Fraud Friday: The Shady Legal Squatter w/ Traci Thomas

Summary

Scam Goddess – Fraud Friday: The Shady Legal Squatter w/ Traci Thomas

Podcast: Scam Goddess
Host: Laci Mosley
Guest: Traci Thomas (Host of The Stacks podcast)
Original Air Date: October 24, 2025

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Episode Overview

In this Fraud Friday classic, Laci Mosley welcomes Traci Thomas, host of The Stacks (a podcast about books), for a laugh-out-loud dissection of recent scams and an in-depth breakdown of the notorious legal “squatter” Jameson Bachman—who turned roommate horror stories into an art form. The episode mixes audience letters, wellness scam talk, and the darkly comic saga of squatting gone criminal, all while maintaining the show’s signature comedic and conversational tone.

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1. Opening Banter & Scam Pedigree (04:28–11:51)

Key Points:

• Laci and Traci bond over their uniquely spelled names and family backgrounds, exchanging childhood name stories.
• Traci shares her personal experience being scammed (05:10–07:55):
  • Fell for an Amazon account phishing scam during the pandemic while sleep-deprived with newborn twins.
  • She realized mid-call what was happening:

    "And then all of a sudden, of course, it dawns on me, and I just hang up. And then I, like, call Amazon, and I'm like, I think I got scammed." — Traci (05:32)

  • More recently, she thought she was targeted again but the contact was actually from her real bank.
• Both agree that shame isn't welcome; anyone can be scammed.

  "Listen, I am a mark. I'm a scammer. There is no shame." — Laci (06:53)

• They bond over their love for scam culture, con artistry, cults, and characters like Elizabeth Holmes.

Memorable Moment:
Traci admits how even passionate scam-watchers get fooled, emphasizing the audacity and psychology behind scams.

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2. What's Hot in Fraud: The Self-Empowerment Pyramid Scheme (12:28–29:08)

Segment Summary

Laci and Traci review a listener letter (from a pseudonymous “Clancy”) detailing their journey through a “sister circle” that was, in fact, a high-buy-in pyramid scheme wrapped in new-age language.

Key Points:

• The “circle” required $10,000 buy-in under the guise of wellness, “manifesting abundance,” and group support.
• Levels were coded as “appetizer” (lowest) to “dessert” (top payout).
• The scam’s structure mirrored classic airplane games and pyramid schemes, with rapid splits and burnout.

  "So I just feel like if I'm manifesting abundance and I already got 10k, I should probably just work with that." — Laci (18:28)

• Many participants sourced their $10k from cash-rich endeavors, like growing weed; the scam ended with most left out to dry.
• Relationship between new-age language and old scams: making scams more appealing to modern, affluent, or wellness-minded women.

  "There's a lot of just rewording of old scams. You know, they just cut it off, they give it a new haircut and they put it back on Facebook." — Laci (27:37)

Notable Quotes:

• "You just over here, chicken wing, little appetizer." — Laci, on being left behind in the scheme (25:38)
• "If the math ain't mathing, there's a reason." — Laci (26:23)

Tone & Style:
Jovial, riffing on conspiratorial circles ("parallelogram for the people!") and mocking scam logic, segues into practical advice for listeners.

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3. Headliner: The Shady Legal Squatter (30:09–58:14)

Main Story: Jameson Bachman, the Serial Roommate Squatter

Introduction to the Case (30:09–34:33)

• Laci introduces Jameson Bachman, the “serial squatter,” from the Intelligencer article “Worst Roommate Ever” by William Brennan, and the Netflix docuseries of the same name.
• He masqueraded as “Jed Creek,” a charming, educated New Yorker (really just a serial con man), who’d move in then weaponize tenants’ rights laws to take homes from under roommates.

"To those who first met him, Jameson Bachman was intelligent, educated, and charming... However, as soon as the first rent check was cashed, he would embark on a reign of terror against his victims..." — Laci (30:36)

The Scam in Action (34:33–41:23)

• His tactics:

  • Moved in with little more than Tupperware, a dog, and a surprise cat.
  • Refused to pay utilities, threatened court action when pressed.
  • Raided communal furniture for himself, e.g. taking all the dining chairs for his “desk.”
  • Used legal-sounding intimidation:

    "He offered to take her to court." — Laci (39:44)

  • Weaponized squatter’s rights (by receiving mail at the address, etc).

• Their commentary highlights the absurdity:

  "I just feel like if you can’t afford a bed, you can’t afford rent." — Laci (38:12) “My bed and my desk could be ruined.” — Traci, sarcastically (43:27)

The Dark Turn (43:32–58:14)

• Jameson, while acting as a roommate, commits escalating acts: property damage, intimidation, and ultimately violence.
  • Revelation: he never passed the bar, though he attended law school. His pro per legal defense was all bluster.
  • After a series of disputes, he violently attacked one victim. (Trigger warning: physical assault.)
  • He eventually murdered his brother after being released on bail, then took his own life in jail before trial.

Key Analysis:

• They discuss how Jameson’s motivation became less about free rent and more about inflicting anguish:

  "His roommates could never do anything to satisfy him because he wanted nothing from him but the sadistic pleasure of watching them squirm as he displaced them." — Laci (50:07)

• Laci gives advice on vetting roommates and the legal risk of taking in strangers, especially in “live-in” cities:

  “Before you allow somebody to move into your place, you need to vet them, because as soon as they start getting mail...they could prove that they were a resident.” — Laci (52:18)

• Discussion of squatting and tenancy laws, and how unvetted roommates become hard to evict—even becoming entitled to legal protections as residents.

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4. Scammer of the Week: Glenda, the Romantic Money Mule (58:14–64:47)

Key Points:

• Glenda, 81, from Missouri, was convicted for acting as a money mule for a supposed Nigerian lover.

  • She lost/sent over $1 million, ignored warnings from family & the FBI.
  • As part of sentencing, she filmed a PSA:

    "In 2014, I met the love of my life online...he told me he was a US citizen working in Nigeria..." — Glenda’s PSA (62:20)

• Laci and Traci riff hilariously on Glenda’s love-blindness, calling out the lack of support from her community and poking fun at her colorful online romance.

Notable Quotes:

• "She just wanted a worldly dicking, that’s exactly it, in her old age." — Traci (60:19)
• "Don’t be a mule." — Laci, on Glenda’s FBI PSA (62:52)

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5. Tips, Takeaways & Final Thoughts

Practical Advice:

• Be wary of roommate offers that seem too good to be true.
• Vet roommates thoroughly; anyone can claim mail at your address and become hard to remove.
• If you’re being asked for codes or large sums of money online—don’t respond, hang up, check directly via official channels.
• If a group demands large “membership” fees with no product/service—run.

Memorable, Funny Moments:

• The ongoing bit about geometric shapes and scam language ("parallelogram for the people")
• Laughing at fake legalese—“would you like to go to court?”
• “If I have to go to Craig and his list, and I ain’t even met Craig, nobody met Craig…” — Laci, on the absurdity of roommate-hunting (32:25)

Traci’s Takeaway:

• Traci confirms her love for scam drama—for the entertainment, not for being personally scammed.
• Endorses being careful, skeptical, and checking in with friends about weird opportunities.

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Important Timestamps

• 04:28 – Guest Traci Thomas joins, scam conversation begins.
• 12:28 – Letter segment: pyramid scheme disguised as wellness circle.
• 29:08 – Discussion of roommate/tenancy and scam housing.
• 30:09 – Begin Jameson Bachman case (“Worst Roommate Ever”).
• 43:50 – Analysis of squatters rights and tenant legalities.
• 58:14 – “Scammer of the Week”: Glenda’s romance scam.
• 64:47 – Episode close, plugs.

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Guest Info & Plugs

• Traci Thomas: Host of The Stacks (book podcast).
  • The Stacks on Instagram
  • On Twitter: @itracial

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Episode Tone

Signature Scam Goddess blend of comic relief and true crime, with a warm, inclusive, comedic, and irreverent lens. Solid scam education laced with laughter and relatable anecdotes. As always: Stay Schemin’.

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This summary captures the full flow, humor, and vital insights of the episode, providing newcomers with both entertainment and warning—and enough story beats to appreciate the wild world of “True Con.”

