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Chameleon

Audiochuck | Campside Media·Hosted by Josh Dean·33 episodes

SocietyCultureDocumentaryTvFilmHosted by Josh DeanScam storiesStandalone casesWeekly30-45 minTrue crime documentary

We are living in a golden age of deception. It feels like everyone has an angle and that, everywhere you turn, someone’s trying to scam you. Chameleon is a new weekly show from veteran journalist Josh Dean (co-creator and host of The Clearing, Hooked, White Devil, and the original Chameleon season, Hollywood Con Queen) that takes you inside an incredible, stranger-than-fiction story about someone—or some people—pretending to be something they aren’t. Are you obsessed with cons, frauds, and impostors? Then this is the podcast for you. Get your new weekly true crime obsession every Thursday from Campside...

Why listen

Chameleon turns real-life deception into polished, reporter-led stories about scammers, impostors, catfishers, fake identities, and frauds who almost got away with it. Hosted by veteran journalist Josh Dean, the weekly format gives you a complete stranger-than-fiction case in a single sitting, with enough character detail and investigation to feel bigger than a headline. It is a strong fit for listeners who like true crime but are more interested in manipulation, con artistry, and social engineering than murder cases.

Series(1)

Episodes

38 min
Jun 4, 2026Episode 31
Fetal Attraction: The Reality Star And The Woman He Wished He’d Never Met

When Clayton Echard’s season of The Bachelor ended, he thought the public humiliation was behind him. Then a woman he barely knew claimed she was carrying his twins — something which, according to Clayton, was impossible. As the story exploded online sleuths begins pulling at loose threads. What they uncovered led to allegations of deception, forgery, and a pattern stretching back years. Listen to Stephani’s podcast Love Trapped"   Chameleon is a production of Campside Media and Audiochuck. Follow Chameleon on Instagram @chameleonpod Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

32 min
May 28, 2026Episode 30
Laundry Man: The Wild Ride of the Pig Butcher's Banker

A swashbuckling South African expat, Benjamin Mauerberger, rose up as a boiler-room stock hustler in Southeast Asia, then reappeared years later with a diplomatic passport and extraordinary wealth. When reporters start pulling at threads, they uncover an entirely new identity: this stock scammer seems to now be a key player in the industrial “pig butchering” scam economy. How does a small-time con artist end up orbiting political dynasties, buying yachts and private jets?… And what happens when the doors finally start to close? To learn more about Tom Wright and his team’s work on this story: Project Brazen reporting on Mauerberger Read the US Department of Justice’s announcement of their crackdown on the Prince Group   Chameleon is a production of Campside Media and Audiochuck. Follow Chameleon on Instagram @chameleonpod Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

36 min
May 27, 2026
Introducing: Crimeless

Join your Chameleon host Josh Dean and his partner in (dumb) crime, comedian Rory Scovel, as they dive into the incredible story of a shady Swami who scammed Newark, New Jersey into adopting the Hindu city of Kailasa as a “sister city.” The problem: Kailasa doesn’t exist. And the swami behind it? A notorious scammer who’s on the run from various charges, some of them very serious. “Very embarrassing for the city,” one Newark resident told CBS. “Truly no words,” said another. Crimeless is a production of Campside Media, Smartless Media, and Big Money Players. Every week, Josh and Rory unpack some of the world’s wackiest crimes, injecting a little humor into these dark times. New episodes air every Wednesday. Listen to this episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

40 min
May 21, 2026Episode 29
Dumpster Fire Phoenix: The “Festival” Organizer Who Just Can’t Stop Himself

Fyre Festival was sold as the most exclusive party on earth — a luxury music festival in the Bahamas for influencers, celebrities, and the ultra-wealthy. It became one of the most shared disasters of the social-media era, but by the time the truth had emerged, thousands of people had already bought into the dream. And if the organizer was right, could be persuaded to do so again. And again. And again.  Read Gabrielle Bluestone’s book Hype: Inside the Fyre Festival and the Golden Age of Grift Watch the Netflix Doc she executive produced Fyre: The Greatest Party That Never Happened. Chameleon is a production of Campside Media and Audiochuck. Follow Chameleon on Instagram @chameleonpod Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

