Podcast Summary: "Stranger Than Fiction"
The Dating Detectives
Released: February 17, 2025

Hosts:

• Mackenzie Fultz – Professional Private Investigator
• Hanna Anderson – Comedian

Introduction

In the episode titled "Stranger Than Fiction," hosts Mackenzie Fultz and Hanna Anderson delve into an extraordinarily complex and emotionally charged story involving deception, manipulation, and familial betrayal within the dating world. The episode features Miley, a guest who recounts her harrowing experience with a deceptive family member, exposing a web of lies that left her and her family in turmoil.

Background Story Setup

Miley begins by outlining her relationship history, providing essential context for the unfolding drama.

• Meeting and Marriage:
  "[03:15] Miley: So my husband Dan and I have been together for about 13ish years. We met after I moved from Michigan to Ohio. We were working at the same place. We actually hated each other's guts when we first met."

Despite a rocky start, Miley and Dan rapidly progressed their relationship, moving in together within a week due to family emergencies. This swift commitment set the stage for future complications.

The Con Unfolds: Fake Marriage and Pregnancy

The deception begins when Miley's brother-in-law, Joe, enters into an arrangement that appears unconventional and fraught with red flags.

• Announcement of Marriage:
  "[07:54] Miley: I finally just asked, you know, like, what's going on here? And brother in law holds up his left hand and he has a wedding band on."

At a family dinner, Joe unexpectedly announces his impending marriage to Brenda, a 19-year-old female coworker, claiming it as part of an open relationship agreement. This revelation is perplexing to Miley and her husband, given Joe's young age and their limited interaction.

• Reaction to the Marriage Announcement:
  "[09:48] Candace: You're just like, huh?"
  "[09:51] Miley: Yeah. We're literally like, oh, you're married. And he's like, no. Well, we're not married right now. It's like a Sunday. He's like, we're getting married on Wednesday."

The hastiness of the marriage and the lack of prior indication of a serious relationship raise suspicions.

Financial Manipulations and Blackmail Threats

As Joe and Brenda's relationship progresses, ulterior motives emerge, revealing a pattern of financial deceit and manipulation.

• Blackmail for Financial Gain:
  "[16:03] Miley: Joe has had a baby, which leads us to the financial manipulation part. Brenda, aware of her situation, demands that Joe and Miley cover her expenses or face legal consequences."

Brenda's family's religious background complicates matters further. Brenda refuses to terminate the pregnancy, insisting on retaining custody, which forces Joe and Miley into uncomfortable legal arrangements where they assume full custody of the twins.

• Custody and Legal Arrangements:
  "[16:37] Candace: Now I understand why they were explaining their openness."
  "[16:22] Miley: So Brenda and Joe, I bet they..."

Brenda threatens to expose Joe's actions at the bar, leveraging surveillance footage to ensure compliance with her financial demands, thereby intensifying the manipulation.

Discovery of Inconsistencies and Unraveling

Miley's investigative instincts, honed by Mackenzie Fultz's expertise, begin to uncover alarming inconsistencies in Joe and Brenda's narrative.

• Realizing the Lies:
  "[32:17] Miley: Miley tells us that her family is very rich. Very, very rich. Very, very, very rich. They are from Florida. And so Joe bring Florida into this."

Miley discovers discrepancies such as Brenda's grandfather being alive, contrary to previous statements about his passing. These inconsistencies lead Miley to suspect that the entire storyline is fabricated.

• Confirming the Deception:
  "[54:11] Candace: I have seen no pictures of her."
  "[54:19] Miley: Also, Miley, the only social media she has is Instagram. So I'm thinking like, well maybe this is what the young kids do."

Further investigation reveals that Brenda never had twins, and the supposed ultrasound confirmations were falsified, deepening the mystery of their deception.

• Exposure of the Fake Pregnancy:
  "[62:10] Mackenzie: So it is twins or it's not twins?"
  "[62:13] Miley: So it was twins and then it wasn't twins and now it's twins again."

Miley's persistence leads her to confirm that no twins exist, and the pregnancies were entirely fabricated to sustain the con.

Confrontation and Aftermath

The culmination of the deception forces Miley and her husband to confront the deceit, resulting in a strained familial relationship and eventual severance of ties.

• Final Confrontation:
  "[84:01] Mackenzie: She got the recipes."
  "[84:03] Miley: I have a whole photo album on my phone called our last name. Family drama with all of this saved in there."

Miley sends a vehement message to Brenda, outlining her discovery of the lies, leading to a complete fallout.

• Breaking Off Communication:
  "[87:03] Mackenzie: She didn't."
  "[88:45] Candace: I don't even know what to ask."
  "[89:17] Mackenzie: They are all lying. There's no damn baby."

The episode highlights the emotional toll of such deceit, emphasizing the importance of trust and vigilance in personal relationships.

Host Insights and Conclusions

Throughout the episode, Mackenzie and Hanna offer professional insights into recognizing red flags and the psychological underpinnings of such deceptive behaviors.

• Recognizing Red Flags:
  "[105:37] Candace: But she did not care. So."
  "[105:44] Candace: It opens the wounds. And on top of it, you know, the viciousness of what she's choosing to do."

• The Psychology Behind the Con:
  "[97:35] Mackenzie: Yeah."
  "[98:15] Candace: And so they chose the nosiest to try to pull one of over on and I was not on to us."

The hosts conclude by urging listeners to trust their intuition and remain cautious, particularly when significant life events are involved.

• Final Advice:
  "[115:07] Miley: It."
  "[105:37] Candace: I'm blown away. And to have kids involved. Oh, yeah, that too."

Mackenzie summarizes the episode's lessons, emphasizing the importance of due diligence and the painful impact of deceitful relationships.

• Summary Statement:
  "[105:37] Mackenzie: But she did not care. So."

Notable Quotes

• Mackenzie on Fact-Checking:
  "[00:49] Mackenzie: If I had not been a private investigator for as long as I have and seen some crazy stories, I probably would not believe this. But we do fact check this stuff."

• Miley on the Wild Ride:
  "[03:02] Miley: Buckle up is all I can say. I mean, seriously, it is. You're going to have, like, freaking whiplash. Okay. It."

• Candace on Emotional Impact:
  "[72:15] Candace: That's so sad."

• Mackenzie on Deception:
  "[106:19] Mackenzie: They are all lying. There's no damn baby."

• Miley on Familial Betrayal:
  "[108:42] Miley: Someone reached out to mother in law and had her text Dan to leave Joe alone in a really disgusting way."

Conclusion

"Stranger Than Fiction" serves as a cautionary tale about the depths of deception that can occur within personal relationships and families. Through Miley's poignant recounting and the hosts' investigative prowess, listeners gain valuable insights into identifying and navigating red flags in their own lives. The episode underscores the vital importance of trust, transparency, and due diligence in maintaining healthy relationships.

For more stories and discussions on deceptive relationships, subscribe to The Dating Detectives and join our community on Patreon. Share your experiences and theories with us to help uncover the truth behind the lies.