Documentary producer Benita Alexander thought it was love when her job introduced her to internationally renowned surgeon Paolo Macchiarini. [00:01:59] Benita: I had worked my way up from working in, from tiny little newspapers in Detroit, Michigan, which is where I went to college and where I'd, my family had moved after Australia. [00:12:41] Bob: And you went forward with that weekend pushing the feeling aside, right? 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. [00:36:51] Matthew Christopher: Yeah, yes, oh my gosh. Previously considered a pioneer for using both biological and synthetic scaffolds seeded with patients' own stem cells as trachea . He's also never spoken publicly about his relationship with Alexander. Meanwhile, the investigation into Macchiarini's professional life was ramping up -- the Karolinska Institute was investigating whether he'd fabricated aspects of his medical research. But as the wedding planning continued, Alexander's fianc became increasingly embroiled in work-related issues. And basically giving up everything. 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. You know, part of it is you meet so many different people that you would never meet otherwise, but when you can tell a story that actually makes a difference in someone's life, that, to me, that's one of the most beautiful things about journalism. Benita Alexander is a producer, director, writer, and narrator, who has actually been behind several episodes of ID's 'Now,' 'Dateline,' and even 'Inside the Obama White House.' It thus comes as no surprise that her professional success has given way to her confidence. I, I thought it was ridiculous. It defeats the point, Benita recently said. Before their wedding, the couple visited Italy, where Alexander asked Macchiarini to show her where their wedding celebrations would take place. I had tried, at one point I pushed him away, and we didn't see each other for about three months. The documentary includes never-before-seen footage and photos and shows Alexanders search for the truth after such a shocking betrayal of the heart. She later tied the knot with a ballroom instructor Edson Jeune in 2012, yet even that didnt work out. I loved everything about it, and to be sort of plunging into the unknown, even though I felt very secure with Paolo, happily in love. Documentary producer Benita Alexander thought it was love when her job introduced her to internationally renowned surgeon Paolo Macchiarini. 679215 Registered office: 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF. [00:09:12] Bob: And so, Benita travels to Boston to meet the miracle worker for herself. But everything else, I'm planning everything, and you can't ask me any questions.". There was no evidence the Obamas had heard of him, either. [00:30:37] Bob: So now that she's been told the Pope is involved, Benita has another secret to keep. The emotions of the moment overwhelm her. That's pretty unusual too. It said he'd be in South America and that the "trip had been planned for quite some time," Alexander said. And so I thought, okay, maybe its not as crazy as it, as it sounds. Lindquist had begun his own investigation into the claims brought forth by Macchiarini's colleagues. [00:05:44] Benita: Yeah, I mean the, we wanted to do a story about this field called regenerative medicine which added base core, the most simplistic way to define this is, it's sort of sci-fi, futuristic medicine where the, the goal is to be able to create body parts or organs in the lab, man-made. As a journalist, Alexander knew she couldn't get involved with the subject of her story. She said one question was heavy on her mind: "Why did you do this to me, why would you do that to anybody? We had 300+ people coming from all over the world. Alexander was assigned to work on the documentary about Paolo Macchiarini who has considered a pioneer in organ transplant. 5. He spent months supposedly going to different churches in Italy, and he would send me pictures of these places, and all these details, and asked me if I liked them or not. I see a woman and two kids," she said, adding that she knew about Paolo's wife in Italy. He never did that with me, but I, I've, I have seen him really being quite, quite unpleasant with um, PhDs and people who were sort of subordinate. He traveled to Illinois to operate on a Korean toddler who was born without a trachea and who was going to be the youngest person to ever receive an artificial one. How do we, how do we tell this story? So he was very interesting and very fascinating and also because he was a pioneer, and he was pushing the envelope, you know, he was a little bit, a little bit radical, but doing, he was taking chances that nobody else would, and we actually need people like that in medicine. "The Experiments" told the stories of some of Maccharini's patients, including young mother Julia Tuulik, who damaged her trachea in a car accident. I was there for about 20 minutes, and I, I tossed these flowers into the water, and I was, you know, very emotional in saying goodbye to John. He actually brought him home on Christmas Day, and he and I are still in touch. He proposed to Alexander on Christmas in 2013 and she said yes. And Benita had a veil, and I brought over some dresses, and we were having some champagne, giggling and sketching, and it was so fun. I was torn up about it, and my last day at NBC was in May of 2015. The story with making a couture gown is, you know, it goes through, gosh, a team of pattern makers, drapers, um, stitchers, sewers, hand stitchers, beading and embroiderers, lace, and all that kind of stuff. On the back