Fraud Friday: The Rogue Runner of Princeton w/ Nimesh Patel

Summary

Podcast Summary: Scam Goddess – "Fraud Friday: The Rogue Runner of Princeton w/ Nimesh Patel"

Release Date: July 18, 2025

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Introduction

In this episode of Fraud Friday, Laci Mosley (also known as Scam Goddess) teams up with Nimesh Patel, a writer, producer, and comedian with a background in writing for Saturday Night Live and Better Call Saul. Together, they delve into tales of deception, personal experiences with scams, and the intriguing story of a notorious con artist known as the "Rogue Runner of Princeton."

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Segment 1: Guest Introduction and Personal Experiences with Scams

[02:42] Nimesh Patel: "Of course. Thank you for having me."

[04:21] Laci Mosley: "Yeah, technically it's still legal. It's just how companies like Lularoe can still operate even though you know they were making all those housewives get their homegirls involved in a Ponzi scheme."

Nimesh shares his early encounter with Vector Marketing, describing it as a pyramid scheme centered around selling Cutco knives. Although he acknowledges the quality of the knives, he quickly exits the venture upon realizing the recruitment-driven model.

[05:08] Laci Mosley: "Vector Marketing. Y'all need to get him back because he's still selling, he's still giving."

They discuss Lularoe, another company infamous for its MLM (Multi-Level Marketing) structure, highlighting the subtle line between legitimate business and deceptive schemes.

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Segment 2: Listener Story – Sheldon Bryant's Greek Scam

[07:46] Nimesh Patel: "Reminds me of going almost being robbed in Cape Town."

[13:55] Laci Mosley: "Sheldon says he was charged a thousand euros after being lured into a bar with promises of live music, only to find out it was a strip club. They opened a bottle of champagne, poured a free beer, and eventually, Sheldon couldn't leave without paying an inflated bill."

Sheldon’s story illustrates a classic scam tactic used overseas, where unsuspecting travelers are baited with free drinks and enticing offers, leading to exorbitant charges and financial loss.

[10:33] Nimesh Patel: "Make me a victim. Come on."

[12:19] Nimesh Patel: "This already sounds pretty problematic wherever this is going, right?"

The hosts emphasize the importance of vigilance when traveling, especially in foreign countries where scammers exploit cultural differences and vulnerabilities.

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Segment 3: Historic Hoodwings – The Tale of Alexi Santana

[20:39] Laci Mosley: "Most of the story was reported directly in David Samuels' 2001 New York article, 'The Runner'."

They recount the elaborate scam of Alexi Santana, a man who masqueraded as a top student and talented runner at Princeton University. His fraudulent persona included a high SAT score, a fabricated backstory of self-education in the Mojave Desert, and charm tactics like hosting wine and cheese gatherings to impress female freshmen.

Notable Quotes:

• [23:17] Nimesh Patel: "I did okay in school. I wouldn't say well. I mean, but I beat 1410. Princeton must have been a joke back then."

• [35:18] Nimesh Patel: "What a tangled web this guy has weaved, right?"

[40:08] Laci Mosley: "James Hogue was born in Wyandotte, Kansas, in 1959. He posed as a ranch hand, living in a storage locker, and deceived Princeton into awarding him a track scholarship."

Alexi’s deceptive actions escalated over the years, involving multiple identities, thefts, and continued fraud, ultimately leading to multiple arrests and prolonged prison sentences.

[46:38] Laci Mosley: "James Hogue was charged with theft by deception and three counts of forgery. He couldn't make bail and was moved to the Mercy County Correctional Center while awaiting trial."

The summary highlights Alexi Santana's repeated offenses, the role of investigative reporting in uncovering his deceit, and his inability to reform despite numerous encounters with the law.

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Segment 4: Scammer of the Week – The Red Power Ranger

[57:45] Laci Mosley: "The Red Power Ranger has been arrested by the FBI because of COVID-related fraud. I hope that they were in the red Power Ranger suit at the time. Say it's morphin time."

The hosts introduce a weekly feature spotlighting current scammers, in this case, an individual exploiting the COVID-19 pandemic through fraudulent activities related to government relief programs.

[59:07] Laci Mosley: "The group received more than $3.5 million across 16 separate small business loans and subsequently spent the money on various personal purchases. The scheme was allegedly led by two ringleaders, Michael Hill and Andrew Maran."

They critique the systemic issues that allow such scams to proliferate, emphasizing the need for stricter oversight and accountability in government programs.

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Conclusion

Throughout the episode, Scam Goddess and Nimesh Patel provide a blend of humor and insightful commentary on the nature of scams, personal anecdotes, and detailed historical cases. The discussion underscores the pervasive impact of fraud in various forms, from multinational schemes to individual cons, while maintaining an engaging and lighthearted tone.

Notable Closing Quote:

[62:23] Nimesh Patel: "I'm on TikTok, Instagram. All that on Findingmesh."

[63:07] Laci Mosley: "Stay scheming."

Listeners are encouraged to stay informed and vigilant against scams, leveraging the shared stories as both cautionary tales and sources of entertainment.

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Key Takeaways:

1. Understanding MLMs and Pyramid Schemes: Early discussions on Vector Marketing and Lularoe serve as examples of how seemingly legitimate businesses can harbor deceptive practices.

2. Travel Scams: Sheldon's experience in Greece highlights common tactics used to exploit tourists, emphasizing the importance of awareness and skepticism in unfamiliar environments.

3. Identity Theft and Fraudulent Personas: The detailed account of Alexi Santana showcases the complexity of long-term cons and the challenges in identifying and stopping fraudulent individuals.

4. Systemic Vulnerabilities: The Red Power Ranger's scam illustrates how large-scale events like the COVID-19 pandemic can create opportunities for sophisticated fraud schemes.

5. Humor and Education: By blending comedy with true crime elements, the podcast effectively educates listeners on various scams while keeping them entertained.

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For More Information:

• Listen to the Episode: Available on all major podcast platforms.
• Guest's YouTube Special: Thank You, China – Search for "thank you, China" on YouTube.
• Follow Scam Goddess: Instagram handle @Divalacy and other social platforms.

Stay tuned for more episodes every Tuesday, with classic episodes re-released every Friday. Don’t forget to subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ for ad-free and early access to new episodes.

Stay Scheming!

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Transcript

[Lacey Mosley]

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[Nimesh Patel]

Of course. Thank you for having me.

[Lacey Mosley]

Nimash. Normally I just hop right into it. But real quick, I'm just a little curious. Okay. Your special is called thank you, China.

[Nimesh Patel]

It is called thank youk Cha.

[Lacey Mosley]

Yes. But you're not Chinese, right?

[Nimesh Patel]

I'm definitely not Chinese.

[Lacey Mosley]

Okay, so I'm already interested there. And this can be found on YouTube.

[Nimesh Patel]

It's called. Yes, it's on YouTube. It's on my YouTube channel. It's called thank you, China because I'm giving away the joke. But I've been on this tour because of Tick Tock. And so a lot of people think I'm thanking China and like being like, subversive about them causing Covid, but really it's just TikTok. Not that at all. You know what I mean?

[Lacey Mosley]

Okay. I love that. I love a title. That's a scam.

[Nimesh Patel]

Exactly. It's. It's an unintended double entendre.

[Lacey Mosley]

Yes. Well, okay, Nimesh, what is your relationship with scams? We always ask everyone on this podcast, like, do you. Have you ever been scammed? Do you like them? Do you hate them? Where you at on the spectrum? It could be anything. You could tell me if you've been scammed.

[Nimesh Patel]

I think I've been scammed because I did Vector marketing when I was in middle school, which is like.

[Lacey Mosley]

Wait, wait, wait, you had a job in middle school?

[Nimesh Patel]

It wasn't middle school or high school. It would have been like very early in my teens.

[Lacey Mosley]

Okay.

[Nimesh Patel]

With this company called Vector Marketing, they sold Cutco knives.

[Lacey Mosley]

Mm. We love a Cutco.

[Nimesh Patel]

Yeah, so I think I did. I mean, I did that. And then like two days later someone's like, yo, that's like basically a pyramid scheme or whatever it is. So I was like, okay, let me get out of this thing. Because it's just like, sell knives and recruit other people to help sell knives. Just seem such a wild ass endeavor.

[Lacey Mosley]

Yeah, that's an MLM right there. But wait, did you ever go. Did you ever, like, pull up on anybody's crib, like, with the knives that.

[Nimesh Patel]

They go to your family first and so it's like your parents maybe My parents fucking support the show. I mean, they went and bought like the biggest set. We still have those knives. But that was like. That was my biggest sale was my parents.

