Scam Goddess – Fraud Friday: The Bluffing Bombers w/ Sydnee Washington

Host: Laci Mosley
Guest: Sydnee Washington
Date: February 13, 2026

Episode Overview

This episode of Scam Goddess explores one of the most explosive (literally) and sloppy fraud capers in recent U.S. history: the 2012 Richmond Hill explosion in Indianapolis, Indiana. Host Laci Mosley is joined by comedian Sydnee Washington in a laugh-out-loud retelling of the desperate, tragic, and poorly-executed insurance arson plot behind "The Bluffing Bombers." The duo breaks down the scam, its cast of characters, and why some people just aren't cut out for the criminal life—all through a lens of biting wit and signature irreverence.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Opening Banter: LA Scams & Hollywood Trickery

(02:06 – 10:30)

• Sydnee shares a “Hollywood scam” story about shooting a short film, “getting paid in exposure,” and having complicated feelings after an on-screen romance.
• The duo mock LA’s culture of “exposure = compensation” and flirtatious professionalism on-set.
• Discussion about boundaries in open relationships, chemistry with co-stars, and the difference between LA and New York social norms.
• Quote:
  • “Getting paid in exposure is LA's biggest scam.” (Laci, 02:48)
  • “Will and Jada are rich. I'm so tired of, like, broke people talking about open—...If your thread count is like 500, it don't make no sense.” (Sydnee, 03:47)

2. On-Set Scams & Interpersonal Schemes

(10:30 – 14:51)

• Sydnee laments how method acting and blurred boundaries can trick people into thinking there’s off-set chemistry, which Laci dubs “an on-set scam.”
• In Hollywood, people are extra nice to avoid retaliation, a “scam to get ahead.”
• Quote:
  • "As a good scam artist, you gotta keep your relationships tight, but also far enough away that they don't know who you really are." (Laci, 11:22)

3. Historic Hoodwinks: The Richmond Hill Explosion

(14:51 – 55:10)

The Setup

(15:46 – 16:35)

• In 2012, an explosion in Indianapolis leaves two dead, multiple injured, and $4 million in property damage.
• Focus: Monserrat Shirley and boyfriend Mark Leonard convicted for arson and felony murder.

The Scammer’s Playbook

(16:35 – 21:10)

• Shirley and Leonard claim to spend the weekend at a casino while conveniently boarding pets and arranging childcare.
• They are sloppy—asking neighbors about gas lines, using a white van, and blatantly removing personal belongings before the explosion.
• Quote:
  • “You don’t pull up to the front door if you’re trying to do a scam.” (Laci, 20:48)
  • "If the building is old, yes... But if it's renovated really nice, I always look sideways—this might be a setup." (Sydnee, 15:59)

The Crime Scene

(21:10 – 24:16)

• Investigators quickly note the oddly timed insurance increase and “no casualties at home” (pets and child are out, but next-door neighbors die).
• Shirley’s daughter and cat survive—guest and host joke about how this makes the scam obvious to investigators.
• Quote:
  • “White people love animals. If your cat died, they would have been like, 'Oh my God, this is a real tragedy.’” (Laci, 23:09)

The Giveaways

(24:16 – 28:25)

• Mark brags to associates about plans with the insurance money (“buying a Ferrari”) and how the explosion will go down.
• Quote:
  • “Any type of scam...somebody's gonna run their mouth. Nobody is gonna keep those lips closed because they just can't.” (Sydnee, 24:16)
• They discuss how even minor criminals get caught bragging (e.g., insider trading at the office).

The Scam Backstory

(28:25 – 35:16)

• Mark Leonard has a history of smaller scams: car insurance fraud (“swoop and squat”), conning women on dating sites.
• Discussion about the gendered dynamics of “romance scams”; jokes that Leonard must have had irresistible "pipe" for women to give him thousands.

The Family Business & Betrayals

(35:16 – 39:51)

• Mark ropes in his brother and other acquaintances, all of whom eventually turn on each other to save themselves when caught.
• Laci and Sydnee agree: family is unreliable when it comes to snitching.
• Shirley rolls over on Mark for a lighter sentence.

