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- [00:00]
A
Hey, scamfluencers fans, Sarah here. If you love the drama deception and mind blowing reveals, Wondery is your VIP ticket to more ad free episodes, early access to the juiciest scandals and deep dives you won't find anywhere else. Get the full Scamfluencers experience. Sign up today. Sachi, if you are a scammer, is there a specific type of caricature or Persona you'd try and take on?
- [00:33]
B
Um, I think ambiguously ethnic, loosely rich woman who doesn't abide by any of society's moors and is always wearing sunglasses inside.
- [00:44]
A
Yes. I would really want to be like, cartoon glamorous. Like, you know those ladies who have like, fur and like a long filtered cigarette.
- [00:53]
B
Yeah.
- [00:53]
A
Which is essentially Cruella de Vil.
- [00:55]
B
Yeah, I'm like, trying it with the gray hair. I think I get there. I just can't shut up. It's a problem.
- [01:00]
A
Yeah, but, you know, we could work on that. Okay, well, today I'm going to tell you about a true scam addict who would stop at nothing to be a classic Texas oil man. But with all his convoluted schemes taking him in and out of prison, he ended up more like someone from a Coen Brothers movie. It's early March 2010. Dawn Dandridge is sitting in her office inside a sleek high rise building in downtown Dallas. Dawn is in her early 40s and is an accountant at Prosper Oil and Gas, a very successful oil investment firm. Handling big accounts isn't new for Dawn. She has multiple business degrees and has worked for several national companies. But this job is different, mostly because of her boss, Allen Todd May. Dawn's been working for Allen for a few months now. He's in his early 40s with a medium build, short blonde hair, and a round face. He also happens to be a queer man in Texas. When Don first applied for the job, the listing called the Prosper a quote, progressive working environment. That is certainly true. There are a lot of gay men working for Allen, and the company operates more like a giant playground than a traditional office. Alan takes employees out to extravagant meals and gives senior staff luxury gifts like BMWs and Rolexes. Don is constantly amazed by the amount of wealth Allen throws around. He wears impeccable suits and drives a Mercedes one day and a Ferrari the next. Plus, he's always hanging out with high profile Dallas figures like sheriffs and preachers. He shows them around the office or invites them to the fabulous parties he throws at his mansion. While Alan can be charming, Don also finds him intimidating. He seems like someone who needs to be in charge. And lately, she's been getting a weird vibe. Two months ago, Allen asked Dawn to prepare the company royalty. Royalty statements. When she looked over the numbers, it seemed like the oil wells were barely making any money. And whenever investors call to ask for their royalties, Allen tells Dawn to hold off paying anyone until they absolutely have to. Then, a few weeks ago, dawn went to deposit a check for Allen, and a bank employee discreetly told her that government agencies have been asking about Prosper. When she asked Allen about it, he told her to put Prosper's money in a new bank.
- [03:34]
B
I'm not an expert, Sarah. I don't understand math or money. But if I were an accountant for a company like this and I was told that the government was starting to look into it, I would be very concerned about that. If I was handling the books, and then if my boss told me to move money around into a new bank, that would really set my alarm bells off.
- [03:52]
A
Yeah, that sounds about right. And at this point, dawn is done. She's looking for a new job, but she's staying at Prosper until she finds something else. Today, she's sitting inside her office when she hears a loud sound by the building's entrance. Her blood runs cold when she hears a voice from the lobby shout, Come out with your hands up. Federal agents swarm inside with their guns out. After the initial shock wears off, dawn gathers herself while agents start interviewing Prosper staff. When they ask her about Allen, Don doesn't hold back. She's convinced he's a grade A scammer, and she is not going down for him. After her interview, dawn is free to go. But while she's able to drive home, Alan's life is being torn apart. Multiple government agencies are about to expose Prosper Oil and Gas for what it really is. A front to support Allen's fabulous life. And just like the bogus oil wells he's been peddling to his victims, Allen is secretly running on empty.
- [05:04]
C
Hi, I'm Lindsey Graham, the host of Wondery's American Scandal. In our latest series, three teenage boys from West Memphis, Arkansas, are accused of a vicious triple homicide. There's no real evidence linking them to the crime except rumor and fear, and that'll be enough to convict them. Listen to American Scandal on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts.
- [05:23]
D
Hey, pod listeners. Have we got a fun new game for you.
- [05:26]
E
It's called Quick, Quick, Quick. A game that has outrageous questions that will keep you playing and laughing for hours like this. Quick, quick, quick. Lists three gifts you'd never give a cowboy.
- [05:35]
D
And you can say anything. There's no wrong answers, so go get.
- [05:39]
E
It quick, quick, quickly. Available now at Target and Amazon.
- [05:45]
A
From Wondery. I'm Sarah Hagie.
- [05:47]
B
And I'm Sachi Cole.
