Themis Podcasts

Themis

Themis is a specialist financial crime risk management agency. Our goal is to reduce the global impacts of financial crime. Themis helps clients and members identify and manage their specific financial crime risks, through a combination of innovation, insight and intelligence. Bringing you interviews and insight from leading investigative journalists, senior business leaders and changemakers who are at the forefront of tackling financial crime.

  1. Behind the Scenes of Scam Call Centres

    JAN 29

    Behind the Scenes of Scam Call Centres

    Scam call centres are no longer small, isolated operations. They are highly organised criminal enterprises that use psychology, technology, and global financial systems to steal billions every year. In this episode, we go behind the scenes of scam call centres to uncover how modern fraud operations actually work – from recruitment and scripts to money laundering and digital infrastructure. We break down the tactics used to manipulate victims, the role of organised crime, and why shutting these networks down is far more complex than it appears. This conversation explores: - How scam call centres are structured and operated - The psychology behind social engineering and coercion - Common scam scripts and manipulation techniques - How proceeds of fraud are moved and laundered - Why scam networks are difficult to dismantle - The growing role of technology, data, and AI in financial crime - What regulators, businesses, and individuals need to understand to reduce risk Whether you work in financial crime, compliance, fraud prevention, cybersecurity, law enforcement, or simply want to understand how scams really operate, this episode offers practical insight into one of the fastest-growing criminal threats globally. 🔎 Why this matters Scam call centres sit at the intersection of fraud, money laundering, organised crime, and human exploitation. Understanding how these operations function is critical to protecting consumers, strengthening compliance frameworks, and disrupting criminal networks at scale.

    19 min
  2. 12/22/2025

    Burkina Faso & the Cutting Edge of Propaganda

    How did Burkina Faso become one of the most viral political stories on social media, despite limited internet access at home?   In this episode, Henry Wyard, Senior Policy Analyst, and Finlay Taylor, Junior Investigations Analyst, unpack how Burkina Faso has found itself at the forefront of modern disinformation warfare, AI-driven propaganda, and scam ecosystems operating across TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and beyond. The discussion explores the global online campaign surrounding military leader Ibrahim Traoré — examining how bot networks, AI-generated videos, deepfakes, click farms and fabricated economic “success stories” are reshaping public perception far beyond West Africa.   Key topics covered: How AI has transformed propaganda into scalable, anonymous influence campaigns The role of bots, click farms and astroturfed engagement Fake gold mining claims, deepfake world leaders and AI-generated music propaganda The geopolitical narratives tying Burkina Faso, Russia and anti-Western sentiment Why West Africa’s mineral wealth makes it a strategic disinformation battleground The collapse of democratic norms and the fallout from ECOWAS sanctions How disinformation fuels fraud, scams and financial crime risk This episode breaks down how modern propaganda works, why it spreads and what it means for geopolitics, financial crime and global security, using Burkina Faso as a case study in the future of influence operations.    Perfect for viewers interested in:  Disinformation | AI & propaganda | Financial crime | Cyber-enabled fraud | Geopolitics | Africa security | OSINT | Risk & intelligence  Podcast: Burkina Faso & The Cutting Edge of Propaganda   Based on analysis by Finlay Taylor   Subscribe for more deep-dive investigations into financial crime, risk and global influence operations.

    19 min

About

Themis is a specialist financial crime risk management agency. Our goal is to reduce the global impacts of financial crime. Themis helps clients and members identify and manage their specific financial crime risks, through a combination of innovation, insight and intelligence. Bringing you interviews and insight from leading investigative journalists, senior business leaders and changemakers who are at the forefront of tackling financial crime.