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The very first day I met him,
he said, "God sent me to help you."

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00:00:04,266 --> 00:00:06,633
You keep scamming her out of the money.

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I gave her all that money back.

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You think you were gonna come
in here and fool us?

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The person that you prayed for help
preyed on you.

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00:00:14,133 --> 00:00:17,266
- Yes, ma'am.
- [narrator] Today on Tribunal Justice.

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[theme music playing]

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This case was filed
in Darlington, South Carolina.

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Your Honor, this is case number 1098
on the calendar

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00:00:44,333 --> 00:00:46,967
in the matter of Newell versus James.

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Parties have been sworn in.
You may be seated.

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- [DiMango] Thank you, Byrd.
- [Byrd] Mm-hmm.

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- Ms. Newell.
- [Newell] Yes.

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00:00:51,700 --> 00:00:53,233
At the end of last year,

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December 2021, you say
you were in ill health at the time,

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and you prayed, you're a religious woman,
so you prayed that God send you somebody

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to help you go to doctors' appointments
and to run some errands,

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and, lo and behold, one day... Poof!

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...appears the Defendant,
and you think he's like your...

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- Sent from up above.
- [Newell] Yes.

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But I think, as time unfolded,
you believed he came from below.

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- And came up.
- Yes, ma'am.

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[DiMango] So your car window was broken.

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He said he'd help you fix it.
He did. He taped it up,

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and you began to trust him.

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At some point, he said he wanted to buy
the car from you, and you said sure.

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You would sell it as is for $500.
He thought it was great.

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And at the same time
you made this deal with him,

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he said he knew somebody selling a car
that you would want for $1,300.

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So I guess you figured
he'd get your car for five,

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you'd buy a new car for 1,300.

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You gave him the $1,300,
and you never got the car.

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And then he started to tell you,

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well, he thought maybe
the other guy scammed him.

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That he was being taken advantage of.

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And he would get the money back to you.
Not to worry.

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And by doing that, he did get
the 1,300 back to you that you gave him,

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but it kind of gained your trust
in his honesty.

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You hoped you could rely on him
for assistance,

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00:02:05,367 --> 00:02:07,934
from getting around
from one doctor to another.

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And so from January '22 until July of '22,

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all he did, really,
was take money for you for taxes

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for the car he supposedly bought from you.

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Repairs for that car, gas for that car.

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He also took money for medicine,

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for Pull-Ups for his family,
for his twins.

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He randomly took money from your account.

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He took Cash App money.

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00:02:29,066 --> 00:02:31,734
When he went to a store
and made a purchase, he took cash back.

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00:02:31,800 --> 00:02:35,900
One day you said, "Can you put
$10 in gas in? Please don't go over that."

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00:02:35,966 --> 00:02:38,367
And he put $46 worth of gas in.

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You had given him your credit card
and PIN number to do that.

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Which, now that he had, you started
to notice charges from Walmart,

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and he rang up a bill
of several hundred dollars.

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He never paid you back.

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At some point he said
he would pay your rent for you.

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You Cash Apped him $405 to pay your rent.

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They never got the rent money.
He said, "Oops."

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He was taken advantage of again.
Can you resend him the $405?

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Which you did.

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00:03:04,066 --> 00:03:06,367
And he never made your rent payment.

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So you're here suing him

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for defrauding you
out of more than $3,000.

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Exactly $3,058

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for everything that he took from you.

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You, sir, have a different view.

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You were just there to help.

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That's all you were trying to do.

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You said the truck
that she sold you was trash.

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You never stole
her credit card information

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or ran up any of her credit card debts.

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The Cash App that she sent the money to,
you say had been taken advantage of

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by someone else or stolen.

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You never got that money from her,
and even when you did get it,

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the money for rent,
you actually paid her back.

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The only thing you did
was buy Pull-Ups for your twins.

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You say she is delusional.

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Did you really think, like,
God just sent you, like, some messenger?

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What are you thinking?

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[Newell] The first thing he said to me
after he, um, said

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that he would fix the windows on my car...

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The very first day I met him, I told him
that- what I needed with the truck,

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and he said, "God sent me to help you."

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So that was the first thing he said,
and that was like click.

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It's not clicking up here for me,
I have to tell you.

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Truthfully, I think you're brilliant.

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And I'm gonna tell you why.

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Because the scam with the car...

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The more I thought about it,
it was like amazing to me.

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You want a car. You need transportation.
You need a job, right?

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- Yes, ma'am.
- [DiMango] She's got this truck.

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Was it a truck
that you'd sell him for $500?

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- Yes, ma'am.
- [DiMango] You say you want to buy that.

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- D'you ever get any $500 for that truck?
- Yes, ma'am, I did.

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[DiMango] Now, at the same time...

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Like, why would you buy that truck
and at the same time say to her,

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"And I can get you a car for $1,300"?

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So you take $1,300 from her
to go buy the other car for her, right?

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- Because you'll get another car for her?
- Yes, ma'am.

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[DiMango] But that never comes
to fruition.

