1
00:00:16,224 --> 00:00:18,268
I believe in the spiritual world.
2
00:00:21,855 --> 00:00:25,734
There is a specific alley
in San Francisco's Chinatown.
3
00:00:26,609 --> 00:00:29,320
If you go to the highest step,
4
00:00:29,571 --> 00:00:35,076
raise your hands like this and close your eyes
5
00:00:37,245 --> 00:00:41,291
The people
always feel something in that alley,
6
00:00:41,416 --> 00:00:43,209
that someone is pulling them.
7
00:00:44,461 --> 00:00:47,756
Some people can hear sounds
8
00:00:47,839 --> 00:00:51,092
of girls crying, asking for help.
9
00:00:57,140 --> 00:00:59,893
They say these girls were trapped.
10
00:01:00,185 --> 00:01:03,354
Spirits that cannot
go to the other world.
11
00:01:03,938 --> 00:01:06,441
That's why the Chinese believe
12
00:01:06,524 --> 00:01:08,902
that these spirits roam Chinatown.
13
00:01:11,154 --> 00:01:14,532
In our history, there have been many cases
14
00:01:14,657 --> 00:01:18,119
in which evil spirits
cling to the living,
15
00:01:19,412 --> 00:01:23,291
causing chaos, illness and even death.
16
00:01:23,374 --> 00:01:26,086
The leaders of Chinatown
are warning people.
17
00:01:26,169 --> 00:01:28,797
New reports
of terrified mothers in Chinatown,
18
00:01:28,880 --> 00:01:30,173
worried about their children.
19
00:01:30,256 --> 00:01:33,218
Chinatown residents
are on alert with the supernatural.
20
00:01:33,301 --> 00:01:34,302
Case reports�
21
00:01:34,385 --> 00:01:37,889
The solution is something called
ghost wedding.
22
00:01:38,056 --> 00:01:42,227
OUT THERE: SUPERNATURAL CRIMES
23
00:01:42,477 --> 00:01:47,774
THE GHOSTS OF CHINATOWN
24
00:01:57,450 --> 00:02:00,662
The spirits are wandering around Chinatown.
25
00:02:02,330 --> 00:02:05,500
As a child,
ghost stories in our family
26
00:02:05,583 --> 00:02:07,836
were taught by my mother.
27
00:02:08,628 --> 00:02:09,963
{\an8}CHINATOWN GHOST TOUR
28
00:02:10,046 --> 00:02:13,299
{\an8}It was something we grew up with.
It's part of our culture.
29
00:02:16,386 --> 00:02:20,557
My mother always said
that ghosts are very dangerous
30
00:02:20,640 --> 00:02:23,226
and can attach themselves to the living.
31
00:02:24,060 --> 00:02:28,106
And every day
There are opportunities for the living
32
00:02:28,189 --> 00:02:30,525
{\an8}and the dead meet.
33
00:02:31,693 --> 00:02:34,821
There were many cases in Chinatown,
34
00:02:35,488 --> 00:02:40,535
mothers stories
being haunted by evil spirits.
35
00:02:43,496 --> 00:02:49,919
CHINATOWN, SAN FRANCISCO
36
00:02:50,503 --> 00:02:53,673
In 2012, I started at the Public Ministry
37
00:02:53,756 --> 00:02:54,924
from San Francisco.
38
00:02:55,466 --> 00:02:58,303
We started receiving
some cases of the San Francisco police
39
00:02:58,386 --> 00:03:00,555
and it was something we never saw.
40
00:03:00,638 --> 00:03:02,348
{\an8}PUBLIC MINISTRY OF SAN FRANCISCO
41
00:03:02,432 --> 00:03:07,437
{\an8}These are threats from ghosts
who will kill your children in three days.
42
00:03:07,562 --> 00:03:09,022
CASUALTY REPORT
Elderly, Chinese
43
00:03:09,606 --> 00:03:10,773
Ghost will kill in three days
44
00:03:10,857 --> 00:03:12,066
There were more than 40 cases.
45
00:03:12,150 --> 00:03:13,151
ESPRITO WANTS TO TAKE A SON
46
00:03:13,693 --> 00:03:15,111
DEAD WILL TAKE SON IN ONE DAY
47
00:03:15,195 --> 00:03:18,531
And it was said that the only way
to prevent this from happening
48
00:03:18,698 --> 00:03:22,619
would be performing a ritual
where the ghosts
49
00:03:22,952 --> 00:03:25,622
would get married
with the youngest of their children.
50
00:03:27,624 --> 00:03:33,338
For mothers and grandmothers,
is embedded in the culture
51
00:03:33,421 --> 00:03:35,840
that ghosts can affect the living.
52
00:03:39,010 --> 00:03:42,722
At the time,
I was tasked with interrogating victims,
53
00:03:42,805 --> 00:03:47,018
{\an8}all monolingual women
and who spoke Canton.
54
00:03:47,101 --> 00:03:50,730
{\an8}Victim of Phantom Case
55
00:03:50,813 --> 00:03:56,194
{\an8}I immigrated from Shenzhen, Guangdong, China.
56
00:03:56,611 --> 00:03:59,364
My hometown in China
it was very rural.
57
00:03:59,489 --> 00:04:02,784
People asked:
"Did you hear the sounds of ghosts yesterday?"
58
00:04:02,909 --> 00:04:05,995
We were children,
So, of course we were scared.
59
00:04:06,454 --> 00:04:11,334
We didn't have television,
So that was the news,
60
00:04:11,417 --> 00:04:13,127
the sounds of ghosts.
61
00:04:18,132 --> 00:04:23,554
In 1986, my husband and I
We went to San Francisco to look for a job.
62
00:04:24,555 --> 00:04:27,976
When we arrived,
we only had US$40 in our pockets.
63
00:04:28,059 --> 00:04:29,102
{\an8}CHINESE FOOD
64
00:04:29,185 --> 00:04:31,020
{\an8}I got a job washing dishes.
65
00:04:32,689 --> 00:04:36,276
I always had two to three jobs.
66
00:04:36,401 --> 00:04:40,613
I didn't have time to pay attention
in my children and in their homework.
67
00:04:41,614 --> 00:04:43,032
Are your children married?
68
00:04:43,157 --> 00:04:44,659
Yes, both.
69
00:04:44,742 --> 00:04:46,494
They live elsewhere.
70
00:04:46,953 --> 00:04:48,121
And is there another son?
71
00:04:48,204 --> 00:04:51,624
I have one more that worries me a lot.
72
00:04:51,749 --> 00:04:54,585
He is always at home
and not looking for a job.
73
00:04:54,919 --> 00:04:57,213
My heart hurts just seeing him.
