No Escape | 6

Summary

Scam Factory - Episode 6: "No Escape"

Introduction

In the sixth episode of Wondery's gripping series, Scam Factory, titled "No Escape", host Denise Chan delves deeper into the harrowing experiences of individuals trapped in the global web of scam operations. This episode unravels the intense struggle of Max and his group as they attempt to break free from the clutches of the syndicate controlling the scam factory. Through vivid storytelling and firsthand accounts, Chan paints a vivid picture of fear, resilience, and the quest for freedom.

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The Showdown at the Hotel Lobby

The episode opens with Max and his group—comprising his girlfriend Jane, Yuki, Josh, and others—finding themselves in a tense standoff at a luxurious hotel lobby. Exhausted and traumatized from a brutal beating the previous night, they are coerced into complying with their bosses' demands.

Max (00:00): "We thought that they would be sending us to the river."

Despite their refusal to return to forced labor, their pleas fall on deaf ears. The bosses escalate the situation by confiscating their phones, effectively severing their means of communication with Colonel and Charlie, the group's allies attempting a rescue.

Denise Chan (03:13): "They hadn't left the scam factory at all. They were in a different compound. Max didn't know what was happening, but this definitely wasn't a rescue."

The group's increasing fear is palpable as they witness a more sinister side of their captors.

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Colonel and Charlie's Strategy

Back with Charlie, sleepless and desperate, she strategizes with Colonel to negotiate the group's release. Colonel believes that involving the Philippine Embassy will pressure the syndicate into compliance.

Charlie (05:24): "I didn't get, like, any sleep at all. Like, I tried to sleep, but the thing is, I wake up and then check my phone because I was thinking, like, oh, maybe something happened again."

However, tensions rise when Dev, a key figure in the syndicate, becomes suspicious of the embassy's involvement. Charlie stands her ground during a heated confrontation with Dev, refusing to back down despite threats.

Charlie (06:09): "Who are these people? They're telling us they are from the embassy. Who are?"

After hours of relentless negotiation, Dev concedes, allowing most of the group to leave but leaving Max and Jane behind due to their visibly fresh wounds.

SadaticDev (09:16): "Do you think that you are so powerful that you can get these people out? You are absolutely wrong."

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Pastor's Escape Attempt

A 49-year-old Filipino pastor plays a crucial role in the escape plan. Operating near the Myanmar-Thailand border, he coordinates the safe passage of escapees through checkpoints fraught with danger.

As the convoy attempts to flee, Pastor encounters a police checkpoint, heightening the risk of arrest for human trafficking despite his altruistic intentions.

Pastor (12:44): "Then I saw a police car. Chicken on the other side of the road."

His quick thinking and evasive maneuvers ensure the group's temporary safety, although their journey is far from over.

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Max and Jane's Struggle

While most of the group gains their freedom, Max and Jane remain detained, grappling with their physical and emotional trauma. After ten grueling days, they earn permission to leave but are stripped of all their possessions, including money and phones, ensuring they have nothing to rebuild their lives.

Jane (16:43): "We leave the compound with nothing. Just our body and our clothing. That's all. We do not have anything."

Their release is bittersweet, marked by loss and the stark reality of starting anew with nothing.

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Emotional Reconciliation and Aftermath

As Max returns home, emotional reunions highlight the deep scars left by their ordeal. Charlie, now living in secrecy away from her family for her safety, struggles with guilt and the weight of her actions.

Max (22:02): "He said that, you know what? During the time that I was there, I accepted to myself that I'm going to die in that place."

The siblings attempt to reconnect, but the trauma and unspoken truths create distance. Charlie's failed attempt to apologize to Jella, a fellow victim, underscores the lingering pain and the complexities of seeking forgiveness.

Jella (30:51): "I'm just angry because he brought us to that place. At least you inform us."

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The Ongoing Battle and Systemic Issues

The episode sheds light on the pervasive nature of scam factories, highlighting their expansion into regions like the Middle East and Africa. These operations are shielded by corrupt officials and exploit legal loopholes, making prosecution difficult.

Max (36:45): "We cannot just investigate or sue anybody where crime is committed in Myanmar, while we file cases in the Philippines so there's no court jurisdiction."

With substantial profits at stake—estimated at $400,000 weekly per factory—the syndicates are relentless in maintaining their operations, perpetuating a cycle of victimization and coercion.

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Conclusion

"No Escape" offers a sobering exploration of the human cost behind scam factories. Through Max, Jane, Charlie, and others, Denise Chan illustrates the complexities of escape, the enduring trauma faced by survivors, and the formidable challenges in dismantling these illicit operations. The episode serves as a poignant reminder of the resilience of the human spirit amidst unimaginable adversity and the pressing need for global action against such exploitative systems.

