Original subtitles

MY NAME IS STEVE SCHIRRIPA,

AND I WANT TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT REVENGE.

IMAGINE YOU'VE BEEN CHEATED ON OR LIED TO.

I EXPECT THEM TO TAKE CARE OF THE PROBLEM.

THEY DON'T WANT TO, SO I'M PISSED.

Schirripa: YOU'VE BEEN FLAT OUT PLAYED.

I HAVE HIS CARD.

WHY WOULD I BE SUSPECT THAT SHE WOULD TRY

TO PULL ME INTO SOMETHING?

THIS IS MY LIFE SAVINGS.

Schirripa: NATURALLY, YOU WANT TO GET EVEN.

THIS IS GONNA BE THE FIGHT OF MY LIFE.

BUT WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND.

THAT'S CALLED KARMA,

AND YOU KNOW WHAT THEY SAY.

--Captions by VITAC-- www.vitac.com

CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS

NEW YORK CITY.

THEY SAY IF YOU CAN MAKE IT HERE,

YOU COULD MAKE IT ANYWHERE,

BUT IF YOU'RE GONNA TAKE A BITE OUT OF THE BIG APPLE,

YOU BETTER MAKE SURE YOU DON'T PICK A ROTTEN ONE.

IT'S THANKSGIVING,

AND WITH THE HOLIDAYS JUST AROUND THE CORNER,

MICHELE BILOTTA, A SINGLE MOM WITH A TEENAGE DAUGHTER,

IS DOING HER BEST TO GET BY.

GIRL, I LOVE!

MICHELE'S A MAKEUP ARTIST

AND SAVED EVERY HARD-EARNED DIME SHE CAN

TO MAKE GOOD ON HER DREAM

OF BUYING A HOME FOR HER AND HER LITTLE GIRL.

JUST WANT SOMETHING NICE FOR ME AND MY GIRL, YOU KNOW?

EVERYTHING'S SO EXPENSIVE.

I KNEW MY HAIRDRESSER/GIRLFRIEND FOR 15 YEARS,

AND SHE WAS ALSO ONE OF MY BEST FRIENDS,

PART OF MY INNER CIRCLE.

I KNOW THIS GUY.

HE'S MAKING A FORTUNE IN REAL ESTATE.

AND SHE KIND OF THREW ME,

BECAUSE SHE IMMEDIATELY BROUGHT UP,

"WOULD YOU LIKE TO INVEST YOUR MONEY?"

OH, YEAH? YEAH.

HE SAYS YOU CAN MAKE A LOT OF MONEY REALLY FAST.

Schirripa: AUDREY TELLS HER

SHE'S MADE A LOT OF MONEY BY INVESTING WITH THIS GUY,

AND HE'S ALWAYS LOOKING FOR NEW CLIENTS.

YOU SHOULD THINK ABOUT IT.

I HAVE HIS CARD.

SO, MICHELE, SHE'S ALL EARS.

I'M IN. YOU SHOULD, TOO.

AND BEFORE I KNEW IT, SHE WAS ON HER CELL PHONE,

AND SHE'S, LIKE, SHOVING THE PHONE IN MY EAR.

I'M LIKE, "HELLO?"

HI. THIS IS MICHELE.

AND HE'S TELLING ME

IT WAS $50,000 OR MORE OVER 30 DAYS

FOR 100 PERCENT RETURN OF YOUR MONEY.

REALLY?

AND HE WAS, YOU KNOW, CONVINCING ME,

"YOU HAVE TO COME IN.

"DON'T LET THIS GO BY.

"NEXT WEEK, WE MIGHT NOT BE OFFERING THIS.

SO, I SAYS TO HIM, "I'LL THINK ABOUT IT."

BYE-BYE. GOOD LUCK TO YOU.

THANKS.

[ Ringing ]

NEXT DAY, LIKE, 8:00 IN THE MORNING,

MY PHONE'S RINGING.

WADE: Hi, Michele. How are you?

SHARMON WADE HERE.

NOW, AT THIS POINT,

I'M JUST THINKING, "THESE ARE TWO GUYS.

"THEY STARTED THEIR OWN PRIVATE EQUITY FIRM.

"MAYBE THEY'RE ANXIOUS TO GET INVESTORS IN.

LET'S GET YOU PAID. LET'S GET YOU IN THAT NEW TOWNHOME.