30 min
May 14, 2026Episode 28
Catch Him if You Ken: The Dating Scammer Who Targeted Influencers

The story of a mild-mannered guy who charmed his way into the lives—and bank accounts—of women on two continents by posing as a wealthy heir with big crypto dreams. But Ken’s real talent isn’t getting your money — it’s disappearing before anyone can prove what he’s done. To listen to Natalie and Abukar’s podcast: Catch Me If You Ken Chameleon is a production of Campside Media and Audiochuck. Follow Chameleon on Instagram @chameleonpod Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

45 min
May 7, 2026Episode 27
Whiteout: The Olympic Snowboarder Who Became A Cocaine Kingpin

A former Canadian Olympic snowboarder should have been a footnote—a guy who raced once, finished 24th, and faded away. But in early 2026, Ryan Wedding resurfaces as a fugitive on the FBI’s Most Wanted list, accused of running a sprawling cocaine network and ordering hits across borders. How did a middle-class kid from a ski family end up here? Ready Alyssa and Tisha’s reporting on Wedding for ESPN Chameleon is a production of Campside Media and Audiochuck. Follow Chameleon on Instagram @chameleonpod Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

49 min
Apr 30, 2026Episode 26
High Stakes: Life inside a Vampire Cult

As a lonely, grieving teenager in the early days of the internet, Celeste Mott is drawn into a secretive message board called "The Looking Glass": a place where self-proclaimed vampires demand total belief, reward devotion, and punish doubt. What begins as fantasy soon becomes something much more dangerous: a closed world built on manipulation, hierarchy, and psychological control. Years later, Celeste tells the story of how she was pulled in, why it was so hard to leave, and the charismatic figure at the center of it all. Chameleon is a production of Campside Media and Audiochuck. Follow Chameleon on Instagram @chameleonpod Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

44 min
Apr 23, 2026Episode 25
The Journalist And The Voyeur: It’s Not So Easy When You’re The One Being Watched

Gay Talese thought he’d landed a once-in-a-lifetime story every journalist dreams about: a motel owner who built a hidden viewing platform so he could watch guests in their most private moments and kept meticulous “research” notes for decades. But when Washington Post reporter Paul Farhi starts pulling at the threads, the story begins to unravel into something messy. A source who can’t stop exaggerating, and journalist who may have wanted to believe a little too much. Chameleon is a production of Campside Media and Audiochuck. Follow Chameleon on Instagram @chameleonpod Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

39 min
Apr 16, 2026Episode 24
A Master's Puppet: Jeffrey Epstein's Money Man

The unsettling story of Leslie Wexner—the Midwestern retail billionaire who built Victoria’s Secret, then gave Jeffrey Epstein extraordinary access to his money and credibility. But how much did he know? Listen to Vanessa and Justine’s podcast Fallen Angel Read Gabriel Sherman’s Vanity Fair article on Epstein and Wexner. Chameleon is a production of Campside Media and Audiochuck. Follow Chameleon on Instagram @chameleonpod Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

29 min
Apr 9, 2026Episode 23
The Real Eddie: His Scamming Is Insaaaaane!

The rise and spectacular fall of Eddie Antar, the electronics mogul behind the Crazy Eddie brand. Who scammed his way from the streets of Brooklyn to Wall Street and then vanished without a trace. Chameleon is a production of Campside Media and Audiochuck. Follow Chameleon on Instagram @chameleonpod Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

39 min
Apr 2, 2026Episode 22
The Mesh Mill: How Scammers Took Advantage of Women's Pain