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Because whoever it is
you say you're buying this car from...

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[clicks tongue] He's not coming through
with the car, is he?

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- That's correct.
- [DiMango] So now you're out her $1,300.

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- Correct?
- Yes, ma'am.

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She keeps saying, "Where's the car?
Let me see a picture of it."

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And you divert the conversation
into something else.

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And then you start to say,
"You know what? [clicks tongue]

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I think he took advantage of us." Right?

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- Yes.
- [DiMango] You start to realize that.

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You're heartbroken
that your gift from God here is like

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now he's been taken advantage of, too,
with your $1,300,

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but this where
it becomes interesting to me.

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You really want her car.

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You need to drive around in it,

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but you don't have a job,
you don't have money, anything.

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The only way you can use her car

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is if she keeps paying for it.

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She's not gonna keep paying for it
if she's got her own car.

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So you can't give her another car.

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She needs to rely on you in her old car.

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Because that's how you keep scamming her
out of the money.

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You say I need how much for gas?

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- It's $60 every time.
- [DiMango] Sixty dollars.

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Sixty dollars for gas. You keep
Cash Apping him the money for gas.

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Yes, ma'am.

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[DiMango] You return the $1,300 to her.

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She must have thought you were
a double gift from God at that point.

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You actually got back scammed money.
You gave her your own money.

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Right? He gave you all this money.

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So she's in 100% now with you.
Would that be correct, sir?

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- No, when we...
- [DiMango] You gave her back the $1,300.

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- Where'd you get it?
- Out of my own tax money, Your Honor.

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You're not driving around
in the car, right?

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I'm not even driving in her truck
as the owner yet.

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[DiMango] No, of course not.

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At some point, you say
that she's being ripped off,

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and the solicitor needs to be paid
to make an arrest. Am I right?

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[narrator] Coming up on Tribunal Justice.

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There is nothing
that you say is the truth.

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Nothing, sir. Nothing.

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The fact that this woman
has to come in here to sue you

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for you defrauding her
for all of these months

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infuriates me.

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[theme music playing]

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[narrator] Trisha Newell
is suing her neighbor, Jesse James,

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00:06:44,633 --> 00:06:48,467
for unpaid loans
and fraudulent debit card charges.

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James is countersuing for truck costs
and emotional distress.

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00:06:53,667 --> 00:06:56,400
[DiMango] At some point, you say
that she's being ripped off,

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and the solicitor needs to be paid
to make an arrest. Am I right?

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00:07:00,266 --> 00:07:03,734
- [James] Correct. -
Solicitors get paid to make an arrest? No.

151
00:07:03,800 --> 00:07:04,934
- No, ma'am.
- [DiMango] They don't.

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You got money from her for that.

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00:07:06,400 --> 00:07:08,834
- Okay.
- [DiMango] The next time we have here.

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What about when you go for gas,
for the $10 gas, tell us about that.

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00:07:12,333 --> 00:07:14,867
Yes, ma'am, um, he was saying
that he needed gas, um,

156
00:07:14,934 --> 00:07:18,033
because he took my son and I
to my son's doctor's appointment.

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The one of two times

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that he actually did do
what he was supposed to do, share the car.

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I said, "You could put $10 in.
That's all I have.

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If you put more than that, it'll bounce."

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00:07:27,600 --> 00:07:29,734
- Did she tell you that?
- [James] She told me that.

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00:07:29,800 --> 00:07:32,633
- But, Your Honor, I'd like to say...
- [DiMango] I can't wait to hear...

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'Cause I know.

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[James] She gave me the card,
I put the card in the tank right there.

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00:07:36,700 --> 00:07:38,433
I told her I had to use the bathroom.

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Her and her son were sitting in the car.

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00:07:40,367 --> 00:07:43,433
Now, if she was sitting in the car,
she could've stopped the pump herself.

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You're there pumping $10,
which is really, in this day, two gallons.

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00:07:48,166 --> 00:07:51,166
You're gonna tell me
you couldn't stay there for two gallons.

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- I had to use the bathroom, Your Honor.
- [DiMango] Oh, my God.

171
00:07:53,734 --> 00:07:55,767
So why didn't you wait
to go to the bathroom first?

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You know, the thing that gets me...

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There's very little
that gets me riled up like this.

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Scammers like you rile me up so bad

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00:08:04,734 --> 00:08:07,000
that, to me, there's just nothing...

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00:08:07,066 --> 00:08:09,767
Even the criminal courts
are not enough for you.

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00:08:09,834 --> 00:08:14,533
So now, he now gets...
His car, that he's keeping and using,

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has $45 worth of gas when you said,
"I can't afford more than ten."

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00:08:17,767 --> 00:08:19,800
- Yes, ma'am.
- [DiMango] How does that get paid for?

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00:08:19,867 --> 00:08:20,867
Me. I pay for it.

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00:08:20,934 --> 00:08:22,600
[DiMango] Did he get information
from your card?

