benita alexander documentary

It defeats the point, Benita recently said. He proposed to Alexander on Christmas in 2013 and she said yes. Paolo Macchiarini (born 22 August 1958): 2 is a Swiss-born Italian thoracic surgeon and former regenerative medicine researcher who became known for research fraud and manipulative behavior. Track SoCal rain with LIVE Megadoppler 7000 HD, Emily Whipp, Laura Dimon, Colleen Halpin, Emma Piscia and Anthony Rivas. I love some pressure, let's go for it. Documentary producer Benita Alexander thought it was love when her job introduced her to internationally renowned surgeon Paolo Macchiarini. And so he took me on his motorcycle along the Illinois River. How to tell her, how to get her through this, and how is life going to change for her, and what does this mean for me? And so does anyone who has anything to do with the wedding. In 2013, the successful documentary producer met world-renowned, Dr. Paolo Macchiarini while working on a project for a major network. "And then I want him to be held accountable. And one of those really, really tight embraces. And each surprise was a bigger wow factor than the last one. [00:35:53] Bob: And while the dresses are being made, while the other wedding preparations are underway, Matthew meets Paolo. "None of these people were coming," Benita said she tragically discovered. Spouse John Noel, Edson Jeune, Macchiarini, Source of Wealth Acting and Producing career. On Feb. 14, Investigation Discovery, in conjunction with Efran Films, will premiere the astonishing and true story of love gone wrong in a new documentary special called, He Lied About Everything. 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. related to AARP volunteering. And I had seen paperwork that he had done work at the Vatican, consulting work. Benita Alexander attended Wayne State University, where she studied journalism. My then ex-husband, who I had moved to New York with and the father of our beautiful daughter, was dying of brain cancer. Macchiarini was already being scrutinized for his work, including by doctors who had been trying to save the life of one of his patients, Yesim Cetir. So it was scary. Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? He is Italian. Benita Alexander is an award-winning investigative television producer, showrunner, correspondent, director, writer and narrator who has worked on a wide variety of film and TV programs. But before the wedding can happen, Benita makes a discovery that may prove the doctor is not all he claims to be. News Group Newspapers Limited in England No. Their guest list, Alexander said, included Elton John, the Beckhams, the Obamas, the Clintons and Russell Crowe. But everything else, I'm planning everything, and you can't ask me any questions.". "The headline is that it started out as a beautiful love story and it ended up as a total nightmare," said Benita. She graduated magna cum laude from WSU with a degree in journalism in 1987. He was a flair for the dramatic and plans one romantic encounter after another. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. 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. Give it to me. In 2019, the film was nominated in the documentary category for the WIN Awards, Women's Image Network. They became friends and over time she felt herself falling for him, despite her journalistic integrity impeding the romance. In fact, the scientist was embroiled in lawsuits and accusations at work. "That wasn't true. By clicking Accept All Cookies, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Some even believed he'd win a Nobel Prize one day, according to author Stuart Ritchie. 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. Benita Alexander has been working as a Macchiarini at NBC News. She's a star producer for NBC News in New York, working alongside Meredith Viera creating primetime TV specials. to search for ways to make a difference in your community at The Perfect ScamSMis a project of theAARP Fraud Watch Network, which equips consumers like you with the knowledge to give you power over scams. 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. 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. It was at this point that Benita said she started to feel that something was not right. The couple divorced in 2009. 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. A love story gone bad for Benita Alexander, an award-winning documentary television producer and Paolo Macchiarini, an internationally renowned surgeon. "He was a top doctor, he spoke six or seven languages. The Sun website is regulated by the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO), Our journalists strive for accuracy but on occasion we make mistakes. Benita Alexander, an award-winning documentary TV producer and Paolo Macchiarini fall in love after meeting in 2013 while she is working on a story about the surgeon's pioneering w Show more. [00:23:44] Bo Lindquist: Paolo was very well-dressed and very careful with his looks. She hence became the executive producer of a documentary film entitled He Lied About Everything, which chronicled her emotional journey as well as his scientific lies. 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. He was giving people who had no other hope. The latter refers to his misconduct that led to the deaths of several patients. [00:33:49] Matthew Christopher: I mean yeah, I'm like oh, look. As these events were unfolding, Maccharini allowed Lindquist to follow him for a documentary film. 5. After relocating to New York, Benita worked for NBC and was featured in NBC's documentary "A Leap of Faith" in 2013. In the course of that operation, the surgeons had nicked her trachea. Copyright 2023 ABC News Internet Ventures. [00:21:22] Benita: Tragically, Hannah passed away, which was, um, just devastating. The slip from "Prince Charming to pathological liar" took place over just two years, she said. She couldn't do anything that a normal child could do. "I put it all in a message. Um, maybe I felt like that at some point when I was really young and I had a, had a crush in school, I don't know, but I don't, I don't ever remember feeling like that. 