Latest news with #US8
Sydney Morning Herald
4 days ago
- Business
- Sydney Morning Herald
How adult content platform OnlyFans transformed porn
Since it was founded in 2016 by a well-heeled Brit, OnlyFans has grown into a giant of X-rated content. The platform, whose current owner, a secretive Ukrainian-American, is reportedly looking to sell it for $US8 billion (about $12.3 billion), is used by more than four million 'creators', who post content, and more than 300 million 'fans', who pay for it. In the 12 months to November 2023, the latest data available, it brought in revenue of US1.3 billion (about $2 billion). At around 50 per cent, its operating margin was higher than those of tech giants such as Alphabet, Meta and Microsoft. OnlyFans has not only been an enormous financial success. It has transformed how porn is made, shared and consumed online. The internet has been filled with smut for as long as it has existed. Work published in the Journal of Sex Research in 2023 suggests major porn sites get more monthly visitors and page views than Amazon, Netflix or Zoom. Yet the porn industry has struggled to make money. 'Tube sites', such as PornHub, allow more or less anyone to watch videos for free. Advertising revenues are paltry, as many brands would rather not be associated with adult content. Measures to keep illicit content such as child porn off some sites are weak. OnlyFans, by contrast, has developed a lucrative new approach. It charges users to watch videos, with extra fees for bespoke content, merchandise and personalised chats. Much of this, though not all, is sexual in nature. OnlyFans keeps a 20 per cent cut of what users pay, slightly less than Uber, a ride-hailing app, and about the same as Airbnb, a home-sharing platform. The company paid creators $US5.3 billion (about $8.2 billion) in the 12 months to November 2023. And OnlyFans isn't on the app stores run by Apple and Google, which means it doesn't have to pay hefty fees on in-app purchases. Loading Because it has money, OnlyFans can invest in security measures which, though imperfect, are at least better than those of many of its peers. In some markets, including Britain, it uses third-party technology to estimate a viewer's age based on a facial scan, to ensure minors don't sign up. For creators, it requires numerous pieces of documentation, including a government ID and bank details. It has a team of nearly 1500 people verifying accounts and checking that videos on the platform meet its rules. In May, OnlyFans rejected about two-thirds of the 187,305 applications it received for new accounts. Keily Blair, its chief executive, compares this to the know-your-customer process followed by big banks. 'There is no anonymity on OnlyFans,' she says, adding that content is not end-to-end encrypted, allowing the company to monitor what is published, and there is no algorithm pushing posts. Creators have flocked to the site. Last year Lily Allen, a famous singer, revealed she was making more money through her OnlyFans account, where she shared photographs of her feet, than through Spotify, a music-streaming service. Bonnie Blue, a sex worker who was banned from OnlyFans this month following a stunt in which she slept with more than 1000 men in a day, tells The Economist she earned as much as $US250,000 (about $385,000) per month from the site. She bought a Ferrari and a Rolex with the proceeds. Hers is a serious business. Ms Blue has a team of around 10 people, including photographers, editors and security. She says she spends 60-70 per cent of her time at her desk, rather than in the bedroom, replying to messages and doing administrative tasks.