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00:08:22,667 --> 00:08:24,266
Like a PIN number? Anything like that?

183
00:08:24,332 --> 00:08:26,100
- [Newell] My PIN number, yes, ma'am.
- How did he get that?

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00:08:26,166 --> 00:08:28,567
'Cause he was pumping the gas,
and he was trying to hurry me,

185
00:08:28,633 --> 00:08:30,900
and he goes, "What's your PIN.
I'll put it in there."

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00:08:30,967 --> 00:08:34,332
And I was trusting him at this point,
and I said my PIN to him.

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00:08:34,400 --> 00:08:36,933
[DiMango] You say
he was using your information.

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00:08:37,000 --> 00:08:38,265
Your credit card and all that.

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00:08:38,332 --> 00:08:41,834
In fact, we have some evidence here
in the text messages

190
00:08:41,900 --> 00:08:44,333
that he took cash back
when he went into a store.

191
00:08:44,400 --> 00:08:46,867
She gave me permission
to use her card at Burger King.

192
00:08:46,934 --> 00:08:48,165
[DiMango] Mm. Mm-hmm.

193
00:08:48,233 --> 00:08:50,633
Burger King.
I went and got her some food.

194
00:08:50,700 --> 00:08:52,967
Her and her son. That's exactly the truth.

195
00:08:53,567 --> 00:08:55,700
There is nothing
that you say is the truth.

196
00:08:55,767 --> 00:08:57,734
Nothing, sir. Nothing.

197
00:08:57,800 --> 00:09:01,100
The fact that this woman
has to come in here to sue you

198
00:09:01,166 --> 00:09:05,100
for you defrauding her
for all of these months infuriates me.

199
00:09:05,667 --> 00:09:08,800
Now, I've been yelling at him,
but I really want to yell at you.

200
00:09:08,867 --> 00:09:10,867
Yes, ma'am.
When I say the story back,

201
00:09:10,934 --> 00:09:13,834
I can't believe the things
I let pass by me.

202
00:09:13,900 --> 00:09:16,000
[DiMango] You gave him.
W- You told him pay your rent.

203
00:09:16,066 --> 00:09:17,667
What'd he tell you happened
with the rent money?

204
00:09:17,734 --> 00:09:20,300
He said that...that his account changed.

205
00:09:20,367 --> 00:09:23,100
[DiMango] So you had to send it again,
$405, right?

206
00:09:23,166 --> 00:09:24,600
Yes, ma'am. It was a scam probably

207
00:09:24,667 --> 00:09:27,834
because the money had already been taken
out of that account right away.

208
00:09:27,900 --> 00:09:29,500
[DiMango] When you say to her here,

209
00:09:29,567 --> 00:09:32,165
"I forgot to tell you
that I have a new Cash App.

210
00:09:32,233 --> 00:09:34,333
So I got scammed before."

211
00:09:34,400 --> 00:09:36,300
And then you say,
"Do you have my rent money?"

212
00:09:36,367 --> 00:09:38,467
And you say, "I never got it."

213
00:09:38,533 --> 00:09:40,433
You say, "Don't lie to me."

214
00:09:40,500 --> 00:09:41,867
Everything was a lie.

215
00:09:41,934 --> 00:09:44,734
God doesn't bring you people like him.
Judge Levy.

216
00:09:45,233 --> 00:09:47,333
Your name is really Jesse James?

217
00:09:47,834 --> 00:09:49,500
It's Jesse Michael James, Your Honor.

218
00:09:49,567 --> 00:09:52,233
And if I understood
your testimony correctly, Mr. James,

219
00:09:52,300 --> 00:09:54,033
you never went to Walmart

220
00:09:54,100 --> 00:09:55,900
using the Plaintiff's card.

221
00:09:55,967 --> 00:09:58,700
The only time that you used her card
was at Burger King.

222
00:09:58,767 --> 00:10:01,233
- Correct.
- And you are sure about that?

223
00:10:01,300 --> 00:10:02,734
I am sure about that.

224
00:10:02,800 --> 00:10:06,967
By the way,
you do remember telling the Plaintiff

225
00:10:07,033 --> 00:10:09,600
in text messages,
"Please don't go to the police."

226
00:10:09,667 --> 00:10:11,433
You've already done your time.

227
00:10:11,500 --> 00:10:13,233
Oh, yeah, d- I remember that.
Yes, Your Honor.

228
00:10:13,300 --> 00:10:15,433
She threatened me a couple times,
"I'ma go to the police."

229
00:10:15,500 --> 00:10:18,200
And when you meant
you've already done your time,

230
00:10:18,266 --> 00:10:21,100
and you don't want to get jammed up
with the police,

231
00:10:21,166 --> 00:10:24,600
is because you knew
based upon your prior criminal history

232
00:10:24,667 --> 00:10:28,233
that if the Plaintiff went to the police
with all the text messages

233
00:10:28,300 --> 00:10:30,000
that you know you two had

234
00:10:30,066 --> 00:10:31,367
and the evidence,

235
00:10:31,433 --> 00:10:35,834
with you admitting in those text messages
to taking her money,

236
00:10:35,900 --> 00:10:39,433
that the chances of you
going back to prison were pretty high.

