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Julian Penzavalli
McCrispy strips are now at McDonald's. Tender, juicy and its own sauce. Would you look at that? Well, you can't see it, but trust me, it looks delicious. New McCrispy strips now at McDonald's. Hi, Julian Penzavalli.
Patrick Hines
Hi, Patrick Hines.
Julian Penzavalli
Fam. We're breaking into your feed to bring you another feed drop from our Patreon feed.
Patrick Hines
So this is Scamanda episode one.
Julian Penzavalli
I've never seen people more up in arms about anything in a very long time time.
Patrick Hines
I'm really sick of these jerks faking cancer.
Julian Penzavalli
Oh, my God.
Patrick Hines
I'm over it. I feel like we just did this. Oh, we did. Like, I'm so done.
Julian Penzavalli
No, it's really crazy. This is one of the craziest stories I think we've ever covered. This is maybe some of the maddest I've been in a long time.
Patrick Hines
It's. It's infuriating.
Julian Penzavalli
Yeah. So, fam, here's the deal. This is a four part series. We covered all four episodes on Patreon. All four episodes are available right now and ad free. It's where you get all of our other Patreon content. Covering what? Like what, what, what's the other stuff?
Patrick Hines
Oh, God. We're doing Fox Hollow right now. The Fox Hollow murders.
Julian Penzavalli
We're about to do what?
Patrick Hines
Well, it's called A Body in the Snow. It's about the death of John o' Keefe. But it's the Karen Reed trial.
Julian Penzavalli
Every person I know is from Massachusetts because that's where I grew up. So everyone is asking me if we're. Because the trial is happening right now. So everyone's asking me if we're covering it. I'm like, we're doing it starting in like a week. I promise.
Patrick Hines
I promise. Better or worse.
Julian Penzavalli
But Anyway, it's over 450 full ad free bonus apps to download a binge right now, including the entire Scamanda series. Go listen and get mad with us. Yeah.
Patrick Hines
And I have to say, as mad as we are, we have a bunch of amazing women here, truly really getting shit done. And also a really cute dog named Mr. Munch who's very brave. We discuss it at length.
Julian Penzavalli
And Nancy, one of the main journalists here, we got an interview with her coming up in a couple of weeks on the Patreon feed. So if you want more of that, it's going to be there.
Patrick Hines
She's going to tell us something.
Julian Penzavalli
She sure is.
Patrick Hines
I'm excited.
Julian Penzavalli
All right, fam, we love you. We'll say a quick goodbye on the way. Out. I know I say this all the time, but I don't think I've ever hated anybody so much as.
Patrick Hines
Look, she has tough competition, honestly. The episodes are titled Stage one through four. I know it's not Episode one. It's Stage one. That is insane.
Julian Penzavalli
Oh, God.
Patrick Hines
That is insane behavior.
Julian Penzavalli
Hi, Julian Bedwali.
Patrick Hines
Hi, Patrick Hines.
Julian Penzavalli
Oh, God. New day, new series.
Patrick Hines
New series. Who dis?
Julian Penzavalli
I watched this, like, four in a row while I was on the road. I could not put it down.
Patrick Hines
Now, here's the thing. Full disclosure. I did not listen to the pod.
Julian Penzavalli
Neither did I.
Patrick Hines
So this is all new information.
Julian Penzavalli
I tried to listen to the pod, but for some reason, I couldn't get into it. But this series is amazing.
Patrick Hines
Pretty riveting.
Unnamed Speaker 1
Yeah.
Patrick Hines
Oh, it's more fake cancer, everyone.
Julian Penzavalli
Which is just like, wow.
Patrick Hines
By the way, in case you're new to Scamanda.
Julian Penzavalli
I know.
Patrick Hines
More fake cancer.
Julian Penzavalli
More fake cancer.
Amanda Riley
Amanda Riley was a mother, wife, speaker at her church.
Patrick Hines
Everybody loved her.
Unnamed Speaker 2
She got diagnosed with cancer.
Unnamed Speaker 3
I heard the words, you have stage three blood cancer.
Patrick Hines
We thought she was God's gift.
Amanda Riley
When Amanda told me she had cancer, I was so devastated.
Unnamed Speaker 4
A beloved young Christian woman fighting a battle undeserved.
Patrick Hines
We gave our hearts, our prayers.
Unnamed Speaker 4
Everybody put their hands over her and said, heal this woman. Oh, God, heal her.
Unnamed Speaker 3
I'm thankful that I have cancer because I am now surrounded by the right people in my life.
Amanda Riley
There was just something inside of me just saying, this isn't right.
Unnamed Speaker 4
And then all of a sudden, it went dark.
Patrick Hines
She was a liar.
Julian Penzavalli
Why would somebody fake cancer?
Unnamed Speaker 2
Thousands of people threw money at her.
Unnamed Speaker 5
I started donating $500 a month. $3,000, 20,000.
Amanda Riley
The community raised $100,000.
Patrick Hines
Everyone's Lives has been touched by cancer. And that was something Amanda tapped into.
Unnamed Speaker 6
What surprised me is the lengths that she went to fake the cancer. There's all these pictures of her in the hospital with IVs, tubing.
Unnamed Speaker 5
I could see a nurse in the background.
Unnamed Speaker 6
The information that Amanda gave didn't make sense. These things are not adding up. I don't think she's sick.
Unnamed Speaker 4
Everyone knows she was being accused of faking cancer.
Amanda Riley
I could not believe the level she had taken this scam to. This is beyond disgusting.
Patrick Hines
How can a mother do that?
Unnamed Speaker 5
This is an absolute nightmare.
Patrick Hines
She hurt tons of people.
Unnamed Speaker 5
I've never felt so betrayed.
Patrick Hines
She ripped apart my family. I'm sorry. I'm still shaking. Is this normal?
Unnamed Speaker 6
Why would somebody fake such a horrible disease? It was only a matter of time until Amanda's Whole world came tumbling down.
Julian Penzavalli
Oh, my God.
Patrick Hines
I was like, ha, you're lying and you're getting caught. This is over. But it wasn't. Not even close.
Julian Penzavalli
Right at the top, we meet Charlie Webster. She was the host of the Scamander podcast. Yes. And she tells us that Amanda's whole story takes place around the San Francisco Bay. This is important because this is where.
Patrick Hines
Like, rich people have super, super rich people. The area is extremely rich. So Amanda C. Reilly is the faker.
Unnamed Speaker 1
Yes.
Patrick Hines
She grew up in California. She married a guy named Corey. He had a daughter named Jessa from a previous relationship. When I tell you we will get into all of that. Hold tight.
Julian Penzavalli
We don't get enough of Cory in this documentary. Part of it is because throughout we get this interview with Amanda, which is from the church.
Unnamed Speaker 1
Yes.
Julian Penzavalli
It's not for this documentary. I don't know how they got their hands on it.
Patrick Hines
Oh, yeah. You know what I mean by requests or whatever.
Julian Penzavalli
It's amaz. Amanda sitting down, talking to the camera about. So it feels like she's a part of the documentary, but she isn't.
Patrick Hines
Yeah.
Julian Penzavalli
And I want to know what.
Patrick Hines
I'm sure she hates that.
Julian Penzavalli
I hope she hates it, but do you think she's watched it 100, like 100 times?
Patrick Hines
She has notes.
Julian Penzavalli
Oh, my God.
Patrick Hines
So Lisa and Steve Berry were Amanda's friends.
Julian Penzavalli
We love that. Love.
Patrick Hines
Their daughters were in the same class at school. They became friends. And Amanda the faker and her husband were like the new family in town.
Julian Penzavalli
Yeah.
Amanda Riley
Amanda was probably 24, 25. She was younger than the moms in the class, and she was very excited about being a stepmother to Jessa. Corey seemed very devoted to Amanda. And we introduced Corey and Amanda to other families because they were new. Amanda would say, you look just like my mother. You are my doppelganger mother.
Patrick Hines
Now Amanda calls Lisa the friend, her doppelganger mother. And I'm like, whoa. And I was like, that's such a fucking backhanded compliment.
Julian Penzavalli
It is. But Lisa's child, harmed by it, I guess.
Patrick Hines
Until she wasn't.
Julian Penzavalli
I totally. I was like, I don't know about that. If I had like some young 25 year old kid who has a kid Daisy's age, be like, you're like my daddy.
Patrick Hines
Yes.
Julian Penzavalli
No.
Patrick Hines
So Amanda and Corey get married in April of 2011.
Unnamed Speaker 1
Yeah.
Patrick Hines
Stupid wedding on the coast on a cliff. Lisa and Steve are in the wedding.
Julian Penzavalli
Now, here's the thing. Cory and Amanda got married by justice of the piece. They were going to have this big fancy Wedding. We've been so burned by these scammers that I was convinced that this big wedding was never going to happen. And that, like, Lisa And Steven, here's $25,000 for your wedding or whatever. The wedding actually does happen. And I'm like, I think the last real thing that happens in this documentary.
Patrick Hines
Yeah, probably, you know, so they were very close friends. We got it. Documentary. We got this for 15 minutes.