[Lacey Mosley]

I'm a supportive parent. I feel like if you're a stand up or you do anything in comedy, like, God bless if you get supportive parents, because if not, it's very hard. Wait, so you were sold these knives to your family? Are the knives giving? Like, are the knives good?

[Nimesh Patel]

They are fantastic knives. That's the thing. They are, they're very good. That's a very good knife. I don't know if they're like Japanese steel or anything like that, but they are to do the job a lot better than regular knives.

[Lacey Mosley]

Okay, Vector marketing. Y' all need to get him back because he's still selling, he's still giving. He's still giving for the vector girls. I love that. I also love calling your company marketing when really you're like wanting people to like door to door sale or like.

[Nimesh Patel]

Exactly. That's what it is not. It's a beautiful. It's a beautiful thing they got going on and everyone knows about it, at least in Jersey. So they doing something legal, right?

[Lacey Mosley]

Yeah, technically it's still legal. It's just how like Lularoe can still operate even though they know that they were making all them housewives get their homegirls involved in a Ponzi scheme.

[Nimesh Patel]

I've never heard of this.

[Lacey Mosley]

So Lularoe is the company that makes all those ugly ass leggings. And basically they started being like, work from home queen. Be your own boss, girl, boss. And so they got women involved and it started with them just selling and having a little legging party. Like you pull up with a little rose and you buy yourself some heart shaped leggings.

[Nimesh Patel]

I had no idea this was going on.

[Lacey Mosley]

Yeah. But then slowly Lularoe started being like, okay, yeah, it's cute to sell the leggings, but what if y' all also got your friends involved and your family and took out mortgages on your home? What about that? What about that? And so that's. That's what they would do. Well, let's get into our first segment here. What's hot and fraud. This is where we warn our listeners about popping scams and the zeitgeist or more or not. We get a letter from you guys. 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. I need a fake name for this person.

[Nimesh Patel]

Sheldon Bryant.

[Lacey Mosley]

Sheldon Bryant. Oh, okay. I like that. Sheldon Bryant. All right, well, Sheldon says that reminds me of like young Sheldon.

[Nimesh Patel]

Should I tell you the inspiration behind the name?

[Lacey Mosley]

Yes, tell me the inspiration behind the name real quick while I grab this letter.

[Nimesh Patel]

The first name of the author of the book on my desk and the last name of another author. That's a book on my sill over there.

[Lacey Mosley]

So you really just did the movie thing where you look around and you just name two objects. Like Mrs. Doubtfire, I'm fucking Kaiser Soze. I appreciate the level of diligence for that. I appreciate that energy for sure. All right, so Sheldon says I recently traveled to Greece for a month. I am a small and blonde, so in Greece people look at me as a mark from across the damn street. After a hike, a really nice in quotes old man approached me on the street and said that he owns a bar down the street that there was going to be live music happening soon.

[Nimesh Patel]

Ooh, sounds enticing.

[Lacey Mosley]

Have you, have you ever gone anywhere like by yourself, like to another country?

[Nimesh Patel]

Yes, I've been to several different countries alone for work and.

[Lacey Mosley]

Right, because you travel for Stand Up. Yeah.

[Nimesh Patel]

No, for. This was before, before I started. Not before I started, but before I started performing for Stand Up. I used to work for a company that invested in sub Saharan Africa and we saw I would go to like.

[Lacey Mosley]

You were selling back cocoa knives.

[Nimesh Patel]

Exactly. That's exactly right. Kenya, Ghana, South Africa. So I got, almost got robbed back and bringing it back to have I ever been scammed in another country?

[Lacey Mosley]

Really?

[Nimesh Patel]

I almost got, I almost got robbed in Cape Town.

[Lacey Mosley]

So how, what, what happened? How, what does the almost robbery look like? Put your hands up. Nevermind like what happened?

[Nimesh Patel]

I was taking a walk around my hotel. Three people, two dudes and a lady like ran up on me and then like two of them like felt me out and they realized I didn't have anything and they just kept walking.

[Lacey Mosley]

Oh wow. Yeah, so they just kind of like rubbed on you were like no thanks.

[Nimesh Patel]

It didn't feel sexual.

[Lacey Mosley]

Okay, that's good, I'm glad.

[Nimesh Patel]

Like they were sizing me up to see if I had any. Like they didn't touch anywhere for real, but it just felt like they're checking my pockets trying to run them.

[Lacey Mosley]

That's interesting because normally when people like are like run me the pockets, they just you know, let you take things out. You know, the robbery's like, okay, I'm getting my wallet. You're like shaking or whatever, but I've never heard of someone like just doing a quick pat down to see if you have things broad daylight. Wowzers. Were you like really scared in that moment?

[Nimesh Patel]

I was just confused.

[Lacey Mosley]

Okay.

[Nimesh Patel]

Because I know Cape Town's a dangerous place, but if you're going to get robbed, like if you get touched like that, you think like the way they like ran up on me. I thought they were just going to rob me. So like why didn't they rob you.

[Lacey Mosley]

See, it sounds like there's a little regret there. You're like, why did. They didn't think I was good enough to rob?

[Nimesh Patel]

Like, wow. I just remain. I remain perplexed as to what they didn't think I had in my pocket.

[Lacey Mosley]

Y' all don't think I got money. Y' all just gonna pass on me like that? Exactly the disrespect.

[Nimesh Patel]

I'm an American citize.

[Lacey Mosley]

You calling after him. I'm from America. I have a lot of money. Yeah, y' all should rob me. What's wrong with y'? All?

[Nimesh Patel]

Kidnap me, please.

[Lacey Mosley]

I feel like that's right. You don't want me to. You don't want to kidnap me. I always felt that way. People would talk to my mom about, like, oh, well, you know, the kids are getting abducted. And like, my mom was like, they're not gonna abduct Lacey. They would bring her right back. They not. And I was like, really? I think I'm very adoptable. Wow, that's a great.

[Nimesh Patel]

It's a great quality to have to not be abductible.

[Lacey Mosley]

It is. Truly is. But I would definitely be calling after them, like, why did you rob me? Because that's more disrespectful than the robbery. At least then I understand, like, you need the money. I have it. You taking it from me. But if you just pass, like, I don't know. That hurts my self esteem for you.

[Nimesh Patel]

Make me a victim. Come on.

[Lacey Mosley]

Please take my things. They're very nice, I promise. My God. Well, I'm sorry, right? I'm sorry that happened to you, but that is a funny story to tell after you're separated from the event, because that's really wild. I'm glad you didn't get robbed, even though I do think that you are very worthy of robbery. Voice alone.

[Nimesh Patel]

Thank you very much.

[Lacey Mosley]

If I could Little Mermaid you, I would in a heartbeat. I would take your voice.

[Nimesh Patel]

If I see you on the street, I would be concerned.

[Lacey Mosley]

That's what I want for you. That's what I want for everybody when they leave the podcast. Just be a little concerned when you see me the next time. So Sheldon says that I followed him to the bar because, I mean, like, the guy did say they had live music. And I don't want to hear no damn live music in Los Angeles because I live here. But if I'm out of town, like, oh, yeah, I'm trying to cha cha.

[Nimesh Patel]

Yeah.

[Lacey Mosley]

You know, in a grease bar. And, you know, so I followed him into the bar they had, the bartender poured me a free in quotes. I don't like when freezing quotes. That feels like it's probably not gonna be good. A free beer. The bartender also poured herself a drink. And we sipped and we chatted. Then another lady came and sat and poured herself a drink as well. They were super into talking to me, which I had. Has to be a red flag, because as a bisexual boy. It isn't. I'm not the type to garner the attention from good looking women to that show that I say, how do you think these women were gonna know you was bisexual?

[Nimesh Patel]

Yeah, Right. It's not like she's wearing it on his sleeves.

[Lacey Mosley]

Right? You got a T shirt on that says bisexual. Like, I don't think they're gonna know. Right. Equal opportunity. I can say that I am a bisexual. We are the most annoying part of the LGBTIQA plus and everybody knows it. And it's fine. We will do better. We won't.

[Nimesh Patel]

This already sounds pretty problematic wherever this is going, right?

[Lacey Mosley]

Because like, they're. They're drinking. I don't know. Right now for me, I'm like, they're drinking, they're having fun. They're chatting. You're in a new city. You're right.

[Nimesh Patel]

What I heard, if I heard correctly, Sheldon let someone else pour him a drink.

[Lacey Mosley]

A free beer. Yeah, but it's a bar. That's the place where you are very suspicious.

