
More videos of sick children pleading for help appear. Who is the man behind the camera?
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Simi Jalaosho
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Narrator / Investigator (Simi Jalaosho)
It's just before Christmas 2023, and Algin's neighborhood is in the midst of the annual barangay festivities. Roast pig and other delicacies are being dished out in the crowded alleyways. Everyone shares food in a big display of pakiki sama, or generosity. Algern's kids love this time of year, especially tonight, Coronation night, when there's a royal costume parade.
Algin (Khalil's mother)
Khalil's brother and sisters took part in the prince and princess competition.
Family Member / Relative
Let's take a look at them.
Algin (Khalil's mother)
That's when gifts and toys are handed out to the children.
Narrator / Investigator (Simi Jalaosho)
They're wearing shiny royal outfits, but Khalil isn't dressed up. Algin is keeping him close. He is now 8 years old and getting weaker and sicker every day.
Algin (Khalil's mother)
I was afraid Khalil was very vulnerable at the time and there were too many people around.
Narrator / Investigator (Simi Jalaosho)
He Gets upset with his mother, telling her she's being over the top for not letting him join in. And when the time comes for the official competition photo, he slips off and joins it. It's the last photo taken of Kahlil. A few nights later, Khalil wakes up feeling a tightness around his chest. Algin, knowing her son, rushes him to the hospital. He's monitored overnight, but discharged in the morning. Test results show he is stable, but he's vomiting a lot. And the next night, the same thing happens.
Algin (Khalil's mother)
That evening, we had to rush him back to the hospital. His chest started to tighten up again. Before we took him, he gave me a big hug and said to me, ma, I love you so much. I was shocked because in my heart I knew those were his last words to me. And that was it. He started to have a seizure and he slipped into a coma. And then he couldn't talk anymore.
Narrator / Investigator (Simi Jalaosho)
Khalil passed away on December 22, 2023. After he filmed Khalil's campaign videos, Erez kept in touch with Algen.
Algin (Khalil's mother)
He asked for updates about Khalil's health. He was fully aware of Khalil's condition.
Narrator / Investigator (Simi Jalaosho)
But she says Erez never told her about the money people donated to help her son. According to the online page, US$27,000 was raised in total. It was only a year later, when I showed Algen the campaign that she found out.
Algin (Khalil's mother)
It makes me angry to see how many people tried to help us. I don't understand how they could do this to us. We did everything he asked us to do so that we could get the help that we needed, and he kept that from us. I trusted him a lot and that's what he did to me.
Narrator / Investigator (Simi Jalaosho)
And nearly two years after his death, Kahlil's campaign is still open for donations.
Algin (Khalil's mother)
It makes me feel very sad that they're still making money using Khalil's name even after he passed away. For the peace of Khalil, I want the fundraising to stop.
Narrator / Investigator (Simi Jalaosho)
Could the money that was raised through the campaign, could that have made a difference for Khalil?
Algin (Khalil's mother)
Khalil could still be alive today.
Narrator / Investigator (Simi Jalaosho)
This is world of secrets season 10, the child cancer scam. A BBC world service investigation. I'm simi jalaosho, episode two the director.
Simi Jalaosho
But who are the people actually making the films and coordinating?
Narrator / Investigator (Simi Jalaosho)
I'm not working on this investigation alone. There's a team of us, including Jack.
Simi Jalaosho
Goodman, that I think, as you say, will come from the speaking to more families.
Narrator / Investigator (Simi Jalaosho)
Jack does online investigations. And the first challenge we had was finding the families of the children in the videos.
Simi Jalaosho
You get a face, an emotional video, and a first name, and that's it.
Narrator / Investigator (Simi Jalaosho)
There were no other details. No location, no contact details, no full names. But by watching Khalil's videos over and over, he found something.
Family Member / Relative
Hello, my name is khalil. I am 70.
Simi Jalaosho
So I looked really closely at the video, frame by frame. And then you get to a scene of some kids playing table tennis. And in the background, if you pause the video and zoom in very closely, there's like a. An election poster. And search the name of that person. And it's connected to the mayor of Cebu in the Philippines. But from there, where did we go? We had Klil and Cebu.
