The Puppet Master: Hunting the Ultimate Conman

 is a British documentary true-crime series that was released on Netflix on January 18, 2021. It comes from the team behind the BAFTA-winning documentary "The Imposter." This series explores the case of Robert Hendy-Freegard, a 51-year-old British man who masqueraded as an MI5 agent in order to control his victims.

Summary
"In this harrowing docuseries, a cruel conman masquerading as a British spy manipulates and steals from his victims, leaving ruined families in his wake."

- Official Netflix synopsis

The jaw-dropping story of one of the world’s most audacious conmen. Over the course of a decade, Robert Freegard controlled, conned and fleeced at least seven women and one man, stealing close to a million pounds. His traumatised victims were led to believe they were accomplices in highly elaborate secret service operations and that their families were in grave danger if they did not obey. Freegard exploited, abused and controlled them with extreme cruelty, confident his victims were too paralysed by fear to escape. Now, in an incredible twist, the story reaches into the present day, with a family who fear for their mother’s safety.

Cast

 * Stephen Corrall
 * Charlie Ives
 * John Atkinson
 * Jake Clifton
 * Mark Clifton
 * Sophie Clifton
 * Peter Smith
 * Sarah Smith

Episodes

 * Season One


 * They Vanished
 * Chasing a Ghost
 * Setting the Trap