- [05:49]
A
And this is Scamf. Come and give me your attention. I won't ever learn my lesson. Turn my speakers to 11. I feel like a legend. Alan Todd May has been a master of reinvention since his teenage years in Houston. Using Southern charm, bold lies and false identities, he stole millions of dollars to fund his fantasy life as a wealthy Texas oil man. But he couldn't stop conspicuously flaunting his wealth, creating a constant cycle of boom and bust. After a daring prison escape, Alan nearly pulls off one last reinvention, living large in Florida as a retired oil tycoon. But one really bad pink suit brings it all crashing down and finally leads him to a crude awakening. This is Alan Todd May. Black gold red flag. It's the mid-1980s in Houston, Texas, and Alan Todd May is a handsome, ruddy faced guy in his early 20s. He's just a few years out of high school, but instead of going to college, he spent the last few years in prison for passing bad checks. Now he's standing in front of a steely Texas judge asking for a fresh start. Allen was born in Houston in 1964, the eldest of three boys. His dad, Albert, owned a copy machine store and the family lived modestly. But ever since he was a child, Alan has always wanted more. This might stem from stories he heard as a kid about his great grandfather. He was a cotton ginner who at some point managed to get hold of a small oil and gas claim. The oil man archetype looms large when Alan is growing up in Houston. And given his great grandfather's oil claim, Allen seems to think he's destined for a life of wealth and influence. The family oil interest passes down to Alan's dad, but it doesn't turn the maize into tycoons. The well only brings in the modern equivalent of about $100 a month. But that doesn't deter Alan. He still thinks he's meant for bigger things. Everyone who knows Alan describes him as smart, although his brother Chris later says Alan wasn't smart enough to make money without screwing somebody else out of it. In 1983, at 19 years old, Alan is arrested after stealing groceries and gas. Apparently, fraud runs in the family because his mother also gets arrested two years later for theft.
- [08:32]
B
I mean, I have a lot of empathy for a 19 year old stealing groceries. I think I have less empathy for his mom setting him up for a lifetime of scammers, artistry.
- [08:41]
A
Yeah. And Alan learns a lot about how to manipulate the system while he's in prison. When he's 20, he files a lawsuit against the county because he and the other inmates aren't allowed to read in the newspaper. And later, he accuses his parole officer of sexually manipulating him. He demands an apology in the form of $8 million. But as soon as the parole officer resigns, Allen withdraws his complaint. Then he changes his story and says actually their affair was consensual. Allen has felt, quote, homosexual tendencies for a while now. But this is Texas in the 80s, when sodomy laws made being gay effectively illegal. We're not sure how Allen really felt about his sexuality at this time, but we do know he was ready to leave jail for good. So in his early 20s, standing in front of a judge, Allen promises to change. He tells a judge he'll get married to a woman and even start going to church. Those promises are enough to set Alan free. But God has nothing to do with what he does next. It's early June 1990 in St. Petersburg, Florida. Alan, now 25, is busy decorating his new beach house rental. He hangs big paintings of English landscapes on the wall and replaces the breezy wicker furniture with heavy marble and dark wood. While Alan moves their furniture in, his wife make that his second wife watches and holds her pregnant belly. Allen's life of non crime lasted one brief year. He did follow through on his promise to get married, but in 1987, he was arrested again for passing bad checks and he divorced his first wife. On the day he was sent to prison, Allen didn't file any more lawsuits from his cell. Instead, he used his time to hatch up a new scheme. It works like this. Allen takes out newspaper ads across the country selling exhibitor booths at different conventions. But the conventions don't exist. His go to fake convention is something he calls the Cosmopolitan Women's Show. Allen hits up business owners who might want to exhibit and sends them pamphlets with floor layouts. In return, they send Allen deposits of up to $1,500 for their boots. In some cases, Alan actually reaches out to real convention centers to book expos under a fake name. But then he later cancels them or just doesn't pay the fees and lets the centers cancel the expos themselves. Between the real bookings and Allen's professional charm, the victims don't realize they've been fleeced until days or weeks. Supposedly, even the IRS falls for the scam. Sending Allen a booth deposit in a failed attempt to recruit some cosmopolitan women.
- [11:38]
B
Can you imagine being so deep and confident in your scam that you get inadvertently contacted by the IRS to participate in it? And you're like, okay, bet, let's go.
- [11:51]
A
Yeah. And also I'm like, what does the IRS think a cosmopolitan woman is? Cause I'm just imagining Carrie Bradshaw and company. You know? They're like, we need some cosmopolitan women up in the irs. Well, by the time Alan is moving into his Florida beach house in the summer of 1990, he's wanted in Texas and Georgia. Not only has he been swindling business owners, but the checks he sent out to advertise at conventions have been bouncing. Still, Alan isn't going to let life on the run stop him from enjoying the fruits of his labor. The convention scam pays well, and he uses his stolen wealth to make friends all over town. And when you're friends with Alan, you get rewarded. Alan rents limos to take people out to dinner where they always eat his favorite steak, caviar and champagne. He invites his landlord over for gourmet dinners where he shows off his vast knowledge of wine and music and talks about his upper crust family back in Texas. At one point, he even buys his landlord's boyfriend an expensive tie. It's a show of generosity and a symbol of how rich and cultured Alan is. Because to Alan, it's not wealth unless other people can see it. He tells all his new friends about how he comes from oil money, and based on how much he spends, people believe him.
- [13:17]
B
I mean, it's technically true, even if it's not a lot of money. He is kind of not lying.
- [13:24]
A
I feel like it's. He knows enough about it. Like, you know, the base of the lie is so believable because he knows so much about it. Therefore, why wouldn't people believe it, Right?
- [13:33]
B
I mean, those are the best lies. The ones that start in the truth.
- [13:36]
A
Yes. But about a month after Allen moves to Florida, the jig is up. The convention center he booked in Tampa cancels his event after yet another bounce check. That's Alan's cue. It's time to move on. Alan and his wife load their nouveau riche art and furniture into a U Haul and head north to Indianapolis. Barely a week later, Alan starts his scam back up again. He takes on new names like Mark Holloway and Jonathan Fairchild, but claims to be running the same women's conference. It only takes a few weeks for authorities to Trace the U haul rental, cashed booth checks, and fake expo brochures back to Allen. He's arrested and sent back to prison. It may seem like Alan made a rookie mistake by running the same con over and over again, but scamming is basically a compulsion to him. So much so that he keeps running the convention con from behind bars. Allen allegedly runs his scheme through 1995 while he's still in prison. He makes a few minor changes. Now they're women's health or Christian family conventions. But he needs help while he's behind bars. So Allen invites a woman to jail for a job interview. The job to patch him through to potential victims via conference call so they won't hear the I'm calling you from jail message. The Houston Chronicle later estimates that Allen defrauded about 50 would be exhibitors this way.
