The Hidden Crisis: Matt Friedman Breaks Down Modern Slavery and the Rise of Scam Compounds (Ep 28)
Stolen Podcast19 Nov 2025

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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When Even the Bank Said it Looked Real: Nahid's Pig Butchering Nightmare (Ep 19)

When Even the Bank Said it Looked Real: Nahid's Pig Butchering Nightmare (Ep 19)

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“Keanu Reeves Is Not in Love With You”: Becky Holmes on Celebrity Scams & Romance Fraud (Ep 18)

“Keanu Reeves Is Not in Love With You”: Becky Holmes on Celebrity Scams & Romance Fraud (Ep 18)

Romance scams aren’t just about money—they’re about psychology, shame, and stolen trust. In this episode of Stolen, Erin West talks with author Becky Holmes (Keanu Reeves Is Not in Love With You) abou...

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Sextortion from Scam Compounds: Eric Heintz on KK Park and the Global Scamdemic (Ep 17)

Sextortion from Scam Compounds: Eric Heintz on KK Park and the Global Scamdemic (Ep 17)

Sextortion isn’t just happening online — it’s being industrialized inside scam compounds like KK Park in Southeast Asia. In this episode, Erin West talks with Eric Heintz of International Justice Miss...

3 Sep 202537min

A Scam Survivor Fights Back: How Mary took on Her Scammers with Hard Work and AI (Ep 16)

A Scam Survivor Fights Back: How Mary took on Her Scammers with Hard Work and AI (Ep 16)

Romance scams are one of the fastest-growing forms of online fraud, costing victims billions each year. In this episode of Stolen, Erin West talks with Mary, a romance scam survivor who refused to be ...

27 Aug 202532min

Cryptocurrency Romance Scam Victim Loses 90% of Retirement: Chris's Pig Butchering Story

Cryptocurrency Romance Scam Victim Loses 90% of Retirement: Chris's Pig Butchering Story

In this eye-opening episode of the Stolen Podcast, host Erin West interviews Chris Colocousis, a romance scam survivor who lost 90% of his retirement savings to a sophisticated cryptocurrency investme...

19 Aug 202544min

Fighting the Scamdemic: Former US Secret Service Agent Matt O'Neill on Beating Transnational Organized Crime

Fighting the Scamdemic: Former US Secret Service Agent Matt O'Neill on Beating Transnational Organized Crime

In this episode of Stolen, Erin West sits down with former U.S. Secret Service agent Matt O’Neill — a pioneer in fighting cyber-enabled fraud, cryptocurrency scams, and transnational organized crime. ...

13 Aug 202546min

Aloha! Update from Hawaii! New episode drops Friday

Aloha! Update from Hawaii! New episode drops Friday

6 Aug 20253min

Life After the Tinder Swindler: Romance Scam Survivor Cecilie Fjellhøy (Ep 13)

Life After the Tinder Swindler: Romance Scam Survivor Cecilie Fjellhøy (Ep 13)

Romance scam survivor Cecilie Fjellhøy, made famous by Netflix’s The Tinder Swindler, joins Erin West to expose the real cost of online fraud — and why justice is still out of reach for victims. In th...

6 Aug 202556min

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