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Fraud Friday: The Real Hustlers behind Hustlers w/ Mo Heart - Scam Goddess | Wave AI Podcast Notes

Fraud Friday: The Real Hustlers behind Hustlers w/ Mo Heart

Fri Apr 25 2025

In this week's Fraud Friday, Laci is joined by Mo Heart (RuPaul's Drag Race) to help us break down the real-life story that inspired the 2019 hit film Hustlers starring Jennifer Lopez and Constance Wu. Plus, a Florida man faces 104 felony counts after allegedly using 28 people’s personal information to purchase expensive items in area stores. (Originally Released 06/21/2021) CON-gregation, catch Laci's TV Show, Scam Goddess, now on Freeform and Hulu! Follow on Instagram: Scam Goddess Pod: @scamgoddesspod Laci Mosley: @divalaci Mo Heart: @iammoheart Research by Kaelyn Brandt SOURCES: https://time.com/5671735/hustlers-movie-true-story/ https://www.thecut.com/2015/12/hustlers-the-real-story-behind-the-movie.html https://abcnews.go.com/US/real-life-hustlers-lured-men-nyc-strip-clubs/story?id=65499900 https://www.mysuncoast.com/2021/06/02/manatee-man-facing-felonies-fraud-investigation/

Summary

Fraud Friday: The Real Hustlers behind Hustlers with Monique Hart

Episode Release Date: April 25, 2025

Introduction In this gripping episode of Fraud Friday, hosted by the charismatic Laci Mosley (a.k.a. Scam Goddess), the spotlight shines on the intricate world of scamming within the entertainment industry and beyond. Joined by the multifaceted Monique Hart, known for her role in iCarly and Better Call Saul, the duo delves deep into real-life hustlers, dissecting their schemes and the implications they have on society.

Guest Spotlight: Monique Hart Monique Hart brings a wealth of experience and insight into the discussion, sharing her personal encounters with scams and her expertise in staying ahead of fraudulent activities.

Monique Hart (02:13): "I'm intrigued by them. I like to know what they are to stay abreast and ahead of the bullshit."

Current Scams in the Digital Age Laci and Monique examine prevalent scams on dating apps, particularly focusing on Grindr. They highlight how scammers exploit the fears and vulnerabilities of users, especially within marginalized communities.

Laci Mosley (10:01): "So, Cupcake, I don't know if you'll see this, and I'm not sure if you've ever covered this scam before, but I thought I'd share one of the oldest Grindr scams in the book in honor of Pride Month."

In-Depth Analysis: The Hustlers Scam The conversation transitions to a detailed analysis of the real-life events that inspired the movie Hustlers. Laci and Monique recount the story of four women and one man indicted for drugging men and charging exorbitant amounts to their credit cards at New York City clubs.

Laci Mosley (24:10): "So we gonna give y'all all the tea that you might not have gotten in the movie because you were too mesmerized by JLO on that pole."

The Operation Breakdown The episode meticulously breaks down the scam operations, revealing how the conspirators manipulated their victims through charm and deceit. They discuss the recruitment of sex workers and the unethical use of substances like MDMA and ketamine to control their targets.

Monique Hart (38:33): "Ketamine is like the new party drug that doesn't give you any kind of hangover or whatever. So you're like, woo."

Legal Consequences and Fallout As the scam escalates, tensions rise among the conspirators, leading to their eventual downfall. The discussion covers the legal repercussions faced by the individuals involved, including cooperation with authorities and the impact of high-profile lawsuits.

Laci Mosley (43:06): "So the women were charged with conspiracy, forgery, assault, and grand larceny. They all pled guilty to the charges."

Scammer of the Week: Christopher Crouch In the final segment, Scammer of the Week, the hosts highlight Christopher Crouch, a Florida man facing 104 felony counts for identity theft and fraudulent purchases. They dissect his methods, the impact on victims, and the broader implications of such scams on the community.

Laci Mosley (49:35): "He was scamming on a budget."

Key Takeaways and Insights

Evolving Scams: Scammers continuously adapt their methods, leveraging technology and psychological manipulation to deceive victims.
Vulnerability of Marginalized Communities: Scams often target individuals in marginalized groups, exploiting their unique fears and challenges.
Legal and Social Implications: The episode underscores the importance of legal awareness and the need for stricter regulations to combat sophisticated scams.

Notable Quotes

Laci Mosley (07:04): "Faced with a choice, she reconnected with Samantha Barbash... which was taking too long."
Monique Hart (33:02): "It's bullshit. And this is why more strip clubs need to be run by women."

Conclusion This episode of Fraud Friday offers a compelling exploration of the dark art of scamming, blending humor with serious discourse. Laci Mosley and Monique Hart provide listeners with both entertainment and valuable knowledge on identifying and understanding fraudulent schemes. As always, the Scam Goddess reminds her congregation to "stay scheming" in their vigilant pursuit against fraud.