Julian Penzavalli
Everything was perfect for my understanding from the podcast. There's a reason why. One of the reasons why Lisa is so prominent.
Patrick Hines
Don't say it, don't say it, don't say it.
Julian Penzavalli
But it's why they're really driving home, how close they were.
Patrick Hines
Yeah. And also we meet Rebecca, who was one of their friends.
Unnamed Speaker 5
Amanda's beautiful and she's vivacious. I honestly was so, like, enrapt with Amanda that I offered to help photograph her wedding. I worked with Amanda's mom, Peggy. Peggy had told me a bit about Amanda, and she's like, you'll love Amanda. She's totally someone you would be friends with. You're just gonna love each other. And I felt that way.
Julian Penzavalli
I offered to photograph their wedding. Isn't this an area where we think business and pleasure should not mix?
Patrick Hines
I agree. We were. I feel like we talked about this.
Julian Penzavalli
In another documentary where I was like.
Patrick Hines
Don'T hire Lisa Frank.
Julian Penzavalli
Yes.
Patrick Hines
Where I was like, don't hire your friend. If they were gonna be your wedding, they can't also work. You can't be like, oh, you were going to be there anyway. Photograph my wedding.
Julian Penzavalli
When it comes to the. It's photograph, like, this is the thing that some people take so seriously. And, you know, Amanda took the fucking wedding photos really seriously.
Patrick Hines
Yes. And, like, you should. I mean, that's your job, if that's what you're getting paid to do. It's too murky. It's too.
Julian Penzavalli
It seems like it went okay in this instance. But can't you just see? Do we use this term bridezilla? Like, I can just imagine.
Patrick Hines
Amanda's a nightmare.
Julian Penzavalli
Nightmare. Like, Amanda on her wedding day, I got. Cannot imagine.
Patrick Hines
I thought you were gonna say Amanda on her best day is a nightmare. And that is also true. Like, she. Yeah, but I'm sure. Like, did you offer to photograph, like, what was the actual.
Julian Penzavalli
I know.
Patrick Hines
Or was it Amanda being like, oh, golly, I wish someone would photograph my wedding? Like, she's so manipulative.
Julian Penzavalli
I know.
Patrick Hines
And she's such a scammer that I wonder how that actually went.
Julian Penzavalli
I just can't Imagine her not micromanaging the living shit out of, you know.
Patrick Hines
So a year later, Amanda gets pregnant. Jessa is her stepdaughter.
Unnamed Speaker 1
Yes.
Patrick Hines
And now Amanda's having a baby.
Julian Penzavalli
Right.
Patrick Hines
So soon after this, Amanda and Corey become very active members of the family community church, the fcc.
Julian Penzavalli
Barf, barf, barf, barf, barf.
Patrick Hines
It's a mega church. Someone's like, oh, it's like a Hillsong.
Unnamed Speaker 7
It's a church that has close to 5,000 congregants. They either come in person or watch online.
Unnamed Speaker 2
It's classified as a mega church, like Hillsong or Lakewood Church in Houston. Thousands and thousands of people attend these services that are more like events. They have preachers on stage, guest speakers, music, and guitars.
Patrick Hines
It was like going to a concert.
Julian Penzavalli
But for the Lord, like, in and of itself. It's just, like, so, like, I know that, like, not everybody covers the documentary the way that we did, but, like, that is scary.
Patrick Hines
It's scary. Like, there's too big, too grand.
Julian Penzavalli
And we know that they scientifically engineer the music to make you feel things.
Patrick Hines
That's, like, not the point.
Julian Penzavalli
Right?
Patrick Hines
Not the point.
Julian Penzavalli
There is a store in New York City called Old Good Things, and they've got a couple of locations, and I used to go there all the time, and one day I was in there, and I'm like, this music is awesome. Oh, you told me this. I pulled out my Shazam. It was Hillsong. It was, like, indoctrinating me as a.
Patrick Hines
And they never saw you again?
Julian Penzavalli
Well, because I went over to the counter. I'm like, are you guys really playing Hillsong? He's like. He literally said, if you don't like it, you can leave.
Patrick Hines
Okay, bye.
Julian Penzavalli
And I was like, I will be leaving. Goodbye.
Patrick Hines
Now everything is a major event at this megachurch, as they all are. Lindsey is a church member.
Unnamed Speaker 4
The first time I went to fcc, I walked in there as an atheist. The doors open. There was fog on the stage. There was this band. It was dim. It was exciting. People were jumping up and down. Everybody had their hands up praising something, loving each other, just generally being happy. It was almost as love was raining down, like confetti. People were like, hi, welcome.
Patrick Hines
She was in because she heard the.
Julian Penzavalli
Scientifically proven method of their music.
Patrick Hines
She's like, everyone's hands were in the air, literally.
Julian Penzavalli
It's like Lindsay, like, they get you with the music.
Patrick Hines
That's what they wanted. And the fact that she was an atheist. Lindsay is the, like, the ultimate boss, like, of who they want to convert.
Julian Penzavalli
Yes.
Patrick Hines
She Used to be an atheist, and now she's.
Julian Penzavalli
I am not coming for your God. I am not coming for your prayers. I believe in God, and I fucking pray. It's the megachurch scientific.
Patrick Hines
Like, I'm saying. It's not the point.
Julian Penzavalli
Exactly.
Patrick Hines
I'm all about your spirituality.
Julian Penzavalli
Totally. Just understand when you're in a cult is all I'm saying.
Patrick Hines
That's all I'm saying.
Julian Penzavalli
You know, I know people who were in Hillsong. I know them. I am a close friend of somebody who is only not currently in Hillsong because she doesn't live here anymore. It's a cult. And I've, like, had this fight with her.
Patrick Hines
Really?
Unnamed Speaker 1
Yes.
Patrick Hines
What's her. What is her response?
Julian Penzavalli
She's like, no, it's just church. I'm like, no, it's a cult. And she's like, no, it's just church. And I'm like, no, it isn't.
Patrick Hines
I mean, to say for. I'm sorry, to say it's just church is just. Just. It is definitively untrue.
Julian Penzavalli
Yeah. She doesn't listen to our podcast, so it's okay. You can say whatever you want.
Patrick Hines
No, I'm just saying, like, you just say, oh, it's church, but don't say, it's just church. No, it's not.
Julian Penzavalli
It's not.
Patrick Hines
It's like. And they do it that way. That's the point, is that it's, like, not your grandmother's church. Like, that's the point of it.
Julian Penzavalli
I am Lindsay. If I went to one service, she used to try to get me to go with her before I knew it was called Hillsong, but before I knew what Hillsong was.
Patrick Hines
Yeah. And I down when it was, like, in Irving Plaza.
Julian Penzavalli
Yes. If I had gone to one service, I would have been converted. I'd be Lindsay.
Patrick Hines
Oh, God. Let's move on. Amanda's very popular at fcc.
Julian Penzavalli
Of course.
Patrick Hines
She's very active. She's running their social media. By 2012, Amanda is a mother.
Julian Penzavalli
Jillian, do you want to go to Hillsong?
Patrick Hines
I mean, it's not. It's the last thing, but it's really great.
Julian Penzavalli
I love going there. I'm a congregan.
Patrick Hines
No, no. And again, like, I love spirituality. I am a very spiritual person. Have your God have your prayers, like you were saying. But, like, don't join a cult.
Julian Penzavalli
I know, I know, I know.
Patrick Hines
And I'm. I'm not the insane one here. Anyway, so it's 20. Amanda's a mother. Stepmother. She's super active in the church. Everything is amazing.
Julian Penzavalli
I know.
Patrick Hines
Everything's coming up Amanda.
Unnamed Speaker 1
Yeah.
Patrick Hines
Until she's diagnosed with cancer. It's Hodgkin's lymphoma.
Julian Penzavalli
No, we know this is a lie. That is not a surprise.
Patrick Hines
No, let me say something.
Julian Penzavalli
Yeah.
Patrick Hines
My cousin had non Hodgkin's lymphoma.
Julian Penzavalli
Oh, wow.
Patrick Hines
It is fucking awful. It was aggressive. He was 18 when he had it. Oh, it was a hard.
Julian Penzavalli
Still with us.
Patrick Hines
Yes.
Julian Penzavalli
Oh, wow.
Patrick Hines
Fine. He is now. Fine. He's married. He has healthy kids. He's healthy. Healthy.
Julian Penzavalli
But at the time, throughout this documentary, we get people sprinkled in who were like. Like, I know, from cancer. My wife died from eight years of battling breast cancer. You know what I mean?
Patrick Hines
Is devastating.
Julian Penzavalli
But that's my big question is, like, how does she know what to say for symptoms? How does she know when she's speaking in front of the church that she's not going to say something? That somebody's going to be like, wait, that's not what happens.
Patrick Hines
Because you can't say that's not what happens. You can't say that. That's why it's a scam that people can do. And so much of it is being shared online.
Julian Penzavalli
Right.
