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ICE, ISIS & Child Rescue | Joey Nobody Before He Went Viral

Tarek “Joey Nobody” Kadourah, U.S. Army Veteran, former intelligence contractor, whistleblower, tells their story to Vegas Veteran Voices, a Veteran-led nonprofit in Las Vegas.

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In this story
Tarek “Joey Nobody” Kadourah, U.S. Army Veteran, former intelligence contractor, whistleblower
Service branch
U.S. Army
Published
Running time
1 hour 2 minutes (1:02:04)
Production
Filmed by Vegas Veteran Voices, a Veteran-led nonprofit in Las Vegas

“Looking back throughout my career, I was the happiest and most content when I was working with kids.”

Tarek “Joey Nobody” KadourahHear it at 40:13

About this story

Before Tarek “Joey Nobody” Kadourah made national headlines, he sat down with Vegas Veteran Voices to tell the story behind the man.

A Palestinian Muslim immigrant who chose to serve America, Joey describes his journey through the U.S. Army, overseas intelligence contracting, operations targeting ISIS recruiters, federal investigative work, and his commitment to protecting vulnerable children.

Now receiving national attention for whistleblower allegations involving government contractor MVM and the transportation of migrant children, Joey’s story extends far beyond the current headlines.

In this July 2026 conversation with Marine combat Veteran Ronnie Long, Joey discusses:

* Being called a terrorist by fellow soldiers and his eventual departure from the Army.
* His account of helping investigate ISIS recruiters online and later appearing on an ISIS kill list.
* His experiences with federal contractors, ICE-related work, and U.S. Marshals operations.
* Allegations of corruption and his experiences reporting misconduct.
* His motivation to pursue counter-human-trafficking work.
* His identity as a Palestinian-American, his mental health, and his belief in the country that welcomed his family.

This interview predates Joey’s recent national media appearances. It explores his background and personal experiences rather than independently investigating or substantiating allegations he has made publicly since its recording.

ABOUT THE GUEST

Tarek “Joey Nobody” Kadourah is a Palestinian-American former Army linguist and government contractor who discusses his work in intelligence, federal contracting and child protection.

Follow Joey: @joey.nobody

ABOUT VEGAS VETERAN VOICES

Hosted by Ronnie Long, USMC combat Veteran.

Stories Over Stigma.

Website: https://vegasveteranvoices.com

In their words

“The only country that accepted us with open arms was the US. And as a thank you, I was like, "No, I got to do something."”

Tarek “Joey Nobody” KadourahHear it at 57:00

Chapters

  1. 0:00 “I wanted to serve. They forced me out”
  2. 0:35 Fourth of July, the UFC years and McGregor
  3. 6:00 From the UAE to Texas: arriving in America
  4. 9:10 Family, identity and joining the Army
  5. 12:04 Called a terrorist in the barracks
  6. 14:01 Overseas intelligence and interpreter work
  7. 15:58 Abdul, an IED and a changed worldview
  8. 21:08 Investigating ISIS recruitment online
Show all 21 chaptersShow fewer chapters
  1. 23:16 His account of appearing on an ISIS kill list
  2. 24:26 U.S. Marshals and fugitive transport
  3. 25:00 What ICE contracting work actually looks like
  4. 33:18 Break
  5. 34:00 His account of corruption inside federal operations
  6. 38:44 Whistleblowing and Internal Affairs
  7. 42:47 Why protecting children became his calling
  8. 45:00 Celebrity security and protecting Paris Hilton
  9. 49:56 Ronnie’s journey and the domino effect
  10. 51:41 Brotherhood, mental health and difficult seasons
  11. 54:00 Trust, child protection and getting back into the fight
  12. 59:18 “I’m Palestinian. The U.S. took us in.”
  13. 1:00:40 Final message: love one another and check on your people

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