Additional Information

Upcoming Content: The Scam Goddess TV show based on the podcast premieres on Freeform and Hulu on January 15th.
Stay Connected: Follow Laci Mosley on various social platforms and explore Monique Hart’s upcoming projects, including her skincare line Mo Beauty and her podcast Ace of Hearts.

Final Thoughts Whether you're a long-time listener or new to Scam Goddess, this episode provides essential insights into the mechanics of scamming, ensuring you're better equipped to recognize and protect yourself from fraudulent activities. Join Laci and Monique in their mission to unveil the humorous side of fraud while educating their audience on the serious ramifications of deceit.

Notable Quotes with Timestamps:

Monique Hart (02:13): "I'm intrigued by them. I like to know what they are to stay abreast and ahead of the bullshit."
Laci Mosley (10:01): "So, Cupcake, I don't know if you'll see this... one of the oldest Grindr scams..."
Laci Mosley (24:10): "So we gonna give y'all all the tea that you might not have gotten in the movie..."
Monique Hart (38:33): "Ketamine is like the new party drug..."
Laci Mosley (43:06): "So the women were charged with conspiracy, forgery, assault, and grand larceny..."

Stay Scheming!

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Transcript

Lacey Mosley (0:01)

Lavender is back at Starbucks. Put some spring in your cup with the iced lavender matcha. And now, here you go. Your iced lavender lattes are ready at Starbucks. Netcredit is here to say yes because you're more than a credit score. Apply in minutes and get a decision as soon as the same day. Loans offered by NetCredit or lending partner banks and serviced by NetCredit. Applications subject to review and approval. Learn more at netcredit.com partners. NetCredit Credit to the People. What's Poppin Congregation? It's YA 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 from behind the Paywall. Enjoy this episode from behind the Paywall. And as always, stay scheming scams.

Monique Hart (0:58)

Cause Robbery and Frau Scam Ca Rob.

Lacey Mosley (1:13)

Goddess. What's Poppin Congregation? It's your girl, Scam Goddess, AKA Lacy Mosley. And we're back for another installment of what Scam Goddess. Guys, if you're not watching icarly, please tune in. Help us get her coins. Okay, Paramount plus. Get Paramount plus. Stop playing with me. Okay? And, guys, I'm super. What? Yes. Excited. I know y'all said it with me. I love y'all. We friends, right? I love y'all. Guys. I'm super excited. I always am excited. We get the best guests on the show, bro. I got another RuPaul's Drag Race alum. Can you believe it? What a scam. We've had Trixie Mattel. We've had a bunch of RuPaul's Drag Race, like, icons. And so I'm into it. I'm so excited. But you also know this person from their skincare line, Mo Beauty, which you can be purchasing on the webs, on the Interwebs. Mo Beauty. Guys, we're talking about Monique Hart. Monique Hart is in the building. I do my own Jamaican air horn.

Monique Hart (2:13)

Is that what it is? The Jamaican air horn?

Lacey Mosley (2:15)

I live. Yes. So we do our own Jamaican air horn. And I wish that you guys could see Monique right now because she's giving. Like, this is a podcast that y'all getting through your ears. But just visualize a Babbage. Just know, like, she's giving. Like, this area that she's in, it's giving, you know, background, you know, the microphone. Her eyes are giving, the lashes are giving, the face is giving. The. All these eyeshadows are giving. Like. Yes. I'm so excited. Yes, yes, yes.

Monique Hart (2:42)

Okay, I'm just doing some makeup. Cause after sending some stuff for Ms. Rihanta for fantasy.

Lacey Mosley (2:50)

Lacey Mosley (20:28)

Get 785 because PayPal's like, oh, business. You said business. Oh, we need to cut a business. We gonna take a cut of the business. If that's your cousin, fine. But if it's business, then we. We need ours. PayPal's like, we need to get our things. So, guys, we're gonna take a quick break for some non scam advertisements. We'll be right back with historic hoodwinks. Okay, let's talk about hair. Y'all know when your hair kind of gets, like, greasy and. And you need to wash it, but you don't have time to wash it? Especially if you have a lot of hair. Y'all know that's a whole day. Enter Batiste Light. It's Batiste Lightest, driest shampoo. Batiste Light blends in seamlessly with your hair, leaving none of that white residue. And your hair looks clean and it feels clean. Okay. Plus, Batiste Light effectively absorbs oil and grease without weighing it down. It's a total game changer for amazing second or third day hair. Okay. And if you're black, you know, might be a little longer because, hello, I like Batiste Light because whenever my hair is feeling, like, greasy or oily, you know, when I've wrapped it too many times or whatever, I can put that in my hair and it kind of wakes it back up, you know what I mean? Without it looking white or powdery or, you know, like, I just put a bunch of baby powder in my. You know what I mean? Buy Petis Light Dry Shampoo online or in store at your nearest retailer. Some people get a haircut or book a spontaneous trip when life throws them a curveball. But Molly, she went a little further. After a life changing diagnosis, she drove headfirst into a world of no strings attached sex, secret rendezvous, forbidden affairs, sexcapades, and unforgettable adventures. It wasn't just about pleasure. It was about feeling alive, embracing desire, and rewriting her own story. And every wild, outrageous, heartfelt detail unfolds in Dying for Sex, Wondery's award winning podcast that's now a TV series starring Michelle Williams and Jenny Slate. But there's even more to the story. In brand new bonus episodes, host Nikki Boyer sits down with the cast to spill all the spicy details from behind the scenes moments to what it's like bringing Molly's unforgettable journey to life, desire, friendship, self discovery, and the ultimate bucket list of pleasure.