Patrick Hines
You don't know her. So, like, a lot of it is just the sympathy money. And then no one can say that. Feels weird, right? But, like, that's what we love. Your friend is asking you to do this thing. But that's why it's like, it was devastating to see him go through that. So for someone to lie about, of course, is absolutely insane.
Julian Penzavalli
I mean, my mom survived stage four breast cancer.
Patrick Hines
Yeah.
Julian Penzavalli
It's horrifying, you know?
Patrick Hines
So no one can believe this. This is so awful. They're gutted for Amanda. It's so sudden. It's super aggressive.
Julian Penzavalli
Sorry. One more thing. Are we going to start to live in a world where we're not going to believe people who have cancer? Is that where we're going?
Patrick Hines
Welcome, girl. No, I know. I'm not that cynical yet. Yeah, but. Oh, for sure. Have I been, like, really?
Julian Penzavalli
The thing about you, and I'm sorry, this is just the truth. You always know before everybody else. You just always know before everybody else.
Patrick Hines
You know what? I'm good at patterns. I'm good at recognizing patterns. So it's not fun. I know it's not fun, but it's also not this, like, mystical, magical thing. It's just sort of like, huh?
Julian Penzavalli
Jillian just becomes the person in your life that you're like, well, I don't think she's right. But she probably is because she always is. So I'm just gonna say. I'm just gonna agree with her. Like, that's just what ends up happen.
Patrick Hines
It's not. I'm not like, a bully.
Julian Penzavalli
No, you're absolutely not a bully. I'm giving you the compliment. I'm telling you the truth. Like, I just don't want to live in a world where somebody has to be able to, like, not feel like they can tell their friends that they have cancer. Because people aren't going to believe.
Patrick Hines
No, I think that. I mean, you know, we'll get to it. Because there are some things where I'm like, that's insane, Amanda. Like, we need to stop this.
Julian Penzavalli
Well, because it starts with, Amanda starts a blog.
Patrick Hines
Even her blog title is insufferable.
Unnamed Speaker 2
And she headlined it very simply, My Story, Our Journey. She wanted the blog to be a place where family and friends could be updated.
Unnamed Speaker 5
Amanda wanted to be inspirational and she wanted to help others. A lot of people started reading her blog. I mean, it blew up pretty quickly.
Patrick Hines
The support has been amazingly encouraging, overwhelming, and wonderful. My story, our journey. But do you see, this is what I mean about. I'm good at spotting patterns.
Unnamed Speaker 1
Yeah.
Patrick Hines
It starts with that.
Unnamed Speaker 1
Yeah.
Julian Penzavalli
Yes.
Patrick Hines
My story, our journey. We're all in this together.
Julian Penzavalli
Let me ask you this question. Do you think she's doing this for the money, for the attention, or to become famous?
Patrick Hines
All three.
Julian Penzavalli
All three.
Patrick Hines
All hands down.
Julian Penzavalli
She went in with a plan. You think?
Patrick Hines
Yes.
Julian Penzavalli
Okay.
Patrick Hines
I don't think this is her first scam.
Julian Penzavalli
Okay.
Patrick Hines
I think she's been doing this on some level her whole life. And I think her mother's involved.
Julian Penzavalli
Oh, shit.
Patrick Hines
Yeah. So. But it's all very detailed. Right. It's all about sharing her story.
Julian Penzavalli
And I've known other people who've done this where it's like, it's a place for family and friends to go for updates so you don't have to cross your every uncle and be like, here's what's going on now.
Patrick Hines
Sure. And that, like, again, she's doing what works.
Unnamed Speaker 1
Yes.
Patrick Hines
Because the blog blows up very quickly.
Julian Penzavalli
Very quickly.
Patrick Hines
She's doing what it takes to make that happen. She's consistent. She's constantly posting. She's giving people the information they want. And, like, other people with cancer or other people who have family members with cancer. Because sometimes if you're so sick, you can't really keep up a blog like this.
Unnamed Speaker 1
Yes.
Patrick Hines
But it is a resource for others, and it is about the awareness, because again, there's no cure for cancer.
Julian Penzavalli
Right.
Patrick Hines
We gotta keep talking about it. The squeaky wheel gets the grease or whatever. So we need the awareness. Everything is expensive.
Julian Penzavalli
People need to find community. People need to, like, find other people who are going through the shitty things that they're going through.
Patrick Hines
So she's taking very real things that do work and using it for her lives.
Julian Penzavalli
Right. So Lisa, remember the friend that, like, Lisa of Lisa and Steve, she starts reading the blog, and she says, at.
Amanda Riley
Some point, I started reading her blog and she's posting pictures, and I just was surprised seeing all the attention that she's getting for it. There was just something inside of me just saying, this isn't right.
Patrick Hines
Because it's like, very long posts, lots of photos. Like, she was making dynamic and compelling content for people who needed it.
Unnamed Speaker 1
Yes.
Patrick Hines
And I think that's important.
Julian Penzavalli
And Lisa, we should say, is a little bit older, so, like, she just has a little bit more life experience.
Patrick Hines
Yeah.
Julian Penzavalli
There's just something about this isn't sitting right.
Patrick Hines
And now, like, there are photos from the hospital looking super legit. If you're not looking for anything right now, Stephanie Davis is a supporter. She was very into the blog. Her mom was into the blog. Penny is also a supporter. She's a cancer survivor, longtime American Cancer Society volunteer. I'm saying this because there were people who were in this world who were big and vocal supporters of Amanda, and that's what she really needed.
Julian Penzavalli
Yeah. And people just are drawn to it for whatever reason.
Patrick Hines
12 months of testing, 8 months of chemotherapy, and today is my day of bliss. We won.
Julian Penzavalli
She's suddenly cancer free.
Patrick Hines
Suddenly. This marks a very special week. As of Friday, I've been officially labeled as being in soft. This is so wonderful. Get out the confetti.
Julian Penzavalli
Yeah.
Patrick Hines
Now Penny is like, we were rooting for her, and I'm like, that insane Tyra Banks. Like, I was rooting for you. We were all rooting for you.
Julian Penzavalli
I just will go watch that clip.
Patrick Hines
That she was insane.
Julian Penzavalli
I mean, that clip is pretty. Like, Tyra's insane or the model.
Patrick Hines
Tyra is insane.
Julian Penzavalli
We were all really.
Patrick Hines
I am waiting.
Unnamed Speaker 1
Yeah.
Patrick Hines
For the documentary about America's Next Top Model.
Julian Penzavalli
Oh, yeah.
Patrick Hines
Outrageous abuse, gaslighting, all kinds of phobias.
Julian Penzavalli
There's a reason why RuPaul's Drag Race is the only reality show like that still on the air.
Patrick Hines
Like the blatant racism.
Julian Penzavalli
I know.
Patrick Hines
Fat phobia. I mean, they had models in blackface and they did. Yes. That show was a fucking fever dream. I'm waiting for the Documentary.
Julian Penzavalli
There will be one with all the.
Patrick Hines
Models talking about how abusive it was and how they're, like, all doing real estate now and not in the modeling industry, because that. But Tyler was insane for that.
Julian Penzavalli
But Everybody go watch RuPaul's Drag Race because it is so good. Oh, my God.
Patrick Hines
God. So the American Cancer Society is rooting for her. The church community. Oh, God. We wouldn't be here without the church community.
Julian Penzavalli
So. But this is what Charlie, the podcast was saying. She's like, you've got the online community, the American Cancer Society, and the church community. And I just made the note. Amanda's really put herself in a position to scam a lot of people with money. You know what I mean? The church is rich. The online community is rich. The American Cancer Society's got deep pockets.
Patrick Hines
Well, she's got it baked in with the church.
Julian Penzavalli
Exactly.
Patrick Hines
I'm calling it like I see it. That church is a client.
Julian Penzavalli
Yes.
Patrick Hines
She has an audience. She has a stage to stand on. And they gave it to her and she took it with both hands.
Julian Penzavalli
And they're all just rich people that go to that church.
Patrick Hines
So Josh is a church member. His father in law is the pastor of this FCC thing. He's friends with Amanda and her family. He knew about the blog.
Julian Penzavalli
Amanda and Corey became good friends of this family. And I'm like, of course they did.
Patrick Hines
Of course they did.
Julian Penzavalli
Of course they weaseled their wound by design. Exactly.
Patrick Hines
Josh, wake up.
Julian Penzavalli
Yeah.
Patrick Hines
So Amanda starts, quote, giving testimony at this church.
Unnamed Speaker 7
She would start giving testimony from the stage. She could sit there in front of a room of over a thousand people, give her testimony.
Unnamed Speaker 3
I was so sick. I was hospitalized for weeks at a time. I couldn't get out of bed.
Unnamed Speaker 7
And she would captivate us every time.
Unnamed Speaker 3
It got to the point where I was kind of talking about it and we were praying about it, and we weren't really sure what to do.
Patrick Hines
Let me tell you, she looks as healthy as a horse.
Julian Penzavalli
I know she looks like a healthy.
Patrick Hines
Person on that stage, but here's a question. Where's the husband?
Julian Penzavalli
That's what I'm saying. Where is Cory in all that?
