Unicorn Girl, Episode 9: “I’m a Good Person” (October 6, 2025)

Podcast: Unicorn Girl
Host: Charlie Webster (Apple TV+, Seven Hills)
Main Theme:
Award-winning journalist Charlie Webster investigates the downfall of Candace Rivera—once a beloved “unicorn” mompreneur and non-profit leader—whose glamorous life unravels after arrest for an elaborate web of lies and fraud. This episode chronicles the climactic events: Candace’s arrest, the charges against her, the impact on those she deceived, court hearings, and her ultimate sentencing. Through first-hand audio, interviews, and victim statements, listeners confront the human damage wrought by Candace’s actions—and the collective journey toward healing among her survivors.

Arrest and Immediate Fallout

Timestamp: 00:03 – 09:08

• Arrest Details:
  On September 15, 2023, Candace Rivera is dramatically arrested while running typical morning errands, with police surveilling her drop-off at her kids’ school before pulling her over by a local bank (00:03). She’s read her constitutional rights, handcuffed, strip-searched, and promptly interrogated.

  “Whatever just happened was incredibly degrading. I've never been strip searched before and that was degrading in the jail here.” – Candace (01:39)

• Interrogation:
  Candace waives her right to an attorney, answers questions evasively, and is confronted over exaggerations and outright lies about her career, credentials, and non-profit activities. (02:17)

  “I think you're trying to manipulate us and just stop.” – Officer (03:15)
  “I'm not.” – Candace

  As the pressure mounts, Candace finally requests a lawyer and the interview ends.

• Jail Calls & Friends’ Involvement:
  From jail, Candace contacts friends Danielle and Amber. They scramble to recover her possessions and care for her home and dog. Through authentic jail call audio, listeners feel the chaos and denial:

  “There's going to be a lot of awfulness about me on that paper. And I'm not bad.” – Candace (05:02)

  Both Danielle and Amber express confusion and conflicted loyalty as overwhelming news of Candace’s charges breaks.

Charges and Shattered Relationships

Timestamp: 06:31 – 11:59

• Scope of Allegations:
  The shocking indictment includes 42 charges: theft by embezzlement; unlawful conduct; forgery; communication fraud; identity fraud; theft by deception; pattern of unlawful acts; among others (06:38).

• Impact on Friendships:
  Danielle’s husband urges her to cut ties completely. Amber, still in shock, is torn as Candace calls her from jail, claiming innocence and conspiracy, even as reporters bombard Amber for comment.

• Last Phone Call:
  Amber confronts Candace about the truth. With palpable emotion, Amber tells Candace accountability is her only path forward.

  “If you took me on a ride and it wasn’t real… the only thing you could do now is accountability and ownership. If you can’t take accountability… then I’m out.” – Amber (10:19) Candace still denies everything; after this call, their friendship ends for good.

The Brunch House: Victims Find Each Other

Timestamp: 12:07 – 17:47

• Victims’ Gathering:
  Author Charlene, the first known victim, organizes a solidarity gathering at the Brunch House before Candace’s bail hearing—symbolizing a new unity among women whom Candace had kept isolated.

• Moments of Mutual Recognition:
  Over brunch, survivors realize Candace manipulated each in eerily similar ways, especially regarding coerced boudoir photo shoots.

  “It was disturbing that this was clearly not just something that happened with friends. This was something that was more calculated than that.” – Lacey (16:50)

• The Power of Shared Experience:
  The new friendships forged here help survivors process the reality of Candace’s manipulation.

Pattern of Lies and Deception

Timestamp: 18:14 – 22:20

• False Credentials and Dangerous Behavior:
  Candace told everyone she was a nurse—and even a surgeon—while providing fake medical care to vulnerable children abroad.

  “She has a stethoscope around her neck treating children with severe medical needs.” – Felicia (19:03)
  She also claimed (falsely) to be an FBI agent and told many inconsistent stories about her roles and exploits.

• The Book Group Divide:
  News of Candace’s arrest splits her online community (the “For The Love” book group) into pro- and anti-Candace factions, with hashtags like #Scamdis trending. Some, showing compassion or doubt, write letters to Candace, receiving jailhouse denials in response.

Candace’s Financial Schemes and Plea

Timestamp: 22:47 – 26:27

• Financial Crimes:
  Candace’s frauds included unpaid rent, fake identities, using donor funds for personal luxury (weight-loss programs, Rolexes), and a mysterious $240,000 bank transfer from Lebanon.

• Legal Developments:
  After 342 days in jail, Candace accepts a plea deal: charges are reduced from 42 to 9 (communication fraud, embezzlement, theft, forgery, and lying about her qualifications). Instead of pleading guilty, she enters “no contest.” She’s released on an ankle monitor while awaiting sentencing—leaving survivors anxious for their safety.

The Myth of the Twin Girls and Illness Claims

Timestamp: 27:23 – 35:24

• Fabricated Personal Tragedies:
  Investigative efforts reveal Candace repeatedly claimed to have lost twin daughters—offering numerous, conflicting stories (miscarriage, car accident, different ages and circumstances), none of which matched facts from her ex-husband. She also appropriated a friend’s loss as her own tool for connection.

  “I knew there was a woman who that had happened to, but I didn't know that was you.” – Charlie to Sarah, former friend (32:50)

• Faking Serious Illness:
  Candace told various groups she had several cancers. Some friends saw physical “evidence” (e.g., scars), only to later realize these were from cosmetic surgeries, not medical procedures:

  “She had gone to laser lipo.” – Danielle (35:01)

The Sentencing: In Court and Victim Impact

Timestamp: 36:53 – 45:20

• Victim Impact Statements:
  Multiple survivors—including Aura, Kim, Aura’s daughter Bailey, and Charlene—describe devastation, trauma, and violated trust.

