#1938 - Mariana van Zeller
NaN minutesEpisode #1938
Mariana van Zeller is an award-winning investigative journalist, and host of Nat Geo’s "Trafficked with Mariana van Zeller."
www.nationalgeographic.com/tv/shows/trafficked-with-mariana-van-zeller
Episodes with Mariana van Zeller
Episode Timestamps
Joe Rogan and Mariana Vanzeller discuss the ease of buying guns in America
- Joe Rogan recounts a story from 12-15 years ago where he was able to buy an AK-47 out of a Taco Bell parking lot in Arizona
- Mariana Vanzeller explains how their show explores how American guns end up in the hands of cartels in Mexico and contribute to violence
- They discuss how easy it is to buy guns in America, including through online websites like Backpage
- They also talk about buying a 50 cal out of a guy's garage in the desert
Joe Rogan and Mariana Vanzeller discuss "ghost guns
- Joe Rogan asks Mariana Vanzeller what a "ghost gun" is
- Mariana Vanzeller explains that it is an untraceable gun without a serial number
- She goes on to explain that 3D printers have made it easier to make ghost guns, and companies like Defense Distributed sell kits to build them
- They discuss the controversy surrounding ghost guns and how they are ending up in crime scenes and the hands of gang members
The Danger of the Internet Community;
- Many lost people are easily manipulated and want to belong to a group
- The sense of community is missing for a lot of people
- Unfortunately, the internet can be a place where people find bad communities
- There is a danger of psychology when it comes to belonging to a group
- Many people who belong to these groups are poor, sad, and lost
Powerful Interview with an LSD Chemist;
- Joe Rogan spent months trying to get access to an LSD chemist
- It was one of the most powerful interviews he has ever done
- The chemist spent years of his life making LSD and started crying during the interview
- The chemist talked about what LSD meant to him and how it was taken away from him
Oxygotn Express story.
- First assignment on Vanguard was investigating prescription pill abuse
- Covered the Oxygotn Express, a major problem in Florida
- Husband filmed while wife reported on camera
- Story had a significant impact on raising awareness and changing laws
Pharmaceutical company responsibility.
- The opiate crisis devastated communities and caused many deaths
- Pharmaceutical companies and executives played a major role in creating the crisis
- Only a few pharmaceutical executives have gone to prison for opiate-related crimes
Pharmaceutical Industry Bribes Doctors to Sell Pills
- Doctors receive thousands of dollars in kickbacks from pharmaceutical companies
- They are also invited to luxury vacations and paid speaking fees
- Pharmaceutical representatives cultivate relationships with doctors by attending their personal events and giving gifts
- This influences doctors to sell more pills, even if it is not illegal
Florida's Prescription Database is a Step Towards Solving Opioid Crisis
- Prior to the database, people could receive multiple opioid prescriptions in one day without detection
- The database makes it much harder to do so
- Prescribing and dispensing pills at the same location creates a conflict of interest as doctors may prioritize profits over patient care
- Black market fentanyl-laced heroin caused a sharp increase in overdose deaths
High-Stakes Black Market Weed Business in Downtown LA
- Business owner running a black market weed business out of the top floor of an open garage in downtown LA
- Dozens of cars coming in and buying bulk amounts of illegal weed
- Security guards with guns present during transactions
- Owner admits making more money from illegal business than real estate business
A Shocking Tale of Ape Trafficking and Private Ownership
- Interviewee discusses recent trip to Congo to cover illegal ape trafficking and visit with Pygmies
- Explains how apes are illegally snatched and sold for tens of thousands of dollars
- People who buy them usually keep them in private zoos or as pets
- Shocking information about number of captive tigers in Texas and private ranches where they live
Starting time
- Tracking endangered species, lowland gorillas
- Following their trace by looking at their poop and broken branches
- Exhilarating moment of spotting a male gorilla, a mother carrying a baby and their family
- Rules to follow when encountering gorillas, such as not touching them or looking them in the eye
Starting time
- Producer's close encounter with a gorilla that approached him but didn't attack
- Videos of people taking selfies with wild animals, which incentivizes the trade of gorillas and chimpanzees
- Discussion of Bondo apes, a subspecies of chimpanzee that are huge and aggressive
- Endangered status of Bondo apes is uncertain, but evidence of their existence includes bones, tissue, and videos of them eating a leopard
Animal Trafficking for the Exotic Pet Market
- Human nature pushes some people to bring money home to their families by trafficking animals, even highly endangered species
- Private and public zoos often mistreat animals and keep them in small enclosures
- Social media exacerbates the market for exotic pets by making it seem glamorous
Dirty Bombs and the Threat of Radioactive Material
- Dirty bombs are powerful bombs made of radioactive material that can cause widespread sickness and devastation
- There is a fear that groups like ISIS could get their hands on radioactive material and create dirty bombs
- Access to radioactive material is easier than most people think
- Marianna's team has struggled to investigate due to lack of access and government surveillance
Riding with America's Outlaw Motorcycle Clubs
- Documentary crew had difficulty accessing secretive motorcycle clubs
- Filming took place during peak of COVID-19 pandemic
- Learned about origin and philosophy of the one percenters
- Interviewed ATF agent who infiltrated some of the groups
- Discussed involvement in drug business and how they make money
The Underground Surrogacy Market
- Investigated surrogacy market in Ukraine due to cheaper cost
- Followed a couple from California as they meet their baby
- Explored legalities of surrogacy
- Compared to black market surrogacy in Kenya
Nigerian oil bunkering and its funding of terrorist groups
- Nigeria's oil producing region is the biggest in the country
- Oil corporations such as ExxonMobil and Shell have been taking Nigeria's oil for decades
- People in these regions live in absolute poverty and began stealing the oil
- Estimates suggest that between 30% to 90% of the oil produced in Nigeria is stolen
- Stolen oil ends up with terrorist groups such as Boko Haram
Hezbollah's use of Iranian oil
- Hezbollah is funded by Iranian oil imports
- US Sanctions prohibit Iranian oil from being sold to Lebanon
- Iran's oil tanker was paraded down the streets of Lebanon
- Hezbollah is known to make millions of dollars from Iranian oil
- Hezbollah operative believed that any US intervention could potentially cause the Third World War
The Dark Side of Lithium Ion Batteries
- Companies that produce sophisticated electronics are aware of the conditions of the source of the materials used, but people are unaware of it.
