1 00:00:03,871 --> 00:00:07,239 Goldberg: Ireland -- a land of lush landscapes, 2 00:00:07,274 --> 00:00:10,542 medieval castles, and wealthy heiresses. 3 00:00:10,578 --> 00:00:13,379 [ screams ] 4 00:00:13,414 --> 00:00:15,481 goldberg: And then there's mair smyth, 5 00:00:15,516 --> 00:00:18,384 who flees her royal irish family 6 00:00:18,419 --> 00:00:21,086 for the glitz and glamour of l.A. 7 00:00:21,122 --> 00:00:23,522 There, in true hollywood fashion, 8 00:00:23,557 --> 00:00:25,657 she dazzles everyone she meets. 9 00:00:25,693 --> 00:00:30,195 She was the most interesting person I'd ever met in my life. 10 00:00:30,231 --> 00:00:32,097 Lozano: She had a big energy, 11 00:00:32,133 --> 00:00:33,699 and you can tell she was very smart. 12 00:00:33,734 --> 00:00:36,001 Turner: She was well-spoken. She was well-dressed. 13 00:00:36,037 --> 00:00:37,569 She was a joy to be around. 14 00:00:37,605 --> 00:00:39,605 Goldberg: But is she for real, 15 00:00:39,640 --> 00:00:41,974 or are her romantic tales of family fortune 16 00:00:42,009 --> 00:00:44,143 hiding a deceptive plan? 17 00:00:44,178 --> 00:00:45,944 Buckle up. 18 00:00:45,980 --> 00:00:49,548 I'm whoopi goldberg, and this is "the con." 19 00:00:52,686 --> 00:00:55,621 ♪ 20 00:00:55,656 --> 00:00:58,157 -- captions by vitac -- 21 00:01:01,062 --> 00:01:03,862 walton: It was may of 2013. 22 00:01:03,898 --> 00:01:08,534 I had just finished work on season four of "shark tank"... 23 00:01:08,569 --> 00:01:11,703 Mark invests a lot more than the rest us. 24 00:01:11,739 --> 00:01:16,275 ...And we had a -- what we viewed as a catastrophe 25 00:01:16,310 --> 00:01:17,643 in our apartment building. 26 00:01:17,678 --> 00:01:21,747 Because of some legal spat with a neighboring building, 27 00:01:21,782 --> 00:01:24,850 we lost use of our swimming pool, 28 00:01:24,885 --> 00:01:26,952 so I took it upon myself 29 00:01:26,987 --> 00:01:29,988 to organize the residents of our apartment building 30 00:01:30,024 --> 00:01:32,091 to help us get our pool back. 31 00:01:32,126 --> 00:01:37,129 ♪ 32 00:01:37,164 --> 00:01:38,163 it was a Saturday evening, 33 00:01:38,199 --> 00:01:42,067 and about 40 residents showed up in my living room. 34 00:01:42,103 --> 00:01:44,069 And that was the first time I met mair smyth. 35 00:01:44,105 --> 00:01:47,439 ♪ 36 00:01:47,475 --> 00:01:50,409 I notice she has, like, a -- like a strange accent. 37 00:01:50,444 --> 00:01:53,011 It wasn't completely american. 38 00:01:53,047 --> 00:01:55,614 It was like american mixed with something. 39 00:01:55,649 --> 00:01:58,650 Very quickly, as we started discussing the issue, 40 00:01:58,686 --> 00:02:03,922 mair kind of took center stage. 41 00:02:03,958 --> 00:02:06,859 She was bright and charismatic 42 00:02:06,894 --> 00:02:10,696 and she was unconventional and funny and brash 43 00:02:10,731 --> 00:02:12,731 and she made jokes and people laughed. 44 00:02:12,766 --> 00:02:15,033 I mean, the crowd loved her, and I loved her, 45 00:02:15,069 --> 00:02:18,270 I think primarily because she offered to help. 46 00:02:18,305 --> 00:02:20,672 ♪ 47 00:02:20,708 --> 00:02:22,207 after the meeting in our apartment, 48 00:02:22,243 --> 00:02:23,242 she called me up the next day. 49 00:02:23,277 --> 00:02:25,844 You know, she was so thankful 50 00:02:25,880 --> 00:02:27,312 that I had spearheaded this movement 51 00:02:27,348 --> 00:02:28,914 to get the pool back, 52 00:02:28,949 --> 00:02:31,049 so she took my husband, pablo, and I 53 00:02:31,085 --> 00:02:32,618 out to a really swanky restaurant. 54 00:02:32,653 --> 00:02:35,521 ♪ 55 00:02:35,556 --> 00:02:37,089 check comes at the end of the night. 56 00:02:37,124 --> 00:02:39,625 It was close to $600, 57 00:02:39,660 --> 00:02:40,959 and I was ready to pay for my husband and I. 58 00:02:40,995 --> 00:02:43,695 But no, she immediately grabbed the check, and she's like, 59 00:02:43,731 --> 00:02:45,397 "no, no, let me pay. I have a lot of money. 60 00:02:45,432 --> 00:02:47,799 Let me pay. You guys are great." 61 00:02:47,835 --> 00:02:50,769 so that became a routine. 62 00:02:50,804 --> 00:02:52,771 She wined and dined us, you know, 63 00:02:52,806 --> 00:02:54,373 and she told us she was from ireland 64 00:02:54,408 --> 00:02:57,709 and she had a huge falling out with her family in ireland 65 00:02:57,745 --> 00:03:01,613 and she wanted to get as far away from them as she could, 66 00:03:01,649 --> 00:03:04,149 so she moved to los angeles. 67 00:03:04,185 --> 00:03:06,385 Goldberg: Jonathan and mair become close fast. 68 00:03:06,420 --> 00:03:12,391 She has the irish gift of gab, and she has stories. 69 00:03:12,426 --> 00:03:14,626 She said when she was a little girl, 70 00:03:14,662 --> 00:03:20,098 her grandmother taught her how to make molotov cocktails 71 00:03:20,134 --> 00:03:21,733 and would bring her to the top of a bridge 72 00:03:21,769 --> 00:03:27,239 and teach her how to hurl them down on british soldiers. 73 00:03:27,274 --> 00:03:28,774 I was riveted. 74 00:03:28,809 --> 00:03:30,776 Like, that is quite a childhood this woman had, 75 00:03:30,811 --> 00:03:34,213 and -- and that's quite a family. 76 00:03:34,248 --> 00:03:36,949 I-I found her to be the most interesting person 77 00:03:36,984 --> 00:03:39,117 I'd ever met in my life. 78 00:03:39,153 --> 00:03:43,655 ♪ 79 00:03:43,691 --> 00:03:45,157 goldberg: It isn't just jonathan. 80 00:03:45,192 --> 00:03:47,793 Mair is taking la la land by storm. 81 00:03:47,828 --> 00:03:56,235 ♪ 82 00:03:56,270 --> 00:03:58,470 dacosta: Mair's really fun. 83 00:03:58,505 --> 00:04:00,672 She is the kind of friend 84 00:04:00,708 --> 00:04:02,741 that you can do all the good stuff with, 85 00:04:02,776 --> 00:04:04,943 but also all the bad things you probably shouldn't be doing. 86 00:04:04,979 --> 00:04:07,179 There was always that fun 87 00:04:07,214 --> 00:04:09,715 to not know what was gonna happen that night. 88 00:04:09,750 --> 00:04:12,784 Thank you so much for nominating me 89 00:04:12,820 --> 00:04:15,187 for the als ice bucket challenge. 90 00:04:15,222 --> 00:04:17,456 If I could give it back to you, I truly would. 91 00:04:17,491 --> 00:04:19,825 [ screams ] 92 00:04:19,860 --> 00:04:20,759 man: Oh! 93 00:04:20,794 --> 00:04:21,994 Als. 94 00:04:22,029 --> 00:04:24,129 [ laughs ] 95 00:04:24,164 --> 00:04:26,598 no cubes in the cleavage? 96 00:04:26,634 --> 00:04:27,933 No. [ laughs ] 97 00:04:27,968 --> 00:04:31,603 ♪ 98 00:04:31,639 --> 00:04:32,904 lozano: The first thing you would know about mair 99 00:04:32,940 --> 00:04:35,307 is that she was irish. 100 00:04:35,342 --> 00:04:37,709 She hosted a couple of st. Patrick's days, 101 00:04:37,745 --> 00:04:40,512 and those were fun. 102 00:04:40,547 --> 00:04:43,548 And she was a funny lady, and she was smart. 103 00:04:43,584 --> 00:04:45,250 She would treat you. 104 00:04:45,286 --> 00:04:47,653 You would never have to pay for anything. 105 00:04:47,688 --> 00:04:50,188 We went first row to see the lakers. 106 00:04:50,224 --> 00:04:52,457 Like, kobe bryant was two feet away from me, 107 00:04:52,493 --> 00:04:54,359 and I was like, "oh, my god! It's kobe bryant." 108 00:04:54,395 --> 00:04:56,128 I mean, she knew such-and-such. 109 00:04:56,163 --> 00:04:57,929 I mean, she was very connected, 110 00:04:57,965 --> 00:05:00,866 and she wanted everybody to know that. 111 00:05:00,901 --> 00:05:04,102 Mair tells us that she didn't need to work. 112 00:05:04,138 --> 00:05:05,771 She had a lot of money, but, you know, 113 00:05:05,806 --> 00:05:06,738 she just doesn't want to go shopping all day. 114 00:05:06,774 --> 00:05:08,106 That's boring. 115 00:05:08,142 --> 00:05:09,808 She loves interacting with people, 116 00:05:09,843 --> 00:05:13,412 and so she works at this travel agency, 117 00:05:13,447 --> 00:05:17,549 this luxury travel agency called pacific islands. 