Don’t Date Brandon, a three-part documentary, tells the story of a swindler, Brandon Johnson, who ruined the lives of many innocent women for no apparent reason. Just like any other con artist, he carefully laid traps for women, misled them into believing that he was an exceptional human being and the most romantic and understanding partner one could ask for, and then once the women were committed, started to expose his true face. So let’s find out what Brandon did and if he got caught by the authorities.
What did Amber get to know about Brandon?
Amber believed that she’d found the love of her life when she met Brandon Johnson for the very first time through a dating app. He was exactly the kind of man she wanted, and even Amber’s family liked him at the beginning. But slowly, Amber realized that there were aspects of Brandon’s life about which she had no clue. There were things he had kept from her, and he also tried to manipulate her at times by feeding her lies. Brandon had told Amber that his ex-wife, Athena, was a psychopath who just couldn’t let go of him even when they had decided to part ways. He had a daughter with Athena named Sydney, and he made Amber meet his little girl on a frequent basis. Amber believed every word the man said until she found out who he really was. Brandon was so good at gaslighting that, at times, even when the truth was right in front of Amber, she failed to see it. He asked her to block Athena, as he knew that if she got in touch with her, she would get to know the kind of controlling psychopath he was. Brandon wanted to control each and every aspect of his partner’s life. He was an extremely possessive man who could cross boundaries and do something really outlandish if he lost his temper. In fact, there were multiple restraining orders issued against him, and Amber had no clue about it. He had been accused of domestic abuse and many other crimes by the various girls he had dated in the past. There were women who approached Amber on Facebook and told her what Brandon had done with them. It was difficult for her to believe what they told her, but over a period of time, she got so much evidence that it became impossible for her to not question Brandon’s past. Amber decided to part ways with Brandon, and that’s when she realized that she had unleashed a beast. A very different side of Brandon emerged, and he was just not ready to let her go. Brandon was very much capable of harassing people. He tracked Amber’s movements, and even after she got a restraining order against him, he paid her a visit. That visit was to make Amber realize what he was capable of. And he did everything in such an unabashed manner that the woman failed to understand how he could be so unbothered with everything. How could he try to kill Amber after she had filed for a restraining order? But that was how the man was. He was not only good at manipulating people, but he was also an expert in flipping the narrative.
Why did Athena and Amber start a podcast?
I believe meeting Athena was one of the best things that could have happened to Amber. Both women decided they needed to tell the world what had happened to them and expose what that predator was truly capable of. They named their podcast Ex-Wives Undercover, and I believe that beyond spreading awareness and connecting with other victims like themselves, they also wanted to release everything they had been holding inside, because carrying that kind of trauma can be suffocating. Through their podcast, Athena and Amber connected with several women who had been abused and tormented by Brandon. One of them was a woman named Kelly, one of the first to have been in a serious relationship with him. Kelly told Amber that she had dated Brandon back in 1992, and it turned out to be the worst nightmare of her life.
On the surface, Brandon came across as a regular boyfriend, but beneath that facade, he was a possessive, insecure, and vindictive man. A man whose obsession could turn anyone’s life into a living hell. Once, when he caught Kelly talking to another man, he completely lost his temper and lashed out at her. He demeaned her, fat-shamed her, shattered her confidence, and then gaslighted her until she began to believe that everything was her fault. After finally breaking up with him, Kelly realized how deeply manipulative he had been. It took her some years but she realized that she was not at fault. When she got to know about the Ex-Wives Undercover podcast, she felt compelled to share her story. As Athena and Amber spoke to more victims, they realised that Brandon was like that from an early age. Brandon wasn’t just a bad partner. He was a man with twisted sensibilities. He was a control freak who couldn’t tolerate disobedience majorly because of his fragile male ego. He wanted to dominate his partners, and it became increasingly clear how obsessed he was.
