
Advertise on podcast: Fraudish
Rating
5from
This podcast has
240 episodes
Language
EnglishPublisher
Kelly PaxtonExplicit
No
Date created
2020/09/03
Latest episode
2026/10/20
Average duration
49 min.
Release period
9 days
Description
Fraudish is a podcast to help those working in fraud. Hosted by Kelly Paxton, Certified Fraud Examiner, Ex-Private Investigator, and Pink Collar Crime Expert. Kelly is a former special agent turned investigator specializing in embezzlement and workplace dishonesty cases. Fraudish interviews outstanding fraud professionals so you can continue to move forward in your career. Origin stories, tips, resources are just some of the amazing fraud content you will hear each Tuesday.
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Kelley Brubaker CPA Lawyers missing money
2026/10/20
Fraud in Law Firms: Trust Accounts, Controls, and ‘Surprise and Delight’ Auditing (with Kelley Brubaker, CPA)
Connect with Kelley: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kelleybrubaker/
https://www.profitscalethrive.com/link-in-bio
https://www.profitscalethrive.com/about
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yQx-5aFarKk&list=PLg49S9w-ON1IsOz0v3sk8nMwD_1PuLXyV&index=23
Host Kelly interviews Kelley Brubaker, CPA, who runs a 21-year accounting firm and has spent the last decade focused on law firms, about embezzlement patterns and practical prevention. Brubaker recounts her Big Four audit discovery of an ATM-deposit fraud and explains how theft often starts as “borrowing” that snowballs, especially when trust accounting is messy or poorly understood. They discuss gender patterns (men stealing higher dollar amounts, women more often), warning signs like sudden lifestyle changes, and why most law firms avoid reporting to law enforcement due to shame and reputation concerns, relying instead on DOJ press releases and bar discipline records for cases. Brubaker emphasizes controls and “surprise and delight” spot checks, limits on access (cards, signing, wires), the reality that banks don’t proactively verify signatures, and tools like Ramp to separate initiation and approval.
00:00 Meet Two Kellys
00:20 Fraudster Dinner Question
01:11 Who Steals More
03:26 Cookies And Red Flags
05:08 Kelley's CPA Origin Story
07:37 Law Firm Embezzlement Patterns
10:30 Trust Accounts And Controls
15:12 Surprise And Delight Audits
17:33 Why Firms Avoid Police
23:52 Signature Rules Dont Work
28:59 Death Valley Firm Size
31:15 Conference Q&A Confessions
32:52 Money Mindset for Lawyers
35:08 Nonprofit Fraud Hiring Story
37:14 Fraud in Pop Culture Picks
37:59 Career Path and Legal Research
42:09 Clients Who Went to Jail
43:57 Fraud Controls for Growing Firms
48:34 Partnerships and Money Fights
52:19 Tone at the Top and Tax Write Offs
Robert Nordlander-Fraud Podcasters unite!
2026/10/13
Robert Nordlander on Fraudsters, IRS CI, and Building a Career in Forensic Accounting
Kelly interviews forensic accountant and former IRS Criminal Investigation agent Robert Nordlander about fraud, career paths, and professional development. Nordlander names Kevin Mitnick, Marc Rich, and Charles Ponzi as fraudsters he’d most like to have dinner with, and argues most fraudsters are more charismatic than smart.
Asked who steals more, he says women more often in embezzlement due to greater representation in office and bookkeeping roles, while men more often commit violent theft. He recounts becoming a CPA, serving as a city councilman and reserve deputy in North Carolina, then spending nearly 21 years in IRS CI before starting a forensic accounting practice during COVID. He discusses why IRS CI excels at following money, enjoys criminal tax defense and bankruptcy cases, explains challenges of innocent spouse claims, and advises aspiring fraud investigators to get training, seek mentorship, use LinkedIn strategically, and create content such as a podcast.
