2106: The Internet Saves the Bachelor part 1
PRETEND
05/14/25
•32m
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After a one-night hookup with a fan-turned-client, former Bachelor star Clayton Echard faced an unexpected legal battle — and public accusations that threatened to ruin his life.
In this episode, we unpack the early timeline of Clayton’s explosive case with Laura Michelle Owens, who claimed she was pregnant with his twins... despite his insistence they never had sex.
But Clayton wasn’t her first target. When no one else believed him, the internet showed up and started pulling Laura’s story apart.
Stayed tuned for part 2 and 3 of the "Internet Saves the Bachelor." Be the first to listen on Patreon and PRETEND+ on Apple Podcast.
Credits:
Hosted, Produced: Javier Leiva
Written by: Mackenzie Ames
Additional Reporting: The Dating Detectives Podcast
References:
https://allthebestresearch.com
Dave Neal's YouTube: https://youtube.com/@davenealcomedian?si=buUz1EGyODwQ6aGv
https://justiceforclayton.com/wiki/index.php/Laura_Michelle_Owens_-_Court_Case_History
https://www.reddit.com/r/JusticeForClayton/
https://victimsoflauraowens.com/coverage/
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Previous Episode
2105: The Man Who Stole 200 Million Identities
May 10, 2025
•28m
In this episode of PRETEND, recorded live at the GISEC cybersecurity conference in Dubai, I spoke with Hieu Minh Ngo, once one of the most prolific identity thieves in the world.
Operating out of Vietnam, Hieu stole and sold personal data on over 200 million Americans. We're talking names, birth dates, Social Security numbers—everything you’d need to become someone else.
But he didn’t hack his way in. Instead, he used open-source intelligence and even impersonated a private investigator to gain legal access to massive data broker networks.
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Next Episode
2107: The Internet Saves the Bachelor part 2
May 20, 2025
•40m
The story isn’t over. In Part 2, we dig deeper into the chaos that followed Laura Owens’ accusations against Bachelor star Clayton Echard.
Internet sleuths start pulling court records, police reports, and medical documents. Their findings are wild — fake identities, stolen ultrasounds, and a pregnancy that might never have happened.
Laura pushes back. She sues YouTuber Dave Neal and threatens to sue other podcasters for even discussing the case. In court, she testifies under oath. But her story keeps falling apart.
This episode exposes the internet’s role in fighting back, not with conspiracy theories, but with receipts.
Credits:
Hosted, Produced: Javier Leiva
Written by: Mackenzie Ames
References:
https://allthebestresearch.com
Dave Neal's YouTube: https://youtube.com/@davenealcomedian?si=buUz1EGyODwQ6aGv
https://justiceforclayton.com/wiki/index.php/Laura_Michelle_Owens_-_Court_Case_History
https://www.reddit.com/r/JusticeForClayton/
https://victimsoflauraowens.com/coverage/
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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