Unravel the Deception: Ben McKenzie's Exposé on Cryptocurrency Fraud
Actor Ben McKenzie Discloses Cryptocurrency Documentary Titled 'Everyone Deceives You for Financial Gain'
Hollywood actor turned documentarian, Ben McKenzie, is stepping into the director's chair for his debut film screening at SXSW London. Titled "Everyone Is Lying to You for Money," the docuseries sheds light on the murky world of cryptocurrency set to premiere in June.
Known for his roles in "The O.C." and "Gotham," McKenzie embarks on a journey to uncover the truth about the cryptocurrency industry, reaching out to key figures, including President Nayib Bukele of El Salvador who made Bitcoin legal tender in 2021.
McKenzie expressed his irritation with the bitcoin enthusiasts who initially ridiculed his warnings about crypto scams in 2021. "A lot of those guys are in jail now, and unfortunately, millions of investors lost their hard-earned money," he told Deadline.
The documentary will feature interviews with disgraced FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried and Celsius co-founder Alex Mashinsky, both prior to their companies' bankruptcy in July 2022 and November 2022 respectively. An anonymous whistleblower and celebrities who have been victims of cryptocurrency scams are also set to appear, adding a personal touch to the documentary.
McKenzie forayed into the crypto world in 2021 amid the COVID-19 pandemic and has since been a vocal critic against the industry. He even testified before the U.S. Senate Banking Committee about the collapse of FTX.
His collaborative book with journalist Ben Silverman, "Easy Money: Cryptocurrency, Casino Capitalism, and the Golden Age of Fraud," published in 2023, explores similar themes to the documentary. McKenzie explains that the purpose of the film is to understand "Why the false narrative of crypto continues to persist? That's the question I set out to answer with this film," he said.
Set to release in 2023, the documentary aims to address the fraudulent nature of cryptocurrency and the individuals promoting it. As McKenzie puts it, "I cannot wait for audiences to see 'Everyone Is Lying to You for Money,' a comedy that treats crypto and the creeps shilling it with the contempt they deserve: zero."
Edited by Andrew Hayward
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(Insights)
- The documentary features interviews with Sam Bankman-Fried, Alex Mashinsky, Nayib Bukele, a pseudonymous whistleblower, and several celebrities impacted by crypto scams.
- Filming for the documentary took place in New York, London, Austin, El Salvador, and Miami over a span of three years.
- McKenzie serves as the director, writer, and producer of the documentary, collaborating with Giorgio Angelini.
- The documentary builds upon McKenzie's 2023 book "Easy Money: Cryptocurrency, Casino Capitalism, and the Golden Age of Fraud." McKenzie has often referred to crypto as "the largest Ponzi scheme in history."
- The documentary is expected to address the reasons behind the persistence of the false narrative of cryptocurrency in the financial market.
- Ben McKenzie, the actor known for shows like "The O.C." and "Gotham," will direct a documentary revealing the truth about cryptocurrency fraud called "Everyone Is Lying to You for Money," set to premiere in June 2023.
- McKenzie interviewed key figures in the cryptocurrency industry, including President Nayib Bukele of El Salvador who made Bitcoin legal tender in 2021.
- He criticized bitcoin enthusiasts for disregarding his warnings about crypto scams in 2021, as many of them have since been jailed, and millions of investors suffered losses.
- The documentary will include interviews with Sam Bankman-Fried, Celsius co-founder Alex Mashinsky, and a collection of anonymous whistleblowers and celebrities who have been victims of cryptocurrency scams.
- New York, London, Austin, El Salvador, and Miami served as filming locations for the documentary over a span of three years.
- McKenzie collaborated with Giorgio Angelini in the production of the documentary.
- The documentary complements McKenzie's 2023 book "Easy Money: Cryptocurrency, Casino Capitalism, and the Golden Age of Fraud," in which he describes crypto as "the largest Ponzi scheme in history."
- McKenzie aims to expose the fraudulent nature of cryptocurrency and the individuals promoting it, likening the documentary to a comedy that regards crypto and its promoters with disdain.
