The Butcher’s Block | 3

Summary

Scam Factory: Episode 3 - "The Butcher’s Block"

Released on February 27, 2025, "The Butcher’s Block" delves deeper into the harrowing experiences of individuals trapped within the oppressive confines of a global scam operation. This episode unveils the intricate web of deception, manipulation, and desperation that defines the lives of those ensnared by the "Scam Factory." Through the narratives of Jella, Yuki, Charlie, and Dev, Wondery's "Scam Factory" paints a vivid picture of survival against all odds.

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1. Introduction: The Grim Reality of the Scam Factory

The episode opens with the introduction of Jella, a reluctant recruit in the Scam Factory. Denise Chan sets the scene, describing an office environment where women are coerced into unsettling tasks:

[00:33] Denise Chan: "A group of women were hunched over their phones in the office, giggling. The glare of the fluorescent lights buzzed while bad music blared in the background."

Jella's ordeal begins as she is deceived into believing she has secured a legitimate customer service position, only to find herself forced into sextortion.

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2. Jella’s Descent into Sextortion

Jella's initial interactions with her co-workers reveal the disturbing nature of her job. She is tasked with viewing and sending unsolicited explicit images, a far cry from the call center role she applied for:

[01:04] Jella: "I can't bear to see it. That kinds of pictures with the nudity. Oh my God. This one is so big. This one is so dark like that. This one is so small."

Despite her discomfort, Jella is pressured to meet quotas, forcing her to engage in activities that violate her personal boundaries:

[02:17] Jella: "You need to have at least two clients a day to have a video call."

Her role involves catfishing models to engage strangers in video chats, with the footage later used for blackmail purposes.

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3. The Puppet Masters: Charlie and Dev

Behind the scenes, Charlie and Dev orchestrate the operations of the Scam Factory. Charlie, the recruiter, manipulates recruits like Jella and Yuki, while Dev oversees the broader scheme:

[03:43] Charlie: "Thank you to our partner Mentoscum..."

(Note: This segment includes advertisements which are skipped as per instructions.)

Dev introduces Charlie as a seemingly benevolent figure aiming to help new recruits navigate immigration hurdles:

[06:30] Denise Chan: "Dev had two recruits who had been stopped at immigration twice already."

Charlie’s façade of kindness masks the grim reality of the scam factory, as she is complicit in deceiving recruits about their true roles.

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4. Yuki’s Journey: From Hope to Despair

Yuki, along with her friend, is lured by promises of high salaries abroad. Initially optimistic, Yuki faces repeated immigration rejections until Dev introduces her to Charlie:

[07:12] Yuki: "Dev gave me Charlie's information because Dev is not in the Philippines, but Charlie."

Charlie assists Yuki in finally gaining entry into Thailand by manipulating immigration procedures, further entangling her in the scam factory's web.

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5. The Harsh Reality of Scamming

Once inside, Yuki is introduced to Josh, Charlie's brother, who mentors her in the scamming process. Despite his supportive facade, Yuki is thrust into unethical practices:

[12:13] Yuki: "Oh, my God. I still remember that first customer that I scammed."

Her first target, a young university student in the UK, falls victim to the scam, leading to emotional turmoil for Yuki as she witnesses the destructive impact of her actions:

[14:17] Denise Chan: "The student sent a photo of her bleeding wrist to Yuki."

This moment signifies the breaking point for Yuki, as she grapples with the moral consequences of her forced involvement.

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6. The Collapse of the Scam Operation

As the operation faces increased scrutiny from immigration authorities, Dev and Charlie experience mounting pressure. Charlie's travel agency becomes a focal point of suspicion, leading to her being ostracized from communication channels:

[28:01] Dev: "One immigration officer stopped her. She said that can you just go back? I just need to ask you some questions."

Charlie’s realization that the scam factory is under investigation forces her to confront the unsustainable nature of their illicit activities.

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7. Yuki’s Attempt to Escape

In a desperate bid for freedom, Yuki reaches out to her family, revealing the true extent of her predicament:

[25:28] Jella: "I was startled if I am going to tell or not like that. Then there. I started spitting out every detail."

Her emotional plea underscores the psychological toll of her captivity and the yearning for a way out. However, the Scam Factory's response is ruthless, denying her escape despite her attempts to secure ransom money through her sister.

