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The great pretender

Posted: Tuesday, April 24, 2007 11:14 AM by Dateline Editor

Talk about a fantastic career: The man you'll meet on the broadcast tonight worked as a prestigious doctor, a dedicated pastor, a Red Cross fundraiser.

But his resume was most remarkable for what wasn't on it: one ounce of truth.

What this man really was was the ultimate con artist -- a guy who's played more roles than DeNiro. You'll be surprised at who fell for his tricks. The question is: Will you?

Josh Mankiewicz brings us the tall tale of "The Great Pretender."

Join us Dateline Tuesday, April 24, 8 p.m./7 C.

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Comments

Leave him alome!!! He is a decent person...trying his best to make his way through an unfair system. Too many times, people are given opportunities and jobs because of theri family connections. Look at our President, if you don't believe me. Fred has done his best, given the opportunities available to him. He is a good person, stuck in a BAD SYSTEM. LEAVE HIUM ALONE. He is hurting NO ONE! What is WRONG with you that you have to attack this poor guy??? He has hurt NO ONE. Go after the politicians and rich fat cats who are really destroying us!

Denise, Westland, MIchigan (Sent Tuesday, April 24, 2007 9:04 PM)

I was utterly appalled about this man. I do the best that i can just to keep a job or my sanity. Having lost a military and medical career because i am an ex-con not by choice. mistaken identity robbery at 18 years old. With 13 years on paper due to that I am sick to my stomach that he can sit there and act like he has not messed up anyones life. if i could i would spit on his shoes.

pissed off, Texas (Sent Tuesday, April 24, 2007 9:09 PM)

so its only 15 minutes into this story and still nothing has changed. He still is trying to be a priest, has called local press conferences, recieved a job under a fake name and been fired, and has even been able to get in touch with you. Yet the only one's that he has been able to con is people that are valnerable. This is coming from someone that he is related too. I was only introduced to him about 6 months ago. Whathe needs to do is stop faking and go back to prison where they will give him three square meals a day. He told the entire family that the truth would be revealed after this program but merely all i have seen is the same things that he is currenlty doing now. Whats that tell you about him? Have you been coned? Can you tell?

A relative, Las Cruces, New Mexico (Sent Tuesday, April 24, 2007 9:40 PM)

i really would like this episode rebroadcasted to understand what brito was thinking. NBC, i would like if you could oblige.

ron trentok (Sent Tuesday, April 24, 2007 9:47 PM)

we know a guy just like this, except he has not been caught. he started as a child molestor, then a cop, an attorney for INS,a pyscoligist, a preacher, now he has written a book on criminal justice, and he has a PHD & calls himself doctor. he has been in 3 different branches of the military (?). at least he has documents! he has been an RTD official, a prision guard, and numerous other occupations. he can not tell the truth about anything. he has phony resume's, official looking certificates for being a doctor, nurse, priest, etc. his latest is sponging on the goverment for an injury supposedly that happened in the military, which did not. we are wondering how he gets military benefits if he was enlisted some 20 years ago & only a short-timer. he brandishes high profile medals & says he got got the purple heart in the gulf war, when in fact he has never been to a war. dateline really needs to check this guy out. bruce allen rodgers, ft worth, Tx

aj denver, co (Sent Tuesday, April 24, 2007 10:44 PM)

My name is Fred Brito. This segment took two years to produce, and while all of it is true, all of it is slanted unfairly. The real Fred Brito did not come out. What did came out was what DATELINE needed in order to slant it "Their" best interest to achieve their agenda. I am not disappointed... I was expecting it. I am disappointed however, that it portrayed me as I WAS... and not as I am today. I am the one that has to get my story out the right way... and that is what I will do in the next few months. Like a Phoenix... I will rise again out of the ashes. My very best wishes and thanks to Josh Mankiewicz the interviewer, Jessica and Patty the Producers, for trying to do good, but just not quite getting it right or most importantly, "fair."

Fred Brito, Las Cruces, NM (Sent Tuesday, April 24, 2007 11:06 PM)

Fred Brito made a comment and so did you about how ex-felons can not find employment. I totaly disagree with that. I am a felon on probation and I not only have a full time job I am also a full time college student. While I was in prison I met people like Fred Brito. They are people that refuse to change. People that either refuse cognative change courses or they go just to practice there con styles by feeding the class and instructor with bull. To argue with your comment about us felons and ex-felons not being able to get a job. I am sure that you know that is just a belief that some people believe to be true. It is not!

Jonathan Doe, Eugene, Oregon (Sent Tuesday, April 24, 2007 11:55 PM)

All I could think of when I saw Fred Brito on Dateline was to wonder if he was the inmate who wanted to be my teacher's aide when I was working at Wasco State Prison in California from 1996 to 1999. The guy that Brito reminds me of arrive at Wasco shortly before I left my employment with California Department of Corrections' Education Department. The inmate I am talking about was very articulate, spoke Spanish, was well travel, and very likeable. My class of inmates would love to have him come to class and share some of his stories. Brito looks and has the build just like the inmate I knew. Your show brought back many memories. I had some good students, but I also met a lot of people on the hustle. Sheila, California

sheila finley santa monica, ca (Sent Wednesday, April 25, 2007 12:14 AM)

Mr Brito seems to be able to absorb what he takes part in to come up with new careers pretty well. You might check out your personnel office and those of the other networks in a couple of months, he hasn't been a network reporter, yet. But, next month, who knows?