- [15:12]
B
This is obviously wrong, but it feels especially bad because he's just doing this to, like, small business owners, right?
- [15:19]
A
Yeah, I feel like he's preying on anyone and also the irs. But mostly I'm obsessed with the idea of a woman going to prison for a job interview. Like, that's amazing.
- [15:30]
B
Yeah. I'm very curious what, like, the benefits package is for that job.
- [15:35]
A
No benefits, but important work. True. Well, he's finally caught when one of his Christian Expo customers calls the Dallas Convention center about her exhibition, only to find out there is a car show planned that day instead. Needless to say, Alan's phone privileges are taken away. By the time Alan is released in 2000, he's 35 years old and has spent over a third of his life in prison. He's also left a trail of wreckage behind, including a second failed marriage and a daughter he likely rarely sees, if ever. But instead of learning his lesson, Alan is ready to level up and maybe even bring someone else along for the ride. It's the early 2000s, and a young man named Jason is waiting in line at a Houston dry cleaner holding a pile of clothes. We don't know a lot about Jason, but he's in his late teens or early 20s, has a round baby face and puffy hair, and grew up a gay kid in Texas in the 90s. It wasn't easy finding community back then. So about two years ago, when Jason was a senior in high school, he turned to AOL chat rooms. That's where he met his first boyfriend, 36 year old Alan Todd May. Alan is almost 20 years his senior, but Jason doesn't mind the age gap. Alan's a smart guy who gives him lots of attention and treats him to shopping trips at Saks Fifth Avenue. Jason feels like Alan's young, hot trophy boyfriend. Before long, Jason is basically living with Alan and getting a peek behind the curtain of his business. Even though Jason's barely out of high school, he can tell that Alan's business skills are more scammy than savvy. Like the time Alan buys a fake PhD off the Internet in an attempt to seem more legitimate. Or when he opens a dry cleaner in a high end suburb of Houston and registers it in both of their names. That's how Jason finds himself holding a bunch of other people's dirty clothes. Because instead of cleaning the clothes themselves, Alan has Jason bring the dirty clothes to cheaper laundromats than bring the clean clothes back and upcharge their own clients. Allen won't even clean clothes. Honestly.
- [17:57]
B
I don't know why anybody would think he would. This doesn't seem like somebody who wants to do anything honestly, because it's going to take a little more time.
- [18:07]
A
It just is so overly complicated. But Allen's gonna Allen. The couple doesn't stay in Houston long. Allen insists they move cities every few months, from Dallas to Miami and eventually to Atlanta. Jason isn't totally sure why. He's also starting to wonder where all of Allen's cash is coming from. But Allen is Jason's first boyfriend, so he goes along with it when Allen tells him they're moving again. Or when he opens a new business or credit card in Jason's name. But in December 2002, reality finally sets in. Jason and Allen have just moved into an apartment in Decatur, Georgia, and any doubts Jason may have had about his boyfriend are quickly answered when he hears an aggressive knock at the door. To Jason's surprise, his boyfriend darts into the bathroom and shuts the door, but it's no use. Authorities barge in and find Alan hiding in the bathtub just like Alan's two ex wives. Jason watches as Alan is carted off to prison. His first heartbreak is sure to teach him a lifelong lesson. But some people can't shake Alan off so easily. It's July 2003, just outside of Houston. Chris May rubs his temples as he looks over a stack of legal documents. He's a stocky guy in his mid-30s with dark hair and a round face. Chris is Alan's younger brother, and he's been grieving the death of their father, Albert, for about two years now. The sadness at his death has been compounded by a brutal legal battle with his stepmother. After Chris and Alan's parents got divorced, Their dad remarried a few times before finally settling down with his fourth wife, Monica. Before Albert developed advanced cancer, he and Monica raised a daughter together. In February 2001, just a few months before Albert passed away, Chris and Alan visited their ailing father together. They drafted a will that left all of Albert's assets to Chris, Alan and their brother Joe, but nothing to Monica or her daughter. After Albert's death, the May brothers went to court to claim their dad's assets. That's when things got messy. Monica accused Chris and Alan of forcing their father to sign the will or even forging it. In fact, Monica says she has another will that Albert made, leaving everything to her and their daughter. Albert even left a very explicit clause in this earlier will that says, it is my intention to make no provisions in this will for Allen T. May or my other sons. And they are familiar with the reason.
- [20:59]
B
This actually reminds me a lot of Leona Helmsley, which we did an episode on her before because she also would not leave anything to her kids in her will. And she also wrote that they knew why and then she gave everything to her dog.
- [21:11]
A
Yes, the they know why is so scary. Mm. So for the next two years, Chris and Ellen are in a full on legal battle. It's been uncomfortable and expensive. Chris was more involved in the beginning of this legal drama and but lately he's taken a step back. The lawyers cost a lot and the estate isn't even worth that much. It amounts to a small house, some furniture and two cars, including an Oldsmobile that's in danger of being repossessed. Appraisers will later say the whole estate is worth about $30,000. While Chris has pulled back, his brother Alan has doubled down. It's partly because Alan has a lot of free time. He's back in prison for felony theft. But it's also because he's obsessed with their dad's oil interest. It's up for grabs in the will and is a big point of contention between Allen and Monica. Allen sends a handwritten letter to their judge saying as much, and he decides to speak for the entire family when he writes, the only interest we have and have had all along is the oil and gas royalty. My father inherited the legacy from our great grandfather. Chris is a little annoyed with Alan. That royalty is worth only $100 a month. But his brother has always seemed enamored with the idea of old Texas oil money. And Chris assumes Alan wants the royalty so he can call himself an oil man. Alan's stubbornness has Chris and their younger brother Joe so frustrated that Joe even sends a letter to Alan saying, quote, you have chosen money and vengeance over justice and mercy.