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8. The Final Struggle: Charlie’s Dilemma

Amidst the unraveling operation, Charlie faces a moral crisis as her own brothers, Max and Josh, suffer under the scam factory's demands:

[30:45] Dev: "He was crying to me and then he said, no, I cannot do this anymore because they are pushing us, stuff like that, they are watching our screens."

Charlie's attempt to salvage the situation is met with adversity, as promises of escape remain unfulfilled, and the weight of deceit threatens to dismantle the entire operation.

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9. Conclusion: A Glimpse of Hope Amidst Chaos

As the episode concludes, Charlie is left with a difficult choice: to confess her misdeeds to seek salvation or continue the facade to protect herself and her brothers. The unresolved tension sets the stage for the next episode, promising further revelations and the quest for redemption or retribution.

[32:48] Yuki: "It's normal for us to not just believe what she wants to say. We have to assess she might be lying or there must be some motives."

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Notable Quotes

• Jella’s Realization:

  "[03:23] Jella: Oh my God, what is this kind of job?"

• Yuki’s Desperation:

  "[15:08] Yuki: Am I really in this kind of place? Like, what if I'm that girl?"

• Charlie’s Promise:

  "[17:22] Denise Chan: She had trusted Charlie that it would be safe to come here."

• Charlie's Last Stand:

  "[30:07] Denise Chan: It felt like a massive weight had been lifted... But that relief soon turned to panic..."

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Final Thoughts

"The Butcher’s Block" offers a gripping exploration of the human spirit’s resilience in the face of systemic exploitation. Through detailed storytelling and heartfelt testimonies, Wondery's "Scam Factory" exposes the dark underbelly of global scam operations, emphasizing the profound psychological and emotional impacts on those trapped within. As the characters navigate their dire circumstances, listeners are left contemplating themes of trust, betrayal, and the quest for freedom.

Stay tuned for the next episode of "Scam Factory," where the saga of Charlie, Yuki, and Jella continues to unfold, revealing deeper layers of deception and the relentless pursuit of liberation.

Transcript

[Denise Chan]

Wondery subscribers can binge all episodes of Scam Factory early and ad free. Join Wonder plus in the Wondery app or on Apple Podcasts. Just a Note this episode contains detailed descriptions of self harm and references to suicide. If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health, we have included resources at the end of the episode and in our show Notes.

[Yuki]

A group.

[Denise Chan]

Of women were hunched over their phones in the office, giggling. The glare of the fluorescent lights buzzed while bad music blared in the background. In the weeks since Jella had arrived, having been coaxed across that bridge by Charlie and her recruiters, this had become her new norm, where she spent most hours of the day sitting in front of her computer listening to her co workers cackle.

[Jella]

Oh look at this. Like that.

[Denise Chan]

She was blushing.

[Jella]

I can't bear to see it. That kinds of pictures with the nudity. Oh my God. This one is so big. This one is so dark like that. This one is so small.

[Denise Chan]

They were showing each other dick pics. A lot of dick pics.

[Jella]

Every day you see a lot of men's private.

[Denise Chan]

Jella couldn't even bring herself to say the word penis out loud. But she didn't really have a choice because looking at customers dicks was her job now. Obviously not the customer service representative role she had applied for.

[Jella]

We were going just to invite a customer through dating apps to have sex with the model. Oh you want to play? You want to see my push it?

[Denise Chan]

She was the catfishing model who would sext horny strangers and get them hot and bothered enough to take it to video chat.

[Jella]

Every day you will saw 5, 15, 20 men private thing. I'm just telling oh my God Lord.

[Denise Chan]

Good Lord. Not only did she hate doing this, she was also kind of bad at it.

[Jella]

That was so hard for me because I haven't seen any pornography or any videos about it in the Philippines.

[Denise Chan]

She didn't have any practice with the dirty talk or any prep in general for all the eggplants coming her way. But none of that mattered to her bosses because she had a quota to meet. She had better turn some guys on.

[Jella]

You need to have at least two clients a day to have a video call.

[Denise Chan]

Two clients a day who would agree to video chat. Then she would pass them off to her team leader and they would record them masturbating on camera unknowingly. The footage would then be used to blackmail them.

[Jella]

They will force the client to pay for the blackmailing videos.

