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★★★★★

4.7

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1832 reviews

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He was born Hamish Watson, a surfie dude from Sydney – but he could morph into whatever you needed him to be. After pleading guilty to 18 charges, Hamish McLaren was sentenced in June 2020 to an aggregate sentence of 16 years in prison with a non-parole period of 12 years for 17 counts of fraud. He was given a fixed sentence of 7 years and 6 months for a single charge of money laundering, to be served concurrently. His overall sentence was reduced to 12 years imprisonment with a nine-year non-parole period on appeal in 2021. McLaren was released in July 2026 after nine years behind bars. These crimes are just the final pages in a resume too thick to staple; for decades he’s duped victims in the US, Canada, Britain, Hong Kong and Australia. How did he do it? How did he evade authorities around the world for so long and what’s he done with all those tens of millions of dollars he stole?

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Check latest episodes from Who the Hell is Hamish? podcast

10: The Reckoning

2026/08/11

For years Hamish McLaren had evaded the law. But not any more. The brutal truth, like a runaway out-of-control limited edition Mercedes McLaren, is bearing down on him. There's no escape. Judgement Day for Hamish McLaren has finally arrived. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

9: Bonus: Jane

2026/08/11

As a bonus for all listeners, we are publishing the full interview with Jane, recorded in her house north of Sydney. She speaks at length about her experiences of Hamish, the impact it had on her life, and how she hopes to begin moving on. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

8: The Definition of Evil

2026/08/11

It may appear that Hamish got away with his schemes for decades. But he didn't. He kept getting caught out, time and again. It's self evident that many systems failed to apprehend this serial offender. How could this be so? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

7: On the Couch with Hamish

2026/08/11

He killed off his parents, by air and by sea. He ran over his twin brother Phil, and killed him, too. What are we to make of these fanciful stories Hamish made up about his life? We've called in experts. And we've gathered bevy of ex-girlfriends to give us their take on their time with Hamish. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

6: Kevin from Queensland Goes to Canada

2026/08/11

Skiing was Hamish Watson's great love. Before he was a puffed-up futures trader in Sydney, he was a pumped-up muscle-bound ski instructor, in Australia and Canada. The ski fields of Canada were his home away from home, a place where he could show off the millions he'd stolen. He flew in on private jets, he bought properties, he handed out Rolex watches and he regaled the locals with tales of life as a billionaire who was mates with Tom and Nicole. But it wasn't all play and no work for Hamish in Canada. He stole millions, roping in a high end car dealership, and drawing the attention of a spy and a former Australian Prime Minister. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

5: Who the Hell is Phil?

2026/08/11

Hamish arrived on the floor of the Sydney Futures Exchange in the late 90s - he talked big, but they all knew he traded small. They called him a One Lot Wonder. And they all wondered where he got his cash. There were cars and boats and trips in private jets and a girlfriend called The Pleasure Machine. But it was all other people's money. One of his victims reported $20m dollars worth of fraud to police, but Hamish slithered away to strike again. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

4: The Intern

2026/08/11

Jane was destined for big things. She was the great hope of her local school. She was in love with Jack, her teenage sweetheart. Life was sweet. Then, along came Hamish, promising an internship and a placement at Princeton. Two families would be devastated by the results. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

3: The Gatsby of the Great Lakes

2026/08/11

Hamish arrived in sleepy Blueys Beach with a beautiful woman on his arm, and on the run from his past. Rumours of dark deeds wafted through in his wake. Then he met Bec Rosen. He'd shower her with love. They'd be married on the balcony of a beach shack. He'd become a father figure to her boys. And then he'd cruelly betray them all. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

2: Fashion Crimes

2026/08/11

Hamish McLaren was always attracted to the high-life. It was inevitable he'd gravitate to fashion. And so, nestled among the retirees and energy healers, Hamish stole from was another name: Lisa Ho. But had Hamish met his match in this high profile Sydney designer? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

