Young athletes are trafficked into European soccer prison camps while crime syndicates launder billions. Chris Dalby reveals the dark underbelly of sports.
Full show notes and resources can be found here: jordanharbinger.com/1204
What We Discuss with Chris Dalby:
- Human trafficking is rampant in modern sports: Thousands of young athletes, particularly from Africa, are lured to Europe with false promises of professional contracts, only to end up exploited in "soccer prison camps" while families go into debt.
- An illegal sports betting empire thrives: A $1.7 trillion annual industry controlled by organized crime syndicates, primarily Asian groups operating from countries like Cambodia, Vietnam, and Thailand through sophisticated networks.
- Sneaky "spot fixing" corruption rigs games: Instead of fixing entire match results, players are paid to perform specific actions like getting yellow cards or missing shots, which are harder to detect but easier to execute.
- Gambling sponsor fronts operate in plain sight: Crypto and gambling companies dominate sports sponsorships worldwide, often serving as money laundering fronts, with some sponsors being illegal in their own team's countries.
- Solutions exist: Law enforcement can be trained to detect sports crime, integrity monitoring works (tennis has improved significantly), and awareness platforms help protect vulnerable young athletes from scams.
- And much more...
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