Lacey Mosley (36:10)

So faced with a choice, she reconnected with Samantha Barbash, a retired dancer, someone Rosie had known from hustlers before. Rosie notice that Samantha was Doing extraordinarily well by just bringing men into the club and keeping them entertained all night. Curious. By the time Samantha and Rosie started working together, Samantha had developed a long list of connections with hosts and clients. Rosie said, I started noticing these bitches make a lot of money and they don't even really work. Samantha had found some kind of loophole where I can get paid to not have to actually have sex. Okay, I would be interested too. Together they recruited two other friends of the dancers, Karina Pascucci and Marisa Rose. And then the only images we have of them is a mug shot to act as lures in the fishing scheme. Samantha would reach out and I'm not gonna post anyone's mug shot on the Instagram page. Sorry, guys, I'll post other stuff, but not mug shots. So Samantha would reach out to potential clients to meet up for drinks and have Karina or Marcy meet them. And then the others would show up to overwhelm the client with attention. Having hooked the mark, they then steer him to a club and encourage him to run up his credit card. Though deceptive, the practice wasn't illegal. However, after a time, the women found this method to be both time consuming and not generating enough money. So they said, look, we gotta go and woo this all night. We could be like, oh, you so cute. Oh, show us pictures of your kids. We won't tell your wife we love your Brooks Brother suit. That's a lot of work. They're like, this is taking too long. So here comes the illegality. So after spending thousands of dollars a night, many men expected more than a lap dance or conversation. You know, I mean, be. So Samantha and Rosie's solution was to hire sex workers to perform sex acts on them. Rosie and Samantha would source girls from Craigslist or Backpage. We know about Back Page too. And then give them makeovers with new clothes etiquette lessons to make them more acceptable for the increasingly high profile clientele. Additionally, sometimes the men would be too tired to go out or not interested in high or, you know, energy inducing drugs, and the night will become a bust. So basically they become like, oh, do you want to come out with us, Wall street daddy? And they'd be like, I'm tired. I worked all day. Okay, well, do you want some cocaine so you can wake up? I don't do cocaine. Well, all right. Well, damn. So Samantha's solution was to just sprinkle MDMA or ketamine into their drinks to get them going again. I thought ketamine was a horse tranquilizer. That made you like, pass it makes you.

Lacey Mosley (38:53)