74
00:04:58,172 --> 00:05:01,676
{\an8}This is the eternal struggle
of immigrant children
75
00:05:01,801 --> 00:05:03,386
{\an8}in making your parents understand
76
00:05:03,469 --> 00:05:05,805
{\an8}where do they come from in this western life.
77
00:05:05,888 --> 00:05:08,266
They never let us date
when younger.
78
00:05:08,349 --> 00:05:10,393
But when we are 25 years old, they say:
79
00:05:10,476 --> 00:05:13,396
"Why don't you have children?
How come you don't have a husband?
80
00:05:13,479 --> 00:05:14,647
Where's the wife?"
81
00:05:14,731 --> 00:05:17,525
One of the biggest fears
of the Chinese woman is a single son.
82
00:05:17,608 --> 00:05:19,110
TEACHER OF ASIAN RELIGIONS
83
00:05:20,069 --> 00:05:24,032
And you can see this in the media,
where today's generations
84
00:05:24,115 --> 00:05:27,327
They feel pressure from their parents to get married.
85
00:05:27,493 --> 00:05:30,580
The reason is quite simple.
They want us to continue the lineage.
86
00:05:30,663 --> 00:05:31,914
It's a Chinese thing.
87
00:05:31,998 --> 00:05:35,585
Most of the pressure
comes from the parents themselves,
88
00:05:35,668 --> 00:05:37,503
based on traditional values.
89
00:05:37,628 --> 00:05:40,089
In traditional Chinese culture,
90
00:05:40,214 --> 00:05:44,719
a single son
you run the risk of suffering major damage.
91
00:05:45,303 --> 00:05:51,934
Become the main target
of a malicious and vengeful ghost.
92
00:05:54,228 --> 00:05:55,438
That day
93
00:05:55,521 --> 00:06:00,318
NOVEMBER 10, 2012
94
00:06:05,281 --> 00:06:07,617
I was at the fair.
95
00:06:09,243 --> 00:06:11,329
Someone approached me.
96
00:06:12,038 --> 00:06:14,165
A woman with a sling on her arm,
and asked:
97
00:06:14,624 --> 00:06:20,213
"Do you know Dr. C�?
He sells Chinese herbs here.”
98
00:06:21,172 --> 00:06:23,341
Said I never heard of him.
99
00:06:25,343 --> 00:06:27,804
We walk and talk,
100
00:06:27,887 --> 00:06:31,099
and then she said I found it
a ghost on the corner.
101
00:06:33,393 --> 00:06:38,439
There will be deaths and my son will suffer
a car accident in three days.
102
00:06:41,943 --> 00:06:45,696
I was so scared that I fell to my knees,
begging for your help.
103
00:06:45,780 --> 00:06:48,741
She said she would help me
to get rid of negative energy.
104
00:06:49,659 --> 00:06:52,578
"My grandfather solves disasters
and difficulties."
105
00:06:53,454 --> 00:06:56,916
Remember to ask
to perform a ceremony?
106
00:06:57,125 --> 00:06:58,167
Yes, they asked.
107
00:07:14,559 --> 00:07:18,729
In Chinese religion,
the vision of life after death
108
00:07:18,896 --> 00:07:22,650
It is the kingdom of the ancestors
and the realm of ghosts.
109
00:07:25,403 --> 00:07:29,157
To become an ancestor,
I need to get married
110
00:07:29,240 --> 00:07:31,826
and have their own descendants.
111
00:07:33,744 --> 00:07:36,622
But if death comes before marriage�
112
00:07:37,832 --> 00:07:39,667
you would fall into the realm of ghosts.
113
00:07:42,378 --> 00:07:45,965
We have to go back
to the Chinese concept of Yin and Yang,
114
00:07:46,090 --> 00:07:51,179
where Yang is masculine, positive,
and Yin is feminine, negative.
115
00:07:52,805 --> 00:07:58,603
A single ghost woman
cannot become ancestor
116
00:07:58,686 --> 00:08:02,565
until a ghost wedding ritual
be carried out.
117
00:08:03,566 --> 00:08:08,571
This is what motivates them
to cause harm to someone alive.
118
00:08:14,410 --> 00:08:18,247
My experience with a
ghost wedding was 40 years ago.
119
00:08:19,373 --> 00:08:23,920
I was always sick,
and the shaman made an investigation
120
00:08:24,253 --> 00:08:28,466
and said that I had suffered
a spontaneous abortion of a girl.
121
00:08:29,884 --> 00:08:34,305
Your spirit was hanging on me,
what made me sick,
122
00:08:34,805 --> 00:08:38,059
and we needed a ghost wedding.
123
00:08:39,977 --> 00:08:43,648
The shaman found someone else
124
00:08:43,773 --> 00:08:46,442
who suffered a spontaneous miscarriage of a boy.
125
00:08:48,152 --> 00:08:54,158
We went to the jewelry store to buy a chain
of gold to appease the spirit.
126
00:08:55,368 --> 00:08:58,037
And after the wedding,
127
00:08:58,621 --> 00:09:00,706
I felt good.
128
00:09:02,542 --> 00:09:04,502
My health improved.
129
00:09:10,716 --> 00:09:15,846
Like mother and grandmother,
if anyone hears the story
130
00:09:15,930 --> 00:09:19,809
or the threat of a ghost attached to you,
131
00:09:20,101 --> 00:09:22,812
Everything must be done to prevent this.
132
00:09:23,437 --> 00:09:28,401
Be praying,
light a candle, or a ritual.
133
00:09:29,151 --> 00:09:32,029
Whatever needs to be done, will be done.
134
00:09:35,449 --> 00:09:38,828
They scared me.
I was terrified.
135
00:09:38,953 --> 00:09:42,415
They said there would be deaths
and car accidents.
136
00:09:42,832 --> 00:09:45,668
These things would happen to my son.
137
00:09:45,960 --> 00:09:51,090
"To perform the ritual,
bring everything that is valuable,
138
00:09:51,173 --> 00:09:53,676
gold, silver, jewelry.
139
00:09:53,759 --> 00:09:58,639
Everything you have, wrap it up,
put it in a bag and bring it here.
140
00:09:59,390 --> 00:10:02,101
This ghost chose your son.
141
00:10:02,351 --> 00:10:04,020
She wants to take him to the underworld
142
00:10:04,103 --> 00:10:05,771
to be husband and wife."
143
00:10:06,355 --> 00:10:08,566
Of course, I panicked.
144
00:10:08,649 --> 00:10:10,776
I ran to take the things to them.
145
00:10:11,152 --> 00:10:17,700
I said, "My safe is in Chinatown,
I need a few hours.”