118 00:05:17,584 --> 00:05:18,917 We liked her immediately. 119 00:05:18,952 --> 00:05:20,952 You know, she was sharp, 120 00:05:20,988 --> 00:05:22,087 she was bright, 121 00:05:22,122 --> 00:05:23,455 she was very friendly. 122 00:05:23,490 --> 00:05:25,557 She exuded confidence. 123 00:05:25,592 --> 00:05:29,094 She was definitely a good salesperson from the get-go, 124 00:05:29,129 --> 00:05:31,663 no question about it. 125 00:05:31,699 --> 00:05:34,399 Walton: One night while we were at her apartment, 126 00:05:34,435 --> 00:05:37,703 she showed us a framed document. 127 00:05:37,738 --> 00:05:41,006 She said it was the irish constitution. 128 00:05:41,041 --> 00:05:42,908 It looked like parchment, 129 00:05:42,943 --> 00:05:43,942 and she pointed at the bottom and said, 130 00:05:43,977 --> 00:05:47,646 "that's my great uncle's signature at the bottom." 131 00:05:47,681 --> 00:05:48,880 goldberg: That's right -- 132 00:05:48,916 --> 00:05:52,117 mair claims she is bona fide royalty, 133 00:05:52,152 --> 00:05:55,821 and she tells jonathan her family is dysfunctional, 134 00:05:55,856 --> 00:05:58,590 something he knows a little bit about. 135 00:05:58,625 --> 00:06:03,161 A part of my family had kind of cast me out for being gay, 136 00:06:03,197 --> 00:06:05,731 and I guess I was raw from it. 137 00:06:05,766 --> 00:06:08,500 ♪ 138 00:06:08,535 --> 00:06:12,037 and she -- she said her family cast her out, too, 139 00:06:12,072 --> 00:06:15,340 and eventually, she told me why. 140 00:06:15,376 --> 00:06:18,276 She said her great uncle had died 141 00:06:18,312 --> 00:06:21,747 and left a 25 million euro estate 142 00:06:21,782 --> 00:06:24,883 to be divided amongst her and her cousins. 143 00:06:24,918 --> 00:06:27,586 She was supposed to get five million euro, 144 00:06:27,621 --> 00:06:28,987 and they were fighting tooth and nail 145 00:06:29,022 --> 00:06:31,690 because now that she's not in ireland, 146 00:06:31,725 --> 00:06:33,091 they don't think she has a right to the money. 147 00:06:33,127 --> 00:06:35,861 And then as time went on, 148 00:06:35,896 --> 00:06:38,764 she would show me texts and e-mails from her -- 149 00:06:38,799 --> 00:06:40,465 her cousin fintan was his name. 150 00:06:40,501 --> 00:06:43,502 ♪ 151 00:06:43,537 --> 00:06:47,205 and the text was an expletive-laden statement, 152 00:06:47,241 --> 00:06:48,774 you know, using the "c" word, the "f" word, 153 00:06:48,809 --> 00:06:53,111 saying she'll never get a dime, so that just made me closer. 154 00:06:53,147 --> 00:06:54,513 That made me feel for her. 155 00:06:54,548 --> 00:06:56,548 That bonded us. 156 00:06:56,583 --> 00:06:59,251 You know, here we are, two cast-out souls, 157 00:06:59,286 --> 00:07:00,719 families don't want them. 158 00:07:00,754 --> 00:07:03,488 You know, we became each other's family. 159 00:07:03,524 --> 00:07:08,293 Man: ♪ happy birthday to you ♪ 160 00:07:08,328 --> 00:07:12,531 ♪ happy birthday to you ♪ 161 00:07:12,566 --> 00:07:16,968 ♪ happy birthday, dear mair ♪ 162 00:07:17,004 --> 00:07:22,240 ♪ happy birthday to you ♪ 163 00:07:22,276 --> 00:07:24,910 [ cheers and applause ] 164 00:07:24,945 --> 00:07:28,547 ♪ 165 00:07:28,582 --> 00:07:32,684 walton: And then one day, she shows me an e-mail from her barrister. 166 00:07:32,719 --> 00:07:35,220 A barrister is what they call lawyers 167 00:07:35,255 --> 00:07:37,322 in -- in ireland or the uk. 168 00:07:37,357 --> 00:07:38,623 The barrister is giving her a warning. 169 00:07:38,659 --> 00:07:42,727 "hey, I just found a clause in your uncle's will 170 00:07:42,763 --> 00:07:46,364 that if any heir ever is convicted of a felony, 171 00:07:46,400 --> 00:07:48,533 they -- they forfeit their inheritance." 172 00:07:48,569 --> 00:07:49,634 at first, I think nothing of it. 173 00:07:49,670 --> 00:07:50,902 I'm like, "okay, well, 174 00:07:50,938 --> 00:07:52,437 that's not really anything to worry about." 175 00:07:52,473 --> 00:07:56,541 and then it suddenly hits me. 176 00:07:56,577 --> 00:07:59,110 We're talking about $6,500,000 here, 177 00:07:59,146 --> 00:08:00,846 and I look her dead in the eye and I'm like, 178 00:08:00,881 --> 00:08:03,215 "listen, you have to be careful. 179 00:08:03,250 --> 00:08:07,285 Aren't you worried they're gonna set you up?" 180 00:08:07,321 --> 00:08:09,988 she tells me, "no, jonathan, you're being silly. 181 00:08:10,023 --> 00:08:11,389 Don't worry about that. No one's setting me up. 182 00:08:11,425 --> 00:08:13,058 They -- they don't have any power over me. 183 00:08:13,093 --> 00:08:14,192 I'm all the way in l.A. 184 00:08:14,228 --> 00:08:16,628 Don't worry about it." 185 00:08:16,663 --> 00:08:18,230 until one day -- this was probably a month or two later. 186 00:08:18,265 --> 00:08:19,397 [ telephone rings ] 187 00:08:19,433 --> 00:08:20,999 I get a phone call. I'm at work. 188 00:08:21,034 --> 00:08:22,968 "you have a collect call from an inmate 189 00:08:23,003 --> 00:08:24,870 at the century regional detention center." 190 00:08:24,905 --> 00:08:28,340 it's a recording, and I'm like, "what?!" 191 00:08:28,375 --> 00:08:31,076 "press one to accept." 192 00:08:31,111 --> 00:08:32,677 "jonathan, it's mair," she tells me. 193 00:08:32,713 --> 00:08:34,779 "I've been arrested. Oh, my god. 194 00:08:34,815 --> 00:08:36,281 You were so right. My family set me up." 195 00:08:40,988 --> 00:08:42,787 goldberg: Tv producer jonathan walton 196 00:08:42,823 --> 00:08:44,990 has become bffs with mair smyth. 197 00:08:45,025 --> 00:08:46,458 She claims to be irish royalty 198 00:08:46,493 --> 00:08:50,862 who was about to receive a massive family inheritance, 199 00:08:50,898 --> 00:08:54,399 but suddenly, things aren't looking so rosy 200 00:08:54,434 --> 00:08:57,369 for the heiress, who has dialed up jonathan from jail. 201 00:08:57,404 --> 00:09:00,105 "jonathan, it's mair," she tells me. 202 00:09:00,140 --> 00:09:01,473 "I've been arrested. Oh, my god. 203 00:09:01,508 --> 00:09:04,142 You were so right. My family set me up." 204 00:09:04,177 --> 00:09:05,577 I get up, and I start shouting into the phone. 205 00:09:05,612 --> 00:09:07,145 I'm like, "I told you this would happen! 206 00:09:07,180 --> 00:09:08,680 I warned you! 207 00:09:08,715 --> 00:09:10,849 They're trying to get you disinherited!" 208 00:09:10,884 --> 00:09:13,752 goldberg: Mair says that her family has somehow framed her 209 00:09:13,787 --> 00:09:19,558 for stealing 200 grand from her employer, pacificislands.Com. 210 00:09:19,593 --> 00:09:21,960 If she gets convicted, that, my friends, 211 00:09:21,995 --> 00:09:24,563 would be a big, fat felony, 212 00:09:24,598 --> 00:09:27,766 and mair's inheritance would go bye-bye. 213 00:09:27,801 --> 00:09:29,901 I was so angry at her family, 214 00:09:29,937 --> 00:09:31,903 and I resolved right then and there 215 00:09:31,939 --> 00:09:37,042 to do whatever I could do to help her clear her name, 216 00:09:37,077 --> 00:09:38,343 to help her get her inheritance. 217 00:09:38,378 --> 00:09:41,046 I knew she wasn't a thief. 218 00:09:41,081 --> 00:09:42,447 I was certain of it. 219 00:09:42,482 --> 00:09:45,717 Immediately, I start calling around for a bail bondsman, 220 00:09:45,752 --> 00:09:50,055 and I found one who would get her out of jail for $4,200. 221 00:09:50,090 --> 00:09:52,824 I got her out of jail. 222 00:09:52,859 --> 00:09:55,794 And she paid me back the next day. 223 00:09:55,829 --> 00:09:57,929 Goldberg: Mair's legal headaches are not over yet, 224 00:09:57,965 --> 00:09:59,898 but that isn't going to stop her. 225 00:09:59,933 --> 00:10:02,400 You see, she has a secret talent. 226 00:10:02,436 --> 00:10:04,703 She calls me up one day and says, 227 00:10:04,738 --> 00:10:08,006 "hey, I got a job as a psychic." 