♪ ♪
[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE]
John: WELCOME, WELCOME,
WELCOME TO "LAST WEEK TONIGHT!"
I'M JOHN OLIVER, THANKS FOR
JOINING US.
IT'S BEEN A BUSY WEEK, FROM
THE U.S. VETOING A CEASE-FIRE IN
GAZA YET AGAIN, TO THE
REVELATION THAT JOE BIDEN'S DOG
BIT SECRET SERVICE AGENTS AT
LEAST 24 DIFFERENT TIMES.
BUT WE'RE GOING TO START IN WEST
VIRGINIA, WHICH HAS SPENT THE
PAST SEVERAL WEEKS DEBATING A
BILL TO IMPOSE CRIMINAL
PENALTIES FOR EXPOSING CHILDREN
TO "OBSCENE" LITERATURE IN
SCHOOLS AND LIBRARIES.
THE DEBATE'S FEATURED SOME
SPECTACULAR TESTIMONY FROM
CONCERNED CITIZENS, READING OUT
MATERIAL THEY OBJECTED TO.
ARE YOU GONNA EAT HER PUSSY?
YEAH, EARL, I'M GONNA EAT HER
PUSSY.
HEY, YEAH.
DO YOU EVEN KNOW HOW TO EAT
PUSSY?
PAPA GAINES NEVER SAT YOU DOWN,
SAID "SON, ONE DAY, YOU'RE GOING
TO HAVE TO EAT THE PUSSY?"
NO.
BUT HE DID TEACH ME HOW TO EAT A
BUTTHOLE.
John: LOOK, I ADMIT, I DON'T
REMEMBER THAT SCENE FROM "THE
GIVING TREE."
BUT IT'S BEEN A WHILE, AND IN
RETROSPECT, IT DOES MAKE SENSE
FOR THE TREE TO SIT THE BOY DOWN
AND EXPLAIN HOW TO ROCK THE BOX.
IT'S AN IMPORTANT LESSON.
BUT WHILE THAT HEARING WAS
RIDICULOUS, THE LAW ITSELF IS
SERIOUS.
VIOLATING IT COULD CARRY A
FELONY CHARGE, WITH A PENALTY OF
$25,000 AND A SENTENCE OF UP TO
5-YEARS.
MANY HAVE CALLED IT A "BOOK BAN"
ALTHOUGH THE BILL'S BACKERS
PUSHED BACK ON THAT, WITH ONE OF
THE SPEAKERS WHO SUPPORTED IT
SAYING, "WE ARE NOT BANNING OR
BURNING, WE ARE PROTECTING."
ALTHOUGH I'LL TELL YOU WHAT
YOU'RE DEFINITELY NOT
PROTECTING, AND THAT'S MY EARS
FROM HEARING "EAT THE PUSSY"
FOUR TIMES OUT OF THIS WOMAN'S
MOUTH.
BUT WHILE WEST VIRGINIA MAY NOT
BE BURNING BOOKS, OBSCENITY
BILLS AND SIMILAR MORAL PANICS
ARE SPREADING AROUND THE
COUNTRY, IN PLACES LIKE
MISSOURI, WHERE A CANDIDATE FOR
OFFICE RELEASED THIS VIDEO.
THIS IS WHAT I WILL DO TO THE
GROOMING BOOKS WHEN I BECOME
SECRETARY OF STATE.
♪ ♪
THESE BOOKS COME FROM A MISSOURI
PUBLIC LIBRARY.
WHEN I'M IN OFFICE, THEY WILL
BURN.
John: OKAY.
THERE'S A LOT TO NOT LIKE THERE,
INCLUDING THAT HER FLAMETHROWER
IS APPARENTLY FUELED BY LIBERAL
TEARS.
WHICH...
WHAT?
I'M NOT SAYING THE GOP'S
MESSAGING IS IN DISARRAY, BUT...
ARE LIBERAL TEARS THE THING YOU
LOVE TO DRINK BECAUSE YOUR
ENEMIES' SADNESS TASTES SO
SWEET?
OR, IS IT THE DEADLY FUEL FOR
YOUR VERY COOL SHARK-THEMED
FLAMETHROWER?
YOU'VE GOT TO PICK A FUCKING
LANE.
BUT FOR NOW, LET'S TURN TO
ALABAMA, WHICH HAS BEEN REELING
AFTER A MAJOR DECISION FROM ITS
HIGHEST COURT.
THIS MORNING, A FIRST OF ITS
KIND DECISION BY THE ALABAMA
SUPREME COURT THAT COULD PUT
FAMILIES' ACCESS TO FERTILITY
TREATMENTS IN THE POST-ROE ERA
AT RISK.
THE COURT, DETERMINING FROZEN
EMBRYOS QUALIFY AS PEOPLE UNDER
ITS STATE LAW, RULING UNBORN
CHILDREN ARE CHILDREN WITHOUT
EXCEPTION BASED ON DEVELOPMENTAL
STAGE.
John: YEAH.
THEY RULED FROZEN EMBRYOS ARE
THE SAME AS PEOPLE, WHICH IS
WRONG FOR A BUNCH OF REASONS--
MAINLY, IF YOU FREEZE AN EMBRYO,
IT'S FINE.
IF YOU FREEZE A PERSON, YOU HAVE
SOME EXPLAINING TO DO.
THAT RULING COULD HAVE MASSIVE
IMPLICATIONS FOR ANYONE WHO
NEEDS IVF TO CONCEIVE-- AND
THAT'S A LOT OF PEOPLE.
AROUND 2% OF BABIES BORN IN THE
US ARE FROM IVF.
ALREADY, MULTIPLE FERTILITY
CLINICS HAVE PAUSED TREATMENT IN
THE WAKE OF THE DECISION--
WHICH, AS ANYONE WHO'S EVER
UNDERGONE IVF WILL TELL YOU,
ISN'T SOMETHING YOU CAN JUST DO.
IVF CYCLES TAKE WEEKS OF CAREFUL
MONITORING AND EXPENSIVE
TREATMENTS.
YOU CAN'T JUS HIT PAUSE AND
WAIT OUT A COURT CASE.
THIS IS A SEISMIC DECISION, AND
THE REASON THE COURT WAS HEARING
THIS CASE TO BEGIN WITH WAS
PRETTY WILD.
THE CASE IN QUESTION INVOLVED
A PATIENT WHO MANAGED TO ACCESS
THE FREEZER STORING FROZEN
EMBRYOS AT AN ALABAMA FERTILITY
CLINIC.
THE PATIENT PICKED UP MULTIPLE
EMBRYOS AND MISTAKENLY DROPPED
AND DESTROYED THEM.
John: YEAH-- THE COURT RULED
THAT THE CLINIC COULD BE SUED
FOR WRONGFUL DEATH.
AND WHILE THAT ACCIDENT'S
GENUINELY HORRIBLE, SOMEONE
WANDERING INTO A LAB AND
DROPPING FROZEN EMBRYOS JUST
ISN'T MURDER.
IF ANYTHING, IT SOUNDS LIKE THE
SCRIPT FOR A PRETTY TASTELESS
"MR. BEAN" SEQUEL.
AND LOOK: THE REASON CLINICS ARE
PAUSING TREATMENT RIGHT NOW IS
THAT NOBODY QUITE KNOWS WHAT IT
COULD MEAN FOR AN EMBRYO TO BE
LEGALLY EQUIVALENT TO A PERSON,
GOING FORWARD.
WHAT HAPPENS IF AN EMBRYO IS
STORED IMPROPERLY?
WHAT IF THEY'RE-- AS INEVITABLY
HAPPENS-- LEFT OVER OR
DESTROYED IN THE IMPLANTATION
PROCESS?
WHAT ABOUT GENETIC TESTING,
WHICH CAN REDUCE THE RISK OF
MISCARRIAGE, BUT DOES CARRY A
SLIGHT RISK OF DAMAGING EMBRYOS?
WOULD THAT NOW BE CONSIDERED A
WRONGFUL DEATH?
IT'S CHAOS, AND EXPERTS SAY
COURTS IN OTHER STATES COULD TRY
AND ISSUE SIMILAR RULINGS.
BUT NONE OF THIS SHOULD BE
SURPRISING.
THIS RULING IS A NATURAL
OUTGROWTH OF THE CONCEPT OF
"FETAL PERSONHOOD," LONG PUSHED
BY HARDLINE ANTI-ABORTION
GROUPS, WHICH REPUBLICANS HAVE
SPENT DECADES COURTING.