[Denise Chan]

In other words, Jella's job was sextortion. She was working 1314 hour days. She hadn't had a single day off since she'd arrived. She hadn't told her family where she really was or what she was being made to do. She was too ashamed.

[Jella]

Oh my God, what is this kind of job?

[Denise Chan]

Besides, there wasn't anything they could do to help her. She was stuck here and she knew exactly who she blamed for it.

[Charlie]

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[Denise Chan]

At Hotels.com, we know some travelers crave an ocean breeze. Others don't want to deal with sand. And oftentimes those two people end up together. Compare properties side by side to find yourself poolside, oceanside, and still in a relationship. Find your perfect somewhere with hotels.com from Wondery. I'm Denise Chan and this is Scam Factory. This is Episode three the Butcher's Block. Busy shoppers pass by the windows of a Starbucks nestled inside a mall. Charlie watched them go in and out of the guest store across the way. But Charlie hadn't driven several hours just for some people watching in an iced caramel macchiato. She was here at Dev's request.

[Dev]

I have these two girls. They were offloaded twice.

[Denise Chan]

Dev had two recruits who had been stopped at immigration twice already.

[Dev]

He said that can you help them to get out?

[Denise Chan]

Dev needed to get these recruits through immigration and Charlie needed to stay in Deb's good graces. In the three months Charlie had been working for him, Dev had only kept upping the ante on the assignments he gave her. Now Charlie had her own travel agency. Dev had asked her to open it so he could save some money. He didn't want to use a third party travel agency and pay their markups anymore. And she was making well, calls.

[Dev]

He asked me to meet them in person.

[Denise Chan]

Which was how she found herself sitting in front of a woman named Yuki and Her friend Yuki was in her early 30s and had two young children. She and her friend had been looking for work abroad where pay would be better than what they could find at home.

[Yuki]

When I heard that the salary will be $1,000 to $1,200 USDT, I grabbed the opportunity. Since it's like double of the salary here in the Philippines.

[Denise Chan]

Yuki couldn't pack her bags fast enough. But the first time they tried to leave the country for this job, they were stopped by immigration. They tried again, but they were stopped that time too. That's when Dev introduced Yuki to his star employee.

[Yuki]

Dev gave me Charlie's information because Dev is not in the Philippines, but Charlie.

[Denise Chan]

Is Charlie, an angel sent by Dev to help them get out of the Philippines and over to Thailand.

[Yuki]

Charlie is very kind and she's trying to understand. She's making us tell every single details what made us like offloaded.

[Denise Chan]

Charlie pressed Yuki to try and figure out what the immigration flag was.

[Dev]

She was talkative. She was telling me everything, how they got offloaded and stuff, how they met their recruiter.

[Yuki]

I felt like I can trust this person, the way she talks, the way she texts.

[Denise Chan]

Yuki was thrilled to have this person helping them. She didn't hold anything back about her recruitment.

[Dev]

And then the person that they're talking to, he was working there inside the yard. And then he was telling them that it's a nice place, it's a good place, you can earn money, blah blah, blah, stuff like that.

[Denise Chan]

As Charlie looked at Yuki's lit up face, she felt a little uneasy.

[Dev]

I asked them, what is the type of job they told you? And then she said, call center agent. And then my face went blank. And then she said, why is it not call center agent?

[Denise Chan]

Charlie froze.

[Dev]

I cannot tell them that. Hey, don't go. It's not the call center job. I was thinking of my brothers that time.

[Denise Chan]

Her brothers who were inside the compound, who would pay the price if she fucked this up.

[Dev]

So like, okay, yes, I'm so sorry for this for now, but I'll make it up to you guys. So I was like, if that's the job they told you, maybe that's the real job.

[Denise Chan]

And Charlie doubled down on doing her job. She did some Googling and found a potential fix. If Yuki had a family member with good travel history, they could be a sponsor. Yuki's uncle agreed to help. And a couple days later, Charlie's solution worked. Yuki and her friend got through immigration.

[Yuki]

Charlie, actually I call her Ate Ate.

[Denise Chan]

Because to Yuki, Charlie seemed like a big sister who was Looking out for her.

[Yuki]

So ate. Charlie is very kind. She helps us pass the immigration officers. It's her doings.

[Dev]

I really felt bad. I know that they will be shocked when they found out that it's a scamming job.