- [22:54]
B
Oh, that is biblical, that line. But it's also so interesting how siblings become strangers to each other when money is involved, when wills start to get pulled out.
- [23:06]
A
Yeah. And also, it's crazy. The other brothers are like, dude, get over it. In July 2003, the families settle and Alan's quest finally pays off. Kind of. The brothers agreed to give up any claim to the estate except for the oil interest. Chris and his brothers now own it, along with their little sister. Now split between the four kids, Chris will get a cool $25 every month. Totally worth the lawyer fees. As Chris puts his signature on the settlement, he's probably thinking this whole fight was a waste. But to Alan, it's a huge victory. He's officially an oilman. And with his release date from prison on the horizon, Allen is already plotting his next big move. But this time, he's not going to just live the fantasy. He's going to sell it.
- [24:05]
C
In 1993, three 8 year old boys were brutally murdered in West Memphis, Arkansas. As the small town local police struggled to solve the crime. Rumors soon spread that the killings were the work of a satanic cult. Suspicion landed on three local teenagers, but there was no real evidence linking them to the murders. Still, that would not protect them. Hi, I'm Lindsey Graham, the host of Wondry show American Scandal. We bring to life some of the biggest controversies in US history. Presidential lies, environmental disasters, corporate fraud. In our latest series, three teenage boys are falsely accused of a vicious triple homicide. But their story doesn't end with their trials or convictions. Instead, their plight will capture the imagination of the entire country and spark a campaign for justice that will last for almost two decades. Follow American Scandal on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts. You can binge all episodes of American scandal, the West Memphis 3 early and ad free right now on Wondery.
- [25:05]
E
Okay, Carrie, you ready? Quick, quick, quick. List three gifts you'd never give.
- [25:09]
D
A cowboy, lacy bobby socks, a diamond bracelet, and a gift certificate to Sephora.
- [25:16]
E
Oh, my God, that's outrageous, Carrie. Oh, wait, we're recording a commercial right now. We gotta tell them why we're doing this.
- [25:21]
D
Oh, yeah, sorry, POD listeners. Okay, so we're five besties who've been friends for five million years. And we love games, so of course we made our own.
- [25:30]
E
It's called Quick, quick, quick. You just pick a card and have your partner give three answers to an outrageous question. It's Fast, fun, fantastic, and a bunch of other funny adjectives.
- [25:39]
D
Anyone can play your mom, your dad, your kitten, your kids, your Auntie Edna, and even your butcher.
- [25:44]
E
And you know what's incredible? There are no wrong answers. Just open your brain and say what's in it. Just quickly.
- [25:50]
D
And you're not going to believe this. Well, you might once you start playing. It's as much fun to watch as it is to play seriously.
- [25:57]
E
So get up and go. Grab your copy now at Target and Amazon. Quick, quick, quick.
- [26:02]
D
It's the fastest way to have fun.
- [26:08]
A
I feel like. It's the late 2000s in far west Texas and Alan is looking over a dusty field surrounded by miles and miles of pumping oil wells. His oil wells. Alan is in his mid-40s now and dressed in a finely tailored suit. He's showing off these pumps to a handful of employees from his latest and greatest venture, Prosper Oil and Gas. After officially inheriting his family's oil interest, Alan was determined to put it to use. He leased more wells and started Prosper in 2008. But just because he has a new company doesn't mean Alan is turning over a new leaf. He's been busy building a Rolodex of investors, and just like he did with his fake convention scheme years earlier, Alan takes out ads in the Wall Street Journal and other business magazines to attract clients. Before long, these investors start bringing in their friends, like John Pope, a banker from Kansas who reaches out after a customer refers him to Alan. John's impressed by Alan's quick wit and charm, and his Southern accent really helps sell the Texas oilman image. Once Allen has John on the hook, he shows him official looking paperwork packed with numbers and a menu of oil interest to choose from. And the best part? Allen tells John he'll receive returns of 40%. John jumps at the opportunity and over the course of five months in 2008, invests over $140,000. Alan has this same meeting dozens of times. He's such a natural salesman that he brings in almost 200 clients in just two years.
- [27:59]
B
Can you imagine what he could do with all of this energy if he decided to go straight? Like he could whip donations for the food bank.
- [28:08]
A
He could even be a lobbyist. Yeah, yeah, he could be at least.
- [28:12]
B
A legal lobbyist and make so much money. And instead he's doing this.
- [28:16]
A
Yeah, and the company is living up to its name, at least for Alan. He's prospering. But his investors aren't. Because Prosper Oil and Gas is a classic Ponzi scheme Allen does lease some wells, but they would have to produce over 15 barrels of oil a day to generate a profit. Most of Allen's wells barely produce a single daily barrel, and some don't produce any oil at all. To solve this, Alan pulls funds from his more recent investors to pay his previous clients. But even then, Allen puts off paying customers as long as possible. As John anxiously waits for his payments, he reaches out to Alan over and over again. But Allen just strings him along for months with different excuses. At one point, he makes up an elaborate lie about his daughter, claiming she's a law student at Harvard and suffering from a rare form of leukemia. Allen drags out this ruse for so long that eventually he tells John his daughter has died. But don't worry, Allen's daughter is actually alive and cancer free.