The Age
4 days ago
- Business
- The Age
How adult content platform OnlyFans transformed porn
Since it was founded in 2016 by a well-heeled Brit, OnlyFans has grown into a giant of X-rated content. The platform, whose current owner, a secretive Ukrainian-American, is reportedly looking to sell it for $US8 billion (about $12.3 billion), is used by over four million 'creators', who post content, and over 300 million 'fans', who pay for it. In the 12 months to November 2023, the latest data available, it brought in revenue of US1.3 billion (about $2 billion). At around 50 per cent, its operating margin was higher than those of tech giants such as Alphabet, Meta and Microsoft. OnlyFans has not only been an enormous financial success. It has transformed how porn is made, shared and consumed online. The internet has been filled with smut for as long as it has existed. Work published in the Journal of Sex Research in 2023 suggests major porn sites get more monthly visitors and page views than Amazon, Netflix or Zoom. Yet, the porn industry has struggled to make money. 'Tube sites', such as PornHub, allow more or less anyone to watch videos for free. Advertising revenues are paltry, as many brands would rather not be associated with adult content. Measures to keep illicit content, like child porn, off some sites are weak. OnlyFans, by contrast, has developed a lucrative new approach. It charges users to watch videos, with extra fees for bespoke content, merchandise and personalised chats. Much of this, though not all, is sexual in nature. OnlyFans keeps a 20 per cent cut of what users pay, slightly less than Uber, a ride-hailing app, and about the same as Airbnb, a home-sharing platform. The company paid creators $US5.3 billion (about $8.2 billion) in the 12 months to November 2023. And OnlyFans isn't on the app stores run by Apple and Google, which means it doesn't have to pay hefty fees on in-app purchases. Loading Because it has money, OnlyFans can invest in security measures which, though imperfect, are at least better than those of many of its peers. In some markets, including Britain, it uses third-party technology to estimate a viewer's age based on a facial scan, to ensure minors don't sign up. For creators, it requires numerous pieces of documentation, including a government ID and bank details. It has a team of nearly 1500 people verifying accounts and checking that videos on the platform meet its rules. In May, OnlyFans rejected about two-thirds of the 187,305 applications it received for new accounts. Keily Blair, its chief executive, compares this to the know-your-customer process followed by big banks. 'There is no anonymity on OnlyFans,' she says, adding that content is not end-to-end encrypted, allowing the company to monitor what is published, and there is no algorithm pushing posts. Creators have flocked to the site. Last year Lily Allen, a famous singer, revealed she was making more money through her OnlyFans account, where she shared photographs of her feet, than through Spotify, a music-streaming service. Bonnie Blue, a sex worker who was banned from OnlyFans this month following a stunt in which she slept with more than 1000 men in a day, tells The Economist she earned as much as $US250,000 (about $385,000) per month from the site. She bought a Ferrari and a Rolex with the proceeds. Hers is a serious business. Ms Blue has a team of around ten people, including photographers, editors and security. She says she spends 60–70 per cent of her time at her desk, rather than in the bedroom, replying to messages and doing administrative tasks. 'Being an online creator isn't as glam as it seems,' she says.
Yahoo
17-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Macquarie Asset Management Closes Macquarie Infrastructure Partners VI With Over $US8 Billion of Total Fund and Co-Investment Commitments
Successful MIP VI final close, with over US$6.8 billion of total Fund commitments, as well as another US$1.3 billion of closed and funded co-investment in MIP VI portfolio companies to date Approximately half of MIP VI Fund commitments from North American investors, higher than any previous Macquarie Infrastructure Partners vintage Over 70% of Fund commitments from investors that have previously invested with Macquarie Asset Management's Real Assets division NEW YORK, June 17, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Macquarie Asset Management today announced the final close of Macquarie Infrastructure Partners VI ("MIP VI" or the "Fund"), with over $US8 billion of total commitments, including over US$6.8 billion of Fund commitments as well as an additional US$1.3 billion of closed and funded co-investment in MIP VI portfolio companies to date. The co-investment completed to date alongside MIP VI is expected to increase further and builds on approximately $US8 billion of closed co-investment across the previous three MIP vintages. Macquarie