Calling all true crime fans! The BBC is airing a twisty three-part documentary, and it’s the perfect pick if you’re in the mood for a one-night binge.

The Mother of All Cons is based on the hit 2023 BBC Radio 4 investigative podcast Believe in Magic by Jamie Bartlett and follows the true story of a mother and daughter, Jean O’Brien and Megan Bhari, who launched a charity for seriously ill children in 2010.

© BBC Studios
Louis Tomlinson and Jean O’Brien at lectern at Cinderella ball

Having publicised the fact that Megan had a brain tumour herself, the young teen became a prominent figurehead for the charity, which quickly captured the attention of high-profile celebrities, including one of the biggest boy bands at the time: One Direction.

But as the charity grew, some people began to question the authenticity of the mother-daughter duo at the helm. This documentary offers a deep dive into what happened behind the closed doors of Believe in Magic, and is the perfect pick for viewers who were gripped by true crime series like Mommy Dead and Dearest and Mr Bates vs. The Post Office.

What is The Mother of All Cons about?

The three-part documentary begins in 2010, when poorly 16-year-old Megan Bhari decides to launch a charity for seriously ill children.

The synopsis reads: “She’s battling a brain tumour, and knowing the toll illness can take, she decides to devote her life to creating fairy-tale experiences that might help children to forget, even briefly, that they’re sick. Believe in Magic becomes an immediate success.

© BBC Studios
Enza Petagine and Megan Bhari

“Inspired by Megan’s courage and self-sacrifice, celebrities and her beloved One Direction are more than willing to donate their time and money to the cause. And when her mother, Jean, posts news that Megan’s health has deteriorated and she needs expensive treatment in America, countless families and celebrity supporters rally around to support Meg.

“Together, they raise the money needed overnight. However, in an online chat, some parents whose own children have been treated for cancer abroad begin asking questions.”

© BBC Studios
Jean O’Brien and Megan Bhari

The true story behind The Mother of All Cons

Seven years after the Believe in Magic charity was formed, the Charities Commission froze its accounts after it discovered that over £100,000 of donations had not been accounted for. Jean was also found to have transferred some of the funds into her own account.

The charity was forced to close down in 2020 and it was later revealed that Megan never, in fact, had a brain tumour.

© BBC Studios/Simon Pinfield
Megan’s half-sister, Nina Morgan

In an interview with The Times, Megan’s estranged half-sister Nina Morgan explained: “They would say things about Meg’s health and I wasn’t quite sure what was the truth and what wasn’t. My doubts were there, very early days, but it was something difficult to communicate.”

“I also wasn’t aware, you know – was it led by Meg, was it led by Jean, the whole dynamics of it, I found very confusing at the time.”