This week’s episode focuses on the shocking case of Mark Acklom, a serial conman who manipulated Carolyn Woods into parting with her life savings of £850,000.

In this two-part series, we examine how Acklom used charm, deception, and extraordinary lies—including claiming he was an MI6 agent—to gain Carolyn’s trust and exploit her financially. Carolyn, who recounts her experiences in her book Sleeping with a Psychopath, joins us to share her firsthand account of how the relationship began and the devastating impact it had on her life.

In part one, we hear directly from Carolyn as she details how Acklom entered her life, presenting himself as a wealthy and successful businessman with connections to British intelligence. We explore the methods Acklom used to build his false persona and create a sense of urgency and dependency, ultimately leading to the financial and emotional manipulation that cost Carolyn everything.

This episode provides an in-depth look at the calculated strategies of a conman and the lasting consequences for his victims.

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To read Carolyn's extraordinary story, you can purchase her book and support her by clicking on this link:

Sleeping With a Psychopath

Share your thoughts and questions by emailing contact@audiobleachglobal.com.

Connect with us:

Instagram @true.criminals

Connect with Martin Brunt:

Twitter: @skymartinbrunt

Discover more about Martin’s career and the cases he’s covered by reading his book:

No One Got Cracked Over the Head for No Reason: Dispatches from a Crime Reporter

Available Here

Connect with Helen Fospero:

Instagram: @helenfospero

Check out Helen’s podcast, The Convex Conversation:

Listen Here

Credits:

True Criminals is produced by Audio Bleach Global.

Visit www.audiobleachglobal.com/truecriminals for more information.

Executive Producer: Lee Mann

Producer: Russell Barnes

Audio Production: Andrew Chappell Music

Composition: Chap Mannequin

Artwork: Bleached