[Nimesh Patel]

I'm immediately suspicious of anyone offering me anything in a foreign country.

[Lacey Mosley]

Right. You pouring me a drink at this establishment that pours drinks. That's your job.

[Nimesh Patel]

That's the thing about growing up in the United States. You don't. There's a lack of trust among every. At least it feels like you just don't trust anybody. At least that's what's in the air right now.

[Lacey Mosley]

Right? That's true.

[Nimesh Patel]

Someone's like, you want a drink? Like, who are you?

[Lacey Mosley]

Who are you? They're like, I work at this Applebee's. Came over to take your order.

[Nimesh Patel]

I brought my own.

[Lacey Mosley]

You can't do that. You can't do that in the establishment. This is a restaurant, sir. This is a Wendy's. You can't bring you all chicken nuggets. No. I love this for you staying safe no matter what. So Sheldon says, I tried to leave after an hour, but they opened up a bottle of champagne and poured me a glass. 1.5 hours later, she brought me the check and it came out to a thousand euros, which is about 1100 USD because our money is week. This Is what Sheldon says. I'm gonna try to reenact this. I think it's on beat. I only had three drinks. That's what's in here.

[Nimesh Patel]

I think I heard it perfectly. I know exactly what Sheldon's saying.

[Lacey Mosley]

So come to find out, they were charging the bartender's drinks, the other lady who has sat down next to me's drinks, and Lord knows who else's drinks to my tab without me knowing. The bouncer blocked the door and wouldn't let me leave till I paid. I went negative in my bank account and he disputed the charge with my bank. Or I disputed the charge with my bank. And I also later found out that this was a strip club. Like, what in the damn hell am I doing here at 4pm on a Thursday?

[Nimesh Patel]

I mean.

[Lacey Mosley]

And worst of all, there was no live music. That's the worst part. Shelby, I don't think that's the worst part here.

[Nimesh Patel]

I mean, none of that looks. I agree kind of with Sheldon a little bit if that's the worst part there.

[Lacey Mosley]

I mean, you were promised live music. That's true. There better at least be somebody singing, like, the worst version of Loving youg by Minnie Riperton. Acapella. Or with some drums or something. That's what I deserve.

[Nimesh Patel]

Something. Something Greek.

[Lacey Mosley]

Right?

[Nimesh Patel]

It's just wild that. I mean, that's such a funny scam that these people ran.

[Lacey Mosley]

I mean, it's obviously something that they do often. And Sam Richardson was on the pod and he talked about a time that he was doing job overseas. And he said that a beautiful woman, like, led him to a bar and, like, he had a bunch of drinks and they shook him down too, like, very similar to this. So I'm starting to think that this is a very common overseas scam. Like, if someone's like, hey, alone person.

[Nimesh Patel]

Right?

[Lacey Mosley]

Come on down to this bar, come over. We got live music, live daytime strippers, which are much like daytime tv, just not as good as the nighttime tv.

[Nimesh Patel]

Oh, my goodness. It's such a beautiful skin.

[Lacey Mosley]

I feel like daytime strippers, you know, they're just in there to get their check real quick. They gotta pick their kids up from carpool. You know, they're just, like, half shaking they ass. It's like it's four o', clock, right?

[Nimesh Patel]

They're there to eat.

[Lacey Mosley]

Yeah. If there are specials. When you go to the strip club. Yeah. You're not getting the best experience.

[Nimesh Patel]

I feel. I don't know. How much do we. How much do you think Sheldon deserves some blame here?

[Lacey Mosley]

I mean, look, Sheldon just Went to an attraction, as we all do, and had some drinks and thought that he was meeting the locals. I don't know.

[Nimesh Patel]

I feel like Sheldon lived in a sheltered life. I don't know if that's too judgmental.

[Lacey Mosley]

But yeah, we don't judge on this podcast.

[Nimesh Patel]

I'm just saying, it's like.

[Lacey Mosley]

Mr. Patel, we don't judge on this podcast.

[Nimesh Patel]

Okay, fine, listen, I removed my judgment.

[Lacey Mosley]

But I will say that, like, it's good to know these things. And if you don't know and you're listening now, you know or you've been reminded. Like, if people are. If it's too good to be true, guys, it probably is. If someone's targeting you on the street because you look different. Like anytime you go to a foreign city, guys, don't look around. Like, look straight ahead, look down. Because people who are looking around like, wowzers. Like people are automatically thinking that you're not from there.

[Nimesh Patel]

I, you know, this is all. Let me caveat what I said with another story.

[Lacey Mosley]

Yes, please.

[Nimesh Patel]

And that is. I was in Peru in 2007 and we, my friend and I traveled there together and we were staying at a hostel.

[Lacey Mosley]

Yeah.

[Nimesh Patel]

And into this hostel was this.

[Lacey Mosley]

No way. I have that question about the hostel. Was the hostel given, like, cute and clean or was it given like we all. Okay, yes.

[Nimesh Patel]

No, it was a, it was a well reviewed hostel. Like, the people, the hosts were great. It was like all without parameters.

[Lacey Mosley]

It wasn't like sleep with your backpack in between your legs and like a little baby knife and whatnot.

[Nimesh Patel]

I've seen those hostels. But that's not, that's not where we're at. Anyway, walks in and it kills me to this day that I don't fully remember his name. But he has. I have his email. So I'm going to say it's like Kung. I think this man from.

[Lacey Mosley]

What? Say that again. What was it?

[Nimesh Patel]

I think it's Kung.

[Lacey Mosley]

Kung.

[Nimesh Patel]

Yeah.

[Lacey Mosley]

Good. With a G. Okay. That's not what I heard.

[Nimesh Patel]

I'm sorry.

[Lacey Mosley]

I was like. His name was Kuhn. No. So Coug. Got it. Okay.

[Nimesh Patel]

Yeah, yeah. From Taiwan.

[Lacey Mosley]

Okay.

[Nimesh Patel]

And he didn't speak a drop of English.

[Lacey Mosley]

Okay.

[Nimesh Patel]

Let alone Spanish.

[Lacey Mosley]

Okay. So we broke fish out of water.

[Nimesh Patel]

And he had like this. I can tell you, it's like probably like a 800 camera around his neck. And the entire time we were just like, bro, what are you doing? Like, you got a camera. You walk around brewing. Like he, he's just smiles the entire time. He's like just having. No, no, he's just. He's having the greatest time of his life. And me and my boy just like, this motherfucker's nuts. He's gonna get his kill. But, like, the entire time, he had the greatest time. Like, went with everybody. Nothing happened to him. He ended up in the Amazon for three days. Went just, like, randomly to the Amazon with 800 camera on his neck, came back unscathed and just had like. And we're just like, what? This guy lives just, like, so beautifully. You know what I mean? And so, like, you know, this Sheldon is living a very beautiful life and, like, trusting people. And I wish I could do that. It just seems like maybe it's my flaw that I'm not like, man, let me just go hang out with these brand. Of course, strangers are great. Like, why wouldn't they be? And then come to find out, you get the rug pulled in the worst way possible. You know, that's like, how I would feel.

[Lacey Mosley]

Yo. I feel like I'm on your side, though. I feel the exact same way. Like, I wish that I could be like, coug and I could be out here smiling and shit and looking around and enjoying the view. But, you know, I'm always like, if I'm on vacation, it's like, smile on the inside. Be excited.

[Nimesh Patel]

Yeah, exactly. That's exactly right. And I think Sheldon is more like coon, and I admire that about him.

[Lacey Mosley]

I do, too. I wish I could do that. Cause I can't and I won't. But I do think that we keep each other. I can't and I refuse. It's something I realized that I could change about myself. And I simply won't.

[Nimesh Patel]

I won't. Exactly. Like, we're all flawed people.

[Lacey Mosley]

We are. But some flaws are worth keeping. So I'm gonna keep my hold onto that one real tight as well. In addition to you. Okay. You ain't gonna catch me out here having a good time in another country. Okay? I'm gonna wait till I get to my hotel room and I'm gonna turn off the lights. Then I'm gonna smile.

[Nimesh Patel]

Exactly. Put my passport in the seat. And then.

[Lacey Mosley]

Right? And then I laugh at something that I thought was funny, like, 12 hours ago, but it was not appropriate to laugh.

[Nimesh Patel]

I'm not cracking a smile.

[Lacey Mosley]

Right. You ain't gonna catch me out here slipping with some joy. Oh, the fuck you think this is? All right, guys, we're gonna take a quick break for some non scam advertisements, and we'll be back with the most fun part of the show. Historic Hoodwings scams.

