One of the most stunning podcast success stories in recent years, is Casefile, a true crime podcast started just over two years ago by a mystery Australian bloke “from a spare room in his house”.
(For a follow up on this post click here).
Narrated anonymously, his distinctive Australian drawl has added an element of creepiness to tales drenched in blood. Every week hundreds of thousands of listeners, indeed sometimes many millions, download or stream the latest Casefile podcast.
With this viral success, the podcast has quickly become a slick, commercial venture with advertising, a creepy soundtrack and professional production qualities.
A team of engineers, producers, composers and researchers have sprung up around the Casefile creator and host.
But his identity – like the perpetrators of the unsolved crimes retold on the podcast – remains a closely guarded secret.
In an interview with Vice.com in October 2016, the Casefile host said he wanted to remain anonymous so that he could “stay out of the story and “let the facts speak for themselves”.
“I’m just a random Aussie guy, in my spare bedroom, running a podcast,” he said modestly.
As a naturally curious journalist, I decided to take up the challenge and try to found out who the Casefile host was.
It wasn’t really hard – if you know where to look.
(For top tips on how to work out his identity, read my follow-up blog here).(For top tips on how to work out his identity, read my follow-up blog here).
Indeed, for someone who wanted to remain anonymous, he didn’t seem to be making much of an effort to hide his identity.
And so last week, I ran a story, briefly, on this blog revealing his identity.
If you were one of the 100 or so people who read the post, you would know who he is and would have seen his photograph.
Soon after it was published and Tweeted and Facebooked, the Casefile host contacted me and asked me not to reveal his identity and to remove the post and all my social media about it.
I was bemused by his reaction, as I thought his anonymity was a “marketing gimmick” and that it if a blogger like me revealed it would not make any difference to the show or how it is presented. Indeed many of his fans crave to know who he is.
But no, he told me, it had nothing to do with marketing but affected his “real world life” and his “ability to do the show”.
In the end I took it down.
He told me that if no damage had been done to his anonymity and the show could continue, he would consider doing an interview with me.
I’ve sent over a few thought-provoking questions…let’s see what happens.
Of course, I remain intrigued as to why his anonymity is so vital to the show’s viability. No other podcasts I know of has anonymous narrators.
In fact, most successful podcast creators, like the hosts of the ground breaking Serial have become famous in their own right.
And so while the Casefile host insists on not making his identity part of the murderous stories he tells, for me, his identity has, ironically, become the story.
As, I think it always has been for many of his faithful listeners.
Freshlyworded 
Thanks for your thoughtful and intelligent response. Funnily enough my wife made the same remark this morning.
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Unfortunately, revealing the Casefile creator and host’s identity—against his sincerely expressed wishes—is to be expected from wannabe journalists who look to gossipy, lowbrow periodicals like Rolling Stone for inspiration. These publications and their contributors profit from and revel in invading and disrespecting the privacy of their articles’ subjects—driven particularly by hopes of finding something sordid to embellish and present to their readership.
That said, thank you for having the decency to pull the article after host “Brad” so politely requested you do so.
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It was very good of you to take down the article when he asked.
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I was also curious about who this fellow Aussie was, now after seeing his response to you doxxing him I agree his identity should remain completely anonymous.
Perhaps he’s a police officer, this would directly affect his ability to earn a living should your post out him.
Furthermore, your identity tidbits should be removed also for this reason – was it really necessary to add those in ? it’s like a passive aggressive way of sticking it to him when from what I can see, he has been quite reasonable and accommodating with his requests.
He creates great content – just let it be move on.
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This is the most lowbrow, passive aggressive post I’ve had the displeasure to read. I hardly think Serial or that disaster of a host is something for Casefile to model.
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I’m actually not sure I believe a word of this. I think you’ve just made this up for clicks and make yourself look like a fantastic buy gracious journalist. Not buying it sorry!
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It’s all true. Whether u believe it or not.
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Hey dude, loved the article I don’t see how you did anything wrong here and kudos to you for taking it down though.
You say it’s not hard of you know where to start or look… Any suggestions for an equally curious minded person?
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Thanks Damien, appreciate that. Drop me an email if u like….
