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Call the Persona, the French deception wherever

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you, get your podcasts, or you can listen early

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on Amazon music or early and add

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free by subscribing to wondery plus and

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apple podcasts, or the Wonder app.

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in the schools that good

0:12

don't lose hope realized how much ended up paying was will

0:14

on that freaking in the future until

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, recently the french minister of foreign

0:18

affairs was man named johnny of laundry on

0:21

on had reputation for being both reserved incompetent

0:25

a steady hand representing france on world stage

0:27

for over a decade it will fall sick as

0:29

will did he grow by the that they're not properly

0:32

and see what we only see goes off couldn't in the morning

0:34

you'll need that's a pretty recognizable

0:36

figure ball with gray haired

0:38

the temples and perpetually furrowed brow

0:41

the often where the pair of square glasses but

0:43

likes the person the end of nose and clear out

0:45

over there usually conservative black

0:47

the sometimes mix in blue once freeze

0:49

and bright purple was a history

0:51

professor before getting into politics least

0:54

those proper sorial air about him the

0:56

quality out as minister of foreign affairs with

0:59

francis minister defense dominated

1:01

by president francois alone back in two thousand

1:03

and twelve was more popular

1:05

than his boss with public was

1:08

credited luxury on with successful military

1:10

operation in mali the

1:13

drown oversaw francis counterterrorism operations

1:16

including trying to free french citizens kidnapped

1:18

by terrorists and

1:20

twenty thirteen for french journalists

1:22

working in syria were captured by isis

1:25

the

1:25

cat was one that institutional authors

1:28

all citizens this

1:29

was just months after for other hostages

1:31

had been released and his air

1:34

the media raise questions about whether the french government

1:36

secretly paid a ransom against

1:38

it's own policy the ground

1:40

went on tv to assure the public that france would

1:42

never be extorted by terrorists that

1:44

paulson it's a bug also the

1:47

double you sure you put on arguably clyburn a

1:49

single an officer france does not pay

1:51

ransom he said that's the position

1:53

of the president the journals in

1:55

syria were held and tortured by isis for

1:57

ten months before luxury out in the french

1:59

government the arrange their release president

2:02

alone greeted them at the airport for french

2:04

journalist held captive in syria for

2:06

more than ten months have returned home

2:09

it , like triumph of diplomacy diplomacy

2:11

then few days later a controversial story

2:13

appeared in german magazine german

2:16

the article claim that the french government had

2:19

secretly paid for the hostages release

2:21

eighteen hostages dollars when

2:23

the story came out prince while on denied

2:25

it publicly this , very

2:27

important principle he said so the

2:29

hostage takers cannot be tempted to kidnap

2:32

others there

2:34

was one specific detail that frame the story

2:36

and the public's imagination focus

2:38

, that the money for the ransom had been carried

2:40

his temple in cash and handed over

2:42

to turkish intelligence to give dieses

2:46

dieses man who brought the money johnny

2:48

will drill

2:55

just over year later in the summer twenty fifteen

2:58

french embassies around the world began receiving

3:00

strange cause the

3:02

morocco a secretary answered one

3:04

coming in from the embassy suites the

3:07

was startled when color introduced himself as

3:09

france's own minister of foreign affairs

3:12

secretary immediately past the calls were boss

3:14

the ambassador shall freeze winfrey

3:17

picked up the minister announced that he

3:19

urgently needed to reach morocco prime

3:21

minister the ospreys for the prime minister's

3:23

direct number couldn't

3:26

recognize the voice so he stalled

3:28

the ministry call back the

3:31

aga put in his own call

3:33

to the foreign affairs minister back home the

3:36

minister was busy in vienna he was told no

3:38

one called to request any phone numbers in

3:42

an internal email free sent detailing

3:44

the affair he added a one word question

3:47

in the bottom can , are

3:50

he wondered if it was it the

3:52

next day the french embassy in angola received

3:55

nearly identical call requesting

3:57

the number of that country's leader so

3:59

too it ended even botswana russia

4:02

and djibouti as puddle

4:04

the emails bounced around the ministries a defense