- [29:27]
B
That is very bad karma. Very, very, very bad karma.
- [29:33]
A
I mean, this guy doesn't believe in anything. Even the most evil person is like, listen, I'm not gonna say that because I know come true.
- [29:39]
B
Yeah, I'll say anything except like, I won't swear on my daughter. But he's like, no, I'll swear on her. And she's, oh, she's dead.
- [29:44]
A
Also, she had cancer. Now she's dead.
- [29:46]
B
She's cancer now she's dead now.
- [29:47]
A
Sorry. Prosper Oil and Gas isn't Alan's only illegal venture. He's on parole right now, which means he's not allowed to leave the state or open any new bank accounts. Luckily, his parole officer is, shall we say, flexible on these rules. Allen bribes her with fancy lunches and bedroom furniture in exchange for turning a blind eye to his extracurricular activities. Meanwhile, Alan is finally reaching the heights he always thought he deserved. His house is big, his cars are expensive, and he even bought a small plane once owned by Peter Falk, the actor who played Columbo. As far as we know, Alan doesn't even have a pilot's license. One of the biggest perks of Alan's new business is getting to show off his oil pumps, which is exactly what he's doing today with with his staff. After the tour, Alan is feeling energized. So instead of heading straight back to their Dallas office, he decides to take his employees on an impromptu trip to Aspen. There's just one thing. They're all dressed for the Texas heat right now. Not for snow. But no worries. Alan promises to buy everyone's ski gear. Once they land, he and his team jet off to Aspen on the company dimensions, even though no one on the plane knows how to ski.
- [31:12]
B
I don't think that's gonna stop them at all.
- [31:15]
A
Listen, do I know how to ski? No. If my weirdo boss said we're going to Aspen, I'll say, yes, sir.
- [31:21]
B
Yeah, he's buying me five grand worth of ski equipment. I don't care.
- [31:25]
A
I do not care. But while Alan's living out his Texas tycoon fantasy, his investors are dealing with a nightmare. And the longer he delays their payments, the more he plays with fire. All it will take is one spark or one signature to set his whole operation ablaze. It's March 3, 2010, and Agent Chris Walker is sitting in a conference room at Prosper Oil and Gas as Don Dandridge spills the details about Alan's shady business practices. Chris is a special agent with Homeland Security and works in their financial Crimes unit. He got wind of Allen's scam a few months ago when a local bank reported a bounce check for $100,000 signed by Alan May on behalf of Prosper Oil and Gas. The bank staff did a Google search, found Alan's previous convictions for cashing bad checks, and started putting two and two together.
- [32:27]
B
I'm so glad that someone has finally, not just in this story, but just in all the time we've done this show, someone has finally done a Google.
- [32:36]
A
Sometimes all it takes is one Google search.
- [32:39]
B
Think about how many. How many scams could have been thwarted from the beginning if somebody just did.
- [32:45]
A
A quick cursory Google. I Google people I've met for two seconds. Anyway.
- [32:50]
B
I am Googling you right now.
- [32:53]
A
Please don't. So after that Google search is when Agent Walker stepped in. He reached out to an oil investigator to find out how much Allen's wells were actually producing and discovered that over the past two years, Prosper's mostly empty oil wells have made just $440,000. Yet somehow, Allen managed to pay his investors $1.2 million in supposed royalties. These payments, Agent Walker soon discovered, came from Alan's other clients. Over the course of two years, Allen collected $7 million from 174 investors. He used at least part of this money to pay back his early clients, but many were never paid at all. Agent Walker was able to get in touch with John Pope, the Kansas banker. Unfortunately, John only received $20,000 from his $140,000 investment. Allen took the rest, presumably to pay for another Mercedes with a side of caviar.
- [33:59]
B
Classic Ponzi scheme. I think that's actually what bothers me about this, is that it's just like a basic Ponzi Scheme?
- [34:05]
A
Yeah, it's like it's just a Ponzi scheme dressed up in old money. Well, after the raid on Allen's office, SEC officials head to Allen's $1.5 million mansion to seize any assets related to his company. While there, they come face to face with a cockatiel named Janny and several erotic statues. The agents are used to seeing criminals freak out while their life is torn apart. But Alan is practically helping them go through his expensive stuff. Whether it's to curry favor or to show off his wine cellar and in home elevator, they can't be sure. As the day winds down, the agents still have questions for Allen. He offers to meet again tomorrow, even suggesting a time and place for them to speak when the time comes. Agent Walker waits and waits, but Alan never shows. Prosper Oil and Gas may be finished, but that doesn't mean Alan has been stopped. And now that he's on the run, it's not a question of whether he'll scam again, but how long he'll get away with it. It's June 2010, about three months since Alan's company was raided back in Dallas. Now he's looking out a hotel window in the center of San Francisco. He's 45 years old and on the run from the SEC, the Secret Service and U.S. marshals. He's using pseudonyms like Justin Gore and Mark Magnum. And so far, he's managed to avoid being caught. Alan was already plotting his escape before agents searched his home three months ago. His plan involved his latest trophy boyfriend, 22 year old Cody. Much like he did with Jason, Allen swept Cody off his feet with his Southern accent and endless splurging. Allen really wanted to impress Kody for their first date, so he flew him to New York for a Bergdorf Goodman shopping spree. He also bragged about his family oil money and even brought Cody in as his assistant at Prosper Oil and Gas before it went up in flames. After his house was raided, Alan reached out to Kody and told him this is all a big mistake. He just needs some time to figure some things out. But first, they have to leave town. Then Alan booted up his fake ID machine, created a new name for himself, and ditched his Mercedes near the US Mexico border. He and Cody hopped on a train headed to San Francisco. And just like Allen planned their misdirection, threw off federal agents and gave him some breathing room in a new city.
