Scam Goddess, Fraud Friday: "Doctor DoRobbery" w/ Franchesca Ramsey

Date: March 20, 2026
Host: Laci Mosley
Guest: Franchesca Ramsey

Overview

This classic Fraud Friday episode of Scam Goddess is a raucous, sharp-witted exploration of scams, from personal misadventures with mall-modeling rackets to the harrowing tale of one of California’s most notorious healthcare frauds. Host Laci Mosley and guest Franchesca Ramsey trade hilarious, honest stories about being scam-victims and accidental (involuntary!) scammers, before diving deep into the true-crime saga of Dr. Lokesh Tantuaya—a spinal surgeon at the heart of a billion-dollar kickback and medical malpractice scandal. The conversation is laden with style, real talk about the healthcare system’s dangers, memorable “stay scheming” energy, and gems about keeping your head on a swivel—plus one of the wildest "scammer of the week" stories yet.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Introduction and Banter (01:31 – 08:42)

• Laci introduces Franchesca Ramsey in over-the-top, affectionate Scam Goddess style, highlighting her as a creative force, a style icon, and a glamorous overachiever.
  • Laci: "She’s a producer, she’s a writer, she’s a creator...and she’s also hot, which is unfair. It’s a scam!" (02:12)
• Hilarious discussion on being always “selfie-ready,” glam decor, and overdressing for everything.
• Both share stories about wild pre-COVID habits and funny personal adventures, including Laci’s escapades during college at the Cathedral of Learning and Francesca’s bathroom hook-ups:
  • Laci: "I definitely fucked in there on the psychology floor." (07:53)
  • Franchesca: "I've done some questionable—you know, you only live once." (06:45)
• Tone: High-energy, confessional, sisterly fun (noting their mutual admiration and comic chemistry).

Scam Stories: Involuntary Scamming and Getting Scammed (08:42 – 21:35)

Francesca’s "Involuntary Scammer" Era (08:50 – 12:38)

• Francesca worked for a shady telemarketing company in college, selling "Septic Helper 2000" under false pretenses ("free" products, recurring billing, impossible-to-cancel shipments).
  • Laci teasing: "You were working in telemarketing? You didn't know you were scamming people? That’s the whole point—until they call you at dinner!" (09:10)
  • Francesca: "In my heart, I wanted to believe they just wanted people to have healthy shits." (11:56)
• Discussion of company competition boards, Laci teasing Francesca’s chronic promptness, and Francesca’s "star student" vibes.

Model Scam Memories (12:41 – 15:04)

• Both share tales of being duped by mall model/acting agency scams (Barbizon, etc.).
  • Francesca: "I should have known it was a scam because they opened by saying, 'Everyone, anyone can be a model.' That should have set off my alarm." (13:22)
  • Laci: "I'm 5'1 and I took my ass to Barbizon. I said, what we doing y'all?" (13:18)

Reality of Industry Scams & Casting (19:39 – 25:18)

• Francesca and Laci talk about predatory practices in casting, especially the false promises made to young actors and models (paying for photos, booklets, etc.).
  • Francesca: "No one is going to cast me from a pamphlet printed at Kinko’s, but that’s what we were paying for." (19:39)
• Insight: Don’t pay casting directors/models for representation—real industry professionals DO NOT charge.
• Both updated on the more inclusive nature of modeling via social media, though noting scams still abound.

Listeners Scam Letter: Scamming the Scammer (25:56 – 36:03)

"Clarice the Welding Queen vs. IRS Phone Scammers" (26:09 – 36:03)

• Welder listener “Clarice” shares how she wasted a scammer’s time when she got a fake IRS call demanding immediate Walmart/iTunes gift cards.
  • Clarice invents a whole saga: fake social security numbers; a baby with an explosive diaper; asking for parenting advice—all to string the scammer along for over two hours.
  • Francesca: "Waste the scammer’s time. Keep them away from the elderly lady who’s actually gonna get scammed." (30:15)
  • Laci: "You should never get scammed via phone...but what if you actually did f— up on your taxes?" (30:41)
• Takeaway: If you can, waste scammers’ time—protect others by being a "petty" time sink. And never pay the IRS in gift cards!