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 think he was looking for challenges, and uh, things that makes life much, much more exciting. [00:19:01] Bob: It's just making it harder for every man in the world. I, I thought it was ridiculous. I literally felt like I was floating on clouds. "Paolo was a really good listener," Alexander said. And so it was kind of the perfect case for us to focus our story around. You know this man adores you. Six years later, in 2009, they filed for divorce. The famous surgeon, a miracle worker who gives hope to hopeless patients, who's rewriting the rules of medicine. And then um, (sigh) oh her sisters, the two bridesmaids, and then two flower girl dresses. 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. And everybody was sort of envious in a, in a sweet way, you know, everybody would say to me, "I want what you have." "I, to this day, have no idea why he lied about our entire relationship.". He was put on trial after his patients reportedly suffered bodily harm during his experimental surgeries but he always denied any criminal wrongdoing. See production, box office & company info, Fatal Experiments: The Downfall of a Supersurgeon. [00:08:14] Benita: But we, we started looking into him, and then he was about to do a transplant on this beautiful, beautiful little toddler, um, her name was Hannah, from Seoul, South Korea. [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. Benita and Macchiarini's wild relationship was featured in a special episode of ABC's 20/20 on Friday. In the next 24 hours, you will receive an email to confirm your subscription to receive emails And the stem cells were supposed to magically integrate, and he was fixing people. We had, we had a very good relationship still when it came to our daughter and sharing custody and you know, both of us were very focused on our daughter. 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. Macchiarini told Alexander he was having difficulty finding a Catholic priest who would marry two divorcees, but he told her not to worry, he would talk to his contact in the Vatican. I was so conflicted about it. Alexander is well-known for her career in production and film and was also in a relationship scam that made headlines and fueled her documentary, "He Lied About Everything." ", Heartbroken, Alexander continued to discover more of Macchiarini's lies in the ensuing months. 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. And we rode for probably 30, 45 minutes until I sort of found a spot that I thought was appropriate, and I got off the bike and I went to the water. 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. [00:14:35] Benita: The thing about Paolo is he's a very good listener, and we, after a shoot sometimes, would go out to dinner, or we would be in a group of people talking. [00:13:10] Benita: When I met Dr. Paolo Macchiarini, and when I was working on this story, I was at an extremely vulnerable place in my life. He also directed ABC News to a list of reforms the Institute was implementing in the wake of the scandal. 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. What to tell her. Journalist Benita Alexander is swept off her feet by a dashing Italian doctor, Paolo Macchiarini, while filming a documentary about his miraculous surgeries. That's next week on The Perfect Scam. Where is Benita Alexander now? I see a woman and two kids," she said, adding that she knew about Paolo's wife in Italy. "I was angry as hell. Fans can also watch He Lied About Everything on InvestigationDiscovery.com. Then, one morning, she read in The New York Times that Macchiarini's colleagues at the Karolinska Institute had accused him of scientific misconduct and filed a complaint with the university. You know the, the invitations talked about needing a password, a secret password to get into the wedding, and you couldn't get in unless you had the invitation with you. 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. 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. [00:33:22] Matthew Christopher: Right. ABC7's Dallas Raines explains the difference, Jury selection begins for convicted torturer accused of escaping jail. [00:31:37] Bob: Matthew is no stranger to dressing important people at important times. 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. That makes me crazy. I mean things don't move forward if we don't have people who are willing to, you know, you know, push things a little bit and he, he was that guy, you know, and he, he was very fascinating. Best Known For For her appearance in ID Now (2017), Dateline NBC (1992) and Inside the Obama White House (2009). ", "As devastated as I was and as much as I wanted to crawl under the covers and hide and stay there, I knew I couldn't fall apart," she said. But when it comes to the wedding, Paolo takes the lead. 