True Crime Reporter

Imagine getting a video text message from your bank’s manager asking for your password. You recognize her face. You hear her voice. She’s looking right at you. But there’s one problem. It’s not really your bank manager. It’s a criminal using artificial intelligence to look like her and steal your money. AI has given criminals the power to impersonate almost anyone. They can clone voices, produce convincing videos, and create elaborate scams that are nearly impossible to distinguish from reality. And now, autonomous AI agents can carry out thousands of actions without a human directing every move. So what happens when criminals unleash these powerful machines on people and businesses My guest is Dr. Charles M. Russo, a national security expert who has worked for the FBI and CIA. Russo warns that artificial intelligence is creating a dangerous vulnerability. We’re surrendering our ability to think critically and question what we see and hear. And that makes us easier targets. This is another edition of True Crime Reporter®. I’m Robert Riggs. These are stories ripped from my reporter’s notebook. When you can no longer trust your own eyes and ears, how do you protect yourself from criminals who can manufacture reality? That’s the question I put to Charles Russo.

After a nine-hour conversation, an AI Chatbot convinced a 17-year-old girl that she was living in a simulated world. A world like the one depicted in the 1999 Sci-fi film The Matrix, where a computer programmer discovers that everyday reality is actually a machine-made creation designed to enslave humanity. She questioned whether life was worth living. Dallas therapist Alexandra Tracy counseled the young woman. It is a case of what is unofficially called AI psychosis, and it is not uncommon. This is another edition of True Crime Reporter®. I’m Robert Riggs. These are stories ripped from my reporter’s notebook. Alexandra Tracy joins me to explain what happens when people turn to machines for emotional support.

A predator succeeds by convincing a child that secrecy is the only safe choice. The child may fear losing a phone, a game, a group of friends, or a parent’s trust. That fear is not a side effect of exploitation. It is part of the strategy. I have been digging into FBI reports. In this episode, I examine how sextortion can begin inside an online game, why gifts and private chats matter in context, and how artificial intelligence has made false images another weapon. Most importantly, I explain how parents can make one message unmistakable before a crisis: If something goes wrong, come tell us. You will not be blamed.

An online terror group called 764 seeks a badge of honor by getting teenage girls to live-stream mutilation of their bodies and, worse, killing themselves as its members watched with glee. FBI investigations report cases in which vulnerable preteen and teenage girls were blackmailed into carving the initials of 764 members into their skin. It is a status symbol called “Blood Content” inside what the FBI calls online domestic terror networks. The blood trail of suffering starts in Texas. Content note: This episode discusses child exploitation, self-harm, animal cruelty, and suicide. It avoids unnecessary graphic detail while explaining the danger and how families can respond.

Real human connection is becoming harder to recognize in a world increasingly shaped by AI-generated content. Former FBI counterintelligence agent Robin Dreeke returns to the podcast to explore one of the most urgent questions of our time: who or what should we trust? From the rise of AI personalities and artificial empathy to the subtle ways criminals manipulate human behavior, Dreeke explains how the principles he used in the world of spies apply to everyday life. We also discuss the updated edition of his bestselling book, It’s Not All About Me: The Top Ten Techniques for Building Quick Rapport with Anyone. Dreeke shares practical insights on reading people, spotting manipulation, building authentic relationships, and protecting yourself in a culture where deception is increasingly sophisticated. Whether you are fascinated by criminal behavior, curious about the future of AI, or simply trying to better understand the people around you, this conversation offers deeply personal and timely insights.