Fraud Friday: Bishop Gucci Con Man w/ Sam Sanders

Summary

Scam Goddess: "Fraud Friday: Bishop Gucci Con Man w/ Sam Sanders"

Released: January 2, 2026
Host: Laci Mosley
Guest: Sam Sanders (Intuit on Vulture, Vibe Check on Stitcher)

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Episode Overview

This hilarious and eye-opening episode of Scam Goddess brings journalist and podcaster Sam Sanders into the "congregation" for a deep dive into church-themed scams old and new. Beginning with personal anecdotes about growing up in strict religious households, Laci and Sam explore how faith, trust, and community can be weaponized by grifters—from fly-by-night "helpful" fraudsters who prey on disaster victims, to the infamous "Bishop Gucci" case of the blinged-out Brooklyn pastor whose crimes and chutzpah raised eyebrows nationwide. True to Scam Goddess’s comedic roots, the episode is packed with biting cultural commentary, church-roasted wisdom, and big laughs.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Church Upbringings and the "Scammy" Side of Religion

• Discussion: Both Laci and Sam grew up in strict religious backgrounds (Missionary Baptist for Laci, Pentecostal Apostolic for Sam). They reflect on the well-meaning aspects of church, but also the arbitrary and sometimes exploitative rules set by religious leaders.
• Memorable Quote:
  • Sam (03:28): “Church is a scam writ large.”
• Insight: While the heart of their home churches was mostly honest, they recognize church structures can easily exploit faith and community.

2. "What's Hot in Fraud" - The Blanket Guys Insurance Scam (09:32–28:20)

The Scam Story

• A listener (“Pauletta”) shares the story of a building fire, after which “helpful” strangers appear with blankets, food, and “restoration company” contacts.
• These “blanket guys” convince residents to sign paperwork during their moment of distress, leading to massive bills, insurance fraud, and property being held hostage.

Notable Analysis:

• Laci and Sam note the pattern of opportunistic fraud chasing disaster:
  • Sam (16:07): “They are the equivalent of ambulance chasers, but fire chasers.”
• Sam highlights the importance of knowing how legitimate insurance processes work and the danger of signing documents under duress:
  • Sam (27:41): “If you already have your own insurance, don't sign anything else until you've talked to them first. I feel like this is 101.”
• They riff on how scammers insert themselves as “trusted intermediaries,” making themselves look official and leveraging people’s vulnerability.
• They propose the necessity of emotional support ("blanket grannies and aunties")—a comedic detour—but ultimately reinforce caution after crises.

(31:00) - Historic Hoodwinks: The Bishop Gucci Con (AKA Bishop Lamor Whitehead)

Introducing the Bishop

• Background: Bishop Lamor Whitehead (“Bishop Gucci”) of Brooklyn’s Leaders of Tomorrow International Ministries is thrust into fame when he’s robbed of $1 million in jewelry on a livestreamed church service.
• Key Question: Is Bishop Whitehead a victim, or was the robbery part of a web of scams and self-promotion?

Scambassador Behavior

• Documentation of Fraud:
  • Lavish displays of wealth (Gucci suits, jewelry) vs. a tiny congregation in a church above a Haitian restaurant (Sam: “If you have a Jesus piece, you should never know peace because you’re a fraud.” – 32:19).
  • Past criminal convictions: identity theft, forgery, and car/mortgage fraud.
  • Litigation, bounced checks, and accusations of defrauding church members.

Major Discussion Points:

• Old Money vs. New Money:
  • Sam (37:34): “This is the difference between old money and new money. Real, old money folks will have expensive stuff, but if you’re not as rich, you’d never know.”
• Prosperity Gospel as a Scam:
  • Laci and Sam dissect “prosperity gospel” tactics: demanding large “seed” offerings for blessings, auctioning the right to tithe at church.
  • Sam (54:15): “The definition of tithing biblically is just 10%... but are you trying to get your money up with God? Cuz if you want money from Jesus, you gotta invest and tell six of your friends.”
• Fake Real Estate Classes:
  • Sam and Laci rip on the bishop’s attempts to sell real estate seminars and investment opportunities, often with no traceable business and a track record of bounced checks and vanished funds.

Memorable Quotes:

• Laci (36:05): "The church looks like a Courtyard Marriott breakfast room—meanwhile you’re in gator boots and Gucci suits!”
• Sam (39:23): “There is a godly way to get robbed. This ain’t it.”
• Laci (59:56): "How you gonna reframe the narrative? 'I'm just treating your investment as a donation.' Wow."

Lessons and Takeaways

• Question ostentatious shows of wealth by spiritual leaders, especially when community needs go unmet.
• Do basic due diligence before involving yourself in "investment" schemes, especially from those with checkered pasts or unverifiable credentials.
• Sam (63:44): “Is there a moral to the story besides ‘watch out y’all, don’t get played’?”

4. Scammer of the Week: The Pink Sauce Fiasco (65:22–71:38)

• Overview: Viral TikToker “Chef Pii’s” homemade “Pink Sauce”—an unrefrigerated, inconsistently labeled condiment—becomes a social media phenomenon, then a health and legal headache.
• Scam Elements:
  • Dubious health/safety (no refrigeration, raw dairy, wild label inconsistencies).
  • Fake nutrition facts (“444 servings per bottle”).
  • Laci and Sam debate whether Chef Pii is an accidental scammer or just overreaching.
• Laci (70:36): “If you tell me about a sauce and you can’t tell me what it tastes like, people are gonna buy it. Out of curiosity, I’m intrigued.”
• Lesson: Going viral with a homemade product can quickly turn into fraud when you skip safety, labeling, and scale. (But, as always, it’s played for laughs.)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments (w/ Timestamps)

• 03:28 – Sam: “Church is a scam writ large.”
• 16:07 – Sam: Those “blanket guys” are “ambulance chasers, but fire chasers.”
• 27:41 – Sam: “If you already have your own insurance, don't sign anything else until you've talked to them first. I feel like this is 101.”
• 32:19 – Sam: “If you have a Jesus piece, you should never know peace because you’re a fraud.”
• 36:05 – Laci: "The church looks like a Courtyard Marriott breakfast room—meanwhile you’re in gator boots and Gucci suits!"
• 39:23 – Sam: “There is a godly way to get robbed. This ain’t it.”
• 54:15 – Sam: “The definition of tithing biblically is just 10%... but are you trying to get your money up with God? Cuz if you want money from Jesus, you gotta invest and tell six of your friends.”
• 59:56 – Laci: "How you gonna reframe the narrative? 'I'm just treating your investment as a donation.' Wow."
• 70:36 – Laci: "If you tell me about a sauce and you can’t tell me what it tastes like, people are gonna buy it. Out of curiosity, I’m intrigued.”

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Timestamps for Key Segments

| Segment | Start | End | |-----------------------------------------------|-----------|-----------| | Church upbringings & intro | 02:00 | 09:37 | | "What's Hot in Fraud": Blanket Guys Scam | 09:37 | 28:20 | | Historic Hoodwinks: Bishop Gucci | 30:42 | 64:56 | | Scammer of the Week: Pink Sauce | 65:22 | 71:38 |

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Tone and Style

Laci Mosley’s vibrant, conspiratorial energy is met by Sam Sanders’ witty, observant commentary. The episode is irreverent, rapid-fire, and thoroughly skeptical of “powerful men in hats” and all their schemes—grounded by direct experience with Black church culture and the dynamics of trust and hustle.

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Conclusion

This episode is a perfect balance of comedic storytelling, hard truths about fraud, and side-splitting riffs on the fine line between faith and financial foolishness. The deep dive into Bishop Gucci is both a cautionary tale and an extended roast, but the overall message is clear: stay informed, stay questioning—and as Laci always says, stay scheming!

Transcript

[A]

In shady times, let there be drag.

[B]

RuPaul's Drag Race is back on MTV. 14 new queens shine brighter than ever. This is OG Drag Race. See what everybody is made of. Who will be crowned America's brightest drag superstar? Is this gonna knock me out of this competition? This is my moment to shine. And extra special guest judge Cardi B is bringing the drama that was so fun. RuPaul's Drag Race, new season premieres tomorrow at 8. Watch on MTV. Choose to lean into it. Every Mazda is engineered to give you effortless control. Awake up. What's poppin, Congregation? It's your girl, Lacey Mosley, AKA Scam Goddess. Welcome to an episode of Fraud Fridays where we release older episodes from the Scam Goddess vault. That's right, Fraud Fridays is where we bring back your favorite episodes, the Paywall. Enjoy this episode from behind the paywall. And as always, stay scheming. Scam cause robbery and Fraud. Scam Cause robbery and fraud. Scam Goddess. What's poppin, Congregation? We're back with another installment of Scam Goddess with me, Lacey Mosley, AKA Scam Goddess. And y', all, I am very. What? Yes, Excited. Truly elated. What a scam to get this icon on this show today. He's an award winning podcast host and journalist. Our first journalist on the show, cuz I told you I ain't no damn journalist. He has two new culture podcasts, Intuit on Vulture and Vibe. Check on Stitcher. Out now. Congregation, play. Please welcome Sam Sanders to the show.

[A]

Praise the Lord, saints.

[B]

Oh, wow. Amen.

[A]

Listen, congregation, come before your father God.

[B]

Father God, on this good day. We're coming for you first of all to say thanks.