[Nimesh Patel]

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[Lacey Mosley]

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[Nimesh Patel]

1410.

[Lacey Mosley]

Wait, were you really into school? Did you do well in school?

[Nimesh Patel]

I did okay in school. I wouldn't say well. I mean, but I beat 14 10. Princeton must have been a joke back then.

[Lacey Mosley]

First of all, not you saying I did okay in school and then being like, 1410 is a joke. Like, that's above average score for the original sat.

[Nimesh Patel]

I'm saying for Princeton.

[Lacey Mosley]

Okay, yes, that's. That's true. But he also has a Hispanic sounding surname, and he came from almost nothing. So this is editorialized. I didn't say this because I hate when people are like, oh, you only got in here because you was brown and you took the white person's spot. And it's like, bro, you had to beat all the white people. That ain't my fault. Like, they took your spot.

[Nimesh Patel]

Right, Exactly.

[Lacey Mosley]

Don't look at me like I. Like, I don't know where that weird fantasy came from, but I feel like when us, like, people of color, when we get a job, they'd be like, they just took the job from the one white person who was this close.

[Nimesh Patel]

That happens. Yeah, that happened. It's so. It's so funny that that happened.

[Lacey Mosley]

It was gon be my job. But then your black ass showed up and it's like, no, Chad stole your job, bro. You got to go fight with him. Y' all gotta go to the country club and fight each other. That ain't got nothing to do with me. So according to his personal essay, he was a ranch hand who educated himself in the Mojave desert.

[Nimesh Patel]

Okay, this is all in his essay.

[Lacey Mosley]

Yes, he was in the.

[Nimesh Patel]

His admission essay. I was a ranch hand.

[Lacey Mosley]

Right. So did they have good wi fi in the Mojave?

[Nimesh Patel]

What is a ranch hand?

[Lacey Mosley]

How is he educating himself? So a ranch hand is like, I'm assuming I'm not from the South. So there's lots of farms and ranches. So ranch is where the animals are. Right. So he was probably helping feed the pigs in the morning or whatnot.

[Nimesh Patel]

Got it. Yeah. Maybe cutting wood or whatever it is. Whatever they do on the ranch. What are they doing on a ranch?

[Lacey Mosley]

You can tell Neither of us has any outdoor experience. Cutting wood.

[Nimesh Patel]

Yeah.

[Lacey Mosley]

Not even chopping it. Thank you, Judith. Super producer just stepped in and said that ranch hands take care of livestock. Just want to point out that that's essentially what I said. So I do need knowing things. Maybe sometimes they also be cutting wood, not chopping it. Cutting it.

[Nimesh Patel]

Look, I don't know much about nature.

[Lacey Mosley]

Come on, y'. All. We're going to the forest. We finna cut some wood. Get them cut.

[Nimesh Patel]

Cos what else you do in the woods, huh?

[Lacey Mosley]

Yeah. So he slept outside, herded cattle and read Play DOH under the stars. This sounds fake.

[Nimesh Patel]

It's like a romance now, right?

[Lacey Mosley]

Nancy Myers, is that you? Play DOH under the stars. Which. How much light can you get from stars? I don't think. Enough to read a book?

[Nimesh Patel]

No, no, certainly not. But then again, I don't know. Have you ever been anywhere you could see a lot of stars?

[Lacey Mosley]

Actually have recently? Well, like a year ago, I was doing this sketch with Jesse Williams and I went outside. Cause it was like a night shoot, and it was just us. And I was looking up at the sky and I could see the stars in Malibu. And then he started pointing out all the constellations and I was like, am I in just. Am I in Grey's Anatomy? What's happening?

[Nimesh Patel]

That's amazing.

[Lacey Mosley]

It really was.

[Nimesh Patel]

It's like when you see stars, you're like, oh, my God.

[Lacey Mosley]

Because it's so rare if you live in a city.

[Nimesh Patel]

Yeah, but the point being, they shed a lot of light. Maybe did read underneath the stars. I believe this right now.

[Lacey Mosley]

Okay. Maybe the moon was giving.

[Nimesh Patel]

Yeah. If I'm a Princeton University admissions officer and I'm hearing this story so far, I'm hearing. I'm liking what I hear.

[Lacey Mosley]

Right. It feels like he would be a great person to invite to one of those bougie college salons, you know, where they have the salon and it's just a bunch of, like, overly educated people in a room sipping, like, Pinot Noir and waxing poetic.

[Nimesh Patel]

I've never been, but I want to go. That sounds awesome.

[Lacey Mosley]

You would do great at a salon. You got some great stories.

[Nimesh Patel]

I would sit in a corner and make fun of everyone.

[Lacey Mosley]

So his mother was an artist dying of leukemia in Switzerland. And his father had died years before while he was applying. Alexi lived in a strange or storage locker in St. George, Utah. Okay, so he was living in a storage locker. How do you get mail?

[Nimesh Patel]

This guy?

[Lacey Mosley]

I mean, like, if Princeton gives you an acceptance letter. Cause back in the day, it was paper. It wasn't like an email. Like, how you getting mail?

[Nimesh Patel]

Yeah. What's his zip code at this? At this?

[Lacey Mosley]

He's like, I'm in the door 4. Like, what are you putting on the letter? I'm confusion. So in addition to his colorful background, Alexi was also a top class Runner and was invited to school to prove it. Several weeks later, Alexi had his Princeton acceptance letter with a track scholarship in hand. Unfortunately, Alexi had to defer his acceptance to Princeton's by a year, as he had to go to Switzerland to take care of his mother. The following year, Alexi came back on time and moved in with two other roommates, Ben and someone, an AV Shlom. They were intrigued by Lexi's background and curious living habits. Like the storage locker. But. But. So he said he's at Princeton, right? Yeah, he's sleeping on the floor at Princeton. And mind you, they have dorms there with the bed included. They don't make you bring your byob. You don't have to bring your own bed. But he's still sleeping on the floor. And he had no photos of his friends or family, despite his mother recently passing. Now, I don't think that's that weird because I don't really have photos of my friends or family around my house.

[Nimesh Patel]

Yeah, but that's because you have them all on your phone.

[Lacey Mosley]

That's true. That's true. I mean, when. This is, like, so weird, but it's a scam that a lot of black people do when they're selling homes is like, they take out all of the photos of black people, like, in the house so that people don't, like, come in with lower offers or don't want to buy the house because they think that black people used to live there.

[Nimesh Patel]

Oh. I mean, that's not a scam. That's just. That's just good. Good on them. I mean, whatever you need to do to get the best price out of your house.

[Lacey Mosley]

So we did that once, I think, when we were gonna sell the house. And then after that, the photos just never came back for years. So there were years in my house where there were literally no photos. My mom just forgot to put them back, so our house just looked like a show home.

[Nimesh Patel]

Oh, that's sad.

[Lacey Mosley]

Wow. Wow.

[Nimesh Patel]

I wish she put them back. I wish she put them back up for you.

[Lacey Mosley]

I think she did. Recently, I did see a photo of me and my grandma, and there's a photo of me in the closet in one of the guest bedrooms, which I was like, ma', am, can you please put this on display? Every time I come home, the photo is still in the closet. And there's a photo of my mom from her wedding by herself. My dad's not in it. It's just her, like, looking cute. And that's what's in the guest bedroom. Ma' AM.

[Nimesh Patel]

That is fantastic. Sidebar. That reminds me, I have to get a bunch of family photos printed.

[Lacey Mosley]

Oh, yes, you do. And hang up around your house so that they know they're loved. I love that for you. What city are you in?

[Nimesh Patel]

I'm in Brooklyn.

[Lacey Mosley]

Okay. You do give Brooklyn. You give very much New York energy.

[Nimesh Patel]

Good. Thank you.

[Lacey Mosley]

Is that where you finally. Is that where you were born?

[Nimesh Patel]

No, I'm from Jersey.

[Lacey Mosley]

Okay. See, that's. Those energies are quite similar. Very. No, nonsense.

[Nimesh Patel]

Yeah. I still. I don't think. I don't think any true New Yorker would ever consider themselves a New Yorker if they came from New Jersey.

[Lacey Mosley]

So it's like, which one are you trying to claim?

[Nimesh Patel]

Neither. It's almost impossible.

[Lacey Mosley]

Okay.

[Nimesh Patel]

It's like, I lived here for 20 years.

[Lacey Mosley]

Okay, then you're a New Yorker.

[Nimesh Patel]

It's like a New Yorker 22 kind of situation. No New Yorker could ever be a real New Yorker if they weren't born in New York.

