Episode
Unmasking Samantha Cookes - the many lives of a serial fraudster
- Podcast
- Crime World
- Published
- Jun 25, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 1089
- Processing state
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- https://shows.acast.com/crime-world/episodes/unmasking-samantha-cookes-the-many-lives-of-a-serial-fraudst
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Summary
Serial fraudster Samantha Cookes constructed an extraordinary web of deception that stretched across Ireland and the UK. A master manipulator, she adopted multiple identities and personas, to gain the trust of families, universities and even state agencies. Over the years, Cookes falsely claimed to be living with Huntington's disease, posed as a speech and language therapist, an occupational therapist, and even a surrogate mother. Her elaborate fabrications left a trail of victims and unanswered questions. Today, Chloe McPolin is joined by journalist and documentary maker Alan Bradley to discuss his new book, Unmasking Samantha Cookes: The Many Lives of a Serial Fraudster to discuss how the chameleon known as Carrie Jade Williams came to be. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.