Scam Compounds: Inside the Shadows
Investigative journalist Cezary Podkul provides insight into the dark world of international scam compounds.
Episode 2: Cezary Podkul joins the Stolen podcast to talk about the massive compounds where human-trafficking victims are forced to run online scams and steal money.
Cezary shares background on cybercrime and the origins and operations of scam compounds in Southeast Asia, particularly in the Philippines, Cambodia, Myanmar, and Laos. He recounts his first-hand experiences visiting these sites, the shocking conditions, and the unsettling levels of violence.
Erin and Cezary highlight the challenges of confronting this criminal industry, emphasizing the need for public awareness and international cooperation. The episode also addresses the Philippine government’s efforts to dismantle these operations.
Editor’s Note: We misspoke in the interview when defining PAOCC. The correct name is the “Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission of the Philippines.”
Thank you to our episode sponsor, TRM Labs. TRM Labs blends blockchain data with advanced analytics to help financial institutions and governments fight fraud, money laundering, and financial crime.
Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, and other major podcast platforms.
Who Is Cesary Podkul?
Cesary is an award-winning investigative journalist with over a dozen years of experience producing ambitious, data-driven stories for news outlets including Reuters, The Wall Street Journal, and ProPublica. He is currently working on “The Big Trace,” a book about human trafficking and the scam industry.
Episode Chapters
01:41 Cezary Podkul's Background and Career
03:25 Discovering Scam Compounds: A Journalist's Journey
10:02 A Detailed Look Inside the Scam Compounds
12:40 The Violent Reality of Scam Compounds
17:20 Transforming a Crime Den into a Police Headquarters
25:04 A Survivor's Story: From Victim to Advocate
30:49 Investigating the Bamban Scam Compound: A Unique Insight
35:44 Hierarchy and Lifestyle of the Bosses
36:27 Torture and Human Trafficking
38:50 The Raid and Its Aftermath
46:31 The Scale of Illicit Wealth
49:24 The Fight Against Scam Compounds
52:23 A Call to Action
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