Love, Janessa artwork

Commission · BBC World Service and CBC Podcasts · 2023

Love, Janessa

The search for the face of a global catfishing enterprise, and the most profitable dating scam in the world.

Three awardsAIB, Black Podcasting Awards and Signal, 2023; nominated for a Rose d’Or and a British Podcast Award

The search for a Brazilian adult film star, whose stolen images became the face of a global catfishing enterprise, leads to a subculture in West Africa whose chief industry is parting Westerners from their fortunes. The series crosses continents and cultures to find the truth behind the most profitable dating scam in the world.

Love, Janessa has been optioned for television.

Presenter
Hannah Ajala
Executive producers
Jago Lee, Katrina Onstad and Stuart Coxe
Showrunner
Laura Regehr
“Equal parts jaw-dropping and heart-breaking”Financial Times
“The Knives Out of podcasts”New Zealand Herald
“A gripping investigation”The Independent