Transcript

[A]

Fall is my favorite time to cuddle up on the couch and get into some good television programming. Which is why I love Hallmark Plus. It's everything you love about Hallmark all in one place. Stream all new Hallmark original series and movies the next day. Enjoy the largest collection of Hallmark.com Rom coms, mysteries, dramas, holiday movies, and feel good shows and you get the benefits like $5 monthly coupons to spend at Gold Crown stores or Hallmark.com free cards, exclusive gifts, and much more. Visit Hallmark HallmarkPlus.com and use code HPLUS5 to get two months of Hallmark plus for just $2. Don't you hate when you have something important coming up or you just need to look good but your hair is not cooperating and you don't have a lot of time? That's why I love Batiste. They're the number one dry shampoo brand in the US and the world. And I never thought that, like, dry shampoo was for my hair texture. But when I tell you if it gets a little oily and I put in some Batiste, my hair looks full and fluffy again and I can scam my way into not having to do my hair that day. With Batiste, you can instantly refresh your hair and it absorbs, absorbs all that oil and that grease, okay? So your hair feels more clean and it has added volume and texture. It's great on your hair and easy on your wallet. Buy Batiste Dry Shampoo online or in store at your nearest retailer. 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 always stay scheming. Robbery and fraud. Scam. Robbery and fraud. What is popping Congregation? It's your girl, Lacy Mosley, AKA Scam Goddess. Welcome back to another installment of Scam Goddess. No, you are not on 1.5 speed. I'm just talking really fast. Did I say my name was Lacy Mosey? I believe I did. This is a podcast dedicated to fraud, scams, boondockery, bamboozling, robbery, con, anything, and all those that practice it. Guys, I'm very. Yes. Excited. You know I am. You know I am, honey. Very excited. For today's guest, we have a black queen. On the show, we have the host, the creator of the Stacks, a podcast all about books. Remember, get your eyes into them. Each week, special guests come on the show to discuss books that they love, hate, haven't read or books that they wrote. New episodes of the Stacks Drop every Wednesday. Congregation, please welcome Tracy Thomas to the show. Hi, Tracy.

[B]

I'm so excited to be here.

[A]

So, Tracy, you are after my own heart because I love the spelling of your name.

[B]

Yes. Okay, do you want to hear the craziest thing? This is wild. My married last name, a name that I do not use, is. Is Casey. So my married name is Tracy Casey. Do you want to die for me? Because I know you would die if that was your married last name.

[A]

Also Tracey Casey. No, I love that that's the name for crime. Tracey Casey. Gotta be out here robbing people. And Tracee. I just assumed you were black. Are you black?

[B]

I am. I am. I'm half. I'm mixed. I got a white mom and a black dad.

[A]

Yeah. Yes, yes, yes. I just. You know how black people. I just assumed I was like, nah, Tracy black.

[B]

Nailed it.

[A]

But Tracy, yes, I saw my last name with. Or my. My first name with an I as well. I guess we didn't do this our mothers.

[B]

No, my dad did my name.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

He came in hot. Like, it's gonna be with an I. Like, I guess for my brother, they spent a lot of time on his name. For me, my dad just, like, went to my mom and, like, it'll be Tracy with an I. Thank you. And that was it. Done.

[A]

Your dad has so much influence in the naming process.

[B]

Yeah, he nailed it.

[A]

For me, it was my grandmother, because my mom wanted to name me Lark, and I love that name, but my grandmother was like, no. And so we went with Lacey, and my mom's Lori with an I. So I'm Lacey with an I. Which anytime only. I've said this on the podcast before, but only when I get in an Uber, they will say my name wrong every time I get in an Uber.

[B]

What do they say?

[A]

And it doesn't matter the nationality of the driver. It's La Chai, Locky Lazi Lakai. I've heard everything. And I'm like, y', all. It's really just Laci. But, you know, go off.

[B]

Oh, my God.

[A]

So, Tracy with an I. What is your relationship with scams? Do you like them? Do you hate them? Have you ever been scammed? It could be anything.

[B]

Okay, I. I have been scammed recently, and I want to talk about it recently.

[A]

Okay. We love a recent comment.

[B]

Not super recent, I should say. It was at the beginning of the pandemic. And to my defense, before I say More. I have twins children. Twin. Twin kids. And they are two years old. And at the time, they were a. Talk about a fucking.

[A]

Did you. Did you. Were you bargaining it for one baby? And they were like, you gonna get two?

[B]

I was like, maybe I'll get pregnant. And then I got pregnant with two babies in a month. So it was. That's the ultimate scam.

[A]

But.

[B]

So, okay, my kids are, like, four months. The pandemic has just started. I'm, you know, running the podcast, doing my whole thing, trying to be a mom. My husband is a medical professional, so he's out of the house, like, doing. Saving lives, curing Covid. I don't know. And I get this email on my business account from Amazon that's like, hey, something, something tv, right? And I'm like, I haven't slept in seven years. Like, let me call the number. When I say it, I'm embarrassed.

[A]

You call Mr. Amazon, you called.

[B]

Jeff called to be like, I don't know why this TV is going to Kentucky. I'm so embarrassed. Telling the story.

[A]

You had made a purchase.

[B]

No, no, no. I just got a receipt. And I was like, oh, they must have sent this wrong person. I hope they don't charge me for this TV that got sent to Kansas or Kentucky. I start talking to the guy. He's like, great, we're gonna. We're gonna request a new thing. Like, go ahead. And he's, like, walking me through the steps to change my password or whatever. And so I'm like, clicking the button, and he's like, okay, what's the code they just sent you? And then it's like, great, just tell me the code over the phone. And then all of a sudden, of course, it dawns on me, and I just hang up. And then I, like, call Amazon, and I'm like, I think I got scammed. Like, I have new babies. And, like, I don't know why they're targeting me, but it was fine. But then last week, I got a thing from my bank that was like, we got an address change on your bank. So I call the number, and I'm like. And then they're like, what's your Social Security number? And I was like, oh, my God, I'm getting scammed. So I hang up, and then I call my bank again. And then they're like, no, it wasn't a scam. We really just messed up your address. And I was like, you know what? I got scammed a year and a half ago by Amazon, and I will trust no one ever again.

[A]

Well, Tracy, better safe, we always say on this podcast. Hanging up is definitely the step. Step one, when you feel like you're being scammed over the phone, is just go ahead and remove yourself from the conversation. Two, I sense that you were, like, prefacing this with these details. But, Tracy, there's no shame on this podcast. I've been scammed. A lot of our listeners now. A lot of our listeners have been scammed. Listen, I am a mark. I'm a scammer. There is no shame. There's no shame. No, there is.

[B]

Oh, my God. It was like the stupidest scam. It was like a picture of a receipt. I blew it. I hate myself because I think that I'm, like, so tough and smart because I am passionate about, like, a cult moment. Like a scammer and a cult. Like, I love the Theranos thing. I was big in Theranos before every outlet covered it.

[A]

We're Team Lizzie over here.

[B]

Yeah. Just huge, huge on all of that stuff. So I was like, I'll never get scammed. My eyes are wide open. Like, I am here to protect myself against these people. And then they're like, you ordered a TV to Kansas. And I'm like, oh, my God. I super didn't. Do you want all of my information? Thanks.

[A]

Listen, it happens to the best of us. And this is fresh off of the scam of you having two babies because you better than me. If I said I want one baby and they talking about two, I'd be like, what y' all gonna do with the other one? Yeah, what we gonna do?

[B]

You feel like you can't put em back in after they came? I was like, can they be returned? Because it's a lot.

[A]

No. Did I hit send twice? No, I only wanted one. Cause that says twice the baby. That's twice the food, twice the clothes, twice the diapers. Oh, twice the diapers. Oh, man. Cause at least with clothes, maybe you could, like, they wear the same size.

[B]

With the same size.

[A]

They switch.

[B]

They all. It's all the same clothes. We rotate. We don't do an exact twin on twin because they're identical twins. So it's like, why would I make this harder for myself?

[A]

Okay. Which I say. I will say with an identical twin, I feel like you could get a little double mid moment out of these babies. You know what I mean? We could get the babies employed.

[B]

Yeah. I mean, I feel like I should. I feel like I should be taking them to all the studios and be like, here are my beautiful children. Pay us millions. Have you heard of Mary Kate and Ashley? I'll do you one better. Look at these two, right?

[A]

I bet they're beautiful. I will. Because you are a beautiful woman. So I'm sure the kids are giving with the facials, and they're very cute. They're very cute. Yes.

[B]

If I do say so myself.