1: The Day Max Died

2026/08/11

Tracy fell in love with Max Tavita, a man who won her over with tales of a life in the investment world and how he was working in the World Trade Center in New York when the first plane hit in 2001. Then Hamish crashed into their lives. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bonus: Jack Rosen

2019/03/01

Jack thought he had a solid role model when Hamish McLaren married his mum, Bec Rosen. But soon the spotlight fell on his high school sweetheart, as Hamish betrayed the family that had let him into their lives. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bonus: Catherine Coleman

2019/02/22

Catherine Coleman watched from the sidelines as Max Tavita entranced her good friend Tracy Hall. It's very difficult to burst the Hamish bubble, but she tried her hardest, fact checking his story however she could. But what do you do when you find evidence, but your friend refuses to take it seriously? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bonus: Lisa Ho

2019/02/15

Fashion designed Lisa Ho explains how Hamish inserted himself in her business, the red flags that started to worry her, and the perfect storm that ultimately imploded her life. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bonus: Tracy Hall

2019/02/06

An extended cut of Tracy Hall's interview, in which she explains how she met Max, the stories of his childhood and career in America, the arc of their relationship, and her sense of betrayal. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Introducing Who the Hell is Hamish?

2019/02/04

He was born Hamish Watson, a surfie dude from Sydney – but he could morph into whatever you needed him to be. Hamish is due to be sentenced to jail in early 2019 for swindling a handful of victims out of more than $7m. But these crimes are just the final pages in a resume too thick to staple; for decades he’s duped victims in the US, Canada, Britain, Hong Kong and Australia. How did he do it? How did he evade authorities around the world for so long and what’s he done with all those tens of millions of dollars he stole? On the trail of a serial conman. Who the Hell is Hamish? is an investigative podcast from the team that brought you The Teacher's Pet. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Podcast reviews

Read Who the Hell is Hamish? podcast reviews

4.7 out of 5

1832 reviews

★★★★☆

HarborGabby 2026/08/22

Please protect your guests and listeners

I registered to this and for first time last episode. Important story from Jane but recording her every cry, gulp and teary sob is too much. It’s no...

★★★☆☆

LOTravis 2026/06/12

Torn/mixed review

The content is unique and compelling. That alone kept me listening. Unfortunately the narrator and much of the audio on the personal interviews are VE...

★★★★★

Pinckney Princess 2026/05/21

Awesome podcast

Great job, had me binge listening. About Jane… she wasn’t old enough to be put in that position. She holds a lot of guilt, but clearly she was his vic...

★★★★★

KateJessie 2024/06/03

Hamish the predator

My heart aches for Jane. She was a CHILD. He groomed her and he is at fault for all of it. She was not able to discern the dangerousness of this man a...

★★★★★

Poppy272727 2024/02/11

Excellent Podcast

Compelling story. Extremely well investigated.

★★★★★

Mih_Hall 2023/08/19

Such good storytelling

This podcast was such great storytelling! No episode felt unnecessary, and despite my limited knowledge of the financial world Hamish operated in, I s...

★★★★★

Tante143 2022/06/12

A Different True Crime!

I don’t know why this isn’t towards the top of the list. This was a fascinating story ! This a wild story of Hamish who could Scam & Con with the best...

★★★☆☆

advisory2457 2022/05/03

Great podcast, horrible handling of sexual abuse

I totally agree with other reviews. Age of consent varies by location, but the adults in this story should have more compassion for Jane. Hamish’s beh...

★★★★★

Bamabeachfamily 2022/02/22

Excellent podcast

As a CPA in America I find white collar crime fascinating. This is a very well done podcast that delves into the lives of Hamish’s victims. It’s just ...

★★★★☆

kwoggletown 2021/07/05

Forgive Jane

I hope that Jane will forgive herself for getting played by the conniving bastard that robbed so many adults. She was only a teenager when she was man...

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