, no, I think we were. You. You and I were operating completely independently until you went public and.

[Caroline D'Amore]

Yeah, until I was just so fed up. I remember I was laying in bed, my daughter was right next to me, and I'm just hearing that he's just living it up at these parties, and I knew in my mind he was doing this to other people. And the next. And in that night, I sat up that. Super late, I think so late, and just wrote the whole story and put it on my Instagram because I was fucking fed up. I was so fed up that nothing had been done and nobody was using their names. And in your article, nobody used their names. And I was just like, how can we actually catch this guy if nobody's willing to use their faces? And I was just like, yeah, kind of done at that moment. And then I was very scared the next day. I was like, should I have done this?

[James Quealy]

Yeah, A lot of people were afraid that, you know, because that's the thing. He doesn't target people who aren't doing well.

[Caroline D'Amore]

Right.

[James Quealy]

They need to have money to be of any use to him. So it's a lot of people. Villa Carlotta, right? You live there?

[Caroline D'Amore]

Yeah.

[James Quealy]

It's people running their own businesses. Entrepreneurs, actors, people in the Hollywood industry. Like, they. Their entire game is reputation, and they can't be seen as having been, you know, and of course, I mean, no disrespect for this, but having seen has been hoodwinked, totally. Having seen has been gullible. That was a concern for a lot of people I talked to. Yeah, I was. It was a bit of a tug and pull to get. I mean, even, you know, Nancy to go on the record. And she was so critical to telling the story, but she didn't want this stain on her, even with court records making clear she'd been married to him.

[Caroline D'Amore]

For me, in. In doing this podcast, I wanted to completely change that narrative. Like, we are not the ones that need to be ashamed. He's the one that needs to be ashamed. And I'm proud of us for kind of just following through, you know, I.

[James Quealy]

Mean, I just took notes. You did the work. I appreciate the credit, but I'm not looking for it. Like, I just wrote. I just. I just wrote a. Wrote a very readable story. You did the actual work.

[Caroline D'Amore]

Sometimes it just takes one person to say something, and then it gives a lot of other people the comfort to kind of come out and say something as well. And, you know, I was willing to be that person. And here we are, you know, and he's in jail. So I'm really happy about that. Next time on Once Upon a Con. When that rug gets pulled, you know.

[James Quealy]

It'S like you feel like your whole.

[Caroline D'Amore]

World is crashing down, like nothing's ever.

[James Quealy]

Going to be okay. And like the world is a fraud.

[Caroline D'Amore]

Everything is just, you know, nothing is real. Another Bloom victim speaks out about the devastating con that almost happened. You rob me of emotional time with my family. You robbed me of my sanity. At some times, you robbed me of.

[James Quealy]

My peace of mind.

[Caroline D'Amore]

No amount of money could ever repay what you did to my family. Once Upon a Con is a production of AYR Media and 32 Flavors, hosted by me, Caroline D'Amores executive producers Aliza Rosen for Ayr Media, Alex Baskin for 32 flavors and Jonathan Walton for Jonathan Walton Productions. Written by Eliza Rosen Producer Caroline D'Amore Edited and mixed by Justin Longerbeam engineering by Justin Longer Beam Our theme song, freshly Served, was written and performed by the incredibly talented Maddie Noyes and is available on her SoundCloud. When you haven't found love, it can feel like everyone else has. It's in every movie, every song and all the PDA looking for love sucks. Thankfully, California Psychics can give you the guidance you need to find the one we guarantee if your reading isn't life changing, it's free and new customers receive 20 minutes for just $20. Visit californiapsychics.com and experience the joy of certainty. California Psychics this podcast is supported by BetterHelp, offering licensed therapists you can connect with via video phone or chat. Here's BetterHelp head of clinical operations, Hes Yu Jo discussing who can benefit from therapy. I think a lot of people think that you're supposed to be going to.

[James Quealy]

Therapy once you're like having panic attacks every day. But before you get to that point, I think once you start even noticing that you feel a little bit off and you can't maintain this harmony that you once had in relationships, that could be a sign that maybe you want.

[Caroline D'Amore]

To go talk to somebody. There's always a benefit in talking to someone because we can all benefit from improved insight about ourselves and who we are and how we behave with other people.

[James Quealy]

So if you're human, that's like a good indicator that you could benefit from talking to somebody.

[Caroline D'Amore]

Find out if therapy is right for you. Visit betterhelp.com today. That's betterhelp.com PayPal lets you pay all your pals like your graduation gifters. Who's paying for the mattress topper? You mean the bean bag? Aren't we getting a mini fridge? Can we create a pool on PayPal?

[James Quealy]

It lets us collect the money before we buy.

[Caroline D'Amore]

Ooh, yes, that's smart. Glad we can agree on something easily. Pool split and Send Money with PayPal get started in the PayPal app. A PayPal account is required to send and receive money. A balance account is required to create a pool. For some of us, personal finances aren't just personal. They include a lot more people than ourselves loved ones, neighbors, the communities we call home, and the causes we hold in our hearts.

[James Quealy]

At Thrivent, we help plan your financial.

[Caroline D'Amore]

Picture with the bigger picture in mind. Because even though our business is helping guide your finances, our ambition is to make it mean so much more. Thrivent where Money means more Connect with [e-mail].