Erik Maund had it all. A wife and kids, a mansion by the Austin Country Club golf course, and an executive position with his family’s car dealership. But in March 2020, a message from a stranger put everything at risk. Someone knew Erik had an affair with an escort, and wanted money to keep quiet. Erik didn’t pay the money, though. He didn’t go to the cops, either. Instead, he paid Charlie Sheen’s former bodyguard and a couple of special ops-trained security contractors to confront the blackmailer. Things didn’t go according to plan.

In “The Problem With Erik,” host Katy Vine and I tell the twisted story of what came next: a perfect storm of secrets, mistaken identities, and tragic miscommunications that left two people dead.

I created, produced, co-wrote and reported this six-part true-con podcast after pitching the story to Texas Monthly.

• Premiered in the top 20 on the Apple podcast charts

• Chosen to be in Apple’s True Crime Starter Pack

• Story was featured in Bloomberg’s 2024 Jealousy List

• The show was optioned by a major production studio to become a scripted tv series