4:06

foreign affairs new countries kept

4:08

joining the list in most cases

4:11

the embassy found cause immediately suspicious

4:14

wasn't exactly protocol for defense minister

4:16

of france to be calling and embassies general

4:18

number but less asking for the contact

4:20

info for world leaders as

4:23

stories trickle then it became clear

4:25

that something systematic was happening estonia

4:28

get own greece kuwait singapore

4:31

malaysia the list screwed over

4:33

forty countries the

4:36

embassies are being targeted with some kind of ruse

4:39

the guy who what did all

4:41

this have to do with johnny luxury are

4:47

the weapon enormously

4:49

yeah i said she

4:51

o max severe as screenwriter and

4:53

the author of several friends detective novel

4:55

with names like the black sirens

4:57

and magician he , also an

4:59

actual french detective a she

5:02

put me section on the movies successful

5:04

enough to rise through the ranks and become general commissioner

5:06

of police police summer of strange

5:08

embassy calls started severe was

5:10

head a french police division called the oh cr

5:13

gdf or policy on easter

5:15

saturday this its name translates

5:17

more less as major financial crimes

5:19

office review end and gone creamy the

5:21

need the organize complain when

5:23

severe first been offered the job back in thousand and ten

5:26

he didn't know much about investigating fraud and

5:29

come up and organized crime chasing

5:31

hardened criminals and hardened traffickers but

5:33

his boss told them that this was just what they need it

5:36

they wanted severe to take the methods he'd use

5:38

for mafia prosecutions and apply

5:40

them to fraudsters and money launderers the

5:43

two and twenty eleven and twenty fourteen there

5:45

were seven hundred president scale attacks reported

5:48

against companies like nestle and michelin

5:51

and porch the phenomenon

5:53

has grown so much because we're dealing with major fraud

5:55

professionals severe tell the french magazine

5:57

it's their job they do it all day

6:00

you'd very sophisticated techniques he

6:02

was nearing the end of his five year term when reports

6:05

the embassy calls were routed to his office

6:07

to death so disorder was you're doing

6:09

that up as in should have your to to to

6:11

upon about talk about the embassy people were

6:13

confused he said about the cause

6:15

they were getting from yaniv luxury on credit

6:18

on console christians answer to this for immediately

6:21

they knew this was some kind fraud physical peter

6:23

sweetie for it as you read whatever

6:25

goal of was the o c r gdf

6:27

needed react quickly so plunder put each

6:30

sale but buddy see for the

6:32

head on their hands was not just a criminal issue

6:34

he said but political and

6:36

diplomatic one whoever was doing

6:38

this could discredit the ministers and

6:40

knew what else minister for severe

6:42

or the question of who was responsible

6:45

was a rhetorical one gonna be so there's

6:47

no snow g i picked difference

6:49

with us if he told me some as soon as we heard

6:51

someone is pretending to be luxury hours

6:53

we knew who was on that does

6:55

she do that he has issued we immediately

6:58

thought that's strictly

7:10

i'm wondering i never did studios

7:13

and another alice

7:22

and

7:53

good for

7:55

the canada

7:57

what

7:59

was the luxury item sir after collecting

8:01

phone numbers of world leaders the

8:04

first call around few weeks later in

8:06

form of message to the french embassy in tunisia

8:09

this message was real though the

8:11

actual defense minister of tunisia tunisians

8:14

were checking in on an arms deal they'd been negotiating

8:17

for thought they'd been negotiating was johnny luxury

8:19

ah the previous two weeks

8:21

tunisians defense minister received series of

8:23

calls and emails for military out the

8:26

ball from france as minister of foreign affairs

8:28

they reached out to discuss possible sale

8:30

helicopters to the tunisians several

8:34

back and forth the french ministers offered

8:36

to arrange secret sale of forty gray

8:38

or tiger he sees six six five

8:41

attack helicopters the by the european

8:43

defence contractor airbus minister

8:46

said documents supporting the sale including

8:48

memorandum understanding on airbus letterhead

8:51

confirming the transaction the

8:53

price nineteen and a half

8:55

million euros video would

8:58

need to conducted with the utmost discretion they

9:00

told the tunisians france would quote

9:02

send you a bank account routing number with

9:04

an offshore company in order to maintain state

9:07

secrecy the

9:09

emails i've seen the tunisian defense minister

9:11

seemed enthusiastic about the deal thanks

9:14

would ya for wanting help to nieces military

9:17

that difference to send a delegation to close