228 00:10:08,041 --> 00:10:09,708 I remember asking her, 229 00:10:09,743 --> 00:10:12,310 "but wait, wait, are you psychic?" 230 00:10:12,346 --> 00:10:14,613 and she's like, "well, actually, I didn't want to tell you 231 00:10:14,648 --> 00:10:16,548 because people judge me, 232 00:10:16,583 --> 00:10:19,284 but I come from a family of psychics." 233 00:10:19,319 --> 00:10:22,654 my name is marianne, and I'm empathic psychic. 234 00:10:22,689 --> 00:10:25,156 I've always had a gift since I was a little girl. 235 00:10:25,192 --> 00:10:27,192 It materialized throughout my childhood. 236 00:10:27,227 --> 00:10:30,762 I would always know things were happening before they happened, 237 00:10:30,797 --> 00:10:31,596 and everyone would laugh at me. 238 00:10:31,632 --> 00:10:34,099 So I stopped admitting 239 00:10:34,134 --> 00:10:36,868 that I knew these things were going to happen. 240 00:10:36,903 --> 00:10:38,003 Goldberg: For someone who's psychic, 241 00:10:38,038 --> 00:10:41,806 mair sure seemed blindsided by her family's frame-up, 242 00:10:41,842 --> 00:10:44,009 but soon, believe it or not, 243 00:10:44,044 --> 00:10:47,979 people are lining up to have mair tell them their fortunes. 244 00:10:48,015 --> 00:10:50,915 ♪ 245 00:10:50,951 --> 00:10:53,785 a reading with her was very... 246 00:10:53,820 --> 00:10:55,587 You didn't have to say anything to her. 247 00:10:55,622 --> 00:11:00,258 She would jump off with almost exactly what you were wondering, 248 00:11:00,293 --> 00:11:03,094 and I remember in that first reading 249 00:11:03,130 --> 00:11:05,030 thinking about the current relationship 250 00:11:05,065 --> 00:11:06,297 that I was in at that time. 251 00:11:06,333 --> 00:11:10,268 And she was able to kind of lead me to a place where 252 00:11:10,303 --> 00:11:13,538 I felt okay letting that relationship go. 253 00:11:13,573 --> 00:11:16,007 I felt very confident that mair had a gift, 254 00:11:16,043 --> 00:11:21,613 to the point where I sent family and friends to her, 255 00:11:21,648 --> 00:11:24,115 all of who saw her multiple times. 256 00:11:24,151 --> 00:11:26,685 Goldberg: Mair's clients believe 257 00:11:26,720 --> 00:11:28,920 she understands their troubled lives, 258 00:11:28,955 --> 00:11:32,691 maybe because she has one, too. 259 00:11:32,726 --> 00:11:34,859 Lozano: So I knew that mair had a daughter, 260 00:11:34,895 --> 00:11:38,229 and I knew her daughter had sadly passed away. 261 00:11:38,265 --> 00:11:42,467 It was mother's day, and mair decided to create 262 00:11:42,502 --> 00:11:46,771 a gofundme page to get funds for research 263 00:11:46,807 --> 00:11:50,742 for the disease that her daughter had had. 264 00:11:50,777 --> 00:11:52,944 Of course, I, you know, donated to it, 265 00:11:52,979 --> 00:11:54,846 and then I reposted on my social media 266 00:11:54,881 --> 00:11:56,114 and said, you know, to my friends, 267 00:11:56,149 --> 00:11:57,615 "I know this beautiful lady. 268 00:11:57,651 --> 00:11:58,883 If somebody can help out, 269 00:11:58,919 --> 00:12:01,686 by all means, you know, if you have something to spare, 270 00:12:01,722 --> 00:12:04,456 this is a great cause." 271 00:12:04,491 --> 00:12:06,691 goldberg: Mair's life hasn't been easy, 272 00:12:06,727 --> 00:12:08,560 but things are looking up for her 273 00:12:08,595 --> 00:12:12,130 with a new career and a new man. 274 00:12:12,165 --> 00:12:15,667 At the end of 2016, she was talking about this guy 275 00:12:15,702 --> 00:12:17,335 she just started dating named bob. 276 00:12:17,370 --> 00:12:26,911 ♪ 277 00:12:26,947 --> 00:12:28,379 turner: I met mair online. 278 00:12:28,415 --> 00:12:32,383 I have a rule of six months before I date somebody 279 00:12:32,419 --> 00:12:33,985 before they can meet my kids. 280 00:12:34,020 --> 00:12:35,286 I think I broke the rule. 281 00:12:35,322 --> 00:12:37,922 I think she was around five months. 282 00:12:37,958 --> 00:12:39,591 She was fun and exciting. 283 00:12:39,626 --> 00:12:41,326 She would pray with my children. 284 00:12:41,361 --> 00:12:45,296 She had a spiritual side to her, which I just loved. 285 00:12:45,332 --> 00:12:49,334 And she was very open and loving with my children. 286 00:12:49,369 --> 00:12:50,835 We would ride dune buggies together. 287 00:12:50,871 --> 00:12:54,005 So, we had a lot of fun together. 288 00:12:54,040 --> 00:12:56,674 Goldberg: Domestic bliss at last, 289 00:12:56,710 --> 00:12:58,176 and it seems like those legal troubles 290 00:12:58,211 --> 00:13:02,013 are in her rearview mirror, too. 291 00:13:02,048 --> 00:13:04,816 Walton: One day, she says, "I've got great news. 292 00:13:04,851 --> 00:13:10,755 The d.A. Is demanding $50,000 for the case to go away, 293 00:13:10,791 --> 00:13:12,657 and that'll be that." 294 00:13:12,692 --> 00:13:14,859 goldberg: But wait, there's a catch. 295 00:13:14,895 --> 00:13:18,029 Mair tells jonathan her irish family 296 00:13:18,064 --> 00:13:20,632 has somehow managed to freeze her bank accounts, 297 00:13:20,667 --> 00:13:22,400 which means she can't pay the fine. 298 00:13:22,435 --> 00:13:25,336 ♪ 299 00:13:25,372 --> 00:13:27,705 I didn't have $50,000 cash at the time, 300 00:13:27,741 --> 00:13:31,609 but I did have an 840 credit score. 301 00:13:31,645 --> 00:13:35,914 So I let her charge my credit cards $50,000 302 00:13:35,949 --> 00:13:37,515 to make this case go away so she can get 303 00:13:37,551 --> 00:13:40,685 her accounts unfrozen and she can get her inheritance, 304 00:13:40,720 --> 00:13:42,921 and this was my best friend. 305 00:13:42,956 --> 00:13:45,690 This was like my sister, and I had no doubts. 306 00:13:45,725 --> 00:13:48,193 I had no reservations at all. 307 00:13:48,228 --> 00:13:50,728 Goldberg: Hey, what's 50 gs between friends? 308 00:13:50,764 --> 00:13:54,966 But the problem is the longer mair's accounts are frozen, 309 00:13:55,001 --> 00:13:58,169 the more help she needs to cover her bills. 310 00:13:58,205 --> 00:14:00,438 The price of friendship keeps going up, 311 00:14:00,473 --> 00:14:04,576 and jonathan is picking up the tab. 312 00:14:04,611 --> 00:14:07,545 The case is finished, she tells me. 313 00:14:07,581 --> 00:14:08,680 She's gonna get her inheritance. 314 00:14:08,715 --> 00:14:10,148 They're gonna unfreeze her bank accounts. 315 00:14:10,183 --> 00:14:12,183 Everything's gonna be great. 316 00:14:12,219 --> 00:14:14,986 Then one day, she texts me, 317 00:14:15,021 --> 00:14:16,855 "hey, you want to grab a cup of tea?" 318 00:14:16,890 --> 00:14:19,257 goldberg: Mair tells him that the judge isn't happy 319 00:14:19,292 --> 00:14:24,729 that she used credit cards to pay her $50,000 fine, 320 00:14:24,764 --> 00:14:28,499 so she has to go to jail for 30 days as punishment. 321 00:14:28,535 --> 00:14:31,502 But she tells jonathan she hasn't been charged 322 00:14:31,538 --> 00:14:34,572 with a felony, so her inheritance is safe. 323 00:14:34,608 --> 00:14:37,342 And I'm giving her pep talks. 324 00:14:37,377 --> 00:14:38,776 I'm like, "listen. After this is over, 325 00:14:38,812 --> 00:14:39,944 you're gonna get your inheritance. 326 00:14:39,980 --> 00:14:41,145 They're gonna unfreeze your accounts. 327 00:14:41,181 --> 00:14:42,280 You're gonna have all this money. 328 00:14:42,315 --> 00:14:43,381 You know, this is what we fought for. 329 00:14:43,416 --> 00:14:45,550 This is -- this is a victory. You're gonna be fine," 330 00:14:45,585 --> 00:14:49,053 you know, 'cause she was kind of scared. 331 00:14:49,089 --> 00:14:51,990 Goldberg: Yep, jonathan is still all-in. 332 00:14:52,025 --> 00:14:54,959 But then, while scheduling a visit with mair 333 00:14:54,995 --> 00:14:57,595 on the prison's website, he comes across something 334 00:14:57,631 --> 00:15:00,098 that turns his whole world upside down. 335 00:15:00,133 --> 00:15:01,332 Walton: I'm looking at the screen. 