[A]

That's right.

[B]

But also brother Sanders here is a real live bonafide journalist.

[A]

Well, at my heart though, always a church kid. And I hear that we're talking church today, so my soul is ready.

[B]

I am too. I was raised in the church.

[A]

What kind of church were you raised in?

[B]

Missionary Baptist.

[A]

Okay. See, I was at crazy Pentecostal Apostolic.

[B]

Ooh, okay. Did you have to put some shoes in people's faces sometimes?

[A]

Uh huh. We no worldly music, no dances, no movies, no jewelry, no makeup. The women could not wear pants. Only long skirts.

[B]

No, we couldn't do that either. We couldn't wear pants.

[A]

Okay. But yeah, it was like I had to beg to go to high school prom. My mom was like, why do you need that?

[B]

What was the excuse of not being able to go to high school because of the world? Satan is out there promenading on people's.

[A]

Souls basically dancing with that devil music, making babies, all that.

[B]

I mean, some of it was devil music.

[A]

Yeah, but it sounded so good. It sounded so good.

[B]

That's so true. I mean. Okay, so wait. We always ask people, Sam, what is, like, your relationship with scams? Do you like them? Do you hate them? Do you feel like you were born in one?

[A]

I grew up in the church, so I grew up in a space that could easily be scammerific.

[B]

Love that word.

[A]

But I had to find the portions of belief in religion, in church that weren't scammy. And I was lucky. I think, like, my church was extreme, but, like, at its core, it was good people doing good things.

[B]

Right.

[A]

There's a lot of church folk that aren't in it for the right reasons. So that is. I mean, church is a scam writ large.

[B]

That's one of the wild.

[A]

I grew up in a part of church that wasn't too scammy. Thank the Lord.

[B]

I agree with you there. Because, like, people who enjoy church, that doesn't necessarily mean you're a scammer. But the institution of church can be scammy. Can be very scammy, as can the Bible, because you can read the Bible and be like, oh, it was all about taking care of the others that you love. Or it could be like, oh, there is a chapter in here saying we could say, la daughter for this mule. No, no. Anybody. So it's like you be a good person or a bad person and get something from the Holy Book.

[A]

Exactly, exactly. And I was blessed and lucky to have folks who were, like, in it for the right reasons, even if they were kind of caught out there. Like, you think back on some of the rules. We had to do, like, some of the rules just like, who cares?

[B]

Just somebody petty. That's what happens when you let everybody be involved in the pitching session. You know what I mean? I feel like the Bible is that one day a year that Jesus was like, all right, no idea is a bad idea.

[A]

Everybody, come on in. Mary, what you got?

[B]

Give us some lines. What are the things we should be making people do?

[A]

Yeah, yeah, well. Cause it's like, I love the Bible as a piece of literature, but it is the most logically confused document ever created.

[B]

Of course it's a Wikipedia where no one did the edits.

[A]

No one did the edits.

[B]

Everybody was just like, nah, I got my chapter.

[A]

Then my favorite fun fact is. Cause we grew up with that strict King James version of the Bible. King James was fruity as he could be.

[B]

Yes, he loved mass.

[A]

He loved mass and just gay, gay, gay, gay, gay. So I love to think back on all of the lectures and sermons I got on sexuality from the King James version of the Bible, knowing good and well that man loves some D. It's funny. It's funny.

[B]

Anywho, I mean, who's gonna leave behind our Bible? Somebody has to, like. No, I just want it to still be the Bible, but, like, just remix a little bit.

[A]

Yeah, I'm down for that. Who would be in charge of writing that?

[B]

Okay, this is not.

[A]

Okay, we're off topic now.

[B]

But I don't know stories. Exactly. We'll get there. Change absolutely none of the stories in the Bible, except update all the language to aav.

[A]

Listen, I want Toni Morrison to give us literally, the song of Sullivan. Like, I know she's gone, but bring her back for a Bible remix.

[B]

Hey, y' all know him as Peter, but that's just his stage name. Y' all know that he named Saul, right?

[A]

Yeah. That boy Pete. Pete. That's what I want.

[B]

I didn't even know that's his rapper name. Y' all didn't even know that. Wow. Anyways, scams, what's poppin, Congregation? Okay, I'm coming at y' all hot because we need to debunk some things about Plan B emergency contraception, right now. Listen, Plan B is not an abortion pill. It's safe, effective backup birth control. You take after unprotected sex to prevent pregnancy before it starts. And are y' all ready for the inside tea? It works by temporarily delaying ovulation, and it will not impact your future fertility. Because some days. Who know, someday you might want a little unemployed person in your house. Follow Plan B on Insta at Plan B. One step. Use as directed. We all know about New Year's resolutions, but why not pick something fabulous that you can stick to, like revolutionizing your wardrobe? Quince has you covered with luxe essentials that feel effortless and look polished. From soft Mongolian cashmere sweaters that feel like designer pieces without the markup to 100% silk tops and skirts. Y' all know I love the silk tops, skirts, and the dresses, which you can dress up, dress down. They have perfectly cut denim. I have some denim overalls that I am wearing down to the floor. Cause y' all know I love one piece of clothing that is an out fit. And I don't know if you're like me. I'm kind of an 8020 wearer. Basically, my closets look like I'm doing drag every day except for my quints and I ended up wearing that more often than not. All of your wardrobe essentials are at Quint and they're crafted to last season after season. Refresh your wardrobe with Quint. Don't wait. Go to quint.com goddess for free shipping on your order and 365 day returns. Now in Canada too, that's Q-U-I-N-C e.com goddess to get free shipping and 365 day returns. Quince.com goddess now that the holidays are over, you might be feeling like you've got a big spending hangover. The drinks, the holiday, the food, the gifts. Luckily, Mint Mobile is here to help you cut back on overspending on wireless this January with 50% off unlimited premium wireless. All plans come with high speed data and unlimited talk and text delivered on the nation's largest 5G network. I have told y' all time and time again, I have so many people in my orbit who have Mint Mobile and they can reach me from anywhere. This January, quit overspending on Wireless with 50% off unlimited premium wireless plans start at $15 a month at mintmobile.com goddess that's mintmobile.com goddess lim upfront payment of $45 for three months, $90 for six months or $180 for 12 month plan required $15 per month equivalent taxes and fees. Extra initial plan term only. Over 50 gigabytes may slow when network is busy. Capable device required. Availability, speed and coverage varies. See mint mobile.com Guys, we're talking about what's hot and fraud. This is where we warn our listeners about fraudsters in the streets or news scams that are popping in the zeitgeist. Or more often than not, we get a letter from you guys. So as always, snitch on your friends and [e-mail] just make sure your scam is retired because we don't want to. What? Yes, fuck up your bag. Amen. So today, Sam, I need a fake name.

[A]

Okay? Pauletta.

[B]

Pauletta. Oh, Pauletta definitely makes a good Mac and cheese. She got a burn. I want her elbow.

[A]

She does stovetop and oven. You got to have both. You got to have both heats.

[B]

Oh, she don't play. She don't play. Love that for her. So Pauletta says, pauletta, you were really talking, honey. So I'm going to have to edit down a little bit because I was like, pauletta, now get to the things you're scamming me out of. A show so says, hi, scam goddess. A few months back, the guy that I was dating. Already a scam. Let's say George was living in a building owned by his brother Don. Also a fake name. Okay, I should have actually asked you that, huh? First girl. So Pauletta says they had a pretty serious fire. Luckily, they and other folks in the building, and no one was hurt. But it happened in the middle of the night and in the middle of the winter. As the firefighters were fighting and doing their thing, all the residents were outside, figuring out what they needed to do. Nowhere to go, cold, in pajamas or in boxers, stranded, that sort of thing. Basically, you know, in a distressful situation. So I'm trying to get. I'm trying to understand where the scam was here, because this just sounds very tragic, what happened, Pauletta. But I am still there.

[A]

Although I will say, whenever I hear tell of, like, an unexplained fire in the middle of the night, there's a good chance it's arson. Let me not jump ahead.

[B]

I just think this is us. I think every fire is, this is us.

[A]

The crockpot setting off the house. Yeah, I hear that.

[B]

If I was a volunteer firefighter, I'd come in, I'd be like, where's the crock pot?

[A]

Although, you know, Crockpot had to issue a statement after that episode, being like, we actually don't have. Don't do this. They're actually quite safe, just so you know. I digress.

[B]

Nah, nah. Crock pots, Y' all gotta sue. Don't sue NBC. Sue Mandy Moore directly. Sue the actor who played the dad for ruining your life.

[A]

This white girl. I feel like she has the cookout invite. I feel like she cares. I don't know her at all.

[B]

If I were y', all, crock pot. Y' all gotta go against them negatively. I don't know. Get a air fryer in a TV show.

[A]

Just exploding air fryer. Put your food in the oven.

[B]

Isn't that the crockpot's rival? Or is the sous vide the crock pot?

[A]

But then there was the instant pot. I don't know. I don't be cooking. I don't do that. I make eggs. Anyway, sorry.

[B]

That whole conversation made me sound like I be cooking because I really just named so many brands. Wow. Wowzers. Meanwhile, Postmates is like, hey, sis, time you come home tonight. We'll be waiting. So these people are waiting outside. They're wrapped in their blankets, and they're distressed, right? They don't know what to do while they Were standing outside, a car with two other guys rolled up. These guys were unaffiliated with the local fire department, and at the time seemed like they were just simply good Samaritans. They brought everyone warm clothes, blankets, food, water.