AND SOME POLITICIANS SUDDENLY
SEEM ALARMED TO HAVE TO DEAL
WITH THE CONSEQUENCES OF A
MOVEMENT THEY EMPOWERED.
NIKKI HALEY, FOR INSTANCE, SPENT
THE WEEK TRYING TO RECONCILE HER
POSITION THAT "WHEN YOU'RE
TALKING ABOUT AN EMBRYO, YOU'RE
TALKING ABOUT A LIFE," WITH WHAT
THAT ACTUALLY MEANS IN LEGAL
TERMS.
MEANWHILE, WATCH AS ALABAMA
SENATOR TOMMY TUBERVILLE SEEMED
TO REALIZE THE PROBLEMS WITH HIS
POSITION IN REAL TIME.
DO YOU HAVE A REACTION TO THE
ALABAMA SUPREME COURT RULING ON
THE FACT THAT EMBRYOS ARE
CHILDREN?
YEAH, I WAS ALL FOR IT.
WE NEED TO HAVE MORE KIDS.
WE NEED TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY
TO DO THAT.
I THOUGHT THAT THIS WAS THE
RIGHT THING TO DO.
BUT IVF IS USED TO HAVE MORE
CHILDREN, AND RIGHT NOW IVF
SERVICES ARE PAUSED AT SOME OF
THE CLINICS IN ALABAMA.
AREN'T YOU CONCERNED THAT THIS
COULD IMPACT PEOPLE WHO ARE
TRYING TO HAVE KIDS?
WELL, THAT'S FOR-- THAT'S
FOR ANOTHER CONVERSATION.
SENATOR, WHAT DO YOU SAY TO
WOMEN RIGHT NOW IN ALABAMA WHO
CAN NO LONGER ACCESS IVF AND
WILL NOT AS A RESULT OF THIS
RULING?
WHAT DO YOU SAY TO THEM?
WELL, THAT'S A HARD ONE.
IT REALLY IS.
IT'S REALLY HARD.
'CAUSE AGAIN, YOU WANT PEOPLE TO
HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY.
AND THAT'S WHAT I WAS TELLING
HER, WE NEED MORE KIDS.
John: WELL, GUESS WHAT,
TOMMY?
I'VE GOT GREAT NEWS!
SINCE YOUR POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY
SEEMS TO BEGIN AND END WITH "WE
NEED MORE KIDS," YOU'LL BE
THRILLED TO KNOW THAT THANKS TO
A JUDGE IN ALABAMA, THERE'S NOW
WHOLE FREEZERS FULL OF THEM!
GO PLAY WITH ALL THOSE FROSTY
KIDS, SENATOR!
OR MAYBE, THAT'S NOT WHAT YOU
HAD IN MIND WHEN YOU THINK OF
CHILDREN, WHICH IS EXACTLY THE
FUCKING POINT.
REPUBLICANS ARE IN A TOUGH SPOT
RIGHT NOW, TRYING TO HOLD ONTO
HARDLINE ANTI-ABORTION FORCES,
WHILE NOT ALIENATING THE
MAJORITY OF AMERICANS.
AND MAYBE, THE BEST EXAMPLE OF
THAT RIGHT NOW HAS TO DO WITH
AND MAY BECOME OF THE BEST
EXAMPLE OF THIS IS DONALD TRUMP.
HE ISSUED A STATEMENT THIS WEEK
THAT HE STRONGLY SUPPORTS THE
AVAILABILITY OF IVF FOR COUPLES
WHO ARE TRYING TO HAVE A
PRECIOUS BABY-- SOMETHING HE
REFERRED TO AS "THE ULTIMATE JOY
IN LIFE," ALL CAPS, EXCLAMATION
MARK.
AND IT'S INCREDIBLE HOW EVEN
OBJECTIVELY WHOLESOME SENTENCES
TAKE ON AN AIR OF CREEPINESS
WHEN PASSED THROUGH THE CHAOTIC
TRUMP PUNCTUATION FILTER.
MEANWHILE, HE'S ALSO BEEN
PRIVATELY FLOATING A FEDERAL BAN
ON ABORTION AT THE 16-WEEK MARK,
REPORTEDLY SAYING, "KNOW WHAT I
LIKE ABOUT 16?"
"IT'S EVEN.
IT'S FOUR MONTHS."
AND I WILL SAY-- STARTING ANY
SENTENCE WITH "YOU KNOW WHAT I
LIKE ABOUT 16," SHOULD BE OFF
LIMITS FOR ANYONE WHO HAS THIS
MANY PHOTOS WITH JEFFREY
EPSTEIN.
BUT WHILE TRUMP MIGHT THINK 16
WEEKS IS THE REASONABLE OPTION
WHICH IT ISN'T--
ANTIABORTION FORCES ARE HOPING
TO USE A SECOND TRUMP TERM TO GO
MUCH, MUCH FURTHER.
ONE TOOL THEY'RE APPARENTLY
EAGER TO USE IS THE COMSTOCK
ACT, AN 1873 LAW THAT
CRIMINALIZES THE SHIPPING OF ANY
MATERIALS USED IN AN ABORTION,
INCLUDING ABORTION PILLS, WITH
ONE OF TRUMP'S LAWYERS SAYING,
"WE DON'T NEED A FEDERAL BAN
WHEN WE HAVE COMSTOCK ON THE
BOOKS."
IT WAS ONE OF THE KEY PRETEXTS
IN LAST YEAR'S MIFEPRISTONE
RULING, AND LINDSEY GRAHAM
ACTUALLY CITED COMSTOCK WHEN
DEFENDING IT.
THE IDEA OF MAILING THE
DRUG-SENDING THE DRUG THROUGH
THE MAIL RUNS INTO A STATUTE
CALLED THE COMSTOCK ACT.
IT'S A VERY OLD STATUTE ON
THE BOOKS.
DO YOU BELIEVE THAT THE SUPREME
COURT SHOULD USE THAT AS A WAY
TO BAN THIS ABORTION PILL?
WELL, I THINK IT'S A LAW ON
THE BOOKS.
John: LOOK, I GUESS IT'S NOT
THAT SURPRISING THAT GRAHAM'S
ENDORSEMENT OF A LAW BOILS DOWN
TO "IT'S ON THE BOOKS," GIVEN
THAT "IT'S OLD AND IT'S THERE"
BASICALLY SUMS UP LINDSEY GRAHAM
AT THIS POINT.
HE SEEMS DETERMINED TO STAY IN
THE SENATE UNTIL HE CAN COMPLETE
TRANSFORMATION INTO BEAKER.
AND, HE'S GETTING CLOSE.
HE'S ONLY A COUPLE OF STEPS
AWAY.
BUT HE'S RIGHT: THE COMSTOCK ACT
IS TECHNICALLY THERE, MEANING A
TRUMP ADMINISTRATION-- OR THE
JUDGES HE APPOINTS-- COULD TRY
USING IT TO RESTRICT ABORTION
WITHOUT GOING THROUGH CONGRESS.
WHICH IS BOTH ALARMING, AND
SOMETHING MANY PRO-LIFE FIGURES
ARE ANXIOUS TO KEEP QUIET FOR
NOW.
THAT TRUMP LAWYER I MENTIONED
EVEN SAID OF HIM, "I HOPE HE
DOESN'T KNOW ABOUT THE EXISTENCE
OF COMSTOCK, BECAUSE I JUST
DON'T WANT HIM TO SHOOT OFF HIS
MOUTH."
"I THINK THE PRO-LIFE GROUPS
SHOULD KEEP THEIR MOUTHS SHUT AS
MUCH AS POSSIBLE UNTIL THE
ELECTION."
BUT WHENEVER THEY DON'T WANT TO
TALK ABOUT SOMETHING, IT'S
PROBABLY WORTH YOU KNOWING
ABOUT.
SO, FOR THE RECORD, THE COMSTOCK
ACT IS NAMED AFTER ANTHONY
COMSTOCK, A 19TH CENTURY
ANTI-SEX CRUSADER AND POSTAL
INSPECTOR WHO WAS, AND I QUOTE,
"A CHRONIC MASTURBATOR WHO
BELIEVED IT WAS PHYSICALLY
HARMFUL, SO LAUNCHED A CRUSADE
TO STAMP OUT THE TRANSMISSION
AND TRANSPORTATION OF ALL
OBSCENE MATERIAL."
