AYR Media

“Queen of the Con: The OC Savior” Debuts Thursday, May 5 on iHeartRadio and All Podcasting Platforms

Listen to the Trailer HERE

• Queen of the Con, the hit original podcast produced by Aliza Rosen’s AYR Media for iHeartMedia (the No. 1 podcast publisher globally according to podtrac) is returning to spotlight another twisted story of deception and betrayal on a colossal scale.
• Debuting Thursday, May 5, “Queen of the Con: The OC Savior” will unravel the story of Lizzie Mulder, a Laguna Beach resident who created and impersonated a stable of compelling characters, posing as a CPA and swindling each of her clients – many of whom considered Lizzie a close friend – out of hundreds of thousands of dollars. Taking on a winery, a local salon and a luxury travel business, among other victims, Lizzie had scammed her way to more than $1.5M, when an extramarital affair with a local cowboy put her on the radar of an enterprising Laguna Beach detective.
• The first two episodes (of the 10-episode season) will premiere Thursday, May 5, with new episodes dropping weekly, every Thursday on iHeartRadio and all major podcasting platforms.
• The series is narrated and executive produced by TV producer and “con hunter” Johnathan Walton. Aliza Rosen executive produces for AYR Media. The series is distributed by the iHeartPodcast Network.
• Queen of the Con Season 1, billed “The Irish Heiress,” debuted September 2021 and told the story of Mair Smyth, a serial con artist who scammed her way through Hollywood from 2013 to 2017. The series was an immediate hit, garnering millions of downloads and quickly climbing the podcast charts and becoming one of the top 25 podcasts in the U.S.

About AYR Media

AYR Media is a full-service production company focused on premium unscripted and documentary content, encompassing podcasts, television and film. Founded in 2020 by veteran producer and development executive Aliza Rosen, AYR podcasts include iHeart Media’s Queen of the Con and The Real Killer, as well as Bitter Blood: Kasem vs. Kasem, The First Wife: John Meehan’s Reign of Terror and The Murder of Robert Wone, all for Audible, among numerous other series set to launch in 2022. Other AYR projects include additional series for both Audible, iHeart Media and Crown Media, as well as other IP currently in development for television and streaming. For more information, please visit AYR Media’s website.

“The Real Killer” Premieres Thursday, December 16 on iHeartRadio and All Podcasting Platforms

LOS ANGELES – (December 15, 2021) – Aliza Rosen’s AYR Media (iHeartRadio’s Queen of the Con: The Irish Heiress, Audible’s Bitter Blood: Kasem vs. Kasem) and iHeartMedia, the No. 1 podcast publisher globally as per podtrac, have partnered to launch The Real Killer. Host Leah Rothman, a Daytime Emmy-nominated producer, writer and director (Crime Watch Daily) brings listeners along as she investigates one of the most gruesome crimes in Missouri history; a case that baffled law enforcement and resulted in a St. Louis man being sentenced to life in prison. Now, almost 40 years later, as new evidence emerges, the question remains… who is the real killer?

The first two episodes of The Real Killer premieres on Thursday, December 16, with new episodes dropping weekly, every Thursday on iHeartRadio and all major podcasting platforms. The 11-episode series is distributed by the iHeartPodcast Network; it’s executive produced by Rothman and Rosen (who previously collaborated to produce The First Wife: John Meehan’s Reign of Terror).

In 1982, seven-year-old Melissa Davis woke in the middle of the night to find her mother, JoAnn Tate, murdered. The murderer, still in the house, then attacked and nearly killed Melissa and her four-year-old sister, Renee. When police interrogated the traumatized child, Melissa eventually identified one of her mother’s former boyfriends as the killer. That man was later arrested, convicted and sentenced to two life terms in prison.

Decades later, Melissa realized she may have put the wrong man behind bars.

The Real Killer analyzes this twisted tale, from its gruesome beginnings to the imprisonment of a potentially innocent man, featuring first-hand accounts from Melissa, the man convicted and those closest to the case – including other family members, a juror from the murder trial, St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner, renowned defense attorney Sean O’Brien and, for the first time ever, an inmate at Hutchinson Correctional Facility who may be the actual culprit. Rothman provides listeners with an intimate look at what many believe to be justice gone awry, and her pursuit to find the real killer.

“This story is more than a true crime mystery – it highlights a case that has gone decades without resolution and exposes major flaws within our justice system,” said Rosen. “JoAnn Tate’s murder investigation and theeventual trial is riddled with missed details, neglected evidence and coercion. We’re pleased to partner again with Leah and with iHeart on this podcast that reopens the case and allows those involved to share their story – many for the first time.”