336 00:15:01,368 --> 00:15:01,933 I'm blinking my eyes. 337 00:15:01,968 --> 00:15:04,302 "am I seeing this right?" 338 00:15:04,337 --> 00:15:07,005 on her profile on the jail's website, 339 00:15:07,040 --> 00:15:10,108 it says she's in there for felony grand theft. 340 00:15:10,143 --> 00:15:13,511 I can't breathe suddenly. 341 00:15:13,546 --> 00:15:15,313 I start thinking, 342 00:15:15,348 --> 00:15:17,715 "wait a minute, th-there's got to be a mistake. 343 00:15:17,751 --> 00:15:21,819 She wouldn't lie about this," and my mind starts racing. 344 00:15:21,855 --> 00:15:24,989 Is she now gonna get disinherited? 345 00:15:25,025 --> 00:15:26,491 Goldberg: Jonathan drops everything 346 00:15:26,526 --> 00:15:29,761 and floors it to the courthouse. 347 00:15:29,796 --> 00:15:33,865 Walton: They give me a box with all the records of this case. 348 00:15:33,900 --> 00:15:37,702 It's like 40-something pages. 349 00:15:37,737 --> 00:15:42,240 And I'm just stunned. 350 00:15:42,275 --> 00:15:45,543 She did steal $200,000. 351 00:15:45,578 --> 00:15:48,780 ♪ 352 00:15:48,815 --> 00:15:54,519 one by one, I discover everything mair smyth told me 353 00:15:54,554 --> 00:15:58,623 about that case with pacific islands was a lie. 354 00:15:58,658 --> 00:16:03,361 Goldberg: What actually went down with her old employer? 355 00:16:03,396 --> 00:16:06,264 Mair was out of the office for a couple days, 356 00:16:06,299 --> 00:16:08,599 and one of her clients called us, 357 00:16:08,635 --> 00:16:12,837 just double-checking that we received her final payment. 358 00:16:12,872 --> 00:16:15,640 And she paid it through paypal -- red flag. 359 00:16:15,675 --> 00:16:19,444 Our company does not have a paypal account. 360 00:16:19,479 --> 00:16:22,780 Goldberg: But mair sure did. 361 00:16:22,816 --> 00:16:25,216 And it looks like she's redirected those payments 362 00:16:25,251 --> 00:16:27,819 into her own account. 363 00:16:27,854 --> 00:16:31,089 Parshuto: So the next day, mair came back to the office. 364 00:16:31,124 --> 00:16:33,157 Our controller calls her up, 365 00:16:33,193 --> 00:16:37,061 and he just kind of shows her the file, flips it over, 366 00:16:37,097 --> 00:16:38,596 and says, "mair, you know what? 367 00:16:38,631 --> 00:16:40,231 I cannot trace this payment. 368 00:16:40,266 --> 00:16:43,001 Can you please help out?" 369 00:16:43,036 --> 00:16:45,536 mair kind of turns a little white. 370 00:16:45,572 --> 00:16:49,574 She turns around, walks out of his office, goes to her desk, 371 00:16:49,609 --> 00:16:52,210 picks up her personal stuff, walks out. 372 00:16:52,245 --> 00:16:53,878 We never saw mair again. 373 00:16:53,913 --> 00:16:57,482 ♪ 374 00:16:57,517 --> 00:17:00,451 I sat in the courthouse just numb. 375 00:17:00,487 --> 00:17:03,187 She scammed me to get the $40,000 376 00:17:03,223 --> 00:17:05,923 she needed to pay the plea agreement in that case, 377 00:17:05,959 --> 00:17:08,893 and the extra money was just extra scam money for her. 378 00:17:08,928 --> 00:17:11,763 That was a lie. 379 00:17:11,798 --> 00:17:17,035 And I know I'm out, at this point, over $70,000. 380 00:17:17,070 --> 00:17:19,137 We'd been friends for almost four years. 381 00:17:19,172 --> 00:17:20,938 We were close. 382 00:17:20,974 --> 00:17:22,306 We were like a brother and sister, 383 00:17:22,342 --> 00:17:23,708 you know, in the world alone. 384 00:17:23,743 --> 00:17:27,678 ♪ 385 00:17:27,714 --> 00:17:31,282 I got to go home and break the news to my husband. 386 00:17:31,317 --> 00:17:33,484 I just collapsed in his arms, and I just sobbed. 387 00:17:33,520 --> 00:17:37,188 I just sobbed, and I-I apologized. 388 00:17:37,223 --> 00:17:38,956 [ voice breaking ] I couldn't believe 389 00:17:38,992 --> 00:17:41,592 that I had gotten us here. 390 00:17:41,628 --> 00:17:43,261 I couldn't believe... 391 00:17:43,296 --> 00:17:47,365 ♪ 392 00:17:47,400 --> 00:17:48,833 I just said, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry." 393 00:17:48,868 --> 00:17:51,002 and he held me, and I was just so sad and ashamed and... 394 00:17:51,037 --> 00:17:52,136 ♪ 395 00:17:52,172 --> 00:17:52,603 I was just... [ sighs ] 396 00:17:52,639 --> 00:17:53,371 I was devastated. 397 00:17:53,406 --> 00:17:55,540 I was devastated. 398 00:18:00,013 --> 00:18:02,680 Goldberg: Tv producer jonathan walton 399 00:18:02,715 --> 00:18:06,117 has just made two devastating discoveries -- 400 00:18:06,152 --> 00:18:09,687 his best friend, mair smyth, is a convicted felon 401 00:18:09,722 --> 00:18:13,758 and she's conned him out of nearly $70,000. 402 00:18:13,793 --> 00:18:15,960 Now it's time for him to take action. 403 00:18:15,995 --> 00:18:18,396 Walton: From the second I discovered she was lying, 404 00:18:18,431 --> 00:18:20,064 I knew a confrontation is inevitable. 405 00:18:20,100 --> 00:18:22,533 I knew I have to tell her, "listen, I know you lied 406 00:18:22,569 --> 00:18:24,268 to get this money, 407 00:18:24,304 --> 00:18:26,237 and it ends now and you're gonna pay us back." 408 00:18:26,272 --> 00:18:27,805 goldberg: So get this -- 409 00:18:27,841 --> 00:18:30,942 jonathan offers to pick up mair from jail, 410 00:18:30,977 --> 00:18:33,744 but then he secretly records their conversation 411 00:18:33,780 --> 00:18:35,279 with a phone hidden in his pocket. 412 00:19:09,649 --> 00:19:12,116 I'm like, "I know you lied to us to get money. 413 00:19:12,152 --> 00:19:13,351 We were your best friends," 414 00:19:13,386 --> 00:19:17,455 and that's when the tears start welling up in her eyes. 415 00:19:17,490 --> 00:19:20,525 And in that moment, it hit me. 416 00:19:20,560 --> 00:19:23,794 "oh, this is what -- this is what you do. 417 00:19:23,830 --> 00:19:25,796 You're an actress. This is an act." 418 00:19:25,832 --> 00:19:28,733 ♪ 419 00:19:28,768 --> 00:19:31,302 she said she'd pay me back. 420 00:19:31,337 --> 00:19:34,205 I clenched my fist and walked away. 421 00:19:34,240 --> 00:19:37,308 Goldberg: But mair totally stiffs him. 422 00:19:37,343 --> 00:19:39,510 Walton: You can't get blood from a stone. 423 00:19:39,546 --> 00:19:42,180 You can't get a payback from a con artist. 424 00:19:42,215 --> 00:19:44,415 The only thing I can get at that point was justice. 425 00:19:44,450 --> 00:19:47,251 I wanted justice. 426 00:19:47,287 --> 00:19:49,520 So I went to the police. 427 00:19:49,556 --> 00:19:51,422 Goldberg: With all of jonathan's evidence, 428 00:19:51,457 --> 00:19:53,524 it's open and shut case. 429 00:19:53,560 --> 00:19:54,659 Uh, right? 430 00:19:54,694 --> 00:19:57,762 I start putting the evidence on his desk, 431 00:19:57,797 --> 00:19:58,763 and, "this month, she did this. 432 00:19:58,798 --> 00:20:01,532 And here's a text where she said this, 433 00:20:01,568 --> 00:20:02,867 and here's an e-mail where she said this." 434 00:20:02,902 --> 00:20:06,370 and he says, "you know what? This isn't a crime." 435 00:20:06,406 --> 00:20:08,039 I'm like, "yeah, I gave her the money, 436 00:20:08,074 --> 00:20:09,707 but she lied to get it. 437 00:20:09,742 --> 00:20:11,042 Isn't the lying a crime?" 438 00:20:11,077 --> 00:20:14,545 and he's like, "no, not really." 439 00:20:14,581 --> 00:20:16,280 and I knew then and there, you know what? 440 00:20:16,316 --> 00:20:17,949 I can't leave this in the police's hands. 441 00:20:17,984 --> 00:20:19,016 I got to start my own investigation. 442 00:20:19,052 --> 00:20:22,186 Goldberg: So jonathan goes full-on sherlock holmes, 443 00:20:22,222 --> 00:20:23,254 determined to stop mair 444 00:20:23,289 --> 00:20:27,458 from running her scams on other unsuspecting victims. 445 00:20:27,493 --> 00:20:28,826 I didn't know where she was. 446 00:20:28,861 --> 00:20:30,628 She got evicted from our apartment, 447 00:20:30,663 --> 00:20:33,397 and she was living god knows where. 