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Notable Quotes:

• Max (00:00) [00:00]: "We thought that they would be sending us to the river."
• Charlie (05:24) [05:24]: "I didn't get, like, any sleep at all. Like, I tried to sleep, but the thing is, I wake up and then check my phone because I was thinking, like, oh, maybe something happened again."
• Charlie (06:09) [06:09]: "Who are these people? They're telling us they are from the embassy. Who are?"
• Jane (16:43) [16:43]: "We leave the compound with nothing. Just our body and our clothing. That's all. We do not have anything."
• Max (22:02) [22:02]: "He said that, you know what? During the time that I was there, I accepted to myself that I'm going to die in that place."
• Jella (30:51) [30:51]: "I'm just angry because he brought us to that place. At least you inform us."

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Scam Factory continues to illuminate the dark realities of global scam operations, blending personal narratives with investigative journalism to foster awareness and inspire change. To catch up on all episodes, follow Scam Factory on the Wondery App or your preferred podcast platform.

Transcript

[Denise Chan]

Wondery subscribers can binge all episodes of Scam Factory early and ad free. Join Wondery in the Wondery app or on Apple podcasts. Max winced as he sat down on a chair in the lobby of a fancy looking hotel. His head was throbbing and and his whole body ached from the beating the night before. Around him were 11 others, including his girlfriend, Jane, Yuki, and Josh. In front of them was a reception counter, the compound's complaint desk. They were all tired, hungry, and getting more and more scared. Still, Max and the group were determined to do exactly as Colonel told them. Over the next few hours, the bosses tried to convince them to return to work. The group said no to every offer. They refused to go anywhere, especially not back to the yard. Then the bosses stopped negotiating. They demanded everyone turn over their phones. Suddenly, the group lost its direct line to Colonel and Charlie. They were on their own, in the middle of a terrifying showdown with their bosses, including two of the men who had beaten Max and Jane the night before. All they could do was watch and wait as the bosses came and went from the hotel lobby, talking to each other in Chinese. Every time the bosses left, the group became even more afraid. What were they doing? Why wouldn't they just let them go? And that's when they noticed two pickup trucks pull up. Men with military uniforms got out of the truck. Max looked around at the group. Colonel had told them that a group called the Border Guard Forces would protect them. He thought these guards must be them. This was it, their rescue. Which meant they needed to go now. They all quickly grabbed their luggage and got into the trucks.

[Max]

We thought that they would be sending us to the river.

[Denise Chan]

Max thought they'd head straight to the river the same way he'd gotten to the compound.

[Max]

That's five to 10 minutes of drive.

[Denise Chan]

But about 10 minutes later, the trucks drove through a metal gate with a huge steel archway above it. Red lanterns were hanging from the arch, and at the center was a square sign with the letter D. A Border Guard force member, dressed head to toe in camouflage, wearing an OR scarf and combat boots, stood at the gate. As the trucks pulled in, the group was told to get out of the vehicle. Max looked around. There was no river, no boat. Where the hell were they? A chill ran down his spine when he realized where they were.

[Max]

They brought us to the next yard.

[Denise Chan]

They hadn't left the scam factory at all. They were in a different compound. Max didn't know what was happening, but this definitely wasn't a rescue.

[Sasha]

Sasha hated sand, the way it stuck to things. For weeks so when Maddie shared a surf trip on Expedia Trip Planner, he hesitated. Then he added a hotel with a cliffside pool to the plan. And they both spen weak in the water. You were made to follow your whims. We were made to help find a place on the beach with a pool and a waterfall and a soaking tub and, of course, a great shower. Expedia made to travel.

[Denise Chan]

From wondering. I'm Denise Chan and this is Scam Factory. This is episode six no Escape. It was early in the morning. Charlie had barely slept a wink. The first day of the escape had been harrowing. She'd lost contact with her brother's group for much of the afternoon. And when they finally got their phones back and could reach out, it was to tell her they'd been transferred to another complaint desk in a whole different compound. Dong Fang. Not only were they not out, but Charlie knew that Dongfang was the compound where Dev was based. She was sure he was behind the move, and she was on edge about what else he might try.

[Charlie]

I didn't get, like, any sleep at all. Like, I tried to sleep, but the thing is, I wake up and then check my phone because I was thinking, like, oh, maybe something happened again.

[Denise Chan]

As the sun started to rise, Charlie was out on her balcony. She was running on adrenaline and nicotine and trying to get some much needed caffeine from a caramel macchiato because she needed to be awake and alert for any updates. Colonel and Charlie were getting ready to make their big move. Colonel was sending a pair of local drivers to the compound to wait for her brother's group. The moment they got their passports back, these cars would take them to safety. That's when Dev called.

[Charlie]

Who are these people? They're telling us they are from the embassy. Who are?

[Denise Chan]

Colonel's cars had arrived and Dev was not happy.

[Charlie]

He said that if these people outside the gate, if they are not from the embassy, I can easily ask them to go away.

[Denise Chan]

Charlie stood her ground.