- [36:48]
B
It feels like if they were smart, they would leave the country and not do what I think they're going to do, which is just go to another major American city and pull this shit again. Am I right?
- [36:59]
A
Yeah. I mean, listen, if you can't make it in San Francisco, you can't make it anywhere. That's what I always say.
- [37:04]
B
They're always saying that about.
- [37:06]
A
They're always saying that that large city.
- [37:08]
B
Of, I don't know, 2 million people maybe.
- [37:12]
A
Well, even though they're on the run, Alan insists they hide out in style. They're staying in a condo with a big garden located in a posh neighborhood of San Francisco. And Alan goes right back to pretending to be a Texas oil man, based on what investigators discovered later. After he arrives in California, he immediately starts selling fake oil royalties again. Alan seems happy enough with their life on the run, but the realization of what they've done is starting to get to Kody. They begin arguing all the time, and Allen is furious when he learns Kody called his mom to hear her voice, something Allen explicitly told him not to do. Alan reaches his limit with Cody's whining and buys him a ticket back to Dallas. But what Alan doesn't realize is that a welcome party full of agents is waiting for Kody at the Dallas airport. And Kody no longer has any allegiance to Alan. So when he steps off the plane and sees the crowd of cops, Cody tells them everything.
- [38:17]
B
Good. He should. Good for him. Good for him. What else is he gonna do?
- [38:21]
A
Yeah, exactly. He's like, wait, what? Why would I protect this guy? Yeah, for real. Good. Well, not long after, law enforcement comes knocking at Allen's door. He's been caught again. And in February 2012, he's officially sentenced to 20 years in federal prison. But Alan is never truly out of the game. Although he's about to do his time, it doesn't mean he's going to stop his crimes. It's January 2019, almost 10 years since Alan's arrest in San Francisco, and Katrina Krause is staring at what might be the world's most annoying selfie. Katrina has shiny blonde hair that frames her long face, and she's a senior inspector with the U.S. marshals Service. Sachi, could you describe the picture Katrina's looking at? It looks like it's a picture of.
- [39:16]
B
Alan smiling, carefree, driving a car, looking like he is definitely not in any type of custody.
- [39:23]
A
He looks like just a guy taking a selfie from a bad angle, you know.
- [39:27]
B
This is for his hinge profile.
- [39:29]
A
Yes, it is a picture of Allen, which he posted on his Facebook page a few days before he broke out of Prison. That was over a month ago. Now Katrina's been assigned to his case, but hasn't made much progress because Alan just happened to time his escape for the day before the US Government shut down. With her resources kneecapped, there wasn't money available for Katrina and her team to track him down. While Congress was battling it out in Washington, Allen was leaving the Englewood Federal Prison in his rearview mirror. Although Allen's been in prison since 2010, he was only transferred to the Colorado facility in 2018. Englewood is a minimum security prison and home to a lot of white collar criminals like disgraced Illinois governor and fellow scamfluencer Rod Blagojevich. It's unclear if the two became friends, but Alan fit in well and kept himself busy by spending lots of time plotting his escape. Now that the shutdown is over, Katrina has her funding back and can finally start piecing together what Allen's been up to. She knows that on December 21, Allen drove a truck off the prison prison site. Inmates had easy access to them for prison work, and there was no fencing around the prison. Then he went to a Walmart where he walked around in his green jumpsuit as he picked out new clothes. Later, he rented a U Haul and drove it down to Texas, where he abandoned it behind a Waffle House. Katrina follows a trail down to Houston. But Allen's had a month long head start, and now her leads are turning cold. Still, Katrina manages to uncover a strange and helpful detail. While he was in prison, Allen somehow managed to pay $200,000 cash for a Houston townhome. He even hired a local woman to set up the house for him. He told her he'd move in during the summer of 2019, even though he still had nine years left on his sentence. This raises another question for Katrina. Where did Allen get $200,000 to begin with? It takes some time, but by 2022, she finally has the answer. Allen started yet another scam while he was in prison. Here's how this one works. Every state has a public database of unclaimed properties. Things like forgotten safe deposit boxes or lost checking accounts. Pro search your state database for your own name. You might have some cash waiting for you. But Alan takes this search to the extreme. He finds businesses, mostly energy and oil companies, that are owed huge amounts of unclaimed royalties. Then, posing once again as an oilman, he reaches out on behalf of these businesses and claims their royalties for himself. He makes $700,000 doing this, all from an iPhone.
- [42:35]
B
What's the most amount of money you think you've made from your iPhone.
- [42:38]
A
I've probably been in the red because of my iPhone. Yeah. I'm not making money on my phone.
- [42:45]
B
Correct.
- [42:46]
A
I didn't know that was possible. I thought it was just to spend money, but clearly there's some things I don't know.
- [42:50]
B
He's doing something differently.
- [42:52]
A
Yeah. It becomes clear to Katrina that Allen never planned on serving out his sentence. He's been stealing and stashing money for years, waiting to slip away at the right moment. She hates to admit it, but he's done a good job. Still, Katrina is holding out hope that a man as vain as Alan will want to show his face again. And when he does, she'll be there to catch him.