Sound good?

SO, I AGREED TO GO,

AND HE SAID, "I'LL SEND A CAR FOR YOU."

Schirripa: NEXT THING YOU KNOW,

MICHELE'S CRUISING DOWN PARK AVENUE,

HEADED FOR SHARMON WADE'S FLASHY MANHATTAN OFFICE.

Michele: SO, THE OFFICES

WERE AT THE HELMSLEY BUILDING ON PARK AVENUE.

IT WAS BEAUTIFULLY FRONTED, BEAUTIFULLY.

Schirripa: NOW, THIS PLACE, WELL,

IT JUST OOZES SUCCESS,

BUT EVEN THOUGH EVERYTHING LOOKS LEGIT,

MICHELE STILL WANTS THESE GUYS

TO EXPLAIN EXACTLY HOW THEY PLAN ON DOUBLING HER MONEY.

MICHELE, YOU HAVE NOTHING TO WORRY ABOUT.

I KNOW, I KNOW.

BUT IT'S -- IT'S JUST A LOT OF MONEY FOR ME.

THE INVESTMENT BASICALLY WAS FOR BUYING CONDOMINIUMS IN FLORIDA.

NOW, THIS IS THE SAME THING

THAT OTHER PEOPLE HAVE INVESTED IN, RIGHT?

AND THEY GOT THEIR MONEY BACK, THEY GOT THEIR RETURN.

YES.

ALL COULD BE YOURS IN 30 DAYS.

Schirripa: MICHELE ISN'T EXACTLY CRAZY

ABOUT RISKING HER ENTIRE LIFE'S SAVINGS,

BUT ON THE OTHER HAND, THIS COULD BE HER BEST SHOT

AT MAKING THAT DREAM HOME HAPPEN FOR HER AND HER DAUGHTER.

SO, I INVESTED $75,000 FOR A RETURN OF $150,000.

THIS IS MY -- MY LIFE SAVINGS.

OH, I WAS SO HAPPY.

ALL I'M THINKING ABOUT IS, "LIFE IS GOOD."

"THESE GUYS ARE GONNA MAKE ME A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF MONEY."

Schirripa: IT'S NOT LIKE MICHELE'S IN THIS GAME

TO BECOME A MILLIONAIRE.

ALL SHE WANTS IS A NICE HOME FOR HER AND HER GIRL,

AND IT'S LOOKING A LOT

LIKE THAT COULD BE JUST AROUND THE CORNER.

HEY. THIS IS MICHELE.

HEY, MICHELE. IT'S SHARMON HERE. HOW YOU DOING?

OH, I JUST GOT BACK FROM SEEING MY REALTOR.

MY DAUGHTER AND I WENT TO LOOK AT THIS GREAT TOWNHOUSE.

REALLY? HOW BIG'S THE TOWNHOUSE?

WOW.

DID YOU KNOW THAT WE WERE ALSO A MORTGAGE COMPANY?

YOU'RE A MORTGAGE COMPANY TOO?

Schirripa: SWEET DEAL.

NOT ONLY CAN THESE INVESTMENT GENIUSES DOUBLE MICHELE'S MONEY,

THEY CAN EVEN HELP HER BUY THAT HOUSE

SHE'S BEEN DREAMING ABOUT.

I'M SURPRISED I DIDN'T TELL YOU BEFORE.

OKAY. WE'LL TALK SOON.

I SAID, "WOW, THESE GUYS ARE FANTASTIC."

OH, MY GOD!

[ LAUGHS ]

Schirripa: SO, WHEN CHRISTMAS ROLLS AROUND,

GUESS WHAT'S AT THE TOP OF MICHELE'S WISH LIST FOR SANTA.

THAT'S RIGHT. 150 G's.

JANUARY 3rd, I CALLED COVENANT EQUITY OFFICES.

HI, SHARMON. IT'S MICHELE.

MICHELE, HOW ARE YOU?

Good.

SO, WHEN WOULD BE A GOOD TIME

FOR ME TO COME IN AND PICK UP MY CHECK?

I'm excited.

UH, MICHELE, ABOUT THAT.

WE HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF A PROBLEM.

WHOA, WHOA, WHOA. WHAT DO YOU MEAN?

WHAT DO YOU MEAN, "PROBLEMS"?

WE'RE GONNA NEED MORE TIME.

