Texas Monthly Presents: The Problem with Erik

Summary

Podcast Summary: "Texas Monthly Presents: The Problem with Eric"

Title: Texas Monthly Presents: The Problem with Eric
Podcast Series: The Unforgotten
Host/Author: Free Range Productions
Episode Release Date: October 4, 2024
Duration: [Approximate based on transcript]

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Introduction to the Case

In the episode titled "The Problem with Eric," hosted by Wes Ferguson of Free Range Productions, listeners are taken deep into the unsettling story of Eric Mond, an affluent executive at Mond Automotive Group in Texas. The episode meticulously unravels a complex narrative involving blackmail, a murder-for-hire plot, and the eventual downfall of a man who seemingly had it all.

Notable Quote:

"a typical rich kid... born on third base and thought he hit a triple." – Gil Pealed [03:03]

Eric Mond: The Man Behind the Empire

Eric Mond epitomized success. He enjoyed a luxurious lifestyle with a wife, children, and a mansion near the prestigious Austin Country Club golf course. As an executive at his family's car dealership, Charles Mond Toyota, Eric's life appeared picture-perfect.

Notable Details:

• Personal Life: Married with children, residing in a mansion.
• Professional Life: Executive at Charles Mond Toyota, part of the Mond Automotive Group.

The Catalyst: A Night in Nashville

The turning point in Eric's life began during a trip to Nashville where he engaged with an escort named Holly Williams. This seemingly inconsequential decision set off a chain of events that would spiral out of control.

Key Event:

Eric slept with an escort and received a threatening text demanding $25,000 to keep the incident quiet. [03:16]

The Blackmail and Eric's Response

Upon receiving the blackmail message, Eric faced a dilemma. Unlike many who might turn to law enforcement, Eric chose a more clandestine approach. Instead of paying the blackmailer or reporting the incident to the authorities, he decided to handle the situation himself by orchestrating a plan to eliminate the threat.

Notable Quote:

"When blackmail starts, it doesn't end." – Gil Pealed [03:32]

Assembling the “A Team”

Eric enlisted the help of three individuals, each with a formidable background, to execute his plan:

1. Gilad Pellet: An Israeli army veteran and former bodyguard for Charlie Sheen, described humorously by Gil Pealed as resembling "the Secret Service on Casual Friday." [03:40]
2. Brian Brockway: A seasoned Marine whose voicemail humorously stated he was "taking over the world right now." [04:14]
3. Adam Carey: A former Marine's Special Forces sniper with a past conviction for impersonating an officer. His description by Gil Pealed left little doubt about his nature:

   "Sociopath." – Wes Ferguson [04:37]

Objective: The team was tasked with identifying the blackmailer and halting the extortion without resorting to violence initially. [04:21]

The Descent into Violence

Despite the original non-violent intentions, the situation escalated rapidly. Eric's frustration grew as the blackmail demands persisted, leading him to instruct his team to eliminate not just the blackmailer but also anyone he perceived as a potential threat.

Notable Quote:

"If this thing is turning into a problem, do you want him to take care of this?" – Gil Pealed [06:06]

The Murders and Aftermath

The plot culminated in the tragic murders of two individuals, effectively silencing the blackmailer and any loose ends. The operation was executed with chilling efficiency, and post-murder, Eric attempted to return to his previous life, maintaining his facade of normalcy.

Key Event:

After the murders, Eric resumed activities like golfing and hunting trips, even leaving a glowing Google review for the hitman’s intermediary.

"They get the job done in an expedited time. Couldn't imagine using anyone else." – Eric Mond [05:39]

The Investigation and Unraveling

As suspicion began to mount, Eric's hubris proved to be his undoing. His attempts to cover his tracks were sloppy, leaving behind evidence that eventually led to the unraveling of his intricate scheme. Interviews with federal officials, victim's friends, and members of an Austin clubhouse shed light on Eric's mindset and the flawed decisions that led to the fatal outcome.

Notable Insights:

• Katie Vine, Host:

  "We found a perfect storm of secrets, mistaken identities, abusive power dynamics, and tragic miscommunications." [06:13]

• The episode emphasizes how Eric and his associates were driven by personal demons and desperate measures, ultimately leading to tragedy.

Conclusion

"The Problem with Eric" serves as a riveting exploration of how privilege, power, and poor decision-making can converge disastrously. It highlights systemic cracks that allowed Eric to manipulate situations to his advantage, only to fall victim to his own inflated sense of invincibility. The episode not only details the criminal acts but also delves into the psychological and societal factors that enabled such a case to unfold.

Final Quote:

"Eric, Mond and the other guys involved were all trying to chase away their demons with fantasies and desperate schemes until their delusions collided, leaving two people dead." – Katie Vine [06:24]

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Additional Information:

For those intrigued by this harrowing tale, "The Problem with Eric" is an original podcast created by Texas Monthly and Anna Worrell, available for streaming on texasmonthly.com and major podcast platforms from July 2nd.