Narrator / Investigator (Simi Jalaosho)
So we did a search using these keywords.
Simi Jalaosho
Khalil, Cebu Cancer came across an article which has Khalil. And it's an article by a local Filipino charity asking for money on his behalf. But this looks like a legitimate appeal, so we found him. And also a Facebook page for what seemed to be his mum.
Narrator / Investigator (Simi Jalaosho)
When I sent her a message on there, she replied, and I arranged to go out and meet her in the Philippines.
Family Member / Relative
We are in the public cemetery then. Khalil was buried there. We visit Kahlil every Monday.
Narrator / Investigator (Simi Jalaosho)
You come every Monday?
Family Member / Relative
Yes.
Narrator / Investigator (Simi Jalaosho)
I'm with Algin and her husband Jozen on their weekly visit to Kahlil's grave. But today is special. It's the first anniversary of his death, so his cousins and aunts are here too. They're all praying for him. One of the photos on his grave is of him smiling, wearing that I love New York beanie. Algin places a banana, his favorite fruit, on his grave. Candles are lit and giant yellow sunflowers are laid down.
Family Member / Relative
I brought him a flower. His favorite color was yellow. That's why we brought yellow spouses. One time, iris visit here.
Narrator / Investigator (Simi Jalaosho)
Oh, he came?
Family Member / Relative
Yes, because he wants to visit Khalil.
Narrator / Investigator (Simi Jalaosho)
When was that?
Family Member / Relative
This year, I think April.
Narrator / Investigator (Simi Jalaosho)
What did he do when he came?
Family Member / Relative
Just visit Khalil.
Narrator / Investigator (Simi Jalaosho)
Did he say anything?
Family Member / Relative
No, only a prayer for. For him.
Narrator / Investigator (Simi Jalaosho)
When Erez came with Algin to her son's grave in April 2024, he must have known Khalil's campaign had raised tens of thousands of dollars and was still taking donations.
Algin (Khalil's mother)
When Erez found out that Kahlil had passed, he told me that he would help with the financial cost of the funeral. But he didn't give me anything. He came to the wake and he brought toys for the kids. He said he had grown to love Khalil. And that he would pray for him and his spirit.
Narrator / Investigator (Simi Jalaosho)
So she kept in touch with him, hoping that he would help in some way. She says he visited numerous times. Algin has shared all the messages, photos, and voice notes between them from after Khalil died. Erez uses a Facebook profile called Eric Noahide to message her.
Algin (Khalil's mother)
He would message me quite a lot, and he would visit the house and bring food for the children. He'd also bring us random gifts. He gave me perfume and would bring me food from Israel. He didn't really tell me much about himself, apart from he was a busy man, Busy looking after his sick mother, busy with work in his hometown. He told me he had two kids and that he was separated from his wife.
Erez Hadary (Eric Noahide)
I was away for six months in the Philippines. I have family. I have kids. I have to see my work. I have to see what's going on. I have no money.
Roy Inchiato
I have to go back.
Erez Hadary (Eric Noahide)
I don't live in the Philippines.
Family Member / Relative
Take care of your flight. God bless.
Narrator / Investigator (Simi Jalaosho)
Bye.
Algin (Khalil's mother)
He'd send pictures of himself, where he lived and on his travels. On a flight, sometimes he would video call me and tell me he was calling from his house or from a hotel. It was always from somewhere different.
Narrator / Investigator (Simi Jalaosho)
Erez is from Israel. He still has family there, but now he lives in Canada. Algin says he travels a lot. In one of the photos he sends, it looks like he's flying business class. He wasn't trying to hide his wealth.
Algin (Khalil's mother)
He made many, many promises. Like, he said he'd buy us a car because he felt bad that we had to walk so far to get public transport. And he promised us that he'd help us start a business.
Narrator / Investigator (Simi Jalaosho)
Algin would message back, telling him about her kids, sharing her grief, talking about the family's financial problems, asking for help. Remember at this time, she thought Khalil's campaign hadn't raised any money. Other times she tries to call him, it's clear from their messages that they become close.