237
00:10:39,500 --> 00:10:40,500
Right?

238
00:10:40,567 --> 00:10:41,734
- No.
- [Levy] No?

239
00:10:41,800 --> 00:10:44,567
Why don't you tell us all right now
what you went to prison for?

240
00:10:44,633 --> 00:10:46,333
Keeping in mind, I already know.

241
00:10:46,400 --> 00:10:49,165
- I went to prison for burglary.
- [Levy] Stealing! Mr. Jesse James.

242
00:10:49,233 --> 00:10:52,033
That's totally different than fraud.
What we on trial for right now.

243
00:10:52,100 --> 00:10:53,133
- Burglary.
- Yes.

244
00:10:53,200 --> 00:10:55,567
Burglary is when you go
into someone's home

245
00:10:55,633 --> 00:10:57,700
with the intent
to commit a crime therein, right?

246
00:10:57,767 --> 00:10:59,967
I never did go in somebody's house.
I went into businesses.

247
00:11:00,100 --> 00:11:01,233
[Levy] Businesses? Oh.

248
00:11:01,300 --> 00:11:02,834
Excuse me.

249
00:11:02,900 --> 00:11:04,033
[James] There's a difference.

250
00:11:04,100 --> 00:11:05,300
Excuse me. You're right.

251
00:11:05,367 --> 00:11:07,667
One's a violent felony and one's not.

252
00:11:07,734 --> 00:11:10,033
- [James] Correct.
- [Levy] This, I found real interesting.

253
00:11:10,100 --> 00:11:13,934
February 4th, there was a $2.50

254
00:11:14,000 --> 00:11:16,867
ATM balance inquiry fee.

255
00:11:16,934 --> 00:11:19,367
Did you do that?
Have you ever done that?

256
00:11:19,433 --> 00:11:20,700
You know why he did it?

257
00:11:20,767 --> 00:11:23,100
- To see if I had money.
- [Levy] Bingo!

258
00:11:23,166 --> 00:11:26,433
Don't look so inquisitive. You think
you were gonna come in here and fool us?

259
00:11:26,500 --> 00:11:28,834
And then, same day, February 4th,

260
00:11:28,900 --> 00:11:31,266
after he checked out
how much money you had in your account,

261
00:11:31,333 --> 00:11:34,300
he takes out a cash withdrawal for $200.

262
00:11:34,367 --> 00:11:37,900
For which you got charged an extra $3.
Explain that.

263
00:11:37,967 --> 00:11:39,700
I never had her card, Your Honor.

264
00:11:40,200 --> 00:11:43,033
You know what I don't see
you texting back anywhere?

265
00:11:43,100 --> 00:11:44,767
"I didn't take that. You're wrong."

266
00:11:44,834 --> 00:11:46,934
I went over to her house
personally, Your Honor.

267
00:11:47,000 --> 00:11:50,400
[Levy] Nothing prevented you at that time
when you got that text to say,

268
00:11:50,467 --> 00:11:52,266
"Woah, what is this you're talking about?

269
00:11:52,333 --> 00:11:54,734
I never took out $202."

270
00:11:54,800 --> 00:11:56,400
It's not there. You never sent that.

271
00:11:56,467 --> 00:11:58,567
You never sent her anything
in which you say,

272
00:11:58,633 --> 00:12:01,200
"I didn't take out $135 for Walmart."

273
00:12:01,266 --> 00:12:05,633
So when you say in your answer
that the Defendant was getting forgetful,

274
00:12:05,700 --> 00:12:07,967
you knew that she had had
memory problems at the time.

275
00:12:08,033 --> 00:12:10,533
That's why I was
takin' her places, to the doctor.

276
00:12:10,600 --> 00:12:11,700
Taking her to get medicine.

277
00:12:11,767 --> 00:12:13,266
[Levy] Did she ever
loan you money for rent?

278
00:12:13,333 --> 00:12:15,633
Yeah, she did for $200,
and we didn't need it in the end.

279
00:12:15,700 --> 00:12:17,133
I gave her all that money back.

280
00:12:17,200 --> 00:12:19,500
- When I registered...
- You are such a liar!

281
00:12:19,567 --> 00:12:22,200
You are such an incredible liar.
You're gonna stand there,

282
00:12:22,266 --> 00:12:25,433
and you are going to still say
that this woman has no memory

283
00:12:25,500 --> 00:12:28,133
about any of the money
that you loaned to her,

284
00:12:28,200 --> 00:12:30,200
and on May 10th, 2022,

285
00:12:30,266 --> 00:12:33,633
she says, "You owe me $2,265."

286
00:12:33,700 --> 00:12:38,900
She says to you, "Don't forget to add
the 436 on that for this month's rent.

287
00:12:38,967 --> 00:12:41,300
I need all of that as soon as possible."