[Lacey Mosley]

Okay, fair. Fair. Then. Then get your Jersey Turnpike on and go to the shore.

[Nimesh Patel]

Get my Jersey Turnpike.

[Lacey Mosley]

Okay. Do you go to the shore? Have you ever been to the shore with Snooki in them?

[Nimesh Patel]

I haven't been to the beach in years.

[Lacey Mosley]

When's the last time you hung out with Snooki, homegirl?

[Nimesh Patel]

I haven't seen her. I haven't seen Snooki since she left television, I guess. Like, is she still, like, a.

[Lacey Mosley]

She's still out here. I don't know what she doing now, but she's still out here. She probably got a makeup line. You know how the girls do.

[Nimesh Patel]

Good on her.

[Lacey Mosley]

So while his roommates and other students speculated about their mysterious peer, Alexi continued to run 10 miles a day and make straight A's in his classes. He also earned a reputation as a talented and brilliant ladies man. Do we have a picture of Alexi? Is he giving Sexy Alexi to sexy. He a ladies man also? Like, what does that even mean? They just started calling him mister. What does that mean?

[Nimesh Patel]

He probably just had a different girl every day of the week.

[Lacey Mosley]

Oh, I guess so. Lots of. So he'd invited groups of freshmen women to attend wine and cheese gatherings in his room on a weekly basis where he'd regale them with stories of adventures earning him the nickname Sexy Alexi. Wait, I was right. Oh, my God.

[Nimesh Patel]

That's him.

[Lacey Mosley]

Yes, and we were just joking about a salon. But Alexi was really having salons in his dorm room.

[Nimesh Patel]

What a hero.

[Lacey Mosley]

And, like, I won't lie, if I was in college or when I Was in college, like, at that young age, if someone invited me to a salon with some wine and cheese, like just another student, I'd be like, oh, you fancy? He like, okay.

[Nimesh Patel]

And he's crushing it, right?

[Lacey Mosley]

I'm like, what is this? Grew rear? I would have been impressed.

[Nimesh Patel]

Oh, yeah? Yeah. Any person. I mean, when I. I went to Here's a scam 2005, I went to Columbia University summer camp for high school students. And it was. It's basically a summer camp for people whose parents think it'll help them get into the college.

[Lacey Mosley]

So do you have to pay for the summer camp?

[Nimesh Patel]

Yes.

[Lacey Mosley]

Okay. A little. A little bit scammy up top.

[Nimesh Patel]

And it ends up being. I mean, I'm sure it's a great experience for people who make the most of it in terms of pestering professors and stuff, you know, really. But for, I think, majority of it, it was like, people just spent, like, that much money to go to that camp, and then no one got into Columbia. Right? And we're all just like, what the fuck was this?

[Lacey Mosley]

Welcome to Columbia camp. Today we will be re renovating the dorm room.

[Nimesh Patel]

Exactly. It was. We were just like, wait. Afterward, you know, we spent the entire. But it's worth. It was worth every penny in the sense I got to make some of my friends who are, like, lifelong friends now, but it was the first time I'd ever been to New York City that long by myself. So it's worth it in that sense. That was, like, very cool, but it was definitely a scam.

[Lacey Mosley]

Did you apply to Columbia? And they were like, who is this?

[Nimesh Patel]

Of course. Of course I applied to Columbia. And they're like, no.

[Lacey Mosley]

They're like, hello?

[Nimesh Patel]

You were stupid enough to fall for that. You're not getting it.

[Lacey Mosley]

Columbia camp. We don't even run one of those. What are you talking about?

[Nimesh Patel]

That's the first test. It's the first test. You failed.

[Lacey Mosley]

Yo. That was a brilliant scam on Columbia's part to be like, well, how do we get these dorm rooms full in the summer? How we can get some extra coin going. Oh, we'll bring all these kids up.

[Nimesh Patel]

That shit was wild.

[Lacey Mosley]

But, I mean, that is kind of the scam of college, too, is like, you get to be incubated as a baby adult and also meets some of your best friends and go into crippling debt for it.

[Nimesh Patel]

If colleges marketed themselves as friendship factories, they could charge, like, an infinitely more amount of money.

[Lacey Mosley]

You're right. You're absolutely right. Do you want to turn up with your friends and Your mama not there. College.

[Nimesh Patel]

Exactly.

[Lacey Mosley]

So literally what it is. So on February 16, 1991, a senior at Yale named Renee Pacho attended the Harvard Yale Princeton track meet in New Haven in she noticed that a sophomore on the Princeton team looked familiar. When their eyes met, she recognized J. Mitchell Huntsman, a stranger who had attended Palo Alto High School with her in 1985. Jay Huntsman, who called himself Revec, was also a talented runner. According to his classmates, Jay grew up on a commune in Nevada and educated himself growing up. H. Sounds interesting because we know somebody else who grew up as a ranch hand in the Mojave Desert, who educated his himself under the night sun, AKA the moon.

[Nimesh Patel]

What a tangled web this guy's weaved, right?

[Lacey Mosley]

So this person's parents died in an accident in Bolivia, and he decided to complete his education at Palo Alto High School, California, before applying to Stanford. Things stopped adding up when Jay entered the Stanford Stanford Invitational meet cross country race. He had a spectacular win, but never reported to the officials. Table 1 reporter Jason Cole found it suspicious and began to investigate further into J. Mitchell Huntsman. He found a birth certificate matching the birthplace of Jay and that he spoke of. However, Jay Huntsman died of pneumonia two days after he was born.

[Nimesh Patel]

This guy stole a infant's identity.

[Lacey Mosley]

I mean, we don't know yet. We just kind of took a. We took a little turn here. I'm on the ride with you. I don't know. I don't know what's going on, but I. I would argue that you're probably on to something.

[Nimesh Patel]

He should. He sounds like he. I don't want to like, give shine to a criminal, but I feel like I'm rooting for Scarface right now.

[Lacey Mosley]

Listen, I love to shout out a criminal. That's what this podcast is about. So don't ever be scared. Don't ever be afraid. We can change our opinions if he does something nasty and bad, but so far it sounded fun, it sounded light. So, yeah, the dead Jay Huntsman is out here running races even though he been dead for a long time. You know when you dead, you just be entering Stanford Invitationals. You know how you do that when you. You know how you do that when you did.

[Nimesh Patel]

It takes. It takes a lot to get into.

[Lacey Mosley]

Stanford, so it takes a lot. You need to actually be dead and resurrect yourself and run fast to get into Stanford.

[Nimesh Patel]

Conjured a ghost.

[Lacey Mosley]

So Cole reported. This is the nosy reporter. We got a hater on our hands who is now like, let me dig into this man. Because he's weird. Like, Cole, why are you so, so nosy? Just let this dead man run his race. Why are you bothering him?

[Nimesh Patel]

She was bored.

[Lacey Mosley]

Let him rest in peace. Robbery.

[C]

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 all, it's off camera. 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.

[D]

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[Lacey Mosley]

So Cole reported his findings back to Palo Alto High, and after admitting that his real name was J. James took off. I like that James could run fast. So he probably literally took off, right? Just a cloud of dust. She was like, James Jay, hello.

[Nimesh Patel]

You look and he's gone.

[Lacey Mosley]

That's what I want people to do when they get caught up in lies. I wish that one time in my life, if I catch a liar, you know, and I confront them, that they would just run away.

[Nimesh Patel]

That would be so funny.

[Lacey Mosley]

Right? Don't try to gaslight me. Don't try to argue with me. Just run. Just start, take off running.

[Nimesh Patel]

At least give me a laugh, right?

[Lacey Mosley]

Don't waste my time with arguing these lies. Just, just run away. That's funny. I just have like that, Everybody try that at home. If you're a liar, write in to the show. Just try it. Next time you get caught in a lie, just run away.

[Nimesh Patel]

I, I, I hope half of that for you. Yeah, I don't want anyone to lie to you, but someone running away from you for getting caught in lie would be pretty funny.

[Lacey Mosley]

It would be pretty hilarious.

[Nimesh Patel]

However you want that to happen.

[Lacey Mosley]

So certain that this, that she had seen Jay James at this track meet. James former classmate Renee told Cole of her sighting. So this is one of the former classmates at the Palo Alto High School. She done clocked him at the track meet just to catch everybody up. Then she reaches out to the nosy reporter and she's like, I just saw James running again, like he always does. So Cole immediately told Princeton and it was discovered that Alexi Santana. You were right. Was in fact James Hogue. Also Jay, who was the baby who died.