[Charlie]

I made it clear to him the embassy sent those people.

[Denise Chan]

Dev was pissed.

[Charlie]

Why did you call the embassy?

[Denise Chan]

Charlie suddenly felt like she had the upper hand.

[Charlie]

And then I told him, I'm not going to negotiate with you anymore. Just send them out.

[Denise Chan]

That's when Dev lost it.

[Charlie]

He started cursing at me. He's so mad. We are arguing. He's shouting, he's cursing.

[Denise Chan]

He told Charlie he was not letting the group out and hung up.

[Charlie]

I was kind of shaking.

[Denise Chan]

Please, boss, I'm so sorry. Please send them out. Your name is clear. I did not Mention anything about you in the embassy. These people don't know anything about you, so they cannot pin you down. I will take all responsibilities, boss. Just please let them out. Dev responded. What? Let them go?

[Charlie]

He told me that. Do you think that you are so powerful that you can get these people out? You are absolutely wrong.

[Denise Chan]

You don't play with me. She quickly sent everything Dev was sending her to Colonel. She was freaking out. Her negotiation with the devil was falling apart. But Colonel read it as a good sign.

[Max]

Based on what I read on their conversation, Tad thinks that we are serious.

[Denise Chan]

Colonel thought Dev was acting out because he was scared. He told Charlie to hang in there. Stay strong. Don't cave in. An hour passed, then another and another. Colonel's drivers lost patience and left. And Dev kept coming back with more threats, Threatening to drag the entire group back to their dorms. Threatening to beat all of them back at the compound.

[Max]

He was threatening that he will kill these people.

[Denise Chan]

After more than 10 hours of this, Charlie was cracking.

[Max]

She became emotional. She told me, colonel, what shall I do?

[Denise Chan]

Colonel told her to calm down. She could do this. They had Dev right where they wanted him.

[Max]

He is bluffing. You just tell him that Filipinos want to get out of the compound. Tell him that I will send a car to get these people.

[Denise Chan]

Colonel would keep sending cars until the group was released.

[Max]

I just told them to stand their ground.

[Denise Chan]

The group stood firm. So did Charlie. And after what felt like endless hours of increasingly angry outbursts from Dev, he finally caved. At 2:30 in the morning, Dev messaged Charlie.

[Charlie]

My boss told me not to interfere anymore because his boss was aware that the embassy was already involved.

[Denise Chan]

This is what Colonel had been counting on. The scam factories may be lawless places, but that doesn't mean the bosses want workers protesting. That kind of thing tends to bring more attention and cause more problems. Dev's boss didn't think it was worth it to hold the group any longer. Not with the Philippine Embassy involved. That could mean more trouble for the entire company and their larger pipeline of workers. It was time to let this group go, even if Dev didn't want to.

[Charlie]

I want to jump for, like, happiness because he's about to send them off.

[Denise Chan]

But there was one catch. Max and Jane would have to stay.

[Max]

These two will remain because they still have fresh wounds.

[Denise Chan]

Fresh wounds. Max and Jane were covered in proof that they'd been beaten. The bosses knew better than to let incriminating evidence walk out the door. So they agreed to let the others out first. But Max and Jane would only be able to go. After their wounds healed, Colonel got worried.

[Charlie]

Because we're going to leave them behind.

[Denise Chan]

The mission had been to get the entire group out. Even Colonel worried about leaving two people behind. But they didn't have many options at this moment.

[Charlie]

So Colonel just okay, we cannot do anything. At least we can get people out. So we agreed that.

[Denise Chan]

A 49 year old pastor sat in the driver's seat of his church van. It was dark out as his van idled in the parking lot of a local hotel. This was where he was told the pickup would be.

[Pastor]

The coordination always came from Colonel.

[Denise Chan]

Pastor is Filipino and lives on the border of Myanmar and Thailand. He'd been working with Colonel for the past few months to help Filipino nationals trying to leave the compound.

[Pastor]

Once they cross from Myanmar, they want me to pick them up and bring them to a safe house.

[Denise Chan]

A safe house. A place Colonel trusted this group escaping. The scam factory wasn't out of the woods yet. They were less than an hour away from the compounds. And the syndicate had people all over the area. Escapees were often terrified that the syndicate would try to take them back. And then there was the issue of their expired visas. Colonel needed to get these people somewhere safe while he went to Thai immigration on behalf of the embassy to sort out whatever price or punishment would be required to get the group back to the Philippines safely and legally. Pastor sent a quick message to a number Colonel had given him. He told them he was parked outside. Shortly after, nearly a dozen Filipinos came out of the lobby of the hotel. They looked exhausted and scared. Pastor hurried to help the group into his van. Everyone loaded their luggage quickly and piled in. Pastor looked around to make sure the coast was clear. Then he pulled out of the hotel parking lot. But almost immediately, he spotted trouble.

