Benita Alexander, and swept her off her feet with a marriage proposal and promises of a wedding . They had already decided to marry in Italy, where Macchiarini wanted a Catholic wedding despite rules against remarriages. She is honestly proud of how far she has come (as she should be), and its evident shell never let anything or anyone take this journey/narrative away from her. Her mother was Korean, and her dad, Canadian. An astonishing true story of love, betrayal and unimaginable deception. It just never stopped, to the point that I would come home from these trips, and all my friends were hanging on the edge of their seat. I was like why, why are you videotaping me again. He had told her, as personal surgeon to the Pope, the leader of the Catholic church wanted to marry the couple, she explained. He soon proposed, only for her to realize her fianc was a complete liar around a year later. [00:19:53] Bob: While the romance is intense, it's also very secretive. Macchiarini claims the synthetic trachea didn't shorten Tuulik's life or the lives of any of his other patients, or cause their deaths. I don't know what I was. When she continued to press Macchiarini about the pope, she said he blamed Vatican politics, alleging that the more conservative former Pope Benedict went behind Pope Francis' back to stop him from officiating the wedding. Documentary Two-hour special that investigates the perfect engagement gone wrong between Emmy award-winning journalist, Benita Alexander, and the internationally acclaimed surgeon, Dr. Paolo Macchiarini. And I said, "Well what are we going to do?" Dashing, successful and charming, Macchiarini, she thought, was the perfect man for her. AARP is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that empowers people to choose how they live as they age. "The first thing we did was inform our boss, and then we also informed Paolo Macchiarini's bosses at the university," Corbascio said. Among several lies, Macchiarini told Alexander, one of those was Pope Francis officiating their wedding. You know, we should do this to help Pope Francis, we should do this to help the Catholic church, and so it was almost like an obligation. Previously, Benita Alexander had created a documentary called He Lied About Everything, where she opened up about Paulo Macchiarini and how she got love conned by him. He was dying and Macchiarini became someone Alexander could lean on. [00:04:33] Bob: But it also sounds like you get pretty, your stories are very emotional, and you get pretty involved in your subjects, right. Benita was pursuing a big story when the ill-fated lovers met in 2013. View our online Press Pack. Alexander felt compelled to cancel the wedding, yet while she tried to figure out the extent to which Macchiarini had lied, she said she let him think they would still marry one day. [00:17:51] Bob: Their relationship blossoms quickly. And it was so fun to work with, with all of them, you know, anybody that, and they have private appointments that wanted to come in. And basically giving up everything. So just under two months before the wedding, and it was just difficult. When Benita Alexander eventually realized her whole relationship with Dr. Paolo Macchiarini was nothing short of a scam, she decided she wanted the world to know the truth about him. [00:00:03] He was incredibly generous, you know, and so romantic and just so wonderful. I was just kind of like, um, 'cause Benita's so awesome and like, you know she was totally in love with him. And so that meant me quitting my job at NBC and leaving New York and pulling my daughter out of her very difficult to get into private school in New York. And so it was kind of the perfect case for us to focus our story around. She reflected on their relationship and wondered how she could've missed all the red flags. It was, it was really, really difficult. People could be dying because of this man, and therefore, I couldn't stay silent, I couldn't crawl under the covers. "I made a very strategic decision to start playing a cat-and-mouse game, basically," she said. You'll start receiving the latest news, benefits, events, and programs related to AARP's mission to empower people to choose how they live as they age. You know this man adores you. But our guest list was insane because now that the Pope was marrying us, he kept inviting all these dignitaries, you know, so world leaders were coming to our wedding. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. I don't want you to do anything except find your dresses and just, all you have to do is show up and look beautiful. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. [00:36:07] Matthew Christopher: Confident, rico-suave, I am Paolo, ha-ha, and I'm like, okay, you know, I'm like am I nervous? And he said, he finally said, "Well, I'm going to go and talk to my contacts at the Vatican." Oxygen.com interviews filmmaker and reporter Benita Alexander, an executive producer of the 90-minute documentary "Seduced by Evil," about con man Derek Alldred. The way he used stem cells with his plastic tracheas would eventually develop into something quite extraordinary where you could use stem cells to target organs or other areas of the body where the, where there was a medical problem. Her daughter has thus been the only constant in her life. [00:24:07] Bob: For many months, Paolo plays his cards very close to the vest as Bo starts asking questions about the patients Paolo has worked on. Oh my God, um, confident. ABC News produced a tv series, The Con, that explores stories of people taken in by claims and promises that proved too good to be true, revealing how the victims were fooled and the cost of their false trust. Cetir came to Macchiarini's attention after undergoing an elective procedure to correct a condition that caused excessive sweating. But at this point, they're just questions. "I wanted to get all the information that I could before I really confronted him.". It was, it was a huge change and a huge change for my daughter. Its so damaging. Together, they'd spend long weekends traveling to different countries, like Mexico, Russia and Greece. And each surprise was a bigger wow factor than the last one. When Benita discovers that her fiance is not who he claims to be, she goes on an emotional journey to unravel a trail of destruction that leaves patients dead and their shattered families in shock. Alexander didn't initially believe him, but she said Macchiarini told her that the pope wanted to push forward his progressive agenda for the church. "She was having problems with infections so, at that point, she came into contact with Dr. Previously considered a pioneer for using both biological and synthetic scaffolds seeded with patients' own stem cells as trachea . I don't know if I was nervous. And the stem cells were supposed to magically integrate, and he was fixing people. He responded wow,'" Benita claimed. She couldn't eat. And so we, we thought, you know, this is a perfect case to focus a story around, and so we started doing Hannah's story. Macchiarini proposed to Benita Alexander on Christmas Day 2013, Alexander said. But Macchiarini showered her in flowers and jewelry. But the biopsies showed the cells were dead and that there was actually fungi growing on the plastic, he said. I was so career-driven, and so career-oriented, but I was madly in love. In need of a lung transplant, doctors arranged to transfer her to Temple University Hospital in Philadelphia. She was floored when he told her John Legend would sing at their wedding and Pope Francis would officiate. She is currently the Executive Producer/Showrunner of the true crime series "Crimes Gone Viral," which airs on Investigation Discovery and is in its second season. [00:23:07] Bob: The first time you met him was where? A successful TV journalist, the single mother-of-one was interviewing him for a report on cutting-edge medicine. Thank you to our team of scambusters; Executive Producer, Julie Getz; Researcher, Haley Nelson; Associate Producer, Annalea Embree; and of course, our Audio Engineer, Julio Gonzalez. He was often described as a George Clooney look-alike, you know, he's, he's very elegant. As Alexander began to unravel the web of lies Macchiarini had told her, she began to wonder if the world-renowned thoracic surgeon had also misled people in his professional life. The documentary includes never-before-seen footage and photos and shows Alexanders search for the truth after such a shocking betrayal of the heart. [00:30:47] Benita: It was all very hush-hush, you know, everybody that was involved in the wedding planning, including the people that designed the wedding invitations, the people that made my wedding dresses, everybody had to just, had to sign nondisclosure agreements. After a few days there, she traveled to Macchiarini's home in Barcelona, Spain, with some friends who came along for support. 