AND IMAGINE JERKING OFF SO MUCH
YOU MAKE IT A MATTER OF NATIONAL
SECURITY.
THE COMSTOCK ACT FORBADE SENDING
BY MAIL "EVERY OBSCENE, LEWD,
LASCIVIOUS, INDECENT, FILTHY OR
VILE ARTICLE, MATTER, THING,
DEVICE, OR SUBSTANCE," AS WELL
AS "EVERY ARTICLE OR THING
DESIGNED, ADAPTED, OR INTENDED
FOR PRODUCING ABORTION."
THAT'S THE CLAUSE ABORTION
OPPONENTS HAVE USED ON
MIFEPRISTONE, AND THEY HOPE TO
EXPAND IT TO COVER THE SHIPPING
OF LITERALLY ANYTHING AN
ABORTION REQUIRES.
SO, THE COMSTOCK ACT IS A WILD
LAW, PUSHED FOR BY A DEEPLY
WEIRD, DANGEROUSLY HORNY MAN,
THAT MAY SOON BE DETERMINING ALL
OUR REPRODUCTIVE FREEDOMS.
AND IT'S WORTH NOTING THAT
COMSTOCK WAS ALSO A LEADER IN
"THE NEW YORK SOCIETY FOR THE
SUPPRESSION OF VICE," WHOSE SEAL
FUN FACT-- DEPICTED SOMEONE
BURNING BOOKS.
WHICH, TO BE FAIR, CONSERVATIVES
DON'T DO ANYMORE.
AS WE ALL KNOW, THEY USE FLAME
THROWERS NOW.
AND THAT'S THE THING THAT TIES
EVERYTHING I'VE TALKED ABOUT
HERE TOGETHER-- THERE ARE
POLITICIANS CURRENTLY
DESPERATELY TRYING TO DISTANCE
THEMSELVES FROM EXTREME POLICIES
THEY'VE ENABLED.
YOU CAN SAY "WE'RE NOT TRYING TO
BAN OR BURN BOOKS," BUT THAT'S
WHAT'S HAPPENING.
YOU CAN SAY "WE JUST WANT MORE
KIDS," BUT YOU'RE MAKING LIFE
INCREDIBLY HARD FOR PEOPLE,
INCLUDING THOSE WHO DESPERATELY
WANT THEM.
BURNING BOOKS AND ENDING IVF IS
THE NATURAL ENDPOINT OF THE
EXTREME POLICIES THEY'VE HELD
HANDS WITH, AND IF THEY'RE NOT
AT LEAST WILLING TO OWN THOSE
CONSEQUENCES, THEN THEY CAN, IN
THE WORDS OF WHAT I BELIEVE TO
BE THIS COUNTRY'S GREATEST
PUBLIC SPEAKER--
EAT A BUTTHOLE.
John: WELL SAID.
AND NOW, THIS.
Announcer: AND NOW, MORE
EXPLICIT READINGS FROM CONCERNED
CITIZENS AT PUBLIC MEETINGS.
THE BOY TALK TO SOFT TO HER
ABOUT HOW GOOD SHE LOOKED AND
THINGS LIKE THAT, AND SHE
GRABBED HIS PENIS WITH HER HANDS
AND STARTED MOVING IT.
IT FELT SO GOOD, SO FUCKING
GOOD.
I DON'T KNOW HOW PEOPLE DON'T DO
ANYTHING BUT HAVE SEX IF THEY
AREN'T ADULTS OR HAVE PARENTS.
ON TOP OF THE VALENCIA WHILE
MAKING LOVE TO WORK, BILLY MADE
A NOISE LIKE A SMALL, RUSTY
HINGE PARAKEET ENTERED HIS
SEMINAL VESICLES INTO HER.
I HAD SUCKED MY PAIR OF
DICK'S, GIVEN HAND JOBS AND
JOBS, BLOW JOBS, BUT THE ONLY
BOOK BUT SEX I HAD WAS THIS
JUNIOR WHO--
AND I PULL AND I SUCK UNTIL
HE GROANS AND MAKE SOUNDS, AND I
KEEP GOING AND GOING.
AND WHEN HE SAYS "I'M GOING TO
CUM, I DON'T PULL AWAY.
SALLE--
IT TASTES LIKE THICK SWEAT.
YOU CAN PULL OUT OR FUCK HER
TOO HARD.
MY ONLY CHALLENGE WAS BRIAN
WHO WAS MY JERICHO FRIEND WHO
LIKES TO JERK ME OFF.
I HAVE 20 PUSSIES HERE THAT I
HAVE TWO NEAT.
I'M ON PUSSY DEADLINE.
IT'S WHICH IS.
IT'S ALL SO FUCKING COMPLICATED.
I JUST WANT TO MENTION, I'VE
NEVER SAID THE F-WORD EVER IN MY
LIFE BEFORE UNTIL JUST NOW.
[LAUGHTER]
PLUS TICK
John: MOVING ON.
OUR MAIN STORY TONIGHT CONCERNS
THE INTERNET.
IT CAN BE A MAGICAL PLACE, BUT
ALSO ONE WHERE THINGS AREN'T
ALWAYS WHAT THEY SEEM-- AS THIS
WOMAN LEARNED THE HARD WAY.
QUEEN SHAYDONNA HAYNESWORTH
THOUGHT SHE BOUGHT THIS: THE
INSTAGRAM AD DISPLAYING A TREE
THAT FITS IN A LIVING ROOM, NOT
THE PALM OF HER HAND.
YOOOOO!
THIS IS A RAINBOW CHRISTMAS
TREE?
LIKE, SERIOUSLY?
LIKE, WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR
THIS?
John: YEAH, IT MUST'VE BEEN
PRETTY DISAPPOINTING, TO ORDER A
FULL-SIZE TREE AND GET WHATEVER
THAT IS.
SHE MUST'VE FELT LIKE HBO DID
WHEN THEY ORDERED A COMEDY SHOW
AND GOT THIS INSTEAD.
UNFORTUNATELY, NOT EVERY MISTAKE
IS THAT BENIGN.
IT'S NOT NEWS THAT THERE ARE
SCAMMERS ON THE INTERNET, BUT
YOU MAY'VE NOTICED, ONE SCAM IN
PARTICULAR IS CURRENTLY
EVERYWHERE.
A COMMON WAY IT STARTS IS WITH A
WEIRD TEXT FROM A NUMBER YOU
DON'T RECOGNIZE, LIKE, "CHERYL,
CAN WE MOVE LUNCH TO 5:00?"
WHEN YOU'RE NOT CHERYL.
OR "DAVE, WHAT TIME IS OUR
FLIGHT?"
WHEN YOU'RE NOT DAVE AND YOU
DON'T HAVE A FLIGHT BOOKED.
EVEN AS WE WORKED ON THIS PIECE,
MEMBERS OF OUR STAFF AND THEIR
FRIENDS WERE GETTING THESE
MESSAGES, FROM "HELLO IS THIS
THE MANAGER JESSE FROM THE
FLOWER SHOP?"
TO THIS ONE, READING, "IS THIS
DR. JOHN?
I'M EMILY, IS MY HORSE
RECOVERING WELL?"
AND I'M GLAD THAT WASN'T SENT TO
ME, BECAUSE IT WOULD HAVE
WORKED.
YOU'RE CALLING ME DOCTOR JOHN?
INSTANTLY ON BOARD.
AND YOU'RE ASSUMING I'M AROUND A
HORSE FOR MEDICAL REASONS?
THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT I'VE BEEN
SAYING!
I'M ALLOWED TO TOUCH IT LIKE
THAT.
I'M A DOCTOR!
AND I KNOW MOST PEOPLE IGNORE
MESSAGES LIKE THOSE.
BUT SOME WRITE BACK, GET SUCKED
INTO A CONVERSATION AND
EVENTUALLY-- THROUGH A PROCESS
WE'LL GET INTO-- CAN END UP
LOSING A LOT OF MONEY.
IT'S A SCAM WITH A STRIKING NAME
THAT NEWSCASTERS CAN'T SEEM TO
GET OVER.
IT'S CALLED A PIG BUTCHERING
SCAM.
AND IT MIGHT SOUND LIKE A
GRUESOME NAME, BUT THAT'S
BECAUSE THE AMOUNT OF MONEY
VICTIMS ARE LOSING IS PAINFUL.