“I’ve covered and investigated a number of incredibly heinous crimes over the years, but I just haven’t been able to shake this one,” said Rothman. “I’ve long contemplated the best way to tell this story, and teaming with Aliza and AYR on this podcast has given me the opportunity to dive deeper into this case than I ever could have imagined.”

About AYR Media

AYR Media is a full-service production company focused on premium unscripted and documentary content, encompassing podcasts, television and film. Founded in 2019 by veteran producer and development executive Aliza Rosen, AYR podcasts include iHeartRadio’s Queen of theCon: The Irish Heiress and upcoming true-crime thriller The Real Killer, as well as Bitter Blood: Kasem vs. Kasem, The First Wife: John Meehan’s Reign of Terror and The Murder of Robert Wone, all for Audible, among numerous other series set to launch in 2022. Other AYR projects include additional series for both Audible and iHeart Media, as well as other IP currently in development for television and streaming. For more information, please visit AYR Media’s website.

“Queen of The Con: The Irish Heiress”

Eight-Part Series Premieres Thursday, September 30 on iHeartRadio and All Podcasting Platforms

Listen to the trailer HERE

LOS ANGELES, CA – (September 23, 2021) – Aliza Rosen’s AYR Media and iHeartMedia, the No. 1 podcast publisher globally as per podtrac, have teamed to launch “Queen of the Con: The Irish Heiress,” a new original podcast chronicling the life, lies and larceny of Marianne “Mair” Smyth, an international serial con artist who scammed her way through Hollywood from 2013 to 2017 with a hit list comprised of A-list actors, producers and politicians. Host Johnathan Walton, an Emmy Award-winning producer (America Ninja Warrior; Shark Tank) and Mair’s best friend-turned-victim, brings listeners along as he recounts both his personal history with the woman who stole his life savings, and his arduous quest for justice. Listen to the official audio trailer here.

The first two episodes of “Queen of the Con: The Irish Heiress” premiere Thursday, September 30, with new episodes dropping weekly, every Thursday on iHeartRadio and all major podcasting platforms. The series is distributed by the iHeartPodcast Network, is executive produced by Rosen and Walton and is AYR Media’s first of several upcoming podcasts with iHeartMedia.

Johnathan Walton’s world was shattered when he discovered his best friend and closest confidante was not the Irish heiress she claimed to be; in reality, she was a pathological liar on the run, using a sophisticated web of lies and identities to scam hundreds of thousands of dollars from her victims… and he was next. In the new eight-part series, Walton recounts the investigation that exposed her cons to the world, and that led him to discover 45 other victims.

Featuring first-hand accounts from several of Mair’s prey, as well as her estranged daughter, childhood friends, neighbors and more, Queen of the Con: The Irish Heiress unveils shocking new information about the skilled operative.

Said Rosen, “From impersonating celebrities like Jennifer Aniston and blackmailing married men, to posing as a psychic, mortgage broker and even a cancer patient, Mair robbed and terrorized countless victims across the globe – including a notable politician, lawyers and the mentally ill. Johnathan’s bravery and courage to fight for what is right is incredibly inspirational and I’m excited for listeners to hear his cautionary tale first-hand.”

Additionally, Johnathan will host two bonus episodes that dive deeper into the life and mind of the con, featuring conversations with Buddha Noah, the spiritual guide who intervened at a crucial moment to keep Johnathan on Mair’s trail, and Tori Telfer, a con artist expert and author of the award-winning book Confident Women: Swindlers, Grifters, and Shapeshifters of the Feminine Persuasion. This bonus content will provide listeners keen insight into the notorious scammer, and critical information on protecting themselves from cons.

“I used to think con artists were people you'd see in movies and TV shows,” said Walton. “They weren't real, and if they were, I'd certainly be able to spot one. I couldn't have been more wrong. Con artists are everywhere – your new boyfriend or girlfriend, your coworker, your neighbor – and the good ones, like Marianne Smyth, can get away with scamming people for decades undetected because most victims remain silent. However, the telltale signs of a professional are always there if you know what to look for, and that's what ‘Queen of the Con’ will reveal.”

About AYR Media

AYR Media is a full-service production company focused on premium unscripted and documentary content, encompassing podcasts, television and film. Founded in 2019 by veteran producer and development executive Aliza Rosen, AYR’s slate includes Bitter Blood: Kasem vs. Kasem and The First Wife: John Meehan’s Reign of Terror, both for Audible, as well as numerous other podcasts set to launch in 2021. Additional AYR projects include series for both Audible and iHeart Media, as well as other IP currently in development for television and streaming. For more information, please visit AYR Media’s website.