The Con - General Discussion

[ElectricBoogaloo]

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ABC News will debut the new primetime series "The Con," narrated by Emmy®, GRAMMY®, Tony® and Oscar® winner and The View moderator Whoopi Goldberg, on Wednesday, Oct. 14. The series explores the troubling tales of people taken in by claims and promises that proved too good to be true, from identity fraud and misleading romance to the high-profile college admission scandal and Fyre Festival. It will reveal how the victims were fooled and the cost of their false trust – emotional and financial. "The Con" will feature interviews with the key people caught up in the cons, including victims and eyewitnesses, and, in some cases, law enforcement and the perpetrators themselves. The series will lift the curtain on the people behind some of the most outrageous cons ever. "The Con" kicks off Wednesday, Oct. 14 (10:02-11:00 p.m. EDT), on ABC. 

In the series premiere, Goldberg introduces viewers to Benita Alexander, an award-winning documentary television producer and single mother, and Paolo Macchiarini, an internationally renowned surgeon. Alexander meets Macchiarini while producing a documentary on his groundbreaking surgical techniques using stem cells in synthetic trachea transplants. Despite crossing professional lines, Alexander finds herself wooed by Macchiarini's charm, intellect and good looks, and the pair quickly falls in love. After traveling the world together, the couple gets engaged and, according to Alexander, Macchiarini tells her he wants to take over planning the wedding. It quickly becomes a grand, fairy-tale affair with an impressive guest list, including Bill Clinton, Barack Obama and Elton John. He says they'll even be married by the pope. However, weeks before their Italian wedding, Alexander realizes things aren't as perfect as they seem and uses her investigative producer skills to uncover the truth behind Macchiarini and the planned wedding.

At around the same time, the Karolinska Institute, where Macchiarini performed some of his transplant surgeries, has been digging into allegations from Macchiarini's colleagues that he fabricated parts of his medical research.  Macchiarini eventually loses his position at the institute.  His groundbreaking surgeries have been under investigation by Swedish prosecutors, and just last week he was indicted on charges of aggravated assault relating to three of his surgeries. A court date has yet to be set and Macchiarini has not yet entered a plea. He has denied all of the allegations against him. The premiere episode includes interviews with Alexander, her friends, family and former co-workers.

Each week, "The Con" will document a different con and its victims. Future episodes feature the stories of Johnathan Walton and con artist Marianne Smyth, who claimed to be an Irish heiress whose family was trying to swindle her out of her massive inheritance; Anthony Gignac of Michigan, who created a false identity to deceive people into thinking he was a member of the Saudi royal family; and the story of three women who paid hundreds of thousands of dollars to psychic frauds who preyed on their vulnerability and dependency. 

 

[mamadrama]

This was interesting. I'd never heard of this story so now I have to fall down THAT rabbit hole. It's interesting how complacent people can become under the right con. That she pulled her kid out of school and quit her job without having ever seen the Barcelona home was... something. 

[TVbitch]

Interesting show. As a Dateline/ 48 Hours watcher it was good to know that she wasn't going to end up dead. The show makes a good point about how easy it is to be conned by someone who appears to be sane and successful. She met him while doing a news story on his ground-breaking surgery; it's not she met him on a dating app. He clearly had money and connections around the world, so when he started embellishing bit by bit, it was easy for her believe.  

I have the same question they all had at the end... what was his end game? Maybe these guys just like the thrill and don't think about that.  

[mamadrama]

15 minutes ago, TVbitch said:

Interesting show. As a Dateline/ 48 Hours watcher it was good to know that she wasn't going to end up dead. The show makes a good point about how easy it is to be conned by someone who appears to be sane and successful. She met him while doing a news story on his ground-breaking surgery; it's not she met him on a dating app. He clearly had money and connections around the world, so when he started embellishing bit by bit, it was easy for her believe.  

I have the same question they all had at the end... what was his end game? Maybe these guys just like the thrill and don't think about that.  

It would make a good season 3 of Dirty John.

It seems like some of these people, like Billy McFarland and the fake heiress, didn't have an endgame. They were just kinda hoping it all magically came together at the end. Or something. I never understood John, either. Debra loved him. He had access to her money. He could've had a good life if he hadn't started screwing with her. I think some of them are addicted to that thrill.

[TVbitch]

I am aware of the case, but I was not aware of the show Dirty John. Is it good? I should preface that by saying I can't stand shows that do re-enactments.

