On the hunt for a real criminal con artist

Based on Lauren Collins’ 2022 New Yorker expose “Murder, He Wrote,” National Geographic series Killer Lies: On the hunt for a true criminal con artist chronicles the rise and fall of Stéphane Bourgoin, a self-proclaimed expert on serial killers whose fabricated stories and fraudulent claims went unchallenged for decades. Bourgoin’s narrative began to crumble when a group of dedicated online detectives known as the 4th Eye (4ème Oeil Corporation) took it upon themselves to uncover the truth. Through their dogged investigation, the team uncovered the extent of Bourgoin’s deception and revealed that technology was not just a tool, but an essential ally in their search for the truth.

In our new exclusive interview with Maat, a prominent computer detective from the new series, we get to the bottom of the crucial role technology played in uncovering one of the most shocking deceptions in the world of true crime. In this interview, Maat provides insight into how digital tools, from internet searches to social media, were instrumental in piecing together the evidence that ultimately exposed Bourgoin’s lies.

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Innovation and technology today: How did technology influence the way you and your team approached the Stéphane Bourgoin case?

Maat: To be honest, we didn’t initially use any technology in the Stéphane Bourgoin case. Our eyes and ears were the only tools we used. We didn’t plan to go into his story in any depth. We thought that books and television interviews would be enough.

Over time, it became clear that we needed the power of the Internet. We needed it for the most important thing: to be able to talk to each other every day. That is the most important thing, and let’s say it was the first step of this story. Then we needed the technology to analyze some information. To compare some facts that were not available in our respective countries (Quebec, Belgium and France). For example, we used a website to find the man who had killed his fictional girlfriend (

There were about 730 people on death row. We filtered the search on this website to try to find the person we were looking for. If it hadn’t been for this website, it would have been impossible. We also used some websites to get some books that weren’t translated in our respective countries. Also, using technology was just a blessing because it helped us get in touch with unreachable people like John Douglas or Micki Pistorius (we can say that she is now what we can call a friend. And for us, this is still amazing. Thanks to technology). I would like to add this: it’s strange to use “machines” and end up making a strong friendship with people we’ve never met. It’s a really strange feeling, but also a very cool one.

I&T today: How would you describe the importance of digital tools in your research?

Maat: We can sum up the importance of digital tools for our investigation in one word: indispensable! What we did would have been impossible in the early 2000s. The Internet is now the universal encyclopedia. Things never get lost in it. Sometimes it’s hard to find something, but there’s always a place to find what you’re looking for. And as one member of our team says: “Thanks to technology, the voices are preserved and everyone can hear them, even after many years. Before the Internet, the writings were preserved and the voices were forgotten. And unfortunately for Stéphane Bourgoin, all the lies he spread over the last 40 years are available on the Internet. So it’s been a blessing for us.”

I&T today: Were there any digital strategies that stood out as particularly effective in your research?

Maat: Honestly, all the strategies we used were important. We used everything we could as a whole, like a perfectly fitting puzzle, with each piece representing a digital strategy. Everything was designed to work together. But if we had to pick one or two standout strategies, they would be the simple ones: sending emails and putting our video on YouTube.

I&T today: What influence has technological development had on studies like this?

Maat: It influenced our research by simplifying a task that would have been a huge effort a few years ago. Of course, some elements took longer to find what we needed, but the Internet made it easy to get all the information. Sometimes we just need to be patient. I wonder how much time we would have spent working on this story if we had used the old-fashioned methods (sheets of paper, etc.). We did it in ten months. Without the Internet, it would have taken at least two years.

I&T today: Have there been moments when technology has hindered rather than helped your investigations?

Maat: Technology has not hindered our investigation. The only case we had difficulty was when our YouTube channel was removed. We believe the reason for this is because they used an algorithm after Bourgoin’s “lawyer” contacted them about copyright infringement. We believe they used an algorithm after Bourgoin’s “lawyer” contacted them about alleged copyright infringement. We assume that none of our videos were viewed by the people sitting in front of the computers at YouTube headquarters. They were removed for no apparent reason. Perhaps a better algorithm should be developed (but this is just a guess; we don’t know if YouTube employees actually watch or if they trust the software).

I&T today: How do you see the relationship between technology and the search for truth in modern investigations?

Maat: The same word as in question two: Indispensable! I believe that over time it will become the standard way of conducting investigations. This is just the beginning: in a few years it will be the only approach.

Watch the new series Killer Lies: On the hunt for a true criminal con artist on Hulu!