448 00:20:33,433 --> 00:20:37,301 Goldberg: So does he do what any crack detective would do -- 449 00:20:37,337 --> 00:20:39,437 tap her phones, put a tail on her? 450 00:20:39,472 --> 00:20:43,274 No. Jonathan starts a blog. 451 00:20:43,309 --> 00:20:45,676 He knows he's got to get people's attention, 452 00:20:45,712 --> 00:20:47,912 so he lays out everything mair has done to him. 453 00:20:47,947 --> 00:20:52,016 I knew she was dating bob in newport beach. 454 00:20:52,051 --> 00:20:54,852 I had a picture of them together on my phone 455 00:20:54,887 --> 00:20:57,221 that mair had texted me when we were best friends, 456 00:20:57,257 --> 00:21:02,093 and my first blog post was, "I know his name is bob, 457 00:21:02,128 --> 00:21:03,628 I know he lives in newport beach, 458 00:21:03,663 --> 00:21:07,465 and I know the woman he's with in the picture is mair smyth, 459 00:21:07,500 --> 00:21:10,034 and she's scamming him. 460 00:21:10,069 --> 00:21:13,671 If you know this man, warn him." 461 00:21:13,706 --> 00:21:15,239 goldberg: Well, it turns out mair has her sights 462 00:21:15,275 --> 00:21:18,542 set on the good life down in beautiful newport beach 463 00:21:18,578 --> 00:21:22,680 and is already laying a trap for her unsuspecting boo. 464 00:21:22,715 --> 00:21:24,015 Mair told me that 465 00:21:24,050 --> 00:21:25,583 she was tired of the l.A. Area 466 00:21:25,618 --> 00:21:26,951 and she wanted 467 00:21:26,986 --> 00:21:28,886 a beachfront area, 468 00:21:28,921 --> 00:21:30,721 the beach homes down in newport beach, 469 00:21:30,757 --> 00:21:32,390 so she was gonna move down that way. 470 00:21:32,425 --> 00:21:37,061 And she was looking at a house that was about $12 million. 471 00:21:37,096 --> 00:21:39,563 It was a beautiful home overlooking the ocean, 472 00:21:39,599 --> 00:21:41,165 and she wanted me to come back with my children 473 00:21:41,200 --> 00:21:43,401 to show them the home. 474 00:21:43,436 --> 00:21:46,570 And she got my children excited. 475 00:21:46,606 --> 00:21:48,939 My daughter was walking around the pool area, 476 00:21:48,975 --> 00:21:50,041 seeing it and dipping her toes in the pool. 477 00:21:50,076 --> 00:21:52,510 She loved it. 478 00:21:52,545 --> 00:21:54,845 Goldberg: Mair now has bob ensnared in her web. 479 00:21:54,881 --> 00:21:57,548 I mean, they are practically family now, right? 480 00:21:57,583 --> 00:21:59,684 So she moves in for the kill. 481 00:21:59,719 --> 00:22:03,154 Mair brought up that she wanted to put me on title of the home 482 00:22:03,189 --> 00:22:05,756 and that it was all part of her family 483 00:22:05,792 --> 00:22:07,491 that they share their homes together, 484 00:22:07,527 --> 00:22:10,761 part of the inheritance that they all put them on the homes. 485 00:22:10,797 --> 00:22:12,530 She spoke to the real-estate agent, 486 00:22:12,565 --> 00:22:13,698 saying the funds are being wired 487 00:22:13,733 --> 00:22:18,035 and suggested that I put her on title of my homes, as well. 488 00:22:18,071 --> 00:22:21,706 Goldberg: If she gets her name on the title of his house, 489 00:22:21,741 --> 00:22:24,342 she could gain access to his finances 490 00:22:24,377 --> 00:22:27,144 and make his life a living nightmare. 491 00:22:27,180 --> 00:22:30,314 Bob can't be so blinded by love, can he? 492 00:22:30,350 --> 00:22:33,884 Meanwhile, jonathan starts sounding the alarm 493 00:22:33,920 --> 00:22:35,453 about his old friend, 494 00:22:35,488 --> 00:22:38,322 the psychic who is actually psycho. 495 00:22:38,358 --> 00:22:40,024 Lozano: I received a text from jonathan. 496 00:22:40,059 --> 00:22:43,728 The funny thing is that it was April 1, April fools', 497 00:22:43,763 --> 00:22:46,297 and I actually thought it was a joke. 498 00:22:46,332 --> 00:22:48,232 So I did contact him, was like, "is this a joke? 499 00:22:48,267 --> 00:22:51,469 'cause I just got this text saying that mair is crazy. 500 00:22:51,504 --> 00:22:52,636 That's totally a joke, right?" 501 00:22:52,672 --> 00:22:54,572 and he's like, "no." 502 00:22:54,607 --> 00:22:56,907 goldberg: In fact, jonathan has 503 00:22:56,943 --> 00:22:59,009 one doozy of a surprise to drop on fran. 504 00:22:59,045 --> 00:23:01,278 Mair told me she had a daughter named courtney 505 00:23:01,314 --> 00:23:02,980 who died of cystic fibrosis. 506 00:23:03,015 --> 00:23:05,116 She would refer many times 507 00:23:05,151 --> 00:23:06,851 to the urn she had in her apartment. 508 00:23:06,886 --> 00:23:08,552 She said they were her daughter's ashes, 509 00:23:08,588 --> 00:23:09,754 and she would weep about it. 510 00:23:09,789 --> 00:23:12,456 And every year, the anniversary of courtney's death, 511 00:23:12,492 --> 00:23:16,761 it was a solemn occasion, and she wept and I consoled her. 512 00:23:16,796 --> 00:23:19,463 Mair had started this gofundme page to raise money 513 00:23:19,499 --> 00:23:21,232 in the name of courtney for cystic fibrosis. 514 00:23:21,267 --> 00:23:23,567 She raised almost $17,000, 515 00:23:23,603 --> 00:23:26,070 and fran donated to that campaign. 516 00:23:26,105 --> 00:23:29,006 I called up the cystic fibrosis foundation and said, 517 00:23:29,041 --> 00:23:30,641 "hey, I suspect this woman is scamming. 518 00:23:30,676 --> 00:23:33,210 Has she donated $17,000 to you guys?" 519 00:23:33,246 --> 00:23:34,745 they checked. They said no. 520 00:23:34,781 --> 00:23:37,281 ♪ 521 00:23:37,316 --> 00:23:39,283 my jaw kept on dropping 522 00:23:39,318 --> 00:23:41,452 and dropping and dropping and dropping 523 00:23:41,487 --> 00:23:45,256 'cause I could not believe what he was saying. 524 00:23:45,291 --> 00:23:48,159 So I really did believe there was a courtney 525 00:23:48,194 --> 00:23:49,593 and she died of cystic fibrosis. 526 00:23:49,629 --> 00:23:53,731 But then I started thinking, "is there a courtney? 527 00:23:53,766 --> 00:23:54,865 Is this all another scam?" 528 00:23:54,901 --> 00:23:58,502 goldberg: If mair is capable of scamming a charity, 529 00:23:58,538 --> 00:24:00,204 what else has she been planning? 530 00:24:00,239 --> 00:24:02,606 ♪ 531 00:24:02,642 --> 00:24:05,776 walton: During the course of that 30-day jail sentence, 532 00:24:05,812 --> 00:24:09,647 she left me a box of stuff that she said guard with my life. 533 00:24:09,682 --> 00:24:12,716 Goldberg: And inside were some surprises. 534 00:24:12,752 --> 00:24:15,019 Dacosta: Jonathan contacted me one day, 535 00:24:15,054 --> 00:24:18,189 and he said, "I need to talk to you. 536 00:24:18,224 --> 00:24:20,658 It's important, and it's about mair." 537 00:24:20,693 --> 00:24:22,626 walton: I had met michalle at a Halloween party 538 00:24:22,662 --> 00:24:23,794 that mair invited her to in our barbecue area, 539 00:24:23,830 --> 00:24:28,332 and my husband and I were these, like, bavarian beer guys. 540 00:24:28,367 --> 00:24:30,634 Stupidest freaking costumes you ever saw. 541 00:24:30,670 --> 00:24:32,837 Mair dressed up as the devil. 542 00:24:32,872 --> 00:24:35,306 Jesus, if ever there was a harbinger of something, 543 00:24:35,341 --> 00:24:37,308 she dressed up as the devil. 544 00:24:37,343 --> 00:24:41,312 He told me everything he had found out, 545 00:24:41,347 --> 00:24:44,281 and then he proceeded to tell me, 546 00:24:44,317 --> 00:24:47,718 "and also, I found your social security number 547 00:24:47,753 --> 00:24:50,454 and all of your banking documents in her boxes 548 00:24:50,490 --> 00:24:53,691 that she kept at my house." 549 00:24:53,726 --> 00:24:58,162 and I was floored -- absolutely floored. 550 00:24:58,197 --> 00:24:59,230 And she said, 551 00:24:59,265 --> 00:25:01,866 "well, you'll never believe what mair did to me." 552 00:25:01,901 --> 00:25:05,870 I received information in my mailbox 553 00:25:05,905 --> 00:25:08,405 that I had credit cards, and they had balances. 