
by The Economist
<p>**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. </p><br><p><em>The Economist</em>’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?</p><br><p>To listen to the full series subscribe to <a href="https://subscribenow.economist.com/podcasts-plus" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Economist Podcasts+</a>.</p><br><p>Winner of the Overseas Press Club <a href="https://opcofamerica.org/87th-annual-overseas-press-club-awards/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Lowell Thomas Award 2026;</a> Two Gold <a href="https://www.signalaward.com/2025/10/15/2025-winners/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Signal Awards</a> for Money & F