[Neurochick]

Dear Benita,

I have a bridge in Brooklyn that I'd like to sell you.  Because if you believe that dude, you'd believe anything.   I mean the red flags were not only flying, they were dancing and singing.  

Isn't the purpose of a con to have an end game?  What was the point of this?  Not like he was taking money from her.  I don't get why this is a con.  See, Benita thought she was all that, so of course this wealthy, powerful man would want her.  WRONG.  A guy like that would be looking for a twenty-five year old trophy wife.  

And then her friend sitting there crying saying, what would you do?  I'm like, "Girl, I wouldn't have believed this motherfucker."  She pulled her daughter out of school and quit her job without even seeing the house in Barcelona?  Without even seeing divorce papers?  I mean didn't she even Google the guy?

I would ask Benita, "if you met a man who was a bus driver or a plumber, would you have gone head over heels in love with him?"

 

 

Edited October 16, 2020 by Neurochick

[mamadrama]

3 hours ago, TVbitch said:

I am aware of the case, but I was not aware of the show Dirty John. Is it good? I should preface that by saying I can't stand shows that do re-enactments.

Dirty John is a scripted series about men playing dirty. This Paolo guy would fit right in because John was also a good-looking conman who pretended to be in the medical field (he was, sort of) and conned his way into the heart of a successful business woman.

Season 1: John and Debra (the series is based on this article and podcast) https://www.latimes.com/projects/la-me-dirty-john/

Season 2: Betty Broderick and Dan 

[Neurochick]

5 hours ago, mamadrama said:

I never understood John, either. Debra loved him. He had access to her money. He could've had a good life if he hadn't started screwing with her. I think some of them are addicted to that thrill.

John was a drug addict and the insanity of his addiction was his downfall. 

[biakbiak]

4 hours ago, Neurochick said:

have a bridge in Brooklyn that I'd like to sell you.  Because if you believe that dude, you'd believe anything.   I mean the red flags were not only flying, they were dancing and singing.  

 

I didn’t watch the show but read the article in Vanity Fair and the bullshit she bought was truly astounding. Yeah sure the Pope is going to marry two divorced people, no problems! I came away from that article not really liking or respecting her and giving crazy side to the medical community.

I probably will not watch this ep but will check out next weeks.

Edited October 16, 2020 by biakbiak

[zillabreeze]

On 10/16/2020 at 1:44 PM, Neurochick said:

A guy like that would be looking for a twenty-five year old trophy wife.  

Bingo!  My favorite point of all in your spot on post!  Benita & her whole crew didn't have the collective IQ of a goose.

On 10/16/2020 at 1:44 PM, Neurochick said:

would ask Benita, "if you met a man who was a bus driver or a plumber, would you have gone head over heels in love with him?"

And there's the rub and why I like a good con or catfish story!  The "victim" is usually taken in because of their own greed or inflated ego.  

[CrazyInAlabama]

I've also seen interviews with catfish "victims" who are actually part of the con, taking payments from others, and sending the money to the scammer.   

 I've never seen someone on a catfish show (Dr. Phil or others) that actually stopped sending money to their scammer.  They might say they will, but you know they're sending more the first time they can. 

There was one on Dr. Phil that refused to believe the boyfriend wasn't legit, and was cashing checks his other victims sent in, and sending the money to the scammer.    She didn't even believe anything was wrong when the authorities told her she was going to be charged with money laundering, and would lose everything, plus get jail time.  

A woman who lived near where I lived a few years ago was arrested by the Feds.   She was taking in tons of packages, relabeling, and sending the packages overseas.    When she was arrested the last batch hadn't been picked up yet, and it was over $250k in merchandise.   Communications, and computer items were purchased using another person's identity the scammers stole.    Virtually all of the computer and communications equipment was not able to be sent overseas because of it's military applications.     I don't know if the total amount she received and resent was ever announced.    The way everything came to light was the victim of the credit theft called the police when he saw what was being charged to him, and the police contacted the federal investigators, and it all traced to that stupid woman near me.    I know a lot of people who knew her, and they said she was as dumb as a box of hammers.     I never heard another word about what happened to her either.  

Edited October 19, 2020 by CrazyInAlabama

[EtheltoTillie]

As usual with con stories I find them interesting but I’m  not sympathetic to the victims. She lost her mind!  If she was an Emmy winning reporter, as she gloated to Dr. Macaroni at the end, Why didn’t she apply those skills at the beginning?  