THE SCAMMERS HAVE A TERRIBLE
TERM FOR WHAT WENDY WENT
THROUGH.
THEY CALL IT PIG BUTCHERING.
THE NEW MEXICO SECURITIES
DIVISION CALLS THEM "PIG
BUTCHERING SCAMS."
I KNOW, BUT LISTEN, DON'T WORRY,
THERE ARE NO PIGS OR ANY OTHER
ANIMALS INVOLVED.
John: YES, DON'T WORRY, THERE
ARE NO PIGS HARMED IN "THIS" PIG
BUTCHERING SCAM.
ALTHOUGH, IF THE WORDS DO MAKE
YOU SQUEAMISH, IT'S WORTH NOTING
THAT THAT THERE IS A PROCESS
THROUGH WHICH PIGS ARE HARMED
EVERY DAY.
IT'S ACTUALLY HOW WE GET BACON,
PORK AND OTHER PRODUCTS.
IT'S CALLED PIG BUTCHERING, AND
IT'S EXACTLY WHAT IT SOUNDS
LIKE.
BUT THE NAME MAKES A LITTLE MORE
SENSE, ONCE YOU UNDERSTAND HOW
THE SCAM ACTUALLY WORKS.
IN THE WORLD OF CYBER AND
COUNTERTERRORISM THREATS.
SPECIAL AGENT HASSANI HAS SEEN
IT ALL.
BUT IN 2021, HE BEGAN SEEING A
NEW SCAM: PIG BUTCHERING.
BUT IT JUST REFERS TO RAISING
LITTLE PIGLETS, FATTENING THEM
UP, AND BUTCHERING THEM.
AND THEY'RE FATTENING UP THEIR
VICTIM WITH ILLUSIONS OF
GRANDEUR, OF WEALTH, OF LOVE,
BEFORE BLEEDING THEM DRY.
John: THAT'S ROUGH.
BECAUSE IMAGINE BEING A VICTIM
OF THIS SCAM, TURNING ON THE
NEWS AND SUDDENLY LEARNING THE
SHORTHAND FOR PEOPLE IN YOUR
SITUATION IS "THE PIGS."
ALTHOUGH I WILL SAY-- IT COULD
BE WORSE.
PIGS ARE AWESOME!
THEY'RE ONE OF THE MOST
INTELLIGENT ANIMALS ON THE
PLANET.
THEY'RE SMARTER THAN DOGS, MOST
3-YEAR-OLDS, AND TOM SANDOVAL.
TO USE A PHRASE THE POLICE NEVER
SEEM TO APPRECIATE: IT'S
ACTUALLY AN HONOR TO BE COMPARED
TO A PIG!
AND IF YOU'RE THINKING, "THIS
SEEMS LIKE THE KIND OF SCAM
THAT'S BEEN AROUND FOR DECADES."
THAT'S PARTIALLY TRUE, BUT THE
WAY THIS ONE WORKS IS FAIRLY
NEW.
AND IN THE SHORT TIME IT'S BEEN
AROUND, IT'S BEEN MASSIVELY
SUCCESSFUL.
JUST THIS MONTH, IT WAS AT THE
CENTER OF A HUGE LOCAL NEWS
STORY IN KANSAS, WHERE IT
BROUGHT DOWN A FINANCIAL
INSTITUTION.
I WAS SURPRISED.
I WAS SHOCKED.
I WAS DISAPPOINTED.
KANSAS STATE BANK
COMMISSIONER DAVID HERNDON IS
TALKING ABOUT THE MASSIVE
CRYPTOCURRENCY SCAM AT THE
HEARTLAND TRI-STATE BANK IN
ELKHART.
IN A CRYPTOCURRENCY SCHEME
THAT THE FBI HAS NOW REFERRED TO
AS PIG BUTCHERING.
IN THIS CASE, HERNDON SAYS,
THE VICTIM WAS SHAN HANES, THE
BANK'S OWN CEO.
AND HE'S NOW FACING CHARGES OF
EMBEZZLING NEARLY $50 MILLION, A
LOSS THAT CAUSED THE BANK TO
FAIL LAST AUGUST.
John: IT'S TRUE.
ACCORDING TO PROSECUTORS, A BANK
CEO GOT PIG-BUTCHERED, SENT HIS
SCAMMER THE BANK'S HOLDINGS, AND
THE BANK WENT UNDER.
WHICH IS ALARMING FOR SEVERAL
REASONS, AMONG THEM-- IS THAT
HOW BANKS WORK?
BECAUSE IT FEELS LIKE THERE
SHOULD BE AT LEAST ONE STEP
BETWEEN "CEO GETS TRICKED" AND
"WHOOPS, THE BANK'S EMPTY."
IT'S ESTIMATED THAT, AS OF 2022,
THIS SCAM WAS TAKING PEOPLE FOR
MORE THAN $3 BILLION A YEAR IN
THE US ALONE.
AND THAT'S ALMOST CERTAINLY A
MASSIVE UNDERCOUNT, AS IT ONLY
INCLUDES PEOPLE WHO REPORTED
THEIR LOSSES TO THE FBI.
SO GIVEN ALL THAT, TONIGHT,
LET'S TALK ABOUT PIG BUTCHERING:
WHY IT'S EASIER TO FALL FOR THAN
YOU MIGHT THINK, WHO'S BEHIND
IT, AND WHAT WE CAN DO TO
PROTECT OURSELVES AND OUR LIKED
ONES FROM GETTING SCAMMED IN THE
FUTURE.
AND LET'S START WITH WHERE THIS
BEGAN.
AND TO DO THAT, UNFORTUNATELY,
WE NEED TO GO BACK TO THE PLACE
NO ONE WANTS TO GO: THE
BEGINNING OF COVID.
YOU REMEMBER COVID.
IT'S THE STEPHEN MILLER OF
DISEASES, IN THAT WE WERE ALL
WORRIED ABOUT IT A FEW YEARS AGO
AND HAVE SINCE MOVED ON, EVEN
THOUGH IT IS STILL VERY
DANGEROUS.
BUT THAT'S WHEN PIG BUTCHERING
TOOK OFF.
BASICALLY, AT THE START OF
COVID, MANY OF US WERE ISOLATED
AND LONELY, DESPERATELY LOOKING
FOR HUMAN CONTACT ONLINE--
WHICH MADE US RIPE TARGETS.
AT THE SAME TIME, ORGANIZED
CRIME GROUPS IN CHINA, RUNNING
CASINOS IN SOUTHEAST ASIA, WERE
IN CRISIS, AS-- THANKS TO THE
PANDEMIC-- GAMBLERS WEREN'T
SHOWING UP.
SO, THEY TURNED THOSE CASINOS
INTO BASES FOR ONLINE SCAM
OPERATIONS.
AND FROM THERE, THEIR WORKERS
IDENTIFIED PEOPLE AND PREYED ON
THEIR VULNERABILITIES.
AND LET ME WALK YOU THROUGH THE
STEPS.
THE FIRST IS TO MAKE CONTACT,
AND LURE YOUR TARGET IN.
LISTEN TO THIS WOMAN EXPLAIN HOW
HER SCAMMER, WHO CALLED HIMSELF
"JIMMY," CONTACTED HER AT A
MOMENT WHEN SHE WAS DEALING WITH
CANCER, THE PANDEMIC, AND THE
END OF HER MARRIAGE.
FIRST MESSAGE, IT CAME AS A
VERY INNOCENT MESSAGE.
IS!
I SAID, "WRONG NUMBER."
HE CAME BACK, "YOU LOOK CHINESE.
ARE YOU CHINESE?"
AND I SAID YES.
HE HAD MOVED HERE JUST BEFORE
COVID, AND THEN COVID HIT, AND
SO HE'S NOT ABLE TO GO HOME.
HE WAS A LONELY MAN IN NEED OF
COMFORT.
JIMMY WOULD MESSAGE ME EVERY
DAY.
I DO REMEMBER RECEIVING THESE
EMOJIS WITH HEARTS.
♪ ♪
[HEART BEATING]
IT'S QUITE FLATTERING FOR A
MIDDLE-AGED WOMAN TO MEET A
YOUNG MAN WHO FINDS YOU
ATTRACTIVE.
John: YEAH, OF COURSE THAT'S
FLATTERING.
BECAUSE SCAMMERS ARE TELLING
THEIR TARGETS WHAT THEY WANT TO
HEAR MOST IN THAT MOMENT.
