PRETEND

Does death start when your heart stops beating? What if technology can extend our lives and gives us immortality? Today's episode is about one son who turned his dying father into a chatbot.Here After AIhttps://www.hereafter.ai/Replikahttps://replika.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today, we're talking about deepfakes.Deepfakes are video or audio of a person in which their face, body, and/or voice has been digitally altered so that they appear to be someone else. And we're not just talking about some harmless Snapchat filters. This tech can start wars and destroy lives. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Luxxury rips apart your favorite songs. Check out his TikTok feed for more videos on interpolation.https://www.tiktok.com/@luxxuryxx/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Lauren Passell, the founder of Tink Media, interviews Javier in celebration of PRETEND's 100th episode.Subscribe to Lauren's incredible podcast newsletter:https://podcastthenewsletter.substack.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In Season 2 of PRETEND, I covered the story of a serial killer who murdered at least five American ex-pats. Three years after the story aired, I received a message from a listener who said she could put me in touch with the killer.I decided to turn my interviews with Wild Bill into an entire season of CRIMINAL CONDUCT.Listen to part 1 of Criminal Conduct season 3 then subscribe to listen to the rest:https://linktr.ee/criminalconduct Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Rebekah Sebastian and Javier Leiva visit businesses run by cults. Also, what happens when a cult leader dies or goes to prison? Can the cult go on without its leader? Find out which cults are trying to continue the organization without any clear leadership. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Cults are businesses too. Like any company, cults recruit, have middle management, and some even have succession plans. Many of these religious sects are tax-exempt. Like Scientology, even some fringe religions are recognized by the Internal Revenue Service. Not all cults are religious. At first glance, some cults don't seem culty at all. For example, take a closer look at businesses such as multi-level marketing companies. These companies are masquerading as a business, but in reality, they're run by narcissistic ego-maniacs. The Cult Startup Like businesses, cults go through different phases. First, there's a startup phase where an entrepreneurial cult leader leads a movement and brings new innovative and revolutionary ideas. Take, for example, Jim Jones, leader of the People's Temple. In the beginning, he integrated his congregation during the Civil Rights Movement. After that, he was heavily involved in politics and social activism. The allure was undeniable. But in the end, Jones ordered 909 commune members to end their lives.  The Cult FranchiseThen, there comes the point where the cult needs to expand its Business and influence. Take, for example, The Twelve Tribes religious sect. This organization, widely considered a cult, operates several businesses worldwide. I visited one of their Yellow Deli restaurants for the second installment of this series. The Cult Exit StrategyIf you're not evolving, you're dying. And sometimes, literally dying. So, what happens when a cult becomes too big to fail? Some morally bankrupt cult leaders resort to mass suicide. Other cults grow so big and fast that they become worldwide institutional organizations. The Business of Cults The Business of Cults is a three-part series hosted by Rebekah Sebastian with the DIELAOGUE Podcast and Javier Leiva of PRETEND podcast. Part one focuses on The C Suite: Chief Cult Executives. Part two features an interview with former NXIVM member Sarah Edmondson. And Part three explores the question, can a cult survive without its leader?Listen to part two now on Patreon. Buy the t-shirt for this week's episode. Collage art by @kelletteworkshttps://pretend-radio-3.creator-spring.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Cults are businesses too. Like any company, cults recruit, have middle management, and some even have succession plans. Many of these religious sects are tax-exempt. Like Scientology, even some fringe religions are recognized by the Internal Revenue Service. Not all cults are religious. At first glance, some cults don't seem culty at all. For example, take a closer look at businesses such as multi-level marketing companies. These companies are masquerading as a business, but in reality, they're run by narcissistic ego-maniacs. The Cult Startup Like businesses, cults go through different phases. First, there's a startup phase where an entrepreneurial cult leader leads a movement and brings new innovative and revolutionary ideas. Take, for example, Jim Jones, leader of the People's Temple. In the beginning, he integrated his congregation during the Civil Rights Movement. After that, he was heavily involved in politics and social activism. The allure was undeniable. But in the end, Jones ordered 909 commune members to end their lives.  The Cult FranchiseThen, there comes the point where the cult needs to expand its Business and influence. Take, for example, The Twelve Tribes religious sect. This organization, widely considered a cult, operates several businesses worldwide. I visited one of their Yellow Deli restaurants for the second installment of this series. The Cult Exit StrategyIf you're not evolving, you're dying. And sometimes, literally dying. So, what happens when a cult becomes too big to fail? Some morally bankrupt cult leaders resort to mass suicide. Other cults grow so big and fast that they become worldwide institutional organizations. The Business of Cults The Business of Cults is a three-part series hosted by Rebekah Sebastian with the DIELAOGUE Podcast and Javier Leiva of PRETEND podcast. Part one focuses on The C Suite: Chief Cult Executives. Part two features an interview with former NXIVM member Sarah Edmondson. And Part three explores the question, can a cult survive without its leader?Listen to part two now on Patreon. Buy the t-shirt for this week's episode. Collage art by @kelletteworkshttps://pretend-radio-3.creator-spring.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I'm working on a new series on cults that's really exciting. While you wait, here's a fun little bonus episode for you.Moxie LaBouche, host of the Your Brain on Facts podcast, and I talk about our favorite scams. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this podcast episodeA conversation with Jack Barsky, a former KGB spy.For 10 years, Jack Barsky was a sleeper agent spying for the Soviet Union. His job was to obtain secret or confidential information from inside the United States any way he could.The KGB SpyJack Barsky spied on the United States from 1978 to 1988. And that entire time, his primary mission was to become an American. And that's precisely what he did. He moved to New York City, got a job as a computer programmer, and lived an unremarkable life. He made friends and other relationships while being Moscow's eyes and ears. But his clandestine mission as a sleeper agent was bound to end."The KGB, for some reason, got spooked and thought my cover was blown," said Barsky.The message was clear. Jack Barsky was exposed and needed to return to Moscow.Double agentJack Barsky's birth name is Albrecht Dittrich. When he first joined the KGB, he didn't see himself as a spy. Instead, he and other recruits thought of themselves as scouts for peace. The spies are the enemies of the West.The KGB spy living the American DreamJack Barsky never intended for his story to get out. So for 10 years, Barsky assumed the identity of a dead child. He took the boy's name, birth certificate, and social security number. The mission was to infiltrate, extract secrets and get out. But eventually, his years as a sleeper agent were exposed to the world.Hear the true story of this KGB's spy career came to an end.Special Thanks toKellette Elliott for the custom collage artwork. Purchase a t-shirt with this episode's artwork here.Story idea?If you have a story to share, email Javier at info [at] pretendradio [dot] org.For more episodes like this, visit pretendradio.org.To get early releases and bonus episodes, go to pretendradio.org/donateToday's episode was written and edited by Javier Leiva Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices