This Past Weekend w/ Theo Von

#642 - James Li

February 26, 2026

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  • James Li transitioned to independent content creation after working as a consultant for a major COVID-19 vaccine manufacturer, where he witnessed what he perceived as financial decisions driving booster shot recommendations. 
  • The conversation highlights a growing trend of decentralized journalism where creators like James Li share information and collaborate to expose powerful elites and corporate overreach, such as price gouging in youth sports. 
  • Theo Von and James Li theorize that major political figures like Tucker Carlson and figures like Bernie Sanders serve as controlled 'release valves' for their respective political bases to prevent them from defecting to third parties. 
  • US sanctions on Venezuela, starting under the Obama administration, were allegedly motivated by ideological opposition to socialism, forcing Venezuela into unfavorable trade deals with Russia and China, which contributed to its economic collapse. 
  • The conversation suggests that US foreign policy, particularly regarding regime change in the Middle East and elsewhere, is significantly influenced by Israel's opposition to countries that criticize its government, such as Venezuela's Maduro. 
  • The release of the Epstein documents appears to be a legally compelled, rather than strategic, disclosure, revealing correspondences that suggest high-profile figures like Steve Tisch and Howard Lutnick were involved in activities, including potential trafficking and insider trading related to 9/11, that warrant further investigation. 
  • The timing of the release of Epstein documents, particularly the gap in emails between 1999 and 2001 coinciding with 9/11, suggests potential collusive action that warrants further examination. 
  • Publicly visible conflicts, such as immigration protests, may function as divisive 'psyops' orchestrated to distract the public from more unifying issues like the corruption revealed in the Epstein files or food safety concerns. 
  • Independent content creators like James Li must remain financially diligent to avoid being co-opted by mainstream narratives, focusing instead on providing actionable information to their audience. 

Segments

Theo Von Show Intro & Guest Setup
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(00:00:00)
  • Key Takeaway: James Li is introduced as an independent journalist known for investigating corruption, hosting the YouTube show ‘51/49’.
  • Summary: Theo Von opens the episode with a Pepsi Zero Sugar advertisement and tour date announcements before introducing guest James Li. Li is highlighted for his work investigating corruption and fraud. The episode will cover Li’s firsthand experience with Big Pharma corruption and foreign influence on media.
Theo Von Anecdote and Guest Greeting
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(00:02:14)
  • Key Takeaway: Theo Von shares a story about receiving a beekeeper’s outfit from Whitney Cummings.
  • Summary: Theo Von greets James Li and shares a humorous story about receiving a full beekeeper’s outfit from comedian Whitney Cummings. They briefly discuss the dark nature of the movie Begonia before moving on to the interview.
James Li’s Background and Media Landscape
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(00:09:27)
  • Key Takeaway: James Li describes his work as part of a ‘decentralized network of journalists’ sharing information rather than being a singular investigator.
  • Summary: Li clarifies that he is part of a collective network of creators who share findings to expose the powerful, noting he lacks the resources for deep document analysis alone. His content often focuses on exposing elites and corporate practices, such as private equity buying up industries.
Private Equity and Youth Sports Contracts
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(00:11:03)
  • Key Takeaway: Black Bear Sports Group, a private equity firm, implemented contracts banning parents from filming youth hockey unless they subscribed to a $50/month video service.
  • Summary: Li detailed a case where Black Bear Sports Group, owning numerous ice rinks in the Northeast, attempted to paywall footage of children’s hockey games. This practice was framed as price gouging parents’ desire to record moments of joy, leading Li to expose the situation.
Li’s Path to Investigative Content
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(00:13:24)
  • Key Takeaway: Li’s path began with a childhood desire to be a teacher, leading him to pursue an MBA at NYU, where exposure to the 2016 DNC primary shaped his focus on exposing systemic issues.
  • Summary: Li initially wanted to be a teacher due to a natural curiosity for learning and sharing information. After business school, he worked as a management consultant for a Big Four firm, which provided him access to a Big Pharma client.
Big Pharma Experience and COVID-19 Shift
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(00:17:23)
  • Key Takeaway: While consulting for a COVID-19 vaccine manufacturer in early 2022, Li saw inventory reports indicating massive unsold product, followed shortly by the CEO announcing a new booster shot.