- [43:22]
C
In the fall of 1620, a battered merchant ship called the Mayflower set sail across the Atlantic. It carried 102 men, women, and children, risking it all to start again in the new world. Hi, I'm Lindsey Graham, the host of American Historytellers. Every week, we take you through the moments that shaped America. And in our latest season, we explore the untold story of the Pilgrims, one that goes far beyond the familiar tale of the first Thanksgiving. After landing at Cape Cod, the Pilgrims forged an unlikely alliance with the Wampanoag people, who helped the Pilgrims survive the most brutal winter they'd ever known, laying the foundation for a powerful national myth. But behind that story lies another one of conflict, betrayal, and brutal violence against the very people who helped the Pilgrim survive. Follow American Historytellers on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts. You can binge all episodes of American Historyteller's the Mayflower early and ad free right now on Wondery.
- [44:21]
A
I feel like a legend. It's a balmy March evening in 2023 in Palm Beach, Florida. Allen is dressed in a pink plaid suit that's a bit snug on his round belly. He has yet another shiny new boyfriend, Kevin, on his arm as he walks into a fundraiser for a local suicide hotline. This is a who's who event in South Florida, and Alan paid $10,000 for a table. It's been a little over four years since Alan broke out of prison, but you wouldn't know he's on the run by the way he's acting. He is living it up. He tells all his new friends that his money comes from oil royalties, and in a way, it does. He's just stealing other companies royalties. He's made about $8 million through this scam, and authorities still have no idea where he is Alan's done a good job of covering his tracks. Even now, we're not sure where Alan was between 2019 and 2022. Since coming to Palm beach about a year ago, Allen's been calling himself Jacob Turner. It's a nondescript name that's difficult to Google. And there's a pitcher for the Marlins who always comes up first. But even with this new name, Alan sticks to his old MO Driving expensive cars and trying to buy people's affection. He feeds his guests champagne and caviar, and when his friends invite him to lunch, he buys them $500 bottles of perfume. Alan's been doing his best to fit in. He's been hanging around his local croquet club, wearing an all white outfit and mingling with other high society Floridians. But he's trying a little too hard. His generosity reeks of insecurity, and he was recently told that he had to know someone if he wanted special perks at an exclusive croquet club. A gossipy Palm Beacher will later say that Allen would, quote, go to the opening of an envelope. One of my favorite disses of all time.
- [46:33]
B
Well, it's interesting. I know that's supposed to be an insult, but that's. Those people sound fun.
- [46:38]
A
Yes, exactly. Because it's like, you know what? Those people make things fun. The envelope openers. The ones going to the envelope opening party.
- [46:45]
B
The RSVPers are keeping party culture alive, and we do need them. And I just wish that this particular one wasn't evil.
- [46:52]
A
Well, Alan has waited his whole life to make it to this point. To be wealthy in the company of other wealthy people. Prosper Oil might not be operating anymore, but he can still say he's an oil man, he's got a hot boyfriend, and now a photographer wants to take a picture of the two of them. Alan puts on a big smile as the camera flashes. The fundraiser may have cost him $10,000, but this photo will cost him everything. It's August 2023, a few months since Alan attended the fundraiser in Palm Beach. Across the country in Colorado, Katrina is in her U.S. marshal's office waiting for a call. Today has been a long time in the making. Even though Allen has been missing for four years, Katrina has stayed on the case. Back in 2022, Allen was officially indicted for his unclaimed royalty scam. But since he's still missing, he was unable to stand trial. Since then, Katrina has been chasing leads across the country, from Michigan to California to Texas and Wisconsin, with no luck. But now she may finally have her big break. A month ago, an anonymous tipster forwarded a photo from the Palm beach society pages to Katrina's office. The photo featured a man in a plaid pink suit wearing frameless glasses with orange ombre lenses. He was a few pounds heavier. His hair was dyed lighter, and the glasses were hideous. But it was definitely Allen.
- [48:29]
B
Oh, yeah, this is. This is very Palm Beach Allen. His hair is super blonde. His skin is super pink.
- [48:38]
A
I've never seen a pinker man.
- [48:40]
B
He looks like what I would think Porky the Pig would look like as a person. He's got a pink suit, pink shirt, pink head. It's all pink. I mean, listen, I like a theme.
- [48:50]
A
Yeah, I mean, he was like, you know what? I'm gonna lean in. Well, this photo was enough for Katrina and local authorities to zero in on Allen. And today, Katrina's people are making their move. She's been waiting by her phone for updates, but so far, the news is mixed. When local officers arrived at Allen's Palm beach penthouse, they didn't find Allen. They found a moving crew. The place was being emptied out. Luckily, officers spotted another one of their targets. A young guy with curly black hair and a goatee. It's Alan's boyfriend, Kevin. The officers watch as Kevin helps the crew load up a U Haul. Then they followed the truck to Fort Lauderdale, where Kevin pulls up to a beautiful home about a mile from the beach. And there's someone there to meet him. Katrina gets the call. It's Alan. They got him.
- [49:48]
B
She must feel so accomplished to have finally been able to get this guy.
- [49:51]
A
I can't imagine the relief she must feel. And later that night, someone takes a photo of the now 58 year old Allen sitting in the back of a police car. He was reportedly arrested with a Rolex on, but now his only accessory is a pair of handcuffs. Alan always thought of himself as generous, but he only ever gave to people who could give him something in return for all his creativity as a conman. The ultimate takeaway from Alan's long career is that, in the words of Countess Luann, money can't buy you class. In February 2025, Allen was sentenced to an additional 10 years in prison. He's back in the same Colorado facility he escaped from seven years ago. And while another jailbreak seems unlikely, with Alan behind bars and time to kill, you can bet he's already dreaming up his next big scheme. Sachi, I don't think we've covered a more slippery scammer.
