Theodore Conrad, who went by Thomas Randele in suburban Boston, revealed a shocking secret to his daughter on his deathbed. He confessed that over 50 years ago, he committed a bank robbery in Ohio and had been living under a false identity ever since. This revelation led his daughter, Ashley Randele, to uncover a web of dark secrets about her father’s past through a quick Google search. While in Boston, Thomas Randele was a loving husband and doting father. Meanwhile, his real identity, Theodore Conrad, was wanted by authorities as an elusive bank robber in Cleveland. The story of his daring heist, equivalent to $1.7 million today, was captivating for those who knew him.
After confronting her mother about her father’s past, Ashley was left to grapple with the trauma of her father’s fateful confession. When Theodore Conrad passed away, she struggled with her sense of identity, questioning if her last name was truly hers. This experience inspired Ashley to launch a new podcast, titled “Smoke Screen: My Fugitive Dad,” chronicling her journey as she uncovers the truth about her father’s elusive past. She is determined to fill in the gaps of her father’s mysterious life and discover the motivations behind his brazen bank robbery.
