Micah is finally free, but Ava is still trapped. When dramatically she does get released, instead of finding a joyful reunion, she’s handcuffed and charged as a criminal. Both Micah and Ava realize that though they’ve escaped Sihanoukville, there’s a long journey ahead to rebuilding their lives.PLUS: What’s the connection between recent U.S. funding cuts, Chinese crime syndicates, and your bank account? And with hundreds of thousands of people still trapped in scam compounds, what can you, the listener, do to help?Show website: fightofmylifepodcast.com
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47:21
Escaping Scam City | The Rescue | 5
We discover that the person Micah reached out to for help was none other than our producer Jake. The wheels for rescue are put into motion but the scam boss discovers that Micah has been asking for help, and calls him in to face the consequences.PLUS: Americans lost $12.5 billion in 2024 alone to online scams. How is the government responding? The answer might surprise you.Show website: fightofmylifepodcast.com---Here's that video of the police raid (the bit at DV is ~3:15 onwards): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SqzdlLihfjUHere are the news reports referenced:https://nikkei.shorthandstories.com/https://vodenglish.news/thai-police-visit-concludes-with-66-rescued-other-victims-movedhttps://www.nytimes.com/2023/08/28/world/asia/cambodia-cyber-scam.htmlhttps://www.bangkokpost.com/world/2637946/cyber-scam-industry-booms-in-plain-sight-in-cambodia
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36:45
Escaping Scam City | The City of Falling Men | 4
Micah is sold to another scam center, bigger and more brutal than the last. Tasers. Dark rooms. So-called “suicides,” and co-workers who simply disappear. He’s close to giving up, when he stumbles upon a person on the internet, who might be his last hope of escape.PLUS: We ask transnational crime expert - and show producer - Jacob “Jake” Sims (an American) why governments in Southeast Asia aren’t doing much to stop forced scamming.Show website: fightofmylifepodcast.com
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41:09
Escaping Scam City | Selling a Dream | 3
Conditions in the compound worsen as the scammers are forced to extract more money from victims. An emotional encounter with a victim leaves Ava shaken and depressed. Micah’s escape plan backfires terribly: he’s been caught.PLUS: we speak to an American who lost his life savings, and break down just how “pig butchering” scams work – and why they’re so effective.Show website: fightofmylifepodcast.com
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41:34
Escaping Scam City | The Fourth Floor | 2
**Content warning: This episode contains descriptions of violence. Listener discretion is advised.**Trapped with Ava in a heavily guarded compound, Micah learns that escaping won’t be as easy as he thought. He forms a daring plan, but when he sees other workers brutally punished and beaten, knows he’s taking a major risk. Even still, he acts.PLUS: we fly to Sihanoukville, Cambodia, to follow Micah’s footsteps and see for ourselves that scam factories are operating out in the open, and unchecked.Show website: fightofmylifepodcast.com
**WINNER of Australian Podcast Awards: "Best New Podcast 2023"****WINNER of Shorty Impact Award: "By Content (Human Rights) 2023"****GOLD HONOR (2nd place) in Shorty Impact Awards: "Best Podcast"****FINALIST of Australian Podcast Awards: "Best True Crime Podcast" & "Best Documentary",****FINALIST in Anthem Awards: Humanitarian Action & Services**----The Fight of My Life is a multi-season documentary-style true crime podcast that tells powerful, true stories of people caught in moments of profound injustice, and exploitation—and the individuals who chose to step in the fight beside them.Each season spotlights a different fight for freedom, justice, and survival, capturing the resilience of those who refuse to give up and the quiet courage of those who walk with them.Told through raw storytelling, in-depth investigation, and firsthand accounts, The Fight of My Life reveals how, in the face of overwhelming odds, ordinary people can uncover extraordinary strength—and how one life’s fight can echo far beyond itself.
Australia