146
00:10:17,825 --> 00:10:20,286
So we scheduled a meeting at 2:30 pm.
147
00:10:24,040 --> 00:10:27,752
When talking to all these victims,
we didn't know
148
00:10:27,835 --> 00:10:32,423
why was there an increase
in these cases that we had never seen.
149
00:10:32,632 --> 00:10:36,510
Our victims had
It is very difficult to mention death.
150
00:10:36,886 --> 00:10:40,389
It seems that if they mention
death for children,
151
00:10:40,473 --> 00:10:44,018
this will really happen.
And it was a very emotional moment
152
00:10:44,393 --> 00:10:47,438
while they tried
Tell me the full story.
153
00:10:48,689 --> 00:10:51,817
To find the puzzle piece,
154
00:10:52,109 --> 00:10:55,446
I needed help from the local community.
155
00:11:05,122 --> 00:11:09,085
I've been in the Bay Area for many years
as an immigrant from Hong Kong.
156
00:11:10,252 --> 00:11:12,880
{\an8}In our culture, the concept of ghost�
157
00:11:12,963 --> 00:11:14,674
{\an8}PRESIDENT OF THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
158
00:11:14,757 --> 00:11:15,883
{\an8}is always on our mind.
159
00:11:16,967 --> 00:11:21,138
And as president of the Council
of Crime Prevention in this neighborhood,
160
00:11:21,472 --> 00:11:26,227
when we hear a story
in which the entire Chinatown community
161
00:11:26,310 --> 00:11:27,978
keeps talking about ghosts,
162
00:11:28,562 --> 00:11:31,607
It ends up affecting a lot of people I know.
163
00:11:32,274 --> 00:11:35,903
Caring and loving mothers
trying to protect the son or a child.
164
00:11:35,986 --> 00:11:38,030
FAIR AND FLEA MARKET
165
00:11:38,155 --> 00:11:40,825
They always tell me the same story.
166
00:11:42,743 --> 00:11:45,538
There is always a woman's approach.
167
00:11:45,663 --> 00:11:47,748
The first thing she says is:
168
00:11:47,832 --> 00:11:52,837
"Do you know this person with healing powers?"
169
00:11:53,045 --> 00:11:56,215
"Do you know Dr. C�?
170
00:11:56,298 --> 00:11:59,093
I heard he can heal
171
00:11:59,176 --> 00:12:01,554
bad luck and disasters in the family."
172
00:12:01,679 --> 00:12:03,889
She asked more questions
173
00:12:03,973 --> 00:12:06,100
about the victim's family, the children.
174
00:12:06,183 --> 00:12:08,102
Suddenly they say, "By the way,
175
00:12:08,185 --> 00:12:09,562
I saw a ghost."
176
00:12:10,271 --> 00:12:11,897
"No one gave her a blessing
177
00:12:11,981 --> 00:12:14,150
and now she wanders alone like a ghost.
178
00:12:14,567 --> 00:12:18,154
In three days,
your son will have no chance of escaping."
179
00:12:18,696 --> 00:12:21,949
A few minutes later,
two people appear
180
00:12:22,032 --> 00:12:24,535
and they say:
"The ghost will stay with him now."
181
00:12:25,035 --> 00:12:28,789
Now we have three people
repeating the same message.
182
00:12:28,914 --> 00:12:30,416
"If you don't do anything,
183
00:12:30,666 --> 00:12:34,336
your child will probably die
in a car accident."
184
00:12:36,422 --> 00:12:40,885
In most,
The victims tell similar stories.
185
00:12:40,968 --> 00:12:43,846
Stepped in the blood of a pregnant woman,
186
00:12:44,013 --> 00:12:46,140
son will be in a car accident,
187
00:12:46,265 --> 00:12:49,977
the spirit would trample your son
in an hour.
188
00:12:50,728 --> 00:12:55,524
So there is a huge emergency
to save his own family.
189
00:12:59,445 --> 00:13:02,573
At that moment, the victim begs:
"What should I do?
190
00:13:02,656 --> 00:13:04,742
How can I prevent this from happening?
191
00:13:04,867 --> 00:13:06,744
I don't want my son to die."
192
00:13:08,496 --> 00:13:12,583
They said to these people:
"Go home and take everything valuable,
193
00:13:12,666 --> 00:13:16,378
withdraw all the money,
and take these items to be blessed.
194
00:13:16,879 --> 00:13:22,009
If you leave at least one dollar behind
or some piece of value,
195
00:13:22,092 --> 00:13:24,261
the blessing will not work."
196
00:13:25,763 --> 00:13:32,603
So these mothers went to a place
and performed a ritual.
197
00:13:37,608 --> 00:13:39,735
At that moment, the blessing is granted.
198
00:13:40,569 --> 00:13:42,238
"Here are your valuables."
199
00:13:42,696 --> 00:13:48,118
"Don't forget, don't open the bag.
If you open the bag, your son will die."
200
00:13:48,869 --> 00:13:52,164
"Go home,
but don't open the bag for a while.
201
00:13:52,289 --> 00:13:54,959
So if you open the bag
before a certain time,
202
00:13:55,042 --> 00:13:58,295
or tell someone about this ritual,
203
00:13:58,838 --> 00:14:02,383
your youngest son
He will still die in three days."
204
00:14:07,763 --> 00:14:09,098
Then they went home,
205
00:14:09,223 --> 00:14:11,767
feeling that something wasn't right.
206
00:14:12,017 --> 00:14:15,688
They opened the bags and discovered
that all the money and jewelry was gone.
207
00:14:17,314 --> 00:14:19,233
They were victims of the blessing scam.
208
00:14:21,986 --> 00:14:24,822
We are very saddened by this incident.
209
00:14:25,698 --> 00:14:31,745
How could this group target
the most vulnerable?
210
00:14:32,079 --> 00:14:36,125
Even more mothers,
who are always blaming themselves, saying:
211
00:14:36,208 --> 00:14:37,918
"My God, what have I done?"
212
00:14:39,545 --> 00:14:41,422
{\an8}If you enter into a friendly conversation
213
00:14:41,505 --> 00:14:42,548
{\an8}BONUS SCAM
214
00:14:42,631 --> 00:14:44,383
{\an8}�with a stranger
in San Francisco, be careful.
215
00:14:44,466 --> 00:14:48,012
{\an8}It could be a scammer
preparing for the blessing blow.
216
00:14:48,137 --> 00:14:51,307
The scam consists of strangers
that promise to drive away ghosts,
217
00:14:51,390 --> 00:14:54,018
blessing a bag
with money and valuables.