Connect with Robert:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-nordlander/
https://www.nordlandercpa.com/
https://www.forensicscpe.com/courses/index.html
https://my-cpe.com/continuing-education/robert-nordlander
https://my-cpe.com/continuing-education/robert-nordlander
01:03 Dinner With Fraudsters
04:24 Who Steals More
08:54 From CPA to IRS CI
14:26 Why IRS Follows Money
17:26 Too Jaded for Fraud TV
21:33 Tax Shelter Trouble
22:51 Defending Criminal Tax Cases
27:47 Criminal Tax Secrets
28:11 Choosing the Right Cases
29:17 Why Bankruptcy Works
30:59 Bankruptcy as Marketing
32:02 Bankruptcy Filing Gotchas
33:03 Innocent Spouse Explained
36:23 Asset Seizure Realities
39:40 Training for Fraud Work
42:27 Courses and Mentorship
47:34 Build a Podcast Career
50:39 Handling Criticism Online
Melina Palmer 6 year anniversary of Fraudish!!!
2026/10/06
Six-Year Anniversary Episode: Behavioral Science, Status Quo Bias, and How Culture Fuels (or Prevents) Fraud
Kelly marks the six-year anniversary of Great Women in Fraud/Fraudish with guest Melina Palmer, host of The Brainy Business podcast and an applied behavioral economics instructor who co-created Texas A&M’s certificate program.
In a speed round, Palmer names Bernie Madoff (and possibly Ponzi) as interesting fraud interviews and discusses how “who steals more” depends on whether you mean dollars or frequency. They connect behavioral science to fraud through communication, AI’s mixed value in drafting and research, and problems with low-quality AI content and “pitch slapping” on LinkedIn. Palmer explains bike shedding (productive procrastination) and shares examples of status quo bias and change failure, including Tropicana’s 2009 packaging redesign leading to a 20% sales drop and $50M loss, plus New Coke and current Coca-Cola labeling issues. They discuss tribalism, social proof, whistleblowing, expense-report loopholes, per diems, calibration, inequity aversion (capuchin monkeys rejecting cucumbers when others get grapes), and how tone at the top and perceived unfairness can drive employee rationalization and fraud; Palmer recommends Eric Ries’ Incorruptible.
Connect with Melina: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melinapalmer/
https://thebrainybusiness.com/
https://thebrainybusiness.com/learn-with-us/
Fairness study with monkeys! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=meiU6TxysCg
https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Incorruptible/Eric-Ries/9798893311860
00:00 Anniversary Kickoff
01:06 Speed Round Fraudsters
03:21 Behavioral Science Background
05:28 Teaching And Podcasting
06:23 Speaking Under Pressure
09:32 AI Hype And Reality
14:35 Bike Shedding Explained
17:20 Status Quo Bias Brands
22:37 Tribalism And Expense Loopholes
28:42 Fairness And Inequity Aversion
32:34 Books For Fraudish Fans
34:59 Culture Trust And Tone
Jon David Huffman- Law, Fraud, and Justice
2026/09/22
Kelly interviews Georgia attorney Jon David Huffman about fraud cases and victim experience. Huffman says embezzlement in positions of trust is more often committed by women in his experience, discusses the difficulty of finding good lawyers, and notes investigators could be stronger referral sources though rules limit referral fees.
Jon explains his career path was influenced by a mentor and a decade-long family dispute rooted in a fraudulent M&A deal, leading him to a practice where he found about 80% of cases involve fraud. He describes using Georgia’s private warrant process when police decline clear-cut fraud, contrasts rural vs. metro prosecution challenges, and shares trial moments where cross-examination exposes cons. He’s writing “The Real Cost of Fraud” to counter victim self-blame, recounts being conned twice, and recommends resources like American Greed and fraud-related books.
Connect with Jon: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jondavidhuffman/
00:25 Fraudster Dinner Picks
01:26 Who Embezzles More
02:44 Origin Story of Fraud Lawyer
04:52 Bad Lawyers and Referrals
07:10 Private Warrants When Cops Won’t
10:11 Selling Fraud Cases to Prosecutors
12:41 Victim Emotions and Grief
15:33 Why Trials Are Thrilling
18:08 Why Fraud Cases Don’t Settle
21:23 Brazenness and Range Rovers
24:55 Writing The Real Cost of Fraud
26:52 Books and Red Flags
30:00 Even Lawyers Get Conned
31:31 Law Firm Embezzlement Story
33:54 Fraud Docs and Reading List
36:34 Final Advice and Wrap Up
Sean Mueller Closing ACFE Global Interview
2026/09/15
From Hedge Fund Fraud to Redemption: Sean's Story at ACFE Global
In this Fraudish episode, the host interviews Sean, a former hedge fund manager who spoke at the 37th annual ACFE Global conference closing. Sean describes growing up in a working-class Denver home, dropping out of college, becoming a stockbroker, and launching a short-term trading hedge fund at 32. After early success, a losing month threatened his identity, leading him to conceal losses, escalate deception, and contemplate suicide when the SEC investigated; he instead cooperated, accepted responsibility, and later served 13.75 years of a 40-year state-prison sentence, plus six months in a halfway house, earning time off through good behavior and an associate’s degree. He shares prison lessons on judgment, authenticity, and trust, then reintegration through completing a bachelor’s degree and speaking, including a podcast that led ACFE’s John Gill to invite him to speak. The conversation also touches on fraudster dinner choices (Nixon), gender and theft, recommended books and podcasts, leadership lessons from prison softball, and a humorous aside about Mercedes vs. Range Rovers.
