Scam Goddess: "America's Slickest Pavement Hustler"

Host: Laci Mosley
Guests: The Smith Sisters – Lauren Ashley Smith, Rachel Smith, and Mariah Smith
Date: September 9, 2025

Episode Overview

In this lively, laugh-filled episode, Laci Mosley welcomes the iconic Smith Sisters—Lauren, Rachel, and Mariah—for a deep dive into classic and contemporary scams, focusing on the wild story of an elusive asphalt scammer known as "America’s Slickest Pavement Hustler." The episode is a mix of personal scam stories, pop culture commentary, and an entertaining investigation of the relentless pavement conman, Henry Stanley. Listeners are treated to candid, witty discussions about how scams can touch everyday lives—with plenty of advice, confessions, and cackling along the way.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Meet the Smith Sisters (03:15 – 07:30)

• Laci delivers a warm, hilarious intro for the three guests, highlighting their award-winning backgrounds in writing, media, and pop culture.
• The sisters joke about their mom’s Halloween costume, setting the tone for playful, candid storytelling.
• Laci (04:22): "I touched the hem of her apron. Yes, you know. And your premiums went down. Yeah, way down."

2. Scam Confessions: The Sisters' Personal Encounters (07:31 – 34:40)

Lauren’s “Caribbean Dance Class” Scam (08:00 – 13:50)

• Lauren and her sisters fell into a fitness class led by a white woman appropriating Caribbean culture.
• The class evolved into a cult-like community, eventually involving them in a Kickstarter to produce a DVD—which never materialized.
• Lauren (11:01): "We raised like $30,000 and I am still waiting for the DVD... a DVD and not DVD documents 2015. It’s a link."

Rachel’s Craigslist Roommate Disaster (14:00 – 23:55)

• Rachel recounts renting a Harlem apartment with a seemingly safe roommate, who turns out to be a serial scammer—pocketing her rent, lying about payments, and vanishing overnight.
• The sisters delight in the drama, from eviction notices to ghostly disappearances.
• Rachel (21:26): "I was like, he’s gone. He’s gone. There’s no trace of him. There’s nothing... but now I’m in a dirty apartment squad. I’m squatting."

Mariah’s Serial Girl Scout/Church Hustle (24:00 – 28:00)

• Mariah admits her entrepreneurial childhood—selling candy at church (until the pastor shut it down), and leveraging Girl Scout cookie sales with her mom’s financial “investments” to win prizes.
• Later, she confesses to selling all the furnishings when moving out of a New York apartment, pocketing hundreds.
• Mariah (28:22): "When I moved out, I sold everything... I don’t know whose it is. I think I sold it for 450!"

Laci’s LA Roommate & Landlord Tales (28:15 – 34:40)

• Laci shares her own real estate hustle: paying rent directly to a suspiciously chill landlord and unknowingly subsidizing delinquent roommates—almost losing her place before things turn chaotic.
• Laci (32:44): "He said, yeah, as soon as your roommates pay their rent. And I was like, what? ...I was carrying them on my back and had no idea."

3. The “Historic Hoodwinks” Segment: The Pavement Scam (34:41 – 1:19:50)

Unpacking the Asphalt Scam (34:50 – 1:03:00)

• Laci introduces Henry Stanley, the mysterious (and prolific) pavement scammer.
• The crew discusses the scam’s mechanics: Stanley posing as a contractor with "leftover asphalt," offering cut-rate repairs, doing shoddy work—or bouncing with prepayment.
• Laci (36:44): "Henry shows up at the area of the business and states that he’s doing a paving job nearby when he, you know, got some extra eggs. Okay. And then. Okay, so this is just a warning..."

Notable Victims

• Missouri Motel Owner Shelly Cravens (1:03:00): Paid Stanley $18,000 for unfinished work. Her trusting nature—and lack of skepticism about New Hampshire plates—illustrates typical red flags.
• The sisters skewer her optimism and the absurdity of the “leftover asphalt” pitch.
• Shelly Cravens (quote via news clip, 1:03:37): "You know, I just always assume everybody’s not lying to you... and I just fell for it, hook, line, and sinker."

The Asphalt Scammer’s Modus Operandi

• Stanley, often with accomplices, targets small businesses, uses convincing uniforms, and leaves a trail of unpaid, poor-quality work and inflated bills.
• In one case, bills to businesses hit $50,000.
• Lauren (41:09): "This scam requires so much work. It does... Just rob somebody. Scamming is a profession."

