My GF AND Her Brother Stole $900 From Me! | KARAMO
In this episode of Karamo’s talk‑show, Melvin confronts his girlfriend Erica and her brother Juwan about $900 that vanished from his home while he was on a home‑dialysis machine. Melvin recounts that he kept two piles of cash, one of $3,000, and after buying a car he had $2,500 left. While he was on the machine, Erica opened the door for Juwan, who allegedly reached into a drawer and took the cash. Melvin suspects Juwan because only he and Erica were in the house, and he feels Erica has no motive because he financially supports her (Louis Vuitton gifts, paying bills). Karamo probes both parties, asks the audience for their judgment, and then brings Juwan and Erica onto the set. Juwan denies any theft, claims he was merely looking for something, and emphasizes a long‑standing trust with Melvin. Erica also denies involvement, defending her brother out of familial loyalty. Karamo conducts a lie‑detector segment, declaring Juwan truthful and Erica’s answers false, thereby accusing Erica of the theft. The episode explores themes of trust, family loyalty, financial dependence, the vulnerability created by Melvin’s health condition, and the social pressure of audience judgment, ending with an unresolved tension about repairing relationships.
Chapters
So tell me about your $900 missing.
I had a couple dollars in the drawer. I had two piles, $3,000 and another $3,000. I took $3,000 out to go buy a car with. I got $500 off that $3,000, which left $2,500, we all know. And the next morning I got on my machine as normal. I got on at like 4 in the morning.
What type of machine you talking about?
I take my own home dialysis.
Oh, so you can't move?
No.
So when you on the machine, you are seated. Yeah, okay then.
I'm in this chair for 4 hours.
Yeah, that gives context, okay.
He came over at 7. From my understanding, he never comes over at 7.
Yeah. Never. So the behavior was suspicious.
Yes.
Erica had hurt her leg, so she had to go to the door, open the door. Once she opened the door, she had came just sat in the front room. He normally runs errands for us. He supposed to win the room and grab something for me. It was a quick reach in the drawer and grab some money. Now both piles was crispy fresh $100 bills. Yeah. So it wasn't no time.
I'm like— Y'all remember at the beginning of this conversation he said I had a couple dollars in the drawer. I like a man who got money.
Come on, a couple.
They're talking about crispy $100. I hear you, I hear you brother.
Okay, I hear you.
I ain't mad at you.
So, so, You know, it was stuck together. So it wasn't no quick, let me grab a couple dollars.
Yeah.
It was a quick, let me grab some. But I don't think he meant to take that much.
Got it. So when did you realize it was missing? How long did it take you?
Later on when I got off my machine.
Oh yeah. So, so you know that before you were on your machine, it was there. He came in, it's gone.
And then it was gone when, when I got off my machine. Only two people there in my house. All this week is him and Erica.
Yeah.
Now I had just picked up Erica. I bought her a $2,200 Louis Vuitton purse, took her to the Louis Vuitton store.
You can't hear my audience. They talking about, "Can you eat my bat, Daddy?" Listen, you got—
She had no reason. Listen, listen, you got some takers in the audience just in case, you know, the results don't turn out like you want. She had no reason to steal nothing.
Got it, got it. So that's why you're more suspicious of him because you're like, she doesn't have any reason to steal from you 'cause you give to her.
Exactly.
Got it.
And then she been my kid's mom for 18 years. Got it. So never stole nothing from me. I done been in a coma. She done did things for me, picked up my money, And never nothing came up missing.
That's why you like, it gotta be her brother.
It's only, it's between them two. They was the only two in the house.
Got it. What's your brother's name?
No one else.
What's your brother's name? Jawan.
Jawan. Jawan.
Did you confront Jawan?
I, well, when I noticed the money was missing, she was in the bathroom. When I counted it, some say count your money. I count $2,500. That's the one I took $500 off. Then I count $2,100. And I'm like, 21? I'm like, no, I wouldn't have never put that odd money back. Yeah, because I would have put that $100 in my pocket.
Got it.
Then she was in the bathroom. I walked to the bathroom and I told her, I said, hey, call your brother, tell him to just bring me my money and we'll leave it at that.
Yeah.
So he come in there like, oh, trying to cry or act like he was crying or whatever. Oh, I didn't take it, I didn't take it, I wouldn't do you like that.
So if he was crying, that just made it more suspicious for you because like, why else would he be crying? You felt like a little guilty conscious?
Yeah, it wasn't even like he was crying. It was just like, uh, let me get some fake like tears.
Mm, okay. So, I'm like, just— So I gotta ask you that. Why wouldn't you just believe him?
Because they was the only two in my house.
Got it. And was Erica upset when you were accusing her brother?
Uh, I don't know as far as upset. But Erica's just like, "Hey, I'm gonna rock with my brother 10 toes down." And then I'm getting word from the street, he's out telling people, "Why is he just looking at me? Why he not looking at her?" Oh.
