Who the Hell is Hamish? podcast

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Who the Hell is Hamish?

He was born Hamish Watson, a surfie dude from Sydney – but he could morph into whatever you needed him to be. After pleading guilty to 18 charges, Hamish McLaren was sentenced in June 2020 to an aggregate sentence of 16 years in prison with a non-parole period of 12 years for 17 counts of fraud. He was given a fixed sentence of 7 years and 6 months for a single charge of money laundering, to be served concurrently. His overall sentence was reduced to 12 years imprisonment with a nine-year non-parole period on appeal in 2021. McLaren was released in July 2026 after nine years behind bars. These crimes are just the final pages in a resume too thick to staple; for decades he’s duped victims in the US, Canada, Britain, Hong Kong and Australia. How did he do it? How did he evade authorities around the world for so long and what’s he done with all those tens of millions of dollars he stole?

He was born Hamish Watson, a surfie dude from Sydney – but he could morph into whatever you needed him to be. After pleading guilty to 18 charges, Hamish McLaren was sentenced in June 2020 to an aggregate sentence of 16 years in prison with a non-parole period of 12 years for 17 counts of fraud. He was given a fixed sentence of 7 years and 6 months for a single charge of money laundering, to be served concurrently. His overall sentence was reduced to 12 years imprisonment with a nine-year non-parole period on appeal in 2021. McLaren was released in July 2026 after nine years behind bars. These crimes are just the final pages in a resume too thick to staple; for decades he’s duped victims in the US, Canada, Britain, Hong Kong and Australia. How did he do it? How did he evade authorities around the world for so long and what’s he done with all those tens of millions of dollars he stole?

 

#13

Bonus: Judge Colin Charteris

The swan song of judge Colin Charteris - his final words from the bench, the sentencing of... more

21 Jun 2019

2 HR 17 MINS

2:17:32

21 Jun 2019


#12

Bonus: Nick Park

Nick Park is a trader who worked alongside Hamish Watson on the Sydney Futures trading flo... more

29 Mar 2019

33 MINS

33:22

29 Mar 2019


#11

Bonus: Tim Watson-Munro

A criminal psychologist with 40 years experience analysing offenders in prisons. Tim hasn&... more

22 Mar 2019

39 MINS

39:10

22 Mar 2019


#10

Bonus: James Leigh

James Leigh is Canadian security consultant and former US Intelligence and Homeland Securi... more

15 Mar 2019

42 MINS

42:37

15 Mar 2019


#9

Bonus: Matt Nable

Before Matt Nable became a successful actor and screenwriter, he was a rugby league player... more

08 Mar 2019

32 MINS

32:14

08 Mar 2019


#8

Bonus: Jack Rosen

Jack thought he had a solid role model when Hamish McLaren married his mum, Bec Rosen. But... more

01 Mar 2019

29 MINS

29:04

01 Mar 2019


#7

3: The Gatsby of the Great Lakes

Hamish arrived in sleepy Blueys Beach with a beautiful woman on his arm, and on the run fr... more

22 Feb 2019

36 MINS

36:07

22 Feb 2019


#6

Bonus: Catherine Coleman

Catherine Coleman watched from the sidelines as Max Tavita entranced her good friend Tracy... more

22 Feb 2019

33 MINS

33:11

22 Feb 2019


#5

2: Fashion Crimes

Hamish McLaren was always attracted to the high-life. It was inevitable he'd gravitate to ... more

15 Feb 2019

35 MINS

35:39

15 Feb 2019


#4

Bonus: Lisa Ho

Fashion designed Lisa Ho explains how Hamish inserted himself in her business, the red fla... more

15 Feb 2019

40 MINS

40:42

15 Feb 2019


#3

1: The Day Max Died

Tracy fell in love with Max Tavita, a man who won her over with tales of a life in the inv... more

08 Feb 2019

19 MINS

19:26

08 Feb 2019


#2

Bonus: Tracy Hall

An extended cut of Tracy Hall's interview, in which she explains how she met Max, the stor... more

06 Feb 2019

38 MINS

38:32

06 Feb 2019


#1

Introducing Who the Hell is Hamish?

He was born Hamish Watson, a surfie dude from Sydney – but he could morph into whate... more

04 Feb 2019

01 MINS

01:54

04 Feb 2019