Podcasts · True Crime

The Con: Kaitlyn's Baby

CBC + BBC World Service

16 episodes · in order

Kaitlyn Braun, a pregnant young woman in crisis, takes dozens of birth workers through an escalating series of disasters – rape, baby loss, and even a coma. One by one, the doulas struggle to support her and grieve with her, and even save her life as they’re led down a distressing path. And then the truth comes out.

More about the show

In this six-part true crime series, Sarah Treleaven untangles a complex web of lies and deception to ask who Kaitlyn really is and why she did the things that she did. Cases like these puzzle legal experts and raise intricate moral and ethical questions. This is not your average con. Kaitlyn is not your usual scammer.

The Con: Kaitlyn's Baby is the 2026 Winner of the Podcast Academy’s Ambie Award for Best Documentary Podcast.

Kaitlyn's Baby is Season 2 of The Con — a podcast exposing the art of deception — from CBC and the BBC World Service. Season 1 - the critically acclaimed catfishing quest, Love, Janessa, launched in January 2023.

Content warning: The latest season of The Con contains references to medical emergencies, including baby loss. We also deal with sexual assault and there is some strong language.

Episodes

  1. Introducing “Love, Janessa”

    · 3:10 · Trailer

    “I love her. I just love her!” You meet someone online. It turns out many others think they have fallen for the same person. Introducing the search for the unwitting face of a digital con. With host, Hannah Ajala.…

  2. Love, Janessa | Episode 1: From My World to Yours

    · 36 min · S1 E1 · Explicit

    New Year’s Eve. Simon receives a message from a beautiful stranger, named Shirley: “Greetings…from my world to yours.” A digital flirtation begins. Then Shirley needs cash – fast. Shirley’s photo is actually adult…

  3. Love, Janessa | Episode 2: The Big Fish

    · 40 min · S1 E2 · Explicit

    Roberto is in love. Without ever seeing her or talking to her, he thinks he falls deeply for Janessa. He sends thousands of dollars and begs her to leave the adult entertainment world. Everyone tells the Italian…

  4. Love, Janessa | Episode 3: Meet The Boys

    · 40 min · S1 E3 · Explicit

    Tracking down scammers – how and why do they do it? One tells host Hannah Ajala: “I always feel bad”. Researchers estimate half of global romance scams originate in West Africa. In Ghana, there are the Sakawa Boys. The…

  5. Love, Janessa | Episode 4: Helen of Troy

    · 30 min · S1 E4 · Explicit

    Where is Janessa Brazil? She seems to have vanished. Then, she turns up somewhere unexpected. Is that really Janessa on a radio show, with the wife of a scam victim? Meanwhile, Hannah discovers that justice is hard to…

  6. Love, Janessa | Episode 5: Bubba

    · 27 min · S1 E5 · Explicit

    “I'm an offensive person.” Can a shock jock radio talk show host help us find Janessa Brazil? Meet Bubba the Love Sponge Clem. Bubba and Janessa used to host his show together and they were even housemates. Did they…

  7. Love, Janessa | Episode 6: Love, Vanessa

    · 39 min · S1 E6 · Explicit

    Her real name is Vanessa. Her model name is Janessa Brazil. Where does Janessa end and Vanessa begin? Vanessa tells her story and reveals the human cost of being the bait in catfishing schemes around the world. Please…

  8. Love, Janessa | Episode 7: Fantasy Meets Reality

    · 31 min · S1 E7 · Explicit

    When the fish met the bait. Roberto has a broken heart and lost thousands of dollars to scammers. Vanessa had her images stolen by scammers and her life fell apart. An emotional finale. Please note, this series…

  9. Introducing The Con: Kaitlyn’s Baby

    · 3:08 · Trailer

    Kaitlyn Braun, a young woman in crisis, took dozens of doulas through an escalating series of disasters—pregnancy loss, rape, and even a coma. They struggled to help her, grieve with her, and even save her life. And…

  10. Kaitlyn's Baby | Episode 1: The barking dog

    · 39 min · S2 E1 · Explicit

    Amy, a seasoned doula, is bedridden due to illness when she receives a call from fellow doula Katie to assist a client, Kaitlyn, over the phone. Kaitlyn is pregnant as a result of sexual assault and has just learned…

  11. Kaitlyn's Baby | Episode 2: Pink flags

    · 28 min · S2 E2 · Explicit

    Seanna is a new doula and excited to help her first client: Kaitlyn, 32 weeks pregnant, who reaches out online. Seanna goes to Kaitlyn’s home, assisting her through labour. But Seanna soon realizes that something…

  12. Kaitlyn's Baby | Episode 3: Fifty doulas

    · 27 min · S2 E3

    The doulas unite, determined to do what the police don’t seem to be doing: stopping Kaitlyn. Kate and Seanna connect with other doulas through social media, discovering they’ve all been duped by Kaitlyn. As they try to…

  13. Kaitlyn's Baby | Episode 4: Down the rabbit hole

    · 26 min · S2 E4

    After months of waiting and dozens more victims coming forward, the police take an interest in the case and start interviewing doulas. In March 2023, Kaitlyn Braun is arrested. She faces 52 counts of fraud, harassment…

  14. Kaitlyn's Baby | Episode 5: It gets worse

    · 17 min · S2 E5

    We learn that Kaitlyn is a registered social worker and are told a story that breaks from her pattern of targeting caregivers. A mother tells Sarah that Kaitlyn used her position of trust and authority as a social…

  15. Kaitlyn's Baby | Episode 6: A problem like Kaitlyn

    · 30 min · S2 E6

    At Kaitlyn Braun’s sentencing hearing, victim impact statements are shared. A court-ordered report lists concerns about Kaitlyn’s risk to reoffend. Would house arrest, probation and restricted internet access be…

  16. The Con Introduces: Sea of Lies

    · 6:34

    A body is pulled from the English Channel, leaving detectives with a dead-end case. That is, until a shocking discovery begins a race against time to capture one of the world's most wanted criminals. Award-winning…

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