Patrick Hines
Let's talk about the husband. Where is he? So Vanna is another church member, Vanna Ruiz. And she's like, everyone knew Amanda as the girl with cancer.
Unnamed Speaker 1
Yes.
Patrick Hines
And I'm like, vanna, girl, spill it. You can tell we don't see Vanna very much in this documentary.
Julian Penzavalli
She does a lot of Gillian Pensvalli shifting in her chair.
Patrick Hines
I know she sits weird like me. I Love it.
Julian Penzavalli
But I just love it. She's got shit to say. She's just, she's going to say, what.
Patrick Hines
Do you have to say? Because for her to be like, everyone knew her as the girl with cancer.
Julian Penzavalli
Yeah.
Patrick Hines
And I'm like, because Amanda did that.
Julian Penzavalli
Right, right.
Patrick Hines
Like that was. She's like, hi, I'm Amanda, I have cancer. I'm dying. How are you again? She's looking as healthy as can be.
Julian Penzavalli
I mean, I'm just saying we have to hear this line in every single episode.
Unnamed Speaker 3
We're angry with God. We try to hide from God. Don't stop talking to him.
Patrick Hines
If you're angry, tell him. She was so positive. She had charisma.
Unnamed Speaker 3
If you're going through something, share it with him. Give it to him. Don't ignore Jesus because he is always there and it would be unfortunate if he brought you your miracle and you weren't watching.
Patrick Hines
What is she in the mob?
Julian Penzavalli
I know.
Patrick Hines
Real nice set of kneecaps you got there. It'd be a real shame if someone came and bashed them with a baseball bat. Well, but then like, I was like, what are you, what is that a threat?
Julian Penzavalli
The guy sitting on the stage with her makes this like, woo sound like he, like, like she's just at the most genius thing.
Patrick Hines
Everyone jumps to their feet. I know she has everyone hook, line and sinker. And I'm sorry, these are people in those four walls who are ready to be hooked, line and sinker.
Julian Penzavalli
And I'm, I'm one of them. If I had gone to that church service with my friend one time, I'd be like, my friend Amanda has cancer.
Patrick Hines
But it' like the people are conditioned, I know, to very readily and happily accept what is being spewed to them from that stage.
Julian Penzavalli
Because these are people who like, believe in goodness and they just want to do good and they want to help. And I understand all of that. It's just, it's what we were saying about the pastor, like, and his family. Now when you have a brand new family to the church that is trying to be your best friend, you should know to question that.
Patrick Hines
It's just like this was a perfect captive audience for her. It's not a mistake. She was at this church totally. She was like, let me see the rich, richest suckers I can find.
Unnamed Speaker 1
Yes.
Patrick Hines
Where are they? At the FCC church. Now, Lindsay, the former atheist, says the.
Unnamed Speaker 4
Miracle in itself, that she could be so terminal and so alive at the same time, led me to believe that she was anointed.
Julian Penzavalli
But also, Lindsay, listen To yourself. Like, I think it's what you're saying about the conditioning. Because when Lindsay said that, it really hit me. I'm like, girl, you are ignoring your instincts. The other way of saying that sentence is, it's curious that she could be so terminal and so alive at the same time.
Patrick Hines
Now, Lindsay says a lot of things like this. Oh, my God, these four episodes.
Julian Penzavalli
Lindsay is so grateful to be converted.
Patrick Hines
I wonder if she's a little bit of a victim of editing here. I wonder if she's saying things as she felt them then. Maybe because she's sitting here now.
Unnamed Speaker 1
Yeah, yeah.
Patrick Hines
And like, I'm calling her Lindsay, the former atheist. Don't come for me. I have a ton of friends who are atheists. Like, it's just an identifier. We're meeting a lot of people in this talk. But she really.
Julian Penzavalli
Atheism. I don't know. I mean, I totally accept that people are atheists and that's totally fine. But, like, I want to believe that I'm going to see you again.
Patrick Hines
I'm not going to tell people how.
Julian Penzavalli
To be, but I. Atheism is very brave, as they always say, because it's just like, okay, damn. Like, really make good use of your time here because. Whoa.
Patrick Hines
And I'm also never gonna argue with you, so don't even try. You do your thing, I'll do mine.
Julian Penzavalli
I'm not saying you believe what you want to believe, but I just like, I don't know.
Patrick Hines
Yeah. The worst kind of atheist is someone who wants to talk about how they're an atheist.
Julian Penzavalli
Totally.
Patrick Hines
And that goes with, like, every single person about every single thing. But, like, I'm not arguing with you. I don't care.
Julian Penzavalli
Right. I totally. Like, wait, just real quick, what do you think happens when we die?
Patrick Hines
I don't know.
Julian Penzavalli
Okay.
Patrick Hines
I really don't know. I think if I were to, like, label it, it would kind of be more like an agnostic, I guess, where it's like, I'm super spiritual. I have my things that I do. I believe in it. We're not alone here. But I couldn't tell you really what I think. I mean, I hope something really beautiful and nice, but no, I don't think we're like worm food and that's it.
Julian Penzavalli
No, no, we definitely go somewhere awesome.
Patrick Hines
Because I believe that there are people who've passed over around us, around me. So we gotta go somewhere and I have to believe. It's a beautiful place.
Julian Penzavalli
Yeah.
Patrick Hines
And this is what faith is. It's comfort.
Julian Penzavalli
Ye.
Patrick Hines
But it's like, it's nice to think that I'll see people again and that, you know, I feel like they're around me, their energy.
Julian Penzavalli
You're like, I don't know that we're a human form or whatever it is, but there's got. There's something. Tyler, the medium says we definitely go.
Patrick Hines
Somewhere and all the dogs go to heaven.
Julian Penzavalli
So. Totally. Anyway. Yeah, but I'm just saying, Lindsay, when you're looking at a person and you're saying, like, it's so amazing that she can be so terminal and so alive. Like, listen to what your brain is actually saying. Your. Your brain is telling you. This is weird.
Patrick Hines
I think she was saying it like, this is what we were all thinking. Because the point is, the fact that Amanda was still alive was actually making people feel stronger about their faith.
Julian Penzavalli
Yes.
Patrick Hines
Like, they were super into the church because of her. Look at what God has done for this woman.
Unnamed Speaker 1
Yeah.
Patrick Hines
So it was mutually beneficial for the church. And then it's like, maybe the church was in on it because everyone's making a one ton of money.
Julian Penzavalli
100%.
Patrick Hines
So two things happened to Amanda at the same time. God, it's going to sound like I'm saying it wrong. I'm not. It's so unbelievable. You'll be like, jillian, check your facts.
Julian Penzavalli
Wait, what?
Patrick Hines
Yeah, this is not. This is what she is claiming is happening to her.
Unnamed Speaker 3
I'll never forget the doctor's words. He said, you, cancer's back and you're pregnant.
Unnamed Speaker 5
When I went down to do her second maternity shoot, I remember talking to her and she's like, I know, it's such a miracle baby. She said, I had an IUD because I was going through treatment and I got pregnant with the IUD while doing treatment.
Patrick Hines
It's a miracle baby, to say the least. Also, we need to stop using the word miracle. None of these are miracles. They're just lies.
Julian Penzavalli
They're just lies.
Patrick Hines
They're unbelievable.
Julian Penzavalli
No way I should be able to have a baby. Somebody should be able to say, like, what's going on here?
Patrick Hines
No, you just got pregnant.
Julian Penzavalli
You just got pregnant.
Patrick Hines
You didn't have an iud.
Julian Penzavalli
No.
Patrick Hines
Nor cancer.
Julian Penzavalli
And look again, the hindsight of having the documentary handed to. I get it. I know that, like, you know, these people are. Why would anybody be so cynical as to not believe their friends?
Patrick Hines
Because the point is, like, what kind of asshole is going to be like, miracle baby, my ass. You're going to be like, wow, congratulations.
Julian Penzavalli
You really wanted to even have cancer.
Patrick Hines
Like, that's why these People do it. And that's why she went to the community. She went to, like, please. So it's fall 2013. We're with Maha Mahasti, the babysitter.
Julian Penzavalli
Mahasti feels to me like the first one to call bullshit.
Patrick Hines
She's apprehensive at best. Her side eye is perfection. She's literally like.
Julian Penzavalli
I said, amanda, what's happening now with you being pregnant?
Patrick Hines
Oh, my doctor says I could stop.
Julian Penzavalli
The chemo and radiation or anything that is for my cancer till the baby's born, and then we could start again. I said, amanda, Amanda, this is your life. You have another child to think about.
Patrick Hines
This one is not here yet. She says, no.
Unnamed Speaker 2
They said, it's gonna be safe, so.
Patrick Hines
I'm gonna do that.
Julian Penzavalli
And Mahasi's like, bitch, isn't that gonna kill you?
Patrick Hines
She's like, no, no. The doctor said, I can stop any and all cancer treatments until my baby is born and then start back up again again. Also, what she's doing is hipaa. No one can ask a doctor a single question.
Julian Penzavalli
But Mahasti's like, I don't think that's how any of this works.