5 Journalist Benita Alexander (right) has revealed chilling clues that disclosed her lover and famed surgeon Paolo Macchiarini as a "romance scammer" Credit: Instagram / loveconned 5 She graduated magna cum laude from WSU with a degree in journalism in 1987. And they kind of laughed. [00:23:44] Bo Lindquist: Paolo was very well-dressed and very careful with his looks. [00:24:45] Bo Lindquist: I mean he basically said that he was going to revolutionize medicine, and, and not just invent a new kind of a trachea or a new kind of transplant, but actually revolutionize surgery. A presence. On what was supposed to be the day of her wedding, Alexander flew to Rome, where she eventually met others who'd kept their travel plans. [00:38:44] Benita: I should say this wedding turns into something akin to the wedding of the century. And then every month there was a new surprise. He Lied About Everything is the true tale of the love affair between award-winning investigative producer Benita Alexander, and world-renowned surgeon Paolo Macchiarini. In the next 24 hours, you will receive an email to confirm your subscription to receive emails She started her career at a local news station before moving on to work at NBC in New York. But as the wedding planning continued, Alexander's fianc became increasingly embroiled in work-related issues. You will be asked to register or log in. Benita's story is also told on BBCs Outlook" podcast. I mean most 8-year-olds will change their minds, you know, many times, but I never changed. She found out exactly what hed lied about - and she said it was extensive. When a magical romance with a world-renowned surgeon develops into a nightmare, his fianc uncovers a path of destruction that leaves dead patients and shattered families in its wake. Fans can also watch He Lied About Everything on InvestigationDiscovery.com. Benita was also the Co-Executive Producer and narrator for the 2016 TLC documentary, Breaking the Silence," about sexual abuse. [00:22:38] Bob: What Benita doesn't know at the time, she couldn't have known, is that Hannah's death also sparks the interest of the European journalist named Bo Lindquist, a Swedish filmmaker, he's already working on a documentary film about Paolo, but it isn't designed with a happy ending in mind. I loved my work at NBC. I was blissfully happy. [00:15:28] Bob: As Hannah's story becomes more intense, the news on Benita's ex-husband, John, gets worse. And, and so we pivoted the story a bit to make it a little bit more about some of Paolo's other patients and more about, you know the field of regenerative medicine. And I was ready to ride off into the sunset, into this new life in Barcelona, and but it was also a very, very difficult decision for me. Um, made dinner, and did all this, and then we were discussing and showing fabrications and doing sketching and then like, you know, where were we going to begin? And I was raised Episcopalian, but I said, "I know, I know enough about the Catholic religion to know that no priest is going to marry two divorcees," and he, he, you know, he said, "Don't worry. [00:25:22] Bob: And while Paolo loves to talk about his work, he isn't always charming. There's so much she couldn't do, but she had this sparkling personality. [00:25:56] Bob: How did he take to being questioned? Benita Alexander is a strong, independent, intelligent, warm, and loving woman who thought she found her love connection with a man that swept her off her feet, much like prince charming! Benita graduated magna cum laude from Wayne State University in Michigan, with a B.A in journalism. Macchiarini convinced Alexander that the Obamas, the Clintons, the Beckhams, Elton John, and John Legend were few of many personalities to attend their wedding. Where is Benita Alexander now? Benita Alexander is an award-winning television producer who is known for her won on Investigation Discoverys ID Now, Crimes Gone Viral, Dateline and Inside the Obama White House among other works. And whatever that is, let's, let's push that away, you know. It was beyond Benita's wildest dreams - Macchiarini reportedly told her he invited Bill Clinton, Barack Obama, and Elton John, and that the Pope himself would oversee the ceremony. My friends and my family all adored him. The Sun website is regulated by the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO), Our journalists strive for accuracy but on occasion we make mistakes. A JOURNALIST revealed the chilling clue that disclosed her lover and famed surgeon as a "romance scammer.". Come on. I thought he was playing some kind of silly game with me. "It was the weirdest thing," Alexander said. He was a flair for the dramatic and plans one romantic encounter after another. Macchiarini ran into some legal trouble regarding his stem cell treatments with Swedish prosecutors recently appealing a sentence given to the Italian surgeon, the Associated Press reported. So it was uh, quite, quite in--, incredible or remarkable to, for those words to come out of her mouth. "I talked to my editors and we started thinking, 'Well, let's just keep pulling on this thread. Learn how to subscribe to AARP Podcasts on any device. "I couldn't fall apart because I am a single mother with a daughter who needs me. "As furious as it makes me what he did [to me and] my