World of Secrets (BBC): "The Child Cancer Scam" – Episode 6: The Calls

Date: December 29, 2025
Host: Simi Jolaosho
Season: 10, Episode 6

Overview

In the finale of "The Child Cancer Scam," the BBC’s Simi Jolaosho and the reporting team follow the emotional and investigative fallout of their exposé on fraudulent child cancer charities. The episode focuses on families' direct confrontations with suspected scammers, failed attempts at transparency, and the lasting impact on vulnerable children and legitimate charities. The team also provides voice to the heartbreak and resilience of the families affected.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Algin’s Call to Erez Hadary (Cebu, Philippines)

• [04:10] Algin finally connects with Erez Hadary, believed to be one of the organizers of fraudulent fundraising campaigns.
• Erez claims the campaign for her son Khalil was never active, despite public records of donations and significant funds raised.
• He alleges all the money went to advertising, not to Khalil's treatment.
• Atmosphere shifts to discomfort and evasion when confronted with specific questions about the funds.

Notable Quote:

• Algin: "When I mentioned the campaign, his face changed. He looked shocked. It explained a lot. I was taken aback and I'm nervous now. I'm worried he might do something to me." ([07:18])

Timestamps

• Call with Erez begins: [01:30]
• Erez claims: “So the company lost money. They advertise and advertise and they didn't receive money back.” ([03:48])

2. BBC’s Attempt to Confront Erez in Calgary, Canada

• [09:00] BBC team tries to locate Erez at a known address, staking out his residence and speaking to neighbors.
• Multiple attempts (including delivering flowers) lead to no direct contact.
• Eventually, Erez responds to messages only to give vague statements: “The nonprofit has never been active since it was opened. We never used it.” ([13:25])
• He avoids arranged calls, citing illness and later goes silent.

Notable Quote:

• Simi (Host): "I have evidence that you are running these charities, intentionally exploiting children with cancer, using them to scam donors out of millions of dollars... You deceive the families by promising them money towards treatment, but you don't give them anything from the donations." ([16:10])

Timestamps

• Stakeout details: [09:00-12:00]
• Erez’s WhatsApp & text responses: [13:18-15:45]

3. Digital Trails Gone Cold

• Shortly after the BBC’s confrontations, websites for both "Chancellor Tikva" and "Walls of Hope" go offline; clear evidence that organizers are attempting to cover their digital tracks. ([18:05])

4. The Emotional Toll on Families

• [19:03] Algin shows the reporter Khalil’s preserved belongings, including a shrine, shoes, and memorabilia.
• She mourns, believing that if donations had reached them, Khalil might still be alive.

Notable Quote:

• Algin: “I have to find strength every day. It's not easy, but I must. …I miss his voice, his smile, and the way he hugged me. I miss these things every day.” ([21:12])

5. Olena’s Confrontation with “Ole/Alex Cohen” (Ukraine)

• [22:05] Olena calls Ole/Alex Cohen, the man who organized her daughter Victoria’s manipulated fundraising videos.
• He feigns ignorance, promising to "sort things out," but deflects responsibility and ultimately offers no answers.
• Olena reflects on her continued confusion and her wanting the truth.

Notable Quotes:

• Olena: "The main thing I want from this is the truth, because it's bad for everyone, not just for me. I want to put an end to it somehow, so it doesn't happen again." ([22:18])
• Ole: "If that's true, if we can really get in touch with them to sort it out, then we will get all the documents, all the invoices. Because if they really did it without your permission, we will fully resolve it with you." ([24:09])

6. International Obfuscation Continues

• Olena receives a follow-up call from “Sir Roger,” a representative for Chancellor Tikva, who echoes the same line as Erez: all money “spent on advertising” and nothing left for Victoria, though the campaign raised over $300,000. ([27:15])
• Industry experts note 20% on advertising is normal, leaving hundreds of thousands unaccounted for.
• Attempts to contact Cohen further fail as he blocks BBC investigators.

Notable Quote:

• Simi: "When your child is dying, hanging on the edge of life and someone's out there making money off that, it's blood money." ([28:40])

7. Impact: Engleholm Clinic Acts

• [29:45] BBC informs Ukraine’s Engleholm Clinic of their marketing manager, Tatiana, being implicated in these scams.
• The clinic fires Tatiana, emphasizing the ripple effect of the investigation.

8. Ongoing Hardship & Resilience

• Victoria’s health has worsened, but her family continues hoping for a miracle amid heartbreak and financial ruin.
• Olena: “I just really hope everything will be okay. Now I'm about to cry because, honestly, I don't know what the future holds. The doctors say there is no hope, no chance. But I still believe.” ([32:24])

9. The Contrast: Real Charity vs. Scammers (Colombia)

• [34:50] Anna and her father reconnect with Fundevide, a real cancer charity in Cartagena, Colombia.
• Director Nasira Villadiego Uyoa is devastated by the scam:
  "It's inconceivable that someone could use that little girl or any child in those conditions to exploit them, to live off of them." ([36:12])
• Real charities suffer when donor trust is undermined—a major harm from these scams.

Notable Quotes:

• Nasira: “If scammers present themselves as charities and donors give with love and good intentions only to be scammed, it impacts all of us. …That's why I ask people to truly look into these organizations, look at who's really doing the work, because we are saving lives.” ([37:00])

10. Closure & Hope

• Anna celebrates a community return, dancing and singing as her father beams with pride.
• Anna aspires to be a doctor, a poignant hope for the future.
• The story emphasizes the real stakes of medical fundraising: the lives, dreams, and dignity of vulnerable children and their families.

Notable Quote:

• Anna’s teacher Jorge: "She came back cheerful, laughing, playing, singing… She was 100% changed. That's exactly what we were hoping for, a happy ending." ([40:02])

Memorable Moments & Quotes (with Timestamps)

• Algin's realization:
  "When I mentioned the campaign, his face changed. He looked shocked." ([07:18])

• Simi to Erez (voice note):
  "You have directed shoots where children are made to shave their heads. They're made to cry using items like fake eye drops." ([16:40])

• Olena’s plea for answers:
  "The main thing I want from this is the truth, because it's bad for everyone, not just for me." ([22:18])

• Real charity director Nasira:
  "It hurts me deeply. A child is the most sacred thing anyone can have... The scene you show me shatters me into a thousand pieces." ([36:12])

• Anna's dream:
  "She wants to be a doctor when she grows up, to learn how to look after the heart and the lungs and to cure people from fever." ([41:20])

Conclusion

This episode traces the aftermath—and the frustration—of confronting those behind the child cancer scam, exposing how fraudulent operators dodge questions and cover their tracks. Amid bureaucratic silence, removed websites, and legal loopholes, families grieve not only lost children but stolen hopes. The BBC brings their stories to the fore, contrasts the coldness of scammers with the warmth of real charity workers, and celebrates survivors’ resilience.

For further information or to share leads: simbc.co.uk
Previous seasons: "Death in Dubai," "The Abercrombie Guys," "Al Fayed: Predator at Harrods"

Summary by AI. This episode highlights the urgent need for due diligence in charity fundraising and the robust pursuit of justice for families who are harmed by exploitation in their times of greatest vulnerability.