Oh, I thought it was a horse tranquilizer that always go into a K hole. Okay, so maybe you can party on a little bit of ketamine. Listen, this is not a recommendation for y'all to get on. Yeah, okay. So the cocktail had an effect of keeping the men happy and technically conscious, but messed with their memory and essentially made them black out. Out. When the men would call weeks later, complaining about the tens of thousand dollars charged their car, they'd be reminded of the good time they had, but couldn't remember, supported by security camera footage. Before long, Samantha and Rosie were rolling in cash, dropping thousands of dollars on luxury shoes, cars, and living the lives they'd previously only dreamed of. So this is a downfall of the scheme. So this all makes sense. This like, they got him drugged up. They were like, you had a great time. Look at this camera. You was whipping your tie around like a helicopter. You know what I mean? You was like New York City, come on and raise. Take your tie off and twist it around the air like a helicopter. Like you was lit. We got footage, bro. So problems arose when tensions began between Samantha and Rosie and they grew. That's the thing. If you're scamming, if you're scamming in a group, you gotta keep the group together. Y'all can't branch off. You can't do no secret shit. That's how you will fall down. Listen, we talked about that with the college admissions scheme, they would have still been scheming colleges to this very day if one of them didn't go fucking rogue. You gotta keep the scam intact. Many of these clients had been permanently burned when the women maxed out their credit cards. And Samantha became more reckless in reaching out to strangers as well as recruiting unreliable girls. So Samantha's over here. Like, I'm just trying to get to the money, okay? Everybody mad because they should be at you, Samantha, you're getting messy. And also, like, I'm not saying in any way that we approve of drugging people. I don't care if they're men. I don't care if they're sleazy assholes. You shouldn't be Drugging people to manipulate them out of your money, that's not cool. So I don't fuck with that. The beginning of the scam, I did fuck with when y'all was just juicing them up and giving them confidence to spend money. But when you start drugging them, that's not, that's not ethical. That's not right. It's not right. So Rosie had issues with this saying, when I'm doing business with somebody, I want stand up people, not junkies and criminals, people that have morals and principles to scam the righteous. The women became less careful even once, only narrowly avoiding being caught by the DEA in a sting operation. The operation really blew up when the story of another victim, Dr. Zayad Unman, a New Jersey cologist, made papers. He had racked up 105 $30,000 bill at Scores, one of the women's clubs, and refused to pay, saying that the only way he would have spent that money is if he were drug curious. Because you probably were. The story made big headlines when Scores sued him, citing security camera footage as evidence that he actually spent the money. However, it was a spark that lit a fire. And when only four witnesses were willing to come forward with their experiences with the women, it was enough to finally catch them. So four. So basically somebody saw this story in the paper and they were like, wait a minute, this happened to me. I too don't remember giving these sexy bitches all my money. I too agree with this doctor cardiologist. So then they were after him. However, it was. So this is the spark that lit the fire. Right. The arrest started June 9, 2014, a couple months after Youngman's story came out. In a total, the scam ran for only a little less than a year. Wow. Because Samantha got greedy. Like you were saying earlier, Monique, when you get greedy, you gonna get caught. Absolutely. So Samantha was arrested first, which she should have been. Cause she was the messiest. So I'm sure they picked Samantha up easy. Samantha was like, hey, boo, you wanna come out with me tonight? Oh, look over there. A plane. And then she was sprinkling. She was sprinkling the drugs in their drink. She was like, oh my God, a naked woman. Look over there. Sprinkle, sprinkle, sprinkle. Where they got it right. She was like, oh, over there. A new investment deal. Sprinkle, sprinkle, sprinkle. So she got caught first. That's not surprising. The cops picked up Marcy and Karina next, and then Rosie was arrested last. The next time they were all reunited was Inside a cell at Rikers. Ooh, the prison. Prison.

Lacey Mosley (46:22)

Cause we interested. So Rosie's now working on a memoir. All right. That is the deep story, the deep cut of that hustler's movie that you probably didn't see in theaters. Alrighty then. A mess. Guys, we're gonna take a quick break for some non scam advertisements. We'll be back for the saddest part of the show. This is when I have to let Monique. Robbery. You hear that? Birds chirping in the air. Cause spring is upon us. And so is Quince. I know you have a spring travel itch. Whether it be with your family, some of them you hate. Whether it be with your besties, some of them you hate. You can put your foot on all of their necks with Quince's vacation season apparel. Like lightweight European linen styles from $30. Washable silk tops. You know I love those. Pair it with stylish tote bags to carry it all. And the best part, all Quint's Items are priced 50 to 80% less than similar brands. Passing the savings on to us. If you want to support the show and me, when you go to quints.com you better hit that slash. Got goddess. Amen. Treat yourself to the luxe upgrades you deserve from quinn's. Go to quinns.com goddess for 365 day returns plus free shipping on your order. That's Q-U-I-N-C-E.com goddess. To get free shipping and 365 day returns. Q U, I, N, C E. Goddess. Mom. Mom. You never know what's ahead. Honey, please stop. I'm trying to drive today. You're taking your kid for a drive, then before you know it, they're taking you for one. Honey, stop. Mom, I got it. At Credit One bank, we're here for what's ahead. That's why you can get cash back rewards on everyday purchases like gas. Credit One bank for what's ahead terms apply. Visit creditonebank.com for more details. And fraud. And now we're back, and it's time for the last segment of the show, Scammer of the Week. This is where we highlight a charlatan who we believe is worthy of our praise. Or maybe not. We'll know by the end. So scammer of the week is a Florida man. Oh, Lord. Y'all know when it's Florida, it's about to be a Mess. Who faces 104 felony counts after he allegedly lose. Used at least 28 people's personal information to create fake identities in order to purchase expensive items in area stores. Stores. Christopher crouch, 23. Oh. A young scammer would create. Oh, look at. Oh, oh, Christopher, you are. Your face look like a thumb. He ain't got no chin. Where the chin? Where's the chin? You know, when God made Christopher, he was like, oops, we've got the chin. Yeah. Did y'all put a chin in there? No, we didn't put a chin in there. Jesus. What? God. Did anybody put a chin on there? Nobody. Nobody. Christopher is a chinless man. Man. And, you know, he would create these fake identities, right? And he would create fake driver's licenses using the victim's information and his photograph. And then open bank accounts or credit cards at stores such as Dick's Sporting Goods, Home Depot, and Marshalls. So he was scamming on a budget.