About This Episode
What is this episode about?
The episode "EP3: Believe Me: Fighting For Joanna" from REAL covers Joanna's ongoing investigation into a man named Derek, uncovering that his lies and manipulation run far deeper than she first realized. The episode follows the unraveling of his deception as Joanna pieces together the extent of his fraud.
The case behind the episode
The episode draws on Derek Alldred: Datingsvindleren fra Minnesota, the case of Derek Mylan Alldred, a Minnesota man who defrauded at least 25 women across multiple U.S. states through online dating and fabricated identities. Among the publicly named victims from Minnesota are Missi Brandt, Linda Dyas, Kimberly Nelson, and JoAnn Venhuizen. The scheme spanned several states, including Texas, Minnesota, California, Hawaii, and Nevada, and was prosecuted federally in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, Sherman Division. Alldred received a 24-year prison sentence in 2018. The exact period during which the crimes occurred has not been confirmed across available sources.
Hosts and release
Naomi Channell hosts the show, an independent true crime podcast built around audio documentaries that dig into real-world criminal cases. The episode runs 55 minutes and is available on Spotify. It forms part of REAL, which focuses on in-depth audio storytelling around true crime cases rather than quick-turnaround news coverage.