[Pastor]

Then I saw a police car. Chicken on the other side of the road.

[Denise Chan]

Police checkpoints were common in Massat. The city was directly across from Myanmar. It was no secret that human trafficking was a big, big, big problem. One that Thai law enforcement was trying to crack down on. And Pastor had a van full of passengers who had just crossed the river from Myanmar back into Thailand.

[Pastor]

If the authorities here find me or stop me of having these people in our vehicle, I may be charged of human trafficking.

[Denise Chan]

It wouldn't matter that he was trying to help these people or even really that these people were victims of something terrible, he could be arrested for transporting them. He turned the other way. He needed to avoid the police.

[Pastor]

My heart was pumping very hard.

[Denise Chan]

His eyes darted back and forth from his rearview mirror. To his side, mirrors behind him. The group seemed tense, too. He kept his foot on the pedal. The hotel grew smaller behind him. Pastor sped through the streets of Massot, snaking his way around police checkpoints until he pulled into the parking lot of another hotel. He let out a breath. For now, everyone was safe.

[Pastor]

Thank the Lord that nothing serious happened to these people.

[Denise Chan]

But the group would still have to answer to Thai immigration and face whatever punishment they deemed necessary. Max and Jane sat inside a bare room with beige walls, fluorescent lighting, and two straw mats. This is where they'd been holed up, waiting for their wounds to heal so they too could be released. They tried to take shifts sleeping so the other one could stay on watch. But the truth was, neither of them had really slept at all for days. Almost every day, Dev or one of their bosses came by to try to negotiate, to get them back inside. They didn't know how much longer they could resist or how long the border guard forces would let them stay at the complaint desk. Both Jane and Max were starting to accept they might die in here. On their 10th day in Purgatory, they decided to ask Dev for permission to leave.

[Jane]

And he asked a Chinese people to come to our room to check if our bruises and wounds are already healed.

[Denise Chan]

The gashes on Jane's back had scabbed over. The swelling had gone down. The bruises were no longer bright purple. The bump on Max's head had gone away. The cuts on his arms and shoulder were healed. They got the all clear.

[Jane]

He confirmed that we can leave. We can contact the Philippine Embassy.

[Denise Chan]

Max and Jane messaged Colonel immediately. He told them to get their things together and be ready to go. He'd arrange for a car. But Max and Jane didn't really have anything of value left to pack. Men from the syndicate had already come, snatched their suitcases and ransacked through their belongings.

[Jane]

They took the money that we are saving. Not just money, even jewelry. They took everything.

[Denise Chan]

They robbed them and they weren't done.

[Jane]

They took our phones. They checked everything. They checked all the application in our phones.

[Denise Chan]

They even went through their mobile banking apps and emptied their bank accounts. Every painstakingly earned dollar they saved to restart their lives outside the compound was stolen. Then the men reset their phones and wiped everything so there was no evidence of anything that happened inside.

[Jane]

We leave the compound with nothing. Just our body and our clothing. That's all. We do not have anything.

[Denise Chan]

The Syndicate had emotionally drained Max and Jane, brutally beaten them, and now they were making sure they didn't have a penny either. Stripping them of absolutely everything, but they were alive and could finally leave this hell behind.

[Jane]

Cornell messaged us and sent a picture of the car and the plate number. They said that these are the car that you're going to use.

[Denise Chan]

The two walked out of the gate and saw the car immediately. After a 30 minute drive, Max and Jane were dropped off and told to walk to the edge of the Moy river. This time to go home. Local men helped Max and Jane into a small white motorboat and loaded their rolling suitcases in. When they reached the other side, they stepped out onto a rocky path. The man driving the boat handed them their luggage and urged them to go quickly. Ahead of them they could see a man on a motorbike waiting. Jane and Max ran towards him. The bike was already running and the driver told them to climb on. As the wind whipped their faces, Max and Jane watched the sun slowly set behind them. Myanmar was fading away.

[Jane]

I'm overjoyed and painful. I cannot explain my feeling that time. What I'm thinking is I'm just going to leave this place. That's all.

[Denise Chan]

On Scam Factory, we uncover stories where people are deceived, manipulated, and sometimes left with life altering scars. But what happens after the harm is done? Is justice enough? Or is there another path to healing? In a special limited run series, this Is Actually Happening presents A World Beyond Revenge. These are five real stories of people forever changed by acts of violence, injustice and loss. Some who were harmed and others who caused harm. Through the process of restorative justice, they meet face to face with the person on the other side of their trauma. The result? A journey towards answers, accountability, and in some cases, even forgiveness. From victims of violent crimes to those wrongfully accused, each story reveals the power of confronting the past in ways no one ever expected. Listen to this Is Actually Happening. A World Beyond Revenge. Now on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts, Charlie stood in front of the parking lot of the high rise apartment building where she was staying in Bangkok with her girlfriend. She kept her eye on the small street right outside the gated lot, listening hard for the sound of a taxi coming down the road. Finally a cab pulled up and Max got out.