Shortly after Christmas, Sharon gets a terrifying call. A stranger tells her the pelvic mesh inside her body has been recalled. It's a “ticking time bomb," and she needs emergency surgery to remove it. So Sharon flies to Florida. What she’s walking into is a scam embedded in America’s mass tort machine: stolen medical data, a call center, and huge profits powered by the pain of women like Sharon. To learn more about this story: Book: The Pain Brokers, Elizabeth Chamblee Burch, Atria/One Signal, 2026 Article: How Profiteers Lure Women Into Often-Unneeded Surgery, New York Times, 2018 Chameleon is a production of Campside Media and Audiochuck. Follow Chameleon on Instagram @chameleonpod Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

33 min
Mar 26, 2026Episode 21
Harry And Rachel Part 2: When True Love Dies

For 563 days, Harry believed the love of his life was dying of stage-four cancer. Then Rachel’s husband called, and everything Harry thought he knew collapsed. A pattern emerges, revealing a woman he no longer recognizes and a trail of emotional wreckage stretching back decades. Chameleon is a production of Campside Media and Audiochuck. Follow Chameleon on Instagram @chameleonpod Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

27 min
Mar 19, 2026Episode 20
Harry And Rachel Part 1: When True Love Lies

In 2001, Harry meets Rachel in Houston. And so begins a complicated and uncertain kind of love story. An on-again, off-again connection that would stretch across two decades of tragedies, lucky breaks, and relentless second chances. Sometimes the hardest lies to see are the ones you want to believe the most... Chameleon is a production of Campside Media and Audiochuck. Follow Chameleon on Instagram @chameleonpod Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

35 min
Mar 12, 2026Episode 19
Extra Credit: The Rise and Fall of a Frat House Ponzi Scheme

Syed Arbab looked like the next financial prodigy—a frat house day trader who turned beer-soaked bravado into a successful hedge fund. Except that wasn't exactly the whole truth. When the SEC came knocking, Syed doubled down, lied, and kept going. Chameleon is a production of Campside Media and Audiochuck. Follow Chameleon on Instagram @chameleonpod Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

37 min
Mar 5, 2026Episode 18
Master Manipulator and Commander: Trust Your Gut

She thought she'd met the real deal: a decorated Navy officer, stationed at the Pentagon, opening hospitals in war zones. But what begins as a whirlwind romance slowly unravels into a portrait of compulsive deception. In the aftermath, this seasoned journalist is determined to get to the bottom of not just how and why her partner lied, but why she believed him. Chameleon is a production of Campside Media and Audiochuck. Follow Chameleon on Instagram @chameleonpod Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

40 min
Feb 26, 2026Episode 17
The Vampire Catfish: A Message Board And The Boy Who Believed

Michael was 16, lonely, and stuck in a small Southern town when he met someone called Dennis on a vampire-themed online message board. What began as a thrilling, romantic connection soon spiraled into something darker. We follow Michael’s journey as he tries to make sense of the many layers of deception two decades later.Chameleon is a production of Campside Media and Audiochuck.Follow Chameleon on Instagram @chameleonpod Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

33 min
Feb 19, 2026Episode 16
Goodfellas: The Country Bar Theme Scheme

When an Arizona reporter starts looking into a flurry of closures at country music-themed restaurants, he thinks it’s just another boring business story. But he uncovers a collapsing franchise empire and millions in fraud, all linked to a mysterious character with mob connections living a double life.Chameleon is a production of Campside Media and Audiochuck.Follow Chameleon on Instagram @chameleonpod Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

39 min
Feb 12, 2026Episode 15
Face Plant: The Woman With A Thousand Boyfriends

What's it like to have your image used as the bait in thousands of online romance scams? This is what happened to Janessa Brazil—whose image has been hijacked and used to con hundreds, maybe thousands, of lonely people out of hard-earned cash. This is a story of love, lies, and the faces behind a billion-dollar catfishing industry.Chameleon is a production of Campside Media and Audiochuck.Follow Chameleon on Instagram @chameleonpod Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

39 min
Feb 5, 2026Episode 14
The Velvet Sundown: The band that’s not quite Human, not quite machine.