[A]

I cooked them up good. You're like, I cooked up a real fresh batch of kids. They're delicious. I will say, though, during COVID it is harder to be like, get the babies employed. Because if there wasn't Covid, then I'd be like, because working as an actor, like, people will hand me fresh babies on set that I have to work with. And this is like a. Like, this baby is fresh. Fresh. I'm like, y' all just splashed it off and gave me something like, damn, did you cut the umbilical cord? So, you know, back then, people used to offer up their fresh babies all the time. But, yeah, with COVID I totally get that. But you. You know what? You did the right thing. I would say you shouldn't be embarrassed about this, because you did hang up the phone when you started to realize that things were a little sus. Yeah. And, you know, you didn't order a tv.

[B]

I didn't. Yeah. I didn't, like, actually lose my entire Amazon account. Thank God.

[A]

But people will do that. Like, if you get unprompted emails and you know you haven't bought anything, you know you haven't purchased anything, Just let the email go. I' gotten emails where they had my password, and they were like, oh, girl, we got your password and we about to leak all your shit. And I just don't respond. Like, what are they going to do?

[B]

Yeah. Yeah, you're so right. Yeah, you're right. I just. Now I just delete. I'm like, oh, I ordered another tv. I've gotten, like, five more of the exact same ones since then. And every time I get so mad, I'm like, okay, okay. I'm not going to fall for it again.

[A]

People, they're like, we got tracy to call Mr. Prime once. Let's see if we can get her to call Mr. Prime one more time. Like, no, just call Mr. Prime and give him the password. Because, yeah, guys, anytime somebody's trying to verify codes with you or things like that, it's like, if they don't have any information on their side. We say this on this podcast all the time. Any institution that has your information will treat you like a very jealous girlfriend that you've cheated on multiple times or partner in general, they'll be like, where were you and when and what time? Okay, and then. And then what was the last four digits? Like, they're never gonna just ask you for all the information. They should have the information as well. We don't ask questions we don't know the answer to. But, no, that's not too bad.

[B]

You've heard worse.

[A]

I've heard much, much, much worse. And there still wouldn't be judgment. But do you think, like, are you against scammers? Do you kind of understand where they come from? Does it depend on the scam?

[B]

I love a scammer. I. I mean, if it's not. If you're not scamming me, I'm here for it. I love to hate a scammer. Like, I think Elizabeth Holmes is a perfect human being as far as, like, entertainment purposes. I'm like, like, the look, the hair, the turtleneck, just the V. Like, are you out of your mind with that voice, Elizabeth? But I let, like, one of my favorite. This isn't really a scam. This is more of a cult. But, like, I. But it had a scam element. Is Jonestown Jim Jones one of my. One of my obsessions. I just. I'm. I'm here for it. I. The audacity of it. Right? Like, you just are gonna do this, and everyone's just gonna say yes. Okay.

[A]

That's the audacity, I would say, that cults fall under scams. Like, you have to have a certain personality to start a cult, leave you. And, you know, and I. I feel like it's big Leo energy.

[B]

Yes. Well, I am a Leo, so I think this is why I love these people.

[A]

They're like, yeah, religion around me. Yeah, of course. Sounds normal, plausible. People get it.

[B]

I also love the, like, really, like. Like the Lula rich ones. Like, the really. Just like, those leggings were moldy. Like, what, billions.

[A]

The leggings were a little moldy. But you know what? You. All you had to do was put them in the oven. They said just throw them in the freezer real quick.

[B]

The freezer?

[A]

Yep. And they. Good as new. O good as new. And I love that. That's such a great segue into our first segment here. What's hot and fraud. This is where we warn our listeners about popping scams and the zeitgeist. And more often than not, we get a letter from you guys. As always, snitch on your friends and [e-mail] just make sure the scam is retired because we don't wanna. What? Yes. Fuck up your bag. So I just need a fake name from you, Tracy. It could be we don't care about gender.

[B]

Clancy.

[A]

Oh, Clancy. I love that. That Clancy sounds like somebody who was like, in the early 1920s and had horses and maybe like a general store.

[B]

No, Clancy to me sounds like the old black dude at the barbershop. Like, oh, Clancy back there.

[A]

Oh, God. Okay, if we going that way. Clancy is definitely a hotel. Who has. Who didn't get the vaccine? Cause of 5G and Mary J. Blige. And that all adds up when Clancy tells you about it. So Clancy says that about eight years ago, a bunch of my girlfriends convinced me to join them in a sort of stuff. Self empowerment, slash, new age phone group pyramid scheme.

[B]

Oh, God.

[A]

What a sentence.

[B]

Too many adjectives.

[A]

Self empowerment, new age phone group pyramid scheme. I mean, you got me. So we gotta have an iPhone.

[B]

Say more.

[A]

We definitely got crystals. You know, I mean, new age deep.

[B]

Breathing, there's gonna be a lot of breath work.

[A]

You know about chakras? Cause you definitely gonna need your chakras for this. I mean, the thing is, like, wellness scams and the cult of, like. I don't know. I'm so on the fence about this, and I guess I'm a cynic, but when I have some friends who are real hippie dippy, and, you know, I got some sage, I own some sage, I got a few crystals. But certain people, when they're just like. When they. That's like, how they speak all the time. I'm just like, what's going on with you? Like, you know, this is what. I'm creating space for this, and I'm holding space for this, and I'm just.

[B]

Like, yeah, I'm with you. I mean, unless it's your job. Like, I have a woman who gives me massages and she speaks in a foreign language of wellness. But I'm like, okay, like, your whole job is to heal people, I guess. But anytime, she will be like, oh, blah, blah, blah, you know, charcoal interior ligament scrub. And I'm like, how do you do that? She's like, you drink this drink, and then you charge the crystals in the moon. And then in six weeks of drinking the drink, you'll have new bones. And I'm like, what?

[A]

Excuse me. It's gonna scrub my ligaments from the inside. I'm like, okay, you have a new cartilage scrub. What? How do you. How do you scrub cartilage? Boo. That's on The. Okay, okay. I'm gonna drink it, though.

[B]

Thank you.

[A]

I'm gonna drink it.

[B]

Yeah, just go ahead and get that knot right there. That would be great. Thank you.

[A]

I will say that if you're in the wellness space and that's your profession, that's the only time I'm not as creeped out, because I won't lie. Like, the bedside manner of a masseuse being like, oh, yeah, get that neck out, queen. I'm about to bust all in your neck. Yeah, I don't. That feels. Yeah. It's the wrong language. When I get. When I get a massage, I do want them to be like, okay, and now we're going to really uproot. I want them to say things like, uproot.

[B]

Yes, yes, exactly. Exactly. But, like, when your friend who's in marketing is, like, telling you about a way to, like, clean your chakras or whatever, you're like, okay, you work for Pepsi.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Isn't there, like, an Instagram story you need to be working on? Like, let's. Let's do this.

[A]

I'm definitely with you on that. So it was presented as a sister circle where we would all be supporting our sisters. Not you already laughing at sister circle. Why can't the girls have a shape? The girls want a shape.

[B]

It's a surprise.

[A]

I feel like circle is overused. If you're gonna get into scamming, like, give me an octagon.

[B]

I'll take an oval.

[A]

Give me a queen's rhombo. A regal.

[B]

Parallelogram. Yeah, parallelogram for the people.

[A]

Yes, parallelogram for the people. Okay. That's what I want. I feel like circle is just, you know, even oval would.

[B]

Would hit my ears a little close. Yeah.

[A]

So this is a sister circle where we'd be supporting our sisters, meditating on abundance, and checking in once a week with each other on a group phone call. No, no, Teresa, you don't want to meditate on abundance.

[B]

Do you want to get on another phone call? Be honest. Is that going to make you feel.

[A]

Better than zoom zooms?

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

You sagin all the zoom squares? I don't know. I'm into it. I'm into it. So far, I joined the circle.

[B]

Okay. Have fun.

[A]

Damn. Tracy not coming?

[B]

No. Hell no. I want you to tell me about it, though. Text me afterwards. And me what they all said.

[A]

Tracy, get out the car. Come on. We manifested abundance. I love. I love a meditation moment. It's just closing your eyes and thinking, and I love that. I love that for everyone involved, so it's set up like an old school pyramid scheme airplane game where you have the different levels starting with the appetizer. Now, hold on. We started with a circle, and now we moving on to a food analogy.

[B]

Maybe it's like on the circular plate, there's an appetizer.

[A]

Okay. See, you could be a part of this trace. You already explained it.

