#580 - Mariana van Zeller on Gaining Cartel Trust, Scammers & US Drug Crisis
Investigative journalist Mariana van Zeller joins Bobby to break down what it really takes to gain the trust of cartels operating in and around the U.S. and why no story is ever worth a life. She shares what she’s learned embedding with traffickers, how drugs move through America, and why the crisis isn’t just criminal, it's public health. They also dive into the psychology of scammers, from international fraud rings to headline-making con artists, and debate whether the people behind these crimes see themselves as villains at all. It’s a conversation about power, opportunism, corruption, and the uncomfortable truth about America’s role in fueling it all.
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Investigative journalist Mariana van Zeller joins Bobby to break down what it really takes to gain the trust of cartels operating in and around the U.S. and why no story is ever worth a life. She shares what she’s learned embedding with traffickers, how drugs move through America, and why the crisis isn’t just criminal, it's public health. They also dive into the psychology of scammers, from international fraud rings to headline-making con artists, and debate whether the people behind these crimes see themselves as villains at all. It’s a conversation about power, opportunism, corruption, and the uncomfortable truth about America’s role in fueling it all.
Watch The BobbyCast on Netflix!
Follow on Instagram: @TheBobbyCast
Follow on TikTok: @TheBobbyCast
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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