275: A Timber Swindler (and Obsessed Fest '23)

Well hello, everyone!

We recorded this episode a few days after we returned from Obsessed Fest ‘23. … Though it’s probably more accurate to say that we recorded this episode a few days after we *fled* Obsessed Fest ‘23. Eh, tomayto, tomahto. 

We talk about Obsessed Fest quite a bit in this episode, but if you’d like more information about what happened, we have two recommendations: 

First, we recommend listening to the latest episode of the podcast One Dry Kiss. Their episode, “Obsessed Mess, Mischief MisManagement and Amazing People and Podcasters,” is a firsthand account of what the weekend was like for attendees. 

Second, we recommend listening to the latest episode of Rabia and Ellyn Solve the Case, titled, “About Damn Crime: Obsessed Fest.” In that episode, Ellyn Marsh, Rabia Chaudry, Joey Taranto, Maggie Freleng, Daisy Eagan, Amber Hunt, Harris Lane and Ashleigh Gibson share their experiences from the weekend. If you like receipts, this is the podcast for you.

By the way, if you listen closely to this episode, you might hear Kristin cover a timber swindler. It’s a troubling story about a man named Ralph Raines, who was exploited by a “psychic” named Rachel Lee. Over the course of ten years, Rachel took nearly everything Ralph had.

And now for a note about our process. For this episode, Kristin read a bunch of articles, then spat them back out in her very limited vocabulary. We owe a huge debt of gratitude to the real experts who covered these cases.

In this episode, Kristin pulled from:
“Psychic Fiend’s Network” episode of American Greed
“Sweetheart Swindle” episode of 20/20
“How a psychic stole millions of dollars from an Oregon timber heir,” by ABC News
“Phony wife in sweetheart swindle, who bilked millions from Gaston tree farm heir, gets prison,” by Bryan Denson for The Oregonian
“Daughter of Oregon psychic pleads guilty to helping bilk millions from Gaston tree farm heir,” by Everton Bailey Jr. for The Oregonian
“‘The Sweetheart Swindle’: Rich older bachelor targeted by family,” True Crime Daily 

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