US Podcaster Helps Land “Queen of the Con” Behind Bars in Northern Ireland

Published: 05 September. the English Chronicle Desk. English Chronicle Online

Marianne “Mair” Smyth, infamously known as the “Queen of the Con,” has been convicted of multiple fraud charges in Northern Ireland, thanks in large part to the investigative work of US podcaster and author Johnathan Walton. Smyth, who previously defrauded Walton himself of nearly $100,000 in Los Angeles by posing as an Irish heiress, was found guilty by a Downpatrick crown court jury of swindling more than £115,000 from four individuals while working as a mortgage adviser.

Walton, who documented his experience with Smyth through his podcast Queen of the Con: The Irish Heiress and his book Anatomy of a Con Artist: The 14 Red Flags to Spot Scammers, Grifters and Thieves, described the conviction as a personal vindication. His investigative reporting ultimately led to a tip about Smyth’s location in Bingham, Maine, in February 2024, which allowed Northern Ireland authorities to apprehend her.

During the four-day trial, prosecutors outlined how Smyth defrauded mortgage clients between 2008 and 2010. One victim entrusted Smyth with £72,570 for a buy-to-let property intended to fund his children’s education, yet the purchase never materialized. Additional victims, including a couple, handed over £43,000 intended for high-interest or investment accounts that did not exist. Smyth fled Northern Ireland for Los Angeles after allegedly killing more than a dozen dogs in her care, evading UK authorities until her eventual arrest.

Smyth had initially conned Walton in Los Angeles, convincing him she was a wealthy Irish heiress involved in a legal dispute with her family. Walton was persuaded to provide nearly $100,000 to assist her alleged inheritance claims, which Smyth misappropriated, including covering costs from a prior 2016 guilty plea for theft in California. Walton later investigated her past, exposing her as a serial fraudster and prompting authorities to charge her, resulting in a previous conviction for grand theft.

The tip about Smyth’s Maine residence, shared by a podcast listener, led Walton to inform police, culminating in her arrest on 23 February 2024. She was extradited to the UK by July 2024, and her trial concluded with the jury deliberating for just 20 minutes before returning a guilty verdict.

Smyth’s sentencing is scheduled for 16 October, and having been in custody since her arrest, she may face minimal additional jail time. Her attorney, Gary McHugh, noted that the UK government has filed for her immediate deportation upon release. Walton, who has launched additional true crime projects since, expressed gratitude for the appreciation shown by Smyth’s Northern Ireland victims and law enforcement, calling the experience “surreal” and affirming that justice had been served.