Topic: Bank Wire

The hosts discuss a new payment system called Wise (formerly TransferWise) used by a donor. They compare the fees of various systems, noting that traditional wire transfers often incur a $20 incoming fee, making small transfers inefficient. They advise listeners to avoid sending small amounts via wire or PayPal to ensure the show actually receives the value.

The show concludes with a discussion of the FBI raid on Donald Trump's attorney, Michael Cohen. The hosts speculate that the raid was triggered by evidence of bank or wire fraud related to a home equity loan used to pay Stormy Daniels, rather than the Russia investigation. The episode ends with a musical montage and "Executive Mode" banter.

Sean Alaka from Slovakia was knighted as Sir Boom-Shan-Alaka following a significant contribution to the show. The hosts discussed the logistics of the value-for-value model, including the inefficiency of small "gag" donations like a nine-cent check. A complicated bank wire transfer from a newly knighted producer required direct intervention with a bank manager to ensure the funds were correctly deposited into the show's account.

Adam Curry recounts a personal ordeal attempting to wire $500 to his daughter in the Netherlands via Chase Bank. The transfer was flagged and rejected by the "wire department" for "suspected terrorist activity" because of the Dutch word "overbooking" (meaning transfer) in the memo. He notes that several Dutch banks are simultaneously claiming to be under cyber attack, which he suspects is a cover for systemic issues.

Swiss bank UBS was ordered to pay a $1.5 billion fine for its role in rigging the LIBOR interest rate. The bank admitted to wire fraud through its Tokyo branch. The hosts argue that the fine is a "slap on the wrist" compared to the trillions of dollars in transactions affected by the manipulation.