Patrick Hines
No, girl. But Amanda, here's the other thing. When people like this get away with. They take an inch, they'll take another inch. So Amanda's updating everyone on the blog. Can you believe my miracle baby? Oh, my God. She met with a bunch of experts. This is all very possible. She's so excited. Here's my baby bump. And then another twist.
Julian Penzavalli
Yeah. Stage four. Once again, she's stage four and pregnant.
Patrick Hines
February to come, five hospital stays and 32 doctor's appointments.
Julian Penzavalli
Appointments in January alone, we're suddenly back at church, right?
Patrick Hines
Oh, God.
Julian Penzavalli
This is. This is where Lindsey's about to have her moment.
Unnamed Speaker 4
I was only two seats down from her before she stood up, and I heard her say, feeling dizzy. I need to get some water. So she exited the church and on the way back, fainted while simultaneously urinating on herself. Everybody ran up to her. The core leadership ran up to her. They put their hands over her. Everybody did. They put their hands in the circle and said, heal this woman. Heal her. Oh, God, heal her.
Patrick Hines
Nobody calls 911.
Julian Penzavalli
Nobody calls 911.
Patrick Hines
Start praying over her and putting their hands on her.
Julian Penzavalli
I know, I know.
Patrick Hines
Steal her. She doesn't deserve this. Instead of giving, the first thing you do when someone faints is give them space and call 91 1. They do the opposite. They don't call 911. They swarm her, and everyone is touching her. I hate this woman, but can we please not do this?
Julian Penzavalli
No. And Lindsay is saying she just got. She fell to her knees and commanded God to heal.
Patrick Hines
Amanda, Lindsay was an atheist a week ago.
Julian Penzavalli
She heard one song that tricked her brain.
Patrick Hines
She saw the fog and was like.
Julian Penzavalli
Holy shit, God is real. God is real.
Patrick Hines
Now I'm saying that I'm not coming for Lindsay. No, I'm just saying, saying think about how compelling it must. I know, because atheists fucking love being atheists.
Julian Penzavalli
I'm telling you. I'm saying this in all seriousness. If I went to one service, I'd be in hook line and say, I.
Patrick Hines
Don'T know about that, because my heart.
Julian Penzavalli
Is open to it. You know what I mean? Like, I feel like I'm like them.
Patrick Hines
I want to be annoyed that there were so many people there.
Julian Penzavalli
Maybe I wasn't getting enough attention. Probably I'd be on the stage giving my testimony in a week. I'd be the Amanda.
Patrick Hines
That's what I'm saying.
Julian Penzavalli
But I understand that these people are just good people. I'm not coming for them. But it's like, can everyone open your goddamn eyes for five seconds?
Patrick Hines
I'm going to say something here. And I'm not saying it as a negative thing. I'm not saying it as an attack. I'm not saying it as a criticism in any way. But I hate my shirt. Yes. No, I'm saying we all. And we all have to be, like, honest about it.
Unnamed Speaker 1
Yeah.
Patrick Hines
If you are in that church, you're looking for something.
Julian Penzavalli
Yes, sure.
Patrick Hines
That's why people find solace in faith and prayer. Because you're sort of looking for something.
Julian Penzavalli
Even meditation or community or whatever.
Patrick Hines
So, like, I'm not saying that as a bad thing, because I am one of you total. But like, all people, we're in this church. You know what I mean?
Julian Penzavalli
You know what I mean?
Patrick Hines
Like, she has the most captive audience of people who are looking for reasons to believe I'm alive. I be cancer twice. I'm alive. I have this miracle baby. She's lying to them, but they're going to believe her because they need to.
Julian Penzavalli
And she knows you're going to believe that.
Patrick Hines
That's what I'm saying. No accident that she wants. She probably vetted 10 churches.
Julian Penzavalli
Oh, what an asshole.
Patrick Hines
Patterns.
Julian Penzavalli
We can't even have our mega churches.
Patrick Hines
No. We cannot tax the churches.
Julian Penzavalli
I know. Oh, my God.
Patrick Hines
Yeah. April 2014. Amazing. Amanda's second son is born.
Unnamed Speaker 1
Yeah.
Patrick Hines
He's a very healthy baby boy.
Unnamed Speaker 1
Yeah.
Patrick Hines
Again I ask, where's the husband? Let's Talk about the husband.
Julian Penzavalli
Everyone is like, cory must be so amazing.
Patrick Hines
He's all over the blog. At least he's not here. And he'll never be in the documentary. No, but he's all over the blog. He's the husband of the century. Yeah, he's amazing. He's a hero. He's her rock.
Julian Penzavalli
But this is now Rebecca. This, like, breaks my heart. Rebecca's the photographer. Remember, these people all have money. They live in a really wealthy area.
Patrick Hines
Yes.
Unnamed Speaker 5
And she's like, Amanda had had to quit jobs due to her medical condition. And I knew that money was really tight with everything they were going through. And I just continued to ask Amanda, like, what can I do? What can I do? What can I do? Because when it's your health and it's life or death, like, nothing should be out of bounds because of cost. I can remember getting emails from Peggy. She was the one that told me about the website, and I donated $500.
Julian Penzavalli
And so we learn about Amanda's website.
Patrick Hines
Yes.
Julian Penzavalli
I mean, there's a website where you can just click the $500 and why don't you go ahead and make it monthly, Rebecca?
Patrick Hines
Yes. Well, I just want to say one more thing about Cory.
Unnamed Speaker 1
Yeah.
Patrick Hines
I think it's Rebecca who says, when I picture Corey, I see him standing behind Amanda.
Julian Penzavalli
Oh, yeah.
Patrick Hines
I think that's a really. It's like when they have kids draw, and it's like, why is that person so much bigger than that other person? What does that mean psychologically? But when he's. When she's picturing not next to Amanda. Right behind.
Julian Penzavalli
Totally.
Patrick Hines
And I think that's really important because now you're right, though. Amanda's raising money for donations for the babies and the cancer. Pat.
Julian Penzavalli
And, like, Rebecca is like, her dear friend, and Rebecca gives her $500, and Amanda does the thing that a scammer would do where she blows Rebecca up on the blog. And now Rebecca's like, I'm gonna go ahead and make that monthly.
Patrick Hines
So Rebecca, again, $500 every month. Happy to do it. Automatic payments. Friends are donating. The church is donating a lot of money. They're doing events for her. People are literally throwing money at her feet. They are lining up to give her money. They're fighting over who gets to give her the most money the fastest.
Julian Penzavalli
It's the only time the church has ever done.
Unnamed Speaker 7
This one time during a Sunday service, the pastor brought Amanda and Corey up on stage.
Unnamed Speaker 4
There was that infamous fog machine, making this a very beautiful, angelic, mystical, special experience.
Unnamed Speaker 7
That pastor felt led in that moment during that service to do a love offering. The church's size. If each family gives a dollar, it can be significant enough to be a huge blessing to the Riley family.
Julian Penzavalli
People are dropping 50s, hundreds, twenties.
Patrick Hines
Not a cult at all, though. Throwing money on the stage for, like, definitely not weird. And it's definitely not a cult.
Julian Penzavalli
Can you imagine you're Amanda and like, you're like, this wasn't even part of the plan. Mortified bonus.
Patrick Hines
Any. Any normal person would be mortified.
Julian Penzavalli
Mortified.
Patrick Hines
So now. But Angie, like, Angie. Angie is a friend and fundraiser.
Unnamed Speaker 1
Yeah.
Patrick Hines
She was constantly donating. She was constantly promoting Amanda. Angie would go to the bank and take out a shit ton of cash and post it online and be like, this is for you, Amanda. Amanda. I'm sorry. Yeah, that's weird.
Julian Penzavalli
They're doing it for the proximity to the celebrity.
Patrick Hines
Right? I love donating. I love helping people. But there's something that feels really culty and it's by design, by Amanda's fault and a little bit the church, if we're being honest. Because now it's become a competition. Who is supporting Amanda the most? Who can win the Amanda support, How much? And that is all tied to money.
Unnamed Speaker 1
Yes.
Patrick Hines
I gave like, you can't support Amanda without giving money. So now it's an internal competition amongst themselves. Shelves orchestrated by Amanda, the puppet master.
Julian Penzavalli
And like, when you are the scammer and it goes that well, you must have that moment of like, even I couldn't have forced him to be this easy.
Patrick Hines
Oh, my God. You know she has also scammed Chili's.
Julian Penzavalli
I know.
Patrick Hines
Hashtag team. Amanda has been busy as ever.
Unnamed Speaker 4
On June 24th, if you eat at any of 4 Bay Area Chili's, 20 of your bill will be donated to.
Julian Penzavalli
To our family. There is no excuse.
Patrick Hines
I mean, where does it end?
Julian Penzavalli
My question is, how does this affect the servers? That's all I could think about in this moment. I would love to know is that 20%, the tips. Are the servers giving their tips away.
Patrick Hines
Because they eventually say thanks to the servers.
Julian Penzavalli
And I know all I could think about. Or is that 20% being deducted from the bill before the tip? Like, all I could think about was like, you fucking asshole. Like, cheating Chili's and cheating the servers, like, unconsciously. I know, I know.
