Scam Goddess – Fraud Friday: The Faith Peddler

Host: Laci Mosley
Guest: Jean (Jean Elie)
Release Date: December 26, 2025

Episode Overview

This ultra-entertaining Fraud Friday episode of Scam Goddess dives into the life and cons of Fred Brito—aka “The Faith Peddler”—a notorious serial scammer and master of reinvention who impersonated priests, executives, and psychiatrists across the US to support his Hollywood-level lifestyle and criminal ambitions. Host Laci Mosley and actor/writer Jean Elie break down Brito’s wildest hustles with signature comedic flair, laughing through the absurdities, implications, and low-key brilliance of a man who preferred capers to crime-free living. The episode also spotlights an inventive Nevada mom’s power-bill-hacking “Robin Hood” mini-scam, and how an accidental Kim Kardashian selfie led to a looted Egyptian coffin’s return.

Key Discussion Points

1. Guest Introduction & Scam Energy [02:38–09:00]

• Laci welcomes Jean, highlighting his career, Haitian pride, and upcoming projects.
• Banter about zodiac signs, “fake diaspora” identities, and struggles with all-white party themes leads to a hilarious riff on how “white clothing is a scam.”
• Jean admits to a classic retail scam while at Sprint: purchasing SIM cards online cheaply, then reselling in-store for profit.

  Jean: “I used to go on eBay, buy SIM cards for 10 bucks and sell at the store for 50 bucks.” [08:06]

• The hosts joke about iPhone planned obsolescence and case-free “phone raw-doggers”—with Laci’s Otterbox loyalty and catastrophic clumsiness getting laughs.

2. Fraud Trends & Listener Scams – “What’s Hot in Fraud” [14:55–22:21]

• Instagram Account Hacking:
  Jean shares a recent hack attempt where his hacked Instagram “thief” got upset when he recovered his account, peppering him with strange WhatsApp pleas:

  Jean: “He literally called me…‘Yo, I did some stuff on your account, I need to get back in there.’ I was like, ‘No, bro, you’re out of your mind.’” [16:05]

• Listener Scam—The Nevada Energy Scheme:
  “Raul” (alias) writes in with a clever method for “free power” over holiday weekends:
  • Pays energy bill to only cover up to Friday before a holiday—knowing the power company can’t disconnect services until after the long weekend.
  • Runs everything nonstop to maximize savings, then resumes payments Monday night.
  • Laci: “You turning on all your lights and shit. It’s Arbor Day? BET. Crank all the lights.” [19:17]
  • The hosts relate it to “poor taxes” and survival schemes in America.
• Vegas Survival:
  Memories surface about surviving Las Vegas heat and legendary comped “early 20s” trips built on charm (not cash).

3. Main Event—Historic Hoodwinks: Fred Brito, The Faith Peddler [24:38–58:45]

a) Early Origins & Hollywood Dreams [25:21–30:36]

• Fred Brito, LA-born, youngest of 7, aspired to Hollywood’s glitz but quickly pivoted to crime to maintain his faux-luxury lifestyle.
• Friend to TV personality Paul Lynde, Fred sampled lavish life—then, penniless and aging, turned to forging and scams.

b) Criminal Evolution [30:36–35:36]

• First major crimes:
  • Stole $1,000 in traveler’s checks as a bank employee; skipped parole, landed in Canada, arrested again.
• Motivation:

  Fred (quoted): “I was in the fast lane, and all of a sudden, now I’m in the slow lane…I wanted to be in the fast lane, and would have done anything to get back.” [31:35]

• Dabbled in renting, then stealing, luxury cars thanks to low-tech verification in the ‘70s/‘80s.
• Became a 5-time felon before turning 30.

c) Master of Disguise—Fake Professions [34:54–43:27]

• From his time as an inmate, Fred learns court lingo and impersonates a psychiatrist in court to spring a friend.
• Constantly invents new identities:
  • Rebrands as “Martin Mark Esparza” in Lancaster, CA—becomes a city commissioner just by consistently showing up to council sessions.
  • Stages a dramatic “press conference” when caught, claiming Reagan appointed him to the White House.

