Ivan Franceschini is a lecturer at the Asia Institute, University of Melbourne. His research focuses on ethnic Chinese transnational crime. He cofounded the Made in China Journal, the People’s Map of Global China, and Global China Pulse.

05.14.2025

• Ivan Franceschini
• Ling Li
• Mark Bo

The Online Scam Industry Is Capitalism Built on Slave Labor

Centered in the lawless region of Southeast Asia known as the Golden Triangle, the scam industry is a new kind of capitalism built on corruption, organized crime and slave labor — and it’s growing.