[A]

How did they know to roll up?

[B]

I mean, they saw the fire.

[A]

I see fire. I don't go up with blankets. Anyway, sorry, sorry, sorry.

[B]

You see tragedy, they see fire, they see opportunity. So they handing out blankets and, you know, arranging stuff or whatever. So while one guy was helping the other couple residents get their hotels up, the other guy was chatting with George, who was her boyfriend at the time, Pauletta's boyfriend.

[A]

And we don't know yet who these guys are affiliated with?

[B]

No, we just know George, his boyfriend. And these guys came down. What a web we lead. While one guy was helping the couple other residents get their hotels up, the other guy started chatting with my ex and his brother. And he basically said he and the other guy just go around doing this in their spare time. They listen to the local fire radio needs and the police scanners to find out where the fires are. And they go to locations to help people allegedly out of the goodness of their heart.

[A]

Help them do what?

[B]

I mean, be cold. You know, you gotta. If you have. You haven't been in a house fire unless you sit in on the edge of the curb with the blanket. Yeah, but actually, who's gonna provide the blankets? The firefighters, they putting out the fire.

[A]

They got a crew. Right.

[B]

There's something to help, and there's not a blanket guy.

[A]

There needs to be. Firefighter.com. hope you're listening. Your workflow should include a blanket person.

[B]

A guy who's just there to do.

[A]

Blankets, get you some grannies and aunties to come in the truck and be like, we got the blankies. We got some snacks.

[B]

Oh, my God, that would be so nice. What if. See, that's better than retirement homes. What if we park elderly. There's already hella occup.

[A]

Come on.

[B]

At the fire station. So we bring the elderly there, and they just come along for the fires. And they're like, come. Everything's gonna be all right, baby.

[A]

Everyone loves firefighters because they are the one part of law enforcement that never has guns.

[B]

Right?

[A]

Everyone loves firefighters.

[B]

No one's ever like, he put me out.

[A]

No, no. It's like, oh, nice guy. Kind of hot, too.

[B]

They used to have. You know, that's a good rebrand for them. Cause the firefighter calendar really did numbers for them. Cause they had to have been the ones hosing the Black people in the 60s. Cause those weren't regular hoses. Those were not regular hoses. Those were fire grade H. But you know what? They rehabilitated with the calendar and the.

[A]

They did. Listen, you put a firefighter right here in this room. I'm saying, what's up?

[B]

Listen, let's open a business, Sam. This is our business. It's an elderly home, but it's just. We put old people in firehouses. Just one designated old person there.

[A]

We were getting shut down.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

I don't know. I like it.

[B]

Hypothetically, I don't know if an old person showed up while I was having, like, an awful time.

[A]

Yeah. Emotional support.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Anywho.

[B]

Anywho.

[A]

These two dudes say we go around fire to fire to fire. Yes.

[B]

Allegedly. They go around helping people.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

So as they were talking, this guy also casually added that they know a company that does fire cleanup and restoration. So he tells him that if he needs any help. And it would be way cheaper to go through that company than regular insurance.

[A]

No, no, no, no, no.

[B]

Because this company pays the deductibles for you.

[A]

Oh, yeah. That sounds too good to be true.

[B]

So Don was obviously very distraught at the event, was very grateful, and told him that he'd get in touch with these people and ask for the number. The guy essentially said, I can do you one better. You're so stressed out. I'll call them right now for you, King, and I'll take this whole task off your plate.

[A]

Oh, they're doing insurance fraud.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

They are the equivalent of ambulance chasers, but fire chasers.

[B]

Fire chasers.

[A]

But even. Wow. Okay, go ahead. This is. I'm already mad.

[B]

That's the thing about scams. Anything can be a scam.

[A]

Anything can be a scam.

[B]

And why would. And this is a perfect warmup. The worst thing just happened. Your home is gone. If you're lucky, none of your loved ones are gone. But you're sitting out on this curb, and there's. And the blankets just appear in the movies like props, but you never think about who's bring in the blankets.

[A]

I will say, though, one part of, like, American society that is pretty effective at its job are insurance companies that deal with fire. They've been at it for a while.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And when you call the insurance company or if you own a building and you are filing a claim on an insurance policy for fire, you make the call. They really get it done for you. That's one thing that, like, they know how to do it. So I don't see the need for a middleman.

[B]

That's true.

[A]

You call your insurance company because also.

[B]

Insurance companies have to be the pettiest ones because buyers can be accidents.

[A]

Oh yeah.

[B]

But they have to try their hardest to figure out how it's not your fault.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

I feel like you can't buy a book of matches without the insurance company being like, bing.

[A]

And they'll always find out. One thing they can always figure out is how the fire starts. Who, where, when, what, why they're gonna get to it. Which is why I would not want to complicate that process with a middle person. Man, woman.

[B]

Right, but I mean, technically they may not be in the middle. They in the middle of you as legitimacy.

[A]

Yeah, but I bet you. Okay, so go on. But I have some theories already.

[B]

I. Wait, I love. I love a good theory though. And I love to be surprised. So this. So right. So right now, Green has the ex boyfriend has been approached by the blanket man. Do you know the blanket man? He comes out to the fires and he says, I got it. I gotta do you one better. My guy. I can call the insurance place for you. So the guy calls the restoration company and conveniently so convenient. So many conveniences with this man. They were available right then and there.

[A]

Right then the insurance company answered the phone at midnight.

[B]

It's like, what up? It's a state Farm. No, Jake. Jake, get the fuck up right now. Get your. Put your red polo on.

[A]

See, I miss the era of State Farm with Dennis Haysbert. Remember him?

[B]

Oh, remember him?

[A]

The really classy uncle black guy?

[B]

No, that was 24. He did Allstate.

[A]

Shit.

[B]

I know about him. Are you in good hands? Oh no. You can curse on this show.

[A]

Have you never realized I want him to be my insurance guy.

[B]

He was mine. I was in good hands. And then they dropped me. And everybody knows that I got that damn gecko.

[A]

That's fine, but you can't get excited.

[B]

About a get go. I would tell y' all what I got. Cause it's actually hilarious. But then I feel like you might be able to find out stuff about me, so I can't tell you. I'll tell you off here. But anyways, we back to it.

[A]

I'm sorry, I am totally distracting you.

[B]

No, no, people love that part of the show.

[A]

They do.

[B]

So he conveniently calls the company and they pick up immediately. Hello, us, legitimate company that picks up in the middle of the night. How can we help you? So to start, they are gonna start the assessment details and get the contract settled. Like right now. Fire's still burning.

[A]

That's never how it happens. That's literally never how it happens.

[B]

Little pieces of ash blowing on your face.

[A]

The actuary out, they gotta wait for the fire department's report. They got, like. There's a process.

[B]

Mm. Mm. Describe. Okay, y' all take a picture of the fire right now and text it to us.

[A]

This is fish. This is a catfish dinner.

[B]

Right? Fishy catfish dinner.

[A]

Wow.

[B]

Yes. Cause the service is a little too good. Okay. And when it's a little too good, it may not be true.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

So they made it seem very super time sensitive and urgent, and he had to all sign it right there.

[A]

Like, while the fire with the blanket on. On the curb. Yes.

[B]

Don understandably signed the contract.

[A]

No, not understandably. Don't Dawn.

[B]

You know how you do. I don't know how I do. You know how when you have a fire and then a strange man shows up?

[A]

I don't even sign the back of my credit cards.

[B]

I don't sign nothing. You are. You. You're not listening to the facts. Okay? You had an unfortunate fire from a crockpot from this Is Us.

[A]

I love how this is still a part of the situation.

[B]

Cause it is. And now you're cold. You're cold and outside and embarrassed. You're wearing whatever you went to bed in, which, you know, you didn't give a fire look when you went to bed. So that night, you're wearing, like, boxer. You got a little hole in them. They're white.

[A]

They're white.

[B]

They're ones you thought no one would ever see.

[A]

Wow. You know, men have period panties, too.

[B]

That's what I'm saying. But you out. You out of your good pussy panties. Okay? And all you got. All you got are your period panties that are worn out.

[A]

Yeah. Yeah.

[B]

Okay. And you're out there and you're vulnerable and all your stuff is being burnt up in the flames. Think about that.

[A]

Some guy who pulled up with blanket says, no, it's good. Sign this.

[B]

Yes, that tracks.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

He showed up. He gave you a blanket. Okay? You was the hoe with no blanket. Oh, blanketless hoe.

[A]

Blanketless ho. Also, the question, hypothetical, if I know there's a fire and I gotta get downstairs real quick, you do have four or five seconds where you think about what to bring with you, right?

[B]

Yes.

[A]

I'm wrapping myself in the bedspread.

[B]

What?

[A]

And coming down. Cause smoke. You cover yourself while you go down.

[B]

Okay. You thinking about safety? I was like, I'm getting my Gucci's.

[A]

My. My.

[B]

My At Least I got some little resale value now. Chad. Something to pawn out here on these streets.

[A]

I need good shoes.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And a thick blanket and get me out of there. And maybe my phone.

[B]

Cause if this is like apocalypse, then I'm definitely taking stuff I can barter with. So then I wouldn't care about the labels and shoes and whatnot. But if it's just our fire, it's our house.