[Charlie]

I paid the taxi and then we stopped. Like it froze like for a second and then I looked at him and then he hugged me.

[Denise Chan]

Her youngest brother was really here out of the compound, safe and sound and on his 30th birthday.

[Charlie]

I was like crying because I never thought that I would be able to see him again.

[Max]

She was hugging me so tight.

[Denise Chan]

Max could feel the tears welling up in his eyes, but he tried to hold them back.

[Charlie]

And then he just said, okay, let's stop now. Let's stop now. I'm hungry.

[Denise Chan]

That night, Charlie and her girlfriend took Max to the Filipino restaurant across the street from the embassy. The one where her girlfriend sang karaoke right before Charlie learned Max was beaten. The one that felt like a piece of home. The bright yellow walls, the boldly patterned booths, the chop suey. And this time, Max was here, too, with a birthday cake in front of him. They sang Happy Birthday, and Max paused for a few seconds before blowing out the candles.

[Charlie]

And then I'd tell him, your wish is too long. I'm hungry. Just blow the cake.

[Denise Chan]

Charlie couldn't help herself.

[Charlie]

Our love language is like bullying each other. We are not the type of siblings that we say love to each other.

[Denise Chan]

So she lovingly told him to speed it up.

[Charlie]

And then I asked him, what did you wish for? And then he said that I hope they will come home soon.

[Denise Chan]

The rest of the group had been detained by Thai immigration for overstaying their visas, including Josh and Max's girlfriend. Even though they had escaped the grips of the syndicate, they were still jailed in an overcrowded detention center in Massot, living in awful conditions. No one knew exactly when they'd be let out, but Max hoped it'd be soon.

[Charlie]

And then I said, they will. Don't worry, they will.

[Denise Chan]

Before Max went back to the Philippines, the siblings had a quiet moment together While smoking outside, Max admitted to Charlie how scared he had been after Josh and the rest of the group left him and Jane.

[Charlie]

He said that, you know what? During the time that I was there, I accepted to myself that I'm going to die in that place. Because he said, it's very scary.

[Denise Chan]

This hit Charlie right in the chest.

[Charlie]

There's a pain in my heart when I heard those words from him.

[Denise Chan]

Not just because he was her brother, but because she knew he hadn't believed she would get him out.

[Charlie]

I was mad because I don't want to show him that I got hurt when he said those words. I just gave him a funny answer. I was like, what the hell on earth did you think that? Of course I will not let that happen. Are you idiot? Something like that.

[Denise Chan]

Charlie had crossed some serious lines to get Max home. Things she didn't know if she'd ever fully tell Max about. Things that she was pretty ashamed of. But Max was safe now. Max and Jane would be going back home the next day. And now there was just one More brother left. A few days later, Josh and the rest of the group were finally released by Thai immigration. They were brought to the airport in Bangkok so they could fly back to the Philippines. Charlie was waiting there to meet them. She spotted her brother Josh immediately.

[Charlie]

I saw him right away because he's very tall.

[Denise Chan]

He came up to her and the two hugged. She got a good look at Josh. It'd been almost six months since she last saw him, and he looked a lot thinner, like he hadn't been eating much. Josh took off his baseball hat to show her his hair. He'd always worn his hair long, but had been shaved during detention. He hated it. Charlie tried to reassure him. It looked really good.

[Charlie]

He said that he was traumatized. Like, they have to go to jail for how many days, be with different kind of criminals? So he was traumatized by that.

[Denise Chan]

The group had spent the last couple of weeks transferred from one overcrowded detention center to the next. The food was so bad they barely ate. And they were all crammed into small cells with prisoners who had all sorts of criminal records. It was scary and incredibly stressful. Now Josh was anxious about what would happen next, how he would start his life over, how would he get a job? Tears welled up in his eyes.

[Charlie]

And then I cried as well. And then he said, it's okay now. And then he said, just, we're going home. Max is already home.

[Denise Chan]

It was time to go home. Hadn't that been what this was all about? But Charlie wasn't going home. Hearing that, Josh was alarmed.

[Charlie]

He said that you have to leave this country as soon as possible because you're not safe here.

[Denise Chan]

The truth was, Charlie wasn't safe at home either. She'd gone from employee of the syndicate to traitor. And that role came with a whole new level of danger. Charlie is sitting at her desk in her new workspace at her new home. For her safety, I'm not going to share where she is, but it's not the Philippines. After her brothers got out of the scam factory, she never went home. She couldn't. She'd crossed the Syndicate. It was too dangerous. Instead, she's living far away from her family, trying to get a clean start. She's got a new job. She remotely activates SIM cards from her laptop. In between activations, she texts back and forth with her mother. She asks her mom how everyone is doing.

[Charlie]

Max is borrowing one of our family car. He's doing side hustles of, like, Rent a Car, like, for those people who wanted to go to the beach. A Group or transport, some furniture and stuff. And then Josh, he is working in a construction.

[Denise Chan]

Her brothers have gotten jobs, pretty much the same jobs they had before they went into the scam factory. For Max, the driving gig is a little better. I mean, the price of gas is still too damn high, but it definitely beats scamming people. And he has his freedom. There's a bit of comfort in returning to the lives and jobs they knew before all this happened, if also something incredibly sad about the fact that they went through all that and everything is exactly the same as it was before. But Charlie doesn't talk to her brothers about that. Max doesn't like to talk about his feelings or the bad things. And for about a year, Josh pretty much stopped talking to Charlie altogether.

[Charlie]

He blocked me on Facebook, I blocked him on telegram.

[Denise Chan]

I think Charlie doesn't really want to get into why, but it's a little bit related to the scam factory. And it's also a little bit personal. And Charlie won't elaborate for Josh's sake. She says it's too personal.

[Charlie]

It's like, also kind of embarrassing as well.

[Denise Chan]

So Charlie relies on her mom for updates.

[Charlie]

Josh, he changed a lot. He don't want to talk about it. He became quiet. He was quiet already before, but he became more quiet.

[Denise Chan]

What Charlie does gather from her conversations with her mother and Max is that no one has recovered from the experience of the scam factory.

[Charlie]

I know for a fact that there are times that they're getting nightmares, especially Max. He told me last time that they're still getting that nightmare of what happened. It's deeper than I expected.

[Denise Chan]

The trauma is deeper for her too.

[Charlie]

I'm afraid to be happy or just laughing and all. I'm afraid that all of a sudden something bad will happen. So until now, every time, like I'm with friends or just with my partner, and then we're just laughing, I will suddenly stop because I'm afraid that, okay, I'm too happy. I'm too happy. I'm scared that something will happen bad.

[Denise Chan]

She's still paranoid that Dev might seek revenge.

[Charlie]

I'm always checking my CCTV at our home from my phone. And I'm always telling my brothers and my family, just be cautious and take care every time that they go out, stuff like that. Because who knows, who knows that they will come after me or they will come after my family, her family.

[Denise Chan]

They're still in danger because of Charlie's actions too. But it's not just the threat of danger from the syndicate. It's her own Conscience. It's what she's done. That's what also looms over her.

[Charlie]

Because I know for a fact that I did something bad.

[Denise Chan]

She knows that she hurt people.

[Charlie]

They experienced a very traumatizing experience. And I cannot blame that they'll be mad at me. I cannot blame them for that.

[Denise Chan]

If you ask her what she would say to those people.

[Charlie]

I wanted to apologized. I'm sorry for all the chaos, all these emotional and mental stress that you occurred when you were in that place. I'm sorry for those. Really, I'm sorry for those.

[Denise Chan]

Charlie has had the opportunity to try to apologize to one of her victims, Jella. A few days after Jella got out of the compound, Jella was sitting in a hotel room in Manila with two other women she'd escaped with. They were waiting to give their statements to authorities when Charlie had called her companion, put it on speakerphone so they could all hear. It was the first time she'd talked to Charlie since that terrible day on the bridge. But she knew Charlie had heard about their escape from her other companions. The timing felt convenient. Charlie began to explain herself right away.

[Jella]

She said, oh, I'm sorry, guys, because my brother was there. I was just trying to protect them.

[Denise Chan]

Jella listened as Charlie apologized and repeated that she had no choice but to do what she did.

[Jella]

It was a valid reason. But what I am just thinking is at least you inform us so we're not in that situation.

[Denise Chan]

Even though she understood where Charlie was coming from, it didn't excuse what Charlie had done to her.

[Jella]

I'm just angry because he brought us to that place. At least you inform us. Heads up. You're going to Myanmar like that. You can tell us in a secret. And then it was for us to decide if we're going to push through or not.

[Denise Chan]

In the chain of people that tricked her, Jella saw Charlie as someone who could have saved her, who should have saved her. Charlie could have secretly let them know what was going on, what they were getting themselves into. Jella was someone's sister, too. Why did Jella matter less than Charlie's brothers? Instead, Jella was just another sacrifice. So she told the police everything and gave them Charlie's name.

[Jella]

I'm just still seeking for justice.

[Denise Chan]

Jella's case is still pending. If investigators decide to pursue it, Jella would have a pretty strong case against Charlie. In the months since Jella got home, she's tried to rebuild her life. But every now and then, in the middle of the night, what happened during those two months inside the scam Factory would suddenly creep up on her.

[Jella]

I find myself that is hard to breathe. I cannot move my body. And then just wake up breathing heavily. And then I saw the face of the boss.

[Denise Chan]

The face of her boss screaming at her to meet quota. The high pressure stress to scam or risk torture, the pure fear of being trapped in there forever. All of it comes rushing back to her during nighttime.

