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Lords of Scam
By John Sooja,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Docu about French scammers has violence, language.
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Lords of Scam
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Based on 31 parent reviews
FOR BITCOIN RECOVERY CONSULT AN EXPERT/ CAPTAIN WEBGENESIS.
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Bitcoin and Crypto Scam Recovery Expert Captain WebGenesis.
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What's the Story?
In LORDS OF SCAM, journalists, investigators, and experts explain how Mardouche (Marco) Mouly, Dominique Ghez (Dodo), Greg Zaoui (the Brain), Arnaud Mimran, and Samy Souied (and likely others) were able to steal 283 million euros from the European Union. By taking advantage of the Value Added Tax applied to transactions within the EU, these men, along with many other nameless scammers, bought carbon allowances outside of the EU, granted by the EU's Emission Trading System, only to then resell them within Europe, collecting the VAT on the transactions. They then laundered this money through off shore bank accounts. Interviews and old footage with the accused as well as interviews with experts tell the story.
Is It Any Good?
This film is close to being decent, but a few key decisions keep it from getting there. The main problem with Lords of Scam is that it focuses on the wrong thing. While it does an okay job in the beginning explaining exactly how the scam worked, what the loophole actually was, and how scammers were able to steal millions of euros, afterwards the documentary does a poor job at editing itself. Overly long by a good 20 minutes, most screen time after this initial info dump happens is given to Mardouche "Marco" Mouly, one of the main players in the scam. Viewers visit him in a variety of contexts, environments, and scenarios as he often discusses aspects of his life with friends, ex-friends, and anyone who will listen. Incredibly charismatic, verbose, and commanding, Marco has an intriguing presence, but the film indulges him to the point that some viewers may not have big appetites for a showcase of narcissism.
Further, at some point, maybe half way in, many viewers might also realize that there might not be a lesson here, as there certainly isn't one for Marco. Sure, he had to endure 7 years of prison, but he's surely still incredibly wealthy (despite his protestations to the contrary), continues to live a lavish lifestyle, and now has a documentary out that primarily features himself in all his confounding glory.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about documentaries that feature stories of criminal behavior or organized crime. As a documentary, did you find Lords of Scam exciting and interesting? Why or why not?
Did you find Mardouche Mouly fascinating or unlikable? Why?
Do you think the film establishes a lesson to be learned from this story? If so, what is the lesson? If not, what about the story prevents any lesson from being conveyed?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming: November 3, 2021
- Cast: Mardoche Mouly , Gregory Zaoui , Arnaud Mimran , Dominique Ghez
- Director: Guillaume Nicloux
- Studio: Netflix
- Genre: Documentary
- Run time: 105 minutes
- MPAA rating: R
- Last updated: February 17, 2023
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