[A]

I'm trying to like, if my house caught on fire tonight, I always have a pair of flip flops next to the bed because earthquake culture taught me that. Have shoes. Because if glass breaks, you don't want to walk on glass. So I got shoes. I'm taking my thickest blanket that's on the bed. The phone is right there. I'm getting out.

[B]

Okay. Bonnie Part Dolly Parton said lipstick by the bed. Oh, she says, like, look like a bad bitch. Cause if there's an apocalypse.

[A]

Listen, my dad always told me, wear clean underwear before you get on the plane and clean your house before you leave for an airplane flight. You never know. So I like that.

[B]

I like cleaning your house before an airplane flight too.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

I like to come home to a clean house. Anyway, so they have signed.

[A]

He signed the.

[B]

He signed everything. Like one does. Not this one, but if so facto, this is how people do. So then in the coming days, the restoration contractors reached out to the tenants of the building, including George, and asked for their renter's insurance information. George was confused by this since the actual cleaning and restorations would be going through Don's homeowners insurers. Since he confused. Confusing. Naturally confusing, since he was the owner and not the tenants as individual renters. So that was very weird. But the company told them that they were just doing a standard process and for them to be able to conduct the work with the individual apartments, they had to notify each tenant respective renters insurance company. So everyone gave them their renter's insurance information. And then the company does clean out the building and everyone's stuff and whatever was salvageable. Blah, blah, blah. Go to storage.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

A couple days later, however, all of the tenants received a bill conveniently for the exact price of their respective renters insurance fire coverage amount. $15,000.

[A]

That's either bill or a check bill. A bill. They. They each got a bill for 15 grand they had from someone that wasn't their insurance company or what. Who was it?

[B]

So they had a firearm. Homeboy came with the blankets.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

He got everybody's respect because he was like, I'm the Blanket man, that's. Y' all should trust me. So then he came up to one tenant who was her ex and was like, my guy signed this paperwork out here. I'll knock the ash off. All right, sign it. Then he was like, you need to actually get all the tenants in the apartment building. They need to sign it.

[A]

So they all signed.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And then after that information was gathered, he ended up sending them.

[B]

Then they all got it. Yeah.

[A]

They got a boo from the guy with the blankets.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

Did any of them pay this bill?

[B]

So they're curious about the bill right now. Everyone was led to believe that Don's insurance, as the building's owner, was supposed to cover this. So it was a big shock to everyone, including Don. And Don and Green were together. Got child to me names. The bills included a couple of seemingly legit charges, but a lot of bogus itemized charges that were like several hundred dollars each. All of the tenants belongings at this point were in storage units, and the companies had added to that. So basically now the companies are holding everyone's stuff until they receive payment.

[A]

Jesus.

[B]

So then we don't have all the finer details here, but somehow they filed claims on all these people's insurance, took their money, and then also took hold of their stuff.

[A]

So by these tenants that night with the blankets signing whatever these guys told him to sign.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

They gave up some rights.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And now the driving, roaming, blanket fraudsters have committed insurance fraud that has a tenant stuff locked up until they pay the blanket guys.

[B]

I think the insurance, the real insurance company has the tenant stuff locked up because they have to play the blanket guys. Wow. Because they all signed up to be scammed by the blanket guys.

[A]

They signed up to let the blanket guys be the intermediaries.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

When they shouldn't have done that.

[B]

No. Wow.

[A]

People are awful.

[B]

Yeah, people are awful. Cause like, as much as that seems like an excellent opportunity to rob someone.

[A]

There'S a special place in hell for the blanket guys.

[B]

The blanket guys are bad.

[A]

Blanket guys are low.

[B]

Okay. So just wanted to share this scam and spread the word, since this was my first time hearing of some things like this. Again, I don't have all the finer details, but there was definitely something in the contract that Don signed that allowed this sketchiness to ensue. Last I heard, they are still holding John's belongings a full eight months later. And from what I've gathered, some of the other tenants have been able to haggle the price down with the company to get their stuff back a bit cheaper instead of Paying the foreign full insurance payout amounts. Sounds like the company is just wanting to make any money at this point. Clearly the original guys that were there to help were in cahoots and probably did get some sort of payout or referrals or something like that. George still refuses to pay the company anything because of the storage space and I'm not dating him anymore. Good luck. Hope he gets his stuff back. I feel like you don't hope he gets his stuff back.

[A]

Yes. You don't like him anyway.

[B]

I'm going to reach out on limits that you were like George. Well, bad things happen at bad people.

[A]

I will say the lesson here is like, if you already have your own insurance, don't sign anything else until you've talked to them first. I feel like this is 101.

[B]

Yeah, I don't know. Does it work on the blanket, though?

[A]

You're stuck on the blanket. You're stuck on the blanket. Fuck a blanket.

[B]

They had blankets, they had towels. They also had water and snacks.

[A]

Nah, bro.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

No, I ain't signing shit. The Red Cross don't make you sign shit. That's. That's lucky.

[B]

The Red Cross got some scams in ao.

[A]

They are. They're a very interesting kind of scam, but that's another story.

[B]

Robbery. Hey there, it's Kelly Ripa. And if you've been listening to my podcast, we are knee deep in season three. And if you haven't heard it, it's time to get on board. After years of interviewing celebs on camera, I finally get to bring you the real conversations that take place when the cameras aren't rolling. Where else are you going to hear Michelle Obama talk about keeping her girls out of Page Six? Hilaria Baldwin's hilarious reaction to Alec running for office, or Jeremy Renner's lucid hallucinations about Jamie Foxx. Nowhere else. It's raw, it's honest, and best of.

[A]

All, it's off camera.

[B]

And believe me, that's where you get the good stuff. So download. Let's talk off camera with Kelly Rabad now. Wherever you get your podcast, my name is Special Agent Rebecca Henderson.

[A]

Thursday, January 8th on NBC.

[B]

There was an explosion at a top secret prison. Some of the most infamous killers broke free.

[A]

The Hunting party is back.

[B]

We're going in loud.

[A]

FPS the stakes have never been higher.

[B]

The longer they're out there, the more dangerous they're gonna become. And the killers. Never seen anything like this before. Not even close.

[A]

Have never been more twisted. This is Next level. The Hunting Party. The Thrilling. Season premiere Thursday, January 8th on NBC.

[B]

Having the right people in your corner for life's biggest milestones makes all the difference. Like a friend who's there when you're house hunting or checking out a new ride, State Farm is there, too, helping you choose the coverage you need. With a State Farm agent, you know someone is there to help you along the way. And with so many coverage options, it's nice knowing you have help choosing a plan that that fits your needs so you can continue celebrating all of life's milestones. Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there. And fraud. And it's time for historic hoodwinks. It's my favorite part of the show. This is where I regale Sam with the famous Connor caper, and we just get his opinions throughout. We kind of telegraphed it a little bit earlier, but today we're talking about a bishop most known for his friendship with the mayor of New York City. Eric Adams was robbed during a live stream of his sermon this past July. However, with much as $1 million in jewelry potentially missing, new stories are coming to light regarding the bishop's past and supposed truth of the crime.

[A]

Yeah, I have been loving following this story. I also love how this story has sucked everybody in. Like, the New York Times had, like, a thousand words on this the other day, and they're just, like, deep into this man's criminal history. And it's one of those things where it could have just gone under the radar, could have just been a black Twitter thing, but everyone's like, oh, no, no, no, no, no. There's meat on these bones. Let's go.

[B]

And I kind of hate that because as a black Twitter thing, it's fun and it's niche and it's specific. And then when it turns into a the cut article, it's just like, y' all are missing so much of the hilarious n. Yeah. Cause you're not a part of the culture.

[A]

You just don't get it.

[B]

Like, if you can't write a reference to who drank my juice in the hood for this, then, like, you shouldn't be. Don't. Yes. Like, he was literally that guy.

[A]

Yeah. Well, also, it's like, any of us that have grown up in the black church, you see one image of that man and you know it's a scam.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

My general theory on members of the black clergy, if you were on a pulpit and there is any major label signage on your person, you'll scam. If you got Gucci, Louis Prada, Fendi.

[B]

Tracksuit, talking about, I Need a ties. That's about the meek will inherit the earth.

[A]

Yeah. You're fraudulent. You're fraudulent.

[B]

I'm sorry.

[A]

And so to read these white news outlets cover this story and have to lay out the case for how he's a fraud. I'm like, black Twitter saw him and knew he was a fraud.

[B]

Yeah. Like, we gave you all the information you needed. I'm sorry, I just. If you have a Jesus peace, you should not be pastoring.

[A]

If you have a Jesus peace, you should never know peace because you're a frog.

[B]

If God told you, you opening up your corridors like this, like this, with the arm in the air. If you reach for God, when you open up your corridor, you ain't right. You ain't right.

[A]

You shall not pass through the gates of heaven.

[B]

Absolutely not. But I love it, though.

[A]

It's the gift that keeps on giving. And he's also not backing down. He's just.

[B]

And I love that for him. We love a gaslighting, lying king. Stick to your story. We love a shaggy moment. It wasn't me, Okay? I don't care if you got me in 4K. So on July 24, the leaders of Tomorrow International Ministries, lots of names for that church. Love it. Based in Brooklyn, New York, was robbed by three masked men. And there's a video clip of the robbery. And they were robbed during a live stream sermon. And we have a clip of that, which I'm sure you've seen. Samba, give it another go.