[Denise Chan]

But still, Charlie didn't say anything to Yuki about where she was really headed. Not when Yuki texted her about the scary journey to a strange hotel or the terrifying boat ride across the river. It wasn't until Yuki reached out in a panic after she arrived and found out what her real job was, that Charlie acknowledged it at all.

[Yuki]

I asked her, and she told me that I thought that you already knew because you're direct from Dev, and usually Dev is explaining everything to the people that is going to work there. So she expects that we already knew what work are we going to be in?

[Denise Chan]

But Charlie knew what she told Yuki was not true.

[Dev]

Even if I feel guilty, I cannot do anything. I cannot undo that I lied to them.

[Denise Chan]

She stayed in touch with Yuki, checked in on her, gave her assurances that she was safe, that she'd be okay. And she offered Yuki one other thing. Two of the first people she sent to that place. Her brothers.

[Yuki]

She told us that, don't worry, I told my brothers to look after you guys.

[Denise Chan]

Charlie revealed to Yuki that her two brothers were working at the same company. By now, Yuki could probably put two and two together. Charlie had known all along that she was going to a scam factory. But Charlie's own brothers were there and seemingly okay. And if they were going to look out for her, it felt a little less scary.

[Yuki]

My first meeting with Josh is on my second day on the yard. Yeah, actually, he's very kind.

[Denise Chan]

And not only did she meet Josh, but she learned they were on the same team. They'd be in the same office working the same scam.

[Yuki]

He's the one who, like, took care of us. He taught us how to do the work.

[Denise Chan]

Charlie's brother took Yuki under his wing. He became a mentor and a friend, a protector of sorts in this strange new world. But neither Charlie nor Josh could protect Yuki from what was coming. On Yuki's third day at work, she was sitting in front of her computer. Tears streamed down her cheeks.

[Yuki]

Oh, my God. I still remember that first customer that I scammed.

[Denise Chan]

She'd been training the last couple of days. Now it was time for Yuki to start scamming. Like Max and Jane, she offered jobs reviewing hotels. Her first customer was a university student in the uk.

[Yuki]

She's still young. She's just like, if I'm not mistaken, she's just 20 something or 18. Something like that.

[Denise Chan]

The university student had picked up the job to make some extra cash. Yuki followed the script and guided her through the process. Of course, the university student made money right away. But shortly after, a negative balance appeared, which could only be cleared if the student paid it off. Yuki regurgitated what was in the script.

[Yuki]

I kept telling her to just clear her negative balance so that she can withdraw all the deposited amounts as well as declamation.

[Denise Chan]

The student obeyed, but every time she paid it off, she'd be prompted to pay again. Yuki would promise over and over that it would be the last time. She even offered to lend the student money to cover some of the balance. Each time. Yuki hoped that the student would just stop adding money. But the student believed Yuki. She kept finding the money, and eventually the students started using her tuition money, believing that it was just temporary, that she'd make it all back very soon. Because that's what Yuki told her.

[Yuki]

She kept on doing that until she reached the 12,000 USDT.

[Denise Chan]

$12,000. The amount she needed to deposit had gone up again. The student was at a loss. There was no more money.

[Yuki]

And then, the moment that she already doesn't have any money left, she touched her wrist.

[Denise Chan]

The student sent a photo of her bleeding wrist to Yuki.

[Yuki]

I'm already like crying in there in front of my computer. Well, the moment she sent me the picture of her wrist and I cannot handle that. So I excused myself.

[Denise Chan]

Yuki raced outside the office to the smoking area to try and catch her breath. After a few minutes, Yuki's team leader came outside looking for her.

[Yuki]

He told me that always remember that if you're not going to scam this one, somebody else will. So what do you want?

[Denise Chan]

Yuki couldn't believe what he was telling her.

[Yuki]

Am I really in this kind of place? Like, what if I'm that girl? What if I'm the one who went broke because I got scammed? What if that's her last resort already? What if nobody helps her? What if she will? Not going to finish her studies.

[Denise Chan]

The team leader didn't seem to be tormented by any of these questions. He was more concerned by the amount of money on the line. That $12,000, he would likely get a cut of somewhere around 10% of that. He ordered Yuki back inside. When she sat down at her desk, Yuki saw that he had already responded to the student.

[Yuki]

The boss told her that if you're going to cut yourself open, then I'm going to cut myself open too. Because you're well aware That I already invested a lot of money. My money is also inside your account. Something like that.