When Brandon found out about the podcast, he couldn’t bear the thought of losing control over the narrative. He threatened Athena and Amber multiple times, trying to intimidate them. Unfortunately, they couldn’t take any legal action at the time, they lacked solid evidence to prove the extent of his wrongdoing. But the more they investigated, the more disturbing details emerged. They discovered that Brandon had embezzled nearly $392,000 from a company called HTC, where he worked as an HR recruiter. He used that stolen money to fund his extravagant lifestyle, and to juggle multiple relationships simultaneously. In the end, Ex-Wives Undercover wasn’t just a podcast. It became a platform where victims could come and tell the world what they had gone through, and expose people like Brandon.
How did Brandon get caught?
While Athena and Amber were busy unearthing Brandon’s past, he was dating another girl named Rachel, who had no clue the kind of man he was. Athena and Amber were able to warn Rachel about what he was capable of, and it came as a shock to her, as she just couldn’t imagine that the guy she had decided to spend her entire life with was an abuser. Brandon tracked Rachel’s movements; he planted a GPS device in her car, he broke into her house multiple times and threatened her, even after she had complained to the authorities about him and installed CCTV cameras at her place. The man had the audacity to break into her house and disconnect the CCTV camera. Brandon forced himself upon Rachel after they had broken up and after his true face had been exposed. Brandon was a big guy, and he overpowered Rachel. She kept telling him that she didn’t want to get intimate with him, but he didn’t stop. One night, Rachel was spending time with her friend, Austin when Brandon broke into her house and pointed a taser at both of them. He threatened to kill Austin, and he choked Rachel so badly that the poor girl almost lost consciousness. Luckily, Austin knew jujitsu, and he was able to overpower Brandon, even though the man was bigger and more muscular than him. Now call it sheer good luck; Rachel had installed a camera in her bedroom. That camera recorded everything that happened on that night. Coupled with the data and evidence that Amber and Athena had collected, the victim testimonies, and the earlier legal notices, there was enough evidence to build a case. Brandon tried to flip the narrative, but this time around, the camera recording exposed him. A lot of items like a wig and handcuffs were found in Brandon’s car trunk, which made the police realize that his plan was to abduct Rachel and rape her.
Where Is Brandon Now?
After being taken into custody by the El Dorado County Sheriff, Brandon filed a no-contest plea for the charges against him. The defendant had accused him of attempted kidnapping, rape, and assault. He was also charged with stealing from his former employer, HTC. In the end, Brandon Johnson was given a sentence of 36 months in prison, which was supposed to run concurrently with the 10-year term already imposed for attempted kidnapping with the intent to commit rape and assault. It was obvious that Brandon Johnson didn’t have many options at his disposal, which was why he agreed to lifetime registration on the California sex offender registry. He is still behind bars serving his sentence, and he will be eligible for parole in May 2027.
As for Athena, Amber, and all the other victims, they finally felt a wave of relief when the court’s judgment was delivered. Justice, after years of pain, had finally been served. Yet, even as the verdict brought closure, one haunting question lingered in their minds: would he ever truly stop? Would Brandon change after his time in prison, or would he come out and victimize yet another woman, condemning her to the same lifelong trauma they had all endured? Amber suggested that there should be a public database, a way for people to learn about their partner’s past before investing emotionally, physically, and financially into a relationship. She believed that if such a system existed, many lives could be saved from manipulation and abuse.
I personally believe that Athena and Amber’s decision to start their podcast was a turning point in their life, and also in the lives of all the victims. And they didn’t make a podcast in search of popularity. They made it because it was necessary. Athena and Amber had gone through so much and there was no legal course of action. It was important for them to share their story with the world, which eventually helped the authorities build a case that might not have existed otherwise. Had Athena and Amber stayed silent, Brandon might still be out there, taking more victims and destroying more lives. This entire thing made me realize that there’s no dignity in enduring pain quietly, hoping someone else will come to your rescue. The world, as harsh as it sounds, is most often selfish, and if you are a victim, it becomes your responsibility to speak up and to defend yourself. Yes, it’s terrifying, standing up to your abuser, reliving the things that still haunt you, but Athena and Amber have shown us that it once can overcome their trauma. Their resilience reminds us that even in the darkest circumstances, one can fight the odds and bring about justice, as long as they choose to raise their voice against violence and abuse.