I SAID, "NO, WE DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM.

"YOU HAVE THE PROBLEM.

I WANT MY MONEY, AND I WANT IT TODAY."

MICHELE, YOUR MONEY IS GOOD AS SAFE HERE.

THERE IS SOME PAPERWORK THAT HASN'T BEEN FINALIZED YET,

AND WHEN IT DOES, WE'LL LET YOU KNOW.

SOUND GOOD?

Schirripa: ACTUALLY, IT SOUNDS LIKE A LOAD OF CRAP,

AND WHEN YOU'RE TALKIN' ABOUT SOMEONE'S LIFE SAVINGS,

IT'S A FINANCIAL NIGHTMARE.

IT'S, LIKE, MY STOMACH JUST, LIKE, SUNK.

LIKE, THIS IS IT.

Saverio: MICHELE IS VERY TRUSTING.

AS A MATTER OF FACT, IF ANYTHING,

I'D SAY A LITTLE BIT TOO TRUSTING

BECAUSE OF HER GOOD-HEARTED NATURE.

THANK YOU FOR THIS. MY PLEASURE.

'CAUSE SHE BELIEVES EVERYBODY THINKS THE WAY SHE DOES,

AND, UNFORTUNATELY, THE WORLD JUST DOESN'T WORK LIKE THAT.

Schirripa: HEY, NO KIDDING.

AND MICHELE'S FINDING IT OUT THE HARD WAY.

THAT'S NOT GOOD.

I'M NUMB.

I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED TO ME,

AND I'M VISUALIZING WHAT IS ABOUT TO HAPPEN TO ME,

THAT I'M GONNA LOSE EVERYTHING.

Schirripa: 30 DAYS, 60 DAYS,

MICHELE STILL HASN'T SEEN A SINGLE CENT OF HER MONEY,

AND PRETTY SOON, THE BOTTOM LINE'S SINKING IN.

SHE'S BEEN PLAYED, AND NOT JUST BY SHARMON WADE,

BUT BY HER LONGTIME GIRLFRIEND, TOO.

MICHELE HAD CALLED ME AND TOLD ME THINGS WERE BAD

AND EXPLAINED TO ME WHY,

AND AT THAT POINT, I EXPLAINED TO HER

SHE GOT CAUGHT UP IN A PONZI SCHEME.

Michele: I LOST MY MIND.

EVERY ASPECT OF MY LIFE WAS JUST BLOWN APART.

I CALLED MY FRIEND,

MY PAL, JIMMY, WHO'S MY ATTORNEY.

I ACTUALLY CRIED TO HIM ON THE PHONE.

SHE BELIEVED IN THESE TWO GUYS,

AND UNFORTUNATELY, THEY WEREN'T TO BE TRUSTED.

THE MONEY,

AND IT WAS SUBSTANTIAL, WAS SUPPOSED TO SET HER UP,

AND THAT'S GONE NOW.

MICHELE GOES TO THE COPS THEN THE DA,

BUT THE "LONG ARM OF THE LAW,"

THEY'RE NOT TOO INTERESTED IN HER STORY.

ALL THEY SEE IS A VICTIM, WHO, AS FAR AS THEY CAN TELL,

MADE A REAL LOUSY BUSINESS DEAL,

BUT NO WAY MICHELE'S GOING DOWN THAT EASY.

SHE'S GOT A PLAN,

AND SHE'S GONNA BLOW THIS SHARMON WADE THING WIDE OPEN.

PEOPLE ARE GONNA KNOW YOU, KNOW YOUR FACE,

AND KNOW WHAT YOU'VE DONE.

SO THERE'S THIS SAYING --

"THE BEST KIND OF ADVERTISING IS THE KIND THAT'S FREE."

SO, MICHELE DECIDES TO TAKE THE LAW INTO HER OWN HANDS

AND CALLS THE LOCAL TV NEWS STATION.

MICHELE WAS ABOUT TO RIDE THAT FREEBIE

STRAIGHT DOWN REVENGE AVENUE.

THIS IS TABBY PHILIPS, ABC NEW YORK,

AND TONIGHT WE HAVE AN EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH MICHELE BILOTTA,

WHO'S GOING TO EXPOSE A DEVASTATING INVESTMENT SCAM.

WANT TO KNOW WHAT MAKES TELEVISION SO POWERFUL?