[Denise Chan]

Yuki's heart broke when she saw the university students response.

[Yuki]

She's like saying, sorry, I really didn't mean to do it. She's the one who's. Who's apologizing. That's very, very hurtful for me. Like, I scammed you and you're the one. The same sort. Of course they're sorry. Everything, everything about her is real. Everything about me is fake.

[Denise Chan]

Yuki was spiraling, but her bosses seemed overjoyed.

[Yuki]

They're telling me that I already knew how to scam. And they are so proud of that. Like, 12,000 USDT is a lot. Actually. They're very happy during that moment. And for me, oh my gosh, I cannot believe. But I cried a lot. I will remember her until my last breath. I really, really wanted to go home badly.

[Denise Chan]

But Yuki couldn't just go home. She would wake up the next day and do this again and again and again with no end in sight. She was here now, and she didn't really know who to turn to, except for Charlie.

[Yuki]

I told her, ate, I really wanted to go home now. Like, can you help me?

[Denise Chan]

She had trusted Charlie that it would be safe to come here. And the thing was, in spite of it all, she still kind of did trust Charlie that she would help her.

[Yuki]

And then she told me that, okay, we're going to have a plan. And then she. She told me that she's going to be there always.

[Denise Chan]

It was an earnest promise from someone who had fully enmeshed herself in the world of scammers. Someone who had gotten very good at the playbook pitch, handle objections, make promises earnestly. It was the same earnest promise Charlie had made to her brothers, to herself.

[Dev]

I promised to myself, I promised God that I will be in contact with these people. I will be in touch with them. If I executed my plan for my brother, they will be the next.

[Denise Chan]

But it was a promise Charlie had no idea how to keep. And while Yuki believed Charlie would make good on what she said, another recruit would call total bullshit. On Scam Factory, we expose the mastermind's victims and unlikely players caught in webs of deception. But what happens when someone turns a scam into their own survival strategy? Priscilla Barbosa came to the US From Brazil, lured by an Internet friend with the promise of making a living as a rideshare driver. But when she arrived, she was completely alone with just $117 in her pocket. Desperate to make ends meet, she started renting someone else's Uber account under the table. That was just the beginning. Within a year, Barbosa had built an underground empire, creating thousands of fake accounts for Uber, lyft, Instacart and DoorDash. She became a legend in the gig economy underworld, a modern day Brazilian Robinhood scamming the system to stay afloat. But how did she do it? And how did it all come crashing down? Listen to scamfluencers on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts. The days were starting to blur together. Clock in, dick pics, clock out. And once again, it was time to clock out. Jella and her co workers stood up from their desks, collected their personal phones, and slowly filed out of their office. As the group walked up the stairs back to their dorms, they made small talk.

[Jella]

We are just sharing about oh my God I want to go home. If we escape here, we will go to Batanes. We will go to Baraka.

[Denise Chan]

It was the best part of Jella's day, dreaming about getting out of here.

[Jella]

We have to lighten up our mood before we sleep.

[Denise Chan]

Jella was exhausted. For the last week she'd been clocking 14 hours of non stop dick pics from strangers. She had 10 hours to rest and collect herself before it started all over again. She felt hopeless and deeply depressed. She stepped into the cramped room she shared with seven other roommates and headed to her sad little bunk bed. She'd hung up a small towel as a makeshift curtain of sorts to try to give herself a little bit of privacy and dignity. Jella looked down at her phone and a flash of anger came over her. It was Charlie. What the hell did she want?

[Jella]

Said just curls heads up. Don't forget to tell me what you have concerns so that I can brought it up to the company or to the management.

[Denise Chan]

She couldn't believe what she was reading. Don't forget to tell me what concerns you have. This was rich. Jella was sitting in Myanmar, her passport confiscated, unable to leave, being forced to sextort strangers around the world. And Charlie, the woman who sent her here, the woman who had talked her across that bridge, wanted to know if she had any concerns. Charlie had sworn up and down that Jella wasn't going to Myanmar, that this job was legit, that this place was safe. How bold of this woman to act like she cared about Jella's concerns after lying to her face. What game was she playing here?

[Jella]

I felt so angry I didn't respond.

[Denise Chan]

Jella left her on read. She did not and would not Trust Charlie again.