Infrastructure Partners is Macquarie Asset Management's series of Americas-focused, unlisted infrastructure funds. MIP VI continues the investment philosophy and approach of the MIP platform, which has the longest track record of any infrastructure manager investing in the Americas region. This track record now spans more than 22 years of infrastructure investment expertise in the region and includes more than 55 portfolio company investments and 26 realizations. Consistent with prior MIP vintages, the Fund is focused on high-quality investments across the transportation, digital infrastructure, utilities and energy, and waste infrastructure sectors. MIP VI's investments to date include Diamond Infrastructure Solutions, SwyftFiber, TraPac Terminals, Montreal Metropolitan Airport and Coastal Waste & Recycling. MIP VI has attracted commitments from a diverse group of returning and new investors from around the world, including public and private pension plans, insurance companies, sovereign wealth funds, and investment managers. The Fund saw strong support from its existing investor base, with more than 70% of total commitments coming from investors that have previously invested with Macquarie Asset Management's Real Assets division. Notably, half of the fund commitments were from North American investors, marking the highest proportion of any MIP vintage to be sourced within North America. "We are grateful for the confidence that MIP VI investors have placed in us," said Leigh Harrison, Head of Real Assets for Macquarie Asset Management. "MIP VI's successful capital raise demonstrates investors' ongoing commitment to Macquarie Asset Management's expertise in infrastructure investment and our strong investment track record that spans more than 30 years around the world." "Our clients remain focused on allocating to infrastructure, due to the sector's ability to deliver stable returns as well as provide inflation protection and portfolio diversification benefits," said Karl Kuchel, CEO of Macquarie Infrastructure Partners. "We greatly appreciate investors' ongoing support, which recognizes our team's sector expertise, long-standing experience, and operational capabilities. This allows MIP to continue to access and develop a broad range of high-quality investment opportunities, partner with management teams, support portfolio company growth and create long-term value for our investors." Macquarie Asset Management is a pioneer in infrastructure investment and as one of the largest investors in real assets, Macquarie Asset Management's Real Assets division manages approximately $US209.9 billion across its infrastructure, green investments, and natural assets platforms.1 About Macquarie Asset Management Macquarie Asset Management is a global asset manager, integrated across public and private markets. Trusted by institutions, governments, foundations and individuals to manage approximately $US588.1 billion in assets, we provide a diverse range of investment solutions including real assets, real estate, credit and equities & multi-asset. Macquarie Asset Management is part of Macquarie Group, a diversified financial group providing clients with asset management, finance, banking, advisory, and risk and capital solutions across debt, equity and commodities. Founded in 1969, Macquarie Group employs over 20,000 people in 34 markets and is listed on the Australian Securities Exchange. All figures as at 31 March 2025 unless otherwise noted. Important Notices (Macquarie Asset Management): None of the entities noted in this media release is an authorised deposit-taking institution for the purposes of the Banking Act 1959 (Commonwealth of Australia) and the obligations of these entities do not represent deposits or other liabilities of Macquarie Bank Limited ABN 46 008 583 542 (Macquarie Bank). Macquarie Bank does not guarantee or otherwise provide assurance in respect of the obligations of these entities. In addition, if this media release relates to an investment (a) each investor is subject to investment risk including possible delays in repayment and loss of income and principal invested and (b) none of Macquarie Bank or any other Macquarie Group company guarantees any particular rate of return on or the performance of the investment, nor do they guarantee repayment of capital in respect of the investment. 1 As at 31 March 2025. View source version on Contacts Lee +1-347-302-3000Rachel +1-310-800-4512
Business Wire
17-06-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
Macquarie Asset Management Closes Macquarie Infrastructure Partners VI With Over $US8 Billion of Total Fund and Co-Investment Commitments