The Investigation & Trial

(41:51 – 48:56)

• The scam was so basic, everyone saw it coming; the main conspirators had every red flag: insurance increases, new mortgages, visible removals of property, and bad cover stories.
• The trial becomes notable for using three separate juries—a tactic only previously seen with the Menendez brothers.
• Memorable moment: Laci and Sydnee analyze mugshots and speculate on the regional standards of attractiveness (“He’s an Indianapolis 7,” Laci, 45:09).

Fallout & Sentencing

(48:56 – 55:10)

• Almost all involved are convicted on multiple counts; Shirley claims coercion and “dickmatization” as her defense.
• Shirley's own daughter testifies against her—prompting jokes that not leaving the daughter in the house was their biggest mistake.

The Final “Scam”

(49:27 – 55:10)

• Mark Leonard dies only three years into his sentence—Laci and Sydnee joke about “willing yourself to die” in jail as the ultimate exit scam.
• Quote:
  • “You thought I was going to do these 70 years like a real scammer? He died. He said, ‘Boy, you see this hairline? I'm not doing. I am not going bald in this bitch. I'm out.’” (Laci, 49:56)

4. Scammer of the Week: Shaniqua Jordan, Fashion Blogger

(53:00 – 55:10)

• The hosts highlight Instagram fashion blogger “Simplicity x Style” for allegedly scamming a Connecticut woman out of $50,000.
• Jokes on how ‘gram influencers manage their expensive lifestyles and whether all of them are hiding a scam.
• Quote:
  • “Scams are hard work. They're depleting. They're exhausting. And also, you have to stay ahead of the game.” (Laci, 54:52)

5. The Nature of Scams & Emotional Vulnerability

(55:10 – 57:14)

• Laci observes that to be scammed, the victim often must want to be scammed—a dynamic explored both in the con and in Sydnee’s on-set story.
• Memorable callback to Andy King and “sucking dick for water” at FYRE Fest as the ultimate “despo-meter” joke.
• “You can't just scam anybody. You have to scam someone who's kind of willing to be scammed a little bit. It's that hope.” (Laci, 56:04)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “[Exposure pay]... It’s gonna be broken down to the most broken down, broken downness.” (Sydnee, 02:57)
• “If you really want to commit crimes, you should go to the library. Ain’t nobody can check your search history. Book looks still got info.” (Laci, 17:54)
• “A van is like a crime vehicle. Yeah, like, we know you doing crimes. A van and also a Prius.” (Laci, 19:14)
• “Shout out to Mark Leonard—a king. He died as he lived.” (Laci, 51:50)
• “You scam with your blood relatives—probably the most trustworthy... No, fuck family, family be the first one to throw you under the...” (Sydnee, 34:40-34:47)
• “You know what, Illuminati. Naughty, naughty. He called on the powers of his dick.” (Laci, 52:49)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 02:06 – Sydnee’s LA on-set “exposure pay” scam story
• 14:51 – Historic Hoodwinks segment introduction
• 15:46 – Richmond Hill arson caper setup
• 20:42 – The van and nosy neighbors
• 24:16 – Mark’s braggadocio, the downfall of many scammers
• 29:15 – “Swoop and squat” car insurance fraud explained
• 35:16 – Family snitching and betrayals
• 41:51 – Multiple trials and Menendez connection
• 49:27 – Mark Leonard's early death: “the ultimate scam”
• 53:00 – Scammer of the Week: Shaniqua Jordan
• 55:10 – Why victims "want" to be scammed; psychological angle
• 56:33 – FYRE Fest Andy King “suck dick for water” callback

Final Thoughts

With humor and a keen eye for the absurd, Laci and Sydnee illuminate how greed, overconfidence, and basic errors trip up even “career scammers.” They highlight the blurred lines between criminality, desperation, and emotional vulnerability, pointing out that even petty LA “exposure” gigs and influencer culture operate with similar dynamics. Their running jokes, honest skepticism, and chemistry make this episode a fast-paced, insightful romp through the anatomy of a truly bad scam.

As always: Stay schemin’!