Historic Hoodwinks: Dr. Lokesh Tantuaya & Medical Mayhem (38:01 – 68:52)

Introducing the Fraud: Dr. Tantuaya and Michael Drobot (38:01 – 43:11)

• Dr. Lokesh Tantuaya, spinal surgeon, central figure in Pacific Hospital’s billion-dollar medical fraud in California.
• Michael Drobot, owner of Pacific Hospital, orchestrated kickback schemes, paying doctors to send patients to his hospital, using counterfeit surgical hardware, and billing huge sums to insurers.
  • Francesca (seeing his photo): "He’s giving me Gollum...He looks like a Marvel villain." (39:57)

Exploiting the System (43:13 – 55:05)

• Drobot & Tantuaya’s scam targeted vulnerable people (e.g., workers comp recipients)—flying them to Long Beach for unnecessary or dangerous surgery, lining doctors’ pockets.
• Detailed story: Tammy Martinez, a San Diego truck driver whose botched back surgery (with inadequate equipment) left her as an amputee.
  • Francesca: "Could you imagine? You went through all of that and then your lawyer scammed you. This is scam-ception." (55:05)
  • Laci: "If you work in government, you should know there’s a guillotine outside if you fuck up!" (55:12)
• Shock at the medical board’s repeated "stays" and leniency for flagrant misconduct (domestic violence, gross neglect, bribery), allowing Tantuaya to keep practicing.

Systematic Failure & Outrage (61:29 – 68:52)

• Board spokesman admits: Coming down too hard on doctors risks litigation costs.
  • Francesca: "At least he said the quiet part out loud." (61:29)
• Despite multiple pending indictments, loss of life and limb, and evidence of intent to flee (buying another plane), Tantuaya retained his license and was still listed as "accepting new patients."
• Laci: "When you go to the doctor, always be ready to fight. Ask questions, ask more questions...everything is transactional." (67:01)
• Both call for activism and diligence.
  • Francesca: "This is just a really good reminder that you need to do your due diligence. Google these hoes." (66:50)

Scammer of the Week: Reward Money for Your Own Arrest? (69:20 – 72:30)

• Story: A woman on the run for accessory to murder in Tulsa is caught after she comments on the police department’s Facebook asking, “Where’s my reward money at?”
  • Francesca: "So wait, was she asking how much the reward was to catch her?...She should not be able to get the money." (69:47)
  • Laci: "She looks like, ‘oops, I did a murder!’" (70:33)
• Lesson: If you’re on the run, maybe don’t inquire about bounty money on Facebook.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• "Rules are for other people so that I can do what I want." — Laci (32:49)
• "If you work in government, you should know there’s a guillotine outside if you fuck up!" — Laci (55:12)
• "You can be a genius and a sociopath...but we can't value one over the other." — Laci (58:24)
• "Google these hoes!" — Franchesca (66:50)

Timestamps for Major Segments

• 01:31 – 08:42: Introduction, personal banter, fashion and decor talk
• 08:42 – 21:35: Early scams, telemarketing, mall modeling, casting scams
• 25:56 – 36:03: Listener Letter: Clarice vs. IRS Scammer
• 38:01 – 68:52: Historic Hoodwinks—The Dr. Tantuaya Pacific Hospital saga
• 69:20 – 72:30: Scammer of the Week (Facebook self-reward)
• 73:35 – 74:52: Guest plugs & goodbyes

Tone & Takeaways

• Insightful and humorous, peppered with cautionary wisdom about scams in all walks of life—from everyday phone calls to systemic medical fraud.
• Laci and Franchesca blend righteous anger, laugh-out-loud asides, and practical advice:
  • Stay skeptical, especially with authority figures and too-good-to-be-true offers.
  • Always ask questions in the medical system—do your research!
  • Wasting scammers’ time isn’t just fun, it’s community service.
• A prime Scam Goddess episode: comedy, catharsis, and true-con advocacy.
  "Stay scheming, but scam ethically!" (75:10)