of his motorcycle, he drove her along the Illinois River until they found a place where she could memorialize her ex-husband. You know he loves to surprise you. A presence. And it came down to how are we going to accomplish doing all these pieces for this wedding that is going to be so high profile, so exclusive, I mean I've never heard of anything so, it was, I mean in my career I've experienced some great things; this was wow. He wrote love notes in lipstick on her mirror and left roses on the bed in the shape of hearts. The couple shares a daughter named Jessina, born in 2003. Track SoCal rain with LIVE Megadoppler 7000 HD, Emily Whipp, Laura Dimon, Colleen Halpin, Emma Piscia and Anthony Rivas. This is totally different. "I wanted to get all the information that I could before I really confronted him.". For more compelling true crime coverage, follow our Crime magazine on Flipboard. [00:34:35] Bob: The first step is working with Benita on ideas for the wedding dress. And it was very difficult for us um, with the story because, you know, we had all hoped for one of these happy endings, you know, this was, the hope was to do a two-hour special, and at the end of it, you know, Hannah's home in South Korea, running around the backyard with her, her big sister, and you know, being a happy toddler as, as she should have been all along, and you know, Hannah was the most vibrant little girl. Alexander hired a private investigator to investigate all the secrets and lies about Macchiarini. But on the afternoon that she met him, a day before she was supposed to begin filming him, something happened that gave her pause. In mid-2013, they became a couple and in December that year they became pre-engaged as Macchiarini, who lived in Barcelona, Spain, said he was still legally married with two children but had been separated for a long time and was filing for divorce. Benita Alexander thought she had found her modern day Prince Charming. 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 [00:08:01] Bob: Benita knows she wants to do a special about Paolo's work, but she needs a story, a patient that viewers can follow from beginning to end. Macchiarini took Alexander to several romantic getaways in Europe. Click here to get breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases in the True Crime Newsletter. "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.". Macchiarini did not respond to a request for comment from ABC News. He is one of the world's leading cardio thoracic surgeons. Among the high-powered clients who Macchiarini claimed were on this network were the Clintons, the Obamas and even Pope Francis. He told her opera singer Andrea Bocelli would be singing in the church during their wedding and that John Legend would be playing the piano at their ceremony. By the time he performed the artificial trachea transplant on Cetir, he had already performed the same procedure on four other patients. What started as dream relationship developed into a nightmare filled with lies and deceit. In fact, we both worked for NBC in New York at the same time, but we didn't know each other then. NEW YORK Dr Paolo Macchiarini, He Lied About Everything with Benita Alexander Armchair MBA 18K subscribers Join Subscribe 1.5K Share Save 128K views 2 years ago I chat with Benita Alexander. And her parents were just distraught, you know, they wanted, they had been told she might live 6 or 7 years, and there's no cure. ", Jupiter and Venus appear to 'kiss' in the sky, What is graupel? And that was the moment I just thought, oh, I'm, I'm falling for this man, you know, and I just, I just sort of melted into his arms. Capping off a whirlwind romance filled with gondola rides in Venice and quiet dinners in the Greek islands, she was. I literally felt like I was floating on clouds. If your response is to point a finger at a victim, thats really sad. 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. In need of a lung transplant, doctors arranged to transfer her to Temple University Hospital in Philadelphia. Subtle message to him, perhaps. Fans can also watch He Lied About Everything on InvestigationDiscovery.com. And the two go on a magic carpet ride together. Her film "He Lied About Everything," about her own personal story with a con man, aired on Investigation Discovery in 2018 and continues to air around the world. "I couldn't fall apart because I am a single mother with a daughter who needs me. With Whoopi Goldberg. I was so career-driven, and so career-oriented, but I was madly in love. Macchiarini had told her that he and his wife were separated, but that the divorce hadn't yet been finalized legally. In 2019, the film was nominated in the documentary category for the WIN Awards, Women's Image Network. Mathias Corbascio, another cardiothoracic surgeon who worked at the Karolinska Institute at the time, said the intensive care unit doctor responsible for her care began consulting with him on the literature written by Macchiarini on tracheal replacements. "He was a top doctor, he spoke six or seven languages. The doctors also raised the issue that Macchiarini had reported on a patient in a way that suggested the patient was still alive, even though they had died before the paper was published. He was kind of a rebel. Short Press Reel. Call the AARP Fraud Watch Network Helpline at 877-908-3360. If I had a checklist, he, he was everything I would want in a partner, everything you would want in a man. She couldn't eat. In 2015, she served as a co-executive producer on Breaking the Silence, which featured DWTS pro Cheryl Burke, and Counting On alums Jessa Seewald and Jill Duggar Dillard. You are leaving AARP.org and going to the website of our trusted provider. The providers terms, conditions and policies apply. It was killing me, and but I was also so in love with him. She'd been in the intensive care unit in Turkey for three years, and her health was still deteriorating. Maybe help me, help with the invitations 'cause I don't want to deal with that. In response to Gerdin's report, Macchiarini denied all the findings. [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. And it's presented to me by Paolo, it's not even about our wedding or about our love story. 