Episode 3: The Dark Prince

Kim and Julie set out to uncover the origin of Kaushal Niroula - a story that does start in Nepal, but not in any royal palace. Instead, they discover a poor young man with his eye on America and the drive to get there on his charm alone. Befriending an administrator from New College of California scores Kaushal the student visa he needs to make it to San Francisco and on campus he presents himself as a man of wealth. But an interview with his former roommate reveals that Kaushal is actually sleeping on a thin mattress, passing JC penny rugs off as wall art, and barely making rent - something his natural showmanship helps him keep secret. But New College has secrets of its own - the school is enmeshed in scandal and teetering on financial ruin. And Kaushal sees opportunity. Soon, he’s befriended the College President and used the promise of a hefty donation from his royal family to allegedly get his transcripts altered and extend his visa. It’s his first con on American soil - and when rumors of it get out, it helps put the final nail in New College’s coffin. Still, there’s one thing that doesn’t add up; at some point Kaushal did start throwing money around like a prince. The question was, where did it come from? To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policyLearn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices