Host of HBO’s Last Week Tonight, English comedian John Oliver, broke the record of charitable TV giveaways during Sunday’s show by writing off $15 million of medical debt.
The show examined the shady goings-on of the US debt-buying industry before revealing they’d set up their own debt recovery company for just $50.
Their Central Asset Recovery Professionals Inc (or, CARP) purchased $14, 922, 261.76 worth of medical debt at “less than half a cent on a dollar, which is less than $60,000”.
Oliver explained, “Debt-buying is a grimy business and badly needs more oversight, because any idiot can get into it. I can prove that to you because I am an idiot and we started a debt-buying company and it was disturbingly easy.”
“I could legally have CARP take possession of that list and have employees start calling people, turning their lives upside down over medical debt.”
But instead, Oliver announced that they were wiping the debt owed by roughly 9,000 people across the country and making history as the biggest giveaway ever on TV.
What an awesome way to raise awareness of a horrible industry and totally change strangers’ lives.
You can watch the incredible show segment below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ii6TEJuvrM0