[mamadrama]

2 hours ago, GussieK said:

As usual with con stories I find them interesting but I’m  not sympathetic to the victims. She lost her mind!  If she was an Emmy winning reporter, as she gloated to Dr. Macaroni at the end, Why didn’t she apply those skills at the beginning?  

I'm having trouble with that, too. This was not a sheltered woman, ignorant to the ways of the world. She had some money. She traveled. She gave everything up based on a promise. We could say that some of the foreigners do that on 90Day Fiance, but this goes way beyond that. She had the means to look into him and her purported new life, she just didn't.

[zillabreeze]

14 hours ago, CrazyInAlabama said:

I've never seen someone on a catfish show (Dr. Phil or others) that actually stopped sending money to their scammer.  They might say they will, but you know they're sending more the first time they can. 

Dr Schill gets on my last nerve, but I do love his catfish epis.  The level of delusion is off the chain. I don't even get it, don't those old fools own mirrors?  I'm this many years old and know damned well that no Antonio Banderas look alike is gonna lust over my old hide.  Those stupid old broads have chins/necks like a pelican and think some dude 30 years their junior is sporting wood for them?  Sheesh.

 

"She had the means to look into him and her purported new life, she just didn't."

IKR?? That part sets off my hinky meter!  I'm just a reg working stiff, but if I ever started to get serious with someone, I'd pony up a few bills with a local PI and get the background lowdown.  A legit freaking "journalist" should never have been hookwinked to that degree.

[Neurochick]

4 hours ago, zillabreeze said:

IKR?? That part sets off my hinky meter!  I'm just a reg working stiff, but if I ever started to get serious with someone, I'd pony up a few bills with a local PI and get the background lowdown.  A legit freaking "journalist" should never have been hookwinked to that degree.

She didn't even need to do all that. 

She quit her job.  She pulled her daughter out of school (that last part bugs me).  She had never even been to the home on Barcelona, where they were supposed to live.  How can you assume everything was on the up and up when you haven't even been to the man's home, where YOU and YOUR CHILD are supposed to live?  

My mom watched this last night, she had questions.  Did she have to pay for all those gowns?  Also, what did that man think was going to happen when all those people showed up in Italy and had nowhere to stay and there was no wedding?  Don't get it.

[TVbitch]

That's what I don't get, he really took this to the end of the line, still claiming the wedding was on and all was well. I mean, did he just want it to end in a big disaster at the palace?  That would surely become news and shine a big light on him as a con. He could have just told her a couple weeks before "oops I'm gonna stay with my ex" which would have pissed her off but not become a media story. I don't get it! 

I cut this woman more slack than the delusional Dr. Phil ladies, cuz this guy actually was who he said he was, was spending all kinds of time with her, was taking her on trips, and spending a shit ton of money on her. He clearly WAS into her ...just as a side piece. 

[mamadrama]

1 hour ago, TVbitch said:

That's what I don't get, he really took this to the end of the line, still claiming the wedding was on and all was well. I mean, did he just want it to end in a big disaster at the palace?  That would surely become news and shine a big light on him as a con. He could have just told her a couple weeks before "oops I'm gonna stay with my ex" which would have pissed her off but not become a media story. I don't get it! 

I cut this woman more slack than the delusional Dr. Phil ladies, cuz this guy actually was who he said he was, was spending all kinds of time with her, was taking her on trips, and spending a shit ton of money on her. He clearly WAS into her ...just as a side piece. 

I don't get it, either. It's a little like the Fyre Festival. What did they think people would do when they showed up and had no villa? No activities? No 5* dining?

Maybe Paolo was so delusional he literally thought things would magically come together at the end. If he planned on breaking up with her a week before the wedding. This was a weird one.

[EtheltoTillie]

21 hours ago, mamadrama said:

I don't get it, either. It's a little like the Fyre Festival. What did they think people would do when they showed up and had no villa? No activities? No 5* dining?

Maybe Paolo was so delusional he literally thought things would magically come together at the end. If he planned on breaking up with her a week before the wedding. This was a weird one.

 

21 hours ago, mamadrama said:

I don't get it, either. It's a little like the Fyre Festival. What did they think people would do when they showed up and had no villa? No activities? No 5* dining?