554 00:25:08,441 --> 00:25:10,074 Seemed very odd to me 555 00:25:10,109 --> 00:25:13,077 because I didn't have any of these credit cards. 556 00:25:13,112 --> 00:25:15,713 Never was I able to confirm that it was mair, 557 00:25:15,748 --> 00:25:19,884 but I did file a police report and name her as a suspect. 558 00:25:19,919 --> 00:25:22,219 Goldberg: Nobody in mair's life appears safe, 559 00:25:22,255 --> 00:25:23,420 and her boyfriend, bob, 560 00:25:23,456 --> 00:25:26,457 seems like a sitting duck for her biggest con yet -- 561 00:25:26,492 --> 00:25:30,561 that is, until someone unexpected gets involved. 562 00:25:30,596 --> 00:25:32,763 Turner: At some point in the relationship, 563 00:25:32,798 --> 00:25:34,532 mair wanted to meet my ex-wife, 564 00:25:34,567 --> 00:25:38,135 and this is the woman that's the mother of my children. 565 00:25:38,170 --> 00:25:41,438 So we decided, the three of us, to have a glass of wine 566 00:25:41,474 --> 00:25:45,342 in one of the local restaurants in newport beach, 567 00:25:45,378 --> 00:25:46,944 and the three of us had a good conversation. 568 00:25:46,979 --> 00:25:50,147 [ glasses clink ] 569 00:25:50,182 --> 00:25:51,015 and the very next morning, my ex-wife said, 570 00:25:51,050 --> 00:25:51,982 "bob, we got to meet as soon as possible. 571 00:25:52,018 --> 00:25:53,050 I-I've got something I have to show you." 572 00:25:53,085 --> 00:25:54,518 so immediately I went out to meet her for a coffee. 573 00:25:54,554 --> 00:25:55,119 She showed me a handful of papers 574 00:25:55,154 --> 00:25:56,253 that she had printed out, 575 00:25:56,289 --> 00:25:58,222 and she said, "this is really hard for me to show you, 576 00:25:58,257 --> 00:25:59,223 but you need to see this 577 00:25:59,258 --> 00:26:05,596 and you need to read through this." 578 00:26:14,106 --> 00:26:17,041 turner: My ex-wife showed me a handful of papers 579 00:26:17,076 --> 00:26:18,175 that she had printed out, 580 00:26:18,210 --> 00:26:19,877 and she said, "this is 581 00:26:19,912 --> 00:26:21,045 really hard for me to show you, 582 00:26:21,080 --> 00:26:21,946 but you need to see this 583 00:26:21,981 --> 00:26:22,980 and you need to 584 00:26:23,015 --> 00:26:24,315 read through this. 585 00:26:24,350 --> 00:26:25,883 Goldberg: Like any concerned mother, 586 00:26:25,918 --> 00:26:27,484 bob's ex-wife googled the woman 587 00:26:27,520 --> 00:26:31,522 who has been spending so much time with her children, 588 00:26:31,557 --> 00:26:35,993 and what popped up wasn't exactly a glowing review. 589 00:26:36,028 --> 00:26:37,361 Turner: It was from jonathan's blog. 590 00:26:37,396 --> 00:26:41,065 Once I saw jonathan's blog, it became very clear to me. 591 00:26:41,100 --> 00:26:42,533 So I drove home. 592 00:26:42,568 --> 00:26:44,935 Mair was at my house at the time. 593 00:26:44,971 --> 00:26:48,172 I walked in the door, and I said, 594 00:26:48,207 --> 00:26:50,174 "I-I just came across this blog from jonathan." 595 00:26:50,209 --> 00:26:52,142 and mair said, 596 00:26:52,178 --> 00:26:54,778 "well, if you believe those bunch of lies, that's horrible," 597 00:26:54,814 --> 00:26:56,180 and she stormed out of my house. 598 00:26:58,184 --> 00:27:00,784 Goldberg: And just like that, bob is spared 599 00:27:00,820 --> 00:27:04,321 from becoming another one of mair's victims. 600 00:27:04,357 --> 00:27:08,158 As for jonathan's blog, it's not done getting clicks. 601 00:27:08,194 --> 00:27:09,693 Walton: As the weeks go by, 602 00:27:09,729 --> 00:27:12,863 as my website gets shared more and more, 603 00:27:12,898 --> 00:27:17,067 I start hearing from people all over the place! 604 00:27:17,103 --> 00:27:20,170 In california, in florida, in michigan, 605 00:27:20,206 --> 00:27:23,707 in maine, in new york. 606 00:27:23,743 --> 00:27:26,577 Goldberg: Yep, mair is turning up everywhere, 607 00:27:26,612 --> 00:27:28,879 the starbucks of con artists. 608 00:27:28,914 --> 00:27:33,884 I became obsessed with getting to the bottom of this. 609 00:27:33,919 --> 00:27:38,489 I went to courthouse after courthouse, pulling records. 610 00:27:38,524 --> 00:27:41,058 I found out she wasn't from ireland at all. 611 00:27:41,093 --> 00:27:42,793 That was a lie! 612 00:27:42,828 --> 00:27:45,262 Goldberg: In fact, mair seems to be american, 613 00:27:45,297 --> 00:27:47,798 so is she really an heiress? 614 00:27:47,833 --> 00:27:50,634 And where is her accent from? 615 00:27:50,670 --> 00:27:54,004 Then jonathan remembers mair had once given him 616 00:27:54,040 --> 00:27:57,708 her e-mail password, but surely, she's changed it. 617 00:27:57,743 --> 00:28:02,613 Nope, and that password unlocks her entire digital life. 618 00:28:02,648 --> 00:28:06,583 All of those family members that she would show me texts 619 00:28:06,619 --> 00:28:10,020 and e-mails from -- they were all fiction. 620 00:28:10,056 --> 00:28:12,656 It was all created online to text herself 621 00:28:12,692 --> 00:28:14,591 as all these characters and then say, 622 00:28:14,627 --> 00:28:16,193 "hey, look what fintan just texted me." 623 00:28:16,228 --> 00:28:19,396 there was no fintan! 624 00:28:19,432 --> 00:28:22,466 Goldberg: No fintan means no irish family. 625 00:28:22,501 --> 00:28:25,703 No irish family means no irish inheritance. 626 00:28:25,738 --> 00:28:28,806 Is anything true? 627 00:28:28,841 --> 00:28:31,141 Did she even lie about having a daughter 628 00:28:31,177 --> 00:28:33,343 who died of cystic fibrosis? 629 00:28:33,379 --> 00:28:36,513 Who is mair smyth anyway? 630 00:28:36,549 --> 00:28:37,448 Walton: I must have run 631 00:28:37,483 --> 00:28:41,251 a dozen different background checks on her. 632 00:28:41,287 --> 00:28:42,986 She was marianne welch. 633 00:28:43,022 --> 00:28:44,755 She was marianne smyth. 634 00:28:44,790 --> 00:28:46,457 She was marianne andle. 635 00:28:46,492 --> 00:28:47,958 She was mair ellis. 636 00:28:47,993 --> 00:28:49,727 She was mair clarke. 637 00:28:49,762 --> 00:28:52,629 It's like five completely different women! 638 00:28:52,665 --> 00:28:53,831 Goldberg: Mair changed names 639 00:28:53,866 --> 00:28:56,366 like they were going out of style. 640 00:28:56,402 --> 00:28:59,002 When you run a background check, a professional background check, 641 00:28:59,038 --> 00:29:01,672 there's a "relatives" list with potential relatives, 642 00:29:01,707 --> 00:29:05,409 and one of those names was a guy named jeff welch. 643 00:29:05,444 --> 00:29:10,047 That pinged to me because she'd used the name marianne welch. 644 00:29:10,082 --> 00:29:11,849 So I thought, "maybe there's some relation. 645 00:29:11,884 --> 00:29:13,484 Maybe he was married to her," I thought. 646 00:29:13,519 --> 00:29:15,419 "maybe this is an ex-husband." 647 00:29:15,454 --> 00:29:18,388 so I-I reached out to jeff welch on linkedin. 648 00:29:18,424 --> 00:29:21,859 Goldberg: No, jonathan, not linkedin! 649 00:29:21,894 --> 00:29:24,728 No one looks at their linkedin account! 650 00:29:24,764 --> 00:29:29,066 While he waits to hear back, jonathan continues his quest 651 00:29:29,101 --> 00:29:32,603 to get justice and his $70,000 back. 652 00:29:32,638 --> 00:29:36,774 Walton: We're almost a year into the investigation. 653 00:29:36,809 --> 00:29:38,542 The police weren't filing charges. 654 00:29:38,577 --> 00:29:40,210 Here I am getting scammed, nobody cares. 655 00:29:40,246 --> 00:29:44,581 Goldberg: Relentless, jonathan puts the cops on speed dial, 656 00:29:44,617 --> 00:29:47,084 calling them up with each piece of new evidence, 657 00:29:47,119 --> 00:29:50,320 which gets him exactly nowhere. 658 00:29:50,356 --> 00:29:54,124 And one day, the police call and tell me 659 00:29:54,160 --> 00:29:56,994 they're gonna file charges of grand theft. 660 00:29:57,029 --> 00:29:58,428 And I was thrilled. 