218
00:14:54,143 --> 00:14:56,312
When the victim closes
eyes for blessing,
219
00:14:56,395 --> 00:14:59,148
the scammer exchanges the bag for a similar one
220
00:14:59,273 --> 00:15:00,649
and steals your belongings.
221
00:15:00,774 --> 00:15:02,067
We were lost.
222
00:15:02,776 --> 00:15:06,822
As soon as we assist a victim,
223
00:15:06,989 --> 00:15:10,200
another appeared reporting another case.
224
00:15:10,534 --> 00:15:15,080
To date, more than 50 elderly Chinese
were deceived in San Francisco.
225
00:15:16,415 --> 00:15:20,044
It was like throwing sand against the tide.
226
00:15:22,296 --> 00:15:26,550
They have a system. They know the targets.
227
00:15:26,634 --> 00:15:32,348
Middle-aged Chinese women
or elderly women linked to Chinese culture.
228
00:15:33,223 --> 00:15:35,935
For me,
It's sad that they are being treated
229
00:15:36,101 --> 00:15:38,228
as prey by their own people.
230
00:15:38,979 --> 00:15:41,231
It's simply unthinkable.
231
00:15:43,275 --> 00:15:48,405
Many of these families
They lost more than a hundred thousand dollars.
232
00:15:49,031 --> 00:15:54,411
It's a lifetime savings.
And they were left with nothing.
233
00:15:56,038 --> 00:15:58,457
It's not just destroying one person,
234
00:15:58,832 --> 00:16:01,210
but they are destroying the entire family.
235
00:16:02,711 --> 00:16:04,755
I recently spoke to a victim.
236
00:16:05,297 --> 00:16:07,925
She hasn't left the house in two months
237
00:16:08,717 --> 00:16:11,136
since the blow of the blessing.
238
00:16:11,345 --> 00:16:14,098
Over the years,
when I give presentations,
239
00:16:14,348 --> 00:16:18,602
as soon as I describe the scam,
someone always shouts:
240
00:16:18,686 --> 00:16:21,855
"How can they be so stupid
to fall for such a scam?
241
00:16:21,939 --> 00:16:23,857
How would a ghost kill a child?"
242
00:16:23,941 --> 00:16:26,360
She trusted those who identified themselves
243
00:16:26,443 --> 00:16:30,698
with her and her family.
Now, she doesn't trust anyone.
244
00:16:31,365 --> 00:16:35,369
As I interrogated the victim, I saw
245
00:16:37,204 --> 00:16:41,875
the son interrupted
the interrogation at home
246
00:16:41,959 --> 00:16:45,546
and scolded his mother for being so stupid
247
00:16:45,629 --> 00:16:48,757
and lose the family fortune,
his inheritance.
248
00:16:52,678 --> 00:16:57,599
The rest of the family treated her like dirt,
249
00:16:57,683 --> 00:17:02,229
and stupid for having fallen for a stupid scam.
250
00:17:02,521 --> 00:17:05,816
And it didn't matter that she was trying
251
00:17:05,899 --> 00:17:10,738
save the life of his youngest son.
It didn't matter.
252
00:17:16,285 --> 00:17:20,205
There is a stigma associated
to be deceived in this way.
253
00:17:22,374 --> 00:17:24,293
They really truly believe
254
00:17:24,376 --> 00:17:27,337
that the youngest member
of the family will die
255
00:17:27,421 --> 00:17:29,465
in three days if they don't pass
256
00:17:29,548 --> 00:17:32,968
for this blessing ritual
step by step, until the end.
257
00:17:34,636 --> 00:17:37,222
By listening to the voices of the community,
258
00:17:37,347 --> 00:17:38,891
There are many more victims out there
259
00:17:39,016 --> 00:17:41,769
who did not report
for one reason or another.
260
00:17:42,102 --> 00:17:45,731
And of course, one of the reasons is shame.
261
00:17:46,648 --> 00:17:50,069
That's why many victims
are afraid to report it.
262
00:17:50,194 --> 00:17:54,490
But at the same time,
we need to find someone
263
00:17:54,698 --> 00:17:57,034
to help us find the scammers.
264
00:17:57,701 --> 00:18:01,747
That's when another victim called,
called Rose.
265
00:18:04,249 --> 00:18:08,754
Rose was a victim
of the blessing scam in 2012.
266
00:18:09,588 --> 00:18:11,215
Five days later,
267
00:18:11,298 --> 00:18:14,301
while getting off the bus in San Francisco,
268
00:18:15,052 --> 00:18:17,805
she saw the scammers who robbed her.
269
00:18:18,680 --> 00:18:22,101
She ran out and shouted:
270
00:18:25,479 --> 00:18:30,192
"Hey, asshole! Give me my money back.
You stole from me!"
271
00:18:35,405 --> 00:18:40,619
The scammer turned around and let go of Rose.
272
00:18:42,579 --> 00:18:47,459
Rose ran through the traffic,
but the scammer was already far away,
273
00:18:47,584 --> 00:18:49,878
and she knew
that the persecution was over.
274
00:18:52,589 --> 00:18:57,052
But Rose managed to get the bag
that the scammer left behind.
275
00:18:58,220 --> 00:19:01,140
Then she called
for the San Francisco police.
276
00:19:01,265 --> 00:19:02,307
PHONE
277
00:19:02,432 --> 00:19:06,645
And while the police
I was cataloging what I had in my bag,
278
00:19:06,854 --> 00:19:09,314
they found important evidence.
279
00:19:11,733 --> 00:19:13,443
There was a digital camera.
280
00:19:14,987 --> 00:19:17,948
When they went to see the camera photos,
281
00:19:18,031 --> 00:19:20,951
there were images of four women.
282
00:19:21,910 --> 00:19:26,623
One of the photos was taken in Brooklyn.
283
00:19:27,291 --> 00:19:28,709
In another photo,
284
00:19:28,834 --> 00:19:33,005
I managed to identify
the Maile Sky Hotel in Honolulu.
285
00:19:33,422 --> 00:19:37,885
Other photos were of a park
of Australia's wild animals.
286
00:19:38,552 --> 00:19:42,347
This was the first piece of the puzzle.
287
00:19:42,639 --> 00:19:45,726
This is a transnational organized crime.
288
00:19:45,809 --> 00:19:46,810
{\an8}COUP IN CHINATOWN
289
00:19:46,894 --> 00:19:49,980
{\an8}The police and leaders of Chinatown
are warning about scammers.
290
00:19:50,063 --> 00:19:53,066
{\an8}Asian women are being
robbed of thousands of dollars.
291
00:19:53,150 --> 00:19:55,736
{\an8}The coup is happening
in New Zealand, United Kingdom, Canada,
292
00:19:55,861 --> 00:19:56,904
{\an8}Mrs. L.A.
