Are you used to the screaming yet? Are you used to the screaming yet? No. When I love something, I don't scream at it. Tonight on 20/20 ` he's become a superstar heartthrob. Show Emma your selfie face. < (CHUCKLES) < (CHUCKLES) You gotta bite the lip sometimes. We get to know Ed Sheeran before his Shortie debut. You will be playing...? You will be playing...? Uh,... Ed. You should be good at this, shouldn't you? You should be good at this, shouldn't you? I` I mean, we'll see. Action! Can I do this again? I'm sorry. And American realtors going rogue. MAN: This is, like, insane. We hired him to sell the house, and this is what he's doing in it. Shock, sleaze, sex and scandal. Just another Thursday night we me, Ed Sheeran. Join in. Kia ora, I'm Sonya Wilson. Now, he's worked with some of the world's best music producers in Rick Rubin and Pharrell. Last year he played three gigs at Madison Square Garden in New York. He had his first number one in this country with I See Fire from The Hobbit movie. But Ed Sheeran is about to take it all to the next level. Tomorrow his second album, Multiply, will be released, and on Monday night he makes his TV acting debut on ` wait for it ` Shortland Street. Now, he was only in NZ for around 28 hours. But that didn't stop 20/20's Emma Keeling, who semi-stalked him the whole time, and he didn't even have her arrested. You on? You on? Yeah, go. # Say it. Let's go. Let's go. Let's go. Let's go. Let's go. Let's go. PULSATING MUSIC One interview after another. Almost there. Almost there. Almost there. Ed Sheeran's promo tour to NZ rolls on. 20/20 will be his 999th chat. Well, it might feel that way. What time did you have to get up this morning? What time did you have to get up this morning? 6. In the last 24 hours, he's performed, been on numerous radio shows, taken selfies with fans, chatted, been on Shortie, more selfies and now he's here with me. Maybe my questions will perk him up. And I know it's` you're sort of` it's a part of` Sorry. You right? And I know it's` you're sort of` it's a part of` Sorry. You right? I'm all right. Yeah, I think` Was that a particularly boring question or do I`? Was that a particularly boring question or do I`? No, I'm just` I'm just` I know you're just knackered. Poor Ed. It's not his fault. It all started yesterday when I burst into his dressing room just before his I Heart Radio concert. Hello, hello. Hi, guys. Ed, nice to meet you. Emma. Good to meet you. Just... You've got your own personal cameraman, Murray. He's also my cousin. He's not just a cameraman. Murray films for Ed's website ` amongst other things. Whenever I'm, like, here, he brings me up to here again. He's, like` He's a very funny guy, and he always keeps the energy up. What was your highlight? The highlight was, um,... the time when... Do you know what? I didn't even watch the show. But if your energy drops too low, his energy drops as well, and then you're both fucked. This is Ed Sheeran's entourage? This is Ed Sheeran's entourage? The` Uh, yes. It's Murray. It's Murray. Pretty pathetic. It's Murray. Pretty pathetic. I provide all roles. He's the dealer, the jewellery getter, the, um, hype man. And so you go out and choose the groupies? Me? Me? Yep. Me? Yep. Hell no. LAUGHTER LAUGHTER They're only around 14. # You need me, man. I don't need you. # You need me, man. I don't need you. On stage, the crew's setting up. Before Ed went global with his first studio album in 2011, he did it all himself. In 2009 alone, he played 319 gigs. You toured endlessly, didn't you? It was just gig after gig after gig. You toured endlessly, didn't you? It was just gig after gig after gig. Yeah, it hasn't changed much. It's pretty similar. You're in control of your own success, then. Rather than making an incredible album and it being really successful. I think the key is, like, I'm not gonna be a better musician than some of my counterparts within the industry, but I can guarantee that I'll work harder than them. In the last two weeks, Ed's been promoting his new album, Multiply, in America, France, Belgium Switzerland, the UK and Australia. GIRLS SCREAM Everywhere he goes, screaming girls follow. Are you used to the screaming yet? Are you used to the screaming yet? Uh, no. I find it very` Like, when I love something, I don't scream at it. (LAUGHS) > (LAUGHS) > Like, if I see a` If I see a cheesecake that's really tasty, I don't sit down and scream at it for two minutes. So I do find that quite strange. No. No. You haven't touched anything. 