APOPKA, Fla. – Long time WKMG investigative reporter Mike Holfeld is back in the world of media as co-host of a NEWLY named podcast called “4th Monday.”
The podcast teams the Emmy Award winning journalist with Chris Hadnagy, author and CEO of Social Engineering LLC. “4th Monday” is one of four operated by Hadnagy’s team since 2009.
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Fast forward to 2025 – Hadnagy had an opening for a new co-host of the show formerly known as “Social Engineering Etc.” Holfeld joined the team and together they picked the new name to reflect the day the show would appear every month.
Holfeld, who retired in July of last year, developed dozens of investigations featuring Hadnagy and his expertise in tracking imposters, many linked to the dark web. The two got to talking and decided why not a podcast?
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“I think the chemistry is there because we worked together for so long,” Holfeld told News 6. “While identity theft and schemes like the current bogus texts (alerting consumers of a toll debt) are important, we are offering topics from your money, security, wine, books and beyond.”
Holfeld’s inimitable personality combined with Hadnagy’s easy-going personality offers a conversational style podcast that listeners and viewers will most certainly find unique.
“We have always said our podcasts are meant for everyone, no matter who you are or what you do,” Hadnagy says. “Globally, we have over 172,000 downloads of our audio version and thousands of views on our YouTube channel. And now with our “4th Monday” series,” Mike is helping us bring in guests we’ve never interviewed before.”
This week’s first show under the new “4th Monday” title dropped Monday.
It features Wally Koval, author of the NY Times best-selling book Accidentally Wes Anderson (AWA). Koval explains how a travel bucket list he created on social media turned into a national craze with ordinary people sending him photographs that appeared to come out of a Wes Anderson movie.
“I started compiling those places once a day, every day, starting in June 2017,” Koval said. Every day I’d wake up, brush my teeth, find an interesting place, plug in a little bit of information around it. Soon, a small but pretty dedicated and excited community formed around it over the course, maybe three or four months.”
The first volume of AWA became a NY times best seller in 2020, and a second volume was recently released in October 2024.
Behind the scenes, producer Amanda Marchuck manages all four podcasts, coordinating guests and schedules with the skill of a social media maestro.
“I’ve been working with Chris for about 12 years and have worked on the podcast for the last six,” Marchuck said. “I handle all the steps – from arranging guests and recordings to overseeing editing and promotional materials.”
When asked about the chemistry between Holfeld and Hadnagy, Marchuck said their history together makes for a compelling show.
“I think it’s clear that Chris and Mike have worked together for a long time, and that has created a very close working relationship,” she said. “Mike is full of charisma, and Chris’s expertise in social engineering makes them a dynamic duo.”
With the first episode of “4th Monday” now live, listeners can expect a mix of engaging conversations, expert insights, and unexpected topics – all wrapped in the chemistry of two media veterans.
You can listen to this week’s audio version here or watch on YouTube here.