  “She has stripped away my ability to trust… to believe in myself and others, and to feel safe.” – Aura (37:36) “Candace deceives, scams, and cheats people… If Candace is shown a modicum of mercy today, she will undoubtedly take that as weakness.” – Charlene (39:04) Candace’s ex-husband Patrick heartbreakingly describes Candace defrauding their own son (who is now in debt at risk of credit ruin before adulthood):
  “What kind of mother would do that to their own son? My son deserves better.” – Patrick (40:52)

• Candace’s Statement:
  She reads a long, defensive, emotionless speech, focusing on her own suffering and directing personal retorts at victims. Judge Johnson is deeply unimpressed:

  “It's a little tone deaf… to not recognize the harm that's been done to others and the harm that was at your own hands.” – Judge Johnson (46:41)

• Sentencing:
  Candace is sentenced immediately—minimum 3 years, maximum 15 (Utah parole board to set exact term). She leaves court in handcuffs, silently removing her rings.

Survivors’ Healing and Lingering Trauma

Timestamp: 48:50 – 67:45

• Empowerment and New Solidarity:
  The Brunch House tradition becomes a symbol of how Candace’s victims are forming genuine, supportive relationships outside her control. Many practical and emotional wounds remain: ruined credit (Aura), unresolved trauma, the fate of Afghan refugees Candace claimed to rescue (some of whom were later found by the Taliban, per police report).

• Deeper Scars:
  Survivors like Felicia and Camilla, who weren’t permitted to deliver their full statements in court, privately read and share them for the first time on the podcast, exposing how Candace exploited their pain.

  “She claimed that she was rescuing me from the fire, but instead, she led me into the depths of hell... She chose the vulnerable, the victims, and the abused.” – Camilla (54:06)

• Homeland Security “Partnership:”
  Despite apparent official ties, Candace manipulated Homeland Security, who never properly vetted her or her non-profit’s legitimacy.

  “She pulled the wool over Homeland Security’s eyes… I mean, Homeland Security bought it hook, line, and sinker.” – Sam Brower, Private Investigator (55:38)

• The Mystery of the Missing Millions:
  Of the $2M Candace was convicted of embezzling, only $40,000 in assets could be recovered. Her true financial footprint remains elusive.

• Do Survivors See Any Good in Candace’s Actions?
  Survivors disagree—some acknowledge some genuine “good” deeds, but most see any good as accidental or tainted by her intentions.

  “Anything good that might have happened hurt someone else or was for selfish reasons. If something good came out of it, it was an accident.” – Ora (62:24) “No, I’ve not found anything [good].” – Kim (62:20)

Life After Candace & The Road Ahead

Timestamp: 67:45 – end

• New Beginnings for Survivors:
  Many survivors have healed and grown: new friendships, marriages, reconnections, professional achievements, renewed activism. The Brunch House group and the “For The Love” book group are thriving without Candace’s influence.

• Candace’s Life in Prison:
  She reportedly mentors other women in prison, has gotten married, and continues her pattern of creating new identities and connections.

• Final Takeaway:
  Despite justice being served, many questions—especially about Candace’s financial dealings—remain unresolved. Her story is emblematic of the dangers posed by charismatic manipulators who exploit trauma survivors under the guise of altruism.

  “Unicorns might not be real, but that doesn’t mean they don’t affect us.” – Charlie Webster (74:28)

Notable Quotes & Moments

• Candace’s Defiant Denial:

  “I am deeply regretful and saddened at the destruction and hurt… However, my heart remains the same as it was from day one. My heart will never not include the desire to serve and help the who cannot help themselves.” – Candace, Sentencing Statement (45:20)

• Judge Johnson’s Rebuke:

  “It’s a little tone deaf… as if what has transpired happened by the hand of God rather than by her own malfeasance. It’s a little tough to take.” (46:41)

• Patrick on Parental Betrayal:

  “My son was a victim of check fraud and account manipulation… What kind of mother would do that to their own son? My son deserves better.” (40:52)

• Charlene Summing Up the Victims’ Journey:

  “There's part of me that wishes I never got involved with Candace… But I would not give back any of it… For what we’ve done. We have done something great here, you guys.” (48:50)

• Aura on Manipulation:

  “What a con to be able to get money by using trauma victims as your volunteers. She manipulated us easily because we were so desperate to heal our own pain in helping others.” (65:25)

Key Segments & Their Timestamps

• Arrest and Interrogation: 00:03 – 03:33
• Emotional Jail Calls & News Breaks: 03:43 – 06:31
• Scope of Charges & Friends’ Fallout: 06:38 – 08:14
• Victims Gather at Brunch House: 12:07 – 17:47
• Candace’s Pattern of Lies (nurse, personal tragedies): 18:14 – 22:20, 27:23 – 35:24
• Courtroom and Sentencing: 36:53 – 48:24
• Victim Statements and Aftermath: 48:50 – 71:14
• Analysis of Candace’s “Good” vs. Harm: 61:06 – 62:39
• Reflections on Healing and Recovery: 67:23 – end

Tone:
Investigative, compassionate, sometimes incredulous and emotional, the podcast skillfully balances survivor testimony and investigative journalism to reveal both the scope of deception and the resilience of those affected.

Conclusion:
“I’m a Good Person” is a powerful, densely detailed episode that lays bare both the mechanics and the human impacts of Candace Rivera’s years-long pattern of manipulation and fraud. It offers not just a reckoning of crimes, but a testament to the unexpected solidarity, empowerment, and recovery found among those who were once her victims.

(End of summary. For further context or specific quotes from the episode, refer to provided timestamps.)