'As you may have figured out, Ed is low key. Justin Bieber he is not.' Is there anything you request? Um... Um... What is your special request? Is this it ` tea? Is this it ` tea? Usually a kettle, yeah. A kettle's nice. A kettle's good. It is crazy back here with Ed, behind the scenes (!) I tell ya. It is crazy back here with Ed, behind the scenes (!) I tell ya. Kicking off! (SCOFFS) Oh, no, you've got two kettles. The midgets and cocaine are turning up in a bit. Oh, now you're talking. > To borrow the kettle. To borrow the kettle. I knew it. I knew it. To borrow the kettle. I knew it. I knew it. To borrow the kettle. ALL LAUGH ALL LAUGH HIGH PITCH: Give it back! Enough talk. The man has fans waiting. Hi. Hi, Ed. Is this a tiki? Amazing. Thank you. And this is where Ed excels ` he's the king of the selfie. This is your life ` selfies ` isn't it? Selfies is a large part of my life, yeah. Selfies is a large part of my life, yeah. Show Emma your selfie face. Yep. (LAUGHS) Yep. (LAUGHS) Or. Gotta bite the lip sometimes. REFLECTIVE MUSIC It's almost time for the I Heart concert to start. Refreshed after a cuppa, Ed's now ready to sing. Do you still get slightly nervous before you go out on stage? Depends where I am. England's always a nerve-racking one. Australia and NZ are never that nerve-racking, because you know that the crowd are always just gonna be` they're kinda your safety net. Like, if I mess up one song, you just drop I See Fire and it's all right again, cos you're playing the song from The Hobbit. # And I see fire. # inside the mountain. # I see fire # burning the trees. The 23-year-old's known for his ballads. Director Peter Jackson's daughter Katie suggested he'd be a perfect fit for the movie. # I see fire... As soon as somebody does something with Peter Jackson, it's almost like you are now one of us. Yeah, which I like, which I really like. Yeah, I mean, it was number one here. My first number one, so that's quite nice. # And I see fire burn auburn on the mountainside. # 1 A final moment of silence before the inevitable happens. CROWD SCREAM (PLAYS GUITAR) Whoo! Whoo! (BEATBOXES) Whoo! (BEATBOXES) With a guitar and a new loop pedal, Ed is a one-man band. # But now I'm in town. Break it down. Thinking of making a new sound. # Playing a different show every night in front of a new crowd. That's you now. Ballads made him a star, but there's a reason his new album is called Multiply. # And I can't. No, I won't hush. # I'll say the words that make you blush. # The idea was always to have bigger ideas, bigger production, bigger songs, bigger sounds. It was always meant to multiply and then take it from theatres to arenas to arenas to stadiums. Yeah. Now, when you were looking at doing the second album, Were you thinking, 'I wanna take this in a different direction.' I was thinking I'd just come off the back of the first album. I was touring and I was writing songs on my own. And then when I really broke America, I thought, 'OK, I'm gonna give it a try 'and work with the Rick Rubins of the world and the Pharrells of the world.' # It's late in the evenin' # Glass on the side. I've been sat with you # for most of the night. # Rick Rubin and Pharrell Williams are hugely influential producers. Pharrell's song Happy has blown the charts apart around the world. On Ed's album, he produced the track Sing. # Come on, set the tone. # If you feel you're falling, won't you let me know? With sing, I mean, little bit funky. You've got the rapping in there. You're doing the falsetto. Tell us about what it was like to work with Pharrell. Very interesting. Very interesting. When I went in with him, he went, 'You have your world on lock. Like, you own your world by the balls. 'I have never seen a singer-songwriter with an acoustic guitar make anyone dance. 'So that's what you gotta do.' And I loved the concept of it, but the actual, um, execution of it was a little tougher than I thought. cos everything he played me, in my head, I'd be, like, 'Oh, that doesn't really sound like me.' But that was the point ` it's not meant to sound like me, cos the stuff that I was doing is melancholy acoustic stuff. It's meant to sound like a blend of me and Pharrell. So, hello, Auckland. So, hello, Auckland. CROWD SCREAM His first studio album was nominated for and won numerous awards. He's getting noticed by his peers and was the support act for Taylor Swift on her American tour last year. How are you meeting these people? Is it because you're starting to go to so many events that you bump into`? Because Pharrell, what, he was sitting in front of you at the Grammys? Yeah, well, some of them are quite random. The Usher one was really weird. I was sat next to him at a Passover dinner. And he leans over and he shows me his phone, and he's just downloaded Sing. And he was, like, 'Love the tune, bro.' I was, like, 'Oh, thanks, man. Thanks, Usher. That's really cool.' And he was, like, 'Yeah, we should go into the studio some time.' And I was, like, 'Yeah,' thinking he meant in, like, six months' time. And he was, like, 'Oh, after this I'm going into the studio with Skrillex.' And I was, like, 'Oh, OK, well, it's 1 o'clock in the morning now, so that's gonna be a late session.' So, anyway, we worked till about 5, but got a really` such a good song that I want it for myself. and