US podcaster who helped convict ‘Queen of the Con’ disappointed at short sentence

US Podcaster Disappointed by Lenient Sentence for Convicted 'Queen of the Con'

A US podcaster who played a crucial role in bringing a notorious con artist to justice has expressed disappointment at her relatively short sentence. Marianne "Mair" Smyth, dubbed the "Queen of the Con", was convicted last week of defrauding over $155,000 from four Northern Irish mortgage advice customers between 2008 and 2010.

Podcaster Johnathan Walton had chronicled his own victimization at Smyth's hands in both a podcast series and a recently published book. His reporting led to her arrest in February this year, after a tip was received about her whereabouts in Maine. The American-born Smyth had built a reputation for swindling millions of dollars from vulnerable individuals, including an episode where she impersonated actress Jennifer Aniston to bilk a producer out of millions.

Walton described Smyth as "a woman who deserves to live the rest of her days in confinement" and expressed frustration that the court was unable to consider the full extent of her crimes. He fears that many people are unaware of the true nature of Smyth's activities, stating that his work had provided a "complete and accurate picture" of her devastation.

In contrast, Smyth has been sentenced to just four years in prison, which Walton deemed disappointing given the severity of her offenses. A statement from a Northern Ireland police detective constable welcomed the sentence as a clear message to those involved in scamming innocent people that they will be pursued to face justice. However, for Walton and many others affected by Smyth's actions, the leniency of her punishment falls short of what is deserved.

I'm still trying to wrap my head around this one . Four years? That seems like a slap on the wrist to me . I mean, she's been convicted of swindling over $155k from people in Northern Ireland... that's not chump change! And let's not forget about all the other victims she's got out there who might still be getting scammed . I'm disappointed, but not surprised really. We've seen this happen before with celebrities and influencers who use their platforms to scam people... it's like they think they're above the law . Anyway, I hope Johnathan Walton keeps pushing for justice on this one

I cant believe marianne smyth got off so easy ! johnathan walton did some amazing work exposing her crimes and now she just gets to live out the rest of her life on the free side . four years in prison for running a scam that hurt so many people? it just doesnt seem fair . johnathan was really passionate about bringing her down and i think his dedication paid off, but this sentence feels like a slap in the face . we need to make sure these scammers are held accountable for their actions, not get away with light punishment because of technicalities . its just not right

I just can't believe she only got 4 years for all that she did $155k worth of damage from innocent people, and a whole lot more emotional pain... it's like the court was too soft on her . I mean, Johnathan Walton has been doing his thing, exposing this woman for what she is, and now he's feeling let down by the outcome . He's right, most people have no idea about the extent of her crimes, and now she's just gonna walk out of prison after 4 years and be back to her old tricks? Not on my watch, I hope . The sentence might send a message to some folks, but what about the victims who are still dealing with the aftermath?

Come on, 4 yrs? That's like gettin' a slap on the wrist for swindlin' people outta their life savings! I mean, I get that everyone's entitled to a second chance, but this lady's done some major damage . If Johnathan Walton was so passionate about bringin' her down, he should be happy that she's even facin' justice at all... not that she deserves it, lol . Newsflash: just 'cause the cops think they've sent a clear message to scammers don't mean the victim's life isn't still gonna be ruined . I'm not sayin' she should get nothin', but 4 yrs seems like a pretty light sentence considering the number of people she took down

omg i feel so bad 4 marianne "mair" smyth... she sounds like a total scammer she got away with milions of dollars from ppl who trusted her & now she's only gettin 4 yrs in prison? that's like, so unfair . i think johnathan walton did an amazing job exposin her crimes & bringin her to justice tho . he showed the world what smyth was really capable of & it's not somethin u want to mess w/ . leniency just don't cut it in this case .

I feel so bad for Johnathan Walton , this woman "Queen of the Con" Mair Smyth got a pretty light sentence of 4 years in prison considering she swindled people out of almost $160k! I mean, that's like getting away with shoplifting a handbag for 5 years . The fact that she impersonated Jennifer Aniston to get away with millions is just wild . Walton did such great work exposing her and her victims should be supported more than the guy who broke the law . It's crazy how different people can see the same thing as a "clear message" but others feel it doesn't fit the crime .

I'm literally shook by this news . I've been following Johnathan Walton's podcast series about Mair Smyth for ages, and to think that the court was so lenient on her just 4 years in prison? It's like they didn't even listen to his whole story . He dedicated so much time and effort into exposing her crimes, and this is how it gets repaid? It's all about sending a message to scammers, but what about the victims who are still dealing with the aftermath of their scams?! Smyth's punishment should've been way harsher imo . The fact that she was able to bilk millions from innocent people and get away with just 4 years in prison is just not right .

