For years, a rubber and palm oil company that supplies some of the world’s top tiremakers has been dogged by allegations of sexual coercion at its plantations. Socfin — short for Société Financière des Caoutchoucs — says it has taken steps to improve matters, but an exclusive Bloomberg report shows those claims remain widespread.

On today’s Big Take podcast, host Sarah Holder sits down with Bloomberg’s Sheridan Prasso to discuss her investigation into why the abuse has been so hard to stop — and a new EU law that could give corporations like Socfin a big incentive to reform.

Read more: Sex-for-Work Allegations Hang Over Tycoons' Rubber Plantations

For years, a rubber and palm oil company that supplies some of the world&rsquo;s top tiremakers has been dogged by allegations of sexual coercion at its plantations. Socfin &mdash; short for Soci&eacute;t&eacute; Financi&egrave;re des Caoutchoucs &mdash; says it has taken steps to improve matters, but an exclusive Bloomberg report shows those claims remain widespread.
On today&rsquo;s Big Take podcast, host Sarah Holder sits down with Bloomberg&rsquo;s Sheridan Prasso to discuss her investigation into why the abuse has been so hard to stop &mdash; and a new EU law that could give corporations like Socfin a big incentive to reform. Read more: <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/features/2025-socfin-plantations/">Sex-for-Work Allegations Hang Over Tycoons' Rubber Plantations</a>

The Big Take from Bloomberg News brings you inside what’s shaping the world's economies with the smartest and most informed business reporters around the world. The context you need on the stories that can move markets. Every afternoon.

The Big Take from Bloomberg News brings you inside what’s shaping the world's economies with the smartest and most informed business reporters around the world. The context you need on the stories that can move markets. Every afternoon.

Big Take

A Rubber Company Supplying Top Tiremakers Faces Troubling Accusations

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/eadf81ef-a602-44f7-abb2-b2c10157d713/transcript

By any account, Chen Zhi's ascent was meteoric. At a young age he founded a real estate company in Cambodia, which quickly became the sprawling Prince Group conglomerate. But beneath this legitimate facade, Chen allegedly ran a vast criminal network, building an empire on scams, human trafficking and high-level political protection.

On today’s Big Take Asia podcast, Host K. Oanh Ha and Bloomberg’s David Ramli look into the rapid rise and sudden downfall of an alleged criminal mastermind.

Never miss an episode. Follow The Big Take Asia podcast today

Read more: The Tycoon Who Had a Secret Life as an Alleged Scam Kingpin

Further listening: Inside Southeast Asia’s Most Notorious Crime Hub

By any account, Chen Zhi's ascent was meteoric. At a young age he founded a real estate company in Cambodia, which quickly became the sprawling Prince Group conglomerate. But beneath this legitimate facade, Chen allegedly ran a vast criminal network, building an empire on scams, human trafficking and high-level political protection.
On today&rsquo;s Big Take Asia podcast, Host K. Oanh Ha and Bloomberg&rsquo;s David Ramli look into the rapid rise and sudden downfall of an alleged criminal mastermind.
Never miss an episode. Follow <a href="https://link.podtrac.com/jw5umzee">The Big Take Asia podcast</a> today
Read more: <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2026-03-10/how-cambodia-s-alleged-scam-kingpin-chen-zhi-made-billions-built-global-empire">The Tycoon Who Had a Secret Life as an Alleged Scam Kingpin</a>
Further listening:&nbsp;<a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/inside-southeast-asias-most-notorious-crime-hub/id1746141911?i=1000665940390">Inside Southeast Asia&rsquo;s Most Notorious Crime Hub</a>

Weekend Listen: The Rise and Fall of an Alleged Scam Boss

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/e38640f7-5a0b-4582-9c83-b40b01850e62/transcript

From online banking and social media to digital ads and AI subscriptions, digital services are the fastest-growing segment of global trade. Unlike physical exports, they’ve been subject to little regulation, taxation or tariffs. Until now.

On today’s Big Take podcast, Bloomberg global trade editor Brendan Murray and David Gura dig into the rising tensions over the almost $5 trillion in digital services sold across borders each year, why a consequential WTO meeting could change everything and what it means for the global tariff war.

Read more: Trump Starts Rebuilding Tariff Protections Targeting China, Europe 

Hosted by David Gura; Produced by Rachael Lewis-Krisky; Reported by Brendan Murray; Edited by Jeffrey Grocott.

Fact-checking by Eleanor Harrison-Dengate; Engineering by Alex Sugiura.