WE MIGHT NOT "ALL" FALL FOR A
GIF OF A HEART-PUMPING EMOJI,
BUT IF SOMEONE SENT "ME" "NERD
WITH GLASSES" PLUS "FOOTBALL"
PLUS "LEARNING" PLUS "SAD
STATISTICS" = "FIRE EMOJI," ME
PERSONALLY?
WHY, I WOULD NUT!
AND LOOK: ONE WAY OF MAKING
CONTACT IS THROUGH THOSE "WRONG
NUMBER" TEXTS.
BUT EXPERTS WE'VE TALKED TO
ESTIMATE THEY ONLY MAKE UP ABOUT
A QUARTER OF THE INITIAL
CONTACTS FOR THIS SCAM.
THE REST CAN COME THROUGH SITES
LIKE LINKEDIN, DATING APPS,
INSTAGRAM OR FACEBOOK-- PLACES
SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED FOR YOU TO
MEET PEOPLE YOU DON'T KNOW,
EITHER FOR LOVE, A HOOK UP OR,
IN THE CASE OF LINKEDIN, TO FIND
OUT WHAT KIND OF PERSON IS
"STILL" ON FUCKING LINKEDIN.
AND SCAMMERS OFTEN RESEARCH
THEIR TARGET USING SOCIAL MEDIA
WHERE THERE'S A LOT OF
INFORMATION ON PEOPLE-- SO THEY
CAN PRETEND TO HAVE SOMETHING IN
COMMON.
TAKE THIS WOMAN, WHO MET SOMEONE
ON A DATING APP, ONLY TO
DISCOVER THEY SHARED AN
UNEXPECTED CONNECTION.
HE STARTED ASKING QUESTIONS
ABOUT MY FAMILY AND MY PAST
EXPERIENCES.
IT WAS A CONNECTION THAT FELT
EVEN STRONGER, SHE SAYS, WHEN HE
TOLD HER HE CAME FROM THE SAME
TOWN IN CHINA FROM WHERE
HUTCHINSON WAS ADOPTED.
WE KIND OF BONDED OVER THAT.
John: YEAH, I BET THEY DID!
AND I'VE GOT TO SAY, IT SAYS
SOMETHING ABOUT MEN ON DATING
APPS THAT THEY CONNECTED SO
WELL, SIMPLY BECAUSE HE DID
THINGS LIKE "ASK HER QUESTIONS
ABOUT HERSELF" AND "LISTEN TO
HER RESPONSES."
I DON'T WANT TO SAY THE BAR FOR
MEN IS LOW, BUT THAT STORY
STARTED WITH HIM ASKING HER
QUESTIONS ABOUT HER LIFE AND
ENDS WITH HER "GIVING HIM ALL OF
HER MONEY."
BUT REGARDLESS OF HOW THEY
START, SOONER OR LATER, WE MOVE
ON TO STEP TWO: TURNING THE
CONVERSATION TOWARD MONEY.
BUT EVEN THEN, THERE'S A SMART
TWIST.
BECAUSE YOU WON'T BE SUDDENLY
ASKED TO WIRE MONEY TO A
NIGERIAN PRINCE WITH AN
OBVIOUSLY FAKE EMAIL LIKE "REAL
PRINCE SPELLED WITH A ONE
INSTEAD OF AN I AT SCUM DOT
FARTS."
WITH PIG BUTCHERING, THERE'S NO
DIRECT ASK FOR MONEY AT ALL.
INSTEAD, AN OPPORTUNITY GETS
PRESENTED.
WATCH AS THIS MAN EXPLAINS THE
MOMENT WHEN A GUY HE MET ON A
DATING SITE STARTED TO REEL HIM
IN.
HE SPENT AT LEAST A MONTH
DAILY TALKING TO ME AND
CULTIVATING MY FRIENDSHIP.
INITIALLY, THE ONLY TALK
ABOUT MONEY WAS HOW MUCH HIS NEW
ONLINE FRIEND HAD MADE IN
CRYPTO.
AFTER ALL, SCOTT THOUGHT HE KNEW
HOW TO PROTECT HIMSELF FROM
SCAMS.
YOU CAN INVEST WITH ME AND
I'LL MAKE YOU ALL THIS MONEY AND
I WAS LIKE "I'M NOT GIVING YOU
MONEY, THAT'S NOT HAPPENING."
SO THAT'S WHEN HE STARTED, "NO,
YOU DON'T GIVE IT TO ME.
YOU ESTABLISH YOUR OWN ACCOUNT
AND I'LL GUIDE YOU."
John: RIGHT.
THAT'S THE CLEVER HOOK HERE--
YOU'RE NOT SENDING THE SCAMMER
MONEY.
THEY'RE HELPING YOU SET UP AND
CONTROL YOUR OWN ACCOUNT.
AND EVERYTHING SEEMS MORE
LEGITIMATE WHEN THERE'S AN APP
INVOLVED.
YOU DON'T THINK SO?
WHEN'S THE LAST TIME YOU TOOK AN
UBER?
GET IN A NONDESCRIPT CAR WITH
SOMEONE I'VE NEVER MET?
I'D NEVER DO THAT!
BUT WAIT-- WHAT'S THIS?
I CAN DO IT FROM MY PHONE?
IN THAT CASE, HERE IS MY
ADDRESS, NOW YOU KNOW WHERE I
LIVE AND THAT I WON'T BE HOME
FOR THE EVENING.
MY NAME IS JOHN, I DON'T KNOW
YOUR LAST NAME BUT THAT DOESN'T
MATTER, BECAUSE I'M ALSO NOT
COMMITTING YOUR FACE TO MEMORY.
EVERYTHING'S SAFE, THERE'S AN
APP INVOLVED.
AND THE FACT THE INVESTMENT IS
OFTEN IN CRYPTO CAN BE
PERSUASIVE FOR MULTIPLE REASONS:
FIRST, WHO REALLY KNOWS HOW
CRYPTO WORKS?
I KNOW YOUR FRIEND'S WEIRD
HUSBAND CLAIMS HE DOES, BUT HE
SUCKS TO TALK TO, SO SADLY, IT
MUST REMAIN A MYSTERY.
BUT PEOPLE HAVE MADE MONEY ON
CRYPTO, SO IT'S NOT UNREASONABLE
TO THINK YOU MIGHT MEET ONE OF
THEM AND THEY COULD GIVE YOU
SOME TIPS.
ON TOP OF WHICH, YOU MAY NOT BE
SUPER-FAMILIAR WITH HOW A
TRADING PLATFORM OPERATES OR
EVEN WHAT ONE LOOKS LIKE.
AND SCAMMERS HAVE CREATED
INCREDIBLY PLAUSIBLE-LOOKING
APPS.
WE GOT THIS FOOTAGE OF ONE,
WHICH SEEMS TO HAVE ALL THE
DETAIL AND FUNCTIONALITY OF A
REAL APP, AND I'LL BE HONEST, I
COULD BE FOOLED BY THAT.
ALSO, SOME SCAMMERS USE
LEGITIMATE APPS THAT ALLOW
ANYONE TO BUILD A TRADING
EXCHANGE.
THE PROBLEM IS, THERE ARE TOOLS
SCAMMERS CAN USE TO SIMULATE
FAKE RESULTS ON THOSE APPS,
WHILE TAKING YOUR MONEY.
WATCH THIS JOURNALIST EXPLAIN
HOW THIS GAVE ONE VICTIM FALSE
CONFIDENCE.
IN METATRADER, IT LOOKS JUST
LIKE ANY KIND OF NORMAL TRADING
INTERFACE THAT ONE WOULD USE.
IT'S AVAILABLE IN THE GOOGLE
PLAY STORE.
IT'S AVAILABLE ON THE APPLE APP
STORE.
IT'S AN APP THAT HAS A LOT OF
GOOD RATINGS, AND THAT WAS ONE
OF THE THINGS THAT MADE CY THINK
THAT THIS WHOLE OPERATION WAS
LEGITIMATE.
HE BELIEVED THAT HIS INVESTMENT
WAS MAKING MONEY.
IF YOU'RE TRADING ON A
LEGITIMATE TRADING INTERFACE,
RIGHT, YOU SEE THE PROFITS AND
LOSSES OVER TIME.
AND THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT HE SAW.
John: RIGHT.