[A]

Let's play it again. Yo, yo, yo. All right, right, right. Okay.

[B]

As Bishop Lamar Whitehead delivered his sermon.

[A]

Inside his church in Canarsie, the Leaders of Tomorrow International ministries, police say three masked armed men burst in and spoke $1 million worth of jewelry, including $1 million worth of jewelry, if you have the money.

[B]

Church's live stream, they said, we lift our hands in the sanctuary, and if you make a move, we shooting at thee. Yes.

[A]

And we shall rob you for the rest of the days.

[B]

Yes, yes, yes, Lord. For the rest of your days. Yes.

[A]

Also, just like if you have a million dollars worth of jewelry on your person, everybody in your church better have their rent paid, their lights on, and their children fed. I grew up in the kind of church where if there were folks in the church who were, like, hungry or going through it, you give them something, the church would take an offering for those doing the worst to help them out.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And it feels like your love oftening your benevolence offering and him having that much jewelry on his person makes me think his church Is not doing that kind of work.

[B]

Yeah, but. And I think he obviously uses the facade of like, oh, no, it's my real estate. It's my other things. Like, I just preach God for funsies. Cause I wanna tell him about like how good he's been for. That's just it. And it's like, no. Oh yeah, this is a complete write off. Yeah, I don't have to pay taxes. Crazy.

[A]

It's a fraud.

[B]

But like, yeah, no, it's an absolute fraud. Also, the way that he got down to the ground when the robbers came.

[A]

In, it sounds like he knew.

[B]

Yeah. And when I first saw it, it was very godly.

[A]

No, when I first saw it, I was like, is this an inside job?

[B]

I thought that too. Because, homeboy, there's a guy sitting in the corner. We'll put the video on the Instagram. Guys, there's a guy sitting in the corner who's like really minded his business. Now if I'm in a robbery, I'm not gonna be doing too many hoopings and hollerins, but I'm at least get low. He was just sitting a wreck. Like, oh, they doing a little robbery. Oh, is that a.38? Yeah, they putting the money in the bag. Don't put the dot packs in y'.

[A]

All.

[B]

All right.

[A]

No, it all. It's hella sus. I'm also seeing this still now of his. Is that a. Is that. What is that Gucci?

[B]

It's a Gucci. It's a yellow.

[A]

A yellow Gucci print head to toe suit with I think Gucci loafers. And you know what? For all that money on his clothes, the church itself doesn't look that great.

[B]

Yeah. Cause it's all going his gator boots and pimped out Gucci suits. Because the church looks like, you know, a courtyard Marriott.

[A]

The breakfast buffet room.

[B]

Yes, the breakfast buffet room where they have the breakfast buffets. It's giving. They just rolled away the buffet tray and the.

[A]

It's giving that waffle iron. I can never work. Yeah, I can never work that thing. I can never work it.

[B]

And yeah, it's giving. You get a plastic cup and you gotta pump the waffle goo into it. It's giving. That's like right in the corner.

[A]

Yeah, yeah, the lighting is horrible.

[B]

Yeah, it's giving bagels, but no bagel toaster. Just that little Philly cream cheese.

[A]

So the robbery happens. Do they find anybody? Do they get anything back?

[B]

According to Bishop Lamar Whitehead, the leader of the ministry, the robbers took joy from him and his wife. Totaling in a value as high as million. You know how you wear a million dollars jewelry to the gym?

[A]

That's.

[B]

Or to the church? That seems wise. The jewelry taken included a $75,000 Rolex watch, a $75,000 Cavalier watch, a $25,000 Episcopal ruby and diamond ring, a $25,000 Episcopal diamond ring, and several other gem pieces. Why are you dressed like Mr. Fucking Magoo?

[A]

Also, don't roll up in Brooklyn with that much shit on you, bro. You're asking for it.

[B]

Yeah, like, I feel like that could have happened anywhere.

[A]

Yeah, yeah.

[B]

I might try to rob you at Trader Joe's.

[A]

I see you in the Whole Foods line. It's on, bro. You got that much on you? Give it to me. Put the pachou.

[B]

Drop the patchouli, bitch, not the patchouli. It's a fucking stick up.

[A]

Well, also, this is the difference between old money and new money. Real old money. Folks that know how to be rich, they'll have shit that is expensive as fuck on them. And if you. And like, unless you're as rich as they are, you won't know, which is.

[B]

A flex to people who are as rich as they are.

[A]

Exactly.

[B]

But still, yes.

[A]

I want one day that kind of wealth.

[B]

Right? Where you're wearing a white T shirt.

[A]

And you're like, oh, but this white T shirt, baby.

[B]

Yeah. No, this is a $5 million white T shirt.

[A]

Yeah, I don't need to do that full body Gucci suit wealth. That is a little.

[B]

I am a little bit of a label whore. I want it all, okay? I want a full body Gucci suit, and then I want to be wearing the necklace of the Titanic underneath it.

[A]

Listen, watch where you walking. What you talking.

[B]

Cause don't be in the sanctuary.

[A]

Not that one.

[B]

Okay? They was trying to get a glory. They was trying to get the girls. I can't. Yeah, I'm sorry. That robbery looked hella stitch to me also, just the way he got down when they were getting robbed. But it wasn't very godly. Also, I feel like if I'm getting robbed, like it should be like now. Come on, my brother. What's taking you through life to get you here? King, look into the lights.

[A]

You start praying as soon as someone comes in your church and you're on the pulpit and they're trying to do some shit.

[B]

Jesus.

[A]

Jesus, Jesus.

[B]

Jesus Christ. Jesus Jesus.

[A]

That's what I'm doing. Father God, Throw the bottle of blessed oil at them. Get them in the name. You got a tambourine? Throw it.

[B]

He Was giving Rob like, he was, like, on the block. Like, you know, it was giving very much like power ghost book of crack force. You know.

[A]

He was not of God in that situation.

[B]

No, that was not. I've seen people get robbed more godly than that. I'm just gonna say. I agree.

[A]

I agree. There is a godly way to get robbed. There is a godly way to get robbed.

[B]

Yeah, this ain't it. So the thieves escaped outside on Resmond Avenue and have yet to be found. Curious. A week later, Bishop Whitehead reenacted the robbery twice. Dressed in a bandana yellow Gucci suit. Yes. Okay. Twice.

[A]

Yeah, twice.

[B]

Reenactment twice.

[A]

Why?

[B]

Why? The question we may never know.

[A]

Never know.

[B]

Okay. Why is the sky blue? You know, there's some things that are just gonna perplex us. So with Bishop Whitehead seemingly. Seemingly unfazed and continue to flash his expensive wardrobe, questions began popping up about the robbery. Why would a preacher with a tiny congregation preaching in a tiny space above a Haitian restaurant, have potentially $1 million in jewelry on his person? Was also.

[A]

Wait, stop. I didn't know this restaurant was a. This church was above a Haitian restaurant. So you got all this money for jewelry. You can't get a real building. My dog.

[B]

I mean, but you know how churches would be in there? Like, areas like that in Brooklyn or even in la?

[A]

Space is tight. Space is tight. I know, but still, it'll be like.

[B]

At the retail place where you, like, walk above a nail salon and you just hear Jesus.

[A]

See, I grew up in Texas with freestanding churches.

[B]

Okay, same.

[A]

All right.

[B]

But I've passed a lot of, you know, bodega churches.

[A]

Bodega churches, yes. Where are you from?

[B]

I'm from Dallas.

[A]

Oh, San Antonio.

[B]

Okay. All right. What are we doing down there? Riverwalking.

[A]

Yes, we do. Eating our tacos, drinking our beer, river walking and river walking. River walking, river talking.

[B]

Every day.

[A]

Every day.

[B]

Yeah. I'm from Frisco. I can say that now. The Cowboys stadium. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Okay. Okay.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

We used to be going by there, thinking about winning one day, you know?

[A]

Well, I remember being young in the heyday of the Cowboys. Aikman, Emmett Smith and them. They were like America's team.

[B]

Yeah. But still. Well, we not going. Sorry.

[A]

We digress.

[B]

So they was above a Haitian restaurant.

[A]

I love you, Troy Aikman and Emmy Smith.

[B]

So they were above this Haitian restaurant, which is also hilarious to me because I know it was hot over there. It was not giving ac. And it's just like, you're smelling also.

[A]

You know who would have stopped the robbers? The Haitian restaurant staffers. I feel like maybe.

[B]

They might have been one of them. So why was his reaction during the robbery? And fast reflexes, so planned looking.

[A]

He also, as a leader of that church, took no action to protect his.

[B]

Anybody in the church.

[A]

It was just him, him taking care of him.

[B]

And above all, was all the jewelry insured?

[A]

Was all the jury actually worth a million dollars like he's saying also?

[B]

And was it. Oh, that's, oh, that's another one. So but if it's insured, then it would, the worth would be proven.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

So all the same time, more was coming out about his past. And many discovered that he owed hundreds of thousands of dollars to many people, including more than $400,000 to a construction, a construction company that built his 1.5 million New Jersey house. As it turns out, the Bishop of Bling might be a much bigger thief. So he got a $1.2 million house and then the congregation has to come do praise and worship over a Haitian restaurant.

