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This episode covers the escalation of a months-long harassment campaign against Carl and his boyfriend Drew, which ultimately culminated in the wrongful arrest of Carl's ex-boyfriend Adam. Throughout late 2023, Carl received hundreds of harassing texts, spoofed calls, and fake emergencies, including a harrowing incident where law enforcement was dispatched to his home for a fake weapons call. Believing Adam was behind the relentless psychological torture, Carl compiled an extensive spreadsheet and shared voicemails with the police. Meanwhile, the actual perpetrator, Carl's best friend Paul Augustine, posed as a supportive victim and even filed his own false police report. Armed with circumstantial evidence like a cherished Chicago Cubs hat found during a search warrant, detectives arrested Adam for felony stalking, leaving Paul free to celebrate with Carl while hiding his guilt.
Hosts introduce the podcast and set the stage for the episode.
The host outlines the escalating harassment against Carl, Drew, and Paul, setting the stage for the investigation.
Paul’s harassing texts and spoofed phone calls intensify, causing Carl and Drew to fear for their safety.
Carl and Drew present a detailed spreadsheet of harassment to local police, prompting a more serious investigation.
A false emergency call leads to a dangerous SWAT response at Carl’s home, highlighting the severity of the threat.
Detective George subpoenas spoofing companies, finds evidence linking Adam, and obtains a search warrant for his residence.
During questioning, Adam denies involvement, but police mistakenly arrest him for stalking while the real culprit remains free.
Paul is finally apprehended, and the narrative confirms he was the true harasser behind the threats and spoof calls.
The host concludes with a call for listeners to share their stories and provides contact information and episode credits.
The host confirms the podcast is a human‑produced iHeart show.
The Real Perpetrator Is Revealedinsight
The host reveals that Carl's best friend, Paul Augustine, was the mastermind behind the entire harassment campaign, intentionally framing Carl's ex-boyfriend Adam.
A Comprehensive Evidence Spreadsheetstrategy
Carl creates a detailed spreadsheet logging hundreds of harassing texts and phone calls, which finally convinces Kenosha County Deputy Mike Roers that the harassment is legitimate stalking.
The prolonged stress causes Carl to regain nearly half of the 150 pounds he had previously lost after undergoing gastric bypass surgery.
The Dangerous Swatting Incidentstory
The perpetrator calls dispatch pretending to be Carl and claims his boyfriend Drew has a knife, prompting multiple armed squad cars to rush to the apartment.
Non-Emergency Dispatch Exploitationinsight
Deputy Roors realizes that the harasser specifically used non-emergency lines for over 30 fake calls because 911 dispatch successfully screens out spoofed numbers.
Detectives executing a search warrant at Adam's home find a cherished Chicago Cubs hat that Carl previously claimed only Adam possessed, sealing the false case against him.
Wrongful Arrest for Stalkingdata
Despite maintaining his innocence and cooperating fully during questioning, Adam is formally arrested and booked into jail for felony stalking.
The Culprit Celebrates the Arreststory
Upon learning of Adam's arrest while hanging out at Carl's apartment, the real culprit Paul barely conceals his excitement and joins in celebrating.
“The real person behind the harassment? He was someone who'd been there all along, serving as a shoulder to cry on and doing everything he could to place the blame on Adam.”
“When it was all laid out in Carl's spreadsheet, you could see all of the phone calls and texts for what they were, a pattern of abuse.”
“False reporting of emergencies is known as swatting, as in calling a SWAT team, and it's considered a serious crime.”
“The hat was buried in storage. He just forgot he had it.”
“The day that text came in, Carl told Paul he needed to go to the police.”
Sheriffs take on Carl’s case as the harassment reaches new heights. If you would like to share your story, you can reach out to the Betrayal Team by emailing us at [email protected] mailto:[email protected] and follow us on Instagram at @betrayalpod https://www.instagram.com/betrayalpod/ and @glasspodcasts https://www.instagram.com/glasspodcasts/. To access our newsletter and additional content and to connect with the Betrayal community, join our Substack at betrayal.substack.com. If you are currently in crisis, please reach out to organizations that offer immediate support. We are including a few US-based resources here: 988 Lifeline. https://988lifeline.org/ If you or someone you know is in crisis or need to talk to someone immediately, please call or text 988 – the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline available 24/7/365. National Domestic Violence Hotline https://www.thehotline.org/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=domestic_violence. They offer 24/7 phone and chat support to help you create a personalized safety plan and connect you with local support. For resources on sexual violence, visit rainn.org/betrayal. You can also get free, confidential, 24/7 support through RAINN’s National Sexual Assault Hotline. Text HOPE to 64673 or call 1-800-656-HOPE. Every state has a domestic violence coalition. If you’re looking for help in the US, search the web for your state’s domestic violence coalition. See omnystudio.com/listener https://omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9,006 words · 8 speakers
Speaker names marked are inferred from speaking time and the show’s known hosts — they are not voice-verified.
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