IF YOUR FRIEND TOLD YOU TO
DOWNLOAD AN APP, AND YOU SAW IT
IN THE APP STORE WITH GOOD
REVIEWS, YOU MIGHT ASSUME
EVERYTHING ON IT WAS LEGITIMATE,
EVEN BEFORE YOU SAW METATRADER'S
LOGO, WHICH LOOKS LIKE THREE MEN
IN SUITS JERKING EACH OTHER OFF
UNDER A TABLE.
AN APPROPRIATE METAPHOR FOR
CRYPTOCURRENCY IF I'VE EVER SEEN
ONE.
SOME SCAMMERS EVEN SET UP
ADDITIONAL FEATURES LIKE
TWO-FACTOR AUTHENTICATION OR
CUSTOMER-SERVICE LINES.
THIS WOMAN TRIED HER BEST TO DO
DUE DILIGENCE ON THE SITE SHE
WAS SENT, AND CAME AWAY
CONVINCED IT WAS REAL.
THERE WAS A LEGAL SECRETARY
INVOLVED IN ANOTHER STATE,
VOUCHING ASSOCIATION WITH A LAW
FIRM WHERE IT WAS SENDING MONEY
TO.
SHE'S REAL.
I COULD VERIFY HER, SO IT WAS
VERY COMPLEX AND WELL-REHEARSED.
John: RIGHT.
SHE SPOKE WITH A LEGAL SECRETARY
AND A LAW FIRM BEFORE SENDING
MONEY.
AND THAT'S MORE VETTING THAN
I'VE DONE FOR MY KIDS' DAYCARE.
I LOVE THEM, AND THEY'RE VERY
PRECIOUS TO ME, BUT THEY'RE ALSO
LOUD, STICKY, AND ONE OF THEM'S
JUST GETTING STRONGER AND
STRONGER EVERY DAY, SO IF YOU
HAVE A BUILDING WITH WALLS AND A
PHONE NUMBER I CAN CALL, I TRUST
YOU, TAKE THEM FOR THE
AFTERNOON.
AND AT THIS POINT OF THE
PROCESS, THINGS MIGHT LOOK
PRETTY GOOD FOR THE PEOPLE
GETTING SCAMMED.
YOU'VE SENT A BIT OF MONEY TO A
LEGITIMATE-LOOKING SITE, THROUGH
AN ACCOUNT YOU CONTROL.
AND YOUR NEW FRIEND'S TRADING
TIPS SEEM TO BE WORKING, SO
MAYBE YOU SEND A LITTLE MORE.
PRETTY SOON, YOU MIGHT HAVE A
FAIR AMOUNT OF MONEY TIED UP ON
THIS TRADING PLATFORM.
BUT WHEN YOU EVENTUALLY GO TO
WITHDRAW IT, THAT'S WHERE WE HIT
THE FINAL STEP OF THIS PROCESS.
REMEMBER THAT WOMAN YOU SAW
EARLIER, WHOSE ONLINE FRIEND
CLAIMED HE WAS FROM THE TOWN
WHERE SHE WAS BORN?
WELL, SHE'D CONVINCED HER DAD TO
INVEST AS WELL.
THEY'D SEEMINGLY MADE A BUNCH OF
MONEY, AND THEN THIS HAPPENED.
BY DECEMBER, THEIR ACCOUNTS
SHOWED A COMBINED BALANCE OF
$1.2 MILLION, AND HUTCHINSON
DECIDED IT WAS TIME TO CASH OUT.
THAT'S WHEN THE SITE TOLD HER,
BEFORE SHE COULD WITHDRAW HER
MONEY, SHE'D HAVE TO PAY A HEFTY
TAX BILL OF ROUGHLY $380,000.
THAT'S WHEN I WAS LIKE
"SOMETHING'S NOT RIGHT."
IT WASN'T.
THE CRYPTOCURRENCY INVESTMENTS
WEREN'T REAL.
ALL HER AND HER FATHER'S FUNDS
HAD GONE INTO THE SCAMMER'S
POCKETS.
IN ALL, $390,000 STOLEN.
I MESSED UP MY LIFE.
I MESSED UP MY DAD'S LIFE
SHE TOLD ME THAT IT WAS ALL A
SCAM.
HUTCHINSON'S FATHER, MELVIN.
AND ALL I COULD DO WAS JUST
HUG HER AND TELL HER "IT'S OKAY.
IT'S OKAY."
IT WAS HARD.
IT WAS HARD, 'CAUSE WE LOST
EVERYTHING.
John: YEAH-- THEIR MONEY HAD
ALREADY GONE, AND THAT "TAX
BILL" WAS JUST AN ATTEMPT TO
SQUEEZE THEM ONE LAST TIME.
AND THEIRS ISN'T THE ONLY BRUTAL
STORY HERE.
THIS WOMAN LOST $350,000.
THIS GUY LOST $300,000.
AND THAT WOMAN WHO FELL FOR
"JIMMY" SENT HIM $2.5 MILLION,
AS SHE WAS DEALING WITH TERMINAL
CANCER.
IT'S TRAUMATIC AND HUMILIATING.
IT TOOK COURAGE FOR THOSE PEOPLE
TO COME FORWARD.
AND THAT'S PARTLY WHY EXPERTS
THINK THE $3 BILLION FIGURE WE
HAVE IS WAY TOO LOW: BECAUSE
MOST PEOPLE WHO'VE BEEN SCAMMED
LIKE THIS SIMPLY DON'T REPORT
THEIR LOSSES OUT OF
EMBARRASSMENT.
AND AT THIS POINT, YOU'RE
PROBABLY FURIOUS WITH THE PEOPLE
ON THE OTHER END OF ALL THESE
MESSAGES, AND WANT TO SEE THEM
TAKEN DOWN-- OR, AT THE VERY
LEAST, FUCKED WITH.
AND THAT HAPPENS A LOT.
PEOPLE POST SCREENGRABS MESSING
WITH SCAMMERS ALL THE TIME, LIKE
IN THIS EXCHANGE, WHERE SOMEONE
REPLIES TO A "WRONG NUMBER" TEXT
WITH "MY NAME IS INIGO
WITH "MY NAME IS INIGO MONTOYA"
AND "YOU DON'T BY ANY CHANCE
HAVE SIX FINGERS ON YOUR RIGHT
HAND, DO YOU?"
OR THIS ONE, WHERE A SCAMMER
WRITES "I'M SARAH, NICE TO MEET
YOU" WITH A PICTURE, AND GETS
THE REPLY "WEE WOO WEE WOO.
BONER ALERT."
AND LOOK: THAT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE
THE RIGHT SOUND.
I WOULD'VE GONE WITH "A-WOO-GA,
A-WOO-GA.
BONER ALERT."
BUT, REASONABLE PEOPLE CAN
DISAGREE.
ALL BODIES ARE DIFFERENT.
THERE'S NO ONE RIGHT SOUND FOR A
BONER ALERT.
BUT HERE'S THE THING: AS
CATHARTIC AS THAT MIGHT BE, THE
PERSON ON THE OTHER END OF THAT
PHONE MIGHT NOT BE THE ONE YOU
SHOULD BE MAD AT.
BECAUSE REMEMBER WHEN I SAID
THIS WAS BEING DONE IN FORMER
CASINOS BY ORGANIZED CRIME
SYNDICATES?
TURNS OUT, THEY'RE NOT GREAT
BOSSES.
THIS COMPOUND IS WHERE AN
INDIAN MAN NAMED RAKESH SAYS HE
WAS FORCED TO WORK FOR MORE THAN
11 MONTHS WITHOUT PAY FOR A
CHINESE CRIMINAL GANG.
RAKESH, WHO DOESN'T WANT TO BE
IDENTIFIED, SAYS HE FIRST FLEW
TO THAILAND FOR WHAT HE THOUGHT
WAS AN IT JOB.
INSTEAD, HE SAYS HE WAS TRICKED
INTO CROSSING THE BORDER TO
MYANMAR WHERE A CHINESE GANGSTER
TOLD HIM TO WORK, OR ELSE.
HE THREATENED TO KILL YOU.
YEAH.
HE WARNED ME LIKE THAT.
AND THE JOB?
SPEND 16 HOURS A DAY ON SOCIAL
MEDIA TARGETING AMERICANS WITH A
FAKE PROFILE.
John: THAT'S AWFUL.