288
00:12:41,367 --> 00:12:42,400
And you know what you say?

289
00:12:42,467 --> 00:12:45,367
- What did I say?
- "You are gonna get all of your money."

290
00:12:45,433 --> 00:12:47,867
You said it throughout all
the text messages, Mr. James.

291
00:12:47,934 --> 00:12:48,967
Judge Acker.

292
00:12:49,033 --> 00:12:51,367
- You have a countersuit?
- [James] Yes, I do.

293
00:12:51,433 --> 00:12:53,266
[Acker] A countersuit.
You're suing Ms. Newell.

294
00:12:53,333 --> 00:12:55,100
And as I understand it,

295
00:12:55,165 --> 00:13:00,667
the basis of your countersuit
is that she forced you to repay money

296
00:13:00,734 --> 00:13:05,834
that she spent as a result
of the fraudulent vehicle transaction.

297
00:13:05,900 --> 00:13:09,533
And you had to get a title loan
to pay her back,

298
00:13:09,600 --> 00:13:13,600
and then when you couldn't pay back
the title loan, you lost your car,

299
00:13:14,166 --> 00:13:16,266
and she's responsible for that.

300
00:13:16,333 --> 00:13:18,033
Do I have the facts of your countersuit...

301
00:13:18,100 --> 00:13:20,233
I think you have the facts
a little bit wrong because...

302
00:13:20,300 --> 00:13:21,934
Why don't you tell me

303
00:13:22,000 --> 00:13:25,500
what part of your countersuit
I am not understanding?

304
00:13:25,567 --> 00:13:28,166
Because you're saying that I got
the title loan due to the fact...

305
00:13:28,233 --> 00:13:31,400
[Acker] Well let's just go to your suit.
Let's go to your papers.

306
00:13:31,467 --> 00:13:34,433
Because we've talked a lot
about the Plaintiff's claims against you.

307
00:13:34,500 --> 00:13:37,800
We've talked a little less
about your claim against her.

308
00:13:37,867 --> 00:13:41,967
And you're suing her for $2,500
because, according to you,

309
00:13:42,033 --> 00:13:44,900
she caused you to lose your truck

310
00:13:44,967 --> 00:13:46,767
by asking you to repay her.

311
00:13:47,600 --> 00:13:50,033
[narrator] Coming up on Tribunal Justice.

312
00:13:50,100 --> 00:13:51,700
I'm just trying to explore, sir,

313
00:13:51,767 --> 00:13:55,100
where, in the course
of these communications,

314
00:13:55,165 --> 00:13:56,300
she wronged you.

315
00:13:56,367 --> 00:13:59,500
Because you're now suing her.
You know what? You could write poetry.

316
00:13:59,567 --> 00:14:01,900
You could sing songs.
You could do a dance.

317
00:14:01,967 --> 00:14:03,533
But all you're doing is lying.

318
00:14:08,767 --> 00:14:10,700
[theme music playing]

319
00:14:12,533 --> 00:14:14,967
So, the basis of your lawsuit
against her

320
00:14:15,033 --> 00:14:18,166
is that she had no business
asking you to repay her,

321
00:14:18,233 --> 00:14:20,767
but you tried
because you're a mighty fine gentleman.

322
00:14:20,834 --> 00:14:24,133
And you got a title loan,
and then you lost your car.

323
00:14:24,200 --> 00:14:28,867
What I'm looking at, sir,
is a text message

324
00:14:28,934 --> 00:14:32,165
dated February 5th, 6:56 p.m.

325
00:14:32,233 --> 00:14:34,266
And the Plaintiff,
I believe, is in purple,

326
00:14:34,333 --> 00:14:36,467
and she's recounting a long list of debts,

327
00:14:36,533 --> 00:14:38,934
and you say,
"Well, I will get you your money."

328
00:14:39,000 --> 00:14:40,967
- Do you see that?
- [James] Yes, I see that.

329
00:14:41,033 --> 00:14:43,800
Now, what were you referring to?
Was there something wrong?

330
00:14:43,867 --> 00:14:45,633
Was there something improper

331
00:14:45,700 --> 00:14:48,333
about the Plaintiff asking you
for her money back?

332
00:14:48,400 --> 00:14:51,967
The money she was asking for
at the time was money for the car

333
00:14:52,033 --> 00:14:54,300
that the gentleman
had scammed me out of, of getting...

334
00:14:54,367 --> 00:14:56,433
And you said,
"I'm gonna give you your money back."

335
00:14:56,500 --> 00:14:57,500
That's what I told her.

336
00:14:57,567 --> 00:14:59,900
And you're suing her now
because you gave her the money back.

337
00:14:59,967 --> 00:15:04,133
I'm suing her because when I took
the title loan out on May 18th

338
00:15:04,200 --> 00:15:07,233
was at the time when she had sent me
money to get through Cash App

339
00:15:07,934 --> 00:15:09,233
as far as to get her rent.

340
00:15:09,300 --> 00:15:12,600
And which she said she never received,
and then as the fact was that, "Hey"...

