So far, in cases about the Stolen Valor Act, federal judges have ruled that lying about earning military medals is harmless and should be protected speech. But Lovefraud's research seems to indicate that people who pretend to be military heroes do it specifically to exploit others. Right now, the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver is considering the case of Rick Strandlof. Back in 2009, Strandlof was arrested for falsely claiming that he was a former Marine, had served in Iraq, and received the Purple Heart and Silver Star medals. Going by the name of Rick Duncan, Strandlof presented himself as a veterans' advocate through the Colorado Veterans Alliance, which he founded. In …
From ‘I want to die in your arms’ to ‘get lost’
Here's another story of an allegedly cheating married man who, when busted, first denies he is married, then claims harassment. Married flying doctor 'flew his lover to Paris on a private jet during eight-month fling' on DailyMail.co.uk. Link supplied by a Lovefraud reader. …
Book Review: The Psychopath Test
Reviewed by Joyce Alexander, RNP (Retired) I bought The Psychopath Test—A Journey Through the Madness Industry, by John Ronson, based mainly on the title. Jon Ronson is a journalist and author of two previous books that were widely accepted. A movie was made about one of them, The Men Who Stare at Goats, starring George Clooney. The first couple of chapters of this book weren't all that interesting to me, but before long I was hooked into the story he was writing. Mr. Ronson looks at the “madness industry” from an outsider's point of view. He actually took training from Dr. Robert “Bob” Hare in how to use the Psychopathic Check List-Revised to spot a psychopath. Ronson went a few steps …
Dealing with illness and chronic pain through nutrition and environmental changes
Editor's note: Diane Dawber is a founder of the Health Pursuits Reading Group. A Lovefraud reader suggested the following contribution on alternative health strategies. Please remember that Lovefraud is not a medical resource, and if you are suffering from symptoms like those discussed below you should consult a doctor. Adrenals and PTSD By Diane Dawber In 1996, a small group of mostly professionals, felled too early by chronic illnesses such as Fibromyalgia (FM), Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS), Multiple Chemical Sensitivities (MCS), asthma, arthritis, etc., started studying together to see what they could do for themselves since the medical system did not have much to offer. With …
Dealing with illness and chronic pain through nutrition and environmental changesRead More
“So You’re Telling Me That My Husband Is A Sociopath?” The Night I Made A Deal With Dr Hannibal Lecter
So, what happens when you suddenly discover that the person who has been sharing your life is actually a stranger? Worse than that, they turn out to be a person who has deliberately deceived and manipulated you with surgeon-like precision. Wrapping you in a web of deceit — delivered so skillfully and carefully that you've welcomed the silken threads as they tighten around you. Freely allowing yourself to be wrapped in the cocoon being made by your soul mate. It's only once you have morphed in to an emotional mush of confusion and fear that you realize you are trapped. And by then, of course, it's too late — and your mate is off to the next willing victim. I know, of course, that so many of …
What is love fraud?
In my post last week, I referred to an article on Salon.com called, Facebook status: In a scam relationship. The article starts with an anecdote about a guy who met a woman on Myspace. She supposedly lived in Ghana and proclaimed her love, then told him a hard luck story. He sent her a total of $14,000, even though they never met. The person did not exist. The guy was scammed. After relating the anecdote, the article stated, “He's a victim of what's called ”˜love fraud.'” I had two reactions to that sentence. The first was, “Wow—”˜love fraud' has entered the lexicon.” The second was, “This writer doesn't get it—love fraud is not limited to cyber scams.” Then, a few days ago, I receiv …
Psychopaths and outrageous lies
By Joyce Alexander, RNP (Retired) Psychopaths sometimes don't know enough about how the rest of the world thinks to tell a “good” lie. I saw the following article about North Korea's soccer team and how they had been apparently caught in a doping scandal, but were claiming that it was really an herbal medication that made them test positive for steroids. Just what will Kim Jong-Il make of all this? North Korea say medicine using musk deer glands caused five players to fail drug tests The excuse given was that the team members had been struck by lightening and they had decided, heroically, to compete anyway. The steroids were accidentally taken with traditional Chinese medic …
Florida sex offender wins custody of child
Among the many worries parents like me have is "What will happen to my child if I die?" For that reason, I take no risks with my personal safety. I don't ride motorcycles, always wear my seat belt in the car, and do everything I can to stay safe. What I consider to be my worst nightmare happened to Trista Crews, mother of Miranda Wilkerson. Trista was married to registered sex offender Donald Coleman though Coleman's offence was impregnating Crews when she was 14. In the style of Mary Kay Letourneau he married the girl when he got out of prison and fathered two more children. The news hasn't said much about those two who are also now orphans because Trista died a month after her …
LETTERS TO LOVEFRAUD: Her son is psychopathic, and she fears for her granddaughters
Editor's note: Lovefraud received the following email from reader whom we'll call “Grandma.” She would appreciate any advice to help her deal with her son and granddaughters. My son is categorically a psychopathic personality. In my mind, I can remember the tendencies starting about his high school years. I wonder why nobody else recognized this. Now he is the 29 year old father of 2 small girls. The youngest child, 3-1/2 years old, is telling stories of her father hurting her vagina. She is in counseling and the counselor is the one who reported this to law enforcement and to DSS. (The counselor believes it to be true.) However, because of my husband and my involvement in the lives …
LETTERS TO LOVEFRAUD: Her son is psychopathic, and she fears for her granddaughtersRead More
“I won’t let you fall” Five Words And The Hand Of Friendship
First of all I would like to say a big hello to all of you here on Lovefraud. This site has been a huge help to me over the past two years. The two years since I discovered that my marriage to a man I had freely referred to as my soul mate had in actual fact been a decade of manipulation and deception at the hands of a man I now believe to be a sociopath. Reading experiences and stories from other people here on this site, I came to recognize that my situation was far from unique. I was both appalled and also relieved to find that I was not alone. That there are thousands of people (mainly women, like me) who have been duped and betrayed in the cruelest of ways. I have been working on …
“I won’t let you fall” Five Words And The Hand Of FriendshipRead More