Do you think she knows her brother took it?
Yes.
Yeah.
In behind her mind, yes.
Got it.
But she's not gonna say it until it's proven. Got it.
My producers say you missed Erica's birthday shortly after this situation.
Yes, actually her and my youngest daughter's birthday happens to fall on the same day. So I shot out of town to my daughter and spent the morning with my daughter, and I rushed back to spend her birthday with her for that evening. So then, um, when I got back, she like, oh, Jawan is going to be there. And I told her I didn't want to be around him. Mm. So therefore, it was a whole big confrontation and I didn't even go.
Got it. Makes sense. Yeah, it makes sense to me why you wouldn't want to be around anywhere Jawan is. If you felt like he stole his money and he can't come forward, of course I don't want to be in your space.
Yeah, like I told you—
So how long ago did all this happen?
Back in October.
It's funny because the way you told your story, I think most of my audience— raise your hand if you think that Jawan stole the money. So you can't see it, but most of the audience raised their hand because you were telling a convincing story. But I think it's time that we meet Juwan and hear his side of the story. So everyone, welcome Juwan to the show. Hey Juwan, how you doing, man?
How you doing, Karamo?
Good to meet you. Let me ask you straight, point blank, did you take the $900?
No, sir.
You did not?
No, I didn't.
Okay then. What do you believe happened to the money?
He misplaced it, overspent, he did something, but I didn't take it. This man does for me without me even asking. And you know this. You do stuff for me like I'm one of your kids. So why would I take from you? I've been know you my whole life and ain't never had a situation like this. You talking about something you don't know about. I'm emotional. I wear my heart on my sleeve, bro. You know that.
So for you being accused really hurt you to the core because you look up to him. Did he send you to the room to take some money but you accidentally took more?
No, no, he sent me in there to get something and I was looking for it. It wasn't where he said it was. So I popped back out. It's not where you said it was. Well, look here. Okay, pop back in. Found it, came right back out. I have no reason to take from this man.
Got it, okay.
When I first moved back to Minneapolis with him, this man let me stay in his house. Me and my family, he moved in with my sister, let me and my family have his house. Nothing came up missing.
Yeah.
Nothing came up broken, nothing.
Yeah, yeah. So you saying look at the pattern, look at the trust me from before, like look at that, that's what you're asking.
That's all I'm saying.
Got it. Melvin, do you think you spent the $900 without realizing it? No.
I keep track of my money.
I understand that, and I, what I call, I call you the money man, but sometimes you do miscount.
Never.
Can I ask you this? How is this all affecting you? 'Cause he said he hasn't talked to you since November.
Yeah, yeah. Like I said, it messed up the holidays, my sister's birthday, my birthday, you know, it just messed up the whole aura of the family.
How does it feel to know that he refuses to be in the same room with you after the closeness y'all had?
It hurts, it really does. Yeah. 'Cause like I said, that's my big brother. So it hurts to the core.
Are you upset that he's accusing your sister too?
Yeah.
You are?
Of course, 'cause like I said, that's my sister.
Yeah. So what are you hoping for today?
I just want the truth come out. Just the truth.
Period.
Okay. Well, let's meet Juwan's sister and Melvin's girlfriend, Erica, and hear what she has to say. So everyone, please welcome Erica to the show. Hi Erica. Thank you for being here.
Hello, Karamo.
Thank you for being here. So when did you first find out that the $900 was missing?
The next day.
The next day?
Yes.
Okay then. And did you believe your brother took the money?
No.
You did not believe your brother took the money? No. Why do you defend him so much?
'Cause that's my brother. I love him.
Yeah.
And it's only two of us.
Yeah.
Yeah, so he's the baby brother.
Got it. So you like, I'm gonna protect him no matter what.
Yes.
Do you feel caught in the middle of this?
Yes, I do.
You do, why?
Because that's my boyfriend and he does a lot for me. I work for my bag, first of all, y'all. So he take care of me. When I don't got it, he got it. I know I can always come to him.
Got it. Have their argument almost gotten physical?
Yes, they did, on my birthday.
Wow.
What happened? Yes. He didn't wanna come to where we was because Jawan was there and it was just like, "Oh, if I come, it's gonna be up. It's up." I said, "Well, if it's up, then it's stuck." Yeah, it's up.
It's up at that point.
Yeah.
I don't care. I'm tired of all the blank threats, all this. No one find me. I ain't never ducking nothing.
Yeah, okay. Melvin says that you look at your brother funny. What does he mean by that? Or what do you think he mean by that?
Sometimes I be like, could he have? And I'm like, no.
So there's a small piece of you that thinks maybe your brother could have done it.
The way Melvin was laying everything out, I know I did not steal no money. And the way he was laying it out, it was just like, uh.
Like I said, I had a messed up car at the time. If I stole $900, I still have my wheels.
That is.
I'm on public transportation right now.