VICTIM
293
00:19:56,987 --> 00:19:59,198
The Canadian Border
says there was hidden money
294
00:19:59,281 --> 00:20:01,033
between magazine pages.
295
00:20:01,116 --> 00:20:04,036
We had no idea
who these people were.
296
00:20:04,119 --> 00:20:06,705
A blow struck
both coasts of the continent
297
00:20:06,830 --> 00:20:08,790
But now, we had proof.
298
00:20:09,041 --> 00:20:11,501
They travel the world
to commit such crimes.
299
00:20:11,835 --> 00:20:14,171
Police believe there are many more.
300
00:20:14,296 --> 00:20:16,465
And through research,
301
00:20:16,924 --> 00:20:20,093
we discovered that Hong Kong
been dealing with this
302
00:20:20,177 --> 00:20:21,178
a long time ago.
303
00:20:23,388 --> 00:20:27,059
So I went to find
with the Hong Kong police.
304
00:20:42,699 --> 00:20:47,412
{\an8}In Hong Kong,
we have the Hungry Ghost Festival.
305
00:20:48,330 --> 00:20:51,208
Spirits have permission
to wander for a month.
306
00:20:54,086 --> 00:20:56,171
It is important to have offerings,
307
00:20:56,338 --> 00:20:59,716
to ensure
May the spirits rest in peace.
308
00:21:02,052 --> 00:21:05,472
During the month of the Ghost,
the gates of hell are opened.
309
00:21:08,392 --> 00:21:12,145
Every day there are opportunities
to the kingdom of the living
310
00:21:12,229 --> 00:21:15,399
and the kingdom of the dead meet.
311
00:21:16,441 --> 00:21:19,236
There is always the possibility
of risks and damages.
312
00:21:20,654 --> 00:21:25,367
This is the moment when
indigenous Chinese beliefs and practices
313
00:21:25,492 --> 00:21:29,037
would create a cultural environment conducive to
314
00:21:29,288 --> 00:21:32,124
for more phantom strikes to happen.
315
00:21:34,167 --> 00:21:38,630
We knew that Hong Kong
would answer our questions.
316
00:21:39,881 --> 00:21:42,342
There is a history of scams
317
00:21:42,592 --> 00:21:44,886
because
of traditional Chinese beliefs.
318
00:21:46,555 --> 00:21:52,394
In 2003, Hong Kong police
received more than 500 complaints.
319
00:21:53,270 --> 00:21:56,773
And they explained to me
the details of how the scam works.
320
00:21:56,857 --> 00:21:59,776
Scammers are taking
people advantage
321
00:21:59,860 --> 00:22:01,403
and repeating old tricks.
322
00:22:01,486 --> 00:22:05,490
And they told us how the Hong Kong police
managed to capture them.
323
00:22:05,615 --> 00:22:07,826
The police caught the gang
of the blow of the blessing
324
00:22:07,909 --> 00:22:10,662
who defrauded 11 people
at over two million HKD.
325
00:22:11,496 --> 00:22:14,458
Some of the ideas
of prevention they used
326
00:22:14,541 --> 00:22:16,710
It seems to have worked for them.
327
00:22:16,793 --> 00:22:18,670
RECONSTITUTION OF THE BLESSING COUP
328
00:22:18,795 --> 00:22:21,631
They reduced the number of cases.
329
00:22:22,174 --> 00:22:25,052
By 2009, it fell 90%.
330
00:22:25,677 --> 00:22:28,430
Jason Collom
believes that the American police
331
00:22:28,513 --> 00:22:30,682
can be successful
of the Hong Kong Police.
332
00:22:30,932 --> 00:22:34,019
We hope to do the same in the US.
333
00:22:34,102 --> 00:22:38,398
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA
334
00:22:43,236 --> 00:22:45,655
UNITED STATES COURT
335
00:22:45,739 --> 00:22:48,158
When this occurred,
I was elected prosecutor
336
00:22:48,241 --> 00:22:49,534
in San Francisco.
337
00:22:50,160 --> 00:22:52,245
The way the victims were approached
338
00:22:52,329 --> 00:22:54,706
{\an8}and the whole coup itself was new.
339
00:22:54,790 --> 00:22:56,291
{\an8}EX-PUBLIC PROSECUTOR
340
00:22:56,375 --> 00:22:59,252
{\an8}I went back to the office and heard:
"Have you ever heard of that?"
341
00:22:59,336 --> 00:23:02,422
{\an8}And no one knew at the time.
342
00:23:02,798 --> 00:23:06,927
And we discovered that Hong Kong
I had been dealing with this for years.
343
00:23:07,594 --> 00:23:11,640
And then, quickly,
I was introduced to one of the victims.
344
00:23:11,848 --> 00:23:14,017
She was very vulnerable.
345
00:23:14,518 --> 00:23:18,271
People can be victims
based on your religious beliefs
346
00:23:18,355 --> 00:23:19,815
and superstitions.
347
00:23:20,273 --> 00:23:23,652
So public education
would be very important here.
348
00:23:24,069 --> 00:23:26,822
I have a public safety alert
very important.
349
00:23:26,988 --> 00:23:28,824
In recent months,
350
00:23:29,074 --> 00:23:32,828
Asian suspects target
Lonely Asian women.
351
00:23:32,911 --> 00:23:34,121
SECURITY AWARENESS
352
00:23:34,246 --> 00:23:36,748
I'm with the São Paulo police
353
00:23:36,832 --> 00:23:39,459
Today, the public prosecutor
of São Francisco took to the streets
354
00:23:39,543 --> 00:23:41,545
to warn about the blessing scam.
355
00:23:41,670 --> 00:23:43,380
To help spread the news,
356
00:23:43,463 --> 00:23:46,299
they made these bags
"Beware of Street Scams."
357
00:23:46,383 --> 00:23:49,177
Some of the victims
gave all their savings.
358
00:23:49,261 --> 00:23:50,429
{\an8}PUBLIC PROSECUTOR
359
00:23:50,512 --> 00:23:53,306
{\an8}More than US$1 million
were stolen in San Francisco.
360
00:23:53,723 --> 00:23:58,270
We all try
the critical points we identified.
361
00:23:58,353 --> 00:24:00,897
In two months,
four more victims appeared.
362
00:24:01,022 --> 00:24:04,151
Together they lost
more than US$100 thousand dollars.
363
00:24:04,234 --> 00:24:06,528
We go to senior centers
to encourage them
364
00:24:06,653 --> 00:24:08,071
{\an8}SERVICE TO VICTIMS
365
00:24:08,155 --> 00:24:09,448
If they saw something,
366
00:24:09,573 --> 00:24:12,409
to try to help stop,
calling the police.