JoAnn Robinson (Sent Wednesday, April 25, 2007 3:09 AM)

I am curious to see what name Fred uses in this comment section to speak well of himself. As he said in the interview he will have to answer to God when his time comes. It's sure going to be HOT where you are going! No wonder no one in your family likes you. Viewers only saw a little of his life. I am sure he has done a lot more than was shown. Good luck Freddie!

George..I can disguise my name like him :) (Sent Wednesday, April 25, 2007 8:22 AM)

Hello, Do you not see that this man pulled the ultimate con on National TV? He will receive a book deal because of you, or more! You may have wanted to expose him for his so-called wrongs; however, to some hard working American that may or may not be a fellon, he is unbelieveable. You're upset because he made the system look horribly incompetent.

John Huffman, Columbus, OH (Sent Wednesday, April 25, 2007 9:05 AM)

I watched with great interest about your coverage of Fred Brito last night, mostly since I am a student at Portland Community College (pcc.edu) and the Cascade Campus is scheduled to have a guest speaker named Marty Nemko. These two people could be twins, could it be Fred Brito has yet another name? When I do an engine search on Marty Nemko I do find his web page (www.martynemko.com), but the site has only been open since 2004.

PCC Student (Sent Wednesday, April 25, 2007 11:42 AM)

All Fred Brito wants is attention. By writing this short note, I am giving him that attention. This man suffers from loneliness. Fred should be in a mental hospital!

Shawn August, Las Cruces, N.M. (Sent Wednesday, April 25, 2007 2:31 PM)

Are there web based links to research cons or photos of cons in order to keep from hiring someone like this? I am really curious, as I believe and have for some time, that I know one who isn't what he is attemptig to pull off being? -- Call it a gut instinct.

Sierra, Colorado Springs, CO (Sent Wednesday, April 25, 2007 3:47 PM)

Just a concerned relative writing about Fred Brito. We know him as Freddy. I am really worried about who he might be lying to here in Las Cruces. Some of my older relatives are very nieve and believe everything this man says. The only person I feel sorry for is his elderly father. He doesn't deserve this attention. I am sure if Freddy wanted a job he can work as a cook or a janitor doesn't have to be a high paying job. Who does he think he is. Surely not better than any hard worker. Just because your an ex felon doesn't mean you can't work. In my opinion he's just drawing all this attention to him self as an easy way out so some one can make him famous and easy money. He seems to be a good man and has done nothing wrong in his short stay here in Las Cruces, or shall I say anything that I know about. P.S I saw a help wanted sign at the local McDonald's

Jane Doe, Las Cruces,Nm (Sent Wednesday, April 25, 2007 6:54 PM)

Why does an ex felon have to be a cook, janitor or dishwasher?

DBL (Sent Monday, September 17, 2007 9:12 PM)

He appeared on the Dr Phil show yesterday. Dr Phil made a pact with him; if his book(s)get published, that he could come back on the Dr Phil show as a "respected" guest and promote his book(s). They shook hands. Dr Phil, in a few well placed words, was telling Fred that he, Dr Phil has made it his personal mission to prevent the book(s), or movie deal from ever being made. And he has no intentions of letting Fred The Worm reappear on his show. Squish him like a bug.

Not Freddypooh, Tampa Bay, Floria (Sent Tuesday, September 18, 2007 2:26 PM)

It's a common mistake to think that this type of sociopath is sick, rather than evil. The rest of us who have a conscience and function under the rule of law are seen as sheep to these wolves. They shape shift, adopting whatever hologram they can engineer to elicit sympathy or fleece someone of money. Now he's fled into the clergy - what a tragedy. These people don't get "better" because it isn' an illness of their body or brain. It's an illness of their soul.

I took special interest in this because an ex-girlfriend faked breast cancer for almost five years. She took a horrible toll on everyone she met, and has yet to suffer justice. When Brito said that he could sit down for twenty minutes in a restaurant and be able to tell how to get next to you, and that he'd be your best friend in two weeks I nearly threw up. That's exactly what this female sociopath did to my family and me.  

Bob (Sent Monday, November 19, 2007 3:12 PM)

I frankly think that this guy is great!.  He proves how stupid and gullible we all are.  He gets 10 stars for what he has done to uncover our ignorance.  I am going to buy a ticket to hear him speak.  From what I have read about him... it will be a high point in my life!  

Stephanie in Dallas, Texas (Sent Sunday, November 25, 2007 9:31 PM)

I saw Fred Brito appear on Dr. Phil this evening.  I truly thought he should be an actor.  And he would make a great fiction writer as well with the imagination to create those alias's.

J. Kaiser, Greenville, SC (Sent Monday, December 31, 2007 9:19 PM)



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