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Macquarie Asset Management today announced the final close of Macquarie Infrastructure Partners VI ('MIP VI' or the 'Fund'), with over $US8 billion of total commitments, including over US$6.8 billion of Fund commitments as well as an additional US$1.3 billion of closed and funded co-investment in MIP VI portfolio companies to date. The co-investment completed to date alongside MIP VI is expected to increase further and builds on approximately $US8 billion of closed co-investment across the previous three MIP vintages. 'Our clients remain focused on allocating to infrastructure, due to the sector's ability to deliver stable returns as well as provide inflation protection and portfolio diversification benefits,' said Karl Kuchel, CEO of Macquarie Infrastructure Partners. Share Macquarie Infrastructure Partners is Macquarie Asset Management's series of Americas-focused, unlisted infrastructure funds. MIP VI continues the investment philosophy and approach of the MIP platform, which has the longest track record of any infrastructure manager investing in the Americas region. This track record now spans more than 22 years of infrastructure investment expertise in the region and includes more than 55 portfolio company investments and 26 realizations. Consistent with prior MIP vintages, the Fund is focused on high-quality investments across the transportation, digital infrastructure, utilities and energy, and waste infrastructure sectors. MIP VI's investments to date include Diamond Infrastructure Solutions, SwyftFiber, TraPac Terminals, Montreal Metropolitan Airport and Coastal Waste & Recycling. MIP VI has attracted commitments from a diverse group of returning and new investors from around the world, including public and private pension plans, insurance companies, sovereign wealth funds, and investment managers. The Fund saw strong support from its existing investor base, with more than 70% of total commitments coming from investors that have previously invested with Macquarie Asset Management's Real Assets division. Notably, half of the fund commitments were from North American investors, marking the highest proportion of any MIP vintage to be sourced within North America. 'We are grateful for the confidence that MIP VI investors have placed in us,' said Leigh Harrison, Head of Real Assets for Macquarie Asset Management. 'MIP VI's successful capital raise demonstrates investors' ongoing commitment to Macquarie Asset Management's expertise in infrastructure investment and our strong investment track record that spans more than 30 years around the world.' 'Our clients remain focused on allocating to infrastructure, due to the sector's ability to deliver stable returns as well as provide inflation protection and portfolio diversification benefits,' said Karl Kuchel, CEO of Macquarie Infrastructure Partners. 'We greatly appreciate investors' ongoing support, which recognizes our team's sector expertise, long-standing experience, and operational capabilities. This allows MIP to continue to access and develop a broad range of high-quality investment opportunities, partner with management teams, support portfolio company growth and create long-term value for our investors.' Macquarie Asset Management is a pioneer in infrastructure investment and as one of the largest investors in real assets, Macquarie Asset Management's Real Assets division manages approximately $US209.9 billion across its infrastructure, green investments, and natural assets platforms. 1 About Macquarie Asset Management Macquarie Asset Management is a global asset manager, integrated across public and private markets. Trusted by institutions, governments, foundations and individuals to manage approximately $US588.1 billion in assets, we provide a diverse range of investment solutions including real assets, real estate, credit and equities & multi-asset. Macquarie Asset Management is part of Macquarie Group, a diversified financial group providing clients with asset management, finance, banking, advisory, and risk and capital solutions across debt, equity and commodities. Founded in 1969, Macquarie Group employs over 20,000 people in 34 markets and is listed on the Australian Securities Exchange. All figures as at 31 March 2025 unless otherwise noted. Important Notices (Macquarie Asset Management): None of the entities noted in this media release is an authorised deposit-taking institution for the purposes of the Banking Act 1959 (Commonwealth of Australia) and the obligations of these entities do not represent deposits or other liabilities of Macquarie Bank Limited ABN 46 008 583 542 (Macquarie Bank). Macquarie Bank does not guarantee or otherwise provide assurance in respect of the obligations of these entities. In addition, if this media release relates to an investment (a) each investor is subject to investment risk including possible delays in repayment and loss of income and principal invested and (b) none of Macquarie Bank or any other Macquarie Group company guarantees any particular rate of return on or the performance of the investment, nor do they guarantee repayment of capital in respect of the investment. 1