I feel` I feel like I can't ask, cos it is Usher, and he's gonna make it a lot more successful than I would. But you would like it back? But you would like it back? I'd love it. I'd love it. I really like it. But I think I like it cos he's singing it. CROWD CHEER In this final song I'm gonna need you not just singing but screaming from the bottom of your lungs. I'll need everyone to walk out of here tonight without a voice. That is the key. Say, 'Yeah.' CROWD: Yeah! As Ed gives his all, you'd never know that in the last 48 hours he played six gigs in Australia. But his promo tour here is only just beginning. Oh-oh-oh! Sing it out! Oh-oh-oh! Sing it out! CROWD: Oh-oh-oh oh-oh-oh oh-oh-oh oh! The next morning he's on radio at 7. Hey there. At 8am he moves to the next station, ZM. Seven minutes past 8. Fletch, Vaughan and Megan and we welcome into the studio a very special guest ` Ed Sheeran. Good morning. A chat, a cuppa and an over-the-top spray tan. Spray her in the face, Ed. SPRAY GUN HISSES (LAUGHS) Amazing. Amazing. I'm so sorry. Amazing. I'm so sorry. It's OK. Are you sure? Are you sure? Yeah. (SQUEALS) What the hell?! (LAUGHS) OK. Quickly! Slowly a crowd has formed outside. So is this what happens when Ed turns up? There was nobody here and now suddenly all these people have just suddenly appeared. It does happen like that sometimes. Last night at the hotel bar we were sitting there thinking that nobody knew we were there. And then Ed went out to go to the toilet or something, and literally out of nowhere people were just, like, whoosh! It's, like, 'Where did they come from? Were they dressed as the wallpaper or something?' # If you love me, come on, get involved. Time to leave. # ...from your head to toe. Oh-oh-oh oh-oh. Outside there's a line-up waiting for their selfie moment. What is it about this guy? What is it about this guy? Ed Sheeran, he's the man. Like... There were tears. Was that good? It was amazing! It was amazing! Who got a hug? Me! See you later. Sing! And now for something completely different. It's 10am and Ed is heading to Shortland Street to make a cameo appearance. Sweet. On a daily soap, there's no time to muck about. Ed's been given his lines, and in about 30 minutes he'll be on. This is your first television performance. This is your first television performance. It's my first acting performance. And you will be playing...? And you will be playing...? Uh,... Ed. You should be good at this, shouldn't you? You should be good at this, shouldn't you? I` I mean, yeah. Yeah. Probably. We'll see. Make-up. Away you go. Make-up. Make-up. Away you go. Make-up. It looks all a bit stressful. Make-up. Away you go. Make-up. It looks all a bit stressful. STAGE WHISPER: I know. Isn't it? FUNKY MUSIC He has two scenes to shoot. Director Ian talks him through it. It will appear magically from just here. And almost sort of land in right where you are in that first scene. I am going to be terrible. I hope you know that. We'll do our best. We can fix it with computers. We'll do our best. We can fix it with computers. Yeah, I mean, just... We'll just do an over dub. After a few rehearsals, the real filming starts. And action. You're good enough. Like, you're lucky as well. (MUMBLES) Can I do this again? I'm sorry. LAUGHTER I'm gonna quit singing now. I'm gonna quit singing now. Oh, don't be silly. I'm gonna quit singing now. Oh, don't be silly. Cut! How was that one? How was that one? It was very happy. I'm very happy. The director liked it. Ed's not so sure. I think I might retire after this. I think this is the high point of my acting career. Here we go. Look up here. Time to go, but you guessed it ` more selfies and photos. Frankie Adams gets the shot of the day. I actually came back to meet him, cos I finished early, and then I was, like, 'I need to go back, 'meet Ed Sheeran, and then I can go back and do my hours.' You were the only one who climbed on top of Ed Sheeran. And vice versa. And he was the one that suggested it. And I was, like, 'Of course. Why not?' # Next to you. It's only about 1pm and Ed still has hours of interviews to go. But did you sort of realise in the beginning this is what it would become? I always hoped this is what it would become, cos you can't just make music and expect people to find it on their own. You have to really force it out there and force it down people's throats sometimes. And the more promo that you do, the more likely it is for people to hear it. And I make the records for a lot of people to hear. I don't make the record being, like, 'I'm just gonna listen to this on my own for the next 10 years.' And let's not forget the perks ` a second studio created with some of the best music producers, not to mention the odd celebrity hug. < There's a lovely photo of you and Kylie on Instagram. And you didn't have your selfie face on. It was a happy happy Ed face. Yeah. Yeah. Kylie's a bit of a favourite, isn't she? Yeah, I was also a few vodkas in by that point. I'd watched a whole gig, so, you know, and then spent two hours in the free bar that she had so I was watching the gig with my friends, so at that point, I was very very happy. Yeah. And it was lovely to see her. She did good cuddles. Yeah, she did hashtag you something like 'Ed gives good hugs'. I do. I got the shoulders, the big shoulders. 