Patrick Hines
So meanwhile, though, remember Lisa and Steve, the first friends? They've gone. No contact with Amanda and Corey.
Julian Penzavalli
And we'll get the timelines. A little confusing, but we will understand why in a minute.
Patrick Hines
And I'm like, something Major happened because Amanda was saying Lisa was like, our mom.
Julian Penzavalli
So what they're not telling you here is that this is four years since they were friends with Lisa and Steve. Time has passed.
Patrick Hines
Right now, Lisa is stalking Amanda's blog.
Unnamed Speaker 1
Yes.
Patrick Hines
And she's like, I get an email.
Amanda Riley
It said there's this fundraiser at Chili's, and 20% of the proceeds of all four Chili's restaurants are going to go to Amanda Riley. I was blown away. The year she told me about the cancer was 2010. Well, now she's been diagnosed for the very first time in 2012. I was so, so sick.
Patrick Hines
She gets wind of Chili's, and she's like, not on my watch.
Julian Penzavalli
Not on my watch.
Patrick Hines
Okay?
Julian Penzavalli
Because she's like, this was my friend from four years ago that I knew something was going down. But what is this Chili's thing?
Patrick Hines
So Lisa's like, okay, something's wrong. Something's going on. And I'm like, something really went down.
Julian Penzavalli
She's known it from the beginning.
Patrick Hines
So we go back to August 2011, four years earlier.
Unnamed Speaker 1
Yes.
Patrick Hines
It's Lisa's birthday party.
Julian Penzavalli
So this is still back when Amanda and Corey had just met Steven. Lisa. And they've just become really good friends.
Patrick Hines
They're besties. Yeah. Their daughters are in the same class at school. They're super good friends. Now it's Lisa's birthday party. This is another pattern. Everybody. Amanda and Corey go to the party, but at first, they weren't sure if they can make it. So it's like, always drama, always high stakes, always attention. And it's like, we don't know if we can come. Oh, I hope you can come. And then they come, and it's like, yay.
Unnamed Speaker 1
Yay.
Patrick Hines
Yeah. Do you see what I'm saying?
Julian Penzavalli
Of course.
Patrick Hines
Exhausting. So that night, they go to the party. First, they couldn't come. Oh, my God, you're here. It's amazing, you guys. They came.
Julian Penzavalli
Yay.
Patrick Hines
So that night, Corey tells Steve, Cory the faker's husband.
Unnamed Speaker 1
Yeah.
Patrick Hines
Tells Steve the friend that Amanda the Faker has stage four cancer. She is dying.
Julian Penzavalli
Six to 12 months to live.
Patrick Hines
The worst it can be right now. Lisa and Steve are devastated because not only were they really, really close, like family, they had just gotten married. Like, they can't believe. Like, oh, this young couple, they've got.
Julian Penzavalli
Their whole life ahead of them. What is this young girl gonna do without her mother?
Patrick Hines
Right? But Steve's first wife died of breast cancer.
Unnamed Speaker 1
Yes.
Patrick Hines
And he's like, after eight years. So he's like, I've been there. I know what that's like. It is devastating. Like, they just can't believe that their dear, dear friends are about to go through this. And now Lisa and Steve are amazing because they're like, no, we're gonna help. They quote, available. Anything they can do. Especially with Jessa, because remember, Jessa and their daughter are friends.
Unnamed Speaker 1
Yeah.
Patrick Hines
So Lisa says she's stage four.
Amanda Riley
She's dying. Where her parents. How come they're not coming around? I thought they were close. And I actually asked her at one point, you know, where are your parents? You're so sick, and where are they? And she said, oh, they're just really busy.
Julian Penzavalli
This is where the red flags start coming up for Lisa. Because Amanda turns around and she's like, oh, no, no. They're just really busy.
Patrick Hines
Life is getting in the way. They can't come, right?
Julian Penzavalli
And Lisa's like, bitch, you're dying in six to 12 months.
Patrick Hines
Like, your mom's not gonna drop everything for six months. Like, really? Then on top of that, Lisa's like, okay, like, I'm not gonna get into the family dynamics.
Julian Penzavalli
Like, people, whatever.
Patrick Hines
Okay. Like, that is just unfortunate. It's another horrifying thing, I guess, that's happening to Amanda. Then Amanda asks Lisa to pay for a, quote, life saving blood test, whatever the hell that is. It doesn't exist. It's fake.
Julian Penzavalli
Yeah, totally. So, but Lisa says she's like, it was really awkward. And Steve makes this point later, like.
Patrick Hines
Asking a friend to pay because she didn't ask to. Don't remember, this is four years before the church and the donation thing.
Julian Penzavalli
Totally.
Patrick Hines
She is going to Lisa's house over, like, tea.
Unnamed Speaker 1
Yes.
Patrick Hines
And being like, girl, I'm dying. I can live if you pay for my life. Saving blood transfusion.
Julian Penzavalli
Give me a number. Lisa. Are we talking $200? We're talking 5,000.
Patrick Hines
I would guess about $5,000.
Julian Penzavalli
Yeah. And Lisa, like, she's like, it was very awkward, but I didn't feel like I could say no.
Patrick Hines
Because Lisa's gut is screaming at her. She knows something is off, but what if she's wrong?
Julian Penzavalli
Right?
Patrick Hines
What if something is not off? What if it's on?
Julian Penzavalli
You can't even question. You know what I mean?
Patrick Hines
You're a monster for not giving the money for the life saving or questioning.
Julian Penzavalli
Like, hey, can I have some proof that you actually have cancer?
Patrick Hines
But that's the point, right?
Julian Penzavalli
Exactly.
Patrick Hines
That's what they want you to feel. And also, scammers can make themselves a victim of anything. And it's not just cancer. And it's not just money.
Unnamed Speaker 1
Yeah.
Patrick Hines
Sometimes they want your emotions. Sometimes they want your time. Sometimes they want your loyalty. Like, scammers can do this for anything.
Unnamed Speaker 1
Yeah.
Patrick Hines
Just be aware it's not just cancer in the church, Right?
Unnamed Speaker 1
Yeah.
Julian Penzavalli
Yeah.
Patrick Hines
But then Lisa's already. The red flags. Her gut is yelling at her.
Julian Penzavalli
She's a smart lady.
Patrick Hines
She's already, like, something's off, but she's trying to convince herself she's wrong. Because, one, that would be horrifying. Right?
Julian Penzavalli
Right.
Patrick Hines
And two, she doesn't want to be a monster, but she's like, what is the best case scenario? Either my friend really does have cancer, or she's lying about it. Like, it's bad both ways.
Julian Penzavalli
Exactly.
Patrick Hines
Then there was the time at the pool date.
Julian Penzavalli
Lisa, she's doing a lot of, like, picking Jessa up from school. That's the other thing. Knowing, like, what was Amanda actually really doing when she was pretending to be.
Patrick Hines
Picking her feet up, having a cocktail, 100%, like, doing the other scam. God knows what that was.
Julian Penzavalli
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Patrick Hines
Date night.
Julian Penzavalli
So Lisa picks up Jessa from school one day to bring her over to her house to go swimming. And Amanda. Amanda comes over, like, later in the day. They're all in the pool. Amanda jumps in the pool, and she.
Amanda Riley
Kind of turned to the side, and she had a very small, round band aid behind her ear. So I asked her why she had the band aid behind her ear. I was curious. And that's when she told me that she had just had fluid drained off her brain in the hospital. So she was coming from the hospital, and she swam underwater after having fluid drained off her brain.
Patrick Hines
They are in the pool having a lovely afternoon, where just hours prior, Amanda was getting her brain drained.
Julian Penzavalli
Exactly.
Patrick Hines
And now she's doing handstands and playing mermaid in the pool.
Julian Penzavalli
So Lisa is like, I know that this is not right. And she starts going back through all of the stories that Amanda had told her that, like, didn't add up, but, like, she didn't really make a thing of in the moment.
Patrick Hines
Yeah.
Julian Penzavalli
Like, she had a long story about how she bought her house. House. But Lisa then found out that the house was a rental.
Patrick Hines
Right.
Julian Penzavalli
She said there was going to be a bridal magazine covering their wedding. That never happened. Oh. And she's working on a PhD in clinical psychology at Stanford.
Patrick Hines
Stanford, absolutely.
Julian Penzavalli
But never goes to class.
Patrick Hines
Lisa is done.
Unnamed Speaker 1
Yeah.
Patrick Hines
She's like, now I know that she's a liar.
Unnamed Speaker 1
Yes.
Patrick Hines
And she goes, I want Cory and Amanda out of Our lives now.
Julian Penzavalli
Because think about it. They've given them money, but they've given them emotional labor and physical labor. She's like all of the crying that she was had done over it. The fact that they're dying in six months and Steve's wife had died of breast cancer. They knew that when they made up.
Patrick Hines
This lie, they were probably having very real conversations about the roles that they're going to have in her kids lives.
Julian Penzavalli
Yes, yes. 100%.