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I used to listen to a bad-movie podcast called Yeah It’s That Bad several years ago. It was hosted by three friends who wanted to remain anonymous because they didn’t want it to impact their professional lives. Anyway, a random listener revealed their identities on her blog. They asked her to take down the info, but she refused. They pulled the plug on their show shortly thereafter. They say it was getting to the point where they were just too busy to keep up with the show, but I’m still upset by how it all went down.
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Thanks for the comment
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Yeah his name is Bradley Patrick Dean as noted on the Sole Trader Public ABN for “Casefile Ture Crime” spelling mistake correct.
I thought to look here because, in my mind all that advertising revenue has to be declared (benefit of working in accounting and having an analytical mind).
Don’t know why he’s so uptight about his identity, as you said, the victims of the crimes he discusses don’t have that luxury.
I did a search for him months ago and from memory (though I can’t find it know) he was employed by a finance company in a senior position, so don’t even know how the podcast would affect that line of employment, but from my experience, accountants can be rather uptight.
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Thanks Emmy-Lou. An uptight accountant. ha ha never thought of that one!
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I actually think he might be scared of repercussions. He says he doesn’t pull any punches? That’s not true as all he does it repeat fact. He may try to dig deep via research etc or attempt to contact people so perhaps he is worried about anything that may come back to him. I don’t know how is identity would kill his business? How so? People would still listen. It’s the anonymity that creates the curiosity and adds to the show and he knows that so perhaps that’s another reason. Anyway I love the show and don’t really care about his identity but note there are 2 versions, Bradley Mark Dean and Bradley Patrick Dean? Is he trying to put this to bed LOL?
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I appreciate that you posted the original info. I feel like his anonymity is the silliest schtick and I’ve lost a lot of respect for Casefile because of it. Journalists should be held accountable for their reporting and instead, he gets to hide behind a mask of anonymity. What other journalists get to do that? If he is “unable to earn” because of the podcast then his participation is problematic. He’s created a platform that others rely on for work that is DEPENDENT on his anonymity. Why would you do that to your crew?. If creating the podcast requires him to participate illegally (conflict of interest, tax evasion, avoiding childcare payments (???idk!) (I can’t imagine what stupidity he’d have to be involved in for this podcast to effect his “ability to earn”) or lord knows what else) then he shouldn’t be doing it. Period. I think the real reason for his anonymity must be that it creates public interest and earns the pod more followers. Good on you for digging into this, I’d love to find out who this dude is and why he feels like he deserves to be masked. I really want to find out who he is now….
ALSO, generally the intent of “doxxing” is to post a person’s private info so that they can be harassed or made to feel threatened by online communities. I once witnessed a man in a climbing thread get doxxed so that others could write bad reviews on his business page, it was so sad and awful. What you did is not equivalent. I think finding information that he has publicly posted on social media is a liberal way to define “doxxing”.
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Thanks for the great comment Bee. I appreciate the feedback.
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This appears to be his linked in profile:
https://au.linkedin.com/in/bradley-dean-3b475526
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Wrong guy mate
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Yeah his business is based in NSW according to the CO lookup. This is an 07 number and he looks older than the host sounds IMO
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He is either a lawyer or a property company director from what I can tell, am I close?
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I really have no idea about his profession. I thought maybe he had been in the army or worked in fitness, like a gym instructor
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Here is another.
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Him being anonymous is a large reason I enjoy his show. I think it makes the show special. So why question it or dig? So many podcast hosts spend so much time talking about themselves and how well they have done because of the podcast. Casefile is the opposite of that. Why ruin it?? I’ve been turned off from podcasts when the hosts spend the first 20 minutes discussing their own life (i.e. My Favorite Murder). Everyone enjoys something different. And in response to “Bee” above…even if he is being anonymous to create public interest…good for him! It is working! He isn’t benefiting from it in the way he is getting celebrity status or being praised because people love the podcast but have no idea who to praise. He is being modest if anything. He is trying to make it about the cases not about himself. Funny because even you are wanting to know more about him. Sucks you in right? As for his “crew” most people know what they are getting into when they start a job like this. I am sure they didn’t start blindly unaware of what the job would entitle and I am sure they enjoy what they do and are getting paid nicely for it. This is so complex because everyone is just so into this guy and yet so ready to attack. I wish I had a better understanding of why. Maybe I am the naive but I just dont understand the goal of finding out who he is.
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Was he hot? I hope so. I imagine him as a dark haired and handsome man from down under. Who whispers in my ear and holds me tightly while I fall asleep.
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