'And that brings me to my next question.' It wouldn't be an Ed Sheeran day without a selfie. I haven't had a selfie with you. Let's have a selfie. Let's have a selfie. Is that all right if I have a selfie? Of course it is. 'Poor Ed. The things you have to do when promoting your album.' Three, two, one. # The world looks better through your eyes. # Oh, poor Ed. No. He's a very nice guy. I can't believe he's only 23, though. Uh, now, you may remember last week's story on beauty treatments. To find out what risks we could be exposing ourselves to Leah and I decide to go undercover. You might feel quite conspicuous, but no one's going to know that you're wearing secret hidden-camera glasses. that you're wearing secret hidden-camera glasses. Sure. So how are you feeling? So how are you feeling? Nervous. A little bit. Leah and I randomly select nail bars in Auckland. Now, the good news is that on the 1st of July, the Auckland Council is introducing its new health and hygiene bylaw, and all nail salons throughout Auckland will need to comply to a code of practice and hold a Health Protection Licence to operate. Our advice ` look for the Health Licence on display before your manicure. Righto, next up on 20/20 ` they're supposed to be selling your house, but what are they really doing? They're naked, walking around the room, and, it's, like, 'This is just incredible.' Do you remember your first reaction when you saw this? Yeah, it was, like, 'Are you blanking kidding me?' This is, like, insane. We hired him to sell the house, and this is what he's doing in it. Pretty soon we were always together. Yeah, he's holding me back on the rugby field a bit. To be honest, when I first met him, I thought he was a bit of a jerk. He was always getting in my face. He even hooked up with a couple of girls I fancied. But, uh, after a while, we started spending more time together. But, uh, after a while, we started spending more time together. (GROANS) Pretty soon we were always together. Yeah, he's holding me back on the rugby field a bit. (LAUGHS WHEEZILY) And there's a chance that he might kill me. And there's a chance that he might kill me. (CHORTLES WHEEZILY) Yeah. But what can I do? I'm hooked. But what can I do? I'm hooked. (CACKLES, WHEEZES) (CHOKES) Welcome back. You trust them with your most prized investment ` your home ` but how do some realtors repay you? Well, 20/20'S Deborah Roberts uncovers some outrageous acts perpetrated by unethical American real estate agents. I've been in your house when you weren't home. And yours. And yours. No, I'm not a burglar. I'm a realtor. 'MODERN FAMILY' THEME MUSIC Phil Dunphy in ABC's Modern Family may be an honest guy, but in real life, real estate agents are more complicated. A real estate agent on house arrest... Realtor accused of a despicable crime... Stealing... Stealing... Stealing... They've been caught all over the country,... In Washington... Palm Beach County... Scottsdale... ...stealing jewellery in Arizona, pilfering prescription meds in Florida, in homes they're supposed to be selling. And watch this ` a Maryland realtor caught red-handed on surveillance tape rifling through a woman's drawers, pocketing undergarments. To have somebody come in and do these kind of acts or steal your things ` it's an open violation of trust, in my opinion. Realtor Brendon DeSimone is the author of Next Generation Real Estate. How do you pick a realtor? How do you know who you can trust? Get a referral from friends and family. Check their character ` what kind of person are they? Just cos they've done a lot of deals doesn't mean they're trustworthy. Rich Wiener would find out the hard way. He caught his realtor behaving badly in one of the most jaw-dropping cases ever. UPBEAT MUSIC This is my marital bed. They just had sex on it. They're naked, walking around the room, and it's, like, 'This is just incredible.' Do you remember your reaction when you saw this? Yeah. I was, like, 'Are you blanking kidding me?' This is, like, insane. We hired him to sell the house, and this is what he's doing in it. 'He' is Bob Lindsay ` MAN: So, I'm here with Bob Lindsay. How are you doing, Bob? MAN: So, I'm here with Bob Lindsay. How are you doing, Bob? Very well, thanks. a top New Jersey Coldwell Banker real estate agent. Rich trusted him to sell his cherished home. We love this house. It's a cool English Tudor, lot of great memories. How did you decide upon Bob Lindsay as your real estate agent? How did you decide upon Bob Lindsay as your real estate agent? He was a great guy; very personable. 