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Persona: The French Deception

Persona: The French Deception

Wondery | Pineapple Street Studios

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5.0

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What does it feel like to pick up the phone and scam someone out of $50 million? This is the story of Gilbert Chikli, one of the greatest con artists of all time. Host and award-winning journalist Evan Ratliff investigates how Chikli duped some of the world’s most powerful people into handing over their fortunes. He explores how Chikli evaded the law for years and became a Robin Hood-like hero. More than just a tale of criminal genius, this is a show about the moment we’re living in right now — the golden age of scammers — and the power of seduction. But what happens when the fantasy we’ve been lured into finally crumbles away?

Binge all episodes ad-free by joining Wondery+ on the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Start your free trial by visiting wondery.com/links/persona now.

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Top 10 Persona: The French Deception Episodes

Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best Persona: The French Deception episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to Persona: The French Deception for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite Persona: The French Deception episode by adding your comments to the episode page.

Persona: The French Deception - The Tiger Dossier | 4

The Tiger Dossier | 4

Persona: The French Deception

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06/20/22 • 36 min

A series of mysterious phone calls to French embassies around the world prompt the authorities to start a new investigation. Someone is impersonating the French Minister of Defense, targeting foreign governments and wealthy French speakers. As the scammer fleeces an influential billionaire for $20 million, the police believe there’s only one man audacious enough to have pulled it off. Years later, Evan gains access to the case file and begins to retrace the investigators’ steps.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

3 Listeners

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Persona: The French Deception - Madame G | 1

Madame G | 1

Persona: The French Deception

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06/06/22 • 36 min

In Paris, a banker receives a bizarre call from her boss. He says she'll soon be contacted by a secret agent about a confidential government operation. The instructions provided by the agent are simple: wait in a bathroom stall, listen for the password and then hand over a bag stuffed with hundreds of thousands in cash to a stranger through the stall door. Meanwhile, nearly 3,000 miles away in Israel, a musician is drawn into his new friend’s underground network. Thus begins the scam of the century.

Persona: The French Deception is the story of Gilbert Chikli, one of the greatest con artists of all time. More than just a tale of criminal genius, this is a show about the moment we’re living in right now — the golden age of scammers — and the power of seduction. But what happens when the fantasy we’ve been lured into finally crumbles away?

Please support us by supporting our sponsors!

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

3 Listeners

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Persona: The French Deception - Genius | 2

Genius | 2

Persona: The French Deception

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06/06/22 • 46 min

Gilbert Chikli was known to friends and family in Israel as a flamboyant local celebrity, a Robin Hood figure, and an innovator who by necessity ended up on the wrong side of the law. But as Chikli galivants around town with new yachts and suitcases of money, the French authorities begin closing in. The situation may call for a daring escape.

Persona: The French Deception is the story of Gilbert Chikli, one of the greatest con artists of all time. More than just a tale of criminal genius, this is a show about the moment we’re living in right now — the golden age of scammers — and the power of seduction. But what happens when the fantasy we’ve been lured into finally crumbles away?

Please support us by supporting our sponsors!

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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Persona: The French Deception - The Mask | 5

The Mask | 5

Persona: The French Deception

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06/27/22 • 37 min

As a new scam emerges in the south of France, investigators stumble upon a tantalizing new clue. Meanwhile, reports begin to circulate that some victims haven’t just talked on the phone to the Le Drian impersonator – they’ve spoken to him on video. Evan journeys to a medieval town in the heart of French wine country for new leads from a man who came face-to-face with the fake Minister.

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See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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Persona: The French Deception - Copycats | 3

Copycats | 3

Persona: The French Deception

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06/13/22 • 42 min

When a young graphic designer is detained crossing the Bulgarian border, he finds himself inside a nightmare that lasts for years. The scam is wreaking havoc, and not always on who you’d expect. Gilbert Chikli’s invention has gone global, raking in billions of dollars a year from multinational corporations, tempting the most unlikely of co-conspirators, and cementing Chikli’s legend around the world.