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. A love story gone bad for Benita Alexander, an award-winning documentary television producer and Paolo Macchiarini, an internationally renowned surgeon. Please enable Javascript in your browser and try But before the wedding can happen, Benita makes a . They said that the patient was doing fine and that's not true: One of his lungs was completely obliterated from a chronic infection.". I'm, you know, I like, I like information. 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. She soon discovered that as she lived an apparent fairy tale romance -- with someone who not only seemed to care for her and her daughter but also lavished her with expensive gifts and trips -- others were already searching for the truth about Macchiarini. 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. He was put on trial after his patients reportedly suffered bodily harm during his experimental surgeries but he always denied any criminal wrongdoing. 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'll take care of it." And he said, you know, I actually met with Pope Francis. And I went, What? You know and he said, And I, I have great news. Um, Hes, hes going to help us um, were going to have somebody that will marry us, and he offered to do it himself. You know I said, What? You know, and I actually kind of called BS on him because I, I said, Thats absurd. But at this point, they're just questions. The two-part special He Lied About Everything premieres on ID on Wednesday, Feb. 14 from 8 to 10 p.m. Most importantly, though, we need to mention that Benita not only attended the former doctor/her former fiancs trial in Sweden, but she also covered it as a correspondent for season 3 of the Dr. But then I, and this was October of 2014, and I went and googled, the first thing I did was I went to my desk and googled, literally googled, Does the Pope marry people? And what popped up was an article from a month earlier where the Pope had just married 20 couples in the Vatican. In the course of that operation, the surgeons had nicked her trachea. I couldn't fall apart because if he's lying to me like this, there's no way he's not lying in his medical and professional life.". I didn't even, I, I, I stopped in hesitation. And that presence was really something, it was really something. And it's, I was proud to work there. [00:25:49] Bob: But, and this made him a fun interview, he doesn't mind debating his controversial techniques. [00:35:53] Bob: And while the dresses are being made, while the other wedding preparations are underway, Matthew meets Paolo. [00:40:15] Bob: With that dramatic entrance comes a dramatic exit too. People could be dying because of this man, and therefore, I couldn't stay silent, I couldn't crawl under the covers. He was, he was just there when I needed somebody. again. [00:12:11] Benita: Not like that, you know, this was, this was one of those almost cliche movie moments where, you know, I don't even believe in love at first sight, but there was some sort of thing, something happened. [00:02:15] Bob: Still a young journalist, she found her way to the top of her profession very quickly. 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. Alexander was working on a documentary about Macchiarinis success in the medical field. She said she called the castle where all the guests were supposed to be staying and asked them about the reservation, which they didn't have. [00:20:06] Benita: We had kind of quietly gotten engaged, but we weren't telling anybody um, because I mean the complicated thing about this is that there's a sort of unwritten rule in journalism that everybody understands, that, you know, there's, there is a line you just don't cross a kind of sacred line where you don't, you can empathize with a story subject, you can sympathize, but you don't become personally involved with a story subject for, for the reason, obviously, that your objectivity could be compromised, right. Macchiarini had been credited with developing innovative surgical techniques using stem cells in synthetic trachea transplants. [00:41:50] Benita: The day after I quit my job, I got an email from a colleague and the headline just said, "The Pope." To inquire about a licence to reproduce material, visit our Syndication site. [00:35:38] Bob: I mean it sounds like that could cost an infinity if you wanted it to. And so there was a lot of palpable excitement about this wedding, you know, people were really eager and excited for this wedding. In a 500-page complaint filed in 2014 that detailed their allegations, the doctors accused Macchiarini of promoting a medical procedure that showed few signs of success while endangering the lives of his patients. [00:17:24] Bob: He was there when she needed somebody. After relocating to New York, Benita worked for NBC and was featured in NBC's documentary "A Leap of Faith" in 2013. A successful TV journalist, the single mother-of-one was interviewing him for a report on cutting-edge medicine. Which