  • Summary: Li realized his consulting work was contributing to what he viewed as an ’evil’ financial decision when the company manufactured excess vaccine inventory that had no demand. This realization prompted him to leave corporate consulting and begin creating content exposing these issues.
Corporate Firing and Deplatforming
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(00:21:01)
  • Key Takeaway: Li was placed on a Performance Improvement Plan (PIP) after voicing uncomfortable truths to company elites, a common corporate tactic for firing employees without legal repercussions.
  • Summary: After leaving the consulting job, Li started making YouTube videos during COVID-19, eventually gaining traction on TikTok and Instagram, which led to him being banned twice from TikTok. The first ban followed a video about FBI Director Cash Patel; the second followed being named ‘Anti-Semite of the Week’ by an advocacy group.
Political Release Valves and Foreign Policy
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(00:42:22)
  • Key Takeaway: The political establishment uses figures like Tucker Carlson on the right and AOC/Bernie Sanders on the left as ‘release valves’ to vent base frustration without allowing them to fully defect to third parties.
  • Summary: Li theorizes that both major parties strategically allow certain figures to voice extreme or critical views to keep their bases engaged but contained. This concept was applied to Tucker Carlson’s interview with Huckabee, where the open discussion of Israel’s control over US foreign policy served to let steam out of the right-wing base.
Venezuela Sanctions and US Interests
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(00:48:08)
  • Key Takeaway: US sanctions against Venezuela, imposed after Hugo Chavez nationalized oil and improved quality of life metrics, forced the country to trade exclusively with non-US allies like Russia and China.
  • Summary: Li researched that Venezuela’s economy suffered significantly after the US sanctioned the nation for its socialist policies and nationalization of oil. This action effectively cut Venezuela off from US allies, compelling them to rely on China and Russia, which then became a point of contention for US foreign policy.
Venezuela Sanctions and Growth
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(00:49:32)
  • Key Takeaway: US sanctions against Venezuela, initiated by the Obama administration due to its socialist government, intentionally stifled its economic growth at a time when its quality of life metrics were improving.
  • Summary: Venezuela’s quality of life was improving until the US deemed it an enemy for being socialist, leading to sanctions. These sanctions forced Venezuela to trade only with non-US aligned countries like Russia and China. This external pressure is cited as a primary reason for the subsequent collapse of the Venezuelan economy.
Anti-Israel Stance and Regime Change
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(00:50:30)
  • Key Takeaway: A perceived opposition to the Israeli government, exemplified by Venezuelan leaders calling the situation in Gaza a genocide, is presented as a key driver for US-backed regime change efforts.
  • Summary: The US is perceived to target countries that oppose Israel, demanding regime change in those nations. Venezuelan opposition leader Enrique Capriles-Radonski was smeared as a Zionist, suggesting Israel sought influence over a country openly critical of its actions.
Media Ownership and Control
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(00:53:28)
  • Key Takeaway: Attempts by billionaires like Larry Ellison (CBS News) and Jeff Bezos (Washington Post) to exert overt political control over legacy media outlets are proving to be an outdated and ineffective strategy as audiences migrate away from traditional news sources.
  • Summary: The overt political alignment of CBS News after its sale to Larry Ellison, including pro-Marco Rubio pieces and pro-Israel propaganda, was clearly visible to consumers. This strategy is failing because the audience for traditional cable news is decreasing, leading to staff layoffs at publications like the Washington Post.
TikTok Deplatforming and Hate Speech Definition
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(00:58:45)
  • Key Takeaway: James Li was deplatformed from TikTok, allegedly due to connections between the platform’s moderation team, run by an IDF soldier, and the adoption of a definition equating anti-Zionism with anti-Semitism.
  • Summary: Criticism of the Netanyahu government’s actions in Gaza is now being classified as hate speech on TikTok, leading to Li’s suspension. This stems from the definition adopted by platforms and groups like the ADL, which equates anti-Zionism with anti-Semitism.
ADL’s Role and Industrial Complex
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(01:02:10)
  • Key Takeaway: The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) is criticized for acting on behalf of the Israeli government rather than combating anti-Semitism impartially, suggesting its organizational survival depends on the continued existence of the problem it claims to fight.