Got it, okay, yeah. So you like, if I would've had the money, I'd have spent it properly. Got it. How do you feel about being accused? 'Cause you just said you didn't take the money in. So how do you feel about being accused?
It hurt at first, but I wanted to prove my innocence. I know I would never steal anything from him.
Got it, okay. Melvin, how does this sound to you? Because both of these people who say they love you said they would never betray you.
Like I said, I don't know because they was the only two in my house.
Got it. And so there's no, I'm gonna ask you again because I, just like I asked them clearly and I said, could y'all have taken the money? They said no. I'm asking you again, is there any way that you could have misplaced the money?
No way I could misplaced this money. No way I overspent this money.
Okay, well Melvin reached out to the show because he wanted to get the truth from Juwan and his girlfriend Erica. So we have the truth. Are you ready for this?
Let's get to it.
I am too.
Let's get to it.
Let's get to it.
Juwan.
Long overdue. In this envelope is your truth.
Yep.
All right, we asked you, do you know who stole any of the money from Melvin? You said no. And Jawan is telling the truth.
Come on, come on.
I'm not gonna lie. Thank you, thank you, thank you. We asked a second question. We asked a second question.
I don't.
So we asked you a second question. Did you steal any of the money from Melvin?
This is my question.
And you said no. Jawan is telling the truth. Come on, come on, come on, man. Come on, I don't got time for this, man.
I got bigger problems in my life. Come on, man.
Melvin, what do you have to say now that you know that Jawan didn't do it?
Spit it out. I shouldn't have to say it. Spit it out.
Hey, if he say no, then I apologize.
If he says no. That's a half-ass apology.
Exactly.
Come on, he's lying.
If the lie detector test say he didn't do it, then I apologize.
Okay, okay. Can you repair this relationship? Because for him, I see now the emotions he's been hurting. Like you were somebody he looked up to. Do you think you can repair this relationship?
Yeah, over time.
Okay. Erica, you were accused as well and we have your truth. Here we go. Erica, we asked you, do you know who stole any of the money from Melvin? You said no. And Erica is not telling the truth.
That is not true.
Hey, we have a second question. Erica, did you steal any of the money from Melvin? You said no. And Erica is not telling the truth.
That is not true. That is not real.
Erica.
That is not real. Erica.
No.
Whoa.
No, that's crazy. So the way that you did this test and you answered the questions, you were not telling the truth. So you stole the money.
No, I ain't steal no money.
So did you take the money because you needed it for something? Was there a bill or something you need to pay? Did you buy something for the kids?
He pay all my bills. Why would I have to steal from him?
Well, that's a question you gotta ask him. I have a whole Louis Vuitton bag. Melvin, what is your response to this? Melvin, because it has been proven that she was not telling the truth, that she has taken the money?
That's outrageous.
So this makes sense why she was, you standing 10 toes deep for your brother 'cause you knew that he didn't take it.
For one. You knew he didn't take it 'cause you took it.
This is not true. No, it can't.
For one, I had just paid her credit card off.
For real?
Like I said, I just got a Louis Vuitton purse for her. She gets whatever she wants.
And I'm getting a new car.
Why would I steal from him? I couldn't see her doing it, but at the same time, it's all messed up right now.
Well, you said there was only two people and one of the people passed her lie detector test and the other one did not, is what we know to be true.
Well, I'm telling you it was only two people in my house.
Yeah, exactly. And I'm saying you're right. And one of those people passed and one of those people did not. Exactly. I would say this, that sometimes in relationships when I have received everything I want, it does not mean that I don't want more or feel like I have access to things. So maybe you just felt like I have access. I'm not accusing you.
I'm only going off of what I've said.
First of all, he was just in the hospital. I know where all the money at. That ain't even half of it.
Yeah.
So if I wanted something, I know how to go get it. I have the keys to everything.
Jawan, what's your response?
I'm speechless.
Yeah, yeah.
I'm just speechless. I don't know what to say.
Okay.
I just know I didn't do it. You know?
I know I ain't doing it.
I lost valuable family time and memories over this, so.
Yeah.
Look.
I'm gonna ask you this. Is there a way that possibly, 'cause what I'm trying to do is find some sense of truth to make sense of it so that there could be rebuilding.
What sense?
Because his trust is broken now.
What sense?
Okay.
Come on now.
I'm just asking, did you take money for someone else maybe? Was there somebody you were trying to help?
No, I don't have to steal from nobody.
Okay, you know, sometimes you don't think of it as stealing because you're just like, oh, we're partners, I'm taking a bit. Like maybe was that the justification in your mind?
Do you know I'm like big mama? I help everybody. She does.
Everybody.
Why would I have to steal? Do you know how many checks I've done?
You helped yourself to the money, didn't you?
No, no.
No, I have no reason to steal.
Well, listen, Melvin, we gave the lie detector test. We got your answers. One person passed, one person failed. And I think that there needs to be a deeper conversation between you and your girlfriend. We're glad that you could get your answers and thank you both for being here today.
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