[A]

He's also like been in jail for like some financial crimes. Right. Was there like an identity theft or something? I want to say that like when I was reading one of these articles, they're like, oh yeah, he got locked up for like identity theft or some kind of fraud before.

[B]

So. Lamor Miller Whitehead grew up in Brooklyn, New York. Lamour, or excuse me, Lamour is the bishop.

[A]

Okay, okay.

[B]

We just gonna call him Gucci.

[A]

We call him Gucci.

[B]

Bishop Gucci.

[A]

Bishop Gucci.

[B]

Bishop Gucci.

[A]

Bishop Gucci.

[B]

Bishop Gucci. Brother Gooch Bird. Yes. Amen. Bishop Gucci grew up in Brooklyn, New York. His father was Arthur Miller, a man murdered by police officers in 1978 when he attempted to defuse the sit between the officers and an unrelated motorist. His death led to several protests and marches on City Hall. At the time, Lamour was just a baby. And Lamour is Bishop Gucci as an adult. Bishop Gucci also studied accounting and videography at the Eastern New Mexico University before returning to Brooklyn to work as a mortgage broker in Manhattan. But his path to success would soon take a left turn to a different kind of life. Oh, not your life being like skirt, skirt. In 2005, a woman filed a report with the Suffolk county police saying someone had used her personal information to purchase a motorcycle in Brooklyn in her name. A few days later, the motorcycle was found with the 27 year old Bishop Gucci riding.

[A]

It stopped.

[B]

I won't, I won't lie. When I first started reading that sentence and it said a woman reported. I was like, oh, no, Bishop Gucci, don't. Don't be no baiter or abuser. And then said that stole her motorcycle.

[A]

I'm like, I'm okay with that.

[B]

I'm like, oh, okay.

[A]

Who among us. Among us. I too want a motorcycle.

[B]

Right. How am I. How am I going to get it if I don't have a card? I take some ladies card. It sounds good to me.

[A]

Right? Right.

[B]

But I hate. I was relieved. I was like, oh, he's a. He's a good guy.

[A]

Could be worse. Could be worse.

[B]

He's a good guy. So during the following investigation, police found a much wider web of identity theft and deception. That's what I thought. Deception.

[A]

Cause I saw, well, the times when they went deep on this guy, I was like, oh, yeah, he's an identity thief. And listen, the Lord can save anybody, but odds are an identity thief don't really want to be saved.

[B]

I mean, I'm just saying. Now, you do save a lot of money when you do identity theft.

[A]

How do you speak? Are you speaking from expertise?

[B]

What's happening? I'm speaking logically. If I'm stealing all my money from identity theft, then I am saving a lot of my own personal money by using others, by pretending to be them.

[A]

You know what the real scam is? He did all this identity thieving, and then he got to go to prison for free. Free roof over his head meals every day.

[B]

So who really got sued?

[A]

Who really won?

[B]

Also, what is robbery but like borrowing?

[A]

Redistribution of wealth.

[B]

Yes, there we go. So during the following investigation, now they go start finding all this stuff he was using. Personal information stolen from his girlfriend's computer. Bishop Gucci stole the identities of at least a dozen people in order to take out loans to buy cars. I can't believe this. And motorcycles. The subsequent trial took place. It took. Well, it took months of preparation first. But instead of working on his case while they're like, you know. Yeah, basically they pulled up. I'm like, bishop Gucci is over for you. Let the church say amen.

[A]

Amen.

[B]

Okay, us. Can we get the usher board to usher Mr. Gucci the fuck up out of here? Yeah.

[A]

What song would they play while they marched him out? Oh, when the Saints Go March. Not even.

[B]

No, it doesn't have to be We Fall down, but we get.

[A]

Because that song can go as long as you need it to 12 minutes.

[B]

And it's motivational for. If you're a criminal, then you'd be like, for a saint. Is Just a sinner. So he's low key, still being passive aggressive. He's like, for a saint is just a sinner. All of y', all, look at me, look at me.

[A]

The Lord saves.

[B]

If I'm not a saint, you're not a saint. That's definitely the song that. He gets kicked out of church too. And it's beautiful. So, yeah, he gets kicked out of church, doing this fraud, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. So he's doing the money laundering, he's stealing, he's got a four year run for fraud. It basically comes to a halt in around 2006 when he files for bankruptcy. In 2008, he was finally convicted of 17 counts of identity theft.

[A]

17.

[B]

And sentenced to 10 to 30 years in prison.

[A]

Well, he didn't serve 30.

[B]

No.

[A]

The Lord smiled upon her and now wait.

[B]

He said, I didn't go to prison. I went to connect directly to God's most.

[A]

I was trying to save the prisoners, y'.

[B]

All.

[A]

I went in to minister.

[B]

Sound like y' all too good to spread God's word. And what it sound like to me. Sound like y' all don't wanna come on a block.

[A]

Uh huh, uh huh. But Bishop Gucci goes where the need is. He saw a need in the prison.

[B]

If he came out and gave that sermon, I would sin V like, okay. I'd be like, yeah, Mr. Gucci, yeah, save them, save them. So he was sentenced to the Simon Prison. He served for the lawsuit brought by Maestro Maximo. Serving sentence was like, Sing Sing. Oh, my gosh. She had to serve in Sing Sing Correctional facility. So Lamar, aka Bishop Gucci, was ending his time in jail in July 2013 on good behavior, having had used a lot of his time in jail to thoroughly study the Bible and seemingly find God. So he then also took his godliness around prison.

[A]

So witnessing to the saints and probably preaching.

[B]

I imagine his parole hearing was very lit.

[A]

Oh, you know, he was testifying.

[B]

He was in there. And now I have something on my soul. Holy lit. Yeah. Can I clink these handcuffs together? Is that. No. Okay, okay.

[A]

Like a tambourine with the handcuffs.

[B]

He's got the tambourine, handcuff. I'm going to hell for that. But, you know, he done got everybody to get him out of prison. He excited. I'm here for him and all of this. So several weeks later, Leaders of Tomorrow ministry was born. Several weeks. He wasted no time. So with a congregation of 43 people.

[A]

Listen.

[B]

Wow.

[A]

Where two or three saints are gathered in the midst.

[B]

Right? That's all you Need.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And these people seemingly met him at his home just for Bible study, but he was like, nah, this a church. They thought that they were meeting for Bible study.

[A]

No, y' all were meeting for his tax exempt status.

[B]

That's what y' all were meeting for. He was like, hey, y', all, can y' all just sign here that y' all read the Bible this week? Uh huh. Uh huh.

[A]

Uh huh.

[B]

That's all.

[A]

Thank you. Sign it twice even, maybe, right?

[B]

So in a recent interview, Bishop Gucci said regarding. Like, this is regarding his new path. I have a calling, and I had to do what I had to do. As soon as I came home, it was on.

[A]

Wow.

[B]

You know how God be talking like that?

[A]

Like, God be like, yeah, it's on, bro.

[B]

Nah, it's on. Brush Sunday, I'm about to raise some sick.

[A]

I'm about to raise some dead. I'm about to make some fishes and.

[B]

Loaves my dog Sunday turn up, y' all sipping over water. Y' all sipping on water over here. We got this wine.

[A]

We speak in these tongues, bruh. Get up on that. I like that.

[B]

Have y' all been singing in tongues, bruh? But you on. I got y'.

[A]

All.

[B]

Bitch washing my feet, son. With her hair. What's good? Oh, God. Was she just rapping?

[A]

Call my girl Mary Magdalene.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

Streets know she got that lean. I'm gonna stop.

[B]

I got. We have to stop. Can I have one more?

[A]

Do it. Don't go. Do it, do it, do it, do it, do it.

[B]

Dick so good. I don't even touch her. She get pregnant. I should have quit. What I was saying.

[A]

First and first, my dog. First and first.

[B]

Clean it up for me, Sam. Clean it up.

[A]

I like it. I like it dirty. I like it dirty.

[B]

Nutting her with my mind. Oh, God. How did we get here? Let's stay here.

[A]

I like it.

[B]

It's a good place to be. So, Lord Jesus, we're getting to the end of this. The bling, Bishop. So we. We've seen his criminal past. He was out here doing all types of buying whips, buying jewelry, et cetera, et cetera. So now he's emerged from that past. Or he now has a church, which is unsuspecting people who thought they thought they were going to Bible study, which I'm gonna start doing. I'm gonna start doing Bunko Night Weekly. And I'm gonna have everyone sign up. Yeah. And we're gonna play games and drink wine. But it is a church. You'll never know it.

[A]

Sign me up.

[B]

No one said we had to talk about God. We just had to assemble. Right, Lizzie, aura of God, she really loves steeples now. She bought a house with a steeple.

[A]

It's beautiful.

[B]

That's my decor choice now, because I want a part of this. So he is the bishop now. He has this small little church. At the end of his sermons, the bishop we call bishop gooch, Bishop Gucci whitehead is also known to run an auction of donations, inviting members to sew with their tithes starting at 1000 or 500.

[A]

An auction?

[B]

Yes, an auction, yes.

[A]

Now, if you. One of the future.

[B]

An auction of donations.

[A]

How does that work?

[B]

So that's when you yell out a donation of.

[A]

So one member gives. Gives the can of soup to the church, and then the pastor has other folks bid on the can of soup. Is it that kind of situation?

