Golden Age of Scammers: An Interview with Evan Ratliff | 9
Scamfluencers
Wondery
4.1 • 7K Ratings
🗓️ 15 August 2022
⏱️ 40 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Ever wonder why it feels like we’re in the golden age of scammers? In this special episode of Scamfluencers, hosts Scaachi Koul and Sarah Hagi sit down with fellow journalist Evan Ratliff, the host of Persona: The French Deception, to discuss our culture’s rabid obsession with conning. They dig deep into Ratliff’s investigation into Gilbert Chikli, the prolific con artist whose bold telephone scams netted more than $50 million, and discuss how influence can make — and break — a scammer.
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Hey, prime members, you can listen to ScanFluencers add free on Amazon music. |
| 0:04.6 | Download the app today. |
| 0:07.0 | Join Wondry Plus to listen to ScanFluencers one week early in Add Free in the Wondry app. |
| 0:13.1 | Download the Wondry app in your Apple or Google Play mobile app store today. |
| 0:17.1 | From Wondry, I'm Sachi Cole and I'm Sarah Haggi and this is a special episode of ScanFluencers. |
| 0:31.9 | And just a programming note, we're taking a two week break after this to dive into more |
| 0:35.8 | scams. |
| 0:36.8 | We'll be back with a brand new season starting August 29th on Wondry Plus and September |
| 0:41.2 | 5th on the public feed. |
| 0:42.8 | As you all probably know by now, we've come to learn a thing or two about con artists, |
| 0:47.0 | broadsters and grifters. |
| 0:49.4 | And the people who fall for them. |
| 0:51.0 | We've seen how deception, susceptibility and of course a dash of influence can create |
| 0:56.0 | the perfect scam storm. |
| 0:58.2 | But no one understands this better than Evan Ratliffe, the host of Wondry and Pineapple |
| 1:02.8 | Street Studios latest production, Persona. |
| 1:06.8 | Over the past few years, Evans uncovered the story of a con artist who pulled off an |
| 1:10.8 | extraordinary scam that spans 40 countries, hundreds of targets and dozens of suspects. |
| 1:17.4 | It's the elaborate and winding story of global menace Gilbert Sheikli. |
| 1:22.3 | Sheikli duped some of the world's most powerful people into handing over their fortunes, |
| 1:26.5 | evaded the law for years and even became a Robin Hood-like hero to many in the process. |
| 1:32.0 | The best scams are irresistible. |
... |
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