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The Pests part 3 & 4 Revisited

February 24, 2026·1 hr 21 min·5 clips

A bomb threat using Patrick's name forced Patty LaBelle off stage and shut down six blocks of downtown Milwaukee.

This episode of Pretend continues the story of Patrick and Nikki Tomlinson, a Milwaukee couple targeted by online harassers known as "the pests." Host Javier Leyva investigates the escalating harassment and the legal battle to identify the stalkers. The pests have swatted the Tomlinsons' home over 40 times and called in bomb threats, including one that evacuated 2,000 people from a Patty LaBelle concert. Patrick claims the harassers have shut off their gas, illegally searched their home, and recently swatted them seven times in 36 hours. In 2020, the Tomlinsons filed a lawsuit to unmask anonymous forum users but lost due to Section 230 protections for internet platforms. The court ordered Patrick to pay roughly $40,000 in the forum owner's legal fees, which he has refused, leading to a contempt hearing. The forum's administrator, known as Quasi101, states he operates the site to preserve taboo comedy and denies any involvement in swatting. Eric Heidelman, a friend who defended the Tomlinsons, had his parents' funerary websites vandalized by the pests. The harassers justify their actions by claiming the science fiction community, which Patrick is part of, harbors pedophiles, citing figures like author Samuel R. Delany. A Vice magazine article identified a Telegram user named "Torswats" who offers swatting services for $50-$75, allegedly paid by the pests using a fake account in Patrick's name. The pests even paid Norm Macdonald for a Cameo video encouraging continued harassment, though he likely didn't know the context. Quasi101, in an AI-voiced statement, frames the situation not as a feud but as Patrick refusing a court-ordered debt. Daniel Mullen (Somerville Dan), a pest who hosts a podcast mocking Patrick, claims most forum members condemn swatting but enjoy provoking Patrick's reactions. Patrick believes the harassment will only end with the pests in prison or himself dead, stating the pests want to isolate them and that going public is their only recourse. The Tomlinsons describe the harassment as a full-time, exhausting job that has violated their home and sense of safety. The tone is investigative and narrative, weaving victim interviews, legal analysis, and statements from the accused harassers. The style is conversational yet urgent, presenting a complex story with multiple perspectives. Listeners interested in true crime, digital harassment, and legal dramas like Section 230 will find this episode gripping. Those sensitive to descriptions of sustained psychological terror, swatting, and online vitriol should skip it.

As heard by us

A hard-edged account of repeated swattings, bomb threats, and the toll of a long harassment campaign.

The episode follows a harassment campaign that has made ordinary life feel unstable, with more than 40 swattings, at least half a dozen bomb threats, and the constant pressure of not knowing what comes next.

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Why you'd press play

You want a case where harassment snowballs into public fear and private exhaustion.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

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