661 00:29:58,464 --> 00:30:01,665 ♪ 662 00:30:01,700 --> 00:30:03,467 mcgee: Jonathan walton is 663 00:30:03,502 --> 00:30:07,271 a very passionate person 664 00:30:07,306 --> 00:30:11,108 and I would say a very intelligent person. 665 00:30:11,143 --> 00:30:13,744 He did a lot of his own investigation, 666 00:30:13,779 --> 00:30:15,746 and a lot of it was extremely helpful. 667 00:30:15,781 --> 00:30:18,982 ♪ 668 00:30:19,018 --> 00:30:21,518 goldberg: But unfortunately for jonathan, 669 00:30:21,554 --> 00:30:25,489 mair isn't about to give up. 670 00:30:25,524 --> 00:30:28,025 On the day of the preliminary hearing, 671 00:30:28,060 --> 00:30:30,794 on the day where a judge is supposed to decide 672 00:30:30,830 --> 00:30:33,430 if there's enough evidence to go forward, 673 00:30:33,465 --> 00:30:36,233 she shows up to court. 674 00:30:36,268 --> 00:30:40,871 She looked like a homeless woman on crutches. 675 00:30:40,906 --> 00:30:43,207 Her plan, I suspect, 676 00:30:43,242 --> 00:30:45,342 was to get sympathy from the judge 677 00:30:45,377 --> 00:30:46,677 and hopefully, he'd throw the case out. 678 00:30:46,712 --> 00:30:50,280 Goldberg: Luckily, the judge has seen that lame trick before, 679 00:30:50,316 --> 00:30:51,782 and it doesn't work. 680 00:30:51,817 --> 00:30:56,687 Finally, mair smyth will have her day of reckoning in court. 681 00:30:56,722 --> 00:30:59,957 But jonathan can't celebrate just yet. 682 00:30:59,992 --> 00:31:01,959 A case like this, 683 00:31:01,994 --> 00:31:04,761 involving a series of financial transactions 684 00:31:04,797 --> 00:31:10,734 between people who do know each other so, so closely, 685 00:31:10,769 --> 00:31:13,103 it's not something that we see every day. 686 00:31:13,138 --> 00:31:14,571 When I talked to jeff mcgee, 687 00:31:14,607 --> 00:31:15,672 he told me, "listen, I've done a lot of cases, 688 00:31:15,708 --> 00:31:17,174 and this is the most complicated case I've ever seen. 689 00:31:17,209 --> 00:31:18,442 It basically boils down to a 'he said, she said,' 690 00:31:18,477 --> 00:31:21,278 and is a jury gonna believe you, or is a jury gonna believe her?" 691 00:31:21,313 --> 00:31:22,679 definitely had in the back of my head 692 00:31:22,715 --> 00:31:26,116 that this could go either way. 693 00:31:33,225 --> 00:31:35,092 Woman: Do you solemnly state the testimony you may give 694 00:31:35,127 --> 00:31:37,427 in the cause now pending before this court 695 00:31:37,463 --> 00:31:38,695 shall be the truth, the whole truth, 696 00:31:38,731 --> 00:31:39,596 and nothing but the truth, so help you god? 697 00:31:39,632 --> 00:31:41,331 I do. 698 00:31:41,367 --> 00:31:42,132 Please have a seat on the witness stand. 699 00:31:42,167 --> 00:31:44,468 Goldberg: January 2019, 700 00:31:44,503 --> 00:31:47,037 the trial of marianne smyth begins. 701 00:31:47,072 --> 00:31:48,238 Her charge? 702 00:31:48,274 --> 00:31:49,406 Felony grand theft 703 00:31:49,441 --> 00:31:53,343 for stealing tens of thousands from jonathan walton, 704 00:31:53,379 --> 00:31:55,579 whose tireless two-year investigation 705 00:31:55,614 --> 00:31:59,249 will all be for nothing without a conviction. 706 00:31:59,285 --> 00:32:01,485 We need as many people 707 00:32:01,520 --> 00:32:03,287 as the judge will allow us to put on 708 00:32:03,322 --> 00:32:08,759 to say that the stories she told jonathan about her irish family, 709 00:32:08,794 --> 00:32:10,160 about her inheritance, 710 00:32:10,195 --> 00:32:14,965 that this wasn't something that jonathan had misinterpreted 711 00:32:15,000 --> 00:32:16,867 or was making up, frankly. 712 00:32:24,276 --> 00:32:26,076 For testifying in jonathan's trial, 713 00:32:26,111 --> 00:32:27,744 I was immediately onboard. 714 00:32:27,780 --> 00:32:28,979 I didn't want to see this happen to anybody else. 715 00:32:29,014 --> 00:32:30,113 Mair needed to be stopped. 716 00:32:48,200 --> 00:32:50,000 She looked straight ahead when I saw her in court. 717 00:32:50,035 --> 00:32:51,134 She never looked over at me, 718 00:32:51,170 --> 00:32:54,571 and when I was on the stand, she looked straight ahead. 719 00:32:54,606 --> 00:32:57,374 But it was odd seeing her there in court. 720 00:32:57,409 --> 00:33:01,011 ♪ 721 00:33:01,046 --> 00:33:02,579 I felt sad for her. 722 00:33:02,614 --> 00:33:05,215 ♪ 723 00:33:05,250 --> 00:33:08,085 goldberg: Now, finally, it's jonathan's turn 724 00:33:08,120 --> 00:33:10,887 to tell his powerful story. 725 00:33:10,923 --> 00:33:13,390 He's been waiting over two years for this moment, 726 00:33:13,425 --> 00:33:15,525 but, you know, no pressure. 727 00:33:32,911 --> 00:33:37,280 Mcgee: In court, the judge had to tell him a couple of times 728 00:33:37,316 --> 00:33:41,551 to relax and not get overly excited. 729 00:33:41,587 --> 00:33:44,287 I had no -- I had to file for bankruptcy. 730 00:33:44,323 --> 00:33:46,156 This financially ruined me. 731 00:33:46,191 --> 00:33:49,693 ♪ 732 00:33:49,728 --> 00:33:53,830 anytime you're putting evidence in front of 12 strangers, 733 00:33:53,866 --> 00:33:55,832 no matter how confident you are 734 00:33:55,868 --> 00:33:57,968 in the strength of your evidence, 735 00:33:58,003 --> 00:33:59,536 there's always risk involved. 736 00:33:59,571 --> 00:34:02,539 All you need is one juror to have reasonable doubt, 737 00:34:02,574 --> 00:34:03,707 and then it's a mistrial. 738 00:34:03,742 --> 00:34:04,875 It's a hung jury. 739 00:34:04,910 --> 00:34:09,646 ♪ 740 00:34:21,226 --> 00:34:26,696 ♪ 741 00:34:26,732 --> 00:34:31,234 they found her guilty, and I just jumped for joy. 742 00:34:31,270 --> 00:34:33,203 I was like, "yes!" 743 00:34:33,238 --> 00:34:36,840 much more than anything I did, it was -- it was mr. Walton. 744 00:34:36,875 --> 00:34:39,409 It was jonathan and the way that he came across 745 00:34:39,445 --> 00:34:42,746 as a very genuine person when he testified. 746 00:34:42,781 --> 00:34:45,782 That's what was convincing in this case. 747 00:34:45,818 --> 00:34:47,617 ♪ 748 00:34:47,653 --> 00:34:51,521 goldberg: At mair's sentencing, jonathan is given the chance 749 00:34:51,557 --> 00:34:55,792 to get in one last word, and he does not hold back. 750 00:34:55,828 --> 00:34:59,396 Marianne smyth destroyed my financial life. 751 00:34:59,431 --> 00:35:02,899 She's a brilliant actress who manipulated my emotions 752 00:35:02,935 --> 00:35:04,000 for four years to steal from me 753 00:35:04,036 --> 00:35:06,703 while stealing from dozens of others. 754 00:35:06,738 --> 00:35:09,172 She scammed me out of close to $100,000. 755 00:35:09,208 --> 00:35:11,608 I had to file for bankruptcy when I ran out of money. 756 00:35:11,643 --> 00:35:15,745 We had dreams of buying a house and adopting kids. 757 00:35:15,781 --> 00:35:17,981 Marianne smyth ruined those dreams. 758 00:35:18,016 --> 00:35:21,551 However long she spends in jail will not change the fact 759 00:35:21,587 --> 00:35:23,453 that as soon as she's out, she'll be scamming people again, 760 00:35:23,489 --> 00:35:27,390 and she deserves the strictest sentence you can give. 761 00:35:27,426 --> 00:35:28,258 Thank you, your honor. 762 00:35:30,295 --> 00:35:31,795 Goldberg: Damn. 763 00:35:31,830 --> 00:35:33,797 Mic drop. 764 00:35:33,832 --> 00:35:36,700 The judge gives mair five years, the maximum sentence, 765 00:35:36,735 --> 00:35:40,837 and orders her to pay nearly $60,000 in restitution. 766 00:35:40,873 --> 00:35:44,374 Justice has finally been served, 767 00:35:44,409 --> 00:35:48,078 but even in victory, closure isn't guaranteed. 768 00:35:48,113 --> 00:35:50,747 Mair never took the stand during her trial, 769 00:35:50,782 --> 00:35:52,682 leaving jonathan with unanswered questions 770 00:35:52,718 --> 00:35:56,553 about the woman who had been like a sister to him. 771 00:35:56,588 --> 00:35:59,990 Walton: Marianne smyth wounded me deeply. 