I just can't believe what happened with this con artist Mair Smyth... I mean, 4 years in prison is like getting a slap on the wrist compared to how much she swindled from people . Johnathan Walton's podcast series was so in-depth and emotional, it made you feel like you were right there with him as he went through all that trauma... I'm still listening to it, it's so good! Anyway, back to Smyth, I know the cops are saying they're happy with her sentence but I just don't get it... she basically ruined people's lives and now she gets to sit in a cell for 4 years? It just doesn't feel right. And can you believe she impersonated Jennifer Aniston?! What a nightmare, dude!

idk how anyone can think 4 yrs is enough time for someone who scammed ppl outta millions mair smyth should be locked up good n tight, not sippin coffee and watchin tv in some prison cell lol what a joke, i mean congrats to jason walton on gettin all that info together tho guess we got him to spill the tea

I'm still trying to wrap my head around this one . Four years feels like a slap on the wrist to someone who has swindled over 155k from four innocent people in Northern Ireland . I mean, I get that we want to rehabilitate and all that, but Mair Smyth's actions were not just financial - they were emotional and psychological torture for those victims . It's like the court is saying "oh, she was a clever con artist, so let's give her a slap on the wrist" .

And what really gets me is that this whole thing started with Johnathan Walton's podcast series - he's the one who brought Smyth to justice, and now he's feeling disappointed that his work didn't translate into a harsher sentence . I think it's a symptom of our society's obsession with leniency over accountability - we want to be seen as compassionate, but sometimes that compassion comes at the cost of fairness . Anyway, four years is still better than nothing, I guess .

I gotta say, this whole thing is kinda eye-opening . I mean, we're supposed to believe that 4 years in prison is a fair trade for someone who basically robbed and manipulated people out of their life savings... it's just not right, you know? It makes me think about how we, as a society, are willing to let some people get away with this kind of stuff. And it's not just the leniency of the sentence that bothers me, it's also the fact that Smyth seems to have gotten off scot-free without any real accountability for her victims. It's like she was given a slap on the wrist and told everything would be okay . But here's the thing - we can't just turn a blind eye and expect everything to magically fix itself. We gotta hold people accountable for their actions, no matter how 'minor' they may seem. It's all about setting boundaries and consequences that make sense. I mean, what would happen if someone took 4 years of our hard-earned money? Would we just forgive them after a quick sentence? No way .

I'm low-key shocked at this sentence lol 4 years is literally a drop in the bucket considering all the people she scammed out of their life savings. I mean don't get me wrong, it's good that someone gets held accountable and all, but 4 years just seems way too short to me . I've been following Johnathan Walton's podcast on this whole thing and his passion for justice is real . He's got a point, though - people need to know what they're up against when it comes to scams like Smyth's. I'm all for sending her to jail for a long time, but at the same time, I also get why the authorities want to keep it humane and stuff . Guess we'll just have to agree to disagree on this one .

I get where the police detective constable is coming from , but I'm still not convinced that 4 years in prison is enough for someone who basically ruined lives like Mair Smyth did . I mean, we're talking about people who lost hundreds of thousands of dollars and had to deal with the emotional fallout afterwards... it's a lot to ask for just 4 years behind bars, you know? Of course, I'm all for giving people a second chance and all that jazz, but I think Smyth needs to do some serious time to reflect on what she's done . And yeah, Johnathan Walton's work was instrumental in bringing her to justice, so it's even more frustrating that the court isn't taking into account the full extent of her crimes . Still, I trust the system to do what it thinks is right... and I hope Smyth serves every last day of that 4-year sentence without any issues .

omg i dont get why she got such a light sentence ... like she scammed ppl outta like millions of dollars and now shes just gonna chill in prison for 4 yrs? that seems super unfair to me i mean i know the cops are happy about it but i feel bad for all the ppl who were scammed by her didnt johnathan walton do a great job of exposing her or something? maybe she should've gotten like 20 yrs in prison

I'm still trying to wrap my head around this one ... four years is a pretty light sentence considering she scammed people out of $155k! I mean, I get that everyone deserves a chance at redemption, but come on ... this woman basically built her entire career off hurting and exploiting vulnerable people. And now she's just gonna get to chill for the next few years? It doesn't sit right with me. I'm all about giving people second chances, but not when they've committed crimes like this. The detective constable might say it's a clear message to others, but for those of us who were directly affected by her actions... it just feels like justice wasn't really served .

OMG this 4yr sentence is soooo lenient!!! I'm seriously livid for Johnathan Walton and those ppl who got scammed by Mair Smyth. Like, she stole over $155k from people & now she's gonna get a slap on the wrist?! Four yrs in prison doesn't even come close to reflecting the severity of her crimes... it's just not fair at all . I feel so bad for the ppl who were affected by her actions & I'm so glad Johnathan Walton kept fighting for justice. He deserves a million thanks for speaking out

idk how ppl can say she only got 4 yrs, seems pretty harsh to me considering all the people she scammed out of a ton of cash. i mean i've heard of people doing time for way less than that... Walton's right though, not many ppl know about Smyth's history of scams so it's good he brought it to light . still, 4 yrs seems kinda low

idk how u can consider someone who scammed ppl outta 155k a "woman who deserves to live the rest of her days in confinement" i mean, come on johnathan walton, ur a podcaster, not a judge . she's been found guilty, served notice, now it's time to move on. dont be dramatic about it . btw, 4 yrs in prison is still 4 yrs u get to enjoy ur freedom before u start serving the real sentence

I'm seriously livid about this sentence! Four years? Are you kidding me? She's basically a master thief and she only gets four years? I mean, I get that we need to have some mercy in the system and all that but come on, she's basically pulled off 4 major scams that affected innocent people's lives. And for what? So she can serve her time and then walk free? That doesn't sit right with me at all. I think it's a total slap in the face to everyone who was affected by her crimes.