NO ONE SHOULD BE FORCED TO SPEND
16 HOURS A DAY ON SOCIAL MEDIA.
YOU SHOULD DO IT EITHER BECAUSE
YOU LOVE IT, OR BECAUSE YOU'RE
15-YEARS-OLD AND THE ALGORITHM
HAS ADDICTED YOU TO IT.
YOU KNOW.
COMPLETELY NORMAL REASONS.
A LOT OF THESE ORGANIZATIONS ARE
USING PEOPLE WHO'VE BEEN HUMAN
TRAFFICKED, AFTER BEING LURED TO
THE COMPOUNDS UNDER FALSE
PRETENSES.
THEY'RE ACTUALLY THE VICTIMS OF
A SCAM THEMSELVES.
BASICALLY, THEY MIGHT SEE JOB
ADS FOR SKILLED POSITIONS AS
TRANSLATORS, OR IT SPECIALISTS,
IN ANOTHER COUNTRY.
THEY THEN GO THROUGH A WHOLE
APPLICATION PROCESS-- WITH SOME
GOING THROUGH UP TO FOUR
SEEMINGLY LEGITIMATE ONLINE
INTERVIEWS-- AND FLY TO THEIR
NEW JOB.
AT WHICH POINT, THEY SUDDENLY
LEARN THEIR NEW BOSSES HAVE
THEIR DOCUMENTS AND THEY NOW
CAN'T LEAVE.
BACK IN 2022, PROPUBLICA
ESTIMATED THAT TENS OF THOUSANDS
OF PEOPLE HAD BEEN TRICKED IN
THIS WAY.
AND A MORE RECENT UN REPORT
ESTIMATED THAT HUNDREDS OF
THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE HAVE BEEN
FORCIBLY ENGAGED IN THIS SCHEME.
THEY ALSO SAY "MOST VICTIMS ARE
CONFINED TO THE SCAM COMPOUND,"
AND THEIR SCREENS ARE ALWAYS
MONITORED BY THE MEMBERS OF THE
ORGANIZED CRIME GROUP.
AND ONCE THEY'RE IN, THEY'RE
PROVIDED FAKE PROFILES TO TRY
AND HOOK PEOPLE IN WITH.
HERE'S WHO RAKESH FOUND HIMSELF
BEING ALL DAY.
I GOT A RUSSIAN GIRL.
WITH USING A RUSSIAN GIRL FAKE
PROFILE, I NEED TO SCAM PEOPLE.
POSING AS A SALT LAKE
CITY-BASED INVESTOR NAMED CLARA
SIMONOV, RAKESH FLIRTED ONLINE
WITH POTENTIAL TARGETS.
70-80% FALL FOR FAKE LOVE.
John: YEAH, RAKESH WAS KLARA
SEMONOV FROM SALT LAKE CITY.
SO, BEFORE WE GO ANY FURTHER:
ANYONE WHO THINKS THEY'RE DATING
KLARA-- I'M AFRAID YOU'RE NOT.
THE RELATIONSHIP IS OVER.
IT'S NOT YOU, BUT IT'S ALSO NOT
HER.
IT'S RAKESH.
BUT ALSO, IT ISN'T HIM.
IT'S RAKESH'S BOSS, WHO WON'T
LET HIM LEAVE.
THE WHOLE OPERATION IS HIGHLY
ORGANIZED, AND SET UP TO GET
AROUND THE USUAL WAYS YOU MIGHT
DETECT A SCAM.
FOR INSTANCE, SOME ORGANIZATIONS
GENERATE THEIR OWN PHOTOS FOR
THE PROFILES, SO THEY CAN'T BE
REVERSE-IMAGE-SEARCHED.
AND EMPLOYEES ARE GIVEN MANUALS
LIKE THESE THAT GUIDE THEM
THROUGH EVERY STEP OF THE
PROCESS.
THEY'RE TOLD TO TARGET PEOPLE
WHO LOOK WEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL.
ONE ADVISES: ON THE FIRST DAY,
TALK ABOUT THINGS LIKE YOUR
NAME, AGE, OCCUPATION AND
HOBBIES.
THEN, THE NEXT DAY, TALK ABOUT
YOUR EMOTIONAL EXPERIENCE, WITH
A MESSAGE DIVIDED INTO TWO
PARAGRAPHS.
AND THEN, ON THE THIRD DAY, TALK
ABOUT YOUR ENTREPRENEURIAL
EXPERIENCE.
THEY'RE EVEN GIVEN TIPS ON HOW
TO BREAK DOWN PEOPLE'S DEFENSES.
WE REVIEWED SEVERAL OF THESE
MANUALS AND THEY CAREFULLY
EXPLAIN HOW TO BUILD TRUST AND
EXPLOIT WEAKNESSES IN THEIR
SO-CALLED CLIENT, SUCH AS--
BE FUNNY, MAKE CLIENTS FALL
IN LOVE WITH YOU SO DEEPLY THAT
THEY FORGET EVERYTHING.
John: THE CHILLING THING IS,
THAT'S KIND OF TRUE.
IF YOU'RE FUNNY ENOUGH, YOU CAN
MAKE PEOPLE FORGET A LOT OF
THINGS, WHETHER IT'S COMMONSENSE
INTERNET SAFEGUARDS, LESSONS
FROM PREVIOUS RELATIONSHIPS, OR
THAT THEY'VE BEEN ACCIDENTALLY
LEARNING ABOUT FINANCIAL FRAUD
AND HUMAN TRAFFICKING FOR THE
LAST TWENTY MINUTES.
WE ARE HAVING FUN, AREN'T WE?
AND IF YOU'RE THINKING "WHY
DON'T AUTHORITIES SHUT THESE
COMPOUNDS DOWN?"
SOMETIMES, THEY'RE IN ON IT.
HERE'S ONE MAN WHO WAS
TRAFFICKED TO A SCAM CENTER IN
CAMBODIA, EXPLAINING WHAT
HAPPENED WHEN HE DID THE OBVIOUS
THING.
ON HIS SECOND DAY IN
CAPTIVITY, LU EMAILED THE
CHINESE EMBASSY.
HE WAS ADVISED TO CALL THE
SIHANOUKVILLE POLICE.
BUT THE POLICE NEVER CAME.
THE PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CAME
INSTEAD.
THEY KNEW THAT I'D CALLED THE
POLICE.
LU SAYS THE MANAGERS THEN
SOLD HIM TO ANOTHER SCAMMING
COMPANY.
HE SAID BECAUSE I CALLED THE
POLICE, THEY HAD TO "TAKE CARE"
OF THE POLICE WITH AT LEAST
$4,000, AND I HAD TO PAY FOR
THAT TOO.
John: YEAH, THE AUTHORITIES
WEREN'T GOING TO HELP HIM.
WHICH ACTUALLY MAKES SENSE WHEN
YOU LEARN THAT, ACCORDING TO UN
ESTIMATES, PIG BUTCHERING IN
CAMBODIA BRINGS IN AN AMOUNT
EQUIVALENT TO HALF THE COUNTRY'S
GDP.
WHICH IS WORRISOME, BECAUSE AS
EVERYONE KNOWS WHEN SOMETHING
GENERATES THAT MUCH MONEY, YOU
DON'T SHUT IT DOWN, YOU SPIN IT
OFF AND PRAY THE MAGIC WORKS A
SECOND TIME.
, ON!
AND CONDITIONS IN THESE
COMPOUNDS CAN BE BRUTAL.
THAT MAN YOU SAW EARLIER,
RAKESH, TOOK PHOTOS OF ABUSE
LIKE THIS ONE, OF A COWORKER
WHO'D BEEN BEATEN.
AND LU, WHO MANAGED TO GET OUT,
NOW WORKS TO FREE OTHERS-- AND
THE STORIES OF WHAT HE'S SEEN
ARE, FAIR WARNING, HARD TO
WATCH.
I SAW A MAN GET BEATEN UP
VERY BADLY.
HE HAD INJURIES ALL OVER HIS
BODY.
LU CONTENDS IT WAS THIS MAN,
WHO WAS REPORTEDLY FOUND HANGING
JUST HOURS LATER.
I'M CERTAIN IT WAS HIM.
HIS PHONE IS FULL OF MESSAGES
FROM CHINESE CITIZENS DESPERATE
TO BE FREE FROM SCAM COMPANIES.
THERE'S VIDEOS OF ABUSE.