00:40 Dinner With a Fraudster
01:54 Who Steals More
03:42 From Denver to Hedge Fund
05:29 First Loss and Cover Up
07:01 SEC Call and Ledge
08:12 Cooperating and Identity
09:47 Family Ego and Balance
13:58 Prison Reality Check
18:44 Trust Among Manipulators
20:31 Time Served and Halfway House
23:28 Speaking Path to ACFE
25:30 Mercedes Not Range Rover
27:09 Podcast Influences
28:32 Money Talk and Private Jets
29:50 Finance Shows That Miss
33:25 Wall Street Roots and Validation
35:08 Writing the Redemption Book
37:48 Integrity Culture Reading List
39:35 Did Employees Know
41:08 How Investors Trusted Him
45:18 Next 15 Years and Leadership
Connect with Sean:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/seanmueller5280/
https://proactiveethics.com/
Unraveling Fraud: The Legal Battle with Neal Levin
2026/09/08
Psychology of Belief with Neal aka Fraud Guy
Kellly interviews fraud attorney Neal, head of Global Fraud Investigations and Asset Recovery at the law firm Rimón, about his 30+ year career representing receivers, trustees, banks, insurers, investors, and victims of large-scale Ponzi and other financial crimes.
In a wide-ranging discussion, Neal says men commit more fraud, explains why “clean” bankruptcy files are uncommon, and shares examples of debtors hiding assets (including collector cars and offshore trusts) and how trustees lack resources to pursue fraud.
He talks about his first major fraud work enforcing a $1.5M State Farm judgment and describes fraudster psychology as consistent with antisocial personality traits and narcissistic tendencies, arguing fraud is often about power, not money. They also discuss ethics risks for “fraud warriors,” victim belief and sunk cost, synthetic identity fraud growth, and lawyers going bad.
Connect with Neal:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/fraudattorney/
Do you know what Rimon means?
00:46 Ponzi Dinner Pick
01:45 Who Steals More
03:26 Inside Rimón Firm
06:42 Bankruptcy Fraud Tales
12:32 Trustee Life Reality
15:26 First Fraud Case
17:58 Fraud Warrior Ethics
20:17 Theranos and Dirty Tactics
23:17 Power Lawyers and Lies
24:51 Fraudster Psychology Profile
27:31 Power Over Money
28:59 Madoff And Affinity Fraud
29:57 Fraud Warrior Temptations
31:12 Accountability Versus Justice
33:00 Why Smart Victims Fall
35:54 Fraud Getting Worse
38:25 Belief Beats Rationality
40:28 Pop Culture Gets Fraud Wrong
43:30 Lawyers Going Bad
46:35 System Fails Self Policing
Johnathan Walton is back! Exposing the Con: Jonathan Walton's Journey Through Fraud"
2026/09/01
Hardcore Con, the Shoebox Scam, and How Fear Fuels Fraud with Johnathan Walton
Kelly interviews returning guest Johnathan Walton about cons, victims, and his podcast Hardcore Con. They discuss how anyone can be scammed, especially those who believe it can’t happen to them, and how multiple “red flags” compound; Kelly also describes adopting a family “code word” to thwart scams.
Walton breaks down the “shoebox” case in which a financial journalist was manipulated by spoofed calls and fake FTC/CIA agents into withdrawing $50,000 and handing it to a stranger, explaining how scammers use fear, emotion, and sunk cost fallacy. They touch on jury-duty and tech-support scams, Walton’s efforts to help victims build compelling cases for police, and his series Cocaine Air. Walton previews Hardcore Con episodes on Brittany Murphy, arguing a con artist husband isolated her and withheld medical care, and teases an upcoming episode about an Amazon-related blackmail scheme.