Maybe Paolo was so delusional he literally thought things would magically come together at the end. If he planned on breaking up with her a week before the wedding. This was a weird one.

I think these people are so delusional they just don't think of the end game.  They are so caught up in the compulsion to self-aggrandize that it doesn't stop them.  What did Bernie Madoff think each day?  He just compartmentalized? 

I react more to the fact that this reporter didn't exercise common sense.  After the scientific misconduct allegations were revealed, she should have been running away!  But she continued buying wedding dresses.  And who lets a prospective husband arrange a wedding in another country with absolutely no participation?  So many red flags. 

Edited October 20, 2020 by GussieK

[mamadrama]

2 hours ago, GussieK said:

 

I think these people are so delusional they just don't think of the end game.  They are so caught up in the compulsion to self-aggrandize that it doesn't stop them.  What did Bernie Madoff think each day?  He just compartmentalized? 

I react more to the fact that this reporter didn't exercise common sense.  After the scientific misconduct allegations were revealed, she should have been running away!  But she continued buying wedding dresses.  And who lets a prospective husband arrange a wedding in another country with absolutely no participation?  So many red flags. 

Yeah, I know we're not meant to victim blame but some of her choices were very poor-like pulling her kid out of school and quitting her job before she'd even seen the house in Barcelona.

[EtheltoTillie]

3 minutes ago, mamadrama said:

Yeah, I know we're not meant to victim blame but some of her choices were very poor-like pulling her kid out of school and quitting her job before she'd even seen the house in Barcelona.

I don't like to victim blame either, but at least here she was not a big financial victim.  Unless we are not getting the full story, she didn't give him a lot of money.  Her main financial loss seems to be paying for those wedding dresses and leaving her job.  He didn't seem to be in it for a financial con.

[Madding crowd]

I just watched this and cannot believe this woman. I’m a journalist myself and we are a curious lot. And I have never met a woman who wanted zero input in her own wedding or who would be willing to bring her daughter to a home in another country she has never seen.

Paulo seems to be one of those grandiose liars who gets thrills out of conning people. My friend met a guy like this 20 years ago. He was a car salesman but claimed to be a famous lawyer who sold cars while getting his Chicago license. He also claimed to live in the penthouse in the John Hancock building and owned a yacht that he was going to take her on a trip around the world. I finally couldn’t stand it and I and proved to her pretty quickly that he was lying. I still don’t know what he wanted; my friend didn’t have money and he never asked for anything.

The only person I feel bad for us the little girl who already lost her dad and was a victim to her mom wanting to meet celebrities and be a princess. I also feel terrible about this guys patient me who died because of this man’s arrogance. I know they were already very ill but had to go thru so much because of his lies.

Edited October 20, 2020 by Madding crowd

[mamadrama]

56 minutes ago, GussieK said:

I don't like to victim blame either, but at least here she was not a big financial victim.  Unless we are not getting the full story, she didn't give him a lot of money.  Her main financial loss seems to be paying for those wedding dresses and leaving her job.  He didn't seem to be in it for a financial con.

Yes, that was the good thing. The worst part, other than the embarassment, is that a child was involved. 

[Neurochick]

7 minutes ago, Madding crowd said:

The only person I feel bad for us the little girl who already lost her dad and was a victim to her mom wanting to meet celebrities and be a princess. I also feel terrible about this guys patient me who died because of this man’s arrogance. I know they were already very ill but had to go thru so much because of his lies.

I agree.  I don't consider that woman a victim.  I consider her daughter a victim though.  Benita Alexander wanted to live the high life.  She wanted to be a celebrity herself.  I think the reason she was documenting everything was because she wanted to put it all on Instagram.

[EtheltoTillie]

Really, what kind of an SOB does that to a child who just lost her father.  Disgraceful.  

[TVbitch]

Another interesting episode. I guess Shark Tank producers don't make as much as you might think. I've never lent a friend more than $20. Mer did the long con though, spending money on him, then borrowing money and paying it back, to build trust for the bigger payout.

My BS meter would have led to me googling once the Irish Royalty and inheritance story came out. I would have been like, girl, if you have a $5 million inheritance that you are struggling to get cuz you aren't in Ireland, go to fucking Ireland, get your $5 million and then come back to the states!   

I FF over the first minute of the show, so I don't know what is going to happen or how it will play out; it makes it more interesting for me that way. 

