Patrick J. Pespas, center, with "Telemarketers" directors Sam Lipman-Stern, left, and Adam Bhala Lough, right, at the premiere of the HBO docuseries in July. He left home and was missing for a month.Michael Loccisano | Getty Images
The directors of the HBO docuseries “Telemarketers” have some good news to share. Diamond Mesh Fabric
Patrick J. Pespas, the breakout star of the series, has been found safe after he went missing for a month.
“Telemarketers” directors Sam Lipman-Stern and Adam Bhala Lough posted a message relaying the news through Pespas’ Instagram account.
“We are thankful to say that Pat has been found, is safe and is back home with his wife Sue,” they said.
During Pespas’ absence, they put out an open call for fans of the series to keep an eye out for him, and used his Instagram account to spread the word on social media.
They reported Pespas, 54, missing to police in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, where he was last seen the night of Sept. 29.
Pespas, a former Jersey telemarketer, teamed up with his former co-worker, Sam Lipman-Stern, to investigate the telemarketing business in the HBO series, which is nominated for several awards. Michael Loccisano | Getty Images
Pespas, a former resident of North Plainfield, Plainfield and Phillipsburg, had recently moved to Easton, Pennsylvania. He left his home there and his wife, Sue Pespas, was unable to reach him when he didn’t return.
During the search, the directors said they had reason to believe that sightings of Pespas in New York City may have been legitimate.
For now, they’re not elaborating on where he was found or why he was gone.
“Hope to tell the story another time in the future but he wants people to know he’s OK,” Lipman-Stern tells NJ Advance Media.
In the three-part series, Pespas, a former telemarketer at Civic Development Group in New Brunswick, teams up with Lipman-Stern, who was his co-worker in the telemarketing company’s raucous boiler room.
Lipman-Stern, who grew up in Highland Park and started at CDG when he was 14 — Pespas was older — began documenting the wild workplace at CDG.
Word that Pespas had been found was posted to his Instagram account Thursday with a photo of Pespas and his wife, Sue, taken before he went missing. Sam Lipman-Stern/Patrick J. Pespas Instagram
“Originally, we started filming just kind of office shenanigans and all the crazy stuff happening in the office,” he told NJ Advance Media ahead of the series premiere in August. “And then it kind of transitioned into focusing more on Pat as a character, Pat’s story.”
The scruffy Pespas was one of the most successful callers at the telemarketing firm, incessantly running scripts to solicit donations on behalf of various police, fire and emergency groups. He used drugs and dozed at his desk, but generated years of profits for the company.
Pespas wanted to investigate and expose the truth about the phone scams they worked, to offer the public an insider’s view of what went on at the powerful money-making enterprise that became a model for “charity” calling nationwide.
A younger Patrick J. Pespas, left, and Sam Lipman-Stern in "Telemarketers." They used to work at Civic Development Group, a New Brunswick telemarketing company.HBO
Budding director Lipman-Stern took up the cause and worked with Pespas to dig into the CDG business model on what became a 20-year journey.
Their investigation sometimes lagged or went on hiatus as Pespas, who struggled with drug addiction, disappeared for long stretches of time. But ultimately, Pespas and Lipman-Stern were able to find more than they even realized was there — including the fact that police groups were willing participants in the scams.
Now “Telemarketers” is nominated for breakthrough television over 40 minutes at the Gotham Awards as well as best true crime documentary and best limited documentary series at the Critics Choice Documentary Awards.
Patrick J. Pespas has been found and returned safely to his wife Sue. Thank you to everyone who has shared messages of support, donated and prayed for Pat's safe return. One day I hope to tell the whole story but for now Pat asks that everyone respects his and Sue's privacy. pic.twitter.com/Xm7OdliwtB
After Pespas didn’t come home that night in late September, Lipman-Stern and Bhala Lough started a GoFundMe for Sue Pespas, a cancer survivor who suffers from chronic health conditions. Because Pat, her caregiver, was gone with no sign of return, they raised $6,284 for her medical bills, food, home care and living expenses.
“Thank you so much to everyone who has shared supportive messages, helped Sue with her medical bills and her GoFundMe, posted flyers around, shared our posts and prayed for Pat(’s) safe return,” they said in the Instagram post.
“We couldn’t have helped Sue and found Pat without everyone’s love and support. Straight up thank you! Pat is now safe and home with his wife and they just ask that everyone respects his and Sue’s privacy right now.”
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Amy Kuperinsky may be reached at akuperinsky@njadvancemedia.com and followed at @AmyKup.
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