As a fan of good true crime documentaries and podcasts, I recently dove into a new docuseries on Netflix called The Puppet Master: Hunting the Ultimate Conman. Oh boy, what a crazy story.  It falls into the category of almost too unbelievable to be true, but yet it happened.  So, let’s dig into this series.  

Where Can I Watch it?

The 3-episode series is streaming on Netflix.  It came out on January 18, 2022, so it should be around for a while. These sorts of true crime documentaries have become a staple on streaming channels like Discovery+, but Hulu and Netflix have also gotten into the act with some pretty fascinating in-depth looks at specific crimes or criminals.  

What’s it About?

The 3 episodes introduce us to a long-time conman who goes by various names over the course of his decades-long career. The story is told through interviews with law enforcement (members of Scotland Yard and the FBI) and various people who became entangled in the con. Those stories span from 1994 through 2020. 

The series bounces back and forth in time as we let the stories unfold and eventually begin to overlap in both time and in the nature of the deception. For those who were most deeply enmeshed in the schemes, it becomes far more like brainwashing in an almost cult-like way than simply being deceived.

Over the course of the series, we see people whose lives were dramatically changed through becoming pulled into the web of deceit.  

It actually takes some time to understand how these cons actually become financially motivated, as they represent an extreme form of the long-con. We’re talking years and years of elaborate deceptions and stories that convince people to completely leave their normal lives and families behind and go on the run with the supposed MI5 agent. 

WTF Moments

Expect to say “wait, what?” more than a few times. The first one comes in the first 15 minutes or so when one of the interview subjects mentions that little did she know that a decision to go on a road trip with 2 friends and a comparative stranger would change the next 10 years of her life.  I was like, 10 years?  

Then you’ll hear that one of the main parts of the con is convincing people that the conman is not just a bartender, car salesman, or any of the other regular jobs he held, but instead actually works for MI5, the UK counter-intelligence and security agency.

He would then use that story to convince various targets to go into hiding with him, to keep them safe from some perceived threat from terrorists or some other threat. 

You will not be able to help yourself wondering how on earth people keep falling for this story. But, even a few people who initially seemed skeptical, were wrapped up into his schemes to one extent or another. 

Watch it or Not?

If you are a fan of true crime documentaries, this one is a no-brainer.  Add it to your watchlist and you can easily binge it in one sitting.  Be prepared to be incredulous at the length of the cons and how they have worked out.