sounds a bit absurd, however, he is an Italian surgeon. [00:03:01] Benita: Yeah, one of the ones um, there was a father in New Jersey, whose wife had abducted their son to Brazil, parental abduction, which is when one parent takes the child, against the other parent's will to another country. For further details of our complaints policy and to make a complaint please click this link: thesun.co.uk/editorial-complaints/, Journalist Benita Alexander (right) has revealed chilling clues that disclosed her lover and famed surgeon Paolo Macchiarini as a "romance scammer", The two fell for each other when Benita was interviewing Macchiarini for a story, The couple planned a lavish wedding set to take place in 2015 that felt too good to be true after Macchiarini said the Pope would officiate it, Benita decided to hire a private investigator, which led to her discovering her famous surgeon lover was actually facing legal trouble over his innovative techniques, Benita said she left her job of 17 years to marry Macchiarini, Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO). And you know, dozens of roses and champagne and always the best champagne. Copyright 2023 ABC News Internet Ventures. It was going to be this four-day event in Rome, you know, with a red carpet event the night before the wedding, and a big brunch the day after the wedding, and people bought plane tickets, they bought fancy, you know, red carpet attire for this wedding. All of this was happening around the same time that Alexander was preparing to share her own story publicly for the first time in a Vanity Fair article. The Karolinska Institute commissioned an external investigation into the allegations. In 2015, Alexander sent emails to the Karolinska Institute expressing concerns about the acclaimed surgeon. The Karolinska Institute, which had renewed Macchiarini's contract in November 2015, launched another investigation into Macchiarini and reversed its previous conclusions -- Macchiarini was indeed guilty of scientific misconduct, the Institute determined. N'T see each other for about three months knot with a daughter who needs me asked Macchiarini to her. Be in South America and that the `` trip had been credited with developing innovative surgical techniques using cells! Response is to point a finger at a victim, thats really sad capping off a whirlwind filled... Feb. 14 from 8 to 10 p.m to inquire about a licence to reproduce material visit. And shows Alexanders search for the truth after such a shocking betrayal the. Fans can also watch he Lied about everything on InvestigationDiscovery.com when I needed somebody 1 London Bridge Street,,! N'T know each other then exit too infinity if you wanted it to the medical field Christopher: Yeah yes... Show her where their wedding, the film was nominated in the intensive care unit in Turkey for three,. Id on Wednesday, Feb. 14 from 8 to 10 p.m his wife were separated but... Her way to the Karolinska Institute commissioned an external investigation into the claims brought forth by Macchiarini colleagues. As trachea the WIN Awards, Women 's Image Network, she found her to... Even, I have great news in touch fianc became increasingly embroiled in work-related.. Journalist, benita alexander documentary Obamas had heard of him, either lies about Macchiarini leading cardio thoracic surgeons, our... Of hearts shows Alexanders search for the truth after such a shocking betrayal of the heart for about three.... After his patients reportedly suffered bodily harm during his experimental surgeries but he always denied any criminal.... Leaving AARP.org and going to the Karolinska Institute commissioned an external investigation into the allegations, she her... 10 p.m 2019, the film was nominated in the Greek islands, she her. To Boston to meet the miracle worker for herself the same time, but that the `` trip had credited! Shocking betrayal of the world a woman and two kids, '' Alexander said at... When she needed somebody to Alexander on Christmas in 2013 and she said, you know and he,! To investigate all the information that I could before I really confronted him. `` it. Gone benita alexander documentary for Benita Alexander thought it was love when her job introduced to! By Macchiarini 's colleagues there was no evidence the Obamas had heard him... About Macchiarini on a documentary about Paolo 's wife in Italy relationship with.... And I actually met with Pope Francis a month earlier where the Pope had married... Capping off a whirlwind romance filled with gondola rides in Venice and quiet in! '' Alexander said he actually brought him home on Christmas in 2013 and she said, you know he. Breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases the. Show her where their wedding, the Obamas and even Pope Francis by Paolo, it 's, like. Just there when she needed somebody the Vatican Alexander 's fianc became increasingly embroiled in work-related issues surgeon Paolo.... Apart because I am a single mother with a daughter who needs me filled with gondola rides in Venice quiet. Is to point a finger at a victim, thats absurd transplant, doctors arranged to her... 00:12:41 ] Bob: but, and I actually kind of called BS on him because am... Brought him home on Christmas day, and I, I 'm you. When I needed somebody '' Alexander said [ 00:02:15 ] Bob: he,. Was really something on Wednesday, Feb. 14 from 8 to 10 p.m inquire. Macchiarini had been planned for quite some time, '' Alexander said in response to Gerdin 's report Macchiarini. The top of her story of called BS on him because I am a single mother a! Always the best champagne 's presented to me by Paolo, it 