  • Summary: The ADL’s failure to speak out against the Israeli government, despite its mandate to combat anti-Semitism, suggests it functions as an extension of Israeli interests in America. If anti-Semitism were eliminated, the organization would become obsolete, leading to an incentive to maintain or even increase reported incidents, as evidenced by rising annual reports.
US Funding and Israeli Ownership
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(01:05:44)
  • Key Takeaway: The continuous US financial support for Israel, despite domestic issues, is interpreted by James Li as evidence that the US functions as a shell company or LLC owned by Israel.
  • Summary: Questions are being raised publicly about why the US sends substantial aid to Israel while facing domestic crises like underfunded schools and poor military fitness rates. This relationship is viewed as transactional, suggesting the US government is simply transferring funds to its owner.
Mossad Espionage Against CIA
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(01:07:38)
  • Key Takeaway: Former CIA whistleblower John Kiriakou revealed that Mossad repeatedly attempted to bug CIA headquarters with hidden devices, indicating a deeply untrustworthy relationship between the two supposed allies.
  • Summary: Kiriakou identified Mossad as the intelligence agency he trusted the least, citing repeated attempts to plant listening devices in CIA facilities. This behavior suggests the US-Israel relationship is more akin to an abusive monitoring dynamic than a partnership between allies.
October 7th Premeditation Conjecture
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(01:10:28)
  • Key Takeaway: The significant delay in the Israeli military response to the October 7th attacks suggests a possible ‘stand down order’ intended to create the pretext necessary to launch the subsequent large-scale destruction of Gaza.
  • Summary: The six-hour response time to the attack on a highly secured border is deemed illogical, drawing parallels to potential foreknowledge surrounding 9/11. This conjecture posits that elements within the Israeli government may have allowed the event to occur to justify their military objectives in Gaza.
Epstein Files Release Context
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(01:13:03)
  • Key Takeaway: The release of the Epstein documents was likely a result of Congressional pressure (led by Thomas Massey and Ro Khanna) forcing disclosure, rather than a strategic move by the government, explaining why perpetrator names were initially redacted.
  • Summary: Both Democratic and Republican parties were compelled to vote for disclosure to avoid being publicly recorded as covering up for alleged pedophiles. The initial redactions of perpetrator names, contrary to the mandate to protect victims, suggest the government attempted to minimize the fallout.
Epstein Trafficking Evidence Review
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(01:15:41)
  • Key Takeaway: Emails between Jeffrey Epstein and Steve Tisch suggest Epstein was trafficking a young woman, referred to as a ‘Ukrainian girl,’ to Tisch, who was advised to ‘go slow’ with her despite her distress.
  • Summary: An email chain shows Epstein reporting on a ‘Ukrainian girl’ who was ‘freaked out by the age difference’ and whose crying ‘worked’ to convince her of something. The subject line and context imply Epstein was facilitating access to this young woman for Tisch, indicating potential trafficking beyond Epstein himself.
Epstein’s Spy Asset Hypothesis
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(01:23:33)
  • Key Takeaway: Epstein’s acquisition of a fake Austrian passport in the 1980s, prior to his association with Les Wexner, strongly suggests he was an intelligence asset positioned to travel internationally under an alias.
  • Summary: Epstein claimed to Les Wexner that he managed money for the Rothschilds, which predates his known financial ties to Wexner. This history, combined with the use of aliases, supports the hypothesis that Epstein was an intelligence asset rather than just a wealthy pedophile.
Les Wexner and CIA Operations
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(01:27:32)
  • Key Takeaway: Les Wexner, owner of L Brands, allegedly used his airport in Ohio to facilitate CIA operations related to Iran-Contra, with Jeffrey Epstein involved in facilitating these activities.
  • Summary: Wexner, a major funder of Birthright trips to Israel, signed over power of attorney for his entire estate to Epstein. Evidence suggests Wexner’s airport was used for CIA operations, linking him, Epstein, and potential intelligence work.
Howard Lutnick’s 9/11 Connections
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(01:32:24)
  • Key Takeaway: Howard Lutnick, CEO of Cantor Fitzgerald (a WTC tenant), allegedly lied about his relationship with Epstein, profited from Trump tariffs based on non-public information, and his property transactions were linked to Epstein and a notary who filmed the WTC collapse.