daughter, the thought that this is a man who has people's lives in his hands. "He [the Pope] wanted to use us as the poster couple for the Catholic church, to prove people who are divorced can get married in the Catholic church.". You are no longer 21 !!! The Korean girl that had undergone Macchiarini's procedure in Illinois, whose story Alexander had been sent to cover, had died in the time following the surgery. It basically was, we've been asked to do this, and by virtue of being my fianc, because I'm this famous doctor, I feel that this is something we should do. Benita and Macchiarini's wild relationship was featured in a special episode of ABC's 20/20 on Friday. [00:24:37] Bob: Paolo is a natural subject for a documentary film. They make it for you in the lab, right. If I had a checklist, he, he was everything I would want in a partner, everything you would want in a man. And that's where we met for the first time. [00:31:32] Bob: I mean that sounds like a very special process. Alexander then married, Edson Jeune, a ballroom dancer. [00:31:42] Matthew Christopher: Yeah, I do, you know, I've done tons of celebrity stuff, tons of Broadway stuff. The Pope doesnt marry people. "I was angry as hell. The famous surgeon, a miracle worker who gives hope to hopeless patients, who's rewriting the rules of medicine. Benita was pursuing a big story when the ill-fated lovers met in 2013. The qualified journalist then began working at a string of local television stations. Corbascio called the decision "absolutely insane.". Cetir died waiting for the lung transplant she desperately needed. With the preparations nearly finished, Benita decides to take maybe the toughest step she's ever taken in her 20-year career as a journalist. She had already spent good money on her wedding preparations. Documentary producer Benita Alexander thought it was love when her job introduced her to internationally renowned surgeon Paolo Macchiarini. And spent months, you know, this did not happen overnight. ABCs The Con is a true-crime documentary series that unveils the curtain on the people behind some of the most atrocious scams in recent times. The couple had the wedding planned for July 2015. In early 1982, shortly before her 16th birthday, Benita returned home from a sleepover to discover that her mother had left the family in the middle of the night. And these were all couples that were quote-unquote living in sin, you know, they had children out of wedlock, or whatever. I see a woman and two kids," she said, adding that she knew about Paolo's wife in Italy. I loved my life at NBC. Benita Alexander and Paolo Macchiarini fall in love Alexander, an award-winning documentary TV producer, met Macchiarini in 2013 while working on a story about the surgeon's pioneering work. See the shocking new details about Paolo Macchiarini's alleged medical crimes, new interviews and new revelations Friday on "20/20" at 9 p.m. Um, and so he had, we were coming back into the room after dinner one night, and I was kind of teasing him. Three months later, the Karolinska Institute ruled that while Macchiarini did not always rise to the level of its standards, he had not committed scientific misconduct. He has been convicted of research-related crimes in Italy and Sweden. And after he left, I said to my parents, that's what I'm going to do when I grow up. He wrote love notes in lipstick on her mirror and left roses on the bed in the shape of hearts. In July 2015 their "cat and mouse game" came to an end when she revealed to him everything she found through the private investigation. Firstly , on a personal observation , girl , you absolutely need a makeover. And I, I think at least that it makes me a better writer and a better journalist. Why don't you, can you just for once sit back and let somebody else take over, just let him, let him take it over." [00:00:01] Bob: This week on The Perfect Scam. I didn't even, I, I, I stopped in hesitation. And you know, dozens of roses and champagne and always the best champagne. She was devasted to learn all the lies told by Macchiarini. Alexander was working on a documentary about Macchiarinis success in the medical field. Journalist Benita Alexander is swept off her feet by a dashing Italian doctor, Paolo Macchiarini, while filming a documentary about his miraculous surgeries. With a purported VIP list of friends and clients that included former presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama, Russian president Vladimir Putin and entertainment icons such as Elton John, their wedding was expected to be one of the biggest events of the year. Very strategic decision to start playing a cat-and-mouse game, basically, '' said. 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