367
00:24:12,534 --> 00:24:16,997
We can work together,
identify these people and arrest them.
368
00:24:25,213 --> 00:24:26,715
I was reluctant.
369
00:24:31,261 --> 00:24:34,139
{\an8}I felt there was
some warning signs.
370
00:24:34,264 --> 00:24:36,933
{\an8}�in recent months,
Asian suspicions
371
00:24:37,017 --> 00:24:40,061
targets Asian women
lonely, deceiving them
372
00:24:40,187 --> 00:24:44,816
I was afraid something would happen
with my family.
373
00:24:46,276 --> 00:24:48,487
It was only when I made my way back
374
00:24:48,612 --> 00:24:52,908
I remembered seeing something
in the news about the scams.
375
00:24:55,994 --> 00:24:58,079
I kept walking and thinking,
376
00:24:58,580 --> 00:25:01,750
one side would take me to Chinatown,
the other is the police.
377
00:25:03,001 --> 00:25:07,130
I didn't even think straight.
I instinctively went that way.
378
00:25:08,340 --> 00:25:10,383
Towards the police.
379
00:25:16,515 --> 00:25:17,557
{\an8}SENIOR INVESTIGATOR
380
00:25:17,641 --> 00:25:20,477
{\an8}I was asked to repeat
the incident more than ten times.
381
00:25:21,144 --> 00:25:25,649
They took my testimony
and I gave all the details.
382
00:25:27,734 --> 00:25:31,780
In Ms. Wong's case,
She said, "I was scared,
383
00:25:32,155 --> 00:25:36,618
because my son drives to college,
384
00:25:36,701 --> 00:25:39,538
and they said that my son
would have a car accident
385
00:25:39,621 --> 00:25:41,498
and die in three days."
386
00:25:41,581 --> 00:25:43,208
She still wasn't sure
387
00:25:43,291 --> 00:25:45,585
if you were being the victim of a scam,
388
00:25:45,669 --> 00:25:47,629
because she really believed.
389
00:25:47,837 --> 00:25:51,299
As soon as the officer heard my story,
He said, "It's a scam."
390
00:25:51,800 --> 00:25:54,261
That's when a light bulb
lit up in my head.
391
00:25:54,970 --> 00:25:59,391
The police already knew
that these scams existed.
392
00:26:00,475 --> 00:26:06,898
I told the officer that I would find
the woman again at 2:30 p.m.
393
00:26:08,108 --> 00:26:12,445
At the time, the police gathered the personnel
to perform the operation.
394
00:26:15,365 --> 00:26:18,493
The police told me
to wrap useless things,
395
00:26:18,577 --> 00:26:22,247
used batteries, useless things,
wrap and put in the bag.
396
00:26:22,539 --> 00:26:26,918
So I took it to the police
back to the crime scene.
397
00:26:27,127 --> 00:26:28,962
We arrived
and we waited for her.
398
00:26:33,675 --> 00:26:36,553
We waited for an hour,
and she didn't show up.
399
00:26:38,471 --> 00:26:39,931
The policeman called and asked:
400
00:26:40,015 --> 00:26:42,267
"Remember
What were the four people like?"
401
00:26:42,726 --> 00:26:45,061
I didn't pay attention,
but I remember
402
00:26:45,145 --> 00:26:47,105
of a woman
with the sling on his arm.
403
00:26:47,188 --> 00:26:49,524
{\an8}São FRANCISCO POLICE
404
00:26:49,649 --> 00:26:52,694
She was hitting someone else.
405
00:26:52,861 --> 00:26:55,989
The victim was about
to hand over money to them.
406
00:26:57,657 --> 00:26:59,200
I was taken for identification.
407
00:26:59,993 --> 00:27:01,620
And that's how they were arrested.
408
00:27:09,794 --> 00:27:11,755
This is Mrs. Wong's case.
409
00:27:11,880 --> 00:27:15,842
This is the Mudi Wu gang. This is Mudi Wu.
410
00:27:16,009 --> 00:27:18,386
The photo from his arrest in San Francisco.
411
00:27:18,637 --> 00:27:23,183
And these are the photos
that the police took at the fair
412
00:27:23,308 --> 00:27:26,436
the day the Mudi Wu gang was arrested.
413
00:27:27,437 --> 00:27:32,317
We can see the blow of the blessing
while it happened,
414
00:27:33,193 --> 00:27:35,111
and at the same time,
415
00:27:35,236 --> 00:27:38,698
detain the suspects involved in the coup.
416
00:27:38,782 --> 00:27:39,783
"BLESSED" THIEVES
417
00:27:39,866 --> 00:27:42,994
The robberies were committed by a
gang of four Chinese immigrants.
418
00:27:43,078 --> 00:27:44,204
{\an8} POLICE CAPTAIN
419
00:27:44,287 --> 00:27:46,706
{\an8}More than US$100 thousand in cash
and items were stolen
420
00:27:46,790 --> 00:27:48,083
{\an8}community members.
421
00:27:48,249 --> 00:27:51,252
They were judged
by conspiracy to extort,
422
00:27:51,378 --> 00:27:54,214
and conspiracy to commit grand theft.
423
00:27:54,589 --> 00:27:56,841
And we took the case to trial.
424
00:27:57,133 --> 00:28:00,887
MAY 2013
425
00:28:00,970 --> 00:28:03,890
I was called by the defense lawyers
426
00:28:04,015 --> 00:28:06,559
to analyze the Mudi Wu case
427
00:28:06,643 --> 00:28:09,312
{\an8}and other individuals
about the blow of the blessing
428
00:28:09,396 --> 00:28:10,831
{\an8}DEFENSE WITNESS SPECIALIST
429
00:28:10,855 --> 00:28:12,399
{\an8}�or ghost case.
430
00:28:13,316 --> 00:28:14,567
It's not simple.
431
00:28:15,402 --> 00:28:18,571
I interrogated one man and three women.
432
00:28:18,822 --> 00:28:21,991
They said
who had to commit the crime
433
00:28:22,158 --> 00:28:25,662
out of necessity,
or something worse would happen.
434
00:28:26,996 --> 00:28:31,960
At that time, my job
was to assess whether these migrants,
435
00:28:32,085 --> 00:28:34,754
detained on charges of theft and extortion,
436
00:28:34,879 --> 00:28:37,048
they were forced to do so.
437
00:28:39,217 --> 00:28:41,928
You came to this country
in October to steal money
438
00:28:42,053 --> 00:28:44,305
how did you steal from the fair?