- [50:56]
B
Yeah, he really just kept getting away with it, but so convincing. He's an interesting scammer where it doesn't seem like there was ever really a time where he was trying to go straight or trying to do it legit. And I think with a lot of them, they least had some effort in that department, and he just didn't care.
- [51:12]
A
He was like, no, I'm a scammer. I'm gonna start it as a scam, it's gonna end as a scam. No one's getting anything from me. That person who turned him in based on that photo, you just know. Everyone in that Palm beach society was like, oh, man, this guy doesn't fit in. He's not one of us. And you just know some busybody was like, is there something going on with him? I'm gonna send his photo around, see if anyone bites.
- [51:37]
B
Well, they were the ones who Googled. I mean, you really can't hide too much in communities like Palm Beach.
- [51:45]
A
His mistake was getting his photo taken, and he could not resist. It is a really stupid move for someone like him who's, like, so savvy, made so much money from just using his prison phone. To give in to the impulse of wanting your photo taken for a magazine is unfortunate. It's an unfortunate way to go down.
- [52:04]
B
It's what gets them every time.
- [52:05]
A
It is.
- [52:06]
B
The need for attention is what gets them every time.
- [52:08]
A
It's a need for attention and the need to feel like you're doing. You're being a normal rich person.
- [52:12]
B
I would put him in the same category that I put a lot of the other scammers that we've covered on this show, which is the scam would not have happened if he had just been put in a drama program. Like, this is someone who just needed to be an actor and, like, create his own world and live in his own little design and to be given a lot of attention. And he didn't do that for whatever reason. So he has to be, like, a charming person in nonfiction, despite the fact that he is only generating fiction.
- [52:39]
A
One Google search from these banks, and it was over. But you know what? He was really smart with doing the thing that a lot of workplaces do, which is giving you a lot of perks to shut you up. He basically did free lunch on steroids, and no one questioned it.
- [52:57]
B
I wouldn't have asked any questions. I don't think I would have asked that many questions, even without the free lunch. I don't know if I worked at.
- [53:02]
A
A company like that. This is what I'd think. This is not going to last. Something bad is going to happen, but I am going to milk it for all it's worth. My friend had a tech job and she knew that was going to happen to her and she took enough free tampons to last her three years.
- [53:21]
B
Yeah.
- [53:21]
A
Do you think he was kind of also a romance scammer? Yeah.
- [53:26]
B
I think like the abuse within his relationships was never going to be physical and it was never going to be something that you could see or really hang your hat on. But it is like lying to these guys. You know, he's picking men who are a lot younger and manipulating them.
- [53:40]
A
I do think there is a level of manipulation there that is like, you know, I don't know what these men have claimed happened in their relationship. Clearly there was a lot of lying. And he clearly love bombed them by like, you know, first date, getting on a plane, going to Bergdorf Goodman, like all this crazy stuff that he did with these men who are quite young. It is really interesting how he was like, sometimes we get a scam addict.
- [54:03]
B
Yeah. He couldn't get. He couldn't stop himself.
- [54:06]
A
He couldn't stop himself. And he also was like, really smart. Honestly, this is one of those stories where I'm like, like he did something really bad. But even the U.S. marshal was like, damn it, that was smart.
- [54:18]
B
I know. I guess really the lesson is like, do not trust a man who wants to fly you to Burgdorf's too soon.
- [54:25]
A
If someone was like, hey, I'm gonna fly you here just cause I want your company.
- [54:30]
B
Sarah, we are not fun enough hangs.
- [54:32]
A
For someone to do that. Yes, I am a fun enough hang.
- [54:35]
B
Not that fun.
- [54:36]
A
Here's the thing. I talk too much. I talk too much and that's my problem.
- [54:38]
B
Yeah, you talk so much. So do I. I'm annoying. That's why they would never invite us to such a thing.
- [54:43]
A
Y. Yes.
- [54:44]
B
Yes.
- [54:45]
A
Okay, first of all, my life isn't over yet. It might happen. Okay.
- [54:48]
B
That's true. Life is long.
- [54:50]
A
Second of all, I still would say no. I'm just saying I would say no, sir.
- [54:57]
B
Yeah, well, that's the lesson. Honestly, being annoying protects you from a lot of harms. Yes, and that's why I don't. Shut up.
- [55:09]
A
Foreign. This is Alan Todd May. Black gold red flags. I'm Sarah Hagie.
- [55:19]
B
And I'm Sachi Cole. If you have a tip for us on a story that you think we should cover, please email us@scamflancersundry.com we use many sources in our research. A few that were Particularly helpful were the Fake Oil man by Charles Bethea for the New Yorker reporting from Ross and the Solvers team at KDVR Denver reporting from Eric Nicholson of the Dallas observer and the photo that Caught the Con man by Joanna Bell and Nirin Grade Desai for the Daily Mail.
- [55:45]
A
Kyle Rabi wrote this episode. Additional writing by us Sachi Cole and Sarah Hagie. Olivia Briley is our story editor. Fact checking by Kalina Newman Sound design by James Morgan. Additional audio assistance provided by Augustine Lim. Our music supervisor is Scott Velasquez for Frisson Sync. Our managing producer is Desi Blaylock. Jeanine Cornello and Stephanie Jens are our development producers. Our associate producer is Charlotte Miller. Our senior producers are Sarah Enny and Ginny Blume. Our executive producers are Jenny Lauer Beckman and Marshall Louie. For wondery.
- [56:29]
B
Loving Scamflancers get exclusive episodes and early access to new ones. All ad free on Wondry Plus. Join now in the Wondry app, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Before you go, help us out by taking a quick survey at wondry. Com Survey.