[B]

I told you, I'm a Leo. I've got the vision.

[A]

The Leo is happing out. So at the bottom is the appetizer. Damn. We don't start with the amuse bouche. We start with the appetizer. Okay. And then at the top level, you're a dessert.

[B]

Ooh.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

Where is the snack, though, right?

[A]

It's feeling. I don't know how this sounds sexual to me, but. Okay. So I think these names were given so that anyone. If they ever saw the communications that was from an outside group, they would. We were just planning a potluck. Okay. I was pretty. I was pretty sure that this was some bullshit, but a lot of my friends made it through the ranks very quickly and came out of the other side. To be a part of this group, you had to put in $10,000. I had a friend lend me the $10,000 with the agreement that I would pay it back to her when our circle was complete. So I just feel like if I'm manifesting abundance and I already got 10k, I should probably just work with that.

[B]

I would just take that to an investor. Yeah, I love that it's a circle, but it's really a pyramid sch. And also, you don't get the money till your circle's complete. So it's actually just a line. It sounds like, to me, just like it's not. There's no circle happening.

[A]

Tracy, how many geometric figures have we just passed through so quickly? It started as a circle, and then it's really a triangle.

[B]

This is a geometry podcast, but really it's linear.

[A]

Yeah, they're just hoping you never took geometry.

[B]

Yes, yeah, exactly.

[A]

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[B]

Hey, I'm Paul Scheer.

[A]

I'm June Diane Rayfield. And I'm Jason Mantzoukas.

[B]

And we're the hosts of how did this Get Made? A comedy podcast where we deconstruct, make fun of, and celebrate the best worst movies ever made.

[A]

Have you ever seen a movie that's so bad that it's actually good? That's what we're talking about. From blockbuster franchises and made for TV.

[B]

Romances to bonkers 80s action flicks and.

[A]

Obscure sci fi musicals, we cover it all.

[B]

You can find.

[A]

How did this get made?

[B]

Wherever you get your podcasts. And don't forget to follow the show so you never miss an episode. Idiot.

[A]

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[B]

Wow.

[A]

So if you. If I feel like if I have that many friends who have $10,000, I probably wouldn't be able to convince them to join a circle of meditate. Like. Like, you have me on the healing and the wellness, but you got me confused when it's $10,000. Like, I thought we were meditating. Meditation is product.

[B]

What's the thing that they're selling? Just. Just a phone call, a group. A group chat. Like, I'm confused on what's the. The thing?

[A]

Girl. The circle.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

And the sisters. And it's a sister.

[B]

So it's just. You're buying. You're buying $10,000 worth of rich friends.

[A]

Yeah. You know how circles have, like, a diameter and then they have a circumference? So $10,000.

[B]

Anyway, got it done.

[A]

It makes sense. Think about it. You know, you need to meditate longer, Tracy. That's why you. A lot of negativity.

[B]

I'm not Zen. There's something clogging my inner aura. I don't know.

[A]

Yeah, you backed up. And it's because.

[B]

It's because I don't know geometry, and I don't have $10,000 to give to my friends.

[A]

And this is very much an old school scam. There's even, like, an episode of the Parkers about this that does use these terms, like the dessert and the advertisement. Yes. I can't remember the season, but there's an episode of the Parkers where T gets involved in, like, a pyramid scheme like this, where it's a dinner party in quotes, but it's, you know, money. So the scheme is that you had to invite women into the circle that would put in $10,000 after five women joined the bottom rung of the appetizer position. So I don't know how circles got rungs again. Geometry. So after the five women joined the bottom rung of the appetizer position, the highest dessert position would get their payout of $50,000. And then the circle would split, and five more women would have to be invited until it could start over again. So I'm imagining that the circle move must split amongst the five people at the bottom, because otherwise.

[B]

I'm so lost. I have to admit, I'm terrible at math. And my image, it's just. It's not working for me.

[A]

So I guess this person says. Clancy says, I guess I came into the game late because I was very successful in getting people to join. But by the time I was in the position of the dessert and ready to get my bag. People had joined three to five other circles, and the whole thing stalled out. I mean, these parents schemes can last so long. But this process of failure was accelerated. A lot of the money was coming from growing weed. Cash money. Okay. Now growing weed is involved.

[B]

Okay, this is a different circle. Then you let. You sort of buried the lead plants, right?

[A]

Cly, are you a part of the cartel? This. Has the cartel gone through a rebrand girl boss? No, we're a. We're a feminist circle of cocaine distribution.

[B]

Yeah, yeah. It's not. It's not a cartel. It's a circle.

[A]

It's a circle. And we move squares, AKA bricks and bricks. Like this is curious. So basically, Clancy is saying that by the time they had invited the people to give the $10,000, the circle had already split up before they gave Clancy the bag.

[B]

But if they joined three other circles, does that mean they put down 30k?

[A]

That's what I'm trying to understand.

[B]

So it sounds like Clancy got scammed within a scam. Like everyone else made out and Clancy got double scammed.

[A]

Yeah, it feels like Clancy, you were like, everybody get involved in the circle. And they were like, oh, yeah, we will on our own. And then they all became their own desserts and never gave you any pie.

[B]

You just over here. Chicken wing, little appetizer.

[A]

Damn. Yeah, girl, you a side salad with. That's mostly lettuce.

[B]

Iceberg.

[A]

Iceberg. Damn. They have to do you like that. So I felt pretty annoyed at myself for joining because I knew that this was bullshit. But I had a couple women give me the whole. Don't you feel you deserve this lecture? And why are you always working so hard for your money while the rest of us are getting it so easily? What is your block to manifestation and abundance? Queen.

[B]

Not queen.

[A]

If money was this easy to make, we would all be making it. If it was as easy as getting on Facebook and opening your geometry textbook and becoming a rhombus, we would all do it.

[B]

It's true.

[A]

You know, if the math ain't math, then there's a reason the math is not mathing. So, yeah, after finally resisting for so long, I surrendered. I worked my ass off, had a great circle of women, and was in the position to desert very quickly. But like I said, everyone had spread out their resources. I eventually stopped and bowed out gracefully. And I have no idea what happened to the circle after that. I was there for about six months, leading a one hour phone call once a week. All in all, I wasn't too traumatized, but I just thought you would enjoy this very new age cloaking of a very classic pyramid scheme.

[B]

What happened to the 10k? Did you give it back to your friend? Is this a scam? There's scams within this scam. Clancy.

[A]

Clancy, you have left out so many pertinent details that I feel like I'm being scammed. We don't know where your friend's donation of the 10k went to you, to the Circle. When you started your circle, did they give you any coins? Who was on your one hour phone calls? What were you talking about? I have so many questions.

[B]

And who's the parent company? Like who? Like who is the Lula Rich of all of this? You know, like, who's in charge here? Who's making the billions off of your 10k? I need to know.

[A]

Yeah, who's the restaurant?

[B]

Mm, that's right.

[A]

Who's responsible for that? Who's the cheesecake factor? Cause that's who I wanna be in this whole scheme. I would like to be the Cheesecake Factory. We know that menu is big as hell. Mm, yeah. I mean, honestly, there's a lot of just rewording of old scams. You know, they just it off, they give it a new haircut and they put it back on Facebook. So we all know about that. Guys, if it was easy to make money, if it was that easy, everybody would be doing it. Also, if it's that easy to make money, people wouldn't tell you. When are people ever like, wow, I'm making money hand over fist. Would you like some? That's just not how Americans work.

[B]

I know a girl who does like, one who's like high up on one of those pyramid schemes, like, has the white Mercedes and the whole thing. And her Instagram is truly my nightmare. Like her talking into her Instagram stories, being like, hey guys, here's my list of products for the month. And it is terrifying. And even if she's making a billion dollars, I still don't think I could do it. I don't think I would want to. It seems horrible.

[A]

It does. I just can't imagine having to get up every day and turn on my front facing camera and lie to the Internet for money and have to put.

[B]

Makeup on to do it and to have to stand in front of my white Mercedes. Like, it's just the whole thing.

[A]

I don't want to do my eyebrows for robbery.

[B]

And you're doing it to all your friends. That's the fucked up part. It's like, you're getting your friends involved in this scheme so that you can make a little extra money and then they're getting screwed. Like it's a no, right?