The Advertiser
30-05-2025
- The Advertiser
SE Asia trafficked scam victims free but far from home
Most of Jaruwat Jinnmonca's anti-trafficking work used to focus on helping victims swept into prostitution. Now, survivors of cyber-scam compounds dominate his time as founder of the Thailand-based Immanuel Foundation. Hundreds of thousands of victims are trapped in cyber-crime scam farms that sprung up during the COVID-19 pandemic in Southeast Asia, according to the United Nations. Conditions are reported to be brutal, with the detainees ruled by violence. Photos on Jinnmonca's phone show victims with purple and blue bruises, bleeding wounds and even the lifeless body of someone who had been severely beaten or was dead. He has received reports of seven killings from inside compounds this year alone and reports of other forced labourers killing themselves, worn out from waiting for help that may never arrive. "They want to go back home," he said, and if they do not follow orders, the gang leaders will abuse them until they die. "Some, when they cannot escape, they jump off the seventh or 10th floor. They want to die." Criminal gangs cashed in on pandemic-induced economic vulnerability and even now, workers come from as far as Ethiopia and India, duped into thinking a paid-for journey to Thailand will yield a worthwhile employment opportunity. Instead they spend their days tethered to technology, generating fake social media profiles and compelling stories to swindle money from unsuspecting people, contributing to a cyber-crime economy that accounted for $US8 ($A12) trillion in losses in 2023. In February, under pressure from China after a well-known Chinese actor, Wang Xing, was trafficked, Myanmar authorities and the Thai government collaborated in the biggest rescue operation yet. By shutting down the internet and stopping fuel supplies and electricity in Myawaddy, Myanmar, authorities were able to debilitate several compounds, leading to the release of more than 7,000 workers. Their ordeal, however, is not yet over. Many of them are waiting to be repatriated in holding centres where access to food and medicine is said to be scarce. The Immanuel Foundation has rescued more than 2700 people since 2020. "We bring them to hospital for a health check and then take them to talk to law enforcement," Jinnmonca said, as his phone vibrated for a third time in just 30 minutes. The call was from one of his 12 staff members reporting that the team succeeded in extracting a Thai woman from a scam centre in Cambodia. She was covered in scars from beatings but otherwise healthy, the team said. Escaped workers say they were given little food or clean water and threatened with beatings or death if quotas were unmet. For Palit, 42, a former clothing shop owner from northern Thailand, the risk of electric shock was never far away during his six-month detention. He had been attracted to the promise of a high-paying administrative job in South Korea, but instead was flown to Mandalay in Myanmar. Fearing he was being trafficked for his organs, it was a relief to know he could keep them, he said. Instead, he was forced to spend his time creating fake profiles to engage a minimum of five people every day in online relationships. "I would talk to the target like 'Baby please invest in this, you will get good profit,'" said Palit, who wanted only his first name disclosed. Well known among forced labourers, Jinnmonca's personal Facebook pings with messages, typically four new people each day, begging for help and sharing stories like Palit's. The cross-border nature of trafficking rescue makes the repatriation process difficult and slow, said Amy Miller, regional director for Southeast Asia at Acts of Mercy International, which supports survivors. "They are complaining about the wait time," she said. "There are people who are sick that are maybe not getting treatment. "It's just a tinder box ready to go up in flames." The problem of how to process and provide for so many victims is deterring Myanmar's law enforcement from further rescue operations, Miller said, so the potential for future operations is unclear. "I don't feel super confident that this is actually a reform of the compounds or that they're going to shut down," she said. Jinnmonca said he believes the most effective way to protect against trafficking and the scams is to imprison the masterminds at the top. "If (we do) not fix this problem, it will only double," he said. Instead, he said, the workers are targeted by authorities. When Palit, who is soft-spoken and quick to smile, was released from a scam centre in November 2023 alongside 328 other people, 10 of them were arrested. They were accused of being complicit in cybercrime and kidnapping because their language skills gave them leadership roles in the compound's living quarters. But they were victims as well, said Jinnmonca, and such arrests mean workers rescued