9:19

the deal somewhere

9:22

a dog crept in the

9:24

, minister then put a call the french ambassador

9:27

asking about the deal deal

9:29

was all news that the that he

9:31

didn't know about any know sales flurry

9:34

of messages well do friends diplomatic channels

9:37

this does not mean anything to anyone here

9:39

anything staffer applied specially

9:42

since the staffer never sent emails there

9:45

was no helicopter deal of course the

9:48

signatures looked real of the letters

9:50

or forgeries when we contacted

9:52

this now former tunisian defense minister

9:54

recently he said wasn't authorized

9:56

to discuss any details you

9:58

would only say that he quotes played

10:00

in a central role and unmasking and foiling

10:03

this attempt to defraud country are

10:05

very proud of it soon

10:07

, reports started arriving from other

10:09

countries countries july

10:11

the luxury ah an imposter reach the present of

10:13

gab own ali bongo proposing

10:16

a similar secret arms deal bunker

10:18

reportedly became suspicious when luxury on address

10:21

them as do the former french term

10:23

former you the

10:25

bongo new luxury are he should have used

10:27

the more casual to there

10:29

were more the central african republic

10:32

the democratic republic of congo mozambique

10:35

togo the fraudsters tried them

10:37

all the courtyard unclear

10:40

the was almost severe head of those

10:42

yard gts had to admit it was

10:44

incredible a donkey that did for the com

10:46

so additions it africa

10:48

is on bus or the to talk on the

10:51

first scam the embassies at a private contact

10:53

information for their targets then

10:55

they called heads of state com

10:57

them out of millions in france

11:00

this game would become known as a fair to fold

11:02

the do ya the foliage are fair

11:05

severe as cops dame the case after the helicopters

11:08

that fake minister was peddling they

11:10

called it the dossier t guy

11:12

the trigger does yeah

11:15

the point you might be wondering

11:17

how i know all this private communications

11:20

between friends diplomats reports

11:23

from inside french police well

11:25

the thing about tiger dossier is it's a literal

11:28

dossier case file that

11:30

includes all the evidence the french police gathered

11:33

the sprawling international investigation

11:35

the cupboard forty countries five years

11:37

and about the wealthiest and most powerful french

11:40

speaking people in the world the

11:42

was powerful people the world period the

11:45

does he holds pretty much every lead french

11:47

police follows every interrogation

11:49

they conducted every phone number and website

11:51

they traced every wiretap they put

11:54

on every email address the subpoenaed

11:57

industrial of documents they

11:59

actually have copy of it it's sitting

12:01

right front of me on my screen a

12:03

cascade of little folders even

12:06

today eighteen months after first

12:08

getting my hands on it but sometimes just

12:10

can't believe i have all these wildly detail

12:12

documents at my fingertips in

12:15

the years i've reported on criminal underworld

12:18

i've never come close getting such complete record

12:20

of investigation this bag give

12:24

little contacts was once riding in van

12:26

with police officer in the philippines headed

12:28

look a crime scene where murder taken place

12:31

the officer turned and just handed

12:33

me there file on the case let

12:35

me take pictures of it with my phone it

12:37

was one the most dramatic reporting moments i've ever

12:39

had that file was

12:41

couple dozen pages the

12:44

, dossier contains two thousand two

12:46

hundred and sixty four documents some

12:48

of them hundreds of pages long long

12:51

we're talking about more than twenty thousand pages

12:54

worth of worth it at five

12:56

of us more than eight months go through to

12:58

all a kids are you gave

13:00

it to us but will say this the

13:02

person that casually as and

13:04

very go he probably be go done this

13:08

yes we it's interested this the

13:10

tiger dossiers a road map to an extraordinary

13:13

story of an extraordinary scam

13:15

extraordinary everything the investigators discovered

13:18

that you look deep enough for long enough

13:21

reveal some things that they missed

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persona hi if you're looking

14:54

for a new true crime podcast you

14:56

should check out latest installment in wonder

14:58

his head hollywood improve series

15:01

the execution of bernoulli basically

15:03

the new season tells the story of bonnie

15:05

leave basically a small town girl

15:08

who always dreamed marrying movie star

15:10

she made her dream a reality when she married

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same as actor robert blake but

