What is known about Lisa Noelle Voldeng’s background and prior journalism or advocacy work?
Executive summary
Lisa Noelle Voldeng is best known today as the Substack author behind "Outlaws of Chivalry" who published unverified audio attributed to a man named Sascha (Sasha) Riley; she identifies as a Canadian-based creator on Vancouver Island and as the operator of Ultra‑Agent Industries, a consulting/innovation lab rather than a traditional newsroom [1] [2] [3] [4]. Her role in releasing the Riley audio drew broad attention and scrutiny because major questions remain about authentication and sourcing, and several outlets and commentators have urged verification before amplification [5] [6].
1. Public persona and platforms — Substack, website and Threads
Voldeng maintains an active public profile on Substack under the handle @lvoldeng where she publishes the "Outlaws of Chivalry" newsletter and has posted material asserting she interviewed Riley and released audio files; her Substack and related posts explicitly frame her work as publishing firsthand testimony and organizing material into multiple parts [2] [7] [8]. Her personal website, voldeng.com, presents a curated portfolio and brands including Ultra‑Agent Industries and Outlaws of Chivalry, and lists a mission‑forward persona that mixes creative portfolio, product brands and advocacy language [3].
2. Professional background as described by her and on her sites — advisor, forecaster, founder
Voldeng has repeatedly stated she is not a working journalist and describes her career as advising, forecasting and building across industries while running a lab called Ultra‑Agent Industries; she says she forecasted social media in the 1990s and provides a self‑authored background on her company site [4] [9]. Ultra‑Agent’s web and archival materials list numerous accomplishments, awards and media interactions—claims that include early technical projects, recognition from outlets and nominations to industry lists—which portray her as a long‑time digital and creative entrepreneur [9].
3. Credibility claims, press mentions and self‑reported accolades
Ultra‑Agent’s profile and related archived copy assert past recognition—such as nods from Nikkei Electronics, ZDNet/SFWOW and other trade outlets—and list advisory interactions with mainstream media and governmental bodies; these are presented as résumé items on the company site and shape how Voldeng describes her expertise to readers [9]. Those self‑published claims exist within her own web ecosystem; independent verification of every historical accolade and advisory engagement is not provided in the reporting excerpts assembled here, so assessment depends on corroboration beyond the sources supplied.
4. The Riley tapes release and her stated actions — what she claims and what’s disputed
Voldeng says she recorded phone interviews with Sascha Riley between July 19 and July 24, 2025 and that she subsequently shared audio publicly via her Substack while selectively warning allies, church, police and governments; she also asserts involvement in moving Riley to safety after alleged FBI contact [6] [1] [7]. Multiple news outlets and commentators flag the audio and related allegations as unverified, noting there is no court confirmation or mainstream investigative corroboration in the materials cited and urging careful verification before amplifying the claims [6] [5].
5. The debate around ethics, verification and potential agendas
Reactions split between those who say posting survivor testimony publicly constitutes service and those who warn that unverified materials can be manipulated, can delegitimize survivors, and require verification by established journalists and investigators; this tension appears explicitly in commentary recommending "pump your brakes" and verification work [5]. Observers also note that Voldeng operates in spaces that blend entrepreneurship, branded activism and media publishing—which can create incentives for visibility—so readers and reporters are advised to weigh both the substantive claims and the self‑promotional architecture surrounding their release [9] [3].
6. Limits of the available reporting and outstanding questions
The material available here documents Voldeng’s platforms, self‑described background, her claim to have recorded and published Riley’s testimony, and the controversy over verification, but it does not provide independent confirmation of the tapes’ authenticity, nor does it include external records validating every biographical or advisory claim on her sites; those remain outstanding investigative tasks for reporters and public records checks [1] [9] [7].