[Madding crowd]

I thought this one was kind of boring compared to last week. I couldn’t understand why the guy gave her all that money if he was almost broke. I came away from this thinking it must be exhausting to be a scammer and have to make up stories, fake accents and emails etc. 

[EtheltoTillie]

1 hour ago, Madding crowd said:

I thought this one was kind of boring compared to last week. I couldn’t understand why the guy gave her all that money if he was almost broke. I came away from this thinking it must be exhausting to be a scammer and have to make up stories, fake accents and emails etc. 

I had that thought too.  Borrowing money to lend money?  Hell, no!  They always say that people who are scammed have some element of greed involved.  Perhaps he thought he would have a payday somehow?

I've always thought that too, that scamming takes up so much energy, and like that travel agent colleague said, if she had just worked normally, she would have been successful.  There is some major screw loose in such people.  What a sad story about how she abandoned her daughter!

Most interesting is that she seemed to play big cons and small ones.  She was well versed in all kinds of schemes.  She resorted to being an old school psychic cold reader when fired from her other job. She probably was very skilled at that.  Some psychics prey on people for big money, when they convince some to pay them large sums to remove "spells" and evil juju.  It's hard to prosecute them.   The women who said they were scammed by her psychic practice did not seem to have lost a lot of money, though--did anyone have that impression?  If you pay $20 or $50 for a "psychic reading," it's just entertainment.  Dumb entertainment, but entertainment.  If you pony up $400,000 to remove a spell (as happened in a case here in NYC), you're just an idiot.

BTW, I've been watching this show and the Nxivm shows.  I've watched the Scientology shows.  Both groups are people who have lost their BS meter or never had one.  One group joins a cult and gives the cult a lot of money after listening to a lot of BS.  Victims of other cons also give money when told another kind of BS. 

Very important question:  did they ever get their swimming pool back at the apartment complex?  That question was not answered!

[mamadrama]

She had me side eyeing the whole signature on the Irish constitution thing (there are no signatures on it) and the fact that the Republic of Ireland HAS NO real royal family (the monarchy is questionable and complicated).  

It was jarring for me to go from watching The Conners struggling with eviction to watching folks drop $600 on dinner.

[Neurochick]

21 hours ago, GussieK said:

BTW, I've been watching this show and the Nxivm shows.  I've watched the Scientology shows.  Both groups are people who have lost their BS meter or never had one.  One group joins a cult and gives the cult a lot of money after listening to a lot of BS.  Victims of other cons also give money when told another kind of BS. 

People lose their BS meter when it comes to certain people.  Mer was attractive, she dressed well, she was well spoken.  Some people view those things as character assets.

[zillabreeze]

11 hours ago, Neurochick said:

People lose their BS meter when it comes to certain people.  Mer was attractive, she dressed well, she was well spoken.  Some people view those things as character assets.

Yep.  In the case of these victims, they were just besides their selves thinking that they were BFFs with "Royalty"

We know damned well that when talking to their other (regular) friends it was all "Meir this , Meir that, my friend Meir".   

The name dropping was prob irritating AF, but the "victims" were basking in their perceived elevation up the social ladder.

So, again the takeaway is that scam victims are getting some kind of payoff, even if it's just an ego stroke.

[mamadrama]

2 hours ago, zillabreeze said:

Yep.  In the case of these victims, they were just besides their selves thinking that they were BFFs with "Royalty"

We know damned well that when talking to their other (regular) friends it was all "Meir this , Meir that, my friend Meir".   

The name dropping was prob irritating AF, but the "victims" were basking in their perceived elevation up the social ladder.

So, again the takeaway is that scam victims are getting some kind of payoff, even if it's just an ego stroke.

Yep. He was kinda star gazing. She also claimed to be friends with Jennifer Aniston and Ashley Judd and made up fake email addresses and phone numbers for them. They'd occasionally text or write. 

[howiveaddict]

Her most despicable act was having a scam go fund me for her dead child who she abandoned   

 

[AuntieDiane6]

Quote

like pulling her kid out of school 

It's not that big of a deal in NYC. First, she probably just had her finish the school year and THEN told the school she wasn't coming back in the fall. I'm assuming the girl went to a private school. She could probably return easily enough. 

I think her "vetting" was off because hey, she read about him first in The NEW YORK TIMES, so she knew he was legitimate and second, he actually DID pay for those trips. It wasn't like she got a call a month later from the CC company saying the bill wasn't paid.