15:15

within a year of her marriage she was found

15:17

fatally shot outside of diner in north

15:19

hollywood stick around until after

15:21

this episode d her preview of the

15:23

execution of bonnie lead basically

15:28

leave

15:33

they have now confirmed least for attacks

15:35

in the city of paris november thirteenth

15:38

tweezer team the most devastating

15:40

terrorist attack and french history more than

15:42

than and twenty people killed he

15:44

sophisticated and coordinated attack

15:46

than ongoing hostage situation

15:48

and a bicycle on concert hall horrifying

15:51

situation and an indication of the

15:53

vulnerabilities of a free and open society

15:56

these are soft targets restaurant isis

15:58

affiliated cells assaulted six know patients

16:00

in and around paris that

16:02

of bomb outside the star de france the

16:04

national stadium putting football

16:07

match between france and germany the

16:09

prince president was in attendance the

16:12

deadliest attack took place at the bought a con theater

16:14

the american ban eagles of death metal were playing

16:16

to full house three terrorists

16:19

burst into the concert and opened fire the crowd

16:21

killing ninety people and injuring hundreds

16:24

of others the tax

16:26

shock the world the mixture of fear

16:28

and trauma was palpable the

16:30

tiger dossier this is the moment

16:32

where everything changes when the modus

16:35

operandi the scammers shifts

16:37

the reality was up until this point noted

16:40

found for it at least know

16:42

the french police ever knew about perhaps

16:45

no never would have fallen for it but

16:47

now things are different in france the

16:50

threat was everywhere the scammers

16:52

took advantage the new atmosphere to adapt

16:54

the story they were telling the fear of terrorism

16:57

was at the pop delphine

17:00

me a is an attorney in paris she

17:02

represented jolly will drown the case involving

17:04

his imposters we were just

17:06

i still did better clinton

17:08

and you know we were really

17:10

afraid of terrorism that

17:12

was that big psychology

17:15

for do crooks fine deflates

17:18

evil to the them all inside

17:21

he couldn't eat the crooks found a psychological

17:24

flaw she said a fear

17:26

they could exploit and what better

17:28

way to exploited letter client the

17:30

defence minister the man on tv

17:33

who kept talking about terrorists

17:35

the to do now was go find the perfect

17:37

targets

17:41

i

17:45

didn't that muddled

17:47

hundred isn't

17:50

, lavender ethel so

17:52

that the though

17:55

the town of saudis about an hour outside

17:57

of paris by trade it's birthday

18:00

about twenty cream and shanty

18:02

lace really be hard pressed

18:04

find many places that first two more opulent

18:06

creations it's , the

18:08

home of chateau to shanty an

18:10

extravagant castle estate kidding to

18:12

the middle ages shuttle service

18:14

home to succession of french royals from the

18:16

bourbon and com day families families

18:20

not surprisingly when such displays of wealth

18:22

when out of fashion during french revolution

18:25

was used as a prison and then reduced

18:27

to reduced these

18:29

days the rebuild castle grounds include the

18:31

nearby great stables which themselves

18:34

and eighteenth century architectural masterpiece

18:37

this six hundred feet long with massive

18:39

archstone ceilings dramatic

18:41

cornices dramatic grand dome to

18:43

the unrefined eyes three reporters on the

18:45

u s the stables were easily mistaken

18:48

for the chateau itself

18:51

royal who have a clear that he will cover

18:54

dinner party and like we're

18:56

here and are the same of know

18:58

it's funny waving no i don't

19:00

see the castles

19:02

nice to with halls the prices paintings

19:05

by the likes of rafale and bought tele an

19:07

exact place settings menus from eighteenth

19:09

century dinner parties but

19:12

all that aside we're here because a

19:14

man who never actually lived in the castle but

19:17

paid to restore it he

19:19

over the twentieth century the chateau had fallen into

19:21

disrepair but two thousand five

19:23

thousand local billionaire stepped up to save it

19:26

committing forty million euros to restoration

19:28

of chateau the stables

19:30

and the adjacent horse track the

19:33

name is prince cream aga khan

19:35

or more commonly just his highness

19:37

the aga khan

19:39

your highness if complete stranger who

19:41

had no idea who you were watch

19:44

who were came up to and said what you

19:46

do for living what would be or apply

19:49

i , say that my role

19:51

is is may a mom

19:54

read say mom of i see a

19:56

muslim community international shameless

20:00

the used be precise aga khan

20:02

the force the forty ninth hereditary

20:04

mom spiritual leader

20:06

to the smiley

20:08

shia muslim community with an estimated fifteen

20:10

to twenty million followers around the world his

20:13

grandfather article on the third