Patrick Hines
A huge thing to ask of someone. And it's a major life change for people. Like, they really gave a lot in every sense.
Julian Penzavalli
Yeah. Like, it's also like Lisa feels like she can't confront her. She just wants her out, out.
Patrick Hines
And that's true. When something like that happens, there's no. You can't reason with these people. You just got to get them out of your Life.
Julian Penzavalli
That is 100% the smart thing to do.
Patrick Hines
So Lisa stops answering Amanda's phone calls.
Unnamed Speaker 1
Yeah.
Patrick Hines
And so Amanda starts calling Lisa's niece, lying about how she's pregnant. And she wants Lisa and Steve to be the godparents. It's just so desperate, transparent. But Lisa doesn't take the bait.
Julian Penzavalli
No. But Amanda does keep calling. And eventually Lisa says she's like, I realized I was gonna have to deal with this one way or the other at some point.
Patrick Hines
She's got to pick up the phone to have the. To end the conversation.
Julian Penzavalli
Exactly.
Patrick Hines
Because right now it's like an ellipsis. She's got to put a period.
Julian Penzavalli
And Amanda's never. She's insatiable.
Amanda Riley
So I answered the phone and she said, I'm pregnant. And I said, I thought you were dying. And she said, oh, the. The pregnancy is reversing the disease. They just wanted to be in pretend mode. They were never going to admit that they did anything wrong. I hung up the phone and I have not spoken to her since I was dying.
Patrick Hines
I was dying, but the pregnancy is actually reversing my cancer.
Julian Penzavalli
The pregnancy is reversing the cancer.
Patrick Hines
This is again, she then changed the story to a more quote, believable one. Four years later.
Julian Penzavalli
Exactly.
Patrick Hines
But this is her dress rehearsal.
Unnamed Speaker 1
Yes.
Patrick Hines
This is round one of this lie of how she's going to be pregnant and have cancer at the same time. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Now she worked out the kinks with leave Lisa, and then she really was ready for primetime. Four years later.
Julian Penzavalli
I wonder what Amanda thought when she saw Lisa in the documentary.
Patrick Hines
So now Lisa. So all that happened four years ago. Then Lisa hears about this Chili's fundraiser.
Julian Penzavalli
So it's four years later that this friend that she knows is a scammer is now she's seeing, like, doing. She's read the blog. She sees all the money she's raising. The Chili scam.
Patrick Hines
Right. And she's seeing that, like, oh, my God. Chili's is, like, the tip of the iceberg.
Unnamed Speaker 1
Yes.
Patrick Hines
People were giving her money, donating signed memorabilia, like, real, true fundraisers that she.
Julian Penzavalli
Knows Amanda's just selling and keeping the money.
Patrick Hines
And Lisa goes. And then I saw that fight song video.
Unnamed Speaker 2
To raise money for Amanda and to get her story out there. They made a video and used Rachel Platten's fight song, which is such an empowering anthem and lyrically speaks to what Amanda was going through.
Patrick Hines
It's an awareness music video, we're told, where some lovely couple from the church, once again generous, generously offered to do this big thing for Amanda.
Unnamed Speaker 1
Yeah.
Patrick Hines
Amanda's like, mugging for the camera while the song plays. She is. This is no joke. Ripping up a piece of paper that has the word dying printed on it.
Unnamed Speaker 1
Yes.
Patrick Hines
So just to paint a picture, someone put, like, went to their computer, typed the word dying on a word document, printed it out, handed the piece of paper to Amanda, who is now gleefully ripping it up in front of a body of water.
Unnamed Speaker 1
Yeah.
Julian Penzavalli
Yeah.
Patrick Hines
Would this not push you over the edge 100%.
Julian Penzavalli
And she's getting people from all over the country to be in the video.
Patrick Hines
She's, like, frolicking on the beach, sitting by the fire. The whole family's in it.
Julian Penzavalli
Lindsay goes. Not to brag, but I. I'm in the video. I was like, lindsey, Lindsey, girl, you're not hearing yourself.
Patrick Hines
If Kyle Chandler shows up in this video, so help me. Like he did for Anatomy of Lies. I'm like, kyle Chandler.
Julian Penzavalli
If they got coach Matthew Morrison, they got Matthew Morrison, who's garbage. Enough.
Patrick Hines
Like, this video is meant to be a tearjerker, but it's just insufferable. I can't even look at it.
Julian Penzavalli
Insufferable.
Patrick Hines
So no contact. Lisa is incensed. She has had it.
Julian Penzavalli
She's had it again.
Patrick Hines
Please watch it. She's ripping up.
Julian Penzavalli
I know.
Patrick Hines
A piece of paper with the word dying on it. Horrible. It is in such poor taste.
Unnamed Speaker 1
Yeah.
Patrick Hines
I feel like real people with real cancer was like, what the is that?
Julian Penzavalli
I know.
Patrick Hines
So no contact. Lisa's incensed, and she goes, amanda wanted it to go viral. Well, I went to YouTube and I gave it a thumbs down, which was.
Julian Penzavalli
She's like, that's all I could Do. Which I didn't even know you could do that on YouTube.
Patrick Hines
But then she calls her friends because her friends give them more thumbs down. God damn it. And I'm like, yes.
Julian Penzavalli
So now, though, they're thumbs down in the video. I love it.
Patrick Hines
In the next blog, Amanda is complaining about people who don't support her and people have abandoned her. And cut to Lisa, who's like, I know. It was those thumbs down that got her. It was the down votes that totally got.
Julian Penzavalli
I love that Lisa knows she got to Amanda.
Patrick Hines
Yeah. You know, because who's thumbs downing a cancer video?
Julian Penzavalli
100.
Patrick Hines
Lisa, I wish I would have known you. I would have thumbs down the.
Julian Penzavalli
I know me. I know.
Patrick Hines
I would have made other accounts. Thumbs down.
Julian Penzavalli
Totally.
Patrick Hines
I love everyone I knew. So let's go to Los Angeles, California.
Julian Penzavalli
Oh, my God.
Patrick Hines
With Nancy Muscatello.
Julian Penzavalli
Which you cannot tell me that's not the last name of the mouse from An American Tale, Fievel Mouse.
Patrick Hines
I think it's like Fievel Mousekawitz. Right? I can't talk about five.
Julian Penzavalli
I'm five Volscatello. I'm like, I know, I know, I know.
Patrick Hines
She's an investigative producer for TV, and in 2015, she's working on Crime Watch Daily.
Unnamed Speaker 1
Yes.
Patrick Hines
And she's actively looking for scam stories. Yeah, she's not looking for like any story she thinks is interesting.
Julian Penzavalli
She wants scam stories.
Patrick Hines
She's scams. So she's posting in all these different communities online. Like, do you or someone, you know, been scammed? Yeah, she's really actively looking for people who have stories now. Dog alert. Nancy has a little dog.
Unnamed Speaker 1
Yes.
Patrick Hines
He's giving a little bark. His name is Mr. Munch. And we get so much of him next week. He is the star of next week's episode.
Julian Penzavalli
Is that right?
Patrick Hines
We see little certificates that he's gotten.
Julian Penzavalli
No way.
Patrick Hines
He gets his own closed captions. He's barking.
Julian Penzavalli
What do you get dog certificates for?
Patrick Hines
For being like a brave best boy. Something happened. It's from the vet. I took a screenshot in the timestamp. Don't.
Julian Penzavalli
Oh, my God.
Patrick Hines
His name is Mr. Munch.
Julian Penzavalli
Okay, great.
Patrick Hines
Heavily featured in episode two.
Julian Penzavalli
Oh, I can't wait.
Patrick Hines
Tight. But someone. Yeah, someone.
Julian Penzavalli
Someone. Some unnamed, as yet unnamed person sends.
Patrick Hines
Amanda's block to Nancy.
Unnamed Speaker 6
Yes, I believe that I have a story that you might be very interested in checking out. There is a 30 year old woman in Silicon Valley, California, who is now claiming to have stage four blood cancer. This person was adamant that they knew that what she was saying was false and that she didn't have cancer. So that intrigued me. There was a lot of information to go on.
Julian Penzavalli
So apparently the tipster is a major part of the podcast, and in the podcast, she's anonymous.
Patrick Hines
And I'm like, it's gotta be Lisa. Right?
Julian Penzavalli
Right, it's gotta be Lisa. I mean, it's gotta be Lisa.
Patrick Hines
Especially because of the thumbs down and all this stuff. I'm like, wa. Lisa's the only person here who saw through Amanda's.
Julian Penzavalli
It's got from the beginning. It's either that or the babysitter.
Patrick Hines
Right. And I'm hoping it's someone we know because I, like, want to take this journey with Lisa.
Julian Penzavalli
Totally.
Amanda Riley
My name is Lisa Berry and I am the anonymous source. It's time. I'm proud of it. I'm proud that I'm the anonymous source.
Julian Penzavalli
That's what.
Patrick Hines
It's Lisa.
Julian Penzavalli
It's Lisa. So it ends with Lisa announces herself as the tipster in the documentary. Like, that's the big thing.
