March 5, 2025
Javier Leiva has lived in the Carolinas for the past decade. In 2017, the Raleigh man began hosting the "Pretend" podcast . "Pretend" is a documentary-style, true crime podcast about real people pretending to be someone else. In 2024 alone, he surpassed 5 million audio downloads. Plus, a Spotify billboard featured "Pretend" on a Times Square billboard in New York City. Leiva spoke with WRAL News' senior multiplatform producer Mark Bergin about how he’s covered con artists, cult leaders and even ...