Monique Madrid on the ‘Bernie Madoff of OkCupid’

Monique Madrid on the ‘Bernie Madoff of OkCupid’

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On Valentine’s Day one sad tale of internet romance gone awry dropped with a bang.

That was the day Gawker published an exposé by writer John Cook about “the man who would become the Bernie Madoff of OKCupid,” as The Paper Machete‘s Christopher Piatt describes him. This con-man, known by his alias, Dan K., allegedly used the site to swindle dozens of women out of money, time and perhaps some sanity. Second City’s Monique Madrid brings us his story, and with it, some thoughts on how this case should make you think twice about what you’re looking for in a long-term relationship— and how you’re looking for it. 

Read an excerpt or listen below:

“Accomplished chef. Television producer. IT wizard. Stanford University and University of California at Berkeley scholar. AAA baseball record holder. Entrepreneur. Celebrity friend. Con-man, swindler and felon. He’s the most interesting man in the world.

And no it’s not the Dos Equis man; it’s Dan Kaufman, and he’s not real. Well, at least not the man that he claims to be.

You see, in 2008, Dan Kaufman, partner of Business Chef Enterprises, which had four adjourning restaurants, was charged with 19 counts of identity theft and grand larceny for stealing customer’s credit card numbers and over $25,000. Did that stop this highly-motivated, pretend highly-skilled man from continuing to thrive in the business world?

Well, yes, it did. But that didn’t stop Dan K., who just happened to be Dan Kaufman pretending to be Dan K.”

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