NZ Private Investigator On Affairs, Spying And Her CRAZIEST Cases

The guest on this episode is Kallia McFarland, a private investigator and the founder of Serpenti Investigations.

If you’re watched a lot of TV shows and movies like me and you thought “private investigator” means trench coat, binoculars, and staking out cheaters with a box of donuts…you’re not alone. But Kallia’s work is way broader, and way more interesting.

In this conversation we get into what she actually does day to day: fraud investigations, workplace and ACC-related cases, skip tracing (tracking down people who have gone into hiding) and serving legal documents, often in situations where things can go from 0-100 really quickly.

We also go into Kallia’s very unexpected path to this career: from Air Force medic, to primary school teacher, to becoming a PI, plus the personal health journey that changed her life, and how she ended up finding family in a way she never expected: becoming a wife and a stepmum, and hearing the word “Mum” from two kids who helped heal a part of her heart.

This one is honest, funny, and surprisingly human. And if you’ve ever wondered what private investigators really do in New Zealand, you’ll learn a lot. ***

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Chapter Guide 00:02 — Kalia joins the pod; what “Serpenti” means and why it fits 02:14 — PI stereotypes: donuts, stakeouts, and the infidelity assumption 03:00–04:30 — What a PI actually does: fraud, personal cases, workplace, skip tracing, doc serving 04:24 — “That’s my dream job”: why people romanticise the industry 06:40 — Career path: Air Force medic → teacher → investigator 08:58 — Fertility/infertility: the grief of losing the choice, societal pressure 11:06 — Becoming a stepmum; being called “mum” and what it meant 13:32 — Women in Security Awards finalist: what that recognition meant 14:30–21:00 — Case studies: stolen dog, romance scam, arson/fires, stolen trailer 23:06 — Document serving stories; staying safe; “two up” jobs 26:30–28:30 — ACC-style investigations: catching inconsistencies, social media evidence 29:00–31:00 — Skip tracing: can people disappear? why people go to ground 32:00–40:36 — Infidelity: red flags, why people cheat, how clients react, can couples survive it? 42:41 — Biggest/toughest case: a fraud ring + linking evidence (the “wall” moment) 45:48 — Human nature and trust: “everyone has two sides” 48:04 — Advice for anyone wanting to become a PI; why women can be exceptional investigators 49:13 — Longest stakeout (3–4 days): child custody case 51:05 — The future of investigations + legacy: resilience and reinvention 54:33 — Who hires PIs: insurance companies, lawyers, finance companies, workplaces 57:21 — Wrap