Previous link to Johnathan's first appearance:
https://open.spotify.com/episode/2pOZAQ9W8rRfURhyfQVJd8
https://www.buzzsprout.com/1261361/episodes/17653295-even-fraud-has-a-silver-lining-with-johnathan-walton
01:37 No Victim Shaming
04:03 Safe Word
05:04 Hardcore Con Tease
05:46 Red Flags Checklist
06:44 Shoebox Scam Breakdown
08:24 Fear And Sunk Cost
12:55 Jury Duty Scam
15:42 Helping Victims Report
16:52 Cocaine Air Update
23:59 Beak Wetting Explained
25:07 Gender And Motives
27:59 Power Over Money
28:19 Breadcrumb Setup Trap
30:30 Fraud Crumbs Tactics
32:00 Desperation And TJ
32:48 Honeypots And Raids
34:18 What To Watch Now
35:41 Sharper And Silent Scams
37:25 Corporate Gossip And Frank
40:34 Hardcore Con Brittany Murphy
44:13 Legal Fraud And Nonprofits
47:08 Amazon Blackmail Episode
49:06 Handyman Escort Underworld
51:45 Books That Stop Cons
53:13 Final Thanks And Wrap
Kathy Chambers-From Cybersecurity to Storytelling
2026/08/25
Fraudish welcomes guest Kathy Chambers, connected through LinkedIn, to discuss storytelling as a driver of change and effective marketing in cyber and fraud. Kathy shares her path from radio/TV degrees and 10+ years as a TV news producer to University of Florida media director, then pivoting during COVID to ITProTV, where she hosted 250+ audit episodes and later the Certified Ethical Hacker series, falling in love with cybersecurity’s “drama” and later its protective mission. She describes producing a cybersecurity show, quickly booking major industry names, and networking through conferences like Wireless Hacking Fest. They discuss how stories—not statistics—stick in presentations, fraud, and cyber marketing, criticizing generic “AI-powered” messaging and advocating people-centered narratives, even via scenarios when privacy blocks details. Kathy explains building client trust, her focus on helping small-to-medium businesses. Shout out to her podcast Authentically Cyber.
Connect with Kathy:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/kathychambersmedia/
https://kathychambersmedia.com/
Authentically Cyber Youtube:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLyVUHRwg9INfOUJVlYLpm-zzKvtcD9NP7
Show times!
00:00 Meet Kathy Chambers
00:53 Fraudster Dinner Question
02:01 From News to Cyber
05:32 Hosting Ethical Hacker
07:12 Launching Cyber Show
09:28 Networking at Conferences
11:03 AI Deepfake Fears
13:45 Why Audit Matters
16:01 Storytelling Beats Stats
17:39 Cyber Marketing Stories
19:26 Remembering Tom Cronkite
20:37 Why Stories Stick
21:15 Rebranding a New Business
22:30 Pink Collar Crime Series Idea
24:08 Making Victims Relatable
26:13 Getting Companies to Share
30:25 Tractors Not Ferraris
32:12 Leaders as the Story
35:12 Marketing Cuts Pet Peeve
36:32 Ideal Client Avatar
39:44 TikTok and LinkedIn Magic
40:28 Closing Thanks and Mattering
Fraud, Mentoring, and AI: Serena Morones on Transforming Forensic Accounting
2026/08/18
Serena Morones on Forensic Accounting, Mentoring, and Using AI to Find Fraud Faster
Podcast host Kelly interviews Serena Morones of Morones Analytics about fraud, forensic accounting, and her career path. In a speed round, Morones says she’d most like to have a meal with Robert Jesenick, the CEO behind Oregon’s largest Ponzi scheme (Aequitas), to understand how rationalization and the “slippery slope” begin.
They discuss gender patterns in fraud: women more often in classic embezzlement/bookkeeper cases, men more often in complex multi-entity schemes and investment fraud with larger dollar amounts. Morones recounts shifting from plans for law school to forensic accounting after seeing litigation-support work at Pricewaterhouse, emphasizing creativity, communication, and courage. She describes monthly group mentoring sessions and her focus on credibility and truth-telling among expert witnesses. Morones also shares her sports photography hobby and explains how AI is improving investigations by speeding document analysis and visualization, with a staff member dedicated to tool development. She notes she most enjoys investment fraud cases, recommends “Mr. Bates vs the Post Office” and “The Big Short,” and encourages young professionals to pursue the field for justice while staying committed to truth in court.