772 00:36:00,025 --> 00:36:03,527 The wound was healing and a scab was forming, 773 00:36:03,562 --> 00:36:07,731 but god, I just couldn't stop picking at the scab. 774 00:36:07,766 --> 00:36:08,932 This is never over. 775 00:36:08,967 --> 00:36:10,500 This is like a giant onion 776 00:36:10,536 --> 00:36:12,202 that you can't get to the core of 777 00:36:12,237 --> 00:36:13,637 because you peel layer after layer after layer 778 00:36:13,672 --> 00:36:15,305 and there's more victims. 779 00:36:15,340 --> 00:36:17,340 There's more crazy stories. 780 00:36:17,376 --> 00:36:18,875 Goldberg: But the most surprising story 781 00:36:18,911 --> 00:36:21,011 is still yet to come, because jonathan is about to hear 782 00:36:21,046 --> 00:36:22,946 from the one person from mair's past 783 00:36:22,981 --> 00:36:24,214 who probably knows her better than anyone. 784 00:36:24,249 --> 00:36:25,015 As soon as, you know, we're at home with the baby, 785 00:36:25,050 --> 00:36:31,955 things went terribly wrong. 786 00:36:38,096 --> 00:36:40,797 Goldberg: Even after bringing mair smyth to justice, 787 00:36:40,832 --> 00:36:42,899 jonathan walton is still left 788 00:36:42,935 --> 00:36:45,168 trying to separate the truth from the lies. 789 00:36:45,204 --> 00:36:47,871 Had mair, his best friend, 790 00:36:47,906 --> 00:36:50,874 actually told him anything that was real? 791 00:36:50,909 --> 00:36:52,342 Walton: If you'd have told me 792 00:36:52,377 --> 00:36:53,343 I'd become a victim of a con artist, 793 00:36:53,378 --> 00:36:56,179 I'd say no way. 794 00:36:56,215 --> 00:36:59,816 But as I now know, con artists don't outthink you. 795 00:36:59,851 --> 00:37:01,551 They're not smarter than you. 796 00:37:01,587 --> 00:37:04,187 Con artists out-feel you. 797 00:37:04,223 --> 00:37:07,123 They use your emotion to scam you. 798 00:37:07,159 --> 00:37:10,860 That's what con artists prey on -- your heart. 799 00:37:10,896 --> 00:37:13,463 Goldberg: But there is one story that mair told jonathan 800 00:37:13,498 --> 00:37:15,899 that did have some basis in reality, 801 00:37:15,934 --> 00:37:17,767 and to know it 802 00:37:17,803 --> 00:37:21,671 is to know the truth of who mair smyth really is. 803 00:37:21,707 --> 00:37:24,307 It's a story that begins far away, 804 00:37:24,343 --> 00:37:26,109 not in the rolling hills of ireland, 805 00:37:26,144 --> 00:37:29,212 but in the heartland of america, 806 00:37:29,248 --> 00:37:32,882 in the small town of midland, michigan... 807 00:37:32,918 --> 00:37:37,020 With this man, her ex-husband. 808 00:37:37,055 --> 00:37:39,556 ♪ 809 00:37:39,591 --> 00:37:44,594 welch: Initially, you know, we were kind of inseparable. 810 00:37:44,630 --> 00:37:46,596 Everything happened very quickly. 811 00:37:46,632 --> 00:37:49,165 You know, she was pregnant. 812 00:37:49,201 --> 00:37:50,700 We got married. 813 00:37:50,736 --> 00:37:54,738 During the pregnancy, everything seemed normal, 814 00:37:54,773 --> 00:37:58,875 but as soon as, you know, we're at home with the baby, 815 00:37:58,910 --> 00:38:04,648 you know, brand-new, things went terribly wrong. 816 00:38:04,683 --> 00:38:06,116 You know, it was very, very apparent 817 00:38:06,151 --> 00:38:10,887 that she had no interest in being a mother or a wife. 818 00:38:10,922 --> 00:38:16,426 Courtney was a really happy, cheerful, bubbly kid, 819 00:38:16,461 --> 00:38:18,495 but she was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis 820 00:38:18,530 --> 00:38:20,597 at four months old. 821 00:38:20,632 --> 00:38:24,567 She was given this disease that just -- she couldn't breathe. 822 00:38:24,603 --> 00:38:29,606 Marianne's involvement in courtney's life was minimal. 823 00:38:29,641 --> 00:38:31,508 Goldberg: Courtney was only a year old 824 00:38:31,543 --> 00:38:34,344 when she began living without her mother. 825 00:38:34,379 --> 00:38:37,447 Welch: I was granted sole custody and care 826 00:38:37,482 --> 00:38:39,082 and all of the education of courtney. 827 00:38:39,117 --> 00:38:41,351 She had a good life. 828 00:38:41,386 --> 00:38:42,619 She was well cared for. 829 00:38:42,654 --> 00:38:46,256 She wanted to be a nurse and she wanted to do all these things, 830 00:38:46,291 --> 00:38:47,257 but she just couldn't do it. 831 00:38:47,292 --> 00:38:51,328 ♪ 832 00:38:51,363 --> 00:38:55,031 courtney passed away in November of 2012. 833 00:38:55,067 --> 00:39:01,204 ♪ 834 00:39:01,239 --> 00:39:03,373 after I became aware 835 00:39:03,408 --> 00:39:06,343 of all these stories of people being scammed, 836 00:39:06,378 --> 00:39:10,714 it was a big shock to learn that I was married to somebody 837 00:39:10,749 --> 00:39:16,086 that has done this much damage to so many people. 838 00:39:16,121 --> 00:39:19,022 Seeing this gofundme page, 839 00:39:19,057 --> 00:39:21,858 there was a picture of my daughter. 840 00:39:21,893 --> 00:39:24,894 Marianne raised over $16,000 841 00:39:24,930 --> 00:39:27,964 telling people she had a sick child. 842 00:39:27,999 --> 00:39:29,632 Now, that made me sick to my stomach. 843 00:39:29,668 --> 00:39:31,267 I just can't believe 844 00:39:31,303 --> 00:39:34,104 that somebody would do something like that. 845 00:39:34,139 --> 00:39:35,905 Walton: So courtney was real, 846 00:39:35,941 --> 00:39:39,776 and yes, she did die at the age of 23 of cystic fibrosis. 847 00:39:39,811 --> 00:39:44,514 She uses the death of a daughter she didn't even know 848 00:39:44,549 --> 00:39:47,650 or didn't even raise to scam money out of people? 849 00:39:47,686 --> 00:39:52,822 Only a sociopath can do what she's done to her family, 850 00:39:52,858 --> 00:39:54,958 to her friends, to all the guys she dated. 851 00:39:54,993 --> 00:39:58,828 ♪ 852 00:39:58,864 --> 00:40:00,964 lozano: One thing that I've learned from this whole thing 853 00:40:00,999 --> 00:40:04,300 is to trust your instinct and your gut feeling. 854 00:40:04,336 --> 00:40:07,170 Maybe if I had listened to my gut feeling more, 855 00:40:07,205 --> 00:40:09,105 you know, I could have saved a year and a half 856 00:40:09,141 --> 00:40:11,207 of not real friendship. 857 00:40:11,243 --> 00:40:14,043 Dacosta: Mair was the first person who actually ever 858 00:40:14,079 --> 00:40:17,380 conned me out of, you know, anything, 859 00:40:17,416 --> 00:40:19,983 and she will be the last. [ chuckles ] 860 00:40:20,018 --> 00:40:21,684 parshuto: She's very talented. 861 00:40:21,720 --> 00:40:23,553 She's a very gifted person, 862 00:40:23,588 --> 00:40:26,356 and if only she was able to put it to good use, 863 00:40:26,391 --> 00:40:29,626 she would probably be a very successful person. 864 00:40:29,661 --> 00:40:31,060 What a waste of talent. 865 00:40:31,096 --> 00:40:34,664 What a waste of potential. 866 00:40:34,699 --> 00:40:37,934 Turner: As a single dad, you look out for your children, 867 00:40:37,969 --> 00:40:40,069 and I brought somebody evil into 868 00:40:40,105 --> 00:40:41,971 the presence of my children. 869 00:40:42,007 --> 00:40:44,073 And I didn't protect them. 870 00:40:44,109 --> 00:40:46,810 And that hurts. 871 00:40:46,845 --> 00:40:50,847 Walton: This has profoundly changed my life. 872 00:40:50,882 --> 00:40:54,384 I no longer trust anyone. 873 00:40:54,419 --> 00:40:56,186 I'll never get over it. 874 00:40:56,221 --> 00:40:59,122 ♪ 875 00:40:59,157 --> 00:41:01,591 goldberg: As for mair, she's still in los angeles 876 00:41:01,626 --> 00:41:03,226 serving out her five-year sentence 877 00:41:03,261 --> 00:41:04,360 without the possibility of parole. 878 00:41:04,396 --> 00:41:06,463 Walton: I miss the benevolent soul 879 00:41:06,498 --> 00:41:09,732 I thought marianne smyth was. 880 00:41:09,768 --> 00:41:10,733 I love someone who never truly existed. 881 00:41:11,436 --> 00:41:12,402 ♪ 882 00:41:12,437 --> 00:41:13,403 ♪ 883 00:41:13,438 --> 00:41:14,136 ♪