They were a hot new band and storming up the charts. But something seemed off about Velvet Sundown. Was this the work of AI? When someone behind the band came out denying it, this looked like mystery solved. But this was only the beginning of an internet hoax with many layers.Chameleon is a production of Campside Media and Audiochuck.Follow Chameleon on Instagram @chameleonpod Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

28 min
Jan 29, 2026Episode 13
Engineering to Deceive: The Talented Coder Who Just Keeps Getting Jobs

When one tech founder tweets a warning about a seemingly prolific engineer named Soham Parekh, it sets off an avalanche. Turns out, Soham has been hired and paid by dozens of start-ups, sometimes working at several at once. He dazzled founders with coding tests, then vanished into a fog of excuses.Chameleon is a production of Campside Media and Audiochuck.Follow Chameleon on Instagram @chameleonpod Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

43 min
Jan 22, 2026Episode 12
Memoir Mystery: The Blockbuster True Story That Maybe Wasn't True At All

When the book The Salt Path was published, readers were moved by the story of a couple who, after losing everything, rebuilt their lives through nothing more than determination, their love for one another, and a very long walk. A decade later, journalist Chloe Hadjimatheou begins to pull at a thread—and what unravels is a much darker and more complicated tale.Chameleon is a production of Campside Media and Audiochuck.Follow Chameleon on Instagram @chameleonpod Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

11 min
Jan 16, 2026
Introducing: 13th Juror

When Liberty German and Abigail Williams, two young girls from a small Indiana town, tragically lost their lives in February 2017, a nationwide manhunt ensued for the “man on the bridge.” After a five-year investigation, a suspect was finally arrested. Brandi Churchwell, host of 13th Juror, traces the long, difficult path to answers, the arrest of Richard Allen, and how the prosecution assembled its case.Listen to 13th Juror now on Spotify, Apple, or wherever you get your podcasts! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

35 min
Jan 15, 2026Episode 11
The Author Trap: Inside The Scheme Selling Lies to Hopeful Writers

Brent Crane is being chased through a mall in the Philippines. He's on the trail of Page Turner, the company that has been accused of stealing $44 million from hopeful writers in one of the most brazen scams the book publishing world has ever seen.Chameleon is a production of Campside Media and Audiochuck.Follow Chameleon on Instagram @chameleonpod  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

35 min
Jan 8, 2026Episode 10
White Lies: The Scammer Who Left Brides In The Lurch And Couldn't Stop

Michael Esposito hired 50 journalists, promised them a dream job, and disappeared without paying a dime. Years later, he resurfaced under various new names, taking tens of thousands from couples on their wedding day. But one of his early victims never let it go in their attempt to unmask the scammer who just wouldn’t stop.Chameleon is a production of Campside Media and Audiochuck.Follow Chameleon on Instagram @chameleonpod Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

31 min
Jan 1, 2026Episode 9
The de Kooning Job: Teachers Turned Thieves

In 1985, a priceless painting vanished from a university museum in Arizona. The FBI had no leads. 32 years later, it turned up behind a bedroom door in a suburban New Mexico home. Turns out the retired couple living there may have pulled off one of the most audacious art heists of the 20th century.Chameleon is a production of Campside Media and Audiochuck.Follow Chameleon on Instagram @chameleonpod Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

42 min
Dec 25, 2025Episode 8
Gay Girl in Damascus: A Viral Kidnapping And An Internet Fantasy

The story of a Syrian-American blogger whose posts during the Arab Spring captured hearts around the world—including a woman in Montreal who believed she was falling in love. But Amina Arraf, the author of Gay Girl in Damascus, wasn’t real. She was a hoax. So how did so many people, including news organizations and governments, fall for it? And at what cost?Chameleon is a production of Campside Media and Audiochuck.Follow Chameleon on Instagram @chameleonpod Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

35 min
Dec 18, 2025Episode 7
Fake It 'Til You Graduate: The Honor Student Who Conned a Town

In 2012, a Ukrainian man enrolled at a high school in Pennsylvania, pretending to be a teenage prodigy named Asher Potts. He made the honor roll and became a local hero. Until the day police showed up in class and arrested him. The immigrant who scammed his way into the American dream.Chameleon is a production of Campside Media and Audiochuck.Follow Chameleon on Instagram @chameleonpod Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

28 min
Dec 11, 2025Episode 6
Spine Collector: Where Have All The Manuscripts Gone?