00:00 Welcome Serena Morones
00:45 Meal With a Fraudster
04:14 Men vs Women Theft
08:29 Building Morones Analytics
13:24 Creativity in Forensics
17:33 Mentoring the Next Gen
20:59 Sports Photography Outlet
22:39 AI in Forensic Accounting
32:47 Favorite Case Types
34:54 Fraud in Pop Culture
38:07 Gerry Spence Truth Lesson
40:13 Career Advice and Wrap
Connect with Serena:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/serenamorones/
https://moronesanalytics.com/team/serena-morones/
Marguerite Lorenz, Luck or Control? Why Estate Planning Matters Before Crisis Strikes
2026/08/11
Returning guest Marguerite Lorenz is here to talk about all things trust and estate related. She has a new book, Luck or Control, The Life-Improving Power of Estate Planning,” reflecting on how a rushed, outdated will during the host’s husband’s terminal cancer diagnosis made planning urgent and life-easing.
Lorenz argues estate planning is not about wealth or only death, but about documenting preferences for incapacity, healthcare, and distribution to avoid confusion, family conflict, fraud risks, and costly probate (noting a $46,000 minimum in California for a $1 million estate). They discuss choosing qualified estate-planning attorneys, updating plans, naming multiple healthcare agents, tracking fiduciary actions, avoiding “early inheritance” ambiguity, and real cases involving elder financial abuse, safe deposit boxes, life estates, pet trusts, no-contest clauses, and special needs/public benefits concerns, directing listeners to planforthis.com for a free toolkit.and you need to go and get it!
https://planforthis.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/californiatrustee/
Previous episode with Marguerite: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/episode-21-marguerite-c-lorenz-ctfa-clpf-master-trustee/id1530413097?i=1000510372491
0:58 Why Estate Plans Matter
03:14 Cost Versus Probate
06:17 Free Toolkit And Hiring Help
07:28 Fiduciary Duty Explained
08:37 Family Caregiving Gray Areas
12:43 Document Everything As Trustee
15:31 The Black Box Problem
17:52 Choose Your Three People
20:35 Agency And End Of Life Choices
24:42 Mabel Casino Cautionary Tale
27:23 Preventing Inheritance Fights
29:46 No Contest Clauses And Spite
32:17 Leaving Love Not Destruction
33:26 Fairness Between Children
34:02 Fairness Can Flip
34:37 Needs Based Trusts
35:39 Love Not Punishment
37:46 Planning for Incapacity
41:04 Life Estates and Marriage Myths
43:51 Pet Trust Pitfalls
46:53 Sign the Documents
48:44 Wills and POA Basics
50:28 Stop Clever Workarounds
52:05 Safe Deposit Box Chaos
55:35 Special Needs and Flexibility
01:00:34 Fund the Trust and Wrap Up
Gossip and Deceit-Becca Platsky, CPA Scorned, on Corporate Crime
2026/08/04
Corporate Gossip’s Becca Platsky on CEO Myths, Enron Obsessions, and Why Humility Is Fraud Protection
Kelly Paxton hosts Becca Platsky of the Corporate Gossip Podcast (a CPA-run “business podcast for Bravo lovers”) to discuss how the show deep-dives one company per week with heavy research, financial analysis, and human-interest gossip, including episodes on Enron and the Forbes 30 Under 30 pipeline of fraudsters. They argue CEOs are often made “dumber” by constant validation and isolation, and that executive assistants may best understand what happens behind the scenes. The conversation covers wealth bias in the justice system, support letters for white-collar defendants, and the Charlie Javice/JPMorgan case as an avoidable due-diligence failure tied to elite blind spots. Platsky emphasizes community as a source of optimism, names favorite media/podcasts, and stresses that humility—recognizing anyone can commit or fall for fraud under pressure and opportunity—is key protection.