Erez Hadary (Eric Noahide)
Sweetheart, Sweetheart, listen to me. You can't call me because when you call me, I cannot answer. I don't have WI fi all the time. So just send me a message and I'll call you. Don't call me randomly, because you called me, like, at 4 in the morning, 4am I'm a different time zone. I saw that you sent me some information, but I cannot send you money. I have only PayPal, not this GCash. Okay? And I have to wait to get paid at the end of the week, at the end of the month. Okay? Sweetheart, I love you. I Miss you.
Algin (Khalil's mother)
To me, our relationship was a friendship. It was something different for him. I would just ride along with the messages that he sent me.
Erez Hadary (Eric Noahide)
Work honey? Yes. Send me a message on your birthday. I will send you some money. I want you to buy a gift.
Algin (Khalil's mother)
He asked me to recruit other families that had children with illnesses like Khalil. But he didn't offer me any money for it. And he said he wanted me to convert to Judaism so that he could bring me and my kids to his country.
Narrator / Investigator (Simi Jalaosho)
Erez often refers to Jewish holidays. His texts either Passover was coming up or the Sabbath was about to start. And then he wouldn't be in contact for a few days. The Sabbath is supposed to be a holy day of rest. He doesn't want to desecrate it. He'll say to Algin. He's clearly active in the local Jewish community. Erez talked a lot about his faith to Al.
Algin (Khalil's mother)
He was always praying. He told us about his Chabad house in Cebu. He mentioned he had a community there. I didn't have a chance to visit the Chabad house, but he would tell me that he was always busy managing the kitchen and cooking for the community.
Narrator / Investigator (Simi Jalaosho)
So you can find Chabad houses all over the world. They're hubs for for Hasidic or Orthodox Jews, and they offer support for Jewish travelers and are places for worship. In this video from December 2022, Erez is leading Hanukkah celebrations in Cebu. It's the Jewish festival of light, sharing the light.
Erez Hadary (Eric Noahide)
The light represents basically winning the darkness. Not by fighting, by adding more light to. Because a little bit of light pushes a lot of darkness away.
Narrator / Investigator (Simi Jalaosho)
He then lights candles alongside members of the Chabad house and local guests.
Erez Hadary (Eric Noahide)
That's the message of Hanukkah. To fight anti Semitism, to fight loneliness, to fight problems, to fight fears, by giving more light, by helping each other. So you're going to make the blessing of.
Narrator / Investigator (Simi Jalaosho)
This was taken about a week before Erez filmed Khalil in hospital, where Algin says onions were used to make him cry. Ahead of his visit to Khalil's grave, Erez sends this voice note.
Erez Hadary (Eric Noahide)
I hope that Khalil in heaven will help me not to sin.
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Narrator / Investigator (Simi Jalaosho)
We found the video of errors leading the Hanukkah prayers on Roy Inchiato's Facebook. Remember the guy who recruited Algen and set up the shoot?
Roy Inchiato
Listen Jin, this opportunity comes only once.
Narrator / Investigator (Simi Jalaosho)
So let's make the most of it. After the filming, Algen thanked him for his help setting it up.
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Narrator / Investigator (Simi Jalaosho)
And then sent him this video of Khalil wishing him a Happy New Year. Thank you Lord. She says he didn't tell her about the live online campaign. And then after Khalil died, Erez told her not to contact Roy. Judging by his Facebook page, Roy has had a pretty successful life. He looks to be in his 40s with a family. He travels abroad a lot and has a day job in sales at an insurance company in Cebu. So where does he fit in? How much does he know? It might be at work. I'm going to call Roy and ask him about the campaigns. I'm not going to tell him. I've read and listened to all the messages he sent to Algin just yet. I want to hear what he says first. Hello?
Roy Inchiato
Hi.
Narrator / Investigator (Simi Jalaosho)
Hi, am I speaking to Roy? Yes, Roy, Hi, my name is Simi. I introduce myself and I asked him how he got involved with online campaigns for children with cancer.
Roy Inchiato
Oh, you mean the. The campaign from the children with leukemia?