20:15

tapped him successor while you still student at harvard

20:18

and nineteen fifty seven creams

20:20

, a pakistani diplomat married

20:22

the actress rita hayworth was passed

20:24

over for young article on fourth

20:26

was fourth in press from the beginning

20:29

the

20:29

decision came as the ,

20:34

source had no idea of a of you

20:36

know my grandfather was very grandfather was

20:39

is in some they said

20:41

he didn't discuss his decisions as far

20:43

as i know in

20:46

decade since he's become known around

20:48

the globe as he's become there is

20:50

aga khan development network the

20:52

aga khan development network is one the largest

20:55

private development organizations in the

20:57

world think they employed eighty

20:59

thousand people something like that michael

21:01

i go is a senior reporter for decks

21:04

a publication covering international development

21:06

and global health the

21:07

other worked with the article develop network

21:09

he focused on climate change projects and kurdistan

21:12

for the aga khan was also funding in a university

21:15

i think their budget is like nine hundred million

21:17

dollars a year which makes them large

21:20

but not as big as the gates foundation

21:23

they run a staggering number development programs

21:26

everything from agriculture to education

21:28

to housing to house so

21:30

don't just show up and leave don't invest

21:32

in communities for years the

21:34

aga khan does not like to be

21:37

described as a philanthropist and sort

21:39

of takes issue with what he sees

21:41

as a western view of philanthropy

21:44

which is you know a wealthy person fulfilling

21:46

a moral obligation to help those less

21:48

fortunate for the aga khan this

21:50

work is actually the

21:52

manifestation of his face and his

21:54

belief system

21:56

the long held the ear of world leaders especially

21:59

leaders and countries that big populations his

22:01

milius by canada pakistan

22:03

the aga khan is as themed enough

22:05

figure that he is able to coordinate

22:08

with government leaders at the highest levels can

22:11

get the meetings that needs to get he's

22:13

also one the richest men in the world

22:16

the under two hundred million dollar yacht

22:19

the island the bahamas couple

22:21

private jets to the born in france

22:24

but is a hardcore francophile that's

22:26

one reason he establishes residents and shanty

22:29

and offered up forty million euros to restore

22:31

its chateau and stables other

22:34

reason is his love of horse racing the

22:36

on hundreds of thoroughbreds they built

22:38

museum dedicated horses at stables

22:41

it's an exciting project and

22:43

i think of the one of the few museums

22:45

totally dedicated to the was the

22:48

other khan has sat for interviews before

22:50

like this one on cnn but ,

22:52

often or at least infrequently

22:55

enough that each one trumpets itself as

22:57

trumpets itself interview with the elusive aga

22:59

khan he didn't wanna speak with us

23:02

which is understandable was post

23:04

because i wanted to talk with them about the hundreds

23:06

of pages in the tiger dossier devoted

23:09

to his highness getting scam

23:13

i

23:16

know

23:17

we also have difficult to remove removed

23:21

romo said was chief executives old

23:23

reads a little more the first call

23:25

came in morning of march first twenty sixteen

23:28

few months after the bought container massacre

23:31

miss your melee luxury as advisor

23:34

reached the aga khan's personal secretary

23:37

the minister would like to speak to his highness about highness about

23:39

matter when a private line i

23:41

know wait twenty one years

23:43

old area whoop as can use of only that's almost

23:45

yours can we have you to reform what's your name this

23:51

, the aga khan talking to the

23:53

scammers on wiretap recordings

23:55

made by the french police blotter

23:57

associate of the bible was the bible for

23:59

you the

24:03

photographic imposing of either

24:05

luxury on or is advisor melee

24:08

scammers inform the aga khan have some important

24:10

news not yet made public

24:12

to french citizens had again meeting him hostage

24:15

by isis syria the

24:17

prince governments public stance of course with

24:19

they would never pay ransom to hostage takers

24:22

however the imposter said they

24:24

did do it privately discreetly

24:27

to save the lives of french citizens that's

24:30

what they were going to do with these hostages and

24:32

that's why luxury i was turning to the article

24:34

on that others like him

24:36

to raise the money out of the public eye

24:38

their colleagues were gonna cut it out the

24:44

money would be transferred quietly from private

24:46

citizens to offshore companies controlled

24:48

by the ministry defense and

24:50

then the bank of france would reimburse the i recon

24:52

for his trouble his highness

24:54

could save the hostages lives and

24:56

wouldn't cost him penny in the end for