341
00:15:12,667 --> 00:15:16,300
I've listened to you respond to questions
by two of my colleagues.

342
00:15:16,367 --> 00:15:19,200
You talk in circles, you repeat yourself,
and you end up saying nothing.

343
00:15:19,266 --> 00:15:22,133
And right now,
what I'm trying to do is to explore

344
00:15:22,200 --> 00:15:24,633
why, in these many, many messages,

345
00:15:24,700 --> 00:15:27,467
where you say to the Plaintiff,
"I will pay you back..."

346
00:15:27,533 --> 00:15:30,533
I'm gonna because, Your Honor,
I...I'm responsible for the money...

347
00:15:30,600 --> 00:15:32,233
[Acker] Right. You say, "I'm responsible."

348
00:15:32,300 --> 00:15:34,066
I'm just trying to explore, sir,

349
00:15:34,133 --> 00:15:37,500
where, in the course
of these communications,

350
00:15:37,567 --> 00:15:38,834
she wronged you.

351
00:15:38,900 --> 00:15:40,165
Because you're now suing her.

352
00:15:40,233 --> 00:15:42,667
You know what? You could sit here.
You could write poetry.

353
00:15:42,734 --> 00:15:44,967
You could sing songs.
You could do a dance.

354
00:15:45,033 --> 00:15:46,367
But all you're doing is lying

355
00:15:46,433 --> 00:15:48,233
because you know
what you told her on May 8th?

356
00:15:48,300 --> 00:15:49,667
I'm listening.

357
00:15:49,734 --> 00:15:52,033
"Good afternoon, Trish.
Happy Mothers' Day.

358
00:15:52,100 --> 00:15:54,900
Look. I have always come through for you.

359
00:15:54,967 --> 00:15:58,200
So please, believe to achieve.

360
00:15:58,266 --> 00:16:00,700
I can't stop you
from doing what you want to do,

361
00:16:00,767 --> 00:16:02,734
but I'm asking you
not to go to the police.

362
00:16:02,800 --> 00:16:07,400
And no, I have not done anything
because I need you to believe

363
00:16:07,934 --> 00:16:09,433
so we can move on."

364
00:16:09,500 --> 00:16:12,133
- I sure said it, I...
- [Acker] And now you are suing her.

365
00:16:12,200 --> 00:16:16,533
Because she insisted that she get
a little bit back of the money.

366
00:16:16,600 --> 00:16:17,600
Did he ever say to you,

367
00:16:17,667 --> 00:16:20,233
"Look. You have no business asking
me for this money back"?

368
00:16:20,300 --> 00:16:21,834
- No, ma'am.
- [Acker] Did he ever say,

369
00:16:21,900 --> 00:16:25,266
"It's wrong for you
because I am being hurt, too"?

370
00:16:25,333 --> 00:16:26,734
- "I'm a victim."
- No, ma'am.

371
00:16:26,800 --> 00:16:29,100
[Acker] He always said,
"I'm just gonna pay you back.

372
00:16:29,166 --> 00:16:30,400
By the way, I need more money."

373
00:16:30,467 --> 00:16:32,266
- Was it something like that?
- Yes, ma'am.

374
00:16:32,333 --> 00:16:34,333
[Acker] Ms. Newell, who is your witness?

375
00:16:34,400 --> 00:16:36,367
Denoshie, and she's my best friend.

376
00:16:36,433 --> 00:16:38,266
- Can you take the stand please?
- Yes.

377
00:16:38,333 --> 00:16:39,433
[James, quietly] Oh, boy.

378
00:16:39,500 --> 00:16:41,133
In your witness statement,

379
00:16:41,200 --> 00:16:45,900
you actually said to the court
that it was you who suggested

380
00:16:45,967 --> 00:16:48,767
that the Plaintiff file this claim.
Why did you do that?

381
00:16:48,834 --> 00:16:51,266
[Denoshie] Because
when the Cash App incident happened,

382
00:16:51,333 --> 00:16:53,133
I was like, "You have to be careful.

383
00:16:53,200 --> 00:16:56,133
I don't know why you keep
giving him money, but I don't trust him."

384
00:16:56,200 --> 00:16:58,300
I really hate to see anybody
taken advantage of.

385
00:16:58,367 --> 00:17:00,533
I said, "Go and do a small claims court.

386
00:17:00,600 --> 00:17:02,567
Maybe you can get
some of your money back."

387
00:17:02,633 --> 00:17:05,532
- Thank you, ma'am. You can take a seat.
- Okay.

388
00:17:05,599 --> 00:17:08,333
I have nothing further.
Nothing further either, sir. Thank you.

389
00:17:08,400 --> 00:17:11,333
[DiMango] We are going to retire
to deliberate. Thank you, all.

390
00:17:11,400 --> 00:17:14,700
[Byrd] This court stands in recess.
Parties are excused.

391
00:17:16,300 --> 00:17:19,700
You know, scammers can always pick out
the person they can scam.