from the clutches of criminal gangs in one country may face prison in another. Most of Jaruwat Jinnmonca's anti-trafficking work used to focus on helping victims swept into prostitution. Now, survivors of cyber-scam compounds dominate his time as founder of the Thailand-based Immanuel Foundation. Hundreds of thousands of victims are trapped in cyber-crime scam farms that sprung up during the COVID-19 pandemic in Southeast Asia, according to the United Nations. Conditions are reported to be brutal, with the detainees ruled by violence. Photos on Jinnmonca's phone show victims with purple and blue bruises, bleeding wounds and even the lifeless body of someone who had been severely beaten or was dead. He has received reports of seven killings from inside compounds this year alone and reports of other forced labourers killing themselves, worn out from waiting for help that may never arrive. "They want to go back home," he said, and if they do not follow orders, the gang leaders will abuse them until they die. "Some, when they cannot escape, they jump off the seventh or 10th floor. They want to die." Criminal gangs cashed in on pandemic-induced economic vulnerability and even now, workers come from as far as Ethiopia and India, duped into thinking a paid-for journey to Thailand will yield a worthwhile employment opportunity. Instead they spend their days tethered to technology, generating fake social media profiles and compelling stories to swindle money from unsuspecting people, contributing to a cyber-crime economy that accounted for $US8 ($A12) trillion in losses in 2023. In February, under pressure from China after a well-known Chinese actor, Wang Xing, was trafficked, Myanmar authorities and the Thai government collaborated in the biggest rescue operation yet. By shutting down the internet and stopping fuel supplies and electricity in Myawaddy, Myanmar, authorities were able to debilitate several compounds, leading to the release of more than 7,000 workers. Their ordeal, however, is not yet over. Many of them are waiting to be repatriated in holding centres where access to food and medicine is said to be scarce. The Immanuel Foundation has rescued more than 2700 people since 2020. "We bring them to hospital for a health check and then take them to talk to law enforcement," Jinnmonca said, as his phone vibrated for a third time in just 30 minutes. The call was from one of his 12 staff members reporting that the team succeeded in extracting a Thai woman from a scam centre in Cambodia. She was covered in scars from beatings but otherwise healthy, the team said. Escaped workers say they were given little food or clean water and threatened with beatings or death if quotas were unmet. For Palit, 42, a former clothing shop owner from northern Thailand, the risk of electric shock was never far away during his six-month detention. He had been attracted to the promise of a high-paying administrative job in South Korea, but instead was flown to Mandalay in Myanmar. Fearing he was being trafficked for his organs, it was a relief to know he could keep them, he said. Instead, he was forced to spend his time creating fake profiles to engage a minimum of five people every day in online relationships. "I would talk to the target like 'Baby please invest in this, you will get good profit,'" said Palit, who wanted only his first name disclosed. Well known among forced labourers, Jinnmonca's personal Facebook pings with messages, typically four new people each day, begging for help and sharing stories like Palit's. The cross-border nature of trafficking rescue makes the repatriation process difficult and slow, said Amy Miller, regional director for Southeast Asia at Acts of Mercy International, which supports survivors. "They are complaining about the wait time," she said. "There are people who are sick that are maybe not getting treatment. "It's just a tinder box ready to go up in flames." The problem of how to process and provide for so many victims is deterring Myanmar's law enforcement from further rescue operations, Miller said, so the potential for future operations is unclear. "I don't feel super confident that this is actually a reform of the compounds or that they're going to shut down," she said. Jinnmonca said he believes the most effective way to protect against trafficking and the scams is to imprison the masterminds at the top. "If (we do) not fix this problem, it will only double," he said. Instead, he said, the workers are targeted by authorities. When Palit, who is soft-spoken and quick to smile, was released from a scam centre in November 2023 alongside 328 other people, 10 of them were arrested. They were accused of being complicit in cybercrime and kidnapping because their language skills gave them leadership roles in the compound's living quarters. But they were victims as well, said Jinnmonca, and such arrests mean workers rescued from the clutches of criminal