November 27th 2024.
Tracy Hall's heart was filled with love when she met 'Max Tavita' on a dating app. She thought he was the one she had been waiting for her whole life. However, little did she know that this man was actually a cunning con artist who would deceive her and take away all her hard-earned savings.
The latest episode of Motive & Method, hosted by Dr Xanthé Mallett and Dr Tim Watson-Munro, brings to light the heartbreaking story of Tracy Hall. She fell victim to notorious Australian fraudster Hamish McLaren, who had been manipulating people for years and was known as a master of deceit.
McLaren's tactics were clever and manipulative. He posed as a wealthy investment banker and boasted about his connections in high society. Unfortunately, Hall was one of many who fell prey to his deceitful ways. This serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of placing trust in the wrong person.
Do not miss the latest episode of Motive & Method, available on all podcast platforms. You can also listen to it here: https://omny.fm/shows/motive-and-method/tracy-hall-the-woman-who-dated-an-international-co/embed?style=cover&image=1&description=1&download=1&playlistImages=1&playlistShare=1&share=1&subscribe=1&background=f5f5f5&foreground=6d4d8f&highlight=6313bc
For Hall, the betrayal wasn't just a headline in the newspaper. It was a personal and devastating experience that turned her life upside down. She had met 'Max Tavita' 18 months before his arrest and had fallen deeply in love with him. However, she had to fall out of love with him in just 24 hours when she found out the truth about him.
"It was like a death. I was grieving a fake human and a fake relationship. I trusted him," she said.
McLaren was eventually sentenced to 16 years, which was later reduced to 12 years, with a non-parole period of nine years. However, as his parole date in 2026 approaches, Hall is worried about the possibility of him reoffending.
"It was a deep and detailed con," said Mallett.
"How much did he steal over the years? Estimates say between 80 to 100 million dollars globally, but there may be more victims who have not come forward."
Hall had to come to terms with the fact that she would never see her money again. McLaren even tried to manipulate her from jail by offering her a large sum of money to visit him. She described it as a $317,000 carrot dangling in front of her face. She had lost everything because of him.
To listen to the full interview, tune in to the latest episode of Motive & Method, available now on all podcast platforms. You can also access weekly episodes by tapping here or searching 'Motive and Method' on your favorite podcast app.
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