Narrator/Denise Chan

Wondery Plus subscribers can binge all episodes of Scam Factory early and ad free. Join Wondery Plus in the Wondery app or on Apple Podcasts. Colonel and his assistant stepped into a small laid-back restaurant. On the wall above the cashier hung the words, bringing the Philippines closer to you.

Wondery Plus subscribers can binge all episodes of Scam Factory early and ad free. Join Wondery Plus in the Wondery app or on Apple Podcasts. Colonel and his assistant stepped into a small laid-back restaurant. On the wall above the cashier hung the words, bringing the Philippines closer to you.

The place was warm and welcoming and served really good Filipino food, which was exactly why Colonel had chosen it. Almost immediately, he spotted Charlie at a table in the corner. She was with her girlfriend and another man. They were chatting away. Colonel gave his assistant a knowing glance. His plan was working. They made their way over to a table and sat on a pair of stools.

The place was warm and welcoming and served really good Filipino food, which was exactly why Colonel had chosen it. Almost immediately, he spotted Charlie at a table in the corner. She was with her girlfriend and another man. They were chatting away. Colonel gave his assistant a knowing glance. His plan was working. They made their way over to a table and sat on a pair of stools.

He wanted to be close enough to keep tabs, but far enough to give them some privacy. You need privacy for a confession. And that is exactly what Colonel was hoping for. He'd set this meeting up because he wanted Charlie to be straight with him. And because he knew that up until this point, she had not.

He wanted to be close enough to keep tabs, but far enough to give them some privacy. You need privacy for a confession. And that is exactly what Colonel was hoping for. He'd set this meeting up because he wanted Charlie to be straight with him. And because he knew that up until this point, she had not.

The list of things Charlie had not confessed in their first meeting was long. She hadn't admitted the role her travel agency played in the entire scam operation, or explained why she had such a friendly relationship with a high-level recruiter inside the compound, or revealed how exactly she had such a huge amount of insider knowledge about how the compound operated.

The list of things Charlie had not confessed in their first meeting was long. She hadn't admitted the role her travel agency played in the entire scam operation, or explained why she had such a friendly relationship with a high-level recruiter inside the compound, or revealed how exactly she had such a huge amount of insider knowledge about how the compound operated.

She hadn't even told him the whole truth about the two brothers she wanted to rescue.

She hadn't even told him the whole truth about the two brothers she wanted to rescue.

And Colonel knew all this, or enough to piece it together. He'd warn Charlie that he would investigate her if she didn't tell him the truth. But he'd stop short of forcing her to confess, because he'd also decided she was much more valuable as a source than as a suspect. The kind of information she had could not just help with rescues.

And Colonel knew all this, or enough to piece it together. He'd warn Charlie that he would investigate her if she didn't tell him the truth. But he'd stop short of forcing her to confess, because he'd also decided she was much more valuable as a source than as a suspect. The kind of information she had could not just help with rescues.

It could help them understand the syndicate and who was responsible. But he needed to know she was trustworthy. So he decided to play nice cop to see if he could get her to open up that way.

It could help them understand the syndicate and who was responsible. But he needed to know she was trustworthy. So he decided to play nice cop to see if he could get her to open up that way.

So instead of interrogating her again, Colonel asked Charlie to come to lunch to talk to someone from the International Justice Mission, a nonprofit organization he worked closely with that focused on helping human trafficking victims. It was a way to show he took the situation she was in seriously.

So instead of interrogating her again, Colonel asked Charlie to come to lunch to talk to someone from the International Justice Mission, a nonprofit organization he worked closely with that focused on helping human trafficking victims. It was a way to show he took the situation she was in seriously.

Plus, Colonel hoped maybe the nonprofit would have better luck getting information out of Charlie, since they weren't the police. So that's why they were all here in this restaurant towards the end of a lunch rush. Colonel watched their conversation from a safe distance. Charlie seemed much more relaxed than she had in his office.

Plus, Colonel hoped maybe the nonprofit would have better luck getting information out of Charlie, since they weren't the police. So that's why they were all here in this restaurant towards the end of a lunch rush. Colonel watched their conversation from a safe distance. Charlie seemed much more relaxed than she had in his office.

This was the question Colonel was most interested in.

This was the question Colonel was most interested in.