What happens when the government decides you don't exist anymore?

In this episode of The Deep Dive, we uncover the terrifying and bizarre world of the "Living Dead"—people who are biologically alive but legally certified as deceased.

We break down the shocking true story of Richard Hoagland, an Indiana father who abandoned his family, stole a dead fisherman’s identity, and lived a double life in Florida for 23 years. We also explore the darker side of bureaucracy, where a simple typo by the Social Security Administration can freeze your bank accounts and erase your identity overnight.

Plus, the wildest legal case in history: The Ohio judge who told Donald Miller Jr.—a man standing right in front of him—that he was legally dead and couldn't be brought back to life.

In this episode:

• Pseudocide: Why people fake their own deaths (and why they almost always get caught).

• Identity Theft: How Terry Symansky’s death certificate became Richard Hoagland’s "Golden Ticket."

• The "Death Master File": The government database that accidentally kills 14,000 living Americans every year.

• Lal Bihari: The Indian man who founded an "Association of the Dead" to fight corruption.

⚠️ Warning: This episode might make you want to check your credit report immediately.

• 00:00 - Intro: Check your driver's license, you might be dead.

• 02:35 - The Disappearance: Richard Hoagland walks away from his life.

• 06:45 - The Discovery: Finding the "Golden Ticket" (Terry Symansky’s ID).

• 10:15 - The Confrontation: 23 years later, the police knock on the door.

• 15:20 - The Aftermath: What happens to the family left behind?

• 18:50 - Pseudocide & The "7-Year Rule" for declaring death.

• 21:10 - The John Burney Case: Faking a crash to escape debt.

• 26:55 - Clerical Nightmares: The Social Security "Death Master File."

• 31:05 - The Association of the Dead: Lal Bihari’s fight in India.

• 34:15 - The Ohio Zombie: The judge who ruled a living man must remain dead.

• 38:50 - How to prove you are alive (The SSA "Erroneous Death" document).

Pseudocide, Richard Hoagland, Faked Death, Identity Theft, Social Security Administration, Death Master File, True Crime, Missing Persons, Legal Death, Lal Bihari, Fraud, Bureaucracy, Mystery, Deep Dive Podcast.

#TrueCrime #DeepDive #Pseudocide #IdentityTheft #Mystery #RichardHoagland #LivingDead #BureaucracyNightmare #Podcast