This is immersive true crime, done differently. True Crime Reports brings you crime stories from the global south and beyond; tales of corruption, power, and in...
For nearly 40 years, a secretive colony in the Chilean countryside hid unspeakable horrors: child abuse, torture, and a twisted legacy of Nazism. Colonia Dignidad, led by ex-Nazi Paul Schäfer, thrived not just as a cult but as a brutal tool of oppression during Chile’s Pinochet regime. How did this enclave evade justice for so long—and why did the Chilean government turn a blind eye, or worse, offer its support? In a story that goes right to the heart of the German and Chilean governments, what justice can the victims themselves hope for? In this episode: Winfried Hempel, (@WinfriedHempel), Lawyer and Colonia Dignidad Survivor Evelyn Hevia, (@evelynheviajordan), Colonia Dignidad Researcher This episode was written and produced by Anna Staufenberg and hosted by Halla Mohieddeen. Executive Producers: Ney Alvarez and Sandra Ferrari. Production Managers: Archan Mohile and Bronte Baskin. Senior Producer: Marthe van der Wolf. Post-Production Supervisor: Andrés Rivera Assistant Producers: Leo Danczak, Sophie McNulty, and Catherine Nouhan. Fact-checking by Ruby Zaman. Translation by Diana Larrea Maccise. Audio editing by Alan Leer. Music composition by Tom Biddle. Lead of Engagement: Aya Elmileik. Engagement Producers: Adam Abou-Gad, Munera AlDosari, and Vienna Maglio. Al Jazeera’s Head of Audio: Ney Alvarez. Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on Instagram, X, Facebook and YouTube
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33:39
Blue Whale Suicides
What if an online game could push teenagers to their darkest edge? The Blue Whale Challenge is rumored to have taken lives around the globe, igniting fear, panic, and speculation between parents. From Russia’s nationwide hysteria to stories of tragic teenage deaths worldwide, the phenomenon shocked millions. But does this deadly game even exist? In this episode: Evgenii Berg (@genuine_berg), journalist Elizabeth Tucker (@libby.tucker.39), folklorist Episode credits: This episode was written and produced by Anna Staufenberg and hosted by Halla Mohieddeen. Executive Producers: Ney Alvarez and Sandra Ferrari. Production Managers: Archan Mohile and Bronte Baskin. Senior Producer: Marthe van der Wolf. Post-Production Supervisor: Andrés Rivera Assistant Producers: Leo Danczak, Sophie McNulty, and Catherine Nouhan. Fact-checking by Ruby Zaman. Audio editing by Alan Leer. Music composition by Tom Biddle. Lead of Engagement: Aya Elmileik. Engagement Producers: Adam Abou-Gad, Munera AlDosari, and Vienna Maglio. Al Jazeera’s Head of Audio: Ney Alvarez. Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on Instagram, X, Facebook and YouTube
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30:44
Captagon: Syria’s Hidden Drug Empire
Was al-Assad's Syria a narco-state? Captagon—a deadly, addictive amphetamine—has turned Syria into the heart of a $2 billion drug empire few know about, with the Assad regime at the center of it all. From secret labs to smuggling routes, we uncover how this shadowy network operates and its devastating impact across the Middle East. With the regime’s fall, what happens to this illicit empire? In this episode: Caroline Rose (@CarolineRose8), director at New Lines Institute Dania Albaba (@daniaonfire), expert in addiction psychiatry Episode credits: This episode was written and produced by Anna Staufenberg and hosted by Halla Mohieddeen. Executive Producers: Ney Alvarez and Sandra Ferrari. Production Managers: Archan Mohile and Bronte Baskin. Senior Producer: Marthe van der Wolf. Post-Production Supervisor: Andrés Rivera Assistant Producers: Leo Danczak, Sophie McNulty, and Catherine Nouhan. Fact-checking by Ruby Zaman. Audio editing by Alan Leer. Music composition by Tom Biddle. Lead of Engagement: Aya Elmileik. Engagement Producers: Adam Abou-Gad, Munera AlDosari, and Vienna Maglio. Al Jazeera’s Head of Audio: Ney Alvarez. Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on Instagram, X, Facebook and YouTube
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29:45
The Dark Side of Conservation
How far will Western powers go for conservation? In 2015, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, guards shot and killed an Indigenous boy searching for herbs with his father. This tragedy spotlights the violence faced by Indigenous communities from international conservation efforts. Is human life the cost of wildlife protection? In this episode: Fiore Longo (@LongoFiore), campaigner at Survival International (@Survival) Members of the Batwa Community Video episode link: https://youtu.be/Ug3zh54s3Tw Correction at 07:21: The figure here states “There are now only around 250 eastern lowland gorillas in the park." Recent surveys have revised the 2015 population of Eastern lowland gorillas to be c.1,500. Episode credits: This episode was written and produced by Anna Staufenberg and hosted by Halla Mohieddeen. Executive Producers: Ney Alvarez and Sandra Ferrari. Production Manager: Archan Mohile. Senior Producer: Marthe van der Wolf. Assistant Producers: Leo Danczak, Sophie McNulty, and Catherine Nouhan. Fact-checking by Ruby Zaman. Audio editing by Alan Leer. Music composition by Tom Biddle. Lead of Engagement: Aya Elmileik. Engagement Producers: Adam Abou-Gad, Munera AlDosari, and Vienna Maglio. Al Jazeera’s Head of Audio: Ney Alvarez. Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on Instagram, X, Facebook and YouTube
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31:40
Slave Scammers
We all know a scamming story: Someone rings or texts you, trying to get your personal information or asking you to log in to your account. But what you might not know is that the person behind that phone could be someone who’s been trafficked and enslaved. Hundreds of thousands of people are trapped in scamming farms across Southeast Asia. It’s a multi-billion dollar industry, and it’s a chronically underreported story on modern-day slavery. In this episode: Mary Ann Jolley, (@jolleyma), Journalist Episode credits: This episode was written and produced by Anna Staufenberg and hosted by Halla Mohieddeen. Executive Producers: Ney Alvarez and Sandra Ferrari. Production Manager: Archan Mohile. Senior Producer: Marthe van der Wolf. Assistant Producers: Leo Danczak, Sophie McNulty, and Catherine Nouhan. Fact-checking by Ruby Zaman. Translation by Fei Liu. Audio editing by Alan Leer. Music composition by Tom Biddle. Lead of Engagement: Aya Elmileik. Engagement Producers: Adam Abou-Gad, Munera AlDosari, and Vienna Maglio. Al Jazeera’s Head of Audio: Ney Alvarez. Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on Instagram, X, Facebook and YouTube
This is immersive true crime, done differently. True Crime Reports brings you crime stories from the global south and beyond; tales of corruption, power, and injustice that often haven’t reached headlines in the West.
Hosted by journalist Halla Mohieddeen, each week you’ll be taken to countries like Peru, South Africa, Syria, and Cambodia, hearing from eyewitnesses, journalists, and family members right at the heart of these stories.
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