01:52 What Corporate Gossip Is
04:11 Why CEOs Get Dumber
06:41 Executive Assistants Know
09:13 Billionaire Pedestals
10:36 Scott Galloway Debate
12:18 Favorite Business Voices
13:35 Optimism Versus Skepticism
17:00 New York And Thrillerfest
19:51 Dream Fraudster Interviews
22:00 Who Steals More
23:50 Madoff Staff And Disney
24:25 Letters To The Judge
27:08 Charlie Javice Case
29:43 FAFSA Fraud Blindspots
32:18 Range Rover Red Flags
33:17 Forbes Lists and Grifts
34:59 WeWork Key Man Risk
36:58 Podcast Inspirations
38:45 Stanford Power Plays
40:49 Scammer Red Flags Books
42:41 Humility Against Fraud
45:54 Everyone Has a Price
48:04 Women in Fraud History
Resources Mentioned
Nobody's FoolCorporate Gossip podcastPatreon community for Corporate GossipConnect with Becca
https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebeccaplatsky/
https://www.corporategossippod.com/
What is Ethical AI use in Fraud Examination? with Mark Nigrini
2026/07/28
This week on Fraudish, Kelly speaks with Mark Nigrini to discuss AI’s use in fraud examination.
Do you think Sam Bankman-Fried’s Anthropic investment to AI’s growing relevance? We discuss.
Nigrini shares AI applications like detecting inconsistent invoices (think Rita Crundwell), finding fraud “fingerprints” in dollar amounts, analyzing contradictions in hearings, and raising ethical concerns.
Connect with Mark: linkedin.com/in/mark-nigrini-7409918
Get his book, Forensic Analytics: https://nigrini.com/
Melissa Jones OSINT Millenial
2026/07/07
Guest: Melissa Jones, SIU Investigator at Crum & Forster ("OSINT Millennial")
Host Kelly Paxton sits down with Melissa Jones — insurance fraud investigator, OSINT trainer, and self-described "OSINT Millennial" — for a wide-ranging conversation about building a career in Special Investigations, the art of digital digging, and why connection (both online and on the ball hockey rink) drives everything Melissa does.
Episode Highlights
Fraudster Dinner Date Melissa kicks things off with an unexpected pick: convicted FBI spy Robert Hanssen, someone she studied in her criminal justice master's program. Kelly counters with the usual suspects (Charles Ponzi, Elizabeth Holmes) but appreciates the espionage angle.
Who Steals More — Men or Women? A detour into gender and fraud data, including a striking stat Kelly cites from a colleague's fire department embezzlement research: women make up only about 3% of fire department staff but account for roughly 28% of thefts. Melissa admits her own SIU team doesn't currently track gender breakdowns — but wants to start.
From Direct Bill Clerk to SIU Investigator Melissa traces her 12-year (and counting) career at Crum & Forster: a psychology degree from Ramapo College, an entry-level insurance ops job in 2014, a move into policy operations, and a leap into the Special Investigations Unit as an analyst in 2017 after spotting an internal job posting. She was promoted to investigator in 2022 and now works alongside a nationwide SIU team of 15–16 people.
Why Insurers Have the Data Advantage Kelly and Melissa talk shop on how much visibility insurance companies have into patterns of behavior — from claims data to spending anomalies — and how that data gets put to work across property/casualty, auto, workers' comp, and even pet insurance claims.
Building the "OSINT Millennial" Brand Melissa describes how she got into public speaking after approaching fellow investigator Joe Stevenson at a conference in Hersheypark in 2019, which led to her first joint presentation. She's since built her own social-media-investigations talks under the "OSINT Millennial" tagline, using only publicly available content (never her active casework) to teach audiences — including a recent stop in Leominster, MA that packed the room.
Industry Shoutouts
OsmosisCon and Cynthia Hetherington — Melissa has FOMO for missing this year's conference and hopes to attend next year.Ritu Gill and other women in the OSINT/investigations space Melissa admires and reshares often.Christina Fiscella— noted for her work on gray-collar crime and elder fraud cases.Hank Asher/"Hank Venice" (as referenced in the episode) and Brian from Diligentia Group — mentors and friends from the investigations conference circuit.Age, Assumptions, and Social Media Investigations A deep dive into why investigators shouldn't assume older subjects are "off the grid" — and why understanding how each platform works (not just whether someone uses it) is the real skill in OSINT investigations.
Fraud in Pop Culture Melissa's take: reality TV like Survivor is basically fraud and manipulation for sport. Kelly recommends checking out a Hacks episode (Season 5) with a surprisingly relevant survivor-style storyline.