gangs in one country may face prison in another. Most of Jaruwat Jinnmonca's anti-trafficking work used to focus on helping victims swept into prostitution. Now, survivors of cyber-scam compounds dominate his time as founder of the Thailand-based Immanuel Foundation. Hundreds of thousands of victims are trapped in cyber-crime scam farms that sprung up during the COVID-19 pandemic in Southeast Asia, according to the United Nations. Conditions are reported to be brutal, with the detainees ruled by violence. Photos on Jinnmonca's phone show victims with purple and blue bruises, bleeding wounds and even the lifeless body of someone who had been severely beaten or was dead. He has received reports of seven killings from inside compounds this year alone and reports of other forced labourers killing themselves, worn out from waiting for help that may never arrive. "They want to go back home," he said, and if they do not follow orders, the gang leaders will abuse them until they die. "Some, when they cannot escape, they jump off the seventh or 10th floor. They want to die." Criminal gangs cashed in on pandemic-induced economic vulnerability and even now, workers come from as far as Ethiopia and India, duped into thinking a paid-for journey to Thailand will yield a worthwhile employment opportunity. Instead they spend their days tethered to technology, generating fake social media profiles and compelling stories to swindle money from unsuspecting people, contributing to a cyber-crime economy that accounted for $US8 ($A12) trillion in losses in 2023. In February, under pressure from China after a well-known Chinese actor, Wang Xing, was trafficked, Myanmar authorities and the Thai government collaborated in the biggest rescue operation yet. By shutting down the internet and stopping fuel supplies and electricity in Myawaddy, Myanmar, authorities were able to debilitate several compounds, leading to the release of more than 7,000 workers. Their ordeal, however, is not yet over. Many of them are waiting to be repatriated in holding centres where access to food and medicine is said to be scarce. The Immanuel Foundation has rescued more than 2700 people since 2020. "We bring them to hospital for a health check and then take them to talk to law enforcement," Jinnmonca said, as his phone vibrated for a third time in just 30 minutes. The call was from one of his 12 staff members reporting that the team succeeded in extracting a Thai woman from a scam centre in Cambodia. She was covered in scars from beatings but otherwise healthy, the team said. Escaped workers say they were given little food or clean water and threatened with beatings or death if quotas were unmet. For Palit, 42, a former clothing shop owner from northern Thailand, the risk of electric shock was never far away during his six-month detention. He had been attracted to the promise of a high-paying administrative job in South Korea, but instead was flown to Mandalay in Myanmar. Fearing he was being trafficked for his organs, it was a relief to know he could keep them, he said. Instead, he was forced to spend his time creating fake profiles to engage a minimum of five people every day in online relationships. "I would talk to the target like 'Baby please invest in this, you will get good profit,'" said Palit, who wanted only his first name disclosed. Well known among forced labourers, Jinnmonca's personal Facebook pings with messages, typically four new people each day, begging for help and sharing stories like Palit's. The cross-border nature of trafficking rescue makes the repatriation process difficult and slow, said Amy Miller, regional director for Southeast Asia at Acts of Mercy International, which supports survivors. "They are complaining about the wait time," she said. "There are people who are sick that are maybe not getting treatment. "It's just a tinder box ready to go up in flames." The problem of how to process and provide for so many victims is deterring Myanmar's law enforcement from further rescue operations, Miller said, so the potential for future operations is unclear. "I don't feel super confident that this is actually a reform of the compounds or that they're going to shut down," she said. Jinnmonca said he believes the most effective way to protect against trafficking and the scams is to imprison the masterminds at the top. "If (we do) not fix this problem, it will only double," he said. Instead, he said, the workers are targeted by authorities. When Palit, who is soft-spoken and quick to smile, was released from a scam centre in November 2023 alongside 328 other people, 10 of them were arrested. They were accused of being complicit in cybercrime and kidnapping because their language skills gave them leadership roles in the compound's living quarters. But they were victims as well, said Jinnmonca, and such arrests mean workers rescued from the clutches of criminal gangs in one country may