Patrick Hines
She goes, it's time. I'm proud of it.
Julian Penzavalli
Now imagine being Amanda, you know what I mean? And watching this documentary. And like, I fucking knew it. I fucking knew it.
Patrick Hines
Because what Lisa ends up doing, like, knowing what Lisa knows, Amanda's stomach must have been in her butt because all of, like, the things she tried to pull with Lisa, she then, like, changed and edited and perfected and then would end up using on other people.
Julian Penzavalli
Totally.
Patrick Hines
My question is, what the hell was she doing in between those four years?
Julian Penzavalli
Right?
Patrick Hines
Like, where are other. I wonder if after this documentary came out, if there were people who came forward saying, like, oh, cause I can't see her not scamming for four years.
Julian Penzavalli
Totally. And I want more of her. Like, at least in the Anatomy of Lies, we learned about Elizabeth, whatever her name is, like, her childhood.
Patrick Hines
Yeah.
Julian Penzavalli
And what she was like before I went, like, was Amanda doing this her whole life?
Patrick Hines
I think she was. And I think her mother was in on it.
Julian Penzavalli
Oh, my God.
Patrick Hines
All right, Mr. Munch, we're coming for you next week. This little puppy.
Julian Penzavalli
Oh, I mean, thank God, right?
Patrick Hines
Like, what else. What is there to say?
Julian Penzavalli
It's in. It's absolutely ban. It only gets crazier and crazier. Is this the one where she fainted in church and pissed herself?
Patrick Hines
Yes. And they all ran to her and just started touching her instead of giving her air.
Julian Penzavalli
Like, she, like, had to prepare to piss herself at church. Like, she had to go to church that day knowing she was going to.
Patrick Hines
Do committing to the bit big time. Could never be me. I could never do that.
Julian Penzavalli
No. I could barely be like a public restroom.
Patrick Hines
Oh, my God. Well, that is pissing your pants then, right? Anyway, could never be us for a great many.
Julian Penzavalli
We're not doing it. Bam. All four episodes are available right now and ad free on the pace. It's where you'll get the other 450 full ad free bonus apps to download the second you sign up.
Patrick Hines
That's right.
Julian Penzavalli
We love you. Thanks for checking this out.
Patrick Hines
Yeah, and we'll, you know, don't, like, lie.
Julian Penzavalli
Stay safe. Don't fake cancer.
Patrick Hines
Yeah. Don't lie. And if you. If your gut is like, then listen to that.
Julian Penzavalli
You know what? That's right.
Patrick Hines
You know what I'm saying?
Julian Penzavalli
Absolutely. We're not 11 anymore.
Patrick Hines
Don't fake cancer.
Julian Penzavalli
Right.
Patrick Hines
And listen to your gut. Okay, love you. Bye.
Julian Penzavalli
Okay, bye.
Patrick Hines
See you later. Mr. Montreal bites from gp.
Julian Penzavalli
Follow for more hot tips.
Title: Scamanda
Host(s): Julian Penzavalli & Patrick Hines
Release Date: May 8, 2025
Description: In this gripping four-part series, the hosts delve into one of the most audacious frauds they've ever covered—Amanda Riley's elaborate scam of faking cancer to exploit her wealthy church community and friends for money. With a blend of humor, sass, and heart, Julian and Patrick unravel the layers of deception, betrayal, and manipulation in this true crime saga.
Julian Penzavalli [00:21]:
"This is Scamanda episode one."
Julian and Patrick introduce their Patreon-exclusive four-part series, Scamanda, highlighting it as one of the craziest and maddest stories they've tackled. They express their frustration with individuals faking serious illnesses for personal gain.
Patrick Hines [00:34]:
"I'm really sick of these jerks faking cancer. I'm over it."
The scam centers around Amanda Riley, a seemingly beloved member of the Fox Hollow community. Amanda, a mother and wife, gains the trust and sympathy of her church and friends by portraying herself as a terminal cancer patient.
Unnamed Speaker 2 [00:50]:
"Everyone knows she was being accused of faking cancer."
Amanda marries Corey in April 2011 and quickly becomes an active, charismatic member of the Franciscan Community Church (FCC), a mega church similar to Hillsong with around 5,000 congregants. Her involvement includes managing church social media and participating in large-scale events, all while presenting a façade of vulnerability and illness.
Unnamed Speaker 5 [03:34]:
"This is an absolute nightmare."
Amanda leverages her position in the church to solicit donations under the guise of battling cancer. Through her blog titled "My Story, Our Journey," she gains overwhelming support, raising substantial funds (e.g., "the community raised $100,000") from well-meaning congregants and supporters like Rebecca, a wealthy friend who donates $500 monthly.
Patrick Hines [00:58]:
"Why would somebody fake cancer?"
As Amanda continues her deceit, inconsistencies start to surface. Friends like Lisa Berry begin to notice discrepancies in Amanda's stories—such as the questionable legitimacy of her medical conditions and the odd behavior of her husband, Corey, who remains conspicuously absent during her moments of supposed crisis.
Amanda Riley [06:25-06:42]:
"Amanda was probably 24, 25. She was younger than the moms in the class... Amanda C. Reilly is the faker."
Lisa, sensing something amiss, confronts Amanda but feels powerless to address the situation directly, leading to mounting tension and eventual estrangement.
Unnamed Speaker 4 [28:24]:
"I need to get some water. So she exited the church and on the way back, fainted while simultaneously urinating on herself."
A dramatic moment occurs when Amanda faints in church, leading to an outpouring of immediate support without any medical intervention, further solidifying her deceitful image. This incident heightens suspicion among close friends, especially Lisa, who begins to piece together the layers of Amanda's manipulation.
Amanda Riley [29:10]:
"The pregnancy is reversing the disease. They just wanted to be in pretend mode."
Amanda's continuous fabrications, including a miraculous pregnancy that supposedly cures her cancer, escalate the scam. Lisa decides to cut ties, realizing the depth of Amanda's deceit.
Unnamed Speaker 1 [48:22]:
"There is a 30 year old woman in Silicon Valley, California, who is now claiming to have stage four blood cancer... This person was adamant that they knew that what she was saying was false."
The hosts reveal that Lisa Berry becomes the anonymous tipster, uncovering Amanda's fraudulent activities. Through investigative efforts, the truth about Amanda's manipulations is exposed, leading to widespread betrayal and financial loss for those she deceived.
Amanda Riley [49:08]:
"My name is Lisa Berry and I am the anonymous source. It's time. I'm proud of it."
In a pivotal moment, Lisa publicly acknowledges her role in unveiling Amanda's scam, bringing closure to the series.
Julian Penzavalli [34:37]:
"This one time during a Sunday service, the pastor brought Amanda and Corey up on stage... People are dropping 50s, hundreds, twenties. Not a cult at all, though."
Amanda orchestrates various fundraising schemes, including campaigns at local restaurants like Chili's, where a portion of bills is donated to her under false pretenses. This not only exploits the generosity of her community but also ingrains her deeper into the fabric of the church's philanthropic activities.
Patrick Hines [36:37]:
"It's Lisa's her birthday party... Amanda and Corey had just met Steve. Lisa and Steve are devastated because not only were they really, really close..."
These financial exploits are meticulously planned to maximize donations, exploiting both emotional appeals and the trust inherent in close-knit community structures.
Julian Penzavalli [50:36]:
"We're not doing it. Bam. All four episodes are available right now and ad free on the Patreon feed."
The series concludes with reflections on the pervasive nature of scams within trusted communities and the importance of vigilance. Julian and Patrick emphasize the need to trust one's instincts and the devastating impact of deceit on personal relationships and community trust.
Patrick Hines [50:55]:
"Don't fake cancer. And listen to your gut."
The hosts urge listeners to remain cautious and discerning, highlighting how even well-intentioned communities can fall victim to sophisticated scams.
Patrick Hines [00:34]:
"I'm really sick of these jerks faking cancer. I'm over it."
Amanda Riley [29:10]:
"The pregnancy is reversing the disease. They just wanted to be in pretend mode."
Lisa Berry [49:08]:
"My name is Lisa Berry and I am the anonymous source. It's time. I'm proud of it."
Patrick Hines [50:55]:
"Don't fake cancer. And listen to your gut."
In Scamanda, Julian and Patrick provide a comprehensive exploration of Amanda Riley's deceitful manipulation within a wealthy church community. Through meticulous investigation and engaging storytelling, they uncover how Amanda exploited faith, trust, and generosity for personal gain. The series serves as a cautionary tale about the vulnerability of tight-knit communities to charismatic frauds and the importance of skepticism and vigilance in safeguarding against such deceptions.
Listeners new to Scamanda will find themselves enthralled by the intricate web of lies, the emotional toll on the victims, and the ultimate revelation of the truth. Julian and Patrick skillfully balance humor and heart, making this episode a compelling addition to their true crime repertoire.
Listen to Scamanda exclusively on Patreon for the full, ad-free experience and over 450 additional bonus episodes.
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Disclaimer: All names and events portrayed are based on provided transcript content for summarization purposes.