Investigative Philosophy: "Dig" and "Trust but Triangulate" Both hosts bond over shared investigator vocabulary — the instinct to "dig," and Kelly's own mantra, "trust but triangulate," as a more generous alternative to "trust but verify."
Ball Hockey — More Than a Hobby Melissa opens up about her ball hockey career, playing internationally (including in the Dominican Republic) and around the U.S. (Nashville, Buffalo, Vegas), plus a women's league in South Jersey. She credits the sport with building a diverse, tight-knit community — and even a professional networking connection with a teammate who works in arson investigation.
NJSIA Shoutout Melissa is a board member and incoming Vice President of the New Jersey Special Investigators Association (NJSIA), which is gearing up for its 35th annual conference and networking seminar in Atlantic City this year. All are welcome to attend.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissajones33/
https://www.instagram.com/osintmillennial/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g6P0m2KpUWA
Is Your Attorney a Good Negotiator? If Not, Get a New One with Martin Medeiros
2026/06/30
Can you even negotiate fraud?
This episode on Fraudish we discuss how negotiation and fraud are more related than you would think.
I am joined by Martin Medeiros about fraud, negotiation, and AI. Martin is an attorney (I know, another one!) who helps organizations build value by treating intellectual property as a strategic asset.
In the episode, Martin describes his career building Fortune 500 tech negotiation teams. We discuss his data-driven negotiation approach using game theory and Bayesian updating. And of course, we discuss using LinkedIn as attorney marketing.
Connect with Martin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/martin-medeiros2/
Persuasion Lab: https://thepersuasionlab.com/
Buckley Law: https://www.buckley-law.com/martin-medeiros/
Women Steal More Due to Opportunity in Financial Roles with Michelle Tavares
2026/06/23
Which fraudsters would you have dinner with?
Most people would answer Bernie Madoff or Charles Ponzi. But how many of you would pick a famous fraud investigator? Our guest in this episode does!
Michelle Tavares recently launched Standard and Proof Investigations, a litigation support focused on financial fraud, OSINT searches, corporate governance, and assessing the integrity of AI-produced data. Michelle discusses her career through consumer protection roles at the CFPB and the FTC, plus her long-standing focus on forensic accounting and following the flow of funds. In a speed round, she names Kate Ward, Pinkerton’s first female private investigator.
Connect with Michelle: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelle-t-59751427/
Podcast reviews
Read Fraudish podcast reviews
Jeff L, CPA, Los Angeles 2026/02/21
Practical, Personal, and Addictive
As an experienced auditor building a forensic accounting practice, I stumbled on Fraudish and haven't stopped listening. Kelly has a fantastic diversi...
HenryJames614 2025/10/21
Great Life Lesson
I’ve been part of several Fraud investigations in my career, and they can be just like the movies. I was helping investigate them with data analysis:...
Kristin Gail 2024/09/10
Fascinating conversations
Love this show! Kelly shines a light on fraud in a way I have yet to see. Learning so much and implementing it into my career as a fraud professional.
Aritch1 2024/07/17
Engaging and Informative
Fraudish has quickly become one of my favorite podcasts! Kelly Paxton is an engaging host and her guests always come with interesting stories. After e...
piper.fenton 2024/04/24
Insightful and fascinating
Fraudish was really interesting and Kelly keeps the show fun and upbeat! So many podcasts can be slow to get the point across - not this one! I enjoye...
Rhonda Roberts 2022/06/04
Awesomeness
I love this podcast!
All of the guests are in the Fraud World in all types of ways! I’ve loved listening to their stories and what they do in their f...
Mindset Mollie 2022/04/17
Awesome Podcast!
Interesting! Great stories and interviewing Kelly! I always learn something new. Thank you
Ruby Spence 327 2021/09/20
Future CFE
I stumbled upon this podcast after I realized I wanted to become more involved in fraud as a career. I really enjoy listening to Kelly and all of her ...
HeyitsMer 2021/05/21
Fun & Informative Experience
Kelly’s podcast is such a great and informative experience. I love hearing her stories and those she interviews. Greats tips are provided for those of...
Amanda Jo Erven 2021/03/31
Kelly is genuine and inspiring!
Not only is this podcast fun to listen to, you will learn things without even knowing you are. I recall things Kelly and her guests have said in my su...
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