[B]

Okay, so let me try to. Let me try to run this out, though. The people, you know, were critical about. About the wealth that he displays. His supporters supported his preaching the prosperity gospel, a philosophy that emphasizes the material benefits of maintaining a relationship with God. So big thing is, like, if you love God, you'll be prosperous. Yeah. God gonna give you a rack or.

[A]

A boat, you know, or a full.

[B]

Body Gucci suit and yellow body Gucci suit in yellow. So at the end of the sermon, he's like, all right, y', all, it's time for us to get our relationship closer with God. So everybody, y' all need to sew your tithes to get your relationship closer. So then people start tithing at 1,500. When no one takes an envelope, he suggests less. Less until someone comes forward. So he got envelopes like this. And he writes outside of the envelope, $1,000.

[A]

And he's like, can I get a 1,000? Can I get a 1,000?

[B]

And he says, can I get a 1,001 for God. This is an empty envelope. Will you put $1,000 inside of it for me now for God?

[A]

This is where the. This is where the. This is. This is why I'm so mad about it. And it's funny, but I'm mad. The definition of tithing biblically is just 10%. Just 10%. You make $1,000 or 100,000. 10%, and then you should be good.

[B]

But are you trying to get your money up with God? Because with God, I'm not. Give me some money, Jesus. That ain't how I work, cuz. If you want money from Jesus, you gotta invest and tell six of your friends.

[A]

Wow, that's some herbalife sh. This is A pyramid scheme.

[B]

So he owns the thousand dollar envelope. And then when nobody responds, he like, hello, maybe 500. All right, 500. 500.

[A]

Come on, y' all playing so sad.

[B]

Y' all don't want good things to happen in your life.

[A]

That's so sad.

[B]

And he goes down. And so apparently he would do this until whatever amount of money made someone come up and sow into their tithe. So it's unclear exactly where these donations go, but Bishop Whitehead says he does not make money as a bishop.

[A]

Then where did. Where do yellow Gucci head to toe suit come from?

[B]

Probably still fraud. He's like. He's like, look, guys, I do fraud. I don't have to. I don't have to steal from the Lord when I could steal from y'.

[A]

All.

[B]

Y', all not God. I ain't ever once took something from God.

[A]

Took his name in vain, tell you that.

[B]

So I just love auctioning the opportunity to give someone else money.

[A]

And that is a scam.

[B]

Going to do that. Now I'm gonna figure out a way to do it myself, personally, because I deserve that. You deserve that. Who wants to give me money? Who out there wants to be the lucky person?

[A]

What's your starting amount? What's your starting figure?

[B]

Oh, my God, my starting figure. I gotta start at a million.

[A]

Oh. I'm sitting there thinking, what would I start at? And be like, oh, an Uber Eats gift card? I don't know.

[B]

Oh, you starting way too low, Sam. You starting way too low. And look, I don't think I'm gonna get a million. But if I don't try, dream big.

[A]

Dream big.

[B]

Right?

[A]

I hear you.

[B]

Yeah. What do you say, guys? To the chance of giving me a million dollars? That's it, though.

[A]

Watching the team in the control room shrug their shoulders.

[B]

Wow. None of y'.

[A]

All.

[B]

Wow, that hurts my feeling. Honestly, I'm hurt y' all don't think I'm worth a million dollars. You don't want to auction the opportunity to give it to me.

[A]

I mean, every human is priceless. Existentially.

[B]

I mean, the government says we're worth like 10 mil each.

[A]

Oh, really?

[B]

Okay, so, I mean, so it's likely unclear what these donations go. However he does make money, he doesn't seem to be doing it very well. In 2019, there was a $68,000 lawsuit brought against him for not making monthly payments on his Mercedes. Ben. Range Rover in New Jersey and Range Rover, cuz, you know, if you can't afford one really expensive car, you have to get another.

[A]

Well, there's one for you and there's one for Jesus.

[B]

Right? Right. And he takes the wheel. We have songs.

[A]

Jesus will take the wheel, but he will not pay the car.

[B]

Yeah, what's up with that? What's up with that? Jesus?

[A]

Come on, Jesus.

[B]

You said. I said I would take the wheel. I never said I was taking responsibility. That's why y' all don't listen. That's why I'm not coming back. So the same year, $164,000 check was written to the company that built his Paramus, New Jersey home. And it bounced. In 2020, a woman named Pauline Anderson had connected with the Bishop Whitehead, AKA Pastor Gucci. She was a parisher and. Or, excuse me, parishioner. And was still recovering from a life threatening surgery. Eventually, Pauline went to the bishop for assistance and finding. Oh, no. She went to the bishop and looks to get help to buy a new home. Because she had bad credit. He said he would help her invest her money. All $90,000 from her retirement fund.

[A]

No.

[B]

In his firm, Laymore Whitehead, AKA Bishop Gucci.

[A]

Bishop Gucci.

[B]

Bish Gang Gang Incorporated. She was initially reluctant, as this was her only income. But Bishop Gucci offered to send her $100 in a monthly allowance while he found her a home.

[A]

A monthly allowance of a home from the guy who brought you the thousand dollar auction in the church house?

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Cold catfish dinner. Fishy.

[B]

The first payment was made, but then Bishop Whitehell disappeared and did not continue.

[A]

Uh, he couldn't even give her $100 a month.

[B]

Come on now. You could have gave her $100 a month.

[A]

$100 a month. This makes me mad.

[B]

He's not a good friend.

[A]

This makes me mad. And it's like. Anyways, go ahead.

[B]

Eventually, he told Pauline that he was treating her as an. This isn't even me not being able to read it. It's just a very funny thing to tell someone. So eventually, Bishop Gucci told Pauline that he was treating her investment as a donation to his.

[A]

That's not how it works. My dog. No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.

[B]

I will be treating all of my investments as a donation from here on out.

[A]

As a donation, if you give me anything. Student loans. That money y' all lent me, that was a donation, right?

[B]

This sweater that you let me borrow last night, It's a donation.

[A]

American Express.

[B]

A donation.

[A]

That was a donation.

[B]

Like, bitch, how you gonna reframe the narrative? Wow. So at the same time. So then he's talking about. I'm running for president of what he just said for a little dazzle. Dazzle. And that's why he's keeping Pauline's donation and why she can't even have $100. Oh, I feel so bad. So at the same time, the bishop also wanted to send Pauline. Now, Pauline's the one who got robbed. He wants to send her son a contract detailing that he was about to buy a $4.4 million house in New Jersey with a pool and a gym and a cellar. And the sale had never went through. So she. He had gassed up her whole family, basically. Cause he's, like, sending her son. Like, look, he was like, I'm about his house. Look up. There's the house. Oh, he was like, I'm about tacky house. I have all this money. Like, she should invest with me. I'mma give her. He didn't even Ponzi scheme her good. Like, he gave her one payment of the Ponzi scheme and then stole the rest.

[A]

Church folks, I got to do better. You got to be. Look, be on the lookout.

[B]

It's a cult, y'. All. Come on. In December 2021, he borrowed $4.1 million from a Brooklyn mortgage company.

[A]

He had just declared bankruptcy. And was it. Oh, so I guess that stuff scrubs off in seven years.

[B]

Yeah, but I don't think it had been that long. I can't. So wrapping this up in January 2021, he posted Facebook videos in front of an apartment complex, offering real estate classes and signing up through the church email address. And there is no website for Whitehead Estates, even though that's what he's talking about.

[A]

About.

[B]

Don't. Don't be on the Internet looking for.

[A]

Can't find them. You can't find them. Wow.

[B]

Don't ask. Okay.

[A]

I'm so. My heart goes out for these church folks.

[B]

And this is the video we have a snippet of. It is short, but it's. It's really painful. Can we.

[A]

Whitehead Estates real estate.

[B]

Because he's, like, with this other man, if this is the one that I saw. Oh, so this is him showing his estates that he doesn't own.

[A]

And this. That's a Lambo suv.

[B]

Yes, that one owns. You know.

[A]

Oh, he don't own that. You know, he don't own that. Did he just rev it up as he parked?

[B]

You know how you rev up.

[A]

We back Bishop Whitehead, y'.

[B]

All. Y' all see Whitehead stakes. Listen, I'm telling y'.

[A]

All, Join my real estate class. We'll start in February, the 1st, 5th. I'm going to show you how to buy and flip. How to buy complexes, apartment complexes, renovating. You know, last I checked, the Bible said the primary. The primary concern of housing should be housing the homeless, not flipping the house. Follow me.

[B]

All right, but we going to flip it to some home, some homeless people.

[A]

Or make some people homeless in the process.

[B]

Wow. Yes.

[A]

Okay, here's my question for you. How do people get played by that.

[B]

Kind of tomfoolery because of aspirational culture. Yeah, you look at him and he's showing you the life you want to have. And he's telling you he knows how to do it.

[A]

See, but we look at the wrong stuff. They looking at Gucci suits and Lambo SUVs. What? I want to see your credit score, your credit report.

[B]

But listen, a lot.

[A]

A background check.

[B]

Now credit. Well, like credit scores, credit can be a scam.

[A]

I get that.

[B]

You know, they came about in 1989 and who made those up and for what benefit? To keep us all in debt.

[A]

But it would have been a red flag, cuz, you know, his score is negative 12.

