**Winner of the Peabody Award 2026** A sophisticated, predatory, multi-billion dollar industry is emerging from the shadows. It already rivals the size of the illicit drug trade. And it’s about to get bigger and much more powerful.

The Economist’s Sue-Lin Wong follows a trail that starts with the collapse of a bank in rural Kansas to uncover a global, underground scam economy built around human trafficking, corruption and money laundering. Can it be stopped?

To listen to the full series subscribe to Economist Podcasts+.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

You wouldn’t fall for a scam—would you?

A small town in Kansas is left reeling after one of its best and brightest gets sucked in.

To listen to the full series, subscribe to Economist Podcasts+.

If you’re already a subscriber to The Economist, you have full access to all our shows as part of your subscription. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Who are the scammers?

They're not who you think.

To listen to the full series, subscribe to Economist Podcasts+.

If you’re already a subscriber to The Economist, you have full access to all our shows as part of your subscription. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.