JUST LIKE THAT, IT CAN REACH EVERY LIVING ROOM IN AMERICA.

SO, WHAT MADE YOU TRUST THIS MAN WITH YOUR LIFE SAVINGS?

WELL, HE TOLD ME THAT HE COULD DOUBLE MY MONEY WITHIN 30 DAYS.

I TOLD HER I WAS GOOD FOR THE MONEY.

AND I SAID, "HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE?

WHAT ARE YOU INVESTING IN?"

AND HE SAID, "WE'VE GOT ALL KINDS OF INVESTMENTS.

WE'RE TALKING GROUND-FLOOR OPPORTUNITY."

BELIEVE THIS WOMAN!

Schirripa: EVEN ON A GOOD DAY,

TRAFFIC IN MIDTOWN MANHATTAN IS DEAD SLOW.

BUT EVEN ON THE WORST DAY, BAD NEWS ALWAYS TRAVELS FAST.

AFTER MICHELE'S STORY BREAKS, 20 MORE VICTIMS

OF SHARMON WADE'S SCAM COME FORWARD.

LISTEN, I'M PULLING UP YOUR ACCOUNT RIGHT NOW.

Schirripa: NOW THE COPS ARE LISTENING TO MICHELE.

AND SHARMON, WELL,

HE'S FEELING THE HEAT BIG TIME.

SO, TURNS OUT, MICHELE'S JUST THE TIP OF THE ICEBERG.

BY NOW, THERE ARE DOZENS OF VICTIMS

CLAIMING THEY'VE BEEN FLEECED

BY THIS $10 MILLION MORTGAGE FRAUD AND PONZI SCHEME.

LOOK, LISTEN.

WE GOT TO GET GOING. CALL MY WIFE.

CALL MY FRIENDS. JUST GET OUT OF HERE. GO, GO.

SHE BLEW IT WIDE OPEN.

IT WASN'T JUST A PONZI SCHEME,

BECAUSE YOU'RE HURTING PEOPLE WITH FAMILIES,

AND YOU'RE TAKING AWAY SOMEBODY'S COLLEGE TUITION.

IT'S ON THAT LEVEL.

IS MY DRIVER READY YET?

Schirripa: BY HELPING BUST THESE TWO-BIT WEASELS,

WHO KNOWS HOW MANY MORE INNOCENT INVESTORS

MICHELE SAVED FROM GETTING BURNED.

WHEN I GOT THE PHONE CALL THAT ONE OF THEM WAS ARRESTED

AND THE OTHER ONE WAS GOING TO BE ARRESTED,

IT WAS FANTASTIC.

YOU KNOW, IT WAS, LIKE, MISSION ACCOMPLISHED, YOU KNOW, FINALLY.

THE ONE THING I KNOW ABOUT MICHELE

IS SHE NEVER QUITS FIGHTING.

THAT'S WHY THOSE GUYS ARE IN JAIL,

BECAUSE OF HER.

Schirripa: MICHELE STILL LOST HER LIFE SAVINGS,

AND PROBABLY WON'T EVER GET IT BACK,

BUT SHE CAN STILL FEEL GOOD ABOUT PUTTING THESE GUYS AWAY.

Michele: DIVERSIFIED PORTFOLIO, AND I'M NOT A SEASONED...

Schirripa: SHARMON WADE GOT 10 YEARS IN THE SLAMMER.

HIS PARTNER, CLAUDIUS HANNAH, GOT SIX.

ARRIVEDERCI, SCUMBAGS.

SO, WHAT ABOUT MICHELE'S GOOD FRIEND?

YOU KNOW, THE ONE WHO GOT HER INTO THIS WHOLE MESS?

LAST WE HEARD, SHE RAN OFF TO HOLLAND.

KARMA'S NOT THE ONLY BITCH IN THIS STORY.

CRIMINALS THAT DO CRIMES LIKE THIS,

THE ONE THING THEY COUNT ON IS THE VICTIM

IS NOT GONNA OPEN THEIR MOUTH BECAUSE OF THE EMBARRASSMENT.

THERE'S NO SHAME IN MY GAME.

Schirripa: IT TOOK SOME SERIOUS BACKBONE

TO STAND UP TO SCUMBAGS LIKE THAT,

BUT MICHELE DID HAVE KARMA IN HER CORNER.

