This New Aussie Podcast Is Giving Me ‘Dirty John’ Vibes & I’m Addicted

Every so often a podcast comes along that’s absolutely enthralling but simultaneously horrifying. First came Serial, then Dirty John, and now there’s a new Aussie podcast that’s sure to get any true crime fan hooked.

Chasing Charlie recounts an eight-year investigation by Melbourne-based private investigator, Julia Robson, who began a global manhunt in 2011 to find a manipulative conman, going by the name of Charlie. The seven-part series features interviews from dozens of women preyed on​ by Charlie, who describe being cheated out of thousands of dollars, along with taking part in sadistic sexual encounters.

The podcast is a fascinating listen and reminds me of Dirty John meets Who The Hell Is Hamish? with a splash of Unravel: Snowball. Investigator and podcast host, Robson, is originally from New Zealand and previously worked for the NZ Police and as a corporate investigator in the UK. She is widely identified as Australasia’s premier internet profiler and has dedicated a large chunk of her career searching for the elusive Charlie, with her investigation beginning after she was contacted by a woman named Vivien.

“I am beyond excited that podcast listeners will be able to deep dive into the chase that consumed my life for eight years,” said Robson. “Although Vivien’s case at first appeared to be a textbook example of online catfishing, I was drawn into a harrowing web of lies and psychological games.”