Philippines thought Pogos were gone. Corruption and AI still power them

In September, a National Bureau of Investigation raid arrested over 120 Chinese nationals linked to an alleged illegal trading and “lust scam”.

The operation involved a call centre-style facility in Makati City, where victims were tricked into sharing explicit videos.

About 244 foreigners, mostly Chinese citizens, were arrested in a subsequent operation in Zamboanga Sibugay, dubbed the “largest Pogo bust”.