35 years' experience. He taught ethics. It's, like, 'Wow. We hit the jackpot.' In fact, Rich and Sandee were happy to roll the dice when they say Lindsay suggested they go big in their asking price. Between 550 and 5. How much had you paid for it? How much had you paid for it? 250? So that would be a great profit. So that would be a great profit. Yes. In the listing, Lindsay plays up the house's character and charm, the updated master bath and kitchen and wood-burning fireplace. The Weiners assumed their agent was working hard to reel in a buyer. And so you had all confidence that that was happening? And so you had all confidence that that was happening? Absolutely. We trusted him with everything. The Weiners had such faith in Lindsay they say they went out on a limb, buying and moving into a new home while their Tudor was renovated to fetch top dollar. (BLOWS) And for peace of mind, they made sure the home on the market was secure. You decided to equip the house with motion-activated cameras? Yes. Yes. Why? We're very security conscious. So we always keep on our wired alarm system. We were told by Bob that, 'Hey, with realtor traffic, you can't keep that system on 'because realtors are going to be setting off alarms throughout the neighbourhood left and right.' So with the alarm turned off at their realtor's request but the motion-activated cameras turned on, Sandee Weiner happened to be looking at the live feed of the camera at their vacant house one night and got the shock of her life. DRAMATIC MUSIC She comes racing up the stairs, and she's, like, 'Oh my God, the house is being broken into.' She calls 911, and the Wayne Police responded almost immediately. The Weiners were glued to their screen as officers arrived in the darkened house. What you're going to see here is` is one of the policemen coming into the room ` there he is now. Uh, he's got his flashlight, and Bob Lindsay is getting dressed. The couple was thoroughly confused, until, that is, they hit the rewind button. And Rich says he discovered weeks' worth of X-rated videos starring their realtor, Bob Lindsay, and this woman. Watch them covering their tracks, making the bed following a daytime romp. In fact, Rich says his camera caught them 13 times having sexual encounters over seven weeks. After this make-out session, they suddenly become aware of the camera. They're looking right up at the kitchen camera. They don't seem worried or concerned that they may be caught. Not at all, which is the amazing part about all of this. So, who was the mystery woman in Bob Lindsay's embrace? She's Jeannemarie Phelan, a fellow Coldwell Banker real estate agent who later admitted to a three-year affair with Lindsay. These two people clearly screwed up. Yes. Yes. Is it worth humiliating them, hurting their families and basically airing dirty laundry in public? Their families were already aware of the affair. What really outrages Weiner was the breach of trust. He's now suing Bob Lindsay, Jeannemarie Phelan and Coldwell Banker. My clients gave Coldwell Banker the keys to their house, and those keys and that house were abused. So we're suing, really, for a breach of trust, breach of contract, negligence, invasion of privacy. Coldwell Banker denied our request for an interview, but offered a statement, saying... The sordid real estate saga soon hit the news, as Bob Lindsay discovered. I wanted to ask you a few questions about the home you were hired to sell. Yeah, I` No comment. No comment. Thank you. Lindsay and Jeannemarie Phelan both declined on-camera interviews. But Lindsay's lawyer sent us this statement. Lindsay and Phelan are countersuing the Weiners, claiming they attempted to extort a million dollars or they'd give the compromising material to the media. My clients never asked for a dime from either Mr Lindsay or Ms Phelan. There was no extortion attempt. There was nothing like that. And remember that juicy asking price of just over $500,000? Well, the home on Maple Ave eventually went for $419,000 ` $100,000 less than Lindsay said he could get. He overpriced the house to keep the traffic away so he could use the house. He was going to make money selling the house, just not today. He can use it as a cheap motel today, sell it tomorrow. Do you think that person should still be practising? > Absolutely not. They should lose their licence immediately and not be allowed to enter anybody's home. What would you say if I told you Bob Lindsay is still selling homes with another firm? That's the most shocking part of this entire story ` that he's still selling real estate. Next on 20/20 ` we're on the trail of psychics who have talked their clients out of a fortune. How much money did you give? How much money did you give? $27,000. $950,000. The amount of money that we're talking about is astronomical. Bob Nygaard is a former New York cop turned private