Before you start reading this article, or indeed, listen to the fifth instalment of RTÉ Documentary On One's hit podcast Finding Samantha, remember we did warn you that things were about to get seriously crazy.
We ended last week in 2015. Samantha had been convicted for the fraudulently obtained passport she acquired under the name Georgia McAuliffe. She was released on a good behaviour bond under the stipulation that she stays out of trouble (and other people's identities) for two years. Did she oblige the courts? Obviously not, or we wouldn't be here. Instead, she upped her game, and soon, she had a new cast of characters tangled in her web.
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So, buckle up, as journalist Sharon Davis is about to have a mysterious rendezvous with a source apparently sent by Samantha herself. The team will also be unsealing some court documents and roping in the Australian authorities and an IT whiz to help crack this story wide open.
If your Spidey senses have gone into overdrive and you’re suspicious of every new co-worker, friend or stranger you meet, get in line. Now, you are immersed in the world of Samantha Azzopardi, where nothing is as it seems.Get ready, take a deep breath and read on for the full scoop (well almost) on Episode Five: The One That Got Away
Hello, Goodbye
Committed listeners will remember that journalist Sharon Davis recently received a series of Facebook messages from a user called Sam Azzopardi. Sharon arranged an in-person meeting with this unidentified individual who claimed to have evidence that vindicated Samantha, the con woman. The question is, could Sharon trust her? We will never know, as a few hours before the meeting our mystery messenger cancelled. "I was advised not to talk to you. I need to do what is best to keep my family and myself safe". But this is the tip of the iceberg. Things are about to get much, much weirder.
"We believe that Samantha Azzopardi is aware of our production and that all of these messages only ever came from her. It’s Samantha, playing yet another game." - Nicoline Greer
The Good Shepherd
In 2016 there was a new arrival at The Good Shepherd School in Sydney, Harper Hart. Like many of their students, Harper came from a disadvantaged background. She struggled with reading and writing. She supplied the school with a birth certificate from the State of California and a doctor’s certificate from a Sydney Hospital. She was even fostered by a local family she met on the street. She claimed to be under the US witness protection program. And that she’d been raped by a New South Wales, Police Officer.
I’m sure this story sounds familiar…
from the Australian Police Journal (APJ), taken from article written by
Detective Sergeant Aaron Power
When her foster family reported her abuse to the authorities, everything unravelled. Well, after some help from the FBI and Irish authorities. Samantha had escalated. She was a 28-year-old living with vulnerable children and attending school as a 13-year-old girl.
Yet, her foster family stood by her. They refused to cooperate with the authorities and continued to believe the story of Harper Hart till the bitter end.
When you're starting to deal with false birth certificates, you're dealing with United States homeland security, they're thinking terrorists, And that's a priority - Detective Sergeant Aaron Power, NSW police
No more second chances
Samantha’s latest escapade as Harper Hart found her back in court. She pleaded guilty, but after a decade of second chances, the legal system had enough. She received a 12-month sentence but appealed after she had served five. By some content creation miracle, the Doc on One team managed to speak with Judge Paul Conlon; the man who presided over Samantha's appeal. But there’s more; he gave the team access to a psychiatric report the court had requested on Samantha. This episode is not about vilifying our protagonist. It's about understanding whether Samantha is mentally unwell. Or if she understands, even enjoys the pain she has created. I won’t spoil the report, so alleviate your curiosity and press play on episode five of Finding Samantha.
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"She appeared emotionally regressed, often childlike and frequently on the verge of tears or was openly crying." - Samantha’s psychological report
French Lucie
Nobody understands Samantha quite like Detective Sergeant Aaron Power of the New South Wales Police Department. He was behind her arrest at The Good Shepherd School. According to Detective Power, Samantha is an expert at controlling her environment: "As soon as she was in custody she asked for a meal, she was provided with a meal, and then she went into a spasm alleging she had an allergic reaction. That allows her to be taken to the hospital…"
She is also an expert at controlling other people.
after the alleged allergic reaction, from article written by
Detective Sergeant Aaron Power
Samantha manipulates her victims to prop up her schemes and keep her fantasy world spinning. How did she convince The Good Shepherd School and her foster family to trust her? Two words: French Lucie. Detective Power said Samantha befriended French Lucie, a young backpacker in the Bondi area. Soon she needed a favour from her new pal. Well, a couple of favours…
"She made the phone call allegedly calling the Principal stating she was a doctor and that Harper Hart has been examined and in fact, she is a 13 year old girl…." - Detective Sergeant Aaron Power, NSW police
Fishy situations
After the failed meeting with Sam Azzopardi from Facebook, everything calmed down. Then came the phone calls. Now, things get pretty insane, even by this podcast's standards. A mystery woman phoned and asked Sharon to meet her in person. She said she had important documents that she wanted to share with her. But she refused to tell Sharon where she got her name, number and what the information pertained to. So, chill, normal stuff that definitely doesn’t scream danger. But for the sake of the story, Sharon agreed to meet (you’re welcome). This time the rendezvous wouldn't be cancelled. Who is this mystery woman? And what did she give Sharon? Sorry, you will have to listen to find out…
"She walked up to me and started to put her hand in her pocket. And I backed away a little bit because I wasn't quite sure what was going to come out" - Sharon Davis
New episodes of Finding Samantha are available weekly - catch up here, or via your preferred podcast source.