Transcript

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[Wes Ferguson]

Hey listeners, this is Wes Ferguson, founder of Free Range Productions and co host of the Unforgotten podcast. I want to tell you about a new true crime podcast called the Problem with Eric from my friends at Texas Monthly. It's the chilling tale of a murder for hire plot orchestrated by a wealthy heir to a car dealership empire riddled with unexpected twists that eventually left two people dead. In February 2020, Eric Mond, an executive at the Mond Automotive Group, hired an escort named Holly Williams. A month later, an anonymous blackmailer demanded money to keep their meeting quiet. Eric didn't pay. Instead, he took matters into his own hands, resulting in a chilling series of events that shocked an entire community. Host Katie vine and co creator producer Anna Worrell expertly unravel this mind boggling tale where with undercover FBI audio and interviews with federal officials, the victim's friends, and members of an Austin clubhouse who all know Eric and explain his thinking while also marveling at the stupidity of his decisions. You can binge all six episodes of the Problem with Eric at texasmonthly.com Mond spelled M A U N D or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Gil Pealed]

Put me Are you okay to talk to her? I'm. I'm okay with it. I. I chose this because there's no cameras on this anywhere in here. Yeah, this is fine, but number one is we don't bring up yeah, do you know what he's being extorted for? Same. Okay. Yeah, it's not hard. It's just, you know, Idiots with money, being idiots, being idiots with money.

[Eric Mond]

Eric Mond had it all. A wife and kids, a mansion by the Austin Country Club golf course. An executive position at Charles Mond Toyota.

[Gil Pealed]

You'll save thousands on every new Toyota.

[Eric Mond]

With his family's car dealership, if you.

[Wes Ferguson]

Shop us, you'll save, we guarantee.

[Gil Pealed]

Just a typical rich kid. Here's a guy who was born on third base and thought he hit a triple.

[Eric Mond]

But Eric also had a problem. On a trip to Nashville, Eric slept with an escort. Two weeks later, he got a text. The sender wanted $25,000 or they'd tell Eric's family what he did.

[Gil Pealed]

You understand, when blackmail starts, it doesn't end. There's $25,000. Today it's 250. Next week it's 750 a year later.

[Eric Mond]

But this was Eric's world, where Eric made the rules. He didn't go to the cops. He didn't pay the money either. Instead, he came up with a plan to handle the problem. Which is to say he paid some other guys to handle it. An A team. Gil Pealed, Israeli army veteran and Charlie Sheen's former bodyguard.

[Gil Pealed]

He was bald. He had gigantic muscles. He would basically look like the Secret Service on Casual Friday.

[Eric Mond]

Brian Brockway, a veteran Marine whose voicemail greetings said he couldn't answer because he was taking over the world right now.

[Gil Pealed]

That shouldn't be too hard then. Man, you gotta be super creepy. I'm sorry. Stalking him.

[Eric Mond]

And Adam Carey, a former Marine's Special Forces sniper who'd also done time for impersonating an officer. If you could describe Adam Carey in one sentence, how would you describe him?

[Gil Pealed]

I can describe him in one word.

[Wes Ferguson]

Sociopath.

[Eric Mond]

The team was just supposed to figure out who was blackmailing Eric and get them to stop. There was still no plan for violence at this point. But that's not what happened.

[Wes Ferguson]

Mon was freaking out.

[Gil Pealed]

They needed to do something.

[Wes Ferguson]

And that's when Gilad Pellet says the guys on the ground have offered to take him out.

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Metro Nashville911.

[Gil Pealed]

There was just a wreck out here. We're at a work site. Yeah, there's two people in the car. Yeah, they're both pinned real bad. And nobody's moving. They're dead. Yeah, I think they're dead, to be honest.

[Eric Mond]

After the murders, Eric's life went back to normal. Golf with his buddies, hunting trips to South Texas.

[Gil Pealed]

Well, they thought they got away with it. What else are you going to do? People get away with murder all the time.

[Eric Mond]

Eric even left a Google review for the middleman who facilitated the hits. It said, quote, they get the job done in an expedited time. Couldn't imagine using anyone else. He gave five stars. It all seemed so easy for Eric. So when Eric thought one of the hitmen was turning on him, he figured taking him out would be easy, too.

[Gil Pealed]

If this thing is turning into a problem, do you want him to take care of this?

[Eric Mond]

Like what?

[Gil Pealed]

Give me a number. 100? Yeah. Honestly, I think I'd rather take care of it permanently.

[Eric Mond]

I'm Katie Vine. When my producer and I started digging into this story, we were expecting to find hubris and greed. But along the way, we also found a perfect storm of secrets, mistaken identities, abusive power dynamics, and tragic miscommunications. Eric, Mond and the other guys involved were all trying to chase away their demons with fantasies and desperate schemes until their delusions collided, leaving two people dead. This is the Problem with Eric, an original podcast created by Texas Monthly and Anna Wuerl, coming July 2nd.