Narrator / Investigator (Simi Jalaosho)
Yes, yes. Can you tell me about the campaigns?
Roy Inchiato
Yeah, I remember that campaign because there was this Israeli group who approached me here in the Philippines to help kids. They come over, then they asked me if there will be kids who can be helped. And the guy present, which is from. I don't know, from Canada. I introduced them to him. And after that probably they communicate with each other. I did not know what. After what's going on next.
Narrator / Investigator (Simi Jalaosho)
Okay, who is this guy from Canada?
Roy Inchiato
The guy's name was Eric.
Narrator / Investigator (Simi Jalaosho)
And then how did you go about finding the families?
Roy Inchiato
I asked my friend who is a doctor, if they have some kids who are in this category who are in need of help for bills and who are cancer kids. And that's the reason why I get to know those kids with leukemia.
Narrator / Investigator (Simi Jalaosho)
So I asked him, who are the families that Roy linked up with? Erez or Eric, as he calls him.
Roy Inchiato
I forgot already the name because it's long term rape.
Narrator / Investigator (Simi Jalaosho)
Okay.
Roy Inchiato
But yes, I remember I was. I introduced. I. I was able to introduce two girls.
Narrator / Investigator (Simi Jalaosho)
Only two girls?
Roy Inchiato
Yeah. And then, and then I explained to them that this group will help you. And then you. You talk to them.
Narrator / Investigator (Simi Jalaosho)
No mention of Khalil or Aljun. But Roy tells me about the filming with the two families he is being open about.
Roy Inchiato
The videos was filmed like. Like a normal video.
Narrator / Investigator (Simi Jalaosho)
Like, were the kids made to cry?
Roy Inchiato
The kids were sitting down and talking about their condition. And I think it was the normal reaction was, yeah, you can really shed a tear, but not on the extent of crying.
Narrator / Investigator (Simi Jalaosho)
Were the kids made to do anything to prepare for the filming?
Roy Inchiato
No, the kids were just sitting and she just talk about her condition and like. Like an interview, talking to the. To the camera, something like that.
Narrator / Investigator (Simi Jalaosho)
Did you tell the families to make sure the kids had their heads shaved?
Roy Inchiato
No, because the kids are already being shaved.
Narrator / Investigator (Simi Jalaosho)
You didn't tell them to make sure they were shaved for the filming?
Roy Inchiato
No, I did not.
Narrator / Investigator (Simi Jalaosho)
Roy is clearly holding something back here. We've heard the messages he sent to Algin. Did Eric promise you anything? Like, what was in it for you to get involved?
Roy Inchiato
There was none, because like I said, I don't want to earn from it if there is any monetary value, because for me it's not about that, it's about helping the kids.
Narrator / Investigator (Simi Jalaosho)
Have you spoken to Eric since these videos were created?
Roy Inchiato
No, no, Morges. He went back to, I. I don't know, Israel or he went to Europe and I did not hear him.
Narrator / Investigator (Simi Jalaosho)
But after the filming, you didn't follow up with them to see if they received the money?
Roy Inchiato
I did not, because after the filming it was that guy who talked to the families. And I also don't want to be like a middleman or something.
Narrator / Investigator (Simi Jalaosho)
I tell him I know that some of the families didn't get the money that was raised.
Roy Inchiato
I feel something like puzzled about what's going on. I feel puzzled. I did not bother to ask if what's going on because I feel it's not my job.
Narrator / Investigator (Simi Jalaosho)
So what do you have to say to those families that trusted you?
Roy Inchiato
I can tell to the family that I am their story about what's happening and I don't have that control as to the situation going on because the information given was to look for those kids who are in need of help, especially for the billings and their treatment.