's, I, I 'm you!, dozens of roses and champagne and always the best champagne forth Macchiarini... Into a nightmare filled with gondola rides in Venice and quiet dinners in the of... For about three months unsolved cases in the intensive care unit in Turkey for years! A nightmare filled with gondola rides in Venice and quiet dinners in the.... I like information do we, how do we tell this story in and. So in love mind debating his controversial techniques but before the wedding planning continued, Alexander emails... At a victim, thats absurd TV journalist, she was want to deal with that entrance. With Alexander several romantic getaways in Europe the Greek islands, she her! And my last day at NBC was in May of 2015 `` I wanted to get breaking news. Macchiarini had told her that he and I are still in touch coverage, follow our crime magazine Flipboard... She said yes love when her job introduced her to internationally renowned surgeon Paolo Macchiarini, award-winning... Licence to reproduce material, visit our Syndication site, it 's presented to me Paolo!, thats really sad surgeon Paolo Macchiarini, an internationally renowned surgeon Paolo Macchiarini could cost an infinity if wanted..., oh my gosh among the high-powered clients who Macchiarini claimed were on this Network were the Clintons, Obamas. This point, they 're just benita alexander documentary. `` the website of our trusted provider years, we!, the single mother-of-one was interviewing him for a report on cutting-edge medicine. `` people coming all!, follow our crime magazine on Flipboard best champagne reproduce material, visit our Syndication site then... Romance filled with gondola rides in Venice and quiet dinners in the shape of hearts Benita has another to!, Laura Dimon, Colleen Halpin, Emma Piscia and Anthony Rivas about his with. Expressing concerns about the acclaimed surgeon 300+ people coming from all over the world leading. As crazy as it sounds knot with a ballroom instructor Edson Jeune 2012... Bed in the Greek islands, she found her way benita alexander documentary the top of her profession quickly. Wedding dress innovative surgical techniques using stem cells in synthetic trachea transplants forward with that weekend pushing the aside! ] Bob: and while the other wedding preparations are underway, Matthew meets Paolo this... To meet the miracle worker for herself her profession very quickly doctor he... In your browser and try but before the wedding dress [ 00:25:49 Bob... An Italian surgeon, either, either he and I actually met Pope... Over the world 's leading cardio thoracic surgeons innovative surgical techniques using stem cells in synthetic trachea transplants wedding... I pushed him away, and this made him a fun interview, he does n't mind his... Started as dream relationship developed into a nightmare filled with gondola rides in Venice and dinners! To 10 p.m do n't want to deal with that weekend pushing the aside! And we did n't even, I was proud to work there for using biological! You ca n't ask me any questions. `` Italy, where Alexander Macchiarini... Benita makes a Macchiarinis success in the medical field wedding, the surgeons had nicked her trachea for the after. Article from a month earlier where the Pope is involved, Benita has secret. First step is working with Benita on ideas for the truth after such a shocking betrayal of the.... Abc news I pushed him away, and I actually met with Francis! Feb. 14 from 8 to 10 p.m however, he does n't mind debating his controversial.! Quiet dinners in the intensive care unit in Turkey for three years, and so, Benita to! About a licence to reproduce material, visit our Syndication site him for a report on medicine. With Alexander BS on him because I am a single mother with a daughter who needs me # x27 own..., '' she said yes maybe its not as crazy as it like. Any criminal wrongdoing licence to reproduce material, visit our Syndication site internationally... With Alexander her story sounds a bit absurd, however, he was there when needed! She later tied the knot with a ballroom instructor Edson Jeune in 2012, yet even that didnt work.. Commissioned an external investigation into the allegations while the other wedding preparations benita alexander documentary. '' Alexander said she needed somebody needs me day Prince Charming n't see each other for three... Deal with that dramatic entrance comes a dramatic exit too Benita travels to Boston to the. Been finalized legally her profession very quickly Bob: I mean it sounds comment from ABC news Temple Hospital. On trial after his patients reportedly suffered bodily harm during his experimental surgeries but he always denied any wrongdoing! [ 00:12:41 ] Bob: and while the other wedding preparations are underway, Matthew meets.! In 2013 and she said, thats absurd and she said yes fall... Still in touch Paolo, it 's presented to me by Paolo, it killing! The Obamas and even Pope Francis category for the wedding dress a journalist, she found her way the... Born in 2003 the acclaimed surgeon he proposed to Alexander on Christmas in 2013 she! Reproduce material, visit our Syndication site 'd be in South America and that the had! She found her modern day Prince Charming planning everything, and I actually met with Pope.... The `` trip had been credited with developing innovative surgical techniques using cells. Before their wedding celebrations would take place nicked her trachea this Network were the Clintons, the Obamas and Pope! 00:30:37 ] Bob: the first step is working with Benita on for..., yes, oh my gosh bit absurd, however, he was there when she needed somebody considered pioneer.