[A]

And these people have to know where you live and eventually you have to stop being invited to parties and shit. I would imagine, like, if you're the person peddling the Wellness Zoom, call $10,000 circle. People are gonna stop inviting you to their baby showers and shit. Yeah, guys, if it seems too good to be true, if, if it's a shape, honestly, any shape related businesses this don't get involved. It's time for my favorite part of the show. I'm going to regale Tracy with a famous con caper group of criminals. We'll just get our opinions all throughout. I want to make a note up top here. Almost the entirety of this story is drawn from William Brennan's Intelligencer article, Worst Roommate Ever. And just a content warning, there is some mentions of physical assault and at one point, suicide. So I just want to put that up top. But we'll keep it as light as possible. You know, we don't like to get super dark over here. I. I also watched Worst Roommate Ever on Netflix, which inspired me to hit up our researcher Kailyn and see what we can dig up on this as well. Have you heard of Worst Roommate?

[B]

I've never heard of this.

[A]

Such a funny title for what it is, which is just American titles of television shows now. Cause I was thinking I was gonna watch and be like, oh, they'll be annoying. And I was like, murder?

[B]

Yeah. Is this where we're headed? I'm so scared.

[A]

I feel like if. I don't think I would call somebody my worst roommate ever if they murdered me. I feel like there has to be.

[B]

A bigger criminal I lived with.

[A]

Right. I feel like that makes them sound annoying when they were like, dangerous.

[B]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[A]

It's like, oh, my God. My roommate used to get on my nerves. They murder me. Like, a little serious. It's a little more serious than we're making it out. Netflix. And also William. But okay. So to those who first met him, Jameson Bachman was an intelligent, educated, and charming potential tenant. However, as soon as the first rent check was was cashed, he would embark on a reign of terror against his victims, with the ultimate goal of taking their homes from underneath them.

[B]

Oh, gosh.

[A]

Have you ever lived with a roommate that you didn't know beforehand, Tracy?

[B]

Yeah. Yes, I have.

[A]

Was it like in college or where.

[B]

It was right after college, I got an apartment with two friends and then it was right after college, so we were all constantly, like, doing things, moving out, moving back in. And so we had like a. That apartment of musical chairs. And so there were sometimes people who moved in that we did not know, but, like, they would be connected to someone somehow. I don't think we ever had any Craigslist type people.

[A]

It was like a Facebook situation of like, oh, this friend knows this person. Exactly. Yeah. And they need a place to live. Absolutely. And that's one of the things that I always, like, talk about when people speak about living wages in Los Angeles. I'm like, I just want to say this conceptually out loud so everyone can see, hear how insane it sounds. People will tell you to go online, find a stranger, and share a home with them so that you can afford to live in a city. If I can't afford to live by myself on the wages that I'm being paid, then it is not a living wage.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

If I have to shack up with strangers, people I do not know in.

[B]

Order to survive, that I found on the Internet.

[A]

That I found on the Internet.

[B]

Yeah. Like, not even people I met at a bar. I was like, hey, I'm looking for a roommate. I've spent 20 minutes with you. Just a complete hello, dear sir, madam.

[A]

Right. If I have to go to Craig and his list, and I ain't even met Craig, nobody met Craig. Don't know Craig. Don't know his list. If I have to go over to Craig's and find somebody to live with, then that's not a living wage. And it's insane that we've normalized that. Well, just get a roof. Just live with a stranger and hope they don't kill you. Come on, America.

[B]

What?

[A]

No, no, I understand having a roommate. If we were in a situation where it was like, oh, we could get a bigger place or we could afford more space, but it's a necessity right now with the wages that people are being paid as minimum wage. And that's not okay. It's wild that we accept that. So we're talking about Jameson Bachman. Well, with a name like Jameson, we know he's gonna be up to some shenanigans. So we're starting with Al. Alex Miller. Alex Miller, then 31, first met the serial squatter when she posted a listing on Craig and his list for a new roommate. Her previous roommate had left with little warning and with a part time juice bar salary in Philadelphia, she was desperate to find someone who would fill the room. Damn. Yeah, she working at a juice bar. In Philly. Do they like juice in Philly?

[B]

I. I guess they do Enough for Alex to get to get a roommate.

[A]

Not enough.

[B]

That's not that much, I guess. Not that much.

[A]

Clearly not. So the man who called her identified himself as Jed Creek. That don't even sound like a real name. That sounds like one of them names where you look around for stuff that's in your eyeline. What's your name? Paperclip. TV screen.

[B]

Oh, my gosh.

[A]

So this is. We're looking at Jameson right here. He looks to be a tall white man with a full head of hair, which I've said several times on this podcast. Equals charismatic. Yeah. So this is Jed Creek. He's a lawyer from New York who was in need of a place to stay while he tended to his ailing mother and brother in Philadelphia. So a whole backstory.

[B]

Wow. He's got an ailing mother and brother. He's a lawyer, but he needs to live with you. He's a lawyer in New York City and he needs to live with you. Like, already doesn't add up.

[A]

Exactly. And guys, we always say this on this podcast. If it's too good to be true, it is. Why is this lawyer man, who lives in New York City, where the cost of living is definitely higher than Philadelphia, need to live with you? Alex?

[B]

Why doesn't he live with his mother and brother?

[A]

Yeah, especially because they're ailing. It feels like if he needs to tend to their ailments, it's probably better that he's, like, under the same roof.

[B]

Yeah. Because they're not just ailing 9 to 5. Like, I'm sure they're ailing at 6 o'. Clock. Like, I feel like he needs to be there.

[A]

Yeah, I feel like he would need to be there for all the ailments. You're right about that. Like, I feel like you can't clock in on ailments. Like, I feel like you gotta be there around the. Around the clock.

[B]

Around the clock ailments.

[A]

That's a good point. Like, no, I just tend to the ailments from nine to five. Yeah. If she fall after that, that's none of my business.

[B]

I'll see her in the morning.

[A]

Don't roll over. Like, what? So he said he supplemented his income by doing litigation and tutoring students online. So in addition to doing lawyer lawyering, he was also doing litigation and teaching online. Sure. So he's a lawyer with several side hustles.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

Good sign, because you know how you be having free time for side hustles. Like, I'm a lawyer, and I also drive for Uber. Like, you know, I read the affidavits at the red lights.

[B]

What?

[A]

So to Alex, he seemed like the perfect solution to her problem. And though she was surprised when he offered to move in immediately with check in hand, she agreed. And you should not have agreed, Alex, because why now? Listen, with living situations, things do get desperate. I do understand the time is absolutely of the essence when moving, but why is this person not wanting to assess who you are? Why is this person also willing to move? Always put yourself in the shoes of the opposite person as well. What are they getting out of it? And if you can't think of something that they're getting out of it, the chances are that they're getting over on you.

[B]

On you.

[A]

Yeah, because I've never. I've never went and looked at a place or met somebody on Craigslist and was like, great, check in hand.

[B]

Yeah, I mean, I. I feel like I at least am. Like, I'd like to come back to the neighborhood at night and see if it feels safe, you know, Like. Like I'm. I'm like, I need six days to sleep on this. At least. Like, I could. I couldn't possibly make a decision and have actual money on me available, ready to go, unless it's the application fee. Otherwise, like, I need to come back. Love to see how the sun hits the windows at the east. You know? Like, I. I need to get a vibe check.

[A]

I need a vibe check. I definitely want to check and see if you have mail that's going to the corresponding address with your name on it. I need to make sure you're not scamming me. I'm most certainly not showing up with my check from Wells and the Fargo. Like, giddy up, let's move in. So when he showed up later that night.

[B]

Okay, I am so scared.

[A]

He brought only Tupperware bins and his dog, as well as a cat he had not previously mentioned. So he showed up to the crib with some bins and an extra animal. So many flags. Could you imagine for a bed? He dumped a heap of comforters on the floor. Now, remember, this man practices the law. He's here to visit all of his ailing relatives.

[B]

He's here taking care of others. So he only has a comforter for his bed. Because he's selfless, Lacy.

[A]

He has no bed, though, because he.

[B]

Has given everything to his loved ones, and all he has is a simple comforter.

[A]

Now, when I watched Netflix documentary, Alex was there giving her accounts. And she said that she asked about the. The pallet that he put on the floor, and he said it's more comfortable to sleep this way. I just feel like if you can't afford a bed, then you can't afford rent. Now, there are circumstances where when people first move into a place, maybe they have an air mattress or they're building up, but I just feel like I'm not gonna let anybody move in with me who does not have a bed.