[Nimesh Patel]

I watched a lot of svu.

[Lacey Mosley]

It's always a person with the name that is biggest in the credits that did the thing. So he claimed that he was a homeschooled 19 year old ranch hand, but really he was a 31 year old. Exactly. Con with an arrest record in Utah. Oh, no.

[Nimesh Patel]

Oh, man.

[Lacey Mosley]

Okay, this gives me new context to the wine and cheese salon with the freshmen, which if these are freshmen girls, they can't be more than 18. 19. 18.

[Nimesh Patel]

19 years old.

[Lacey Mosley]

Maybe 20 years of age, maybe. But 18, 19 is really it. Maybe 17. I graduated high school when I was 17. So now. James Hawk, I'm not on your side. You are a nasty man. Because why Math is off.

[Nimesh Patel]

Fifth.

[Lacey Mosley]

The math is not math. And you are 31. Why are you having wine and cheese nights with children?

[Nimesh Patel]

Right?

[Lacey Mosley]

What's going on, James? You're nasty. I don't like you. Also, you're 31 and no one noticed.

[Nimesh Patel]

I mean, yeah, at some point, like, this is like if someone, like if 31 year. I think, like if you're 19, you're 20. You don't realize when someone's 31. It's only when you're in your 30s.

[Lacey Mosley]

You're like, this is 31.

[Nimesh Patel]

31. I'm 36. So if I see, if I. I can see the disparity, right?

[Lacey Mosley]

I can, I can clock a 30. I'm 30. So I can clock a 30 year old. I'm like. I'm like, something here is giving 30. Something's giving knee pain. I know it.

[Nimesh Patel]

19 year olds are still like whatever. Some just looks old, right? Or he's been. He's lived the life.

[Lacey Mosley]

But my freshman year in college, I could count the times that I drank alcohol. I was such a square. But like, honestly love that for me. But if you. If we wanted to drink, we had to get somebody to go to the liquor store, like a senior or a junior. And then we would wait around the corner all eager to get our 99 bananas. Yeah, the worst alcohol you could ever drink.

[Nimesh Patel]

I drank all that shit.

[Lacey Mosley]

Yep.

[Nimesh Patel]

Green apple.

[Lacey Mosley]

I had the Four Loko before the government stepped in and had them change the recipe. Yeah, the murder 4 loco. So I had a friend who would make 4 loko margaritas. Why God, why?

[Nimesh Patel]

Thank goodness those were banned.

[Lacey Mosley]

They needed to be because what the hell, like why America? We'd be like, oh, the FDA said, yeah, okay, yeah, give me that ephedrine.

[Nimesh Patel]

Yeah. That's a long time that lasted.

[Lacey Mosley]

I think they did. I mean, I think they still exist, but they had to change the formula and like get rid of like some of the caffeine and like things that were, you know, killing people.

[Nimesh Patel]

They had to take the loco out of the four Loco.

[Lacey Mosley]

Yeah, they were like a four loco, but a little less loco.

[Nimesh Patel]

Yeah, exactly.

[Lacey Mosley]

Loco. Light it tied it down right. It's a little more sane, this loco. Okay, yeah. So this man is a whole adult. He is 31. Wowzers. And he had. He was an ex con. He had an arrest record in Utah. And remember Utah was where he was sleeping in that storage unit. So just like that, the deans determined his emission was void. A day later, two police officers arrived at Alexis like Geology 316 class to arrest him in the middle of the classroom. Ooh, that's a spicy day. In class.

[Nimesh Patel]

Where was he. Where was this class in.

[Lacey Mosley]

This is at Princeton. So he's in a geology class at Princeton. So they looking at rocks and whatnot. And here comes 12. Like put the rock down.

[Nimesh Patel]

That sounds. I mean, I hope this is a movie.

[Lacey Mosley]

Right? It should be. Put the geo down and put your hands up.

[Nimesh Patel]

That just visually sounds so funny.

[Lacey Mosley]

It really does.

[Nimesh Patel]

Looking at amethysts. Oh shit.

[Lacey Mosley]

You're just trying to. I love geology. Cause that's just a classy way to say that. You into crystals?

[Nimesh Patel]

Yeah, I used to look at rocks as a kid. I don't find them as fascinating that. But when I was a child I loved rocks.

[Lacey Mosley]

I'm gonna stop telling people I'm into crystals. I'm gonna tell them that I'm into geology. That's why I got this rose quartz that I'm charging under the full moon. Cause geology.

[Nimesh Patel]

Because I love the earth. All its materials.

[Lacey Mosley]

Yes. Gerda Thunberg is my homegirl and I love the earth.

[Nimesh Patel]

Yes.

[Lacey Mosley]

So James Hogue. Who the hell is this man? James was charged with theft by deception and three counts of foraging. So I guess Princeton was like, you lied to us. So we gave you a scholarship. So that's deceptant which I'm like Princeton, get over it. He couldn't make bail. So he moved. So he was moved to the Mercy County Correctional center while awaiting trial. While there, James was visited by Hachito Scholes, a professor from Italy who taught physical chemistry at Princeton. Professor Scholes viewed James not as a lost cause, but as someone who needed a friendship and psychological help that he could provide. So not this man pulling up like, let me study you.

[Nimesh Patel]

I like this guy. This guy's trying to scam the scammer, right?

[Lacey Mosley]

You, you flew yourself out from Italy to, to, to pull up at the prison. Yeah. Wow. So when James made bail and was released, Scholes offered him money, which he refused. Scholes also helped James move to Cambridge, Massachusetts, in a role at the Harvard Extension School. I'm surprised that he refused the money. He was like, you keep the money, why take the money?

[Nimesh Patel]

Was he trying to fuck him?

[Lacey Mosley]

I don't know. It is giving. It's giving energy.

[Nimesh Patel]

I'll send you to school.

[Lacey Mosley]

I do have six. I'm your daddy now. Wait a minute. I don't, I don't know about that.

[Nimesh Patel]

I study my brain.

[Lacey Mosley]

Sure, right. So while there, James was hired part time to catalog the school's collection of precious minerals and gems. So he's back doing his geologie, being a geologist. And I love that for him.

[Nimesh Patel]

The call of the diamond is strong, Right?

[Lacey Mosley]

A few weeks later, more than $50,000 worth of minerals, gems and tools were found in James room, along with a chair with the Harvard seal. Why are you still in the chairs?

[Nimesh Patel]

What a real up and down saga, right?

[Lacey Mosley]

Like you wanted so precious minerals. And you were also like, but, but this does have good back support. I'm just, I'm going ahead and take this too.

[Nimesh Patel]

That's how, you know, this guy was so little unhinged, right?

[Lacey Mosley]

He was like, look, I need lumbar support and I need jewels.

[Nimesh Patel]

I can understand stealing jewelry or jewels.

[Lacey Mosley]

I mean, he's 31. You do need that lumbar.

[Nimesh Patel]

You're right. This man understood what was really valuable.

[Lacey Mosley]

That was his health self care king.

[Nimesh Patel]

Of course, for sure.

[Lacey Mosley]

When he was caught, he again pleaded guilty to theft by deception. He was then sentenced to a series of stints in prison in several states where there were outstanding charges against him. So he basically had to do a prison tour. You know how you do your stand up comedy tours. But he was doing it but for jail.

[Nimesh Patel]

I like to imagine him thinking like, like, how many times do you have to get caught before you're like, man, I'm pretty bad at this. I got to start thinking some things Through. It's like, you got me again.

[Lacey Mosley]

He's getting arrested. Just like, ah, you got me.

[Nimesh Patel]

Damn it.

[Lacey Mosley]

All right.

[Nimesh Patel]

It was the chairs. I knew it was going to be the chairs.

[Lacey Mosley]

Damn. I thought I went too far with the chair. I should just. So that's what. Could y' all give me some notes? Let me get some feedback for my next con? Like, he's taking notes every time. Like, okay, don't take the chair with the seal. No. Okay. Got it. I'm gonna do better. I love this for him. It feels like he's like, oh, I fail. I pick myself back up and I try again.

[Nimesh Patel]

Gotta do it again.

[Lacey Mosley]

And now he's on tour. Just like, thank you, Chyna. It can be seen on YouTube and wherever you do stand up, we can also see James in a local prison near you.

[Nimesh Patel]

Yep, he's coming.

[Lacey Mosley]

Yeah.

[Nimesh Patel]

Because he might not be who he is. He's like, it's meeting two dudes at once, this guy.

[Lacey Mosley]

August 15th, Rikers Island. I'm pulling up, y'. All. Yes.