d) The “Saint” Among the Poor [43:27–52:08]

• In Albuquerque, as “Mark Gomez,” Fred ingratiates himself as a benevolent official, allegedly buying cars and paying rent for needy families.
• Hosts speculate if he was falsely commending himself by writing his own “fan mail.”
• Ten-year run comes undone when a reporter exposes his true background.
• For a time, even lives as a priest—presiding over baptisms, weddings, and confessions using fraudulent credentials.
• When discovered, he literally flees religious orders ("I have to go right now!").
• Multiple embezzlement charges (including for as little as $600) and grand thefts across a half dozen roles.

e) Impossible Institutional Invisibility [52:08–57:23]

• Despite a deep criminal record, Fred repeatedly lands high-trust jobs—director at Red Cross, National Kidney Foundation, youth center, and more.

  Jean: “For a n*gga to get a job as a janitor somewhere they do three background checks. This man was…a priest, got locked up. City official, got locked up. Gets jobs again. How?” [49:30]

• Laci and Jean finger “white privilege”—and Fred’s bland, “non-threatening” bald look—for his persistent success at defrauding institutions.

f) Fred’s Post-Prison Reinventions & “Reforms” [54:34–58:45]

• Later, Fred attempts to “reform” as a scam-spotting consultant, sharing expert tips on background checks online (“from my experience in crime…”).
• Recent years: Becomes an IHOP manager, uses the position for good deeds (free breakfasts, local nonprofits)—but perhaps also new scams.
• No evidence of further crimes since 2002 (or, as Laci says: “he just got better at not getting caught”).

4. Scammer of the Week: Kim Kardashian’s Accidental Art Recovery [58:45–64:39]

• In 2018, Kim K posts with an ancient Egyptian sarcophagus at the Met Gala. Viral attention leads to its provenance being checked.
• Authorities realize it was looted and sold with forged papers; ultimately, it’s returned to Egypt—thanks in part to her photo.

  Laci: “Kim got her selfie on, authorities got their tomb back—a win for everyone but colonizers.” [64:10]

• Laci and Jean riff on the British Museum’s “collection” and muse about when grave robbing becomes archaeology.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Fake Careers [35:15]:

  “You get an outfit. You read the Bible. You start dunking babies and marrying couples.”
  – Laci Mosley

• On Surviving Scams [49:45]:

  “It’s called white privilege.”
  – Jean Elie

• On Fred’s expertise [55:43]:

  “Based on my experience in crime…the background check is probably 40% accurate.”
  – Fred Brito (in his own PSA)

• On justice for colonization theft [64:39]:

  “We’re gonna need our things, and we’re gonna need them today...I want the Queen’s diamonds that she stole from South Africa—pluck ’em right out of that ugly ass hat.”
  – Laci Mosley

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Guest Intro & Scam Banter: 02:38–09:00
• Fraud Trends & Listener Scams: 14:55–22:21
• Fred Brito’s Early Life & Hollywood: 25:21–30:36
• Scam Ascension—Impersonator Era: 34:54–43:27
• High-Level Cons: Public Service, Priesthood: 43:27–52:08
• Institutional Blindness & Privilege Riff: 52:08–57:23
• Fred’s Scam Consultant Pivot: 54:34–58:45
• Kim K Art Scam: 58:45–64:39

Tone & Style

Laci and Jean keep the mood rollicking and irreverent, mixing earnest analysis and survivor wisdom with roast-level jokes, wild hypotheticals, and cultural commentary about scams big and small. Their chemistry makes every twist in Brito’s story both jaw-dropping and hilarious, always reminding listeners that a good scam is built on audacity—and a little luck that the system isn’t checking.

Final Thoughts

This episode is a top-tier Scam Goddess blend of education, empathy, and eyerolling at institutional failures—with enough laugh-out-loud lines and cultural callouts to satisfy true crime, comedy, and history fans alike. It closes with a comedic but sincere call to “repo” colonized history, a standing ovation for Fred’s scam artistry (but not his ethics), and a reminder to “stay schemin’”—but maybe for good.

Stay schemin’, congregation!