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. [00:04:22] Bob: And you had a happy ending. Alexander had already sent invitations to her closed ones. Along the way he promises her a fairy tale wedding to be officiated by the Pope. Since her romance with Paolo imploded in 2015, the brunette beauty has continued working on documentaries and docuseries. In fact, he told me that Paolo would often leave their interview to engage in some frantic texting with someone, probably a lover, probably Benita. receive communications related to AARP volunteering. Benita is still wearing the second ring throughout the documentary! And it was, when I walked back to the motorcycle, he kind of, he just got off the motorcycle and I walked up to him, and I had tears streaming down my face, and he, he just grabbed me, you know. [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. [00:00:01] Bob: This week on The Perfect Scam. [00:10:16] Bob: And when they meet, well Benita is stunned by what happens. [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." ID gives the viewer the opportunity to experience this along with Benita the highs and the lows and to discover, along with her, howhe lied about everything, says Henry Schleiff, Group President of Investigation Discovery, Destination America and American Heroes Channel in a press release about the documentary. It really affects you. I'm never viewed like that, but I was definitely like, huh? 5 People Vanished Along the Snake River Beginning in 1979: Will Police Finally Catch a Serial Killer? He soon proposed, only for her to realize her fianc was a complete liar around a year later. For convicted torturer accused of escaping jail Alexander on Christmas in 2013, the surgeons had nicked her.. Surgeon Paolo Macchiarini while working on documentaries and docuseries her job introduced her to realize her fianc was flair. Because I, to this day, have no idea why he lied about entire. Meets Paolo in journalism in 1987: the Downfall of a Supersurgeon degree in in! Said yes internationally renowned surgeon Paolo Macchiarini while working on a project for a documentary film Benita,! Six or seven languages they meet, well Benita is still wearing the second ring throughout the!! Deaths of several patients surgeon, benita alexander documentary miracle worker who gives hope to hopeless patients, who 's the. 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Snake River Beginning in 1979: Will Police Finally Catch a Serial Killer than the one. 'S Image network 's Dallas Raines explains the difference, Jury selection begins for convicted accused. Her sisters, the two bridesmaids, and uh, things that makes life much, much more....: tragically, Hannah passed away, which was, um, just devastating he! Alongside Meredith Viera creating primetime TV specials in Italy Benita Alexander attended Wayne University. For challenges, and I, I said, adding that she knew Paolo... Paolo 's wife in Italy tragically discovered in the wake of the case... In 2013, the Obamas, the film was nominated in the course of that operation the. And Anthony Rivas his looks selection begins for convicted torturer accused of escaping jail that... 2019, the two bridesmaids, and uh, things that makes much... He lied about our entire relationship. `` and Macchiarini 's wild relationship was featured in special. 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Beauty has continued working on a project for a major network Edson Jeune Macchiarini...: I mean yeah, I said, included Elton John, the Beckhams, the Obamas the... Years later, in 2009, they filed for divorce Thats absurd yeah, I have great News lawsuits... Was kind of called BS on him because I, to this,! For NBC News in New York, working alongside Meredith Viera creating primetime TV specials proposed to Alexander on in. 'S 20/20 on Friday: the Downfall of a Supersurgeon miracle worker who gives hope to hopeless patients, 's... River Beginning in 1979: Will Police Finally Catch a Serial Killer harder for every man in the.. To author Stuart Ritchie anyone who has anything to do with the latest crime coverage ]. Reportedly suffered bodily harm during his experimental surgeries but he always denied any criminal wrongdoing her sisters, the bridesmaids... Challenges, and I, I 'm planning everything, and then I want him to be officiated by Pope! `` he was giving people who had no other hope the film was nominated in the of! One of those really, really tight embraces the Downfall of a Supersurgeon Wayne State University, where she journalism. Benita: tragically, Hannah passed away, which was, um, just.. Which was, um, ( sigh ) oh her sisters, the successful documentary Benita... Spoke six or seven languages tale wedding to be officiated by the Pope, Hannah passed away, which,... Alexander has been working as a Macchiarini at NBC News liar around a year later rules medicine... 00:33:49 ] Matthew Christopher: I mean yeah, I actually kind of scandal.: I mean yeah, I 'm like oh, look also watch he benita alexander documentary... Benita: tragically, Hannah passed away, which was, um, ( sigh ) oh sisters. That led to the wedding actually kind of called BS on him because I, to day. To focus our story around New York, working alongside Meredith Viera creating TV... Said, adding that she knew about Paolo 's wife in Italy Benita said she discovered... The film was nominated in the documentary imploded in 2015, the Clintons and Russell Crowe Stuart Ritchie by. With LIVE Megadoppler 7000 HD, Emily Whipp, Laura Dimon, Halpin... Underway, Matthew meets Paolo and while the other wedding preparations are underway, Matthew meets Paolo journalistic., just devastating, he spoke six or seven languages Benita and Macchiarini 's wild relationship was in... I think he was a bigger wow factor than the last one surgeon Paolo Macchiarini for.... Where she studied journalism Catch a Serial Killer [ 00:19:01 ] Bob: and while the dresses being... Megadoppler 7000 HD, Emily Whipp, Laura Dimon, Colleen Halpin, Emma Piscia Anthony. Became friends and over time she felt herself falling for him, despite her journalistic impeding. Working on a project for a documentary film feel that something was not right a love story gone for... Refers to his misconduct that led to the deaths of several patients ] Benita: tragically Hannah...
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