The National Scope and Law Enforcement Chase

• The con stretches from New Hampshire to Florida, Indiana, Missouri, and beyond—law enforcement struggles to keep up.
• Notable arrests, but Henry remains at large.
• Cops and news outlets issue warnings; the scam makes the BBB scam tracker.

4. How to Spot and Avoid an Asphalt Scam (1:13:30 – 1:18:00)

The group relays key tips from paving professionals and the BBB:

• Reputable contractors never show up unannounced offering “leftover” materials.
• There’s no such thing as leftover asphalt—the material must be used hot and fresh, onsite.
• Always require a written contract before work starts.
• Be suspicious of out-of-state vehicles & phone numbers, and lack of online reviews.
• Laci (1:16:43): "If I’m in California, somebody got Montana plates, and they’re like, ‘I got some leftover asphalt from my last job,’... No."
• The Smiths riff on other “can’t-be-leftover” scenarios, using church, food, and medical analogies for comedic effect.

5. Final Thoughts & Notable Quotes (1:18:01 – 1:20:10)

• The crew agrees: pavement scams are surprisingly labor-intensive, high-risk, and bizarrely masculine—"Bob the Builder-ass" cons, as Lauren quips.
• Lauren (1:18:07): "This is like the most masculine man scammer... so half baked and so, like, toxically masculine."
• They note the exhausting hustle, the low payoff, and how merely paving honestly would be less work.

6. Guest Plugs & Podcast Shout-Outs (1:20:11 – 1:22:30)

• The Smith Sisters invite listeners to:
  • Smith Sisters Live (SiriusXM, Radio Andy, 9am ET/6am PT, Channel 102)
  • Smith Sisters Live Deep Dive (free podcast)
  • Follow on Instagram: @SmithSistersLive
  • Mariah shouts out her personal account, where she occasionally drops merch—joking it’s her own form of “scamming.”
  • Laci: "If you want to see the photos of these men, head to @ScamGoddessPod on Instagram!"
  • Laci’s book and TV show: Plugs "Scam Goddess" book and TV show, both streaming or available widely.
  • Laci’s parting words: "Congregation, I want y’all to get out there and put your asphalt into it. Come on, man. Amen."

Memorable Moments & Quotes

• Laci (10:30) [on the fitness scam]: "She said, I call all you Caribbean people’s dreams—and I made ‘em a class. Exactly. And you gon’ pay me for it."
• Rachel (22:20) [on the roommate]: "He flipped the script... He kinda stopped showing up... One morning, I woke up—every single item of his was gone.”
• Mariah (26:10) [on serial entrepreneurship]: "All of her businesses have taken off. Yes. I mean... you’ll know why."
• Lauren (41:09) [on the scammer's effort level]: "This scam requires so much work. It does... just rob somebody. Scamming is a profession."
• Laci (1:16:43) [on out-of-state contractors]: "If I’m in California, somebody got Montana plates, and they’re like, ‘I got some leftover asphalt from my last job’... No."
• Lauren (1:18:07): "This is... the most masculine man scammer."
• Shelly Cravens (1:03:37): "I just always assume everybody’s not lying to you... and I just fell for it, hook, line, and sinker."

Timestamps for Notable Segments

• 03:15 – 07:30: Smith Sisters Introductions & Family Banter
• 08:00 – 13:50: Lauren’s Caribbean Fitness Class/Kickstarter Scam
• 14:00 – 23:55: Rachel’s Craigslist Roommate Saga
• 24:00 – 28:00: Mariah’s Church Candy and Apartment “Exit Sale”
• 28:15 – 34:40: Laci’s LA Roommate & Landlord Tales
• 34:41 – 1:19:50: Historic Hoodwinks: The Asphalt/Pavement Scam Story
• 1:03:00: Missouri Motel Owner Interview (Shelly Cravens)
• 1:13:30 – 1:18:00: Asphalt Scam Prevention Tips
• 1:18:01 – 1:22:30: Final Thoughts, Guest Plugs & Wisecracks

Tone & Style: Classic Scam Goddess

Fast-paced, full of inside jokes, incredulous asides, and off-the-cuff confessions. The Smith Sisters and Laci have perfect comedic chemistry, moving seamlessly from stories of survival to tangents about pop culture, buying junk cars, and the absurdities of adulthood.

Summary Takeaway:

This episode delivers a masterclass in both scam awareness and group banter. Whether you’re worried about pavement scammers, bad roommates, entrepreneurial kids, or just love hearing about wild real-life cons, the congregation will come away laughing, learning—and vigilant if anyone shows up at their door with “leftover asphalt.”
Stay schemin’… but more importantly, stay savvy!