439
00:28:45,640 --> 00:28:46,641
No.
440
00:28:47,058 --> 00:28:49,978
In the case of Mudi Wu,
she claimed debt bondage.
441
00:28:50,687 --> 00:28:53,732
Approximately the end of April 2012,
442
00:28:54,065 --> 00:28:56,484
people of black society
came to our house
443
00:28:56,568 --> 00:28:58,820
to ask for money from my husband.
444
00:28:59,028 --> 00:29:03,158
She got into several debts,
because her husband was addicted to games.
445
00:29:03,283 --> 00:29:07,746
Mudi Wu was targeted by loan sharks
to pay gambling debts.
446
00:29:08,037 --> 00:29:09,748
Did they have weapons?
447
00:29:10,165 --> 00:29:12,625
Yes, knives and pistols.
448
00:29:13,376 --> 00:29:15,920
And it became clear in the interrogation
449
00:29:16,004 --> 00:29:19,758
that she believed
that if he did not pay the debt,
450
00:29:19,883 --> 00:29:21,718
your family would be in danger.
451
00:29:22,010 --> 00:29:25,555
Who helped her
How to get a visa to the USA?
452
00:29:26,514 --> 00:29:30,685
A lady surnamed Chen.
Chen Shu Moi.
453
00:29:30,769 --> 00:29:35,273
Mudi met Mrs. Chen at the market.
This woman knew her debt,
454
00:29:35,398 --> 00:29:40,278
and gave ideas
how she could pay the debt.
455
00:29:40,361 --> 00:29:41,529
SCREENPLAY OF THE BONUS COUP
456
00:29:41,613 --> 00:29:45,366
She had a sheet of paper,
but everything was written.
457
00:29:46,284 --> 00:29:48,661
"This ghost chose your son.
458
00:29:48,745 --> 00:29:51,414
She wants to take him to the underworld
to get married.
459
00:29:51,498 --> 00:29:53,792
When the pregnant woman died, there were two souls.
460
00:29:53,875 --> 00:29:56,836
Nobody gave the blessing.
She became a lonely ghost."
461
00:29:57,462 --> 00:30:00,340
She said I owed so much money,
462
00:30:00,507 --> 00:30:02,342
that the boss would never let her go.
463
00:30:02,759 --> 00:30:05,094
She said, "If you don't want to do it,
464
00:30:05,178 --> 00:30:07,889
just wait
to collect his son's body.
465
00:30:08,181 --> 00:30:11,184
I felt there was something
more complicated happening
466
00:30:11,309 --> 00:30:13,603
which did not only affect this group.
467
00:30:13,728 --> 00:30:16,147
And based on their testimonials,
468
00:30:16,356 --> 00:30:19,651
there are patterns of what we would call
of human trafficking.
469
00:30:22,195 --> 00:30:25,281
On the one hand,
some things seemed to indicate
470
00:30:25,406 --> 00:30:28,535
that could be happening
human trafficking.
471
00:30:28,910 --> 00:30:30,954
On the other hand, there was plenty of evidence
472
00:30:31,079 --> 00:30:33,164
that pointed out the opposite.
473
00:30:35,166 --> 00:30:38,127
{\an8}There was a lot of crying in the courtroom.
474
00:30:38,461 --> 00:30:42,131
They presented themselves as victims
475
00:30:42,382 --> 00:30:45,593
who were unknowingly trafficked to the US
476
00:30:45,677 --> 00:30:48,304
to commit this particular crime,
477
00:30:48,680 --> 00:30:51,516
{\an8}which was one of the defenses
that the Hong Kong police
478
00:30:51,599 --> 00:30:53,768
{\an8}told us that these groups would use it.
479
00:30:55,895 --> 00:31:00,191
With a search warrant
to Mudi Wu's gang hotel,
480
00:31:00,441 --> 00:31:03,653
investigators found
the passports of the entire gang.
481
00:31:04,195 --> 00:31:08,074
There were also casino cards
and good sums of money
482
00:31:08,199 --> 00:31:09,826
being placed in bets.
483
00:31:10,618 --> 00:31:13,788
This shows
that were not being controlled.
484
00:31:13,872 --> 00:31:15,790
Their movement was not limited.
485
00:31:16,499 --> 00:31:19,419
And besides all that,
486
00:31:19,711 --> 00:31:23,965
Hong Kong police
explained to me that the scammers
487
00:31:24,048 --> 00:31:27,760
come from a big city in China,
Maoming.
488
00:31:28,511 --> 00:31:30,555
Most came from a certain village.
489
00:31:31,598 --> 00:31:35,602
So some members are already
trained since childhood
490
00:31:35,685 --> 00:31:38,104
to specifically commit this scam.
491
00:31:38,187 --> 00:31:43,026
It was life experience being passed on
for the next generation.
492
00:31:43,192 --> 00:31:45,111
This is organized crime.
493
00:31:45,320 --> 00:31:48,698
The whole situation, the defense,
494
00:31:48,781 --> 00:31:50,450
the recorded behavior,
495
00:31:50,575 --> 00:31:53,244
Everything is decorated from start to finish.
496
00:31:57,415 --> 00:32:00,877
It was scary,
for I have never been in a court of law.
497
00:32:03,504 --> 00:32:06,090
I was afraid to testify,
498
00:32:06,215 --> 00:32:10,011
fear of being recognized
and take revenge on me.
499
00:32:10,345 --> 00:32:11,763
I was scared of all of this.
500
00:32:14,265 --> 00:32:17,435
I was worried,
but at the same time,
501
00:32:17,560 --> 00:32:20,438
I was so angry
for trying to trick me.
502
00:32:20,521 --> 00:32:23,024
I wanted everyone to be arrested.
503
00:32:27,862 --> 00:32:30,698
Today, a San Francisco judge
sentenced four thieves
504
00:32:30,782 --> 00:32:31,824
HALL OF JUSTICE
505
00:32:31,950 --> 00:32:33,910
�convicted
for deceiving elderly Chinese women
506
00:32:33,993 --> 00:32:36,496
{\an8}not called the blessing scam.
507
00:32:36,621 --> 00:32:38,873
{\an8}The three Chinese women
and their accomplice
508
00:32:38,957 --> 00:32:41,668
{\an8}followed the process with translators.
509
00:32:41,751 --> 00:32:43,836
{\an8}They heard the judge sentence three of them
510
00:32:43,920 --> 00:32:47,548
{\an8}to two years in prison.
The other will only serve one year.
511
00:32:48,466 --> 00:32:51,844
{\an8}Prosecutor Gasc�n said
that this is the first condemnation
512
00:32:51,970 --> 00:32:54,389
of the blessing scam in the United States.