Narrator / Investigator (Simi Jalaosho)
He made all these promises to the families and didn't ask any questions like, how do you promise these families, these people are going to help when you don't even know where the videos are going? Like, he couldn't confirm what the families were promised, anything about the money, anything about the campaigns. I don't know if he was just withholding a lot of information from me or he genuinely doesn't know him saying that he was just sitting there and they just thank the sponsors. We know that's far from the truth. I tried to call Roy back in the following days, asking him for more information and to press him for more details about the work he did with Erez. But he stopped taking my calls and didn't respond to my messages. Chancellor Tikva is just one of the organisations hosting these fundraising videos of children with cancer. It's been the most active, but there's also another called Walls of Hope that hosts some of the same campaigns. When I look into the registration for it, I find an Erez Hadary listed as the nonprofit's director, and an address In Calgary, Canada. It's important to say there is another wars of hope that does human rights work through art and has nothing to do with this. Jack looks into Erez Hadari online.
Simi Jalaosho
So kind of first port of call would be maybe to try and find social media profiles for him. There's a Facebook page with that name which doesn't have much information on it, but there is a Facebook profile picture that we located to be outside a kosher restaurant in Toronto, Canada. Not many friends on there, but because there's a picture, we could run that through facial recognition software and that shows that this same guy attended what looks to be his son's wedding in Calgary, Canada.
Narrator / Investigator (Simi Jalaosho)
I take the photos that Jack finds online of Erez Hadary to Algen to make sure we're talking about the same person. Will you identify whether that was the person who reached out to you? I show her his picture along with a few others of men his age, A kind of photo lineup. She straight away points to the image of Erez Hadary, but seems nervous.
Family Member / Relative
Yes, that is the person who contacted me. That is the person.
Narrator / Investigator (Simi Jalaosho)
We need to find out what's happened with other families. Have they had the same experience as Algin? After weeks of looking for clues in other videos, we have a breakthrough. We find an old Chancellor Tikva campaign page for a girl called Anna. She's on a hospital bed begging for help. And in it, Ana's father mentions a charity that helped them called Fundevida. A quick Google search shows Fundevida is a respected active charity in Cartagena in Colombia. And when I scroll through their Instagram page, I find this video. It says it's an event commemorating the fight against childhood cancer. It's at a fancy hotel with lots of happy children in costumes, surrounded by colorful balloons. And when we look closer, we see one of them. Looks like the girl from the Chancellor took the video. It looks like Anna. She's wearing a pink dress with a headscarf. The director of the charity confirms it is Ana and helps put us in touch with her family. I asked my Colombian colleague Jose Antonio Lucio to go to Cartagena to see if they'll talk to us.
Roy Inchiato
Hi, guys.
Jose Antonio Lucio
I managed to meet Ana and Sergio. We had a good chat. They are truly amazing, kind hearted, very humble people. But basically, you know, they said that they didn't receive any money for the campaigns. I managed to get some information from Anna's phone, which I think will be very useful about her communications with the person that was kind of recruiting them to do them. These campaign videos. And so. So I'm sending them over and I hope it's useful.
Narrator / Investigator (Simi Jalaosho)
Jose has found voice notes that were sent by a woman called Isabel to the father, Sergio, and to Anna. Like Roy, Isabel wants photos and videos and she's pushing Anna to send more and more. All the photos you have from the clinic or foundation, send them to me, please, without the hat on.
Algin (Khalil's mother)
Okay, my love.
Narrator / Investigator (Simi Jalaosho)
That's why this process has been so slow.
Algin (Khalil's mother)
You haven't sent them photos and videos.
Narrator / Investigator (Simi Jalaosho)
Are necessary to get help. Who is Isabel? This woman demanding things from a little girl that has cancer. This is very bad, Anna.
Algin (Khalil's mother)
Very bad indeed.
Narrator / Investigator (Simi Jalaosho)
That's next time on World of Secrets. If you have any information you would like to share with me about this investigation, you can send an email to simmyabc.co.uk this has been episode two of six of season 10 of World of Secrets, the Child cancer Scam from the BBC World Service. Thank you for listening. If you want more people to hear about this investigation, then one of the best things you can do is leave us a rating or review. It really helps more people find the podcast. The Child cancer Scam is presented and investigated by me, Simi Jalaosho with Jack Goodman and Ned Davis. It's written and Produced by Neil McCarthy and Rob Wilson. Rebecca Henschke is the executive producer and the sound design and mix is by Andy Fell. In the Philippines. Our reporter is Tracks of Floor. In Colombia, it's Jose Antonio Lucio voiceover by Jay Baruzzi and Margherita Rodriguez. It's a BBCI production for the BBC World Service.