[Nimesh Patel]

Give me your greatest stories. I bet I'll beat him, right?

[Lacey Mosley]

Y' all be at cell block D for a salon. I'm gonna have ramen toilet wine come.

[Nimesh Patel]

Through for loco in the house.

[Lacey Mosley]

Yes. Pull up for my salon and. Okay. I love it. So when he's finally released, he once again disappeared. Oh, James, you don't say. I love it. Five years later, on the evening of July 15, 1997, James was arrested for bike theft in Aspen, Colorado.

[Nimesh Patel]

What year was this?

[Lacey Mosley]

This was 1997. How can you not steal a bike in 97? I feel like it should be very easy to steal a bike in 97. Does the bike have plates? Man?

[Nimesh Patel]

How low was this guy went from stealing the baby's identity?

[Lacey Mosley]

Right.

[Nimesh Patel]

To stealing a bicycle? Come on, man. Like, what. What a fall from, like, con artist Grace, right?

[Lacey Mosley]

You're. You're trending downward. Also, you got caught for stealing a bike, which is very embarrassing. Like, what are you doing, bro? His Colorado arrest record was the final amount of information for one reporter, David Samuels. So he tracked out James and got his story. So these are the actual facts of James life. We're getting to the end of this hoodwink. James Hoag was. Was born in Wyandotte. We have so many names in here that I cannot pronounce. Wyandotte county, Kansas, in 1959. He grew up in a working class suburb of Kansas City, Kansas. He went to college in Laramie, Wyoming, and Austin, Texas. And as an older adult, hopped around the mountain resorts of Colorado. So like the resort towns. David was finally able to make contact with James when he mailed him a videotape containing interviews he had conducted with James's childhood friend, Keith, Mark. So Keith done snitched on James. He was like, yeah, I know James, AKA Jay, AKA Alexi. Yeah, yeah, I know him.

[Nimesh Patel]

This guy's life is full of snitches, right, Keith?

[Lacey Mosley]

Mark is a snitch ass name. How you got two first names.

[Nimesh Patel]

That's your name and your last name is Mark. Yeah, you are.

[Lacey Mosley]

Yeah, yeah. You out here snitching. The interviews included clips of Keith remembering James idiosyncrasies growing up together. When James went to McDonald's, he always ordered a Big Mac without the burger. What now, what is, what's a Big Mac without the burger?

[Nimesh Patel]

Just, just bun and lettuce and cheese with the sauce.

[Lacey Mosley]

Is the burger technically the meat?

[Nimesh Patel]

Yeah, I guess so.

[Lacey Mosley]

Okay. Just a bread and cheese. So a cheese sandwich?

[Nimesh Patel]

Yeah. I mean this guy doesn't sound like a Hindu, but I mean this, I would do that at McDonald's from time to time when I was still vegetarian. Yeah, my parents would bring me that. Like, I want a McDonald's, but I get just the lettuce, tomato bun, cheese. Just because then you get the sauce.

[Lacey Mosley]

Interesting.

[Nimesh Patel]

Then they start getting chicken. I was like, I was all about that chicken. I never ate the beef though.

[Lacey Mosley]

Right. Okay, that makes sense. Okay, well then, yeah, Big Mac without the burger. I learned something new here today. Thank you. So he slept on the floor in a sleeping bag and ran with bells on his feet. So he was conscious of his running stride. Alrighty. In James's mind, running was a way to get out of his otherwise mundane low income life. He eventually found himself himself as a freshman at the University of Wyoming in Laramie. In the fall, the men's track team got an intense new coach, Ron Richardson. And according to Ron, sprinters retained muscle memory when they were made to run faster than they normally could. That's true. So he would tie a rope, a rope to a belt around the runner's waist and tow the runner up and down the high altitude trails holding the other end of the rope.

[Nimesh Patel]

What a brutal coach.

[Lacey Mosley]

As he drove his Volkswagen Buck.

[Nimesh Patel]

Oh no. Wow. This is. That's some dark.

[Lacey Mosley]

Okay. I was with him until he said yeah. So then they, he dragged, he dragged all his students up a mountain with his car. What?

[Nimesh Patel]

I mean, this guy. I wonder if the University of Wyoming Laramie ever produce any good runners.

[Lacey Mosley]

I know we need to look at their statistics Because I'm like, this is very unorthodox, and I would say unethical 100%.

[Nimesh Patel]

I mean, by any stretch of the imagination that sounds fucking ridiculous. Was the 80s or 60s.

[Lacey Mosley]

It was the 70s. 70s.

[Nimesh Patel]

Yeah.

[Lacey Mosley]

I guess in the 70s, you could tie somebody to your car and call it a workout.

[Nimesh Patel]

Shit was crazy back then. Who knows? They were in Vietnam. Known as paying attention.

[Lacey Mosley]

Right. No one was paying attention to the. To the teachers tying their students to their cars.

[Nimesh Patel]

Bigger things to worry about.

[Lacey Mosley]

They're like, we busy? No. The police, we did drive by that, and we were like, that's odd. But we actually are very busy. So we're just gonna have to let it go for now.

[Nimesh Patel]

There's a lot worse going on elsewhere, you know?

[Lacey Mosley]

Right. So one time when his runners lost a meet at Brigham Young University, he picked them up early the next morning and dropped them all off 17 miles from Laramie and told them to run home. So Coach Richardson pushed James into an obsession with pushing his body past the limits of a normal man. And eventually got injured through the stress. While they were at the top of a mountain, a fierce ice storm came over the peaks, and lightning and hail began to fall, and the runners were stuck in a summertime blizzard of darkness until it subsided. So they got stuck on this mountain in an ice storm trying to run for this coach.

[Nimesh Patel]

And this is true?

[Lacey Mosley]

Yes. So according to Keith snitch. Keith. Keith Mark. He said, there's no doubt in my mind that that's what turned Jim his whole world around. And that's why he doesn't realize that maybe he was immortal just like everyone else. So he's saying because he survived this ice storm, he was like, all right, bet I'm a do crime now.

[Nimesh Patel]

Or maybe it was such a crazy traumatic experience surviving an ice storm that something in his brain broke, and he was like, all right, well, I'm just going to steal identities now. I got to be someone else.

[Lacey Mosley]

Yeah. Something broke. Everything is a scam. And maybe he had this near death experience and realized it, because after that, he started stealing car stereos, bicycles, and he even stole Keith's gold medal from one of their high school track meets. So he stole from Keith. So maybe that's why Keith had snitched on him.

[Nimesh Patel]

That makes sense. Just steal my medals, I'm gonna have a problem.

[Lacey Mosley]

Yeah, then I'm gonna have to snitch on you. Okay, Keith. Mark, maybe you're not a stool pigeon. I take it back. You were just trying to get your vengeance. So you're just petty. Which I can understand if and only.

[Nimesh Patel]

If you try to handle it, like finding him first.

[Lacey Mosley]

Right. You better. Did you allow. Did you confront James and allow him to run away from you immediately, or did you just start snitching on him?

[Nimesh Patel]

Exactly.

[Lacey Mosley]

So, James Hogue, today we're at the end of this. Since James was last caught stealing bikes in the late 90s, he's continued to live a life hopping from town to town in the Colorado Rockies. Wow. In the late 2000s, he was arrested for stealing a hundred thousand dollars worth of property from homes in telly Rock Ride. Oh, my goodness. James is never going to stop stealing. Okay. If it's not nailed down, James is going home with something.

[Nimesh Patel]

Yeah. I mean, this just sounds like the sad demise of a. Of a once promising criminal.

[Lacey Mosley]

Right. In 2017, James was arrested and sentenced to six years in prisons for possessing burglary tools and stealing 2,000 to $5,000 worth of items to build an illegal shack on the Aspen skiing co ski area. I mean, it sounds like he was just trying to be a contractor. Who decides where you can build things.

[Nimesh Patel]

Yeah. It's everyone's mountain.

[Lacey Mosley]

I just want to know the day where we decided that you couldn't just come someplace and stick a flag in the ground and be like, this is mines. Because that used to be the way, and now I can't stick a flag or nothing.

[Nimesh Patel]

This guy's the most true American patriot.

[Lacey Mosley]

Yeah. It's giving settler.

[Nimesh Patel]

This is my lane.

[Lacey Mosley]

It's giving Oregon Trio. It's giving Panning for gold settler. I don't know what y' all are putting him in jail for. He has a lot of talents. Police also found about $17,000 in cash in his car and records indicating he'd stole about $70,000 worth of goods on ebay. During the sentencing, the judge told James. He said that a very consistent thief, but apparently a very bad one because you get caught a lot. I don't understand what is going on in your mind that leads to this pattern. It is sad. Wow. James.