LU SAYS HE RECEIVES THEM
DIRECTLY FROM VICTIMS INSIDE THE
SCAM INDUSTRY, OR FINDS THEM
POSTED IN SOCIAL MEDIA GROUP
CHATS.
"HE'S GOT HANDCUFFS."
THEY'RE SHOCKING.
John: THAT'S HORRIFYING.
AND WHEN YOU KNOW ALL THIS, IT
KIND OF STARTS TO CHANGE WHO
EXACTLY YOU'RE MAD AT HERE.
BECAUSE SUDDENLY, THE
INDIVIDUALS ON THE OTHER END OF
THE PHONE DON'T SEEM QUITE SO
FUN TO SEND A MESSAGE OF "WEE
WOO WEE WOO, BONER ALERT" TO.
NOT THAT IT ISN'T AN EXCELLENT
TEXT.
WHO DOESN'T LOVE A BONER ALERT?
BUT THERE'S A TIME AND A PLACE,
AND THIS MIGHT NOT BE IT.
ALSO, FROM NOW ON, WHENEVER YOU
GET A SEXY TEXT FROM A NEW
STRANGER, GOOD LUCK NOT
THINKING, "IS THIS A MAN WHO WAS
JUST BEATEN IN A WORK CAMP IN
MYANMAR?"
AND THAT, IF ANYTHING, IS THE
JOHN OLIVER EFFECT.
YOU'RE WELCOME.
[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE]
AND LOOK: I CAN'T SAY THAT EVERY
SCAMMER IS SOMEONE WHO WAS
KIDNAPPED, TORTURED AND FORCED
TO DO IT.
BUT EVEN IF NOT EVERYONE WHO'S
DOING THIS IS TRAPPED OR
COERCED, THE FACT THAT MANY ARE,
IS STILL A HUGE PROBLEM.
SO, WHAT CAN WE DO?
WELL, WHEN IT COMES TO THOSE
IMPRISONED IN THESE COMPOUNDS,
THAT'S GOING TO TAKE
COLLABORATION BETWEEN
INTERNATIONAL LAW ENFORCEMENT.
SO UNLESS YOU'RE THE HEAD OF
INTERPOL, WHICH, I'M GUESSING,
YOU'RE NOT, THERE'S NOT MUCH
YOU, PERSONALLY, CAN DO.
IN THIS COUNTRY, I'D ARGUE
PLATFORMS LIKE THESE SHOULD BE
DOING WAY MORE TO PREVENT PEOPLE
FROM MAKING FAKE ACCOUNTS AND
TARGETING PEOPLE, BECAUSE IT'S
HAPPENING ON THEIR WATCH.
BUT THE TRUTH IS, PERHAPS THE
MOST EFFECTIVE WAY TO STOP THIS
FROM HAPPENING, IS TO MAKE IT
LESS LUCRATIVE BY HAVING FEWER
PEOPLE FALL FOR IT.
AND THAT'S WHERE AWARENESS OF
THIS SCAM IS KEY.
THIS IS ONE OF THOSE RARE CASES
WHERE RAISING AWARENESS IS, IN
ITSELF, GENUINELY USEFUL.
BECAUSE HOPEFULLY, YOU'VE SEEN
TONIGHT-- THIS COULD HAPPEN TO
SOMEONE YOU KNOW.
THIS HASN'T JUST SUCKED IN OLD
PEOPLE, OR THOSE WHO AREN'T
TECH-SAVVY.
IT MANAGED TO REEL IN A BANK
CEO.
EVERYONE HAS AN IMAGE OF THE
TYPE OF PERSON WHO'S SUSCEPTIBLE
TO GETTING SCAMMED IN THEIR
HEADS, BUT UNLESS THAT IMAGE IS
A MIRROR, YOU MIGHT BE WRONG.
SO: AS A GENERAL RULE, WHEN A
STRANGER ON A DATING APP SAYS
EITHER "I LOVE YOU" OR "CRYPTO"
WITHIN A MONTH OF TALKING TO
YOU: WORRY.
HONESTLY, EVEN IF THEY DON'T
TURN OUT TO BE SCAMMERS, THOSE
ARE PRETTY GOOD RED FLAGS TO BE
LOOKING FOR, PERSONALITY-WISE.
AND IT'S WORTH TELLING YOUR
FRIENDS AND FAMILY ABOUT PIG
BUTCHERING, TOO.
IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE A BIG
LECTURE OR ANYTHING.
YOU CAN JUST SEND THEM A LINK TO
THIS SHOW.
AND IF THEY SAY, "I HATE THAT
GUY," SAY, "YEAH, ME TOO, HE'S
THE WORST, JUST SKIP PAST THE
JOKES."
AND IF THEY SAY, "I'LL WATCH IT,
BUT HE LOOKS LIKE A LEGO
ACCOUNTANT.
WAIT, NO-- HE LOOKS LIKE CHAT
GPT'S ANSWER TO 'SHOW ME A
VIRGIN.'
WAIT, NO.
HE LOOKS LIKE HARRY POTTER IF HE
JUST STAYED UNDER THE STAIRS."
JUST LEAVE THEM ON READ.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO COMPLETELY
SELL ME OUT.
MAYBE DROP A THUMBS-UP EMJOI,
BUT LEAVE IT AT THAT.
AND LOOK: IF YOU KNOW SOMEONE
WHO'S BEEN SCAMMED LIKE THIS, BE
KIND.
IT'S HUMAN TO WANT
COMPANIONSHIP.
AND IT'S ACTUALLY A NICE QUALITY
TO BE TRUSTING.
AND IT SUCKS THAT THE INTERNET,
WHICH SHOULD BE A WAY TO
ALLEVIATE LONELINESS, CAN BE
TURNED INTO A TOOL TO EXPLOIT
IT.
BUT MAYBE, IF WE ALL LOOK OUT
FOR ONE ANOTHER, WE CAN ENSURE
THAT THE WORST MISTAKE ANYONE
EVER MAKES ON THE INTERNET IS
INADVERTENTLY BUYING AN
EXCELLENT CHRISTMAS TREE FOR GAY
MICE.
BECAUSE IT'S REALLY NOT THAT BAD
A PURCHASE.
BELIEVE ME, I KNOW.
AND NOW, THIS.
Announcer: AND NOW, LOSING
IT OVER MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL'S NEW PANTS.
MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL
INTRODUCED NEW UNIFORMS THIS
YEAR, BUT THERE'S PROBLEMS.
THE PANTS ARE MADE OF THINNER
FABRIC, MAKING THEM ALMOST
SEE-THROUGH, CHRIS.
YOU'VE GOT MY ATTENTION, I'M
LISTENING.
SHIRTS KEEPING THINGS
COVERED.
LOOK AT HIS HANDS.
THEY ARE DEFINITELY
SEE-THROUGH.
YOU CAN SEE IT.
OH.
[LAUGHTER]
STEVE!
WOW.
WE CAN GO TO THE WEATHER NOW.
DOES HE LOOK HAPPY WEARING
THEM?
NO.
HE LOOKS HAPPY WEARING THEM.
DO YOU SEE THE PROBLEM?
I DON'T THINK GIRLS ARE
SAYING THERE'S A PROBLEM.
PLAYERS, I THINK, HAVE AN
ISSUE WITH IT.
PATENS AND BOXER BRIEFS,
EVERYONE IS GOING TO SEE THAT?
I'M SUDDENLY INTERESTED IN
BASEBALL.
CAN WE ZOOM IN TO THESE
PHOTOS A LITTLE MORE?
I CAN'T TELL BECAUSE I'VE GOT
BAD EYES.
YOU CAN SEE THE SHIRT TUCKED
IN.
MAY BECOME OF THE UNIFORMS,
MORE WOMEN ARE WATCHING
BASEBALL, RUNNING TO WATCH
BASEBALL.
YOU'VE GOT ERIKA'S INTEREST.
SHE IS GOOGLING OVER HERE.
THAT'S A GOOD RECRUITING
DEVICE.
NOTHING WRONG WITH THE PANTS.
I THINK THEY ARE FINE.
I WAS INSPECTING THEM.
OKAY.
THIS MAY MAKE YOU--
[LAUGHTER]
WHO PUT THE ORDER OF THE
STORIES THIS WAY?
John: THAT'S OUR SHOW.
THANKS SO MUCH FOR WATCHING.
WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT WEEK,
GOOD NIGHT.
[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE]
♪ ♪