[B]

Oh yeah, for sure, 12. It's honestly a red flag for me anytime I see people holding lots of cash and photos. Because I'm either like, you are taking pictures with cash, cuz you don't see cash that often. And you're like, I gotta commemorate this moment.

[A]

All this to say just this man is screaming red flags.

[B]

Or you can't put your cash in any institutions because it's gonna set off several federal alarms.

[A]

That's, you know, is there a moral to the story besides watch out y', all, don't get played.

[B]

I mean, he's still out here. So meanwhile, the bishop has continued to live stream his services, including the service where he was robbed on live stream. Cuz you know how you be getting robbed on live stream? Like as soon as you set up your camera, then all of a sudden you get robbed. And he maintains that everybody sues people from here on out. It is what it is. My church was robbed. I was robbed. I'm the victim. Victim. So he's saying when they came out the woodwork that he was being sued by the girlies for taking their investments and making them donations.

[A]

Just fraud.

[B]

Everybody gets sued every now and then. It makes investments, donations.

[A]

Everybody, everybody.

[B]

He's like, I'm the victim. It's like, I don't know. I think that you have to be quiet because when you're playing this game, sometimes you're the mark and sometimes you're, you know, the scammers.

[A]

So sometimes you're getting scammed, and sometimes you're wearing the full body yellow Gucci suit.

[B]

Yeah, like, take out the chin, my guy. Charge it to the game. Amen. Well, guys, we are here. We've arrived at the saddest part of the show.

[A]

Part of this.

[B]

Oh, I know this is to let Sam go. But before we let you go, we just like to highlight one person who we love or maybe we hate, Scammer of the week. And this week, that is y'. All. Y' all didn't be. And Sam, I already know. You gonna know. Y' all have been on the TikToks, the Instagrams, the. All the DMs, sending carrier pigeons to let me know about Chef Pii and her pink sauce.

[A]

Pink sauce. You know what I wanted to feel really well first? Set it up.

[B]

Set it up. So on TikTok, which is a place where you can learn all types of things and also spreads a ton of misinform information, there was a woman who took the world by storm, named Chef P. She created a dark pink sauce that instantly went viral as she dipped it into all your favorite fast food. Honestly, she dipped the sauce into any goddamn thing. And one time, I saw it dip it into a berea Taco, but Taco Bell, kfc just. Yeah, anywhere.

[A]

And, like, it looks like Pepto Bismol, but it's a savory sauce almost in the Aioli family.

[B]

So she uses dragon fruit, which everybody knows, and I've said this time and time, a fucking gint G Dragon fruit. You're a fucking scam. You're way too expensive. You don't taste like shit. You're just in here being a bad bitch and not contributing anything to society. So she uses that color to get that really bright pink, but it doesn't really add, like, a distinction.

[A]

So it's like any other sauce, but it's pink.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

And, like, that is okay. You making pink sauce in your house, you eat it, you like it, that's okay. I think the scam came about when her TikToks blew up and she wanted to sell it everywhere.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

Had no such infrastructure.

[B]

No.

[A]

And turns out when she began to bottle the pink sauce, every bottle was a different kind of pink.

[B]

Yes. There was not much quality control coming out of her literal kitchen. Also, she was not adding any ice packs or dry to send out a content or a sauce that definitely contains dairy.

[A]

So it came to people in the.

[B]

Middle of record heat.

[A]

And apparently, the nutritional facts which you're showing up here on the screen were just wrong.

[B]

So this was a nutritional fact that she. We talk about on the show a lot. You got to know Photoshop. Photoshop, guys. She went directly to Pinterest and. No, this is literally from Pinterest. And she got the template, the nutrition facts template. And then she decided to just give it a little dazzle. Dazzle. There's some typos. Instead of vinegar, her sauce apparently has vinegar, which. Which, listen, I don't know what's up. My vinegar. I don't know. That might taste different. You know, I might need to know what that's about.

[A]

Here's my thing with it, though. Had she just kept it small scale and sold it like at the cookie in her town or sold it like at the little county fair. I'm fine with that. The problem was trying to scale. If you're gonna scale, it has to be legit. It has to be for real. It has to go through the quality control. She wasn't. She didn't know how to scale. So I almost feel like she got caught up and was in over her head. That said, she reacted in the definitively wrong way.

[B]

No, absolutely not. I mean, so she. Her ingredient. The ingredient labels say she has pink Himalayan sea salt, which in itself is not a thing. Because Himalayan salt, I believe comes like, from rocks, like on the ground. It's not distilled from the water. Yeah, I'm not wrong about that. Citric acid, milk and vinegar. We already talked about that. In regards to taste, though the creator herself has said she has difficulty describing it. She says some users have said it's a little sweet, it's a little tangy, it's a little garlicky. She's selling these at $20 a pop, and customers have raised several concerns regarding what we were just talking about the quality and the safety of the product. It's been shipped unrefrigerated with inconsistent colors, non existent expiration dates. It's said to contain milk and raw garlic, which unfrigerated. That's not a good situation without a. Yeah, without an expiration date causes botulism. There's also major inconsistencies we talked about with the color.

[A]

Also.

[B]

Some people getting that thicky thick. They get that thick. And then other bottles are getting that watery. They're getting that water. I hear that. I can do that with two different songs. But yeah, some people like I got that water and it's like, what is going on? Additionally, the nutrition label says the bottle contained 444 servings of salt.

[A]

That's impossible.

[B]

Angel numbers at 90 calories a serving.

[A]

So thousands of calories in these bottles.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

And it also spoiled milk and garlic.

[B]

Yes. And it should also be a much larger bottle. We have an unboxing here of a pink salt.

[A]

I like the labeling.

[B]

The labeling is cute. It's cute. And here's the thing. It's TikTok. Everybody wants to participate in a trend. Everyone has fomo. The pink sauce lady took advantage of that.

[A]

This is the thing. If I were her, wait until a brand sees your idea, partner with, like, Nabisco and let them scale you.

[B]

Yeah, I think she still has a chance here. She has great marketing.

[A]

She has a chance.

[B]

I don't think she has a chance. She says, I can't describe the taste because literally nobody has ever made anything that tastes like this before, which is amazing. I think this is gonna happen.

[A]

Have to make the pink sauce.

[B]

Someone has to. Because that's the thing. If you tell me about a sauce and you can't tell me what it tastes like, people are gonna buy it. Out of curiosity, I'm intrigued. Cause if you like mayo, if you don't like mayo, then I'm immediately not gonna be a customer. But if you tell me something like, oh, it just tastes, like, good. Yeah, it just tastes good.

[A]

Well, here's the thing about all sauces that aren't hot sauce or ketchup. They're either ranch dressing or some kind of mayo.

[B]

Exactly.

[A]

That's really what it is.

[B]

It is.

[A]

So tell us what it is. You added food coloring. You know, that's what it is, Ms.

[B]

Pink Sauce Lady. You know, I love scammers. I. I think you have a lot of potential here.

[A]

I don't.

[B]

I just want you to clean up the form a little bit, okay? Make something that's not gonna kill people. Get some real labels. I'm rooting for you, pink sauce girl. I wanna see you on Shark Tank.

[A]

I'm not rooting for her. I mean, I hope she's okay, but there is no rooter in my Tudor for her. It's not there.

[B]

Well, look, you're allowed to have that opinion, Tim. And we always ask on the show, where would you like to be found? What do you want people to listen to? Where you see you on social media.

[A]

Those things on Twitter. I am Sanders. S A M S A N D E R S. Same for Instagram. Amsanders and I host two podcasts that you can get anywhere. My podcast from Vulture and New York Magazine, publishes every Thursday. It is a weekly pop culture show about the pop culture. We're obsessed with my other show with my good friends Zach and Saeed. It's called Vibe check and that publishes every Wednesday. And that is our very fun group come to life. We cover any and everything. So you can hear me on Wednesdays and Thursdays and see my bad tweets any day of the week.

[B]

You have such a great voice, Sam. Oh that was so good.

[A]

I really enjoyed vibing with a fellow Texan today. This was delightful. Thank you. Your energy is infectious. I love this.

[B]

So is yours. Woo. Cause I need to sub today. They give you a lot of copy and do. And guys, as always, snitch on your friends and [e-mail] and if you want to find me and my Shane D I V A L A C I Diva Lacey on all platforms congregation Stay scheming.

[A]

Hallelu.

[B]

Scam Goddess. This has been an Earwolf production in association with Team Coco. Scam Goddess stars and is hosted by me, Lacey Mosley, AKA Scam Goddess. It's produced by Judith Kargbo, engineered by Marina Paiz and researched by Kalen Brandt. Stay scheming.

[A]

This has been a team Coco production in association with Earwolf.

[B]

Save over $200 when you book weekly. Stays with VRBO this winter. If you haven't seen your college besties since, well, college. You need a week to catch up in a snowy cabin, take a week long vacation and save over $200. Book now at verbo. My name is special agent Rebecca Henderson.

[A]

Thursday, January 8th on NBC.

[B]

There was an explosion at a top secret prison. Some of the most infamous killers broke free.

[A]

The hunting party is back. We're going in loud.

[B]

FBI.

[A]

The stakes have never been higher.

[B]

The longer they're out there, the more dangerous they're going to become. And the killers. Never seen anything like this before. Not even close.

[A]

Have never been more twisted.

[B]

This is next level.

[A]

The Hunting Party. The thrilling season premiere Thursday, January 8th on NBC.