[Jella]

That it was still a nightmare for me.

[Denise Chan]

And who knows how long these nightmares that make her relive the trauma will go on. But if there's any good that came out of her experience, it's that Jella has learned to trust herself above all else. After all the lies, trusting the wrong people and not following her gut at the sign of danger, she vowed never to ignore her own intuition again.

[Jella]

I will not. Depends on what other people told me. And what other people say that, oh, you need to do this like that. But I have to stand with my own decisions.

[Denise Chan]

Charlie hasn't spoken to Jella since that failed apology. But she knows what she did to Jella was wrong and that she could pay a price. Which is why she's always checking in with her mother. Did she get any mail?

[Charlie]

Did you already receive a subpoena under my name from me?

[Denise Chan]

Charlie knows that what she has done could still cause legal troubles for her. Anyone she recruited or booked travel for could potentially press charges against her.

[Charlie]

I'm much scared someone will sue me. I will tell them the reason behind why I did that. So I'm not scared. I'm not scared.

[Denise Chan]

Over and over in our conversations, Charlie has insisted she had no choice. But it's really more that the choice was so easy, so natural, that she can't imagine making any other.

[Charlie]

I'll do whatever it takes just to protect my siblings, especially those two boys.

[Denise Chan]

She chose her brothers. And if faced with that choice again, she'd probably make the same decision every single time.

[Charlie]

I'd rather be in trouble just to keep them safe.

[Denise Chan]

Colonel Matalang sits at his big wooden desk in his office. Stacks of papers lay neatly in a corner. His phone in its blue leather folding case is placed on the desk beside it, a power bank that he never leaves his apartment without, just in case any victims try to reach him.

[Max]

I think every week there's a victim that asks me for assistance.

[Denise Chan]

There are nearly 100 Filipinos still trapped inside Myanmar, with many more constantly being tricked into going, which is why he and Charlie talk regularly.

[Max]

She helped me in getting some of these victims out of the scam hub.

[Denise Chan]

Charlie kept her word to help, try to get everyone she had a hand in getting into the compound out. From Charlie's list of 31 people, all but seven are confirmed to be out of the compound. Of those seven, five are the women Charlie recruited in exchange for visiting her brothers. Including her recruits turned recruiters, those two appear to still be in Myanmar and still actively recruiting. One of them has a warrant out for her arrest for human trafficking, in part because of Charlie. While most everyone at the compound operates with an alias, Charlie actually knows the real identity of these women because she recruited them. Which means that law enforcement also knows their identities. But with Dev, it's been much harder.

[Max]

It's not his real name, so we cannot just arrest him with that name.

[Denise Chan]

Even Charlie doesn't know Dev's real name. Then there's also the problem of jurisdiction, which is a larger issue law enforcement faces when trying to hold syndicate members accountable.

[Max]

We cannot just investigate or sue anybody where crime is committed in Myanmar, while we file cases in the Philippines so there's no court jurisdiction.

[Denise Chan]

By spreading out the crime in three different jurisdictions, the syndicate has found a loophole to avoid being held accountable in any place.

[Max]

Criminals are circumventing the law.

[Denise Chan]

That's just law enforcement trying to nail down one group in one scam factor. There are dozens of different companies in each compound, all running the same scam, using the same templated recruitment strategies to lure in thousands of people. I've even heard of some crime organizations distributing startup kits that show you, step by step, how to build your own scam operation. These compounds are growing fast now, building in place places like the Middle east and Africa, and targeting victims in the us, uk, Australia and beyond. All run by different people and helped, allegedly by corrupt local officials. So even if one company is shut down, another one will rise up like a twisted game of whack. A mole that's impossible to win. And there is so much money involved. Individual scam factories have been estimated to pull in about $400,000 a week. Some criminal groups are making billions in a year, which is nearly as much as some countries entire economic output. With so much money at stake, it's no surprise that the Syndicate will do or say anything to ensure new workers keep flowing in. Max, Jane, Yuki, Jella. All of them were pulled into the scam factory because of the promise of a better wage, a chance to provide a better future for their loved ones. Only to quickly realize they'd been tricked. And rather than helping their families, they burdened them with stress, worry, and an outrageous ransom. And ended up in an even worse position than before.

[Jane]

At this moment, I cannot offer them everything.

[Denise Chan]

Jane had originally taken the job to support her three younger siblings, who were all financially dependent on her. But Jane was so ashamed of what she'd gotten herself into that even a month after leaving the compound, she still kept it a secret.

[Jane]

I haven't told my siblings about what happened to me. I just need to find a job to help them. Because if I already have a job, maybe after two months or three months, I can show my face to them again.

[Denise Chan]

And then there's the shame over the harm they've done to complete strangers. The thousands of dollars they scammed out of their victims in order to meet their own quotas. All in order to survive to avoid starvation and physical torture.