Senior Producer: Naomi Shavin; Deputy Executive Producer: Julia Weaver. Executive Producer: Nicole Beemsterboer.

From online banking and social media to digital ads and AI subscriptions, digital services are the fastest-growing segment of global trade. Unlike physical exports, they&rsquo;ve been subject to little regulation, taxation or tariffs. Until now.
On today&rsquo;s Big Take podcast, Bloomberg global trade editor Brendan Murray and David Gura dig into the rising tensions over the almost $5 trillion in digital services sold across borders each year, why a consequential WTO meeting could change everything and what it means for the global tariff war.
Read more: <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/newsletters/2026-03-12/trump-and-301-tariffs">Trump Starts Rebuilding Tariff Protections Targeting China, Europe</a>&nbsp;
Hosted by David Gura; Produced by Rachael Lewis-Krisky; Reported by Brendan Murray; Edited by Jeffrey Grocott.
Fact-checking by Eleanor Harrison-Dengate; Engineering by Alex Sugiura.
Senior Producer: Naomi Shavin; Deputy Executive Producer: Julia Weaver. Executive Producer: Nicole Beemsterboer.

Your Streaming Subscription Could Be the Next Trade Battlefield

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/a64cac8d-e5de-4a75-8788-b40c015f0273/transcript

In the first 24 hours of US attacks on Iran, the scale of firepower more than doubled that of the US’ initial assault on Iraq in 2003 — an expansion made possible by the Pentagon’s embrace of AI. Just hours before the attack, the US parted ways with AI company Anthropic, after the company raised concerns over how the Defense Department might use its tools. The Pentagon says it wants the ability to use the tools for “all lawful purposes.”

On today’s Big Take podcast, host David Gura sits down with Bloomberg national security and tech reporter Katrina Manson — author of the upcoming book Project Maven: A Marine Colonel, His Team, and the Dawn of AI Warfare— and Bloomberg senior editor Mike Shepard to discuss how the US is integrating AI into its warfighting machine and the guardrails in place for the military as it utilizes AI technology to make life-and-death decisions.

Read more: ‘God, It’s Terrifying’: How the Pentagon Got Hooked on AI War Machines

Katrina Manson’s book isProject Maven: A Marine Colonel, His Team, and the Dawn of AI Warfare.

Hosted by David Gura; Produced by Julia Press; Reported by Katrina Manson and Michael Shepard; Edited by Jeffrey Grocott.

Fact-checking by Eleanor Harrison-Dengate; Engineering by Alex Sugiura.

Senior Producer: Naomi Shavin; Deputy Executive Producer: Julia Weaver. Executive Producer: Nicole Beemsterboer.

In the first 24 hours of US attacks on Iran, the scale of firepower more than doubled that of the US&rsquo; initial assault on Iraq in 2003 &mdash; an expansion made possible by the Pentagon&rsquo;s embrace of AI. Just hours before the attack, the US parted ways with AI company Anthropic, after the company raised concerns over how the Defense Department might use its tools. The Pentagon says it wants the ability to use the tools for &ldquo;all lawful purposes.&rdquo;
On today&rsquo;s Big Take podcast, host David Gura sits down with Bloomberg national security and tech reporter Katrina Manson &mdash; author of the upcoming book Project Maven: A Marine Colonel, His Team, and the Dawn of AI Warfare &mdash; and Bloomberg senior editor Mike Shepard to discuss how the US is integrating AI into its warfighting machine and the guardrails in place for the military as it utilizes AI technology to make life-and-death decisions.
Read more: <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2026-03-12/iran-war-tests-project-maven-us-ai-war-strategy?srnd=undefined">&lsquo;God, It&rsquo;s Terrifying&rsquo;: How the Pentagon Got Hooked on AI War Machines</a>
Katrina Manson&rsquo;s book is <a href="https://wwnorton.com/books/project-maven">Project Maven: A Marine Colonel, His Team, and the Dawn of AI Warfare</a>.
Hosted by David Gura; Produced by Julia Press; Reported by Katrina Manson and Michael Shepard; Edited by Jeffrey Grocott.
Fact-checking by Eleanor Harrison-Dengate; Engineering by Alex Sugiura.
Senior Producer: Naomi Shavin; Deputy Executive Producer: Julia Weaver. Executive Producer: Nicole Beemsterboer.

Iran War Spotlights the Pentagon’s AI Strategy

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/6aaf432c-f5b5-4e55-bc2d-b40b01603cfd/transcript

A Rubber Company Supplying Top Tiremakers Faces Troubling Accusations

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