[B]

I kind of want to know how much rent was.

[A]

I do, too.

[B]

Like, was he paying? Like, did he write her a check for, like, 16? Oh, boom, $800.

[A]

800.

[B]

So they're sharing a place. So let's say $1600 for two bedroom. Feels like maybe he could do $700 and invest in a bed. Low payment plan. I just, I. I'm confused. I'm just confused. I mean, I guess, you know, we know he's scamming. There's no. This makes no sense.

[A]

Yeah, I'm like, I feel like you can't bet on Walmart.com for definitely, like a hundred bucks. So I'm not. I'm very confused as to why this man does not own a place to lay his head. So the check cleared for the $800. And for the next few days, things went well. Then after only 11 days of living together, the arrangement started to decline when Jed, who is really Jameson, refused to pay his half of the utility bills. When Alex pressed, he offered to take her to court.

[B]

The what?

[A]

What? He offered to take her to court.

[B]

Ma', am, with your chariot, awaits. Shall we head down to the old superior court?

[A]

Yo, I'm driving to. Actually, I'm outside. I'll wait five minutes for court. Court. That's where we're going. After that. I got to start the ride. What?

[B]

No, I thought you were going to say he offered to take her to dinner, and then it was a plot twist with court.

[A]

Right. I just feel like you don't offer to take. Like, that sounds so polite. Like, would you like to go to court? No, I'm not paying the bills. But if you would like to go to court, let me know. I'm offering that. I'm offering legal hands. Would you like to fight legally?

[B]

And I'm a lawyer, don't forget, so.

[A]

I know all the laws, even the ones they don't tell you about. Like, so definitely intimidating. So after this incident, stranger things began to follow. I can't imagine anything stranger than. I'm like, hey, the light bill. The light bill. Came in and he's like, no, you wanna go to court? So one evening, Alex discovered that Jed had taken light bulbs from the living room lights to screw into his bedroom lamps. A few days later, she came home to discover all six chairs at the dining table had disappeared, only to find them in Jed's room fashioned into a desk.

[B]

And I heard his into a bed.

[A]

It should have been a bed. It should have just put all the.

[B]

Chairs together and then laid in between.

[A]

Right, he's laying in between the chairs. That's what I would have imagined too. But he fashioned it into a desk, you know, for his lawyer work. You know how desks work, which is fascinating to me. Cause it's like, why don't you just come out into the kitchen and work from the table or go to a coffee shop like normal people who don't have desks.

[B]

Exactly. Like the rest of us.

[A]

Robbery.

[B]

Hi, I'm Roman Mars, host of 99% Invisible. It's a podcast about all the thought that goes into things most people don't even think about. You're going to see stories everywhere. Follow and listen to 99% invisible wherever you get your podcasts time. It's always vanishing. The commute, the errands, the work functions, the meetings. Selling your car. Unless you sell your car with Carvana. Get a real offer in minutes. Get it picked up from your door. Get paid on the spot so fast you'll wonder what the catch is. There isn't one. We just respect you and your time. Oh, you're still here. Move along now. Enjoy your day. Sell your car today. Carvana. Pick up. Fees may apply. Do you have $10,000 or more in credit card debt? Maybe you're even barely getting by making minimum payments. With credit card debt hitting record highs, National Debt Relief offers real debt relief solutions for people struggling to keep up. These options may reduce a large portion of credit card debt for those who qualify. You don't need to declare bankruptcy and you may be able to pay back less than you owe regardless of your credit. National Debt Relief has already reduced the credit card debt for more than 550,000 consumers. So don't wait if you owe 10, 20, or even hundreds of thousands of dollars in credit card debt debt. You can now take advantage of this financial debt relief as the cost of living increases. To find out how much you could save, Visit National Debt Relief.com. that's National Debt Relief.com and Frau so.

[A]

The last straw, which I can't believe all these other straws weren't the last Straw, but okay, sis. So the last straw for Alex occurred when Jameson said that he found a cigarette butt in the toilet and then said he would not be paying the next month's rents, as Alex had violated the warranty of habitability. So basically, Jameson is saying, I found a cigarette butt in the toilet. You not supposed to be smoking in here. I'm not paying rent.

[B]

I can't live in these conditions. My bed and my desk could be ruined.

[A]

Right. My bed desk, that's also chairs could be destroyed that are yours, that are yours, that I stole from you, as well as all of my light bulb. So with limited options and no idea what to do next, Alex called her mother. When Alex's mother began her own investigation into Jed Creek, they discovered that Jed Creek was, in fact, Jameson Bachman. And Alex Miller was not his first victim. So who was Jameson Bachman? Jameson Bachmann came from a nice home in Elkins park, an older, wealthier neighborhood in Philadelphia. His father owned a construction company, his mother stayed at home, and his older brother Henry was considered the golden child. Oh, so Jameson grew up in somebody's shadow. So Jameson grew up doted on by parents, but inwardly was fiercely determined to surpass his brother. However, Jameson's life was changed when he witnessed a horrific incident. During his freshman year at Tulane University in 1975, he witnessed the murder of a friend, Ken Guzzi, at a frat house. Oh, no. So when Jameson returned home that summer, he was especially paranoid and would go on endless rants about the rising tide of antisemit. He spent the summer depressed and distraught before nearly completely dropping off the map in the fall. During that time, he allegedly went abroad, living in Israel and later studying Japanese at the Leiden University in the Netherlands. At the age 38, Jameson completed his bachelor's degree at Georgetown. Seven years later, he completed his doctor degree at the University of Miami, where professors called him a remarkably talented student. He failed to legitimize his law career, and then in 2003, he failed the bar exam on his first try and never went back. So he's never been a lawyer.

[B]

He went to law school, but he didn't become a lawyer.

[A]

He was, like, adjacent to law. He's in the cul de sac of law. He lived three doors down from Esquire, but.

[B]

Well, I think he's Esquire, but I don't think that he's a. I think Esquire just means you graduate law school, right?

[A]

Oh, I thought you had to, like, pass the bar and be a lawyer.

[B]

Honestly, I don't Know, I just. That's what I thought. I don't have any facts.

[A]

I looked that up for us. So he. He had the vibes of law. He went and studied the law and then decided that he was not actually gonna become a lawyer. So in the United States, Esquire is often shortened and it's a title of courtesy given to a lawyer and commonly appended to their surname. So you do have to be a lawyer. So you need to pass the bar and. Yeah, be a agent of the law. Which Mr. Ol Bachman. Ol Bachman was not.

[B]

Mm. Mm.

[A]

He was familiar with the law. It was his homie. It was like, you know, they had mu him in the law, but he was not practicing it. So in 2012, Jameson targeted a woman named Melissa Frost, claiming to be a New Yorker whose home had been destroyed in hurricane Sandy. So this is Melissa. Okay. With these painting overalls.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

Melissa's giving artsy vibes.

[B]

She's giving a style icon. Look at her.

[A]

Her little bob. I'm into it. Yeah. Melissa has a roommate. So Melissa was overcome with pity and offered him a room because he said, hurricane Sandy washed all my things away. And I'm in New York and I'm a lawyer and help me. So the problem began slowly, as they normally did. He scuffed up the floors. He kicked down doors. That's not a slow problem. I feel like if you kick it down doors, that's a big problem. He clogged the toilets with cat litter. What? This man is a menace.

[B]

This is my nightmare. He came with tupperware and an extra cat, and he's getting kitty litter in the toilet and you're worried about a cigarette butt. My guy, by the standards, couldn't you.

[A]

Just be an annoying normal roommate who, you know, eats somebody's leftovers or doesn't wash dishes? Why are you putting litter in my toilet and kicking down my doors, scratching my floors also? This is wild. So over time, he became more aggressive and repeatedly and occasionally violently asserted. This is my house now.

[B]

Oh, no. Mm.

[A]

So his ultimate goal was not just to secure rent free rooms, but to start a fight and have his roommates sue him. So not only was he trying to live for free, he was then trying to kick you out of your home.

[B]

But what does he get if you sue him?

[A]

I don't know what he gets.

[B]

He gets to practice law. He gets to defend himself in the court. A moment in the sun.

[A]

I think that litigation ties up the situation. It makes it longer to process. So when you get into litigation with people Then that gives him even more time to squat, even more time to live rent free. So while squatting in Melissa's home, he told a reporter, I'm happy to have her file an eviction notice. She files the filing fee, and then I piggyback on the filing fee and hit her with a counterclaim. That's just tactics. So in practice, this rarely worked. When he stepped before Judge Marvin Williams in Philadelphia to accuse Melissa Frost of destroying his property, Judge Williams told him, I find you to be totally. I don't believe a word you say, and frankly, you're frightening. Love this judge.