For years, someone was tricking publishers into handing over yet-to-be-published manuscripts—from bestselling authors and total unknowns alike. There were no ransom demands. The books were not leaked. The motive was unclear. An international mystery that baffled the publishing world for years. But two journalists in lockdown set out to solve the mystery and uncover the peculiarly obsessed culprit.Chameleon is a production of Campside Media and Audiochuck.Follow Chameleon on Instagram @chameleonpod Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

29 min
Dec 4, 2025Episode 5
The Barefoot Bandit: Catch Him If You Can

Colton Harris-Moore was just a teenager when he began breaking into homes across the Pacific Northwest. But soon, he was stealing cars, boats... and then planes. This is the unbelievable true story of a kid outrunning the cops to become one of the first folk heroes of the internet age.Chameleon is a production of Campside Media and Audiochuck.Follow Chameleon on Instagram @chameleonpod Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

32 min
Nov 27, 2025Episode 4
The Undead Tour: How The Fake Zombies Fooled America

A British band called The Zombies had a smash hit single in America with ‘Time of the Season’ in the late 60s. Shortly afterwards, four handsome Texans hit the road pretending to be the Zombies. This is the unbelievable true story of rock’s most brazen imposters… two of whom went on to form ZZ Top.Chameleon is a production of Campside Media and Audiochuck.Follow Chameleon on Instagram @chameleonpod Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

28 min
Nov 20, 2025Episode 3
An Admission of Lies: The Man Who Fooled Princeton

A gifted, mysterious young man with a tragic past and talent for long-distance running is admitted to Princeton. He dazzles everyone from admissions officers to elite dinner clubs. But behind the alias “Alexi Santana” was James Hogue, a serial imposter who had left a long trail of lies in his wake. This week, the extraordinary story of the man who scammed his way into the Ivy League—and kept going.Chameleon is a production of Campside Media and Audiochuck.Follow Chameleon on Instagram @chameleonpod Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

29 min
Nov 13, 2025Episode 2
The Kid Who Couldn't Stop Playing Cop

In 2009, Vincent Richardson walked into a Chicago police station and reported for duty. No one noticed he wasn’t actually a cop. No one noticed he was 14 years old. This is the story of the teenager who fooled the system time after time. Was it a prank? A cry for help? Or something else entirely?Chameleon is a production of Campside Media and Audiochuck. Launching November 13th wherever you get your podcasts. Follow Chameleon on Instagram @chameleonpod Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

31 min
Nov 13, 2025Episode 1
The Follieri Affair: Who Conned Anne Hathaway?

He dated a Hollywood princess and claimed to be the Vatican’s man in America. But Raffaello Follieri wasn’t all he appeared to be. He convinced some of the world’s richest people to hand over millions — before it all came crashing down. How did a charming Italian from a small town in Puglia rise to the top? Now, following deportation, is he rising again?Chameleon is a production of Campside Media and Audiochuck.Follow Chameleon on Instagram @chameleonpod Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

2 min
Nov 6, 2025
Introducing... Chameleon: The Weekly

Introducing Chameleon. A new weekly show about scammers, con artists, and imposters hosted by Josh Dean. Every week, a new twisty, jaw-dropping story about someone, somewhere, pretending to be something they are not. Chameleon is a production of Campside Media and Audiochuck. Launching November 13th wherever you get your podcasts. Follow Chameleon on Instagram @chameleonpod Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

2 min
Oct 2, 2025
Chameleon

Are you obsessed with cons, frauds, and imposters? Well, then, Chameleon is the show for you. Every week, veteran journalist Josh Dean (co-creator and host of The Clearing, Hooked, and White Devil) takes you inside an incredible, stranger-than-fiction story about someone — or some people — pretending to be something they aren’t. Coming this November, your new weekly true crime obsession, from Campside Media and Audiochuck. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.