Jake Halpern (Host)

He starts scanning through the documents on his phone and something catches his eye. The DD-214 says Sarah retired as a corporal, which is weird because she'd made it all the way up to staff sergeant. In fact, he'd seen a picture of her with a staff sergeant insignia. So he calls her up.

He starts scanning through the documents on his phone and something catches his eye. The DD-214 says Sarah retired as a corporal, which is weird because she'd made it all the way up to staff sergeant. In fact, he'd seen a picture of her with a staff sergeant insignia. So he calls her up.

Suddenly, Sarah's whole story, with all its drama and all its heroics, is feeling very shaky. Tom knew he needed backup, so he reached out to a friend who had access to personnel records. The friend, he punches in Sarah's DOD number, the military equivalent of a social security number, does some more digging. That friend gets back to Tom with what he's found.

Suddenly, Sarah's whole story, with all its drama and all its heroics, is feeling very shaky. Tom knew he needed backup, so he reached out to a friend who had access to personnel records. The friend, he punches in Sarah's DOD number, the military equivalent of a social security number, does some more digging. That friend gets back to Tom with what he's found.

It looks like she'd taken someone else's records and doctored them, inserting her own name and other details. This, by the way, is not a small thing. This isn't forging your mom's name on a sick note. This is a huge deal. Felony level huge. Tom is in a state of shock.

It looks like she'd taken someone else's records and doctored them, inserting her own name and other details. This, by the way, is not a small thing. This isn't forging your mom's name on a sick note. This is a huge deal. Felony level huge. Tom is in a state of shock.

Tom goes home and tells his wife. His wife, she's pissed. She knows how hard Tom has been working for this woman, trying to help her. And now she seems to be a fraud? She's like, not on my watch. So she goes over in person and reports this whole thing to NCIS. That's the Naval Criminal Investigative Service. Maybe you've seen the TV show. They're the badass investigators for the U.S.

Tom goes home and tells his wife. His wife, she's pissed. She knows how hard Tom has been working for this woman, trying to help her. And now she seems to be a fraud? She's like, not on my watch. So she goes over in person and reports this whole thing to NCIS. That's the Naval Criminal Investigative Service. Maybe you've seen the TV show. They're the badass investigators for the U.S.

Navy and Marine Corps. Anyway, the NCIS folks, they're like, okay, we'll look into this.

Navy and Marine Corps. Anyway, the NCIS folks, they're like, okay, we'll look into this.

This season is about a betrayal writ large, a deception that played out over the course of more than six years, not just in Montana, but in Colorado and Texas and Tennessee, California and Rhode Island too.

This season is about a betrayal writ large, a deception that played out over the course of more than six years, not just in Montana, but in Colorado and Texas and Tennessee, California and Rhode Island too.

Can you introduce yourself?

Can you introduce yourself?

Our show is edited by Karen Shakerji. Our executive producer is Jacob Smith. Mastering by Jake Gorski.

Our show is edited by Karen Shakerji. Our executive producer is Jacob Smith. Mastering by Jake Gorski.

Special thanks to Sarah Nix, Izzy Carter, Daphne Chen, Jake Flanagan, and Greta Cohn. Additional thanks to Vicki Merrick. I'm Jess McHugh.

Special thanks to Sarah Nix, Izzy Carter, Daphne Chen, Jake Flanagan, and Greta Cohn. Additional thanks to Vicki Merrick. I'm Jess McHugh.

Previously on Deep Cover. She explained to me that, um, She just got out of the Marine Corps and she needed help with some car payments because she was waiting for VA disability to kick in.

Previously on Deep Cover. She explained to me that, um, She just got out of the Marine Corps and she needed help with some car payments because she was waiting for VA disability to kick in.