[B]

Frankly, you're frightening.

[A]

He's like, your vibes are bad. You have the face of a liar, and I'm scared of you.

[B]

And I'm auditioning to be the next Judge Judy.

[A]

Right. It's giving a lot of shame.

[B]

Frankly, you're frightening.

[A]

And then the judge throws a drink from the bench. I don't think he's supposed to be throwing drinks at us. This is their audience.

[B]

Real Judges of Philadelphia.

[A]

Yeah, I would watch Real Judges of Philadelphia in a heart.

[B]

Heartbeat.

[A]

Real Judges affiliate is giving for sure. Order.

[B]

Guilty. I said guilty.

[A]

You may not be guilty, but that outfit is purr. Ooh. Get him, Judge.

[B]

Oh, my gosh.

[A]

And that's an order. And then. Yeah. No, I love it. I love it. Case closed, bitch. Yes, I'm into it. I want this on my television screen.

[B]

Same.

[A]

So in such cases, Jameson would disappear before the case reached final judgment, only to move on to his next victim. Jameson wasn't a normal squatter in that he wasn't particularly occupied with the ultimate goal of free rent. Instead, he seemed to target and hang on to his victims out of the pleasure of causing anguish that he. What? Whoa. He. So he would take these people on and cause as much misery as possible. His roommates could never do anything to satisfy him because. Because he wanted nothing from him but the sadistic pleasure of watching them squirm as he displaced them.

[B]

No.

[A]

Oh, this man is a sicko.

[B]

That's really fucking scary.

[A]

Because there's literally nothing worse than having an opponent who is chaotic and has no kind of Achilles heel. Like, nothing that they want, nothing that you can use to manipulate or motivate them.

[B]

Them. Because, like, also think about their friends or their family. Like, they call. And Melissa's like, mom, what should I do? And the mom's, like, giving her advice, like, okay, take the high road. Or, like, okay, we need to take him to court. Blah, blah, blah. And, like, the whole point is he's just Sitting there listening to her cry on the phone to her mom. Like, nothing that anyone says is gonna help because the whole point is that he's miserable or that they're miserable.

[A]

Like, cruelty is the point. He's like, I want to go to court. Sue me. Yeah. You know, we should have known when he was inviting people to court.

[B]

Offer. Offer to go to court with me.

[A]

He likes to go there. No, you don't want somebody who just likes chaos. So the end of his squatting career was, like, May 1, a little over a month from when Jameson moved in to Alex's place. By this point, Alex and Susan, who is Alex's mother, had been in touch with Melissa Frost, who was one of the previous victims. Who he was was, like, scuffing up her floors and putting kitty litter in her toilet. They found other victims of Jameson's, and they had a fuller idea of his past. That night, they held a really wild party. Alex described on Facebook as a send off for the serial squatter Jameson Bachman. The following morning, Alex believed Jameson had left. Earlier that night, however, he attacked her while she was brushing her teeth. Oh, no. Leading Alex to being cut with a knife and hiding in her room until police arrived and arrested Jameson. Jameson was charged with aggravated assault and sent to jail. And Alex obtained a protection order. So I just want to say that something that I don't see here is that Jameson got away with a lot of this because people have squatters rights. So before you allow somebody to move into your place, you need to vet them, because as soon as they start getting mail, because that was Jameson's big thing that I don't see in these notes is that he would, like, move in and immediately have Sam Goody or Amazon, Kentucky TV or whoever, sending mail to the address so that he could prove that he was a resident. That way, when he stopped paying rent and utilities and started sending out invitations to court, you couldn't just boot him out because technically he lived there. So now he has rights.

[B]

Wow. But okay, so here's my question. Are there. No. There's no protection for the person whose name's on the lease once you let someone in? Like, so, like, if you're. If your significant other moves in with you and, like, jumps on your lease and then you guys break up, they can just stay and you can't get them out?

[A]

Yeah, if they jump on your lease, especially. But if.

[B]

No, not if they jump on their lease. No, you stay on the lease, but they just jump in, like, to the.

[A]

Apartment if they've been Staying there long enough. If they're receiving mail, then, yeah, they are afforded some protections. You can't just boot people out onto the street, which is why it's dangerous to take on a roommate without doing the proper vetting process, without getting your landlord involved, which I know some people don't want to do, or having them sign onto the lease. Because sometimes when you're looking for a roommate, you're just like, do you have the money? I don't care if your credit's bad. And maybe their credit's not good enough to get on your lease or the landlord won't let them. And so. And you need money. You need somebody to split them bills. So a squatter can claim rights to property after residing there for a certain time. In California, it takes five years of continuous use or maintenance for a squatter to make an adverse possession or claim. When a squatter claims adverse possession, they can gain ownership of the property legally. So basically, the squatter just reverses it and they claim your property. So it takes time to claim the property, but you certainly can get protections for not being able to boot somebody out immediately.

[B]

So did all of these women own their. The property that he was moving into, or were they also rent? Were they renting?

[A]

Some of them were renters. Some of them were like. I believe Alex lived in the place with her former partner. The partner moved out, but it was like she had purchased the place. So she was trying to pay a mortgage.

[B]

I see.

[A]

She wanted it to be her forever home. So that's why she was trying to get somebody to help pay that mortgage so that she could continue living there. And something else that I don't see here is that Alex at one point had a roommate, another roommate, like, in addition to Jameson, move in and was living in a tent in the living room.

[B]

Alex.

[A]

Alex, you couldn't afford this place.

[B]

Alex, we gotta get your standards up, girl. You could. Or you could have just sold the spot downgrade or rent in a luxury building in Philly. Get right on that. Rittenhouse Square, girl.

[A]

Like, what are you doing, baby girl? Alex, you couldn't afford this place if you had to have another person moving. A third person. And they were without a bed, Another.

[B]

Person without a bed. Alex.

[A]

Alex. And this person is in a tent in a living room. At this point, you. You done opened up a halfway house. This ain't even your home no more. Like, what's going on? And then Jameson, like, had harassed the person with the tent, was going in they little tent, messing with their things and stuff. To the point where the tent person moved was like, I'm have to pack it up.

[B]

You know, it's unlivable conditions if the person in the tent in the living room is like, I can't do this.

[A]

Like, I don't know how you live like this.

[B]

This is horrible.

[A]

No, I'm gonna be packing up my John Deere tent this evening. I'm out. Yeah, that's how you know it's bad. So. Arrest and trial. Alex and her mother began cleaning Jameson's room and found a cleaning kit with a gun. A.38 caliber pistol. It was a cleaning kit, but no gun. So they found bullets and a cleaning kit, but not the actual gun. Curious where the weap. On June 17, Harry Jameson's brother bailed him out of jail. And though Alex and the mother continued to search, they still not found the gun. A few weeks later, Alex and Jameson met under police supervision to exchange his belongings. But the encounter ended in Jameson threatening Alex, which led to rearrange. How you gonna threaten somebody in front of the police? This feels like not a good place. I feel like you don't do your threats.

[B]

Yeah, it's just, you know, with the law right there. Company, right?

[A]

Like, the law is right there.

[B]

Jameson shoe for this exact reason, right?

[A]

They're here to. He was like, I don't care. They can't protect you.

[B]

It's not like you're like, at the donut shop and the cops are just hanging out like they're off duty. It's like, hello, I'm here to mitigate this situation.

[A]

They came to prevent you from doing this, and yet here you are.

[B]

Honestly, this is why cops never do their fucking job. They let him get the threat off, right?

[A]

Like, hello, y' all supposed to interrupt the threat. They're like, no, we actually can't do anything until he finishes the whole threat.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And Neil will step in. Wow. Thank you, police. So on October 28, Harry, who is Jameson's brother, who he was always in the shadow of, bailed him out a second time, but did not allow his brother to live with him. He was like, all right, I'm gonna bail you out. We're brothers. But like, you cannot come stay with me. You are chaos. Shortly before 7:00 o', clock, November 3rd, Harry had stopped on his way out of town to see Jameson in his driveway. Harry had been scheduled to arrive in upstate New York later that night, but he never made it. Harry's wife Carolyn called the police, who arrived at Harry's house and discovered that Harry had been murdered. By his brother. He had been beaten and dragged into the basement. That night, police arrested Jameson at a hotel down the road that he had checked into under his brother's name. Wow.

