My FBI Declassified Story

Summary

In this video, the host recounts a surprising visit from the FBI and IRS in 2020, prompted by his exposé on a fraudulent phone company selling 'Escobar Fold' devices. The agents seized evidence from his videos and asked for his silence, which he respected until the mastermind, Olaf Gustafsson, was arrested. Now, he's free to share the intriguing story.

Takeaways

• 😀 The video's creator had a rule at the studio where no one could enter without his confirmation, and this rule was upheld even by the unexpected visit from the FBI.
• 👮‍♂️ In June 2020, the FBI and IRS visited the studio to ask questions about the 'Escobar phone', a fraudulent product the creator had previously exposed in a video.
• 📱 The 'Escobar phone' was a scam involving a company that falsely marketed a $400 gold folding phone, which was actually just a Samsung Galaxy Fold with gold stickers.
• 🤔 The creator was initially confused and concerned by the unannounced visit, but was relieved when he realized the reason was related to his investigative video on the Escobar phone.
• 🚨 The FBI and IRS were interested in the creator's communications with the fraudulent company and took evidence from his videos for their investigation.
• 🔒 The creator was asked not to speak publicly about the FBI and IRS visit until he was given the green light by the agents involved.
• 📉 The fraudulent company's operations began to collapse after the scam was exposed, with payment processors like PayPal and Klarna cutting ties with them.
• 👨‍⚕️ Olaf Gustafsson, the individual behind the scam, was eventually arrested and imprisoned in Spain for fraud, money laundering, and other crimes.
• 📜 The creator received official papers from the FBI confirming the receipt of the Escobar Fold and the gold iPhone 11 Pro as evidence in the case.
• 🎥 The creator hints at more investigative videos in the future, indicating his interest in uncovering and sharing stories of tech-related scams.
• 📚 The video also mentions a bonus episode of the Waveform podcast with similar stories from the studio, suggesting a broader collection of intriguing experiences.

Q & A

What was the main reason the FBI visited the studio?

The main reason the FBI visited the studio was to ask questions about the Escobar phone, which was a subject of a video the narrator had published, exposing it as a scam.

What was the unique rule between the narrator and Bob at the front desk?

The unique rule was that if anyone showed up at the front desk asking for the narrator, Bob wouldn't let them in unless the narrator came out to confirm they were expecting the visitor.

Why was the narrator concerned when Bob informed him about people with badges at the front desk?

The narrator was concerned because he was unsure why someone with badges would be asking for him, which was unexpected and could imply some kind of trouble.

What was the Escobar phone scam that the narrator exposed in his video?

The scam involved a company selling a $400 gold folding phone, which was actually a Samsung Galaxy Fold covered with gold stickers. They were shipping these to YouTubers for positive reviews but not fulfilling orders from regular customers, effectively scamming them.

Why did the FBI and IRS take an interest in the Escobar phone case?

The FBI and IRS took an interest because of the fraudulent activities the company was involved in, as exposed by the narrator's video, which included scamming customers and potentially money laundering.

What items did the FBI take as evidence from the narrator's studio?

The FBI took the half-peeled Escobar Fold and the scratched gold iPhone from the narrator's videos as evidence in their case.

What was the narrator's initial reaction when the FBI agents asked him not to talk about the visit publicly?

The narrator agreed not to talk about the visit, understanding the importance of not interfering with the investigation, but he was curious about when he would be allowed to discuss it.

What happened to the company and its head, Olaf Gustafsson, after the scam was exposed?

PayPal and Klarna stopped working with the company, and eventually, the operation fell apart. Olaf Gustafsson was arrested and imprisoned in Spain for fraud, money laundering, and other related crimes.

Why did the narrator reach back out to the FBI agents after Gustafsson's arrest?

The narrator reached out to the FBI agents to confirm if it was now acceptable to talk about the incident publicly since the main perpetrator was behind bars.

What proof did the FBI provide to the narrator that they had received the phones as evidence?

The FBI provided papers that detailed the property received for use as evidence in the case, listing the Pablo Escobar Fold 2 mobile flip phone and the Pablo Escobar Gold 11 Pro mobile phone.

What is the narrator's current interest in creating more videos?

The narrator is interested in getting back into creating more investigative deep-dive type of videos, especially focusing on scams and other fascinating stories in the tech world.