392
00:17:19,767 --> 00:17:24,066
And this Defendant here
certainly zoned in on her,

393
00:17:24,133 --> 00:17:27,567
and, in every way possible,
took advantage of her.

394
00:17:27,633 --> 00:17:30,233
She kept saying, "I'll go to the police.
I'll go to the police."

395
00:17:30,300 --> 00:17:33,200
I wrote in my notes,
"Go to the police already!

396
00:17:33,266 --> 00:17:36,700
When are you gonna catch on that this guy
is just taking money from you?"

397
00:17:36,767 --> 00:17:38,433
- And suing her.
- [DiMango] And suing her.

398
00:17:38,500 --> 00:17:41,333
I mean, that's the best part.
Suing her for the $800 title loan

399
00:17:41,400 --> 00:17:43,600
that he had to take, so, obviously,

400
00:17:43,667 --> 00:17:46,400
I think we're all pretty clear
the countersuit's going to be dismissed.

401
00:17:46,467 --> 00:17:48,300
And with regard to what she's asking for,

402
00:17:48,367 --> 00:17:51,066
and I think she was very modest
in what she was requesting,

403
00:17:51,133 --> 00:17:54,166
$3,058, she's entitled to every penny.

404
00:17:54,233 --> 00:17:55,266
[Levy] Mr. Jesse James

405
00:17:55,333 --> 00:17:58,700
has a very strange relationship
with the truth.

406
00:17:58,767 --> 00:18:00,333
And how do you know when he's lyin'?

407
00:18:00,400 --> 00:18:01,500
His mouth moves.

408
00:18:01,567 --> 00:18:04,300
That's how you know.
I mean, it's incredible.

409
00:18:04,367 --> 00:18:07,300
He preys on those
that he sees as vulnerable.

410
00:18:07,367 --> 00:18:09,066
Except he picked the wrong lady.

411
00:18:09,133 --> 00:18:11,400
He might have thought
that she had memory problems.

412
00:18:11,467 --> 00:18:14,100
And listen, she may very well have,
but what she did have

413
00:18:14,166 --> 00:18:16,567
was the ability
to look through her records.

414
00:18:16,633 --> 00:18:19,200
And her text messages,
which she kept.

415
00:18:19,266 --> 00:18:24,600
The fact that he went to the ATM
to check out her balance

416
00:18:24,667 --> 00:18:28,100
and then ran up charges... I mean,

417
00:18:28,166 --> 00:18:30,066
that's what scammers and criminals do.

418
00:18:30,133 --> 00:18:31,834
I think that she's entitled
to every penny.

419
00:18:31,900 --> 00:18:34,166
And likewise, his counterclaim?
Dismissed.

420
00:18:34,233 --> 00:18:35,800
His counterclaim is offensive.

421
00:18:35,867 --> 00:18:39,000
But if you just notice... I mean,
as you both have pointed out,

422
00:18:39,066 --> 00:18:42,166
consistently all he does
is string her along.

423
00:18:42,233 --> 00:18:46,000
"Please forgive me." "Believe to achieve."
"I know we owe you."

424
00:18:46,066 --> 00:18:49,567
The pattern, to me, is quite clear,
and I agree with you both.

425
00:18:49,633 --> 00:18:53,100
Dismiss the countersuit
and give her everything she's asking for.

426
00:18:53,166 --> 00:18:55,467
So we're unanimous. Thank you.

427
00:18:58,500 --> 00:19:00,100
Court is back in session.

428
00:19:00,166 --> 00:19:01,934
Parties are reminded
you're still under oath.

429
00:19:02,000 --> 00:19:05,133
[DiMango] Thank you, Byrd. You know,
God does work in mysterious ways.

430
00:19:05,700 --> 00:19:08,266
And, interestingly in this case,

431
00:19:08,333 --> 00:19:11,133
the person that you prayed for help
preyed on you.

432
00:19:11,200 --> 00:19:12,200
Yes, ma'am.

433
00:19:12,266 --> 00:19:14,100
[DiMango] And I think
that's the message here.

434
00:19:14,166 --> 00:19:16,867
If it doesn't feel right,
it's not right.

435
00:19:16,934 --> 00:19:18,867
- Yes, ma'am.
- [DiMango] At some point,

436
00:19:18,934 --> 00:19:23,000
you have to open your eyes.
You can't be that invested

437
00:19:23,066 --> 00:19:26,667
or entrenched in caring
or thinking that someone is helping you

438
00:19:26,734 --> 00:19:27,967
when you see it's not.

439
00:19:28,033 --> 00:19:29,367
- Yes, ma'am.
- [DiMango] And you.

440
00:19:29,433 --> 00:19:30,934
It's like the gall

441
00:19:31,000 --> 00:19:33,166
and the chutzpah never stops.

442
00:19:33,233 --> 00:19:37,166
The fact that you would even interpose
a counterclaim here,

443
00:19:37,233 --> 00:19:39,166
knowing what you did to her...

444
00:19:39,233 --> 00:19:41,066
You know exactly what you're doing.