[B]

That makes very little sense.

[A]

So Bachmann's preliminary hearing was set for the morning of December 11th. It was canceled the morning of as a few days earlier, Jameson Bachmann had decided to take his own life at the prison. Alex Miller moved in with her childhood friend and has found a much better living situation since.

[B]

Yeah, Alex, she's found a much better living situation than living with a murderer.

[A]

Than being held hostage by having a.

[B]

Tent in her living room, living with the murderer and being slashed by him. You know what? I'm glad that you found your way. And I feel like she probably joined the circle and is doing a lot of wellness abundance with her girls.

[A]

Alex, go ahead and manifest those shapes and those squares. Alex, I'm so sorry that you were held hostage by a petty murderer. Oh, but this is just a warning. 1. A lot of the victims of Jameson were women. I don't recommend if you're a cisgendered woman living with a cisgender gendered man that you've never met off of the.

[B]

Internet, you're a trans woman or non binary. Yeah, honestly, anyone who's not a cisgender man probably shouldn't live with a cisgender stranger.

[A]

That's. That's actually what I mean. If you identify as a woman, you should probably not live with a cisgendered man that you found on the Internet. Then it's time for scammer of the week US where we highlight an honorary charlatan. Maybe we love him, maybe we hate him. We'll see. Today we're Talking about an 81 year old woman from Kirkwood, Missouri who was sentenced in court after pleading guilty to helping an identified Nigerian scam artist with whom she had fallen in love with.

[B]

Always, always in love.

[A]

Glinda Same. Oh, Glenda. Glenda the good witch. She was found guilty of two felony counts of identity theft from her participation as a money mule for her boo. A money mule is a person who receives fraudulently attained money on behalf of a scammer and then forwards the proceeds to the scammer. Oh, Glenda, Glenda, Glenda.

[B]

You made some bad choices, my dear.

[A]

Glenda got a good haircut and it looks like it's blown out. Like her hair looks shiny. Glenda definitely goes to the hair salon once a week.

[B]

Once a week.

[A]

Glenda, your grandkids do not call you enough. Cause how dare they Let you get involved in this. It's not cool. How y' all gonna do Granny Glenda like this? Y' all are wrong. I blame the grandchildren.

[B]

Always. It's always the grandchildren's fault.

[A]

She was responsible for up to 1 point million in fraudulent transactions.

[B]

Oh, so Glenda was.

[A]

She was turning that way.

[B]

She was moving. Yes, Glenda.

[A]

Granny Glenda was out here moving. Moving the coins. Okay. As a part of her sentencing deal, Glenda agreed to film a PSA for the FBI, warning others against becoming the victim of a scam. So Granny Glenda had to get out here, like in the army. Love why your fraud is here. They got me, Granny Glenda. I could keep going on. Yeah. Poor Granny Glenda. She just wanted some love. She just wanted some. Some.

[B]

She wanted some good dick, right?

[A]

She just wanted a worldly dicking. That's exactly in her old age. Yeah. I hate to see it for her. I hate to see this. So in it, she describes how she fel with a man over the Internet and then proceeded to ignore friends, family, and even the F. The B in the I who told her to stop sending the man money. Glenda met the man in 2014, and over the course of almost seven years, he would ask for Glenda's help in paying fees to the Nigerian government or to business associates. He couldn't leave Nigeria and claimed he was finally meet his love when all the fees were paid. He said, baby, when you pay these fees, the dick.

[B]

I'm coming here. Here I come.

[A]

When I like.

[B]

Just.

[A]

Just pay these last transaction fees to TD.

[B]

Just pay this 1.5 mil and I'll be there.

[A]

And when I tell you. Rounds?

[B]

Yeah, all night. You familiar with that old Lionel Richie song, All night Long? That's you and me, Glenn. Oh, Glenny.

[A]

I'm gonna take you to the sock hop. Glenda, you ain't even ready.

[B]

Okay?

[A]

It's gonna be.

[B]

I'll show you a bad witch.

[A]

Okay, Glenda, you ain't had dick this good since Coca Cola was 10.10cents and.

[B]

Had actual cocaine in it.

[A]

Now, he was about to give you that 1950s freaking oh, Lord. He said, this dick's so good, it should be illegal. Love it. Versus Virginia. Ew. I know you remember that. No, no, no, no. Wait. Can we see a little bit of this PSA before we go? And I'll put this on the Instagram. I just want to see what Granny Glenda was talking about when she was warning the other hot girls in the elderly community. Let's see here. In 2014, I met the love of my life online, and he told me that he was a US Citizen and was working in Nigeria. He asked me, oh, no, Glenda. Glenda.

[B]

Getting out cash, 45 bucks.

[A]

Glenda got out $45 on the computer. Glenda, you can't send cash through the computer. Glenda is whipping out hello phones. Oh, Glenda. Oh, no, y'. All. Y' all gotta see this video. Everybody was hating on her love over five years. Five years, Glenda, you was getting texts that were that good. Don't be a mule. Okay? No, it ended with, don't be a mule.

[B]

I can't wait to go look at that hashtag as soon as we're done here.

[A]

This is disrespectful. The FBI. The FBI. And I didn't have to disrespect you like. Like this. Don't be a.

[B]

Okay, I have to say something. As a person who has a lot of beliefs about the funding and defunding of the police, I feel that if I met Glenda, she would probably tell me why we need to fund the police so much. But the police come to her and they're like, you're breaking the law. And she's like, no, I'm in love. I'm in love. You don't want to listen to the police then, but you want me to listen to the police when I'm out here trying to protest, right?

[A]

Like, all of a sudden, the police is wrong.

[B]

And now.

[A]

Glenda, Glenda. Textual messages.

[B]

You went to court or spoken to.

[A]

You went to court twice. You have not seen this man. You are just imagining how fine he is. What kind of poems and limericks was this man sending you that's got you putting $45 next to your computer and four, five different cell phones that are stolen?

[B]

And what's going on? Where is her bingo community? Where are her people? Like, you don't know anybody you could hang out with who will talk to you or see you? Just companionship, like, because this is just via text, an email exchange. Like, what's happening, Glenda?

[A]

I'm also blaming your hair stylist, who at Great Clips is responsible for this? Cuz I know you told them about this relationship every week when you was getting your. Your wash and cut and. And nobody stopped you. My love, my love, my love. What is his name? Glinda? Did he tell you his name?

[B]

Glenda.

[A]

Can't wait to hear what it was. Glenda, I'mma stand beside you. Glenda. This is hilarious.

[B]

Glenda, we're proud of you for all of you've done for the way you fought for love through it all through thick and thin.

[A]

Glenda, I need you to get on seniors.com, sunrise.com, whatever Cialis brand apps they got out there for the old hot girls who need the cobwebs dusted off. Because I want that for you, Glenda. Linda, this is. This is not you going out down, sad and bad. I don't like that for you guys. That brings us to the end of another episode. Tracy, thank you so much for being here. Tracy, you're fantastic. Where do you like to be found? Where do you want the people to find you?

[B]

So I talk about books all the time. So please find my podcast where I talk about books. It's called the Stacks. Anywhere you listen to podcasts, wherever you're listening now. And then you can find me on Instagram at the Stacks pod or at I talk even more about books. And on Twitter you can find just me, no books. Itracial. So yeah, by tracial.

[A]

I love it. And just me, no books. Just me, no books. Yes. And guys, as always, scamguidesprodmail.com snitch on your friends and family. Guys, I want to hear these scam stories. Just make sure the scams retired so we don't fuck up your bag if you want to find me. D I V A L A C I Diva Lacey on all platforms. New episodes of iCarly will start streaming April 8th. If you are are into that. Yeah, I think that's all I got right now, guys. Congregation. Stay Scheming. Scam Goddess. Scam Goddess stars and is hosted by me, Lacey Moseley, AKA Scam Goddess. It's produced by Judith Kargbo, engineered by Marina Paiz, and researched by Kalen Brandt. Stay scheming.

[B]

Hi, I'm Roman Mars, host of 99% Invisible. It's a podcast about all the thought that goes into into things most people don't even think about. You're going to see stories everywhere. Follow and listen to 99% invisible wherever you get your podcasts.

[A]

Hey, neighbor. Celebrate the holidays with Birch Lane.

[B]

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[A]

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