Those dresses were probably $5,000-$10,000 each.  And how about their poor friends who spent all that money for plane fare and didn't get to go. 

 

 

[biakbiak]

On 10/26/2020 at 3:47 PM, AuntieDiane6 said:

think her "vetting" was off because hey, she read about him first in The NEW YORK TIMES, so she knew he was legitimate and second, he actually DID pay for those trips. It wasn't like she got a call a month later from the CC company saying the bill wasn't paid.

 

Sorry I can’t get over any rational news professional thinking that the Pope is going to marry two divorcees, one non-Catholic, at an outdoor ceremony in Lake Cuomo. She is a news producer she should be aware of how laudatory profiles even in print media often gloss over shit. 

Edited October 28, 2020 by biakbiak

[GoGamecox]

It was fortuitous that Benita was filming everything from start to finish for the big "wedding" but then continued to film once she discovered it was a lie. Now she can capitalize on all of it for professional gain. The average person getting scammed doesn't get that opportunity. 

The guy in the second episode, Johnathan, was fascinating in that he was so very determined to get justice. I wonder if Mair will team up with a writer and try to write a book about her life and try to get her own gain off of it.

You would think a quick google of Irish royalty would prove her story false early on in the LA game?

Here is an interesting article about the scam: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/mair-smyth-con-artist-los-angeles_n_5d499eb1e4b01ae816c937f3.

And here is Walton's blog about it all: https://johnathanwalton.com.

Edited again to add that Walton's blog is looking for someone to help him release his own book about Mair. 

 

Edited October 28, 2020 by GoGamecox
Added the Walton blog URL

[zillabreeze]

The victims just don't yank my heartstrings at all.

It's only logical that if someone is really getting a huge trust fund (millions) or whatever, there are banks and lawyers all up in that.  If the trust/inheritance is for real, those bankers & lawyers would happily front the running money.  No need to beg friends or acquaintances.

[Neurochick]

On 10/26/2020 at 6:47 PM, AuntieDiane6 said:

It's not that big of a deal in NYC. First, she probably just had her finish the school year and THEN told the school she wasn't coming back in the fall. I'm assuming the girl went to a private school. She could probably return easily enough. 

I'm sure it was a big deal to her, being separated from her friends.

[mamadrama]

On 10/26/2020 at 6:47 PM, AuntieDiane6 said:

It's not that big of a deal in NYC. First, she probably just had her finish the school year and THEN told the school she wasn't coming back in the fall. I'm assuming the girl went to a private school. She could probably return easily enough. 

I think her "vetting" was off because hey, she read about him first in The NEW YORK TIMES, so she knew he was legitimate and second, he actually DID pay for those trips. It wasn't like she got a call a month later from the CC company saying the bill wasn't paid.

Those dresses were probably $5,000-$10,000 each.  And how about their poor friends who spent all that money for plane fare and didn't get to go. 

 

 

It's not so much the logistics of her pulling her kid out of school, people move all the time, it's that she did so without having ever seen the place they were moving to. When we moved we found a house, but we also toured the nearby schools in order to get a grasp on what our kids' educational options were there. Websites and photos only go so far...

[mamadrama]

1 hour ago, zillabreeze said:

The victims just don't yank my heartstrings at all.

It's only logical that if someone is really getting a huge trust fund (millions) or whatever, there are banks and lawyers all up in that.  If the trust/inheritance is for real, those bankers & lawyers would happily front the running money.  No need to beg friends or acquaintances.

Am I the only one who was underwhelmed with the $5 million inheritance? Don't get me wrong, that's a fortune to me and would last me years and years. I live in a place, though, where nice houses can still be bought for less than $120,000 and if you ordered everything off the menu at our town's most expensive restaurant the bill would still be less than my car payment. In a place where tossing down $600 for dinner or paying $2 million for a house only to tear it down are common, Mair woulda blown through that cash like a tornado in a trailer park.

[mamadrama]

Latest episode bored me. I've heard enough about the college admissions scam. I wanted another one that I'm not that familiar with.

[TVbitch]

Yep, that one was a snooze. 

[greekmom]

I did enjoy watching the one on the college scandal just because I didn't know the logistics expect for the fact they had Olivia Jade in as a rower.

I went back and watching the one on the Irish heiress. 