face prison in another. Most of Jaruwat Jinnmonca's anti-trafficking work used to focus on helping victims swept into prostitution. Now, survivors of cyber-scam compounds dominate his time as founder of the Thailand-based Immanuel Foundation. Hundreds of thousands of victims are trapped in cyber-crime scam farms that sprung up during the COVID-19 pandemic in Southeast Asia, according to the United Nations. Conditions are reported to be brutal, with the detainees ruled by violence. Photos on Jinnmonca's phone show victims with purple and blue bruises, bleeding wounds and even the lifeless body of someone who had been severely beaten or was dead. He has received reports of seven killings from inside compounds this year alone and reports of other forced labourers killing themselves, worn out from waiting for help that may never arrive. "They want to go back home," he said, and if they do not follow orders, the gang leaders will abuse them until they die. "Some, when they cannot escape, they jump off the seventh or 10th floor. They want to die." Criminal gangs cashed in on pandemic-induced economic vulnerability and even now, workers come from as far as Ethiopia and India, duped into thinking a paid-for journey to Thailand will yield a worthwhile employment opportunity. Instead they spend their days tethered to technology, generating fake social media profiles and compelling stories to swindle money from unsuspecting people, contributing to a cyber-crime economy that accounted for $US8 ($A12) trillion in losses in 2023. In February, under pressure from China after a well-known Chinese actor, Wang Xing, was trafficked, Myanmar authorities and the Thai government collaborated in the biggest rescue operation yet. By shutting down the internet and stopping fuel supplies and electricity in Myawaddy, Myanmar, authorities were able to debilitate several compounds, leading to the release of more than 7,000 workers. Their ordeal, however, is not yet over. Many of them are waiting to be repatriated in holding centres where access to food and medicine is said to be scarce. The Immanuel Foundation has rescued more than 2700 people since 2020. "We bring them to hospital for a health check and then take them to talk to law enforcement," Jinnmonca said, as his phone vibrated for a third time in just 30 minutes. The call was from one of his 12 staff members reporting that the team succeeded in extracting a Thai woman from a scam centre in Cambodia. She was covered in scars from beatings but otherwise healthy, the team said. Escaped workers say they were given little food or clean water and threatened with beatings or death if quotas were unmet. For Palit, 42, a former clothing shop owner from northern Thailand, the risk of electric shock was never far away during his six-month detention. He had been attracted to the promise of a high-paying administrative job in South Korea, but instead was flown to Mandalay in Myanmar. Fearing he was being trafficked for his organs, it was a relief to know he could keep them, he said. Instead, he was forced to spend his time creating fake profiles to engage a minimum of five people every day in online relationships. "I would talk to the target like 'Baby please invest in this, you will get good profit,'" said Palit, who wanted only his first name disclosed. Well known among forced labourers, Jinnmonca's personal Facebook pings with messages, typically four new people each day, begging for help and sharing stories like Palit's. The cross-border nature of trafficking rescue makes the repatriation process difficult and slow, said Amy Miller, regional director for Southeast Asia at Acts of Mercy International, which supports survivors. "They are complaining about the wait time," she said. "There are people who are sick that are maybe not getting treatment. "It's just a tinder box ready to go up in flames." The problem of how to process and provide for so many victims is deterring Myanmar's law enforcement from further rescue operations, Miller said, so the potential for future operations is unclear. "I don't feel super confident that this is actually a reform of the compounds or that they're going to shut down," she said. Jinnmonca said he believes the most effective way to protect against trafficking and the scams is to imprison the masterminds at the top. "If (we do) not fix this problem, it will only double," he said. Instead, he said, the workers are targeted by authorities. When Palit, who is soft-spoken and quick to smile, was released from a scam centre in November 2023 alongside 328 other people, 10 of them were arrested. They were accused of being complicit in cybercrime and kidnapping because their language skills gave them leadership roles in the compound's living quarters. But they were victims as well, said Jinnmonca, and such arrests mean workers rescued from the clutches of criminal gangs in one country may face prison in another.
