The Hidden Crisis: Matt Friedman Breaks Down Modern Slavery and the Rise of Scam Compounds (Ep 28)

The Hidden Crisis: Matt Friedman Breaks Down Modern Slavery and the Rise of Scam Compounds (Ep 28)

In this powerful episode of Stolen, Erin West sits down with global anti-trafficking expert Matt Friedman—CEO of the Mekong Club and one of the most experienced voices in the fight against modern slavery. Matt pulls back the curtain on the brutal realities of human trafficking, forced criminality inside scam compounds, and why the world is still failing the millions of people trapped in these systems.

Together, Erin and Matt dig into:

  • How trafficking “evolved” into forced criminality in Southeast Asian scam compounds

  • The staggering scale of modern slavery—and why we're rescuing only 0.2% of victims

  • The violence, torture, and psychological devastation inside these scam centers

  • Why banks, businesses, and everyday people have a bigger role to play than they realize

  • What it actually takes to wake up the world to this crisis

  • The hope, the frustration, and the path forward

If you've ever wondered how scams, trafficking, and global criminal networks intersect—or what you personally can do to help—this conversation is raw, urgent, and impossible to ignore.

Subscribe to Stolen for straight truth, survivor-centered storytelling, and bold conversations about the scamdemic and the people fighting back.

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Avsnitt(74)

Smoke and Mirrors: Scam Crackdowns in Cambodia and Myanmar (Jason Tower)

Smoke and Mirrors: Scam Crackdowns in Cambodia and Myanmar (Jason Tower)

Episode 71: Transnational organized crime expert Jason Tower explains why crackdowns on scam compounds aren’t stopping scams, just moving them from one region in Asia to another. The Myanmar military ...

30 Sep 58min

Small-town Police Officer Takes on the Big World of Crypto Fraud (Mike Bliss)

Small-town Police Officer Takes on the Big World of Crypto Fraud (Mike Bliss)

Episode 70: Mike Bliss didn’t know much about crypto fraud when he met his first victim in August 2025. With coaching from experienced peers, he now investigates fraud cases and helps other officers. ...

23 Sep 34min

How Iowa is Beating Scammers at Their Own Game (Matt Mortvedt and Jessica McGraw)

How Iowa is Beating Scammers at Their Own Game (Matt Mortvedt and Jessica McGraw)

Episode 69: Iowa has found a way to stop elder financial fraud on the very first transaction — before the money is gone. Matt Mortvedt and Jessica McGraw of the Iowa Insurance Division join Erin West ...

16 Sep 44min

Rewriting the Fraud Conversation to Focus on Empathy (Susan Ralston)

Rewriting the Fraud Conversation to Focus on Empathy (Susan Ralston)

Episode 68: Susan Ralston outlines the evolution of fraud and why she considers it a human, emotional crime whose victims deserve empathy over judgement. Erin West meets with Tower Federal Credit Unio...

9 Sep 57min

A Detective’s Journey from Street Patrol to Chasing Stolen Crypto (Scott Simons)

A Detective’s Journey from Street Patrol to Chasing Stolen Crypto (Scott Simons)

Episode 67: How an assignment with the DEA led to Detective Scott Simons becoming one of the nation’s go-to crypto tracers and the investigative lead for Operation Shamrock’s Crypto Coalition. The Gre...

26 Aug 58min

Romance Scam Revisited: Life After “The Tinder Swindler” (Cecilie Fjellhøy)

Romance Scam Revisited: Life After “The Tinder Swindler” (Cecilie Fjellhøy)

Romance scam survivor Cecilie Fjellhøy helps expose fraud — and find justice for fraud victims. Well-known for Netflix’s The Tinder Swindler documentary, Cecilie Fjellhøy joins Erin West to expose the...

19 Aug 56min

The Last Mile: Why Banks Alone Can't Stop Pig Butchering Investment Scams (Lenny Gusel)

The Last Mile: Why Banks Alone Can't Stop Pig Butchering Investment Scams (Lenny Gusel)

Episode 66: Erin West invites 20-year fraud-fighting veteran Lenny Gusel of Feedzai — former Bank of America, JP Morgan Chase, and Robinhood fraud leader — to talk about why banks are the last line of...

12 Aug 55min

Scam Victim Traces $700,000 to Two Scammers in China

Scam Victim Traces $700,000 to Two Scammers in China

Episode 65: Don was a retired engineer building his dream home when a Facebook "friend of a friend" request turned into a years-long journey into the world of investment scams. Host Erin West and Don ...

5 Aug 31min

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