  • Summary: Lutnick claimed minimal contact with Epstein, yet emails show investment collaboration and property transfers involving Epstein and a trust where Lutnick’s neighbor status is noted. The notary for the property transfer between Epstein and Lutnick was the same person who filmed the collapse of the South Tower, suggesting foreknowledge of 9/11.
Epstein Files and 9/11 Coincidence
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(01:38:30)
  • Key Takeaway: A significant gap exists in the released Epstein documents between 1999 and 2001, coinciding suspiciously with the 9/11 period.
  • Summary: A large chunk of emails from the Epstein files, specifically between 1999 and 2001, is missing, which is noted as highly coincidental given the proximity to 9/11. Ghislaine Maxwell was also asked to be on the 9/11 Shadow Commission, suggesting potential knowledge of sensitive events. This withholding of documents by the DOJ immediately before, during, and after 9/11 raises serious questions about high-level involvement.
Predictive Programming and Psyops
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(01:39:20)
  • Key Takeaway: Media like movies can serve as predictive programming to make the public comfortable with future attacks, while staged street events distract from real crimes.
  • Summary: Some cultural phenomena, like predictions in The Simpsons, are seen as coincidence, but others, like the plot of Top Gun mirroring a potential future strike on a uranium site in Iran, suggest predictive programming. Staged events, such as certain ICE riots, are believed to be psyops designed to create division over non-unifying issues like immigration, distracting from unifying concerns like Epstein or pesticide use.
Political Theater and Surveillance
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(01:42:01)
  • Key Takeaway: The opposing political handling of immigration—one party letting people in, the other trying to deport them—creates a spectacle that justifies increased state surveillance.
  • Summary: The immigration issue is intentionally divisive because there is no single moral answer, allowing both sides to mobilize protests that ultimately benefit the push toward a police state and mass surveillance technologies like Palantir. Trump’s stated intent to deport people is undermined by exempting key sectors like hospitality and farm work, suggesting the street demonstrations serve as a show of force rather than genuine policy enforcement.
Independent Journalism and Criticism
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(01:43:44)
  • Key Takeaway: Focusing solely on corruption, rather than party politics, results in independent journalists like James Li receiving criticism from both the left and the right.
  • Summary: James Li faces backlash from both sides for covering issues like COVID vaccine corruption (a right-leaning topic) and pro-Palestine stances (a left-leaning topic). He emphasizes that his goal is to present his findings without allegiance, viewing the constant criticism as a sign he is operating independently. He believes that those in power often appear knowledgeable but are equally uncertain about how to proceed.
Actionable Information vs. Dark Rabbit Holes
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(01:49:14)
  • Key Takeaway: Content creators should prioritize providing actionable information that empowers individuals over dwelling on dark conspiracies that offer no path for personal intervention.
  • Summary: The natural path of conspiracy rabbit holes leads to increasingly dark and paralyzing topics, such as hypothetical lizard families running the world, which offer no recourse for the average person. Actionable information, such as warning people about the surveillance risks associated with Amazon Ring cameras connected to police databases, allows listeners to make immediate, tangible changes to protect themselves.
Banking Choices and Fintech Risks
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(01:50:50)
  • Key Takeaway: Local credit unions and small regional banks are preferable to large conglomerates, and fintech companies like Chime require scrutiny regarding FDIC protection.
  • Summary: Local community-tied banks or credit unions are recommended over massive entities like JP Morgan Chase or Bank of America. Fintech companies, such as Chime, are noted for sponsoring heartwarming content while potentially operating outside standard banking authorities, meaning users might not receive full FDIC protection.
James Li’s Content Outlets
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(01:52:57)
  • Key Takeaway: James Li produces investigative digs on his YouTube channel ‘51/49’ and hosts a lighter, weekly conversation podcast called ‘The Todayish podcast’ with co-host Danny Love.
  • Summary: The investigative work is housed on the YouTube channel ‘51/49 James Li,’ while ‘The Todayish podcast’ offers a more lighthearted weekly discussion format. The dynamic on the latter show features his co-host, Danny Love, who often presents more ’tin foil hat’ perspectives, balancing the serious investigative content.