24:58

at a meeting available to should treat small

25:00

way to such a , treat your

25:02

forte for a long way to saw

25:05

the pickled rounded selected an ideal mark

25:07

his highness a devoted much of his wealth and time

25:10

to easing suffering he lamented

25:12

the negative views of islam in west doesn't

25:15

get a close relationship with french government for

25:17

years whatever

25:18

the ultimate mixture of motivations

25:20

the i recon was hop lot

25:22

i could deserve year ago they saw a

25:24

void ray your closure you

25:27

know for whoop whoop was one

25:29

as well we worry too much more susceptible

25:31

what we need to tested it forward cook what a

25:33

great two doses

25:35

on march fourth after calls and emails

25:37

back and forth with the foliage riyadh and representatives

25:39

from his office his highness his personal

25:42

secretary order to transfer of five

25:44

point eight million euros but

25:46

six million dollars of time as

25:48

discussed on phone she wrote to a banker geneva

25:51

hear the contact details to be scrupulously

25:53

respected as written please send

25:55

me an immediate acknowledgement of payment return

25:58

thanks to help have a great day oi

26:00

oi was up when you may not be a purchases

26:03

more accurately new

26:06

we have a reminder always has your

26:08

tv about a motorcycle he

26:10

about it are you

26:14

the imposters instructions was it hong kong

26:16

company with an account at china merchants

26:18

bag shenzen run

26:21

defense ministry letterhead stamps confidential

26:24

signed by luxury are

26:26

missouri he said was it's hello hello know i know

26:28

you're very busy today so i'm calling

26:30

you because answers from the funds back to new so

26:33

i wanted to know how much we had to send

26:35

you back exactly that

26:36

someone pretending to be one of the jails assistance

26:39

asking the aga khan how much he successfully

26:41

transferred so far

26:43

the government can know how much they need to reimburse

26:47

worship , she wait i don't have the

26:49

numbers i wasn't ready for that was you know

26:51

how much did yams you draw i don't

26:53

get wells like point there five point eight that's

26:55

for sure five point eight yes

26:58

but china seen for china

27:01

eight get worried for your support

27:04

ultimately of highness we transfer eighteen

27:06

million euros to the scammers or

27:08

twenty million dollars over for transfers

27:11

the transfers went to different bank accounts and

27:13

china in poland the tiger

27:16

dossier documents each one and painstaking

27:18

detail at one point

27:20

the aga khan delegates the task to an underling

27:22

in london when the underlying ask the

27:24

scammers too many questions they insist

27:27

on dealing directly with his highness the

27:29

whole thing we take less than ten days

27:31

like off should always rookie or get across

27:34

no other day it was a soft

27:38

regions us as transfer

27:40

this transfer to poland for

27:42

one point six million euros have

27:44

been scheduled for march tenth

27:46

the aga khan's right hand man suspected

27:48

something was amiss stop the transfer

27:51

before went out uranium

27:53

and contacted french authorities a

27:55

report was quickly passed on to the o c

27:57

r gts the anti fraud division

27:59

of the french now police paris

28:02

the agency tiger dossier been open for

28:04

eight months the now the

28:07

first real victim

28:10

the believe quickly got permission to tap new mobile

28:12

phone the aga khan obtained solely

28:14

to talk to the fake adriaan he

28:16

, still calling it the police

28:18

were lucky the my hear something that would

28:20

help identify the scammer

28:22

calls revolves around money that seem to held

28:25

up in transit eight million euros

28:27

the conmen with increasing urgency

28:30

where pressing the aga khan to help get it released

28:33

just , several courageous your

28:35

aura yo la la

28:40

[unk] vector estate

28:42

brokers piece of community adorable on where you the

28:45

tapes you listen to the

28:47

scammers are you having made off with millions

28:49

of dollars or trying to figure out how to get the

28:51

rest the

28:53

know his highness is very busy we could get

28:55

the more info on the transactions law

28:57

by a good gear monsieur very few did

28:59

well listen i church or from

29:01

outside we didn't give any instructions

29:03

about blocking the transfers so i think

29:05

there was an incident between the banks that

29:07

we are not the source of this prettier as

29:09

give up we ever have more com very

29:12

well could you have documents showing this to the business

29:14

payments as it a deep gone through there

29:16

was absolutely into blocking to prison very important

29:18

role to send the funds back to you

29:21

the

29:21

recon spiritual leader in

29:23

one of wealthiest people on earth has already

29:25

lost millions now he's playing

29:28

the role of a patient slightly befuddled

