Stolen Podcast

Episode 2 - Inside the Shadows: Unveiling Scam Compounds with Cezary Podkul


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In this episdoe of Stolen, A Podcast, host Erin West sits down with investigative journalist Cezary Podkul to delve into the dark world of international scam compounds. Cezary introduces himself, sharing his background in finance journalism and his deep dive into cybercrime after moving to Asia. The discussion focusses on the origins and operations of scam compounds in Southeast Asia, particularly in the Philippines, Cambodia, Myanmar, and Laos. Cezary recounts his first-hand experiences visiting these sites, the shocking conditions, and the unsettling levels of violence. Erin and Cezary cover the difficulty of fighting this criminal industry, emphasizing the need for public awareness and international cooperation. The episode also touches on the Philippines' efforts to dismantle these operations and highlights Cezary's upcoming book, 'The Big Trace,' which aims to provide an authoritative look into this pressing issue.

 
EDITORS NOTE: We misspoke when we called the PAOCC the "Philippines Anti-Organized Crime Commission" but actually it is the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission of the Philippines.
 
00:00 Introduction and Guest Introduction`
01:41 Cezary Podkul's Background and Career
02:52 The Big Trace: Uncovering Scam Compounds
03:25 Discovering Scam Compounds: A Journalist's Journey
04:50 The Shocking Reality of Scam Compounds
07:47 Exploring Scam Compounds in the Philippines
10:02 Inside the Scam Compounds: A Detailed Look
11:14 The Dark Side of POGO Operations
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 Bamban: A Unique Insight
32:38 Exploring the Scam Compound
33:06 Living Conditions in the Dormitories
35:44 Hierarchy and Lifestyle of the Bosses
36:27 Torture and Human Trafficking
38:50 The Raid and Its Aftermath
39:26 The Criminal Free Zones
42:02 Inside the Boss's Mansion
46:31 The Scale of Illicit Wealth
49:24 The Fight Against Scam Compounds
52:23 Conclusion and Call to Action
 
I giant thank you to our first sponsor: TRM Labs
 
TRM Labs - Blockchain Investigations & Risk Management -Investigate, monitor, and detect crypto and digital asset fraud and financial crime
 

TRM Labs

 
Cezary's upcoming book:

'The Big Trace'

Cezary’s companion newsletter for the book, which has updates on my travels:

The Big Trace Newsletter

Make Some Noise For Manilla

Cezary’s LinkedIn page for anyone who wants to connect or follow his work:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/cezarypodkul/

Operation Shamrock
 
#stolenapodcastwitherinwest #erinwest #operationshamrock #pigbutchering #cybercrime #organizedcrime #transnationalorganizedcrime #stolenpodcast #stolenapodcast #scams #fraud #TRM #TRMLabs #scamcompounds #bamban #paocc #phillippines #presidentialantiorganizedcrimecommissionofthephilippines #cezarypodkul #thebigtrace #propublica
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Stolen PodcastBy Erin West

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