[Jella]

I was lied to.

[Denise Chan]

This woman had ruined her life. Knowingly. But Jella was not going to let Charlie and her recruiters win. She would find a way to get herself out. A week later, Jella finally had a day off. She pulled the little makeshift curtain on her bunk bed closed. This was the closest to alone time she was going to get. Then she pulled out her phone and texted her big sister first is just.

[Jella]

A normal talk with just shutting each other was like catching up.

[Denise Chan]

Jala still hadn't told anyone in her family where she really was or what she was really doing.

[Jella]

I don't want them to worry about me that I was in the dangerous place.

[Denise Chan]

They had all been supportive of her when she told them about this job. She had been so happy. A job in Thailand.

[Jella]

It was in my bucket list.

[Denise Chan]

After quitting her last job, Jala had started a travel vlog posting about little day trips and hikes she did around the Philippines. She'd been surprised to see the view counts on her videos climb. So she thought it would be great to work abroad so she could both earn some money and explore new places. For her vlog, she had a whole list of things she wanted to do in Thailand.

[Jella]

I really wanted to go where there is a restaurant with a matcha dancing.

[Denise Chan]

A Bangkok restaurant where buff men wearing skimpy dresses body rolled off customers while they ate.

[Jella]

And then Pattaya and then where there is an elephant.

[Denise Chan]

But there would be no elephants or macho dancing waiters. She was stuck in a claustrophobic room with seven other drained roommates, barely even allowed to leave her building. In the short updates she sent her family, she'd been trying to keep up the act that everything was going according to plan. Things were just really busy with her new customer service role.

[Jella]

I just want them to think that I'm in good conditions.

[Denise Chan]

But as she lay in her bunk bed talking with her oldest sister, she was finding it increasingly hard to lie. Her sister was 15 years older. They were very close. At home, she'd always told her sister everything. And then Jella's sister brought up their father.

[Jella]

And then she said, tatay asked, how are you?

[Denise Chan]

At the mention of her father, tears welled up in Jella's eyes. She hadn't wanted to tell him the truth because he had high blood pressure. She was worried how he would react, but she really missed him.

[Jella]

When I hear about my father, I was so weak. That's why I was, oh my God, I want to see them.

[Denise Chan]

Jella could feel the lump rising in her throat. Would she even get out of this place to see her family again? She put her phone down and took a deep breath. She couldn't hold it together any longer.

[Jella]

I was startled if I am going to tell or not like that. Then there. I started spitting out every detail.

[Denise Chan]

It was like a pipe had burst. Jella texted her sister about everything. She spared her the graphic details of all the dick pics, but told her about the scamming she was expected to do. How stressed she was about meeting a quota every day. How she hated lying and tricking people, and how no one could leave without paying a huge ransom of $4,000.

[Jella]

She said that you will live there. We will find a way.

[Denise Chan]

Jella hadn't wanted it to come down to this. If anything, she'd hoped to send money home from this new job.

[Jella]

I'm not usually the person who was asking help from them or asking money from them. And then suddenly I was in that situation where I have nowhere to go and ask for that big amount of money. So they work so hard for that money.

[Denise Chan]

The guilt of her ask weighed on Jella.

[Jella]

It turned out to be a burden for them. I brought myself there and I give them problem like that.

[Denise Chan]

Her sister didn't care about any of that. She agreed to find the money.

[Jella]

And then she said, okay, just for your freedom, we will pay.

[Denise Chan]

Jella felt deeply ashamed that her sister had to do this for her. She told her sister she'd let her know the next step. And then she went straight to our bosses and asked to leave immediately.

[Jella]

But the boss doesn't allow me to pay. He said, why are you leaving? We need you here. But I said I want to go home.

[Denise Chan]

They told her no. $4,000 or not, she would not be allowed to leave. They needed her.

[Jella]

They said my reason was not valid just because I don't want to stay there.

[Denise Chan]

A feeling of dread came over Jella. If the ransom money wasn't going to get her out, what the hell could? Would she just be trapped here forever? 1500 miles away, the woman who'd so easily lied to Tangella to this fate was starting to face her own karma. Charlie checked her phone. It was a message from a recruit that was traveling to the compound. Charlie was on call to make sure everything went smoothly. And things were not going smoothly today.