YOU SEE, IT DOESN'T MATTER

IF SOMEONE'S HUSTLING CONDOS OR A SWEET RIDE.

NO MATTER HOW BIG YOU THINK YOU ARE,

WHEN YOU CROSS THE LITTLE GUY,

YOU'RE GONNA FIND OUT REAL QUICK THAT KARMA'S A BITCH.

UGH!

THERE'S NOTHING LIKE THE SMELL OF A NEW CAR,

BUT IF THAT NEW CAR TURNS OUT TO BE A LEMON,

WELL, I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU,

BUT THAT WOULD MAKE ME KIND OF SOUR.

OUR STORY BEGINS IN 2001 WITH A BRAND NEW SET OF WHEELS.

WELL, NOW, TO THIS POINT, WE HAD BEEN A REALLY LOYAL CUSTOMER.

I'VE TAKEN MY CAR INTO THE LOCAL DEALER

FOR EVERY SERVICE SCHEDULED AND TAKING CARE OF MY CAR.

Schirripa: MEET PETRA WENNBERG CESARIO.

SHE'S SWEDISH, SO, OF COURSE,

IT'S ONLY NATURAL SHE'D LOVE HER SWEDISH-MADE CAR.

I AM BORN AND RAISED IN SWEDEN.

I LIVE OUTSIDE OF L.A., AND I AM A VISUAL DESIGNER

WORKING WITH INTERNET COMPANIES BUILDING WEBSITES,

AND I AM A REGULAR MOM OF TWO

AND, YOU KNOW, A REGULAR SOCCER MOM.

Schirripa: FOR PETRA AND HER CAR,

IT'S A SWEDISH LOVE AFFAIR,

AND PERFECT FOR HER BUSY FAMILY UNTIL IT STARTS FALLING APART.

THE CAR WAS SLAMMING INTO THE GEAR,

IT WAS JERKING,

AND IT WAS NOT DRIVING SMOOTH AT ALL,

AND AT 61,000 MILES, THE TRANSMISSION BROKE DOWN.

AND THE DEALER FIXED IT FOR NO CHARGE.

IT WAS GREAT.

Schirripa: PROBLEM SOLVED, RIGHT?

EH, NOT SO MUCH.

THE MECHANICS TOLD HER THEY FIXED HER CAR,

BUT THE CAR'S TELLING HER SOMETHING ELSE.

AFTER THE REPAIRS,

THERE WAS STILL ISSUES WITH THE TRANSMISSION.

I TOLD THEM REPEATEDLY

EVERY TIME I WENT IN FOR SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE,

"HEY, SOMETHING IS STILL WRONG,"

BUT THEY WERE NEVER ABLE TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM.

Schirripa: NOT EXACTLY WHAT PETRA WANTED TO HEAR.

HER PATIENCE IS RUNNING OUT.

SHE'S THINKING THAT THE DEALERSHIP

STUCK HER WITH A LAME TRANSMISSION.

I TOLD THEM, "I THINK THAT YOU SHOULD REPLACE IT,

"AND I'D LIKE YOU TO DO IT WITH NO CHARGE,

BECAUSE IT WAS BROKEN TO START WITH."

IT COULD BE SOMETHING AS SIMPLE

AS YOUR DRIVING HABITS.

BUT, AT THAT POINT, SINCE IT WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY,

I HAD TO PAY $5,100 FOR IT, SO I'M PISSED.

Schirripa: SO, LET'S GET THIS STRAIGHT.

WHEN THE CAR WAS UNDER WARRANTY,

THE DEALER PUT IN A TRANSMISSION THAT DOESN'T WORK,

AND NOW THEY'RE SAYING THEY'LL FIX THE PROBLEM,

BUT PETRA'S ON THE HOOK FOR THE TAB.

LOOK, LADY. IT'S GONNA COST FIVE GRAND.

THAT'S IT. FIVE GRAND?

NO, NO, NO. FIVE GRAND. I'M SORRY.

THAT'S JUST THE WAY IT IS. NO, NO, NO.

THIS ISN'T RIGHT.

SORRY. $5,000.

Schirripa: PETRA NEVER THOUGHT

A CAR DEALER COULD TREAT A LOYAL CUSTOMER BADLY.

SO, THIS SOCCER MOM,

SICK AND TIRED OF BEING MADE TO FEEL LIKE SHE'S THE PROBLEM,

TRIES TO COME UP WITH A PLAN WITH HER HUSBAND.