445
00:19:41,133 --> 00:19:43,867
You know what you are.
You know who you are.

446
00:19:43,934 --> 00:19:47,433
And you just keep doing it.
The felony record didn't bother you.

447
00:19:47,500 --> 00:19:50,033
The burglary in the third degree
conviction didn't bother you.

448
00:19:50,100 --> 00:19:52,633
You just keep going.
You just take a different course.

449
00:19:52,700 --> 00:19:56,800
And you know what? You know
that if you go back to jail for a felony,

450
00:19:56,867 --> 00:20:00,066
you're what they call a predicate felon.
You have a prior felony conviction.

451
00:20:00,133 --> 00:20:02,200
You're looking at very serious time.

452
00:20:02,266 --> 00:20:05,333
And that's why,
in the last text that she sends,

453
00:20:05,400 --> 00:20:08,967
you, in your gall,
after stealing thousands from her,

454
00:20:09,033 --> 00:20:12,433
say, "Good afternoon, Trish.
Happy Mothers' Day.

455
00:20:12,500 --> 00:20:16,266
Look, I've always come through for you.
So please believe to achieve.

456
00:20:16,333 --> 00:20:20,433
I can't stop you from doing
what you want to do, but I'm asking you

457
00:20:20,934 --> 00:20:23,266
not to go to the police.

458
00:20:23,333 --> 00:20:25,066
But I need you to believe..."

459
00:20:25,133 --> 00:20:27,700
And, as was pointed out,
"...so we can move on."

460
00:20:27,767 --> 00:20:29,467
Yeah. "On" right into the courthouse.

461
00:20:29,533 --> 00:20:31,433
Don't speak to him after this.

462
00:20:31,500 --> 00:20:33,367
No conversations with him.

463
00:20:33,433 --> 00:20:36,567
'Cause everything he says is a lie.

464
00:20:36,633 --> 00:20:39,000
Everything he says.

465
00:20:39,066 --> 00:20:42,266
Do you have a doubt
that anything he's told you is true?

466
00:20:42,333 --> 00:20:43,834
No, ma'am. I have no doubt.

467
00:20:43,900 --> 00:20:47,900
Your counterclaim is unanimously
and gleefully dismissed.

468
00:20:47,967 --> 00:20:49,400
And you...

469
00:20:49,467 --> 00:20:52,233
In your modest request...
It was a modest request.

470
00:20:52,300 --> 00:20:53,300
Even to this point,

471
00:20:53,367 --> 00:20:55,500
it was a modest request
about what he owes you.

472
00:20:55,567 --> 00:20:59,000
...are entitled to the $3,058

473
00:20:59,066 --> 00:21:01,300
that you have unquestionably

474
00:21:01,367 --> 00:21:03,800
and unequivocally demonstrated
to the three of us

475
00:21:03,867 --> 00:21:05,433
that you are entitled to.

476
00:21:05,500 --> 00:21:09,700
And so, therefore, the verdict
is in your favor for that amount of money.

477
00:21:09,767 --> 00:21:12,834
I beg you, have him arrested.

478
00:21:12,900 --> 00:21:17,200
Stopping him from going to do this
to another woman.

479
00:21:17,266 --> 00:21:21,100
- That's your job here now. You have it?
- Yes, ma'am. Yes, ma'am, I will.

480
00:21:21,166 --> 00:21:23,266
I hope they lock you up for a long time.

481
00:21:24,100 --> 00:21:27,633
[Byrd] This case is concluded.
Parties are excused. You may step out.

482
00:21:30,767 --> 00:21:32,567
Actually I didn't take no money
from the woman.

483
00:21:32,633 --> 00:21:34,967
I'm very happy
I'm gonna get my money back. [giggles]

484
00:21:35,033 --> 00:21:37,000
Thing is, I was helping the woman.

485
00:21:37,066 --> 00:21:40,266
Then I actually gave money
out of my own pocket back to the woman.

486
00:21:40,333 --> 00:21:45,033
He used God and his children
and other things to push me along.

487
00:21:45,100 --> 00:21:49,233
I earned, from my taxes and stuff,
and I... back in February.

488
00:21:49,300 --> 00:21:51,967
And that's what I was in it for.
W- to help the family.

489
00:21:52,033 --> 00:21:53,834
That she needed this done and that done.

490
00:21:53,900 --> 00:21:55,900
And then she wouldn't let me live my life.

491
00:21:55,967 --> 00:21:57,000
In my soul, it hurt.

492
00:21:57,066 --> 00:21:58,367
Got to believe to achieve.

493
00:21:58,433 --> 00:21:59,600
Gonna go with my gut.

494
00:22:00,266 --> 00:22:01,800
[narrator] Are you a victim of a scam?

495
00:22:02,300 --> 00:22:05,533
Let Tribunal Justice decide your case.

496
00:22:05,600 --> 00:22:08,500
Find us on social media
at Tribunal Justice.

497
00:22:08,567 --> 00:22:10,233
[theme music playing]