[Dev]

One immigration officer stopped her. She said that can you just go back? I just need to ask you some questions.

[Denise Chan]

The recruit had just been stopped at immigration. Charlie immediately messaged the recruit asking about what happened. But before the recruit could respond, notifications On Charlie's phone started snowballing. You have been removed. Thailand 3.0. You have been removed from Thailand. Charlie was getting kicked out of group chats. What the hell was going on? Charlie quickly texted a co worker to ask the woman was being detained and questioned at the airport. Turns out immigration officers had been closely watching travel itineraries that came from a certain travel agency. One that seemed to always be sending people on vacations to Bangkok that no one ever came back from. And this recruit had a travel itinerary from that exact agency. Charlie's agency. Word was rapidly spreading around the company. Charlie had been compromised. Everyone needed to distance themselves from from Charlie and her agency. This is why she was getting dropped from all the group chats.

[Dev]

I was kicked out. The recruiters, the HR in Myanmar deleted all the conversations, the group chats of every applicant because they know they will be in trouble.

[Denise Chan]

No one wanted a digital trail associated with Charlie's agency that could lead back.

[Dev]

To them because the authorities in the airport, they will go through all the chats, messages, emails of that person, of the passenger. They cleared everything.

[Denise Chan]

And on top of that, no one wanted to send anyone through Charlie anymore. Which to Charlie seemed like it might just be a blessing in disguise.

[Dev]

Okay, I'm done with these people, so I will not going to do any. I'm not going to help this company anymore.

[Denise Chan]

It felt like a massive weight had been lifted. No more bullshitting to a long list of Yuki's and Jellas. No more recruits turned recruiters breathing down her neck. No more earnest promises she didn't know how to keep. But that relief soon turned to panic because her brothers were not doing well. Being inside the scam factory was taking its toll on both Max and Josh. The heads down, meet quota, stay safe plan was unraveling. Josh called Charlie one night, completely breaking down.

[Dev]

He was crying to me and then he said, no, I cannot do this anymore because they are pushing us, stuff like that, they are watching our screens.

[Denise Chan]

Josh, her tough, tatted up brother who had volunteered to protect Max inside, was racked with guilt over scamming people. Max was losing it too.

[Dev]

He told me that it was killing him day by day.

[Denise Chan]

There was so much pressure. Anytime Charlie had asked for anything for her brothers, like say the extra salary Dev had promised to pay out of his own pocket. Dove just made up an excuse.

[Dev]

I asked him many times, he said that, oh, the performance of your brothers are very low. They are not hitting Dakota and stuff.

[Denise Chan]

Dev had also quietly walked back. The special treatment he offered Charlie when she first confronted him. Max found out that promise of getting out of his contract after six months was just another lie.

[Dev]

He asked his team leader and then his team leader, no, that's not gonna happen.

[Denise Chan]

Charlie had been running around telling her brothers and herself that she had everything under control, that she'd get them out. But the truth was her whole house of cards had already started to collapse because that immigration flag, that was serious. Her travel agency was suspected of human trafficking. It was an offense that came with jail time. She needed to act fast. Now she had to try to save herself and her brothers. She had one option left. A man in Bangkok who had the keys to an escape. Someone who might actually be able to save her brothers. But choosing this route had one major downside. Charlie would have to come clean about every everything she had done as a law enforcer.

[Yuki]

It's normal for us to not just believe what she wants to say. We have to assess she might be lying or there must be some motives.

[Denise Chan]

That's on the next episode of Scam Factory. 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 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 if you or someone you know is struggling with mental health, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline can be reached at 988 and the National alliance on Mental Illness is available at 1-800-950-6264. From Wondery, this is episode three of six 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 Barras. Reporting by Wijitra Duang Di. Additional reporting by John Vic Moving Mateo. Additional production assistance from Emily Locke, Malachi Wade and Mariah Dennis. Audio assistance by Daniel William Gonzalez. Sound design and mixing by Marcelino Villalpundo. Original score by Tangeline Bolton. Music supervisor is Scott Velasquez. For Frison Sync. Senior managing producer is Lata Pandya. Managing producer is Heather Beloga. Senior development editor is Rachel B. Doyle. Fact checking by Jacqueline Colletti. Executive producers are Julia Lowry Henderson, George Lavender, Marshall Louie and Jen Sargent. For Wonder 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.