- Cobalt, found in lithium ion batteries, is obtained through illegal and hazardous means.
- The episode reports on gold mining in Colombia and its connection to cartels.
Underground Fight Clubs
- The episode reports on a league called PKFC, which features bare-knuckle fighting.
- The host describes an illegal boxing match in Detroit, which took place in a soup kitchen and involved gambling.
- PKFC is recruiting fighters who have fought in major organizations like UFC.
The Damage in Bare Knuckle Fighting
- Bare knuckle fighting can lead to lacerations
- Example of Chris Liebman who had one of the worst cuts ever
- Fighters' skin and face tears easily
- Paige Van Zandt fights but Joe Rogan worries about the damage it can do
The Reality of Brain Damage
- CT is caused by the rattling of the brain
- Women are affected differently by concussions
- Pituitary gland is delicate and damage can happen anytime
- Sub-concussive blows can cause CTE
- Most fighters get the majority of their damage from sparring
The Danger of Repeated Head Injuries
- Joe Rogan discusses the dangers of repeated head injuries in combat sports
- He has seen people with brain damage from sparring and being knocked out repeatedly
- He once had to tell his friend, a UFC fighter, to stop after being knocked out multiple times
- There is a point where it becomes easier to knock someone out and they can no longer take a shot
The Tragedy of Meldrick Taylor's Brain Damage
- Rogan discusses the case of Meldrick Taylor, an Olympic gold medalist boxer who suffered brain damage from repeated knockouts
- He notes that Taylor was never the same again after being knocked out in a famous fight with Julio Cesar Chavez
- Taylor is interviewed years later and is unable to form coherent sentences due to his injuries
- Rogan reflects on how boxing and MMA are so much a part of the fighters' identities, making it hard to give up even when they suffer serious injuries
The Cost of Pay-Per-View Events
- Bellator has only done one pay-per-view event
- Getting people to spend enough money on pay-per-view for fighters to be paid millions is difficult
- Fighters from street fights in Thailand are paid very little but have built-in followers
- Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship offers a more hardcore image
- There is an idea that everyone wants to be like Kimbo Slice
The Entertainment Value of Fighting
- Fighting is entertaining for most people
- It can give the sport a bad name for casual observers
- Exploitation is bad for the sport
- The UFC has recently outlawed gambling for all fighters
- There was a scandal involving gambling and an injured fighter
Illegal Gambling During the Pandemic
- During the pandemic, there was an explosion of illegal gambling.
- Some people turned to online gambling, while others went to underground poker games and casitas.
- The fish game is a form of illegal gambling where people bet money to try and kill virtual fish.
- There is often drug involvement in illegal gambling, such as selling meth cheaply.
Illegal Underground Poker Games
- Illegal underground poker games are run by people who don't have a casino license and are making money off of the game.
- People can play for hundreds of thousands of dollars.
- The games often involve drug use to keep players awake and playing for longer.
- The host of the game (person making money) can be arrested for running an illegal gambling operation.
Illegal Gambling (Start
- Illegal gambling is prevalent in immigrant communities in places like LA and New York
- Many illegal gambling operations exploded during the pandemic when casinos shut down
- Massive amounts of money were involved, and black markets for guns, drugs, and sex trafficking surged
- Access to these worlds offers a unique perspective on what happens just outside our doorstep
Cyber Piracy and Online Scams (Start
- Cyber piracy and online ID theft scams have exploded in recent times
- A single mother showed how easy it was to find someone's information online and buy stolen credit card numbers on the black market
- Scammers made millions of dollars using fake names and addresses to get unemployment funds during COVID
- These illegal activities take advantage of people's personal data, which is now more valuable than gold or oil
Gambling addiction and consequences of winning legally
- Joe Rogan and guest discuss the allure and rush of gambling
- Gambling addiction is a real thing
- Casinos incentivize people to gamble with shows and buffets
- Winning legally and ethically can still get you banned from casinos
- Legalizing gambling creates a black market but regulates it as well
The disturbing reality of organ trafficking
- The first episode of the season covered organ trafficking
- Joe Rogan interviewed people involved in the trade in Colombia and Mexico
- The Wrecker, a man involved in this trade, was one of the most disturbing interviews
- It was difficult to corroborate his claims but a doctor in Mexico confirmed it
- Desperate people resort to the black market for organs because of the shortage of donors
The Darien Gap and Migrant Trafficking
- The Darien Gap is the most dangerous and lawless part of the world, a jungle that cannot be traversed by road
- Cartels prey upon migrants crossing the gap, causing dehydration and death
- The wrecker Elizabeth Sador reports that many victims of trafficking are migrants
- A police officer corroborates the stories of trafficking and exploitation
Organ Trafficking
- Not all organs harvested in Colombia come to the US, some stay in other countries
- Garrett Rowe, a young man with kidney disease, was one of the people interviewed for the show and eventually receives a transplant through a charity donor triangle
- People are willing to sell their organs on the black market
- The show tries to understand the motivations of traffickers without condoning their actions