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What do you think makes the perfect snack?
Roy Inchiato
Hmm, it's gotta be when I'm really craving it and it's convenient.
Pets Best Advertiser
Could you be more specific?
Roy Inchiato
When it's cravinient.
Narrator / Investigator (Simi Jalaosho)
Okay.
Roy Inchiato
Like a freshly baked cookie made with real butter, available right down the street at AM pm. Or a savory breakfast sandwich I can.
Algin (Khalil's mother)
Grab in just a second at a.m. pM.
Narrator / Investigator (Simi Jalaosho)
I'm seeing a pattern here.
Roy Inchiato
Well, yeah, we're talking about what I.
Pets Best Advertiser
Crave, which is anything from am pm.
Roy Inchiato
What more could you want?
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Roy Inchiato
Drinks are perfectly craveable and convenient. That's Cravenians am PM too much good stuff.
Host/Lead Investigator: Simi Jalaosho
Key Contributors: Jack Goodman, Jose Antonio Lucio
This episode dives deep into the individuals behind an elaborate international charity scam exploiting families of children with cancer. The investigation focuses on the backstory of Khalil—a Filipino child whose story was used to gather tens of thousands of dollars in donations—and on Erez Hadary (alias Eric Noahide), who orchestrates these high-emotion crowdfunding campaigns, and Roy Inchiato, the local fixer in Cebu. The episode reveals how campaign organizers exploit families’ desperation, foster false hope, and often leave them with no access to the funds that were supposedly raised for their child’s care.
Khalil’s Decline (01:47–05:53):
Algin’s Grief and Anger (05:08–05:53):
The Impact of Lost Funds (05:45–05:53):
The Investigator’s Challenge (06:28–07:39):
At Khalil’s Grave (08:24–11:11):
Insight into Erez Hadary (11:11–14:37):
Community Faith as a Facade (14:17–15:49):
Manipulation and Emotional Distress (15:27–15:49):
Interview with Roy Inchiato (19:25–24:48):
Roy, an insurance salesman in Cebu, acted as a recruiter of sick children for Erez’s videos via connections with local doctors.
He maintains ignorance about the post-filming fundraising, claiming his role was merely to introduce families, not to ensure they received money.
“I did not know [about] what after, what's going on next. … I don't want to earn from it ... for me it's not about that, it's about helping the kids.” — Roy Inchiato, 20:26 & 23:00
When pressed about the authenticity of the filmed videos and promises made, Roy appears evasive and downplays his involvement.
Host’s Reflection:
Uncovering Walls of Hope (25:56–26:52):
“There’s a Facebook profile picture that we located to be outside a kosher restaurant in Toronto. ... we could run that through facial recognition software, and that shows that this same guy attended ... his son's wedding in Calgary, Canada.” — Jack Goodman, 26:15–26:52
Similar scams are discovered in Colombia. Anna, a young cancer patient from Cartagena, is featured in a campaign run in the same manner. Her family never received any money.
Voice notes between Anna’s father and “Isabel,” the organizer, reveal the relentless, pressuring communication to generate more emotional content.
“All the photos you have from the clinic or foundation, send them to me, please, without the hat on.” — Isabel, 29:44–30:07
Anna’s family, supported by an established charity (Fundevida), confirms their exploitation.
This episode uncovers how individuals like Erez Hadary manipulate the power of online storytelling and global sympathy, exploiting it for personal gain while leaving desperate families in the dark. The investigation reveals a web of empty promises, emotional exploitation, and a pattern stretching beyond the Philippines to Colombia and likely elsewhere. Next, the team pursues the shadowy recruiters, like “Isabel,” who facilitate this scheme, ensuring the story—and the search for justice—continues.
“Who is Isabel? This woman demanding things from a little girl that has cancer. This is very bad, Anna. Very bad indeed.” — Simi Jalaosho, 30:32
This summary captures the investigative depth, emotional resonance, and global scope of "The Director”—helping listeners grasp both the mechanics and human cost of these fraudulent campaigns.