2201: The Playwright part 1
PRETEND
07/15/25
•43m
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In this episode, we investigate the mysterious Jayson Bartlett and the many women whose lives he upended.
Emma was a single mother in England who fell for Bartlett’s charm and artistic persona. At first, everything seemed perfect. But soon, she realized she was being gaslit, lied to, and emotionally manipulated.
Then there’s Melanie. She lived in North Carolina and had been diagnosed with a terminal illness. She thought she had found love and a creative partner. Instead, Jayson took control of her finances and disappeared.
Episode Credits:
Written and Produced by: Javier Leiva & Mackenzie Ames
Editor: Puneeth Shenoy
Theme Music: by Thechicken.net
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Previous Episode
BONUS: The Digital Trail to Epstein’s Island
July 9, 2025
•13m
What if your phone could place you at the scene of a crime—years later?
In this bonus episode of PRETEND, we uncover how nearly 200 mobile devices that visited Jeffrey Epstein’s private island left behind invisible data trails. Using just a free trial from a location data broker, an outsider was able to map those devices back to homes, offices, and even gated communities across the U.S.
This episode dives into how mobile advertising IDs—those “anonymous” trackers buried inside your apps—are being used to surveil people without their knowledge. It’s not just Epstein’s guests. Similar tactics were used to target abortion clinic visitors in Wisconsin... and the law hasn’t kept up.
Sources and Further Reading:
WIRED: Location Data From Phones Used to Track Epstein Island Visitors
https://www.wired.com/video/watch/we-tracked-every-visitor-to-epstein-island
Motherboard (VICE): A Data Broker Was Selling Location Data on People Who Visited Abortion Clinics
https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2022/02/meet-abortion-bans-new-best-friend-your-phone/
EPIC.org: Data Broker Helped Anti-Abortion Group Target Planned Parenthood Visitors
https://epic.org/data-broker-helped-anti-abortion-group-target-planned-parenthood-visitors-wyden-letter-reveals/
U.S. Congress: American Data Privacy and Protection Act (ADPPA)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Data_Privacy_and_Protection_Act
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Next Episode
2202: The Playwright part 2
July 22, 2025
•39m
In Part 2 of The Playwright, we shift focus to the show at the center of it all: The History of Now.
Written and directed by Jason Bartlett, the play was billed as a bold, political drama. It was a plan meant to honor a woman he claimed to love. But former cast members and collaborators started noticing red flags. Was this play ever really meant to open? Or was it all just a front?
Was The History of Now a sincere artistic project...or just another performance?
Written and Produced by: Javier Leiva & Mackenzie Ames
Editor: Puneeth Shenoy
Theme Music: by Thechicken.net
Episode Credits:
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