[Nimesh Patel]

The judge is exactly correct.

[Lacey Mosley]

Nah, you ain't gonna embarrass me like that. As citizen James. Get up and fight this judge. Y' all need to tussle.

[Nimesh Patel]

Yeah, I mean, he's just calling crazy.

[Lacey Mosley]

Yeah. I don't like this. This is very embarrassing. You better tell me I'm a menace to society. Hagen be like, this is so boring and very ghetto. And honestly, you're very bad at this. Take him away. I don't even want to look at him.

[Nimesh Patel]

What's the minimum? I'm gonna give you the minimum just.

[Lacey Mosley]

Because you're not even worth our time.

[Nimesh Patel]

Yeah, get out of here with this. This will keep the system going. Every time you get caught, it'll be a quota.

[Lacey Mosley]

You're not even worth banging the gavel on. I'm not even gonna bang the gavel. Court dismissed. Ugh.

[Nimesh Patel]

Out of my office.

[Lacey Mosley]

Out of here. Out of my court.

[Nimesh Patel]

I don't know. I mean, that's what I was saying earlier. It's like, it feels like this guy maybe that you should have let that Italian guy study him. And with his brain, because he's like. Like, maybe the Italian guy is studying from afar.

[Lacey Mosley]

Like, how he's just keeping up with news headlines. He's got Google alerts on him, and he's just taking notes.

[Nimesh Patel]

What a shame.

[Lacey Mosley]

Yeah, James, you should have let that Italian man study you. So James is now 62. He was arrested in 2021 after parking illegally and stealing power near the site of a recent burglar.

[Nimesh Patel]

Jesus Christ. Stealing power.

[Lacey Mosley]

James is playing cops and robbers in real life. He's just, like, running around waiting for them to tag him. This is just a game of tag?

[Nimesh Patel]

Yeah. He's like, all right. He's just waiting for them to catch. Just turn yourself in right now. James. James.

[Lacey Mosley]

Like, y' all gonna arrest me? Be honest.

[Nimesh Patel]

You should just. Yeah, he's just walking to the police office and just be like. Just do.

[Lacey Mosley]

Just put the cuffs on, right? He's like. He just goes in for maintenance, like, getting his oil changed. He's like, I know. It's about that time where y' all gonna put me in jail? Let me get some free meals. I'll be about next week.

[Nimesh Patel]

I love. I stole one of your cars. I filled it up. Don't worry. Just come on.

[Lacey Mosley]

I just wanted to go to McDonald's and get them before I got arrested, that's all. It's time for scammer of the week. The Red Power Ranger has been arrested by the F, the B, and the I because of COVID related fraud. I hope that they were in the red Power Ranger suit at the time. Say it's morphin time.

[Nimesh Patel]

Oh, what are you in trouble for?

[Lacey Mosley]

Covid fraud.

[Nimesh Patel]

Covid fraud? Yeah. That's terrible. Shame on the power. I always. You know, I always knew something was sus about him.

[Lacey Mosley]

They said it's prison time. Oh, no. I hate to see it. So, August St. John. Real name, Jason Lawrence Geiger. Fake name, Jason Lee Scott. A lot of names. That's how we know you do. Crime has allegedly attended to defraud the PPP program with 17 other defendants. So these PPP frauds, they keep coming out where people tried to get that loan for the farm that they didn't own.

[Nimesh Patel]

Yeah, I mean, from what I understand, it's. They gave those loans to a lot of people, and a lot of people probably didn't deserve them. Yeah, but they got them.

[Lacey Mosley]

Technically, the government was overloaded. They were too busy. So they were just like, approved, approved, approved. I don't know. Just get back to work, y'. All. I know we dying, but get back to capitalism.

[Nimesh Patel]

They didn't really. They didn't really think about it. They didn't really think it through at all. If they did, then it was a scam on purpose to give money to all the corporate people in a way that.

[Lacey Mosley]

I mean, what is the government if not a scam? Persevering.

[Nimesh Patel]

Beautiful. You should get that tattoo.

[Lacey Mosley]

So the group received more than $3.5 million across 16 separate small business loans and subsequently spent the money on various personal purchases. The scheme was allegedly led by two ringleaders, Michael Hill and Andrew Maran, who arranged for the loans to be dispersed and paid in private accounts. A statement has been released by Austin's Instagram. Not a statement by his Instagram, not the iOS press release.

[Nimesh Patel]

Everything is untrue. Uh. Oh, let me edit this post real quick.

[Lacey Mosley]

Right.

[Nimesh Patel]

Everything is slightly true.

[Lacey Mosley]

Right. Everything is adjacent to true.

[Nimesh Patel]

Right? Do we have it? Do we have the IG post?

[Lacey Mosley]

Right? I don't have the IG post, but he stated that he was implying that he was being manipulated by third parties into making bad financial decisions. He said, it wasn't even my fault. They did it. They did it. So Mr. John, at 47, began his career as the original Red Power Ranger in the early 90s and has since voiced the character for a number of video games and TV series. If he's convicted, defendants each face up to 20 years in federal prison. That is too long in prison for this.

[Nimesh Patel]

Yeah, they're gonna make an example out of him. But if it's true. But it feels like if that's happening to you, that at some point you gotta know you don't have 27 assistants. What are these guys billing the government for? You know, it's like, oh, we have three personal trainers on, you know, like at our company.

[Lacey Mosley]

I feel like it was also shady to him. They're like the Red Power ranger from the 90s. Yeah. No audit, his ass. He talking about he got a business, a Business, Business.

[Nimesh Patel]

No, it was over for him when he had the picture with his helmet. That's when you know that was the beginning of the end for that guy.

[Lacey Mosley]

I mean, I do hate that that's his job where, like, you're famous at that time, but no one knows what you look like, so you have to walk around with a helmet.

[Nimesh Patel]

It's me.

[Lacey Mosley]

It's me, y'.

[Nimesh Patel]

All. Do you want a picture? $12. Come on, I got employees to feed.

[Lacey Mosley]

He's at Nobu holding the helmet. Like, are y' all sure y' all can't get me in?

[Nimesh Patel]

I was a bed pound. All five of us need to be here. Oh, okay.

[Lacey Mosley]

You don't know who I am. Hold on. Let me go to my car and get my helmet.

[Nimesh Patel]

I'm with all my friends.

[Lacey Mosley]

We about to morph on you. It's morphing time, bitch. Well, thank you so much for coming on. This has been so fun. We always ask, where do you want to be found?

[Nimesh Patel]

Right now, I'd love for everyone to watch my YouTube special, thank you, China. It's on YouTube. Type in thank you, China.

[Lacey Mosley]

Yeah, very simple to find thank you in China.

[Nimesh Patel]

Government might track you if you type that into your computer, but just do it. And it's worth. They're already tracking you.

[Lacey Mosley]

We owe them a lot of money, so, you know, it makes sense. And any socials anywhere that people can follow you.

[Nimesh Patel]

I'm on TikTok, Instagram. All that on Findingmesh.

[Lacey Mosley]

N I M E S H. Yes, Findingmesh. Oh, I love that. I love that you got that handle before anyone else.

[Nimesh Patel]

I was years ahead of my time. Still am.

[Lacey Mosley]

And, guys, as always, snitch on your friends and [e-mail]. just make sure the scam is retired because we don't want to. What? Yes. Fuck up your bag if you want to find us. And the photos from this episode. Scam got a spot on all platforms. If you want to find me. D I V A L A C I Divalacy on all platforms. All of season two of iCarly is streaming now. Binge it, congregation. Stay scheming. Scam Goddess. This has been an Earwolf production in association with Team Coco. Scam got us stars and is hosted by me, Lacey Mosley, AKA Scam Goddess. It's produced by Judith, engineered by Marina Paiz and researched by Kalen Brandt. Stay scheming.

[Nimesh Patel]

This has been a Team Coco production in association with Earwolf. Adam Pally here, and I'm John Gabris. We're a couple actors and best friends who you may know as the host of the TV show 101 Places to Party before you die. Now we're bringing you a comedic look at health and wellness with our new show, Staying Alive. We'll have guests like our friend, actor Jerry O', Connell, ketamine therapist Dr. Steven Radowitz, Paul Scheer, Ego Wodem, Gillian Bell, Dr. Doolittle. Staying alive with John Gabris and Adam Pally is out right now. Get them a week early and ad free with SiriusXM podcast plus on Apple.

[D]

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