IT'S KIND OF LIKE A DAVID-GOLIATH SITUATION,

YOU KNOW. WHAT WE FELT WAS AN INJUSTICE.

Schirripa: IT'S THAT INJUSTICE THAT FIRES HER UP,

AND STARTS THE WHEELS OF REVENGE SPINNING.

OH, I UNDERSTAND NOW.

NOW, FIVE GRAND,

THAT'S A LOT OF GROCERIES, MORTGAGE PAYMENTS,

MAYBE EVEN MONEY FOR COLLEGE.

BUT FOR PETRA, THE WORST THING IS NOT HAVING A SAFE CAR

TO TAKE HER KIDS TO THE GAMES.

WE THINK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, "WHAT CAN WE DO ABOUT THIS,"

AND FIGURE THAT WE HAVE SOME TOOLS IN OUR ARSENAL

THAT WE CAN PULL OUT.

I'VE WORKED WITH INTERNET COMPANIES,

AND HE IS IN ADVERTISING,

SO WE DECIDED TO START A SOCIAL MEDIA BLITZ.

WE DIDN'T REALLY KNOW WHERE THIS WAS GONNA GO,

BUT WE FIGURED WE MIGHT AS WELL JUST DO WHAT WE KNOW BEST.

IN MY GUT, I FELT LIKE IT WAS GONNA RESONATE WITH PEOPLE,

BECAUSE WHO HASN'T HAD THAT EXPERIENCE

WHERE YOU GO TO A DEALER

AND YOU FEEL LIKE YOU'RE JUST GETTING BENT OVER BACKWARDS?

IF YOU WANT TO MAKE A STINK ON THE INTERNET,

LEAVING A NOTE ON SOME MESSAGE BOARD

JUST AIN'T GONNA CUT IT.

PETRA KNOWS THAT IF YOU'RE GONNA GO TO WAR,

YOU NEED WARRIORS.

WE DECIDED TO CREATE THIS ALTER EGO, FREYA SVENNSSON,

BECAUSE I'M SWEDISH.

FREYA ALSO HAPPENS TO BE A NORSE GODDESS

AND A WARRIOR WITH VIKING HORNS, A SHEEP THROW,

AND A SWORD TO DO BATTLE.

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

HA! [ LAUGHS ]

WE WANTED TO CREATE A CHARACTER THAT WAS STRONG,

THAT COULD SPEAK UP FOR THE SMALL PEOPLE,

AND WE WANTED TO DOCUMENT IT

SO THAT WE COULD TELL OTHERS ABOUT WHAT WAS GOING ON.

AND BY CREATING THIS CHARACTER,

WE WERE ABLE TO HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE FUN WITH IT.

YOU KNOW, SHE COULD SAY THINGS

THAT PETRA WOULDN'T NECESSARILY SAY.

GOING BACK TO MY SERVICE BILL,

I JUST REALIZED THAT THE MOTOR MOUNTS HAVE BEEN REPLACED.

HERE'S THE UPDATE.

I BROUGHT THE CAR IN THIS MORNING,

AND I ENDED UP SITTING IN THE SERVICE MANAGER'S OFFICE

FOR ABOUT AN HOUR.

HI. IT'S FREYA AGAIN.

[ High-pitched ] HI, FREYA!

HOLY COW!

VIKINGS ON THE WARPATH, WELL, THAT'S NEVER A GOOD THING.

BUT PETRA WANTS MORE THAN JUST WORDS ON A COMPUTER SCREEN.

SHE'S OUT TO BUILD AN ARMY.

TO FIND OUT MORE OF WHAT I THINK ABOUT THESE STORIES,

GO TO investigationdiscovery.com.

YOU KNOW, WHEN VIKINGS WENT OFF TO BATTLE,

WHAT THEY WORE WAS A VERY BIG DEAL.

ME...

I'M A LITTLE MORE UNDERSTATED.

BUT WHEN PETRA WENNBERG WENT LOOKING FOR REVENGE,

SHE WAS DRESSED TO CONQUER.

HA! [ LAUGHS ]

WE DECIDED TO CREATE THIS CHARACTER

CALLED FREYA SVENNSSON, A NORSE GODDESS AND A WARRIOR.

WE POSTED A FEW BLOG POSTS.