investigator with a peculiar niche ` he's obsessed with helping people who say they've been conned by psychics. A group much larger than anyone wants to admit. Welcome back. Going for a psychic reading is a guilty pleasure for many. But how much are you willing to pay for what psychics claim is a peek into your future? In one case a $40 reading turns into a tab of nearly $1 million. But thanks to former New York cop turned private investigator Bob Nygaard, we turn the tables on some mooching fortune tellers. EERIE MUSIC The first time I went in there, it ran me $40. About a month after, she asked for 30,000. How much money did you give? How much money did you give? $27,000. $950,000. The amount of money that we're talking about is astronomical. Bob Nygaard is a former New York cop turned private investigator with a peculiar niche ` he's obsessed with helping people who say they've been conned by psychics ` a group much larger than anyone wants to admit. Lawyers, professional athletes, college professors. People call me from all walks of life. This sounds outlandish. Why do people fall for it? The people are going through a very difficult time in their life, and they're very vulnerable. I would like to think that, being an intelligent human being, that this could never have happened to me. And it did. Debra Saalfield was in a bad place. She'd lost her job, she'd lost her boyfriend and was on the verge of just losing it, period. My heart was pounding out of my chest. Debra needed help. But instead of going to a therapist, a minister or even a yogi, she found herself going here ` a storefront office for several psychics in New York City. The psychic she saw was named Sylvia Mitchell, a 39-year-old mystic from Mystic, Connecticut. Charming? Charming? Very charming. Very comforting. Very pretty; dressed nicely. Debra selects from the psychics menu and ponies up $75. They tell you that they know that they can help you, but they have to do a deeper reading. 'Deeper' meaning the next amount is $1000. They would meet only three times, but Mitchell tells Debra that the root of her problem is that she's too attached to money. The psychic is more than happy to try and break that attachment. As an exercise in trust, the fortune teller wants Debra to write out a cheque for $27,000. It's to be held and then returned at a later date, or so she's told. When she says, 'Give me $27,000,' didn't a light go on? Being in a very vulnerable place, I acquiesced. You wrote the cheque. You wrote the cheque. Made a huge mistake. She's not the only one to make a mistake. The psychic industry is estimated to bring in about $2 billion to $3 billion. Billion? Billion? Billion, with a B. And the PI says some of those run-down psychic storefronts, with the old woman sitting behind dingy curtains, are actually cash cows. They don't look like much from outside. The same people that you see that are shabbily dressed sitting in a little storefront, are the same people that, when I track them and follow them, they're living in a million-dollar house on the intercoastal in Florida. And they're driving around in a Maserati or a Lamborghini or a Ferrari. And that makes Nygaard a busy man. We're following him as he criss-crosses the country, working cases in Florida, California and New York simultaneously. The stories are sensation; the dollar figures staggering. Take the case of actor Bryan James, currently starring on Hollywood's Walk of Shame. Two years ago, Bryan was driving by this psychic shop in The Valley. He was searching for answers about a romantic interest and decided to stop in. I was completely gullible. I was completely sucked in. Bryan is so intrigued by his first encounter with psychic April Lee that he returns again and again. A bond forms. The two share meals and spend holidays together. In fact, Bryan is spending all his free time with the psychic and virtually none with his family. I'm mad at the psychic for how she manipulated my son. And just how did she do that? Well, listen to what happens over the months that follow. A grooming process begins as Bryan is directed to do whatever April Lee demands. She instructs him to collect random items. Getting pennies, getting a watch, getting dolls and wrapping them up. Nygaard says the tasks are designed to let a psychic gauge how much control she has over her customer. The next thing Bryan hears is that April Lee has reached out to his love interest, and... good news ` the feelings are mutual. Pretending to send me text messages from that person, pretending to give me gifts from that person. But there's a price for love, and the psychic begins asking Bryan to foot the bill. When Bryan doesn't have it, the psychic allegedly comes up with a scheme to get the money through Bryan's mother, Mary. Bryan dupes his own mother, telling her the money will be used for acting lessons and a high-powered Hollywood agent. You could hear the