[mamadrama]

The parents seemed shortsighted. Sure you can pay X amount to get them in, but what about when they inevitably flunk out? Fake ACT scores can only get you through the door.

[CrazyInAlabama]

Yes, getting in is easier than staying in, but my guess is the 'students' went the easiest courses, and I'm sure a lot of the huge Math 101, etc have cheat material available for a price, and there are still term paper writing services too.         It would interest me to see the actual academic performance of some of the ones that were cheated on admissions.   

Where I went to college in the 70's, there was a girl from a wealthy family, she bought term papers, found people who would get her test answers, or were student test graders, and through bribery and other means, she went through three years of college before she got caught.   Since she was rich, they made her sit out the rest of that year, and then she could return.     If that would have been any of us regular folks, we would have been expelled, and never to return.    The teacher who proved she cheated and stole the test with her boyfriend was treated like garbage from then on, and eventually went elsewhere.  

Edited October 30, 2020 by CrazyInAlabama

[greekmom]

1 hour ago, mamadrama said:

The parents seemed shortsighted. Sure you can pay X amount to get them in, but what about when they inevitably flunk out? Fake ACT scores can only get you through the door.

True. But if you can cheat your way in you can cheat your way through the 4 years. Buying papers, having someone else take tests, paying off profs, etc. 

I mean I can name certain individuals in public office but choose not to.

[Neurochick]

1 hour ago, mamadrama said:

The parents seemed shortsighted. Sure you can pay X amount to get them in, but what about when they inevitably flunk out? Fake ACT scores can only get you through the door.

I went to a private school in NYC and many of the graduates went to Ivy League universities.  When I was a senior, two former students, who were in Harvard, came to talk to us; they said the hardest part of Harvard was getting in.  

[mamadrama]

6 minutes ago, greekmom said:

True. But if you can cheat your way in you can cheat your way through the 4 years. Buying papers, having someone else take tests, paying off profs, etc. 

I mean I can name certain individuals in public office but choose not to.

Lol. True. But Olivia Jade didn't seem smart enough to go along with that. Someone who gets on YT and announces to the world that she's just there to party and may or may not attend classes is the same kind of person who would giddily declare that her family is paying off her professors for her grades-unlike those other suckers who do lame things like study and show up.

[mamadrama]

3 minutes ago, Neurochick said:

I went to a private school in NYC and many of the graduates went to Ivy League universities.  When I was a senior, two former students, who were in Harvard, came to talk to us; they said the hardest part of Harvard was getting in.  

I attended Harvard for a year. Unfortunately, despite having a good financial aid package for being poor, I wasn't able to return the next year. We just couldn't afford it. I got a 32 on my ACTs and had a high GPA, and I found my General Ed classes there to be tough. I wound up getting my undergraduate degree from Belmont University (at the time it was the #1 liberal arts school in the south and had a 24% acceptance rate) and my MA at the University of Wales in the UK. I did not find that Harvard was the easier of the three. Getting in was difficult, but it's not like it was all downhill from there. Our curriculum was challenging and all of my professors were demanding. They were a lot stricter on attendance and deadlines than my other schools. There really is no one size fits all there, though. There are many departments, degree programs, and professors of varying importance there. Level of difficulty is dependent upon a lot of factors. 

[Neurochick]

8 hours ago, greekmom said:

I did enjoy watching the one on the college scandal just because I didn't know the logistics expect for the fact they had Olivia Jade in as a rower.

I thought it was interesting.  Those parents were some of the worst pieces of pond scum ever.

Here's a fun fact.  Felicity Huffman was in the Netflix movie "When They See Us,"  playing Linda Fairstein.  I went to the premiere of this movie in May of 2019; all the cast was there, EXCEPT Felicity Huffman.  When she came on screen, you could hear people in the audience snicker seeing her face.  

Edited October 30, 2020 by Neurochick

[greekmom]

17 minutes ago, Neurochick said:

I thought it was interesting.  Those parents were some of the worst pieces of pond scum ever.

Rich  privilege .  I loved the fact how the contrasted their actions with what they preached on television or on YT/IG.

I never understood the whole thing about going to a specific school unless it was going to a profession like an engineer, doctor or lawyer.  I went to a decent university in my town (Laurier University) and the one up the street was more prestigious (Waterloo University). In the end, due to the program I was studying, it was all gravy.  Didn't matter.