Bold claim: a global scam drains vulnerable families and funds a web of seemingly legitimate charities. The BBC Eye team, in collaboration with the World of Secrets podcast, has uncovered a worldwide network that manipulates desperate parents of children with cancer, exploiting their hope for aid. Their findings are presented in a documentary film, The Child Cancer Scam, and in the latest six-part season of the World of Secrets podcast, which together reveal the people and organizations behind this deception and show how they mislead the public and prey on families in peril.
In October 2023, a YouTube advertisement drew reporter Simi Jolaoso into a fundraising campaign for a young girl. The campaign appeared to raise more than half a million dollars. Soon after, more videos surfaced featuring children from different countries and backgrounds, yet the campaigns bore a strikingly similar appearance.
Using geolocation, social media analysis, and facial-recognition tools, the BBC Eye investigation traced the children to 15 families, focusing on nine in Ukraine, Colombia, Mexico, and the Philippines. The families say they received only small cash amounts on filming day, while the purported total of about $4 million (approximately £2.9 million) raised in their children’s names never materialized for them, and many families were unaware that campaigns featuring their children had even been published.
The report documents a distressing filming process designed to elicit emotional responses to drive donations. Some of the vulnerable children were coached to cry; one boy was encouraged to shed tears by onions held near his eyes. The films show children begging for help to save their lives, with some even having their heads shaved to attract donor sympathy.
A number of organizations presenting themselves as charities appear to be connected to these campaigns. They are registered in Israel, Canada, and the United States. Among the most active is Chance Letikva (Chance for Hope). Campaigns run by Chance Letikva for two children who have since died—Khalil in the Philippines and a Mexican boy named Hector—still appear to be receiving donations.
Key figure Erez Hadari, an Israeli national living in Canada, is identified as a central player in the network. He did not respond when presented with the BBC’s findings.
The BBC contacted Chance Letikva and other groups mentioned in the report—Walls of Hope, Saint Raphael, Little Angels, and Saint Teresa—asking for responses. None replied.
Official channels offer guidance to protect donors: the Israeli Corporations Authority warns that founders using entities as cover for illegal activity may lose registration or be barred from the sector. In the UK, the Charity Commission cautions donors to verify charities before giving, ensuring they are registered and compliant, and to report suspicious appeals to regulators when in doubt.
The documentary The Child Cancer Scam is accessible in the UK on BBC iPlayer and through Global Eye on BBC iPlayer, which combines forensic reporting from BBC Eye with global BBC World Service material. International audiences can view the documentary on the BBC World Service YouTube channel.
The World of Secrets podcast launches Season 10, Episode 1 of The Child Cancer Scam, with episodes releasing twice weekly. UK listeners can access all six episodes on BBC Sounds, while international listeners can stream weekly on BBC.com or, with a BBC Podcasts Premium subscription on Apple Podcasts, access all six episodes. The series will air weekly on BBC World Service radio starting Friday, December 19.
For more details, read the BBC News coverage at bbc.co.uk (UK) or BBC.com (international).
LN2
Follow for more
