Join Erin West in Entebbe, Uganda, for an extraordinary conversation with Small Q, a survivor of two of Southeast Asia's most notorious scam compounds. In this eye-opening episode, Small Q reveals the brutal reality inside pig butchering operations, where human trafficking victims are forced to execute cryptocurrency romance scams against Americans and people worldwide.

Discover the shocking tactics scammers use: fake offices, planted models for video verification, and sophisticated social engineering techniques designed to build trust before stealing life savings. Small Q shares his harrowing experience of 20-hour workdays, electric taser punishments, and complete movement control inside compounds like KK Park in Myanmar.

This conversation includes a major revelation as Small Q identifies being held in two separate notorious compounds, providing crucial insights into how these criminal operations have evolved since 2020. Learn how recruiters in Uganda and across Africa lure victims with promises of legitimate data entry jobs paying $1,200 monthly—only to traffic them into forced scam labor.

Small Q discusses his path to freedom, his music of hope and resilience, and his mission to raise awareness about human trafficking and crypto scams. This episode is essential listening for fraud prevention professionals, law enforcement, potential job seekers in Africa, and anyone concerned about the intersection of human trafficking and financial crime.

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.

When Jay Jones was laid off and posted his "Open to Work" banner on LinkedIn, he was immediately targeted by scammers. In this episode of Stolen, host Erin West sits down with The Profiler to expose the sophisticated job scam industry preying on vulnerable job seekers. Jay reveals how fake recruiters, resume writers, and hiring managers use ATS (Applicant Tracking System) scare tactics to steal personal information, drain bank accounts, and commit identity theft.

Learn how scammers are infiltrating LinkedIn with fake company pages, fake jobs on real company profiles, and romance scams targeting executives. Jay shares red flags to watch for, including phrases like "beat the ATS," upfront payment requests, and confidential job postings. Whether you're a new graduate, recently laid off, or actively job hunting, this episode provides critical insights to protect yourself from job scams that cost victims thousands of dollars and pose a national security threat to the United States.

In this episode, Erin West sits down with Ari Redbord of TRM Labs to unpack one of the biggest moves yet against global scam networks — the $15 billion forfeiture and indictment of Cambodian tycoon Chen Zhi and the Prince Group. They break down what the U.S. government did, how sanctions, forfeiture, and FinCEN actions work together, and why this is a turning point in the global fight against pig butchering scams and transnational organized crime.

Cristy shares her heartbreaking story of falling victim to an elaborate celebrity impersonation scam. After making her Instagram profile public for one week to support her niece, she was contacted by someone claiming to be comedian Matt Rife. What began as a seemingly authentic connection—complete with voice messages, flowers, and deep conversations about mindfulness—evolved into a sophisticated romance and cryptocurrency investment fraud that cost her everything.

In this emotional episode of Stolen with host Erin West, Cristy reveals how scammers used love bombing, multiple fake personas (including a PR person and financial planner), and psychological manipulation to isolate her and gain her trust. She discusses the warning signs she missed, the devastating financial and emotional impact, and her journey toward recovery and self-forgiveness.

If you or someone you know has been targeted by celebrity impersonation scams, romance fraud, or cryptocurrency investment schemes, this episode offers crucial insights into how these operations work and why even intelligent, cautious people can fall victim.

When the U.S. unsealed its indictment against Cambodian tycoon Chen Zhi, it didn’t just take down one man—it exposed a global scam empire built on trafficking, corruption, and stolen crypto. Erin West sits down with expert Jake Sims to unpack the historic $15 billion seizure, what it means for Cambodia’s ruling elite, and why this moment could redefine the global fight against organized cybercrime.

St. Louis detective Mike Clinton joins Erin West to reveal how local, state, and federal law enforcement are teaming up to take down crypto scammers. From the rise of fusion centers to the success of Operation Shamrock and the Shamrock Triage Team, this episode dives deep into how collaboration—and grit—are closing the gap between victims and justice. Learn how one detective turned chaos into a national model for combating crypto-enabled crime.

In this eye-opening episode of Stolen, host Erin West sits down with anti-money laundering expert Alison Jimenez to discuss the rapidly growing crisis of financial sextortion targeting teenage boys. Learn how this transnational crime works, how scammers move money, and what parents and financial institutions can do to protect children.

What You'll Learn:

• How financial sextortion schemes target teenage boys through social media platforms like Instagram and Snapchat
• The shocking statistics: 1 in 3 American teenage boys have been targeted, with complaints rising from 139 in 2021 to over 36,000 in 2024
• How scammers use peer-to-peer payment apps (Venmo, Cash App, Zelle, Apple Pay) and gift cards to extract money from victims
• The cryptocurrency trail: how money moves from U.S. victims to criminal organizations in Nigeria and West Africa
• Red flags parents should watch for in their teen's payment apps
• Why "safety by design" matters for financial products targeting minors
• Practical steps financial institutions can take to add friction to these schemes

Expert Insights: Alison Jimenez breaks down the financial infrastructure behind sextortion scams, explaining money mule operations, Bitcoin transfers, and the regulatory landscape. She shares actionable recommendations for parents, including privacy controls, parental notifications, and how to talk to your kids about this threat.

Key Takeaways for Parents:

• Most payment apps automatically enroll teens in services like Zelle without opt-out options
• Scammers typically demand around $300 per victim using peer-to-peer payments or specific gift cards
• The crime moves quickly—from initial contact to blackmail can happen in minutes or hours
• Only 10-20% of scammers actually share images if victims don't pay, but the psychological harm is severe

Whether you're a parent, work in financial services, or care about protecting children online, this episode provides crucial information about one of the fastest-growing crimes affecting American teens today.