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Behind every catfish, there’s the bait. Who is Janessa Brazil? Stolen images of an adult entertainment star are being used to con victims out of thousands of dollars, breaking hearts in the process. Journalist Hannah Ajala embarks on a quest to find Janessa, in this 7-part true crime series. And who is responsible for catfishing scams? Produced for the BBC World Service and CBC Podcasts by Antica Productions and Telltale Industries.
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Syria. 2018. ISIS is on the brink of defeat. Two-year-old Salmaan disappears amid the bombardment. In London, his grandfather desperately searches for answers. After the war against the Islamic State was won, what became of the children of its fighters? There are thousands of kids like Salmaan, with roots in Canada, the U.K., the U.S. and beyond — many of whom are still trapped without a way back home. Investigative reporter Poonam Taneja has covered the terror group for a decade and now emb ...
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Poonam travels to Canada for an unexpected meeting and returns to London where she shares what she has discovered with Ash.
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Salmaan was one of thousands of children born into or brought to live under the caliphate. Four years after the fall of IS, what do their lives look like now? Are they at risk of staying there forever?
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Poonam makes the perilous journey to the last known location of baby Salmaan, a guesthouse near where IS made its last stand. But IS sleeper cells still lurk in the desert and Poonam only has one hour on the ground – can she find what she needs in time?
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Poonam returns to DA, now suspicious of the secret she is keeping. What was IS like through her eyes? What can she tell Poonam about some of the terror group’s most heinous crimes?
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Poonam finally gets into the prison camp where the families of suspected IS fighters are being held. There, she meets a Canadian woman who has information about baby Salmaan. But it’s clear she isn’t telling Poonam everything.
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Bombs drop as Poonam enters Syria, blocking access to the areas she needs to get to. If things get worse, the troops guarding IS prisons say they will be forced to abandon their positions. The team makes contact with Salmaan’s Canadian family, learning what they believe happened to him and his mother. Poonam and her team see up close the dangers st…
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Two-year-old Salmaan disappears in the chaos of the final days of the war against ISIS. In London, Salmaan’s grandfather, Ash, has been desperate for answers ever since. Poonam travels to Syria to find out what happened to Salmaan and the thousands of children like him.
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Two-year-old Salmaan disappears in the chaos of the final days of the war against ISIS. After the war against the Islamic State was won, what became of the children of its fighters? There are thousands of kids like Salmaan, with roots in Canada, the U.K., the U.S. and beyond — many of whom are still trapped without a way back home. Is it a race aga…
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When the fish met the bait. Roberto has a broken heart and lost thousands of dollars to scammers. Vanessa had her images stolen by scammers and her life fell apart. An emotional finale. Please note, this series contains adult themes and strong language.For transcripts of this series, please visit: https://www.cbc.ca/radio/podcastnews/love-janessa-t…
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Her real name is Vanessa. Her model name is Janessa Brazil. Where does Janessa end and Vanessa begin? Vanessa tells her story and reveals the human cost of being the bait in catfishing schemes around the world. Please note, this series contains adult themes and strong language.For transcripts of this series, please visit: https://www.cbc.ca/radio/p…
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“I'm an offensive person.” Can a shock jock radio talk show host help us find Janessa Brazil? Meet Bubba the Love Sponge Clem. Bubba and Janessa used to host his show together and they were even housemates. Did they talk about romance scammers using her images? And does he know where Janessa is now? Please note, this series contains adult themes an…
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Where is Janessa Brazil? She seems to have vanished. Then, she turns up somewhere unexpected. Is that really Janessa on a radio show, with the wife of a scam victim? Meanwhile, Hannah discovers that justice is hard to come by. Can victims of romance fraud even get their money back? Please note, this series contains adult themes and strong language.…
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Tracking down scammers – how and why do they do it? One tells host Hannah Ajala: “I always feel bad”. Researchers estimate half of global romance scams originate in West Africa. In Ghana, there are the Sakawa Boys. The conning process can involve staying up late, chatting on the phone… building trust and deepening the connection - a bit like a real…
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Roberto is in love. Without ever seeing her or talking to her, he thinks he falls deeply for Janessa. He sends thousands of dollars and begs her to leave the adult entertainment world. Everyone tells the Italian sustainable farmer that he’s being scammed. Then why is Janessa coming to meet him at an airport in Europe? Please note, this series conta…
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New Year’s Eve. Simon receives a message from a beautiful stranger, named Shirley: “Greetings…from my world to yours.” A digital flirtation begins. Then Shirley needs cash – fast. Shirley’s photo is actually adult entertainment “cam girl” Janessa Brazil and many accounts are using her image to lure victims. Who is Janessa? Has she any idea that she…
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“I love her. I just love her!” You meet someone online. It turns out many others think they have fallen for the same person. Introducing the search for the unwitting face of a digital con. With host, Hannah Ajala. Launching 23 January 2023.Audio for this trailer was updated on February 8, 2023.
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