Dakota Spotlight: Meanwhile in Mankato
PRETEND
11/17/25
•56m
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On PRETEND, we tell stories about people who build false identities and hide the truth in plain sight. This week, we are featuring a case that fits right into that world. It is the newest season of Dakota Spotlight, titled “Meanwhile in Mankato.”
In 1965, an 18-year-old gas station attendant named Ray Dahm was murdered during an overnight shift at a rural Minnesota truck stop. The person who killed him was a clean-cut 17-year-old who looked harmless, the kind of kid no one would ever suspect. On the surface, it seemed simple. A robbery. A terrible act of violence. Case closed.
But that was only the beginning. Reporter James Wolner later uncovered that the killer did not stay locked away for long. Within a few years, he was quietly back in the community, working around teenage girls who had no idea they were interacting with a convicted murderer. His past had been buried, ignored, or conveniently forgotten.
“Meanwhile in Mankato” is a story about manipulation, vanished accountability, and the people who were left to carry the fallout of one man’s lies. It is exactly the kind of story we look at on PRETEND, because it shows how someone can reinvent themselves while everyone else looks the other way.
If you follow PRETEND, you will want to hear this one. It is sharp reporting, unsettling truth, and a reminder that the most dangerous story is often the one no one bothered to check.
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https://open.spotify.com/show/3ZqpK6FfXIvS35TUYjckd6?si=fe79cf9a61264247
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Previous Episode
2309: From Smallville to NXIVM: The Psychology Behind Allison Mack
November 11, 2025
•43m
Smallville's Allison Mack is out of prison, and she's finally talking.
What was NXIVM, and how did Allison Mack become a high-ranking member?
NXIVM was a self-help organization that sold leadership training and personal development courses. Beneath the surface, it operated as a coercive group led by Keith Raniere, using control tactics like starvation diets, sleep deprivation, emotional manipulation, and eventually a secret “master-slave” subgroup called DOS.
Who is Allison Mack?
Allison Mack, best known from Smallville, joined NXIVM in the mid-2000s. She rose quickly inside the group and later played a major role in recruiting and controlling women within DOS. Mack pled guilty to racketeering and served three years in federal prison for her crimes. She was released in 2023.
What is this episode about?
In this conversation, journalist Natalie Robehmed — host of the new CBC podcast Allison After NXIVM — explains how Allison Mack describes her journey from devoted follower to active perpetrator. We break down the psychological mechanics that made NXIVM work: obedience training, emotional conditioning, sexual manipulation, and why even smart people get pulled into systems like this.
We also revisit Allison’s early life as a child actor, her abusive relationship before NXIVM, and how these patterns help explain the control she eventually exerted over others.
After you listen, check out:
👉 Allison After NXIVM from Uncover (CBC + Campsite Media) — Episode 1 is out now.
https://open.spotify.com/show/5asD2sDYXsiUCtYi7VUO49?si=0325705c159b4f54
👉 Comic Book Central’s 2016 interview with Allison Mack — recorded before NXIVM collapsed, offering an eerie look at who she was then.
https://open.spotify.com/episode/1VXZyFrQGrzwHzgU1D1Cih?si=dd94dae2332a493e
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Next Episode
2401: The Cancer Sympathy Machine part 1
November 18, 2025
•37m
Some people fake cancer for sympathy. Others do it for money. But the truth is darker than most of us want to believe.
In this episode, we break down the tactics, behaviors, and mindsets of some of the most convincing cancer fakers out there. From Madison Russo’s botched medical props to Elizabeth Teckenbrock’s alleged search history...“Is it illegal to fake cancer?” Um, yeah.
Bill Petrich, a real cancer survivor who now investigates fake cases, helps us understand the psychology behind the deception.
We also take a look at the biggest cancer cons in recent history: Scamanda, Belle Gibson, Jennifer Flynn Cataldo and how these scams went from emotional manipulation to full-on fraud.
To learn more about Bill Petrich’s work documenting these cases, check out his TikTok: @faking.cancer.expert:
https://www.tiktok.com/@faking.cancer.expert
Listen to eLIESabeth podcast:
https://open.spotify.com/show/2nlxXhewsTRAyJhvyvaQbb?si=5de4d34489f549e9
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