S17 E1: S17 Trailer

[0] Wondry Plus subscribers can listen to something was wrong early and ad -free right now.

[1] Join Wondry Plus in the Wondry app or on Apple Podcasts.

[2] I'm Dan Tversky.

[3] In 2011, something strange began to happen at a high school in upstate New York.

[4] A mystery illness, bizarre symptoms, and spreading fast.

[5] What's the answer?

[6] And what do you do if they tell you it's all in your head?

[7] Hysterical.

[8] A new podcast from Wondry and Pineapple Street Studios.

[9] binge all episodes of hysterical early and ad -free on Wondery Plus.

[10] I was shot five times at a restaurant by an employee that worked there that got angry at someone else and decided to shoot a bunch of people.

[11] It was my mother informing me that my sister had been shot at lunch and was in the hospital requiring surgery.

[12] The cult itself kind of fizzled out, but they ultimately stopped talking to me. I had to go through a very, very dark and difficult time.

[13] That was probably way more traumatic for me than getting shot.

[14] When I was working in the NICU, I took care of this little itty -bitty, one -and -a -half -pound baby that was born at 25 weeks.

[15] His name was Jace Alexander.

[16] And just a short amount of time from him going home and then being around him, like he was smiling and trying to talk, and then he eventually started walking.

[17] And it was just incredible.

[18] There's a big picture of Jace in the NICU and a little plaque about.

[19] He was kind of a legend in that unit because he was one of the babies who was adopted by one of the nurses.

[20] He changed everything.

[21] I never knew that I could love anyone that much.

[22] When she brought him home, it lit up her face and the whole household.

[23] The entire family just rallied around that young man and brought so much joy to everybody.

[24] I wanted to find love and I wanted Jace to have a father.

[25] Cody comes along.

[26] He is telling all of these stories He's a good liar This is not the Cody I know Because that's not the Cody he wanted me to know I just don't think he could keep up the facade anymore Someone's real self eventually always comes out And he's a monster And it came out on a poor innocent little boy I was crying and shaking I was so emotional She literally screamed on the phone And started crying and sobbing and said, tell me what happened, tell me what happened.

[27] I just remember my heart breaking for her, explaining to the jury, this is not an accident.

[28] When she was finished, I was like, there is no way this jury cannot convict him.

[29] There's just no way.

[30] Next thing I know, I see a pair of feet right in front of me, and I look up, and Cody and I are just face to face.

[31] I feel like survivors of sociopaths deal with a lot of personal, shame and embarrassment.

[32] But I feel like the more we share with each other and be open and honest about our experiences, the more we can start to heal and know we aren't alone.

[33] They're masters, these people like Cody, they pray on what's already going on.

[34] They're showing me one thing to my face, but then when I'm gone, I feel like something else is going on.

[35] They're very good at what they do.

[36] If you like something was wrong, you can listen early and ad -free right now by joining Wondery Plus in the Wondery app or on Apple Podcasts.

[37] Prime members can listen ad -free on Amazon Music.

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[39] Scammers are best known for living the high life until they're forced to trade it all in for handcuffs and an orange jumpsuit once they're finally caught.

[40] I'm Sachi Cole.

[41] And I'm Sarah Hagey.

[42] And we're the host at of scam influencers, a weekly podcast from Wondery that takes you along the twists and turns of some of the most infamous scams of all time, the impact on victims and what's left once the facade falls away.

[43] We've covered stories like a Shark Tank certified entrepreneur who left the show with an investment, but soon faced mounting bills, an active lawsuit followed by Larry King, and no real product to push.

[44] He then began to prey on vulnerable women instead, selling the idea of a future together while stealing from them behind their backs.

[45] To the infamous scams of Real Housewives stars like Teresa Judice, what should have proven to be a major downfall only seemed to solidify her place in the Real Housewives Hall of Fame.

[46] Follow Scamfluencers on the Wondry app or wherever you get your podcasts.

[47] You can listen to Scamfluencers early and ad -free right now on Wondry Plus.