urgency in his voice, like, 'I need it now,' like he was petrified, and... I just did it. And that's how Mary James goes from doting mother to personal ATM. It started with 10,000; 20,000; 15,000. And then it grew. We're talking 50, or we're talking 100. Mary is not a wealthy woman. The money she's handing over to Bryan, who, in turn, is handing over to April Lee, is coming from her retirement account. She gives and gives for nearly two years until she's drained dry. $950,000. It's my retirement. It's gone. According to Bryan, the psychic had always maintained his story would have a happy ending. She promised he would end up with the love of his life, be a Hollywood star and... She always stressed that everything that I did, that I would be getting the money back. Nearly two years later, none of it has happened. Racked with guilt and shame, he confesses. He said, 'I finally need to tell you ` all the money went to a psychic.' And it's really hard to process it. But it's` it's the truth. Nygaard says the vulnerable are the easiest victims. Remember Debra Saalfield and that cheque for 27 grand? I had taken out a credit line on my home because I was recently divorced and needed emergency money. And now she had it? And now she had it? She did. She was that good; that convincing? She was that good; that convincing? She's really good. Saalfield finally breaks free of the psychic's hold and begins to take control of her own future. She races to her bank. By the time I'd gone to my bank to cancel the cheque, the funds were already gone. Mitchell disappears from the city. Now, many would have given up and written off the experience as an expensive lesson. But not Debra and not Bryan. Both hired Bob Nygaard to bring their psychics to justice. And usually they come to me once they've hit rock bottom. When we return, the young actor gives the performance of a lifetime, and now it's April Lee's future that begins to look bleak. We were able to set up a sting operation. The take-down of a psychic ` next. EERIE MUSIC Are you used to the screaming yet? Like so many people who say they're victims of psychic fraud, Bryan James first turned to the police for help. Good luck with that. They go in, and they say, 'I was ripped off by a fortune teller ` a psychic.' And the first thing the cop does is roll their eyes and say, 'You've gotta be kidding me.' People even watching this tonight will say, 'Why is it a crime? If these people were gullible enough...' The number one answer when people walk into a police station is, 'It's a civil matter.' There's the door. Again, no sympathy from police. And that's when people call Nygaard. His conversation with cops often goes like this: I say, 'Listen, when this person first came in, you told them it was a civil matter.' 'You know what? I did your job for 21 years, and I know differently. It's a criminal matter.' That's exactly what Nygaard told New York authorities after one of his clients was ripped off by psychic Betty Vlado. Vlado somehow convinced her victim to hand over 50 grand, including $14,000 for this crystal, which she claimed had healing powers. Vlado was convicted of grand larceny, but the shame of getting duped often leaves victims wanting to crawl under a rock. It's not about psychic ability. It's about simple theft. It's about applying the law to theft. Bob Nygaard is, in my opinion, an American hero. Debra Saalfield hired Bob Nygaard to put the kibosh on Sylvia Mitchell's fortune-telling flimflam; no small task. Mitchell is long gone from the plush Greenwich Village shop. It takes seven months, but with the help of an informant, Nygaard tracks here to Connecticut, where Mitchell is arrested. It's Debra's chance to get her money back. But then a stunning twist. The defence offered to give you your money back? The defence offered to give you your money back? They did. I turned it down. You could have had all your 27,000 back and walked away. You could have had all your 27,000 back and walked away. That's true. Why not? Because there was another victim involved in the case, and I didn't want to let the other victim down by not testifying. If the psychic walks, Debra is out thousands of dollars. It's a huge gamble, says Florida's state attorney Dave Aronberg. These cases are difficult to prove. The jury wonders how could anyone be fooled by this. Is there a sense, even among law enforcement, that these victims brought it upon themselves? It's my experience that jurors will think that way. But in Debra's case, the jurors do believe her. Yes, the sad expression on Sylvia Mitchell's face indicates maybe she can see the future. < WOMAN: Guilty. Convicted of grand larceny, Mitchell is sentenced to five to 15 years in prison. She must also pay restitution. There's other victims that have lost far more than I have. And they've lost not only their money, they've lost their jobs, they've lost their integrity, they've lost... their