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See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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Persona: The French Deception - The Voice | 7

The Voice | 7

Persona: The French Deception

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07/11/22 • 49 min

Gilbert Chikli finally appears in court. The evidence appears stacked against him, including forensic comparisons of his voice to recordings of the scam. The prosecution lays out their story, while Chikli turns the trial into one final media frenzy. When Evan looks closely at the science, it appears less convincing. But will the court see the flaws in the case built around Chikli's scamming legend? When it’s all over, Evan comes across a new detail that calls everything into question.

Please support us by supporting our sponsors!

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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Persona: The French Deception - What To Listen To Next: Scamfluencers

What To Listen To Next: Scamfluencers

Persona: The French Deception

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07/20/22 • 7 min

You never really know someone...especially online. In today’s world, the power of influence can be the quickest path to money and fame, and it often ends in ruin. These are the stories of the world’s most insidious Scamfluencers. And we are their prey. On Wondery’s new weekly series, join co-hosts Scaachi Koul and Sarah Hagi as they unpack epic stories of deception from the worlds of social media, fashion, finance, health, and wellness. These influencers claim to be everything from charismatic healers to trusted financial insiders to experts in dating. They cast spells over millions. Why do we believe them, and how does our culture allow them to thrive? From Black Swan Murder to a fake social media influencer to an audacious Hollywood Ponzi schemer, each season will take the listener along the twists and turns, the impact on victims, and what’s left when the facade falls away.

Listen here: wondery.fm/WTLTN_Scamfluencers

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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Persona: The French Deception - Wondery Presents: This Is Actually Happening
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08/29/22 • 7 min

What if you were trafficked into a cult, or were shot nine times, or were the only survivor of a car crash, or went into a minor surgery and woke up one week later, paralyzed -- what would you do?   This is Actually Happening brings you extraordinary true stories of life-changing events told by the people who lived them. Their newest season digs into everything from a young man that dies on the way to meeting his mistress, to a women who witnesses her father murder her mother. These stories will have you on the edge of your seat waiting to hear what happens next.

New episodes come out every Tuesday for free, with ad-free episodes and exclusive past episodes available for Wondery+ subscribers. Listen here: wondery.fm/Persona_TIAHS12

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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Persona: The French Deception - Introducing Project Unabom

Introducing Project Unabom

Persona: The French Deception

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08/18/22 • 7 min

When the Unabomber was arrested in 1996, the world got it’s first glimpse of the serial bomber who had terrorized the nation for 18 years and murdered three people. Bearded and disheveled, he was the perfect depiction of a mad bomber. But what actually happened during those 18 years? What drove Ted Kaczynski to his dystopian vision of people overrun by technology and why does it feel so familiar? And why did it take nearly two decades to catch him? Based on new original reporting, host Eric Benson tells the story of a nation reckoning with an increasingly deadly bombing campaign, and a family coming to grips with just what was happening inside a tiny cabin in the Montana woods. Project Unabom is an Apple Original podcast, produced by Pineapple Street Studios.

Listen here: https://apple.co/Project_Unabom

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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Persona: The French Deception - Wondery Presents: Fed Up

Wondery Presents: Fed Up

Persona: The French Deception

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08/31/22 • 4 min

When Emily Gellis hears rumors of people suffering horrible side effects from a trendy diet she springs into action. Armed with over a hundred thousand Instagram followers, Emily launches a social media crusade to expose F-Factor and its founder, Tanya Zuckerbrot. It’s the start of a feud that will attract trolls, lawyers, and, eventually, national media all because of fiber. From Wondery, this is a story about wealth, wellness, and influence narrated by Casey Wilson.

Listen to Fed Up: wondery.fm/Persona_FedUp

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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FAQ

How many episodes does Persona: The French Deception have?

Persona: The French Deception currently has 33 episodes available.

What topics does Persona: The French Deception cover?

The podcast is about Society & Culture, True Crime, Wondery, Con Artist, Documentary, Podcasts and Scam.

What is the most popular episode on Persona: The French Deception?

The episode title 'Genius | 2' is the most popular.

What is the average episode length on Persona: The French Deception?

The average episode length on Persona: The French Deception is 17 minutes.

How often are episodes of Persona: The French Deception released?

Episodes of Persona: The French Deception are typically released every 15 days, 6 hours.

When was the first episode of Persona: The French Deception?

The first episode of Persona: The French Deception was released on May 23, 2022.

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