29:30

customer service representative

29:32

that includes your as well as his dinner question

29:34

what your highness why did you look just do

29:36

by and not the rest of them ah

29:39

have to ask about that because

29:41

honestly i don't know the answer but go

29:44

what we're going poking you don't actually understand

29:46

why it was blocked in dubai well if it

29:48

was going be blocked the salad consider world

29:50

everywhere acceptable exactly

29:52

exactly that's why we didn't quite understand

29:54

situation was look it's not big

29:57

deal but it's just a pity that we stopped

29:59

mean in nation to the revelation

30:01

his mission this mission

30:04

saving the lives of hostages the

30:06

reminder of what's at stake more egregious

30:08

will listeners i found the solution for have

30:10

sued you'd better if you contact the bank the likely

30:13

to send him the funds and find out what's

30:15

going on i think that would be much simpler what

30:17

do you want the think his numbers his

30:19

name and then

30:21

just as suddenly as the cause began there's

30:24

i could get out of the last summer

30:28

presumably the scammers began

30:30

suspect that they were the ones being played

30:33

for the police were likely listening in that

30:35

it wasn't worth the risk to get more money out of his

30:37

highness time

30:39

to move us

30:45

the

30:47

aga khan's phone may have quit ringing the

30:50

scammers we're just getting started ceos

30:53

a multinational conglomerates royals

30:56

signs of old french money art

30:59

dealers and champagne magnates the

31:01

heads of major nonprofits and charitable

31:03

foundations one of the richest men in

31:05

turkey even a manager of the french

31:07

national football team they're all

31:09

they're the tiger dossier over

31:11

one hundred and fifty of them the noted

31:14

ones that reported the contacts to the police

31:16

or could it but his sibling air

31:20

shifter easy to pursue border

31:22

the real well per dot

31:24

were [unk] junco buddy was if there were certainly others

31:26

severe a the investigator told me admitting

31:29

you'd been target the scam even

31:31

you didn't fall for it the impact your credibility

31:34

how did material ugly i'm from first to find

31:36

out that this was happening and what was

31:39

his reaction if you know to to

31:41

finding that out

31:42

was it sets was

31:44

really shocked that someone

31:46

could do you have friends slice

31:48

real people around the world

31:52

kill em all

31:53

the dopey me again the lawyer

31:55

who represented johnny would real madrid

31:58

was upset she told me shot that

32:00

someone could exploit lives of real french hostages

32:03

people who'd risk death he let it says

32:05

sookie the sets many people assumed he

32:07

could is equal pc ttc shocked

32:10

by the psychological manipulation using

32:12

french diplomatic channels and the image

32:14

of france for money but

32:17

showed that the scammers had no limits she

32:19

said no limits and an

32:21

overflowing imagination

32:24

question was how to stop the

32:26

clues were sparse but familiar the

32:28

phone numbers and ip addresses would seem to trace

32:31

back to israel bank accounts

32:33

to test shell companies and hong kong

32:35

china and elsewhere would

32:37

take years the police to slowly trace

32:39

those threads back to their suspect it

32:41

t a couple

32:43

the first see this wealthy you're pissing

32:45

contest when he saw when indies

32:47

and there are fewer than a dozen people

32:49

the world capable of it severe a said

32:52

but in his mind it

32:54

wasn't even a does it

32:56

all those threads would lead to only one

32:58

possible place did you have

33:00

a sense of why

33:02

they first identified the ogre

33:04

sickly as a suspect

33:08

we are good to serve lunch the

33:10

us it was his voice

33:12

to treat new hampshire idea

33:15

the even without

33:17

any proof brand of

33:19

com was unmistakable could

33:22

only be sickly the hook

33:24

when you must speak

33:26

is there any sense in which identifying

33:29

suspect based on the modus

33:32

operandi of the case could

33:34

cause the case to go in a direction

33:36

that you get the what we the called tunnel

33:38

vision allowed to just do a is

33:40

lifted chef said yeah result

33:43

, this one chino local news

33:45

they might looked elsewhere she said but

33:47

they didn't need to everything pointed

33:49

sickly and all knew

33:51

it but at least the

34:00

bring secluded justice they would

34:02

need more than just hunch is and some phone

34:04

numbers the mother researching

34:06

he was still out there it was only getting

34:08

more ambitious it's very strange

34:11

that one day i

34:13

take lunch with my wife and the

34:15

is a form ringer and

34:18

, wife answer answer

34:20

she come back and she said to me

34:23

it's as a secretary

34:25

of the minister the literally

34:27

y'all want to speak want you

34:30