WE CREATED A COUPLE OF VIDEOS.

OKAY, LET'S TRY IT.

HI. IT'S FREYA AGAIN.

I'VE BEEN WORKING ON A SONG FOR YOU

IN MY SWEDISH VIKING MOTHER TONGUE.

I HOPE YOU LIKE IT.

MOST OF THEM WERE TONGUE-IN-CHEEK, LIKE,

I COMPOSED A SONG THAT I PERFORMED IN SWEDISH

DESPITE ME NOT KNOWING HOW TO PLAY THE GUITAR NOR SING.

I FREQUENTLY WOKE UP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT

THINKING THAT I WAS FREYA.

AT FIRST, PETRA'S ONLINE REVENGE SEEMED LIKE A PRETTY GOOD IDEA,

BUT IS FREYA THE VIKING WARRIOR GETTING THE JOB DONE?

DOES ANYBODY EVEN WORK HERE?

10 DAYS AFTER PETRA STARTS MAKING WAVES,

HER VIKING VIDEO ATTACKS CATCH FIRE.

FREYA BECOMES AN ONLINE CELEBRITY.

HOLY CRAP.

HI. IT'S FREYA AGAIN.

I'M WAITING FOR DECEMBER 9th

WHEN VOLVO'S GONNA COME AND TAKE A LOOK AT MY CAR.

MEANWHILE, I COME TO... OH, LOOK.

THAT'S ME. [ LAUGHS ]

Schirripa: PETRA'S HARD WORK IS PAYING OFF.

ALL OF A SUDDEN, I GOT THOUSANDS OF HITS ON IT,

AND, ALL OF A SUDDEN, IT GOT NOTICED.

PEOPLE STARTED SHARING IT ONLINE,

AND IT WAS REALLY EXCITING.

I MEAN, ALL OF A SUDDEN, WE SEE SOME REAL RESULTS.

SWEDISH MEATBALL. "DON'T EAT ME, FREYA!"

Schirripa: FREYA SVENNSSON'S GONE VIRAL BIG TIME,

AND HER STORY OF BEING SHAFTED BY HER CAR DEALER

IS ALL OVER THE SOCIAL MEDIA SITES AND LOCAL TV NEWS.

STILL WAITING FOR THE PHONE TO RING.

AND WHEN CORPORATE HEAD OFFICE FINALLY GETS WIND OF FREYA

AND HER VIRAL VIDEOS,

PETRA'S PHONE STARTS RINGING OFF THE HOOK.

SO, THEY CALL OUR HOUSE AND ASKED FOR FREYA.

YES, THIS IS FREYA.

AND BASICALLY TELLS US THAT,

"HEY, WE'RE WILLING TO WORK WITH YOU."

EXCELLENT.

THEY ALSO LET US KNOW

THAT THEY WERE GONNA SEND OUT AN EXPERT, AN ENGINEER,

TO OUR LOCAL DEALER

SO THAT I COULD BRING THE CAR IN.

THEY COULD DO A THOROUGH EXAMINATION OF THE CAR.

WE DEFINITELY GOT THE ATTENTION THAT WE WANTED.

[ LAUGHS ]

Schirripa: ALL'S WELL THAT ENDS WELL.

SINCE THEN, PETRA'S CAR'S BEEN RUNNING LIKE A CHARM,

AND THE DEALER'S BEEN A REAL PRINCE

TO FREYA, THE VIKING PRINCESS.

I'M HAPPY.

I FEEL THEY STEPPED UP TO THE PLATE, THEY LISTENED TO ME,

AND THEY TOOK CARE OF MY PROBLEMS,

AND I'M A FAN.

WHEN YOU GO TO WAR WITH FREYA SVENNSSON,

YOU SHOULD NOT UNDERESTIMATE THE THINGS THAT SHE COULD DO

AND THE ATTENTION THAT SHE CAN GET.

AND I THINK WE PROVED THAT WITH THE CAMPAIGN.

SOUNDS LIKE THE SQUEAKY WHEEL FINALLY GOT SOME GREASE.

SO, LISTEN UP.

IF YOU'RE GONNA TURN YOUR BACK ON YOUR CUSTOMERS,

YOU BETTER KEEP ONE EYE OVER YOUR SHOULDER,

'CAUSE KARMA, SHE'S A REAL BITCH.