Matthew Cox: FBI Most Wanted Con Man - $55 Million in Bank Fraud | Lex Fridman Podcast #409

Matthew Cox is a former con man who served 13 years in federal prison for bank fraud, mortgage fraud, and identity theft. He is the author of many books, including his memoir Shark in the Housing Pool, and runs the YouTube channel @InsideTrueCrime

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- Freud's Last Session: see it in select theaters

TRANSCRIPT:

EPISODE LINKS:

PODCAST INFO:

OUTLINE:
0:00 - Introduction
1:59 - Mortgage fraud
16:47 - Creating fake people
50:33 - Arrested by FBI
1:07:24 - Omerta: Code of silence
1:29:41 - Fake ID's
1:59:03 - Getting caught
2:12:28 - Going on the run from FBI
2:24:09 - Identity theft
2:44:49 - More scams
2:56:38 - FBI Most Wanted
2:59:06 - Close calls
3:30:01 - Break up with Becky
3:34:42 - Calling parents
3:36:41 - Calling FBI
3:42:21 - Running from cops
4:04:11 - Getting arrested
4:19:36 - Snitching
4:35:51 - Prison
4:53:23 - War dogs
5:00:05 - Frank Amodeo
5:35:37 - Freedom
5:46:31 - Family
5:52:34 - Regret

SOCIAL:

[lexfridman]

Here are the timestamps. Please check out our sponsors to support this podcast.
0:00 - Introduction & sponsor mentions:
- Freud's Last Session: see it in select theaters
1:59 - Mortgage fraud
16:47 - Creating fake people
50:33 - Arrested by FBI
1:07:24 - Omerta: Code of silence
1:29:41 - Fake ID's
1:59:03 - Getting caught
2:12:28 - Going on the run from FBI
2:24:09 - Identity theft
2:44:49 - More scams
2:56:38 - FBI Most Wanted
2:59:06 - Close calls
3:30:01 - Break up with Becky
3:34:42 - Calling parents
3:36:41 - Calling FBI
3:42:21 - Running from cops
4:04:11 - Getting arrested
4:19:36 - Snitching
4:35:51 - Prison
4:53:23 - War dogs
5:00:05 - Frank Amodeo
5:35:37 - Freedom
5:46:31 - Family
5:52:34 - Regret

[InsideTrueCrime]

Lex, thank you so much for having me on the podcast. It was an honor.

[Peter_Casson]

Hey Lex, love your show. I am a recently retired FBI agent with 22 years experience who has recruited and managed many cooperating witnesses during my career. I know the point of this particular episode was to gain a better understanding of human behavior, and I can see you struggling during this episode with the concept of human "loyalty" and "integrity" when it comes to relationships. So I wanted weigh-in to bring you a different perspective that you may not have considered. Disloyalty often does not happen in a vacuum, especially when you are talking about criminal behavior where someone puts themselves in a compromising position. Many times, such a person who appears to be acting disloyal, is actual doing so out of loyalty to another, i.e. their family. And when we are talking about family, often times the pull to cooperation is the one-two punch of loyalty + responsibility to those that depend on them at home. In other words, if a criminal puts loyalty to their co-conspirators first and as a result, becomes an absentee parent/spouse due to a lengthy prison sentence that could have been reduced or avoided by cooperating, isn't that simultaneously an act of disloyalty to their families and dependents? I am only pointing this out because if you are coming away from this discussion assessing that humans are inherently disloyal, I would caution you that you may be looking at this too one dimensionally. Don't get me wrong, many times people are disloyal just out of pure selfishness and lack of integrity, but often times its more complicated then that. I would assess that the vast majority of people I gained cooperation from did so out of loyalty to those that were more important to them. Just understand that sometimes being loyal to more than one person becomes a mutually exclusive circumstance in that an act of disloyalty to one is really an act of loyalty to another. Anyway, hope this helps.

[smallkinedings]

Ive listened to probably thousands of hours of podcasts. 7 days a week, at least 8 hours a day, fixing surfboards and tuned into something. Just finished this one today and wow, hands down one of the best podcasts i've ever listened to. What a roller coaster of emotions and feelings, what a story, what a life. Unreal.

[maxborges]

Shortest 6 hour podcast I’ve ever listened to. Bravo Lex!

[evan.barnes]

This guy’s storytelling is impeccable.

[uwxmidb]

So far this is the best criminal interview had ever been recorded in history

[Srvelis]

“So tell us a little bit about your self Matt.” Spills guts for 6 straight hours.

[refusetolose]

Matt Cox is probably the only dude i could listen to for 6 hours straight.

[couchlion]

This episode is so good it needs an award. Matt is so good at explaining his life and recollecting things in a nuanced way

[peteryozell]

This man’s ability to recall details from every story is amazing

[GrowingUpInScientology]

This is probably the best interview I’ve ever listened to. Just finished all six hours. And I’m going to listen again.

[Dre_Mylove]

This will be my first time listening to a 6 hour podcast.

[LordDTwigo]

It was nice of Lex to actually come onto Matt's show like this.

[Greatpacificnorthwesterner]

I like Lex because he seems like a pure soul. He often looks crestfallen by the sadness and dishonesty and violence in the world. He always asks about the most important and meaningful things in life like friendship and trust. I really appreciate Lex.

[vvsmixing]

when a story is this captivating, 6 hours doesn’t even seem long enough

[TheZinger]

I’ve never ever watched an episode of your pod in full, Lex. My boyfriend insisted I listen to this. We texted ALL day about this ep. This was fantastic. The storytelling here is impeccable!

[alexsuleta]

Matt would have been deadly as a politician

[AH-wrir]

Credit to Lex, the ability to just listen and ask the right questions at the right time is why he is a class act. most interviewers would be jumping in and breaking the flow. top quality.

[DuckyQSimmons]

Jesus Christ LEX, I listened to one short of you and Cox, and just now, I finished the whole f**king SIX HOURS! I just couldn’t stop listening! Lex, how did you decide to let Matt talk for 6 I THANK YOU SO MUCH for this riveting conversation you’ve let just play out. You continually amaze me, but this convo is truly inspiring, maddening, & educational. The legal and prison systems are necessary but also insane.