513
00:32:55,556 --> 00:32:57,225
{\an8}Thank you for all your help.
514
00:32:57,475 --> 00:33:01,187
{\an8}Earlier today, prosecutor George Gasc�n
met with Susan Wong,
515
00:33:01,312 --> 00:33:03,982
{\an8}one of the women
who almost became a victim.
516
00:33:04,107 --> 00:33:05,984
{\an8}Instead, she was a hero.
517
00:33:06,067 --> 00:33:08,236
{\an8}She took the initiative
to go to the police.
518
00:33:08,361 --> 00:33:11,864
{\an8}When she was called a heroine,
this was his reaction.
519
00:33:11,948 --> 00:33:13,032
{\an8}No.
520
00:33:13,533 --> 00:33:19,205
{\an8}Susan Wong may not see herself as a hero,
but prosecutors and police say it is.
521
00:33:19,288 --> 00:33:22,792
Wong said he was
just doing the right thing.
522
00:33:23,584 --> 00:33:29,507
I was awarded this certificate
from the city of San Francisco.
523
00:33:29,590 --> 00:33:31,009
CERTIFICATE OF HONOR
524
00:33:31,134 --> 00:33:33,428
They called me a hero!
I don't understand any of this.
525
00:33:35,179 --> 00:33:39,434
Of course, I was very happy,
526
00:33:39,726 --> 00:33:43,896
happy that the gang had been convicted.
527
00:33:50,695 --> 00:33:54,323
After the arrests,
the blow of the blessing seemed to be over,
528
00:33:54,407 --> 00:33:56,284
but now, new cases are emerging.
529
00:33:56,367 --> 00:33:58,036
Scams appear to be seasonal.
530
00:33:58,161 --> 00:34:01,330
{\an8}Every two years, a group arrives from China�
531
00:34:01,414 --> 00:34:02,790
{\an8}CHIEF OF POLICE
532
00:34:02,874 --> 00:34:04,500
{\an8} trying this blessing scam,
533
00:34:04,584 --> 00:34:07,003
{\an8}and superstitious people end up falling.
534
00:34:07,712 --> 00:34:12,258
Part of the reason for the drop in scams
was due to COVID-19.
535
00:34:12,467 --> 00:34:16,429
The People's Republic of China
limited the exits of its citizens.
536
00:34:16,763 --> 00:34:21,392
But how has that changed,
I believe in your return,
537
00:34:21,726 --> 00:34:24,812
and it is up to us to prepare for them.
538
00:34:26,314 --> 00:34:30,902
See how this scam
existed through the years.
539
00:34:31,027 --> 00:34:33,988
Clearly, it's something bigger
540
00:34:34,113 --> 00:34:38,034
than a small group
of four scammers.
541
00:34:38,117 --> 00:34:39,911
These people are replaceable.
542
00:34:40,078 --> 00:34:42,371
You arrest them, and they find others
543
00:34:42,455 --> 00:34:44,123
to make the hit easier.
544
00:34:44,248 --> 00:34:47,502
Who helped her
How to get a visa to the USA?
545
00:34:47,919 --> 00:34:52,215
A lady surnamed Chen.
Chen Shu Moi.
546
00:34:52,507 --> 00:34:54,467
We never found Mrs. Chen,
547
00:34:54,550 --> 00:34:58,096
this person from China
to whom everyone owes money.
548
00:34:58,513 --> 00:35:01,641
So in many ways,
there is this ghostly nature.
549
00:35:01,766 --> 00:35:04,060
Who is this person
Who are you referring to?
550
00:35:04,143 --> 00:35:06,104
Does it exist?
551
00:35:16,364 --> 00:35:19,408
I started the Ghost Tour
because I thought it was important
552
00:35:19,534 --> 00:35:22,370
share our culture
differently.
553
00:35:22,495 --> 00:35:28,042
These are the Bagu� mirrors,
were placed there, especially,
554
00:35:28,209 --> 00:35:31,712
to ward off evil spirits
that cross the alley.
555
00:35:32,588 --> 00:35:36,008
It's a combination
of religion with superstition,
556
00:35:36,217 --> 00:35:39,220
It depends on how you were raised.
557
00:35:41,722 --> 00:35:46,811
But these beliefs leave them vulnerable
to all types of danger.
558
00:35:47,770 --> 00:35:52,650
There will always be phantom scams.
And, like grandfather,
559
00:35:52,775 --> 00:35:57,280
if someone tells me:
"Your grandson is in danger",
560
00:35:57,363 --> 00:35:59,991
the first reaction will be to help him,
561
00:36:00,199 --> 00:36:02,410
without even considering
562
00:36:02,493 --> 00:36:06,038
that someone is trying to extort me.
563
00:36:08,124 --> 00:36:10,751
The new generation would look up to grandma
564
00:36:10,835 --> 00:36:15,631
and he would say, "How could you do that?"
But from grandma's point of view,
565
00:36:15,715 --> 00:36:18,426
I'm saving my grandchildren.
Helping my family.
566
00:36:18,551 --> 00:36:21,345
The younger generation doesn't understand this.
567
00:36:21,637 --> 00:36:23,181
It's what we believe.
568
00:36:27,185 --> 00:36:32,315
The force behind this is religion,
because there is so much unknown.
569
00:36:32,940 --> 00:36:37,403
And religion provides
stability and meaning.
570
00:36:37,570 --> 00:36:42,241
Provides comfort
amidst so many unknowns.
571
00:36:44,535 --> 00:36:49,373
A Chinese man who grows
in this very rich religious scenario,
572
00:36:49,498 --> 00:36:52,627
go to temples and find community.
573
00:36:54,045 --> 00:36:57,423
So, can you stop religious scams?
574
00:36:58,466 --> 00:37:00,760
Is it possible to stop any religion?
I don't think so.
575
00:37:04,680 --> 00:37:07,016
There is no science to ghosts.
576
00:37:07,850 --> 00:37:11,520
But it's part of our culture,
and we should not avoid them.
577
00:37:11,771 --> 00:37:14,440
And it has been part of it for thousands of years.
578
00:37:17,401 --> 00:37:22,490
And it is very important that the spirits
are guiding us along the right path.
579
00:37:24,283 --> 00:37:26,702
That's why we continue the tradition.
580
00:37:27,662 --> 00:37:29,288
Telling ghost stories.
581
00:37:36,003 --> 00:37:38,565
Recently, San Francisco reported
new cases of the blessing scam
582
00:37:38,589 --> 00:37:45,012
{\an8}The city spread warnings to the community
to beware of religious fraud
583
00:38:17,753 --> 00:38:19,755
Caption: Jaqueline Gomes