[Jane]

I would like to apologize from the bottom of my heart. I'm really sorry.

[Denise Chan]

Yuki, Jane, Max, Jella. They all know how hard it is to make a living. And it's not lost on them how devastating it is to lose so much money.

[Jella]

I don't have the courage to face her with everything that I've done.

[Denise Chan]

But if she only knew what feeling.

[Charlie]

That I was feeling during that moment, she will know that I don't have any options left.

[Denise Chan]

But how can any apology make up for the victims who lost their tuition money, their money for medical treatment, their life savings? Because ultimately, having no choice doesn't erase the fact that harm was done. And that's something everyone leaving the scam factory has to face. They are victims, but there are also scammers. And that's exactly what keeps the scam factory running. They trap people, give them a script designed to earn the trust of unsuspecting victims, and then use coercive control to leave their employees no choice but to complete the scam. Like a scammer nesting doll that opens up to reveal its victim, which then opens up to reveal their victim and then their victim and their victim. An endless line of victims turned scammers where harm is both caused and suffered. Where choosing to survive at the expense of others is the only option. Where everyone faces the question, is it worse if I do this or if I don't? It's a perfect sick game, and it will keep going because it works and it's impossible to escape it. Especially for Charlie. Charlie is sitting at her desk, but she's not working or texting her mother. She's been curious what those two recruits who turned into recruiters were up to, so she decides to do some scam baiting. She scrolls through telegram and taps on a group chat that's Hiring customer service representatives, a group that she knows is a front for the scam compounds. Charlie sees a job listing that looks similar to the one her brother once fell for. She shoots off a message asking about the job.

[Charlie]

So I pretended like an applicant.

[Denise Chan]

Immediately, the recruiter gets back to her.

[Charlie]

So we're exchanging messages. I was telling them that we are a group of friends and we wanted to go there. And then the lady that I was chatting to, she was very helpful. She's giving all the details.

[Denise Chan]

Charlie recognizes how this person is talking. She's seen these answers before. She has a feeling this is one of the women she had recruited. Charlie plays along and pretends to be interested. She asks for the recruiter's information. Curious if she'll give Charlie the alias the woman usually uses to hide her identity.

[Charlie]

I told her, can you just give me at least your name? Just for us to have an assurance that we're talking to a real person.

[Denise Chan]

The recruiter is more than happy to oblige. They shoot back a text. Charlie takes one look at the name and can't believe it.

[Charlie]

I was like, fuck that I knew it that they would be doing this.

[Denise Chan]

So she asked them to send an ID to verify their identity.

[Charlie]

And she did.

[Denise Chan]

They send over a state issued id.

[Charlie]

The address, it's my town, my province. And the signature. They copied my signature. The name is my name. She gave my name.

[Denise Chan]

Someone is out there recruiting as Charlie. Follow Scam Factory on the Wondery app, Amazon Music, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can binge all episodes early and ad free right now by joining Wondery plus in the Wondery app or on Apple Podcasts. Before you go, tell us about yourself by completing a short [e-mail] survey if you have a tip about a story you think we should investigate, please write to [e-mail] Tips from Wondery this is the final episode of Scam Factory, a story about a brother, his sister, and the big business of lies. Scam Factory is written, reported and hosted by me, Denise Chan. Our story editor is Lou Okowski. Senior producer is Claire Chambers. Associate producer is Evangeline Barat. Reporting by Wijitra Duang Di. Additional reporting by Jonvic Mateo. Additional production assistance from Emily Locke, Malachi Wade and Mariah Dennis. Audio assistance by Daniel William Gonzalez. Sound design and mixing by Jamie Cooper. Sound supervisor is Marcelino Villalpando. Original score by Tangeline Bolton. Music supervisor is Scott Velasquez for Frison Sync. Senior managing producer is Lata Pandya. Managing producer is Heather Baloga. Senior Development Editor is Rachel B. Doyle. Fact Checking by Jacqueline Coletti Executive producers are Julia Lowery Henderson, George Lavender, Marshall, Louie and Jen Sargent. For Wondery, I'm Denise Chan, host of Scam Factory and I have a brand new vintage of podcast for you fresh off the grapevine. Blood Vines is a full bodied podcast that uncorks the never before told story of the Lechardi family, one of the most powerful wine dynasties in California's history. Jack Licciardi was the patriarch of one of the country's biggest grape suppliers for America's most popular wine, White Zinfandel. But things turned sour when the government began to investigate the business for multimillion dollar wine grape fraud. The case spilled over into a bloody battle for succession for the family business that almost brought down the entire industry and ended in murder. If you loved succession, then Blood Vines is the series for you. Grab a glass of your favorite wine and dive into a story that has notes of fraud and betrayal capped off with a big murder. Listen to Blood Vines exclusively on Wondery. Join Wondery in the Wondery app, Apple Podcasts or Spotify.