self-esteem. That's not easy to get back. The poster boy for low self-esteem might well be Bryan James, who ruined his mother financially with his decision to repeatedly see a psychic. Remember now ` she's out nearly a million dollars. I want nothing more than my mom to be paid back. Nygaard says if Mary James is ever going to see a dime of her money back, the psychic, April Lee, will first need to be arrested. But there's a problem. The LAPD is not interested in taking the case. Bryan went to the LAPD. He walked in, he tried to report the crime, and, um, an officer said to him, 'Well, I've got advice for you ` don't ever go see a psychic again.' Always elusive, April Lee is finally tracked down. She's driving in style in a brand new Mercedes. We spot her again in a theme park, waiting to have lunch. Nygaard has Bryan reach out to April. The psychic wants an additional $511,000 to continue removing that curse that supposedly swirls around Bryan. These people ` they financially exploit somebody under the guise of offering them assistance. Nygaard still needs help from law enforcement. He finds it at the DA's office in Santa Clara county. Now, our office considers this crime to be treacherous. It's time to play Sting the Psychic. The operation will be spearheaded by veteran investigator Dennis Brookins. My job as a criminal investigator is to help victims. My job is not to turn victims away. A script is written; the plot is laid out. And the young actor will now have the lead role in this very personal drama. Bryan calls April and says he has the money. The transfer of more than $500,000 is supposed to take place inside an escrow office in San Jose. I came up with a plan that his mother was going to sell a piece of property and obtain the money because of the sale. But there's a snag. The defendant said that she had to stay out in the parking lot, and she was going to meditate. Bryan improvises. Emerging from the vehicle, he goes into the office alone. Bryan says April and her husband, who's driving, think they're moments away from a huge payday. Once I knew the victim was secure with other investigators inside the building, I instructed the arrest team to come in behind their vehicle, uh, block it so they could not leave. This video shows the moment April Lee is arrested. Investigators yank her out of the car. She's then searched by a female investigator before being hauled off to jail. April looked shocked. They had no idea they were going to be arrested. They came to Santa Clara county for one reason and one reason only, and that was greed. Bail is set at $500,000 each. April's attorney says his client is innocent and calls this a civil matter. It was just really great to see Bryan be able to turn the tables on the con artist. Bob Nygaard says he's recovered more than $2 million in cash and property for victims of psychic cons, but there's more to be done. He's currently working on 10 new cases. So before you pay for a peek at your future, a word of warning from those still reeling from the recent past. If anybody is feeling vulnerable, down on their luck, needy, please, please... don't go to a psychic. Please. SOLEMN MUSIC Unbelievable, eh. Next up on 20/20 ` another short film from the Loading Docs series about a man called Wayne. Hello, Wayne. I'm back. (SPEAKS INDISTINCTLY) (SPEAKS INDISTINCTLY) Eh? What now? What now? (SPEAKS INDISTINCTLY) POIGNANT MUSIC Welcome back. Now, Wayne is a man with limited communication skills, but like all guys, he has to figure out women and how to relate to them. This next short film shows that everyone has to deal with the harsh reality of romance and love. REFLECTIVE MUSIC KNOCK AT DOOR KNOCK AT DOOR Yeah. FOOTSTEPS APPROACH Hello, Wayne. I'm back. (SPEAKS INDISTINCTLY) (SPEAKS INDISTINCTLY) Eh? What now? What now? (SPEAKS INDISTINCTLY) POIGNANT MUSIC You're gonna get a cab? You're gonna get a cab? Mm. To` To` Uh, to go and visit Jess? Mm. Mm. Are you gonna have tea there or are you gonna have tea at home? < Do you wanna have a shower before you go? < Do you wanna have a shower before you go? No, no, no. < You got underwear on? < You got underwear on? (CHUCKLES) Laurie. Yep, yep. He's over there. Laurie. Yep, yep. He's over there. No, no. I` Laurie. Yep, yep. He's over there. No, no. I` Don't want him. Rach? Yeah. Yeah. Yep, she'll ring ya up. (GRUNTS) No more. POIGNANT MUSIC Everyone needs a bit of space sometimes, mate. Mm. You ask me a question. Yep. Yeah, you are cool. And you gotta stay cool. ATMOSPHERIC MUSIC A-ha! (GRUNTS) Baa baa black sheep. REFLECTIVE MUSIC MUSIC CONTINUES 1 How cool was that, eh? Uh, if you want to see that or any of tonight's stories again, head over to our website. It's... You can also email us at... Or go to our Facebook page. We're at... And let us know your thoughts on tonight's show. Well, thanks for all your feedback. It's great to hear from you all, so do keep it coming.