deeper truth maniac is the owner of a winery

34:32

near bordeaux he's from one of most famous

34:34

winemaking the and france and

34:37

said no programmer or yes sir

34:40

i don't know what you want but i

34:42

speak with him home not have never

34:45

it's secretary a call me

34:47

a five minute later and he said

34:49

a somebody , to want

34:51

to speak with sky push you because

34:53

it's very prepared to to

34:56

would really wanted to speak to speak but

34:58

not on phone he wanted to phone he

35:00

skype with video would

35:03

, more secure he said and

35:05

was important that lean yak see him so

35:07

he could fully appreciate the urgency of matter

35:10

he wanted to discuss she

35:12

in mean yourself he i a a young

35:14

so and i

35:16

see a a to ask wishes

35:19

of flag of from the flag of one

35:21

up and are so many

35:23

of [unk] lauderdale

35:27

when it got job sickly sunshine israel

35:30

told me that you want know why people thought his

35:32

father was a genius he just

35:34

give him a phone dozy chiquita

35:37

games that always been about specific kind

35:39

of impersonation for the voice

35:42

but , for first time the

35:44

scammer was showing his face or

35:46

least someone's face

35:50

that next dot persona

35:55

yeah mission ,

35:57

we can exotics

36:00

and then for the as their message from

36:02

, makes highly detailed iron

36:04

man buckeyes often used

36:06

the moon at when they approached

36:09

was saying or assault

36:11

by time that we need to make

36:13

one

36:21

if

36:26

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persona

36:56

is an original series from wonder he pineapple

36:58

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37:00

show is written hosted by me evan ratliff our

37:03

senior producer is hundred will off sky or

37:05

producers sophie bridges are associate

37:07

professor is chris that production assistance

37:09

from natalie parrot project management by courtney

37:11

harrell joel level as our editor additional

37:14

reporting by mere a code and tunisia

37:16

aaron ross and jody both cynical judah

37:19

caio young ago in central african republic

37:21

euro wilfred open go home and [unk] bone

37:24

and david iverson all over translation

37:26

by li la bouche enough fact checking

37:28

by adelina seer and daniel layman

37:31

mixing by hand is brown or ahead of

37:33

sound and engineering is raj mockingjay original

37:35

music by carla kills debt and jeremy flower

37:38

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37:40

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37:43

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37:45

legal provided by bianca grimshaw grandson

37:47

day rocher and fair use council provided

37:50

by katie [unk] ali mohamed [unk] crown at donaldson

37:52

caliph thanks to michael ago who michael

37:54

should note was speaking in his personal capacity

37:56

not for his employer special thanks

37:58

to trust in redmen and nathan lippy generalized

38:01

permanent mack lynskey or the executive producers

38:03

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38:09

kansas manrique as rent the executive

38:11

producers amazon music and wonder he or

38:14

morgan jones marshall louis an

38:16

errand authority

38:26

you're about to hear preview of the execution

38:29

of bonnie lead basically while you're listening

38:31

follow the execution of to any li basically

38:33

on apple podcasts amazon music

38:36

spotify or you can listen ad

38:38

free but joining wonder he plus in

38:40

the wonder yeah

38:42

inside small yellow house on a

38:44

quiet street sean stanek

38:46

sit at desk in his robe he

38:49

spending friday night hunched over his keyboard

38:52

writing screenplay hoping to

38:54

become the next quentin tarantino

38:58

but tonight

39:00

right another word

39:09

he looks familiar

39:13

he's breathing are you have to help

39:15

my wife she's , she's

39:17

been beads they better off off

39:19

my god call nine one nine minute

39:22

clicks jesus it's robert

39:24

blake actor stanek seen

39:26

him around seen neighborhood where issues

39:28

blake points across the street to a black dodge

39:31

parked in front a dumpster stance

39:33

confused how did blake's weiss

39:35

get into the car if she was beaten

39:37

was their domestic squabble stanek

39:41

racist his bedroom dials nine one

39:43

racist i never learned

39:47

crap we need a woman with overseeing

39:49

our this shit ,

39:51

five years to no conscience conscience

39:54

lover low cost

39:56

me is he breathing should the other com

40:00

the operator tells stanek to get dry towel

40:02

to stop any bleeding

40:05

he's still his robe he

40:07

, to the bedroom to change clothes and

40:09

here's blakey out from the other room room

40:12

back to the to what

40:14

the hell why isn't play going

40:16

to the car help his wife you

40:19

just turn preview of the execution

40:21

of bonnie li bakery listened to the rest

40:23

of this episode wherever you get your podcasts