Easy Money cover art

Easy Money

Cryptocurrency, Casino Capitalism, and the Golden Age of Fraud

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Easy Money

By: Ben McKenzie, Jacob Silverman - contributor
Narrated by: Ben McKenzie
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About this listen

INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

From a famous actor and an experienced journalist, a wildly entertaining debunking of cryptocurrency, one of the greatest frauds in history and on course for a spectacular crash.

At the height of the pandemic, TV star Ben McKenzie (The O.C., Gotham) was the perfect mark for cryptocurrency: a dad stuck at home with some cash in his pocket, worried about his family, armed with only the vague notion that people were making heaps of money on something he—despite a degree in economics—didn’t entirely understand. Lured in by the promise of taking power from banks, possibly improving democracy, and sure, a touch of FOMO, McKenzie dove deep into blockchain, Bitcoin, and the various other coins and exchanges on which they are traded. But after scratching the surface, he had to ask, “Am I crazy, or is this all a total scam?”

In Easy Money, McKenzie enlists the help of journalist Jacob Silverman for a caper and exposé that points in shock to the climactic final days of cryptocurrency now upon us. Weaving together stories of average traders and victims, colorful crypto “visionaries,” Hollywood’s biggest true believers, anti-crypto whistleblowers, and government agents searching for solutions at the precipice of a major crash, Easy Money is an on-the-ground look at a perfect storm of 2008 Housing Bubble-level irresponsibility and criminal fraud potentially ten times more devastating than Bernie Madoff.

©2023 Ben McKenzie,Jacob Silverman (P)2023 Spotify Audiobooks
Con Artists, Hoaxes & Deceptions Investing & Trading White Collar & Corporate Crime Cryptocurrency

What listeners say about Easy Money

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Great overview of the crypto market

A great first book outing for Ben McKenzie. Given what is currently playing out in the crypto market this book is fresh and very up to date. A recommended read for anyone wanting to understand the risks in the crypto market and what it has in common with other failed investments and Ponzi schemes.

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Exposing crypto for the crap show it is

Tried really hard not to finish the audiobook as quickly as I did but I was enjoying it so much! This book had such Michael Lewis vibes and Ben is a great narrator. I only hope that it is not true that Micheal Lewis has drunk from the crypto Kool Aid too.

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Great Read on Ponzi Crypto

A bit of a horror story about ponzi crypto. Nothing is truely new about get rich quick schemes and human greed except people’s willingness to believe the next big thing.

The book lays out well tech, greed and corruption.

Ultimately, greed and corruption beats the best intentions. The story is well written like talking to passengers on the Titanic in many of the interviews.

Hope they do another book on fraud. There is an endless supply of material.

Recommended

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Thoroughly enjoyed this.

This is book is an excellent book that lays out the facts using great storytelling (Ben McKenzie is a fabulous narrator, and his collaboration with Jacob Silverman is dynamite).

Would definitely read any other investigations that they tackle!

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Fantastic Listen

This book is a fantastic overview of the crypto scam industry. Ben is a fabulous narrator and storyteller. It's funny and interesting and approachable. Highly recommend whether you know a lot about crypto or nothing at all.

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Crypto laid bare

The book is beautifully exposes the fundamental scams of crypto and the players at the table. Ben narration is calm, concise and reviving. I only wish my review was up to the same standard.

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I understand Crypto now!

After reading this take on the crypto markets and how it relates to a ponzi scheme, I feel I now finally understand what it is all about. However, left leaning authors really need to stop mentioning Donald Trump for the sake of it. Citing court cases that are not yet proven may not age well in a book, and it just makes my eyes roll every time a clearly anti-Trump author has to throw in some jibes.
Also, there's more to Pope Pius XII role in WWII than just signing onto Mussolini's promises.

Some bad editing in chapter 12 was a little confusing, otherwise Ben's performance of his writing was excellent.

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Great book

Inspired to begin work on detailing my own experiences in the crypto sector. Ugh it’s more horrible then the headline stories.

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A sane voice in a mad world!

Everyone who is into crypto should read this book, it could be a real eye-opener for them.

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Wow Just Wow

Ben McKenzie’s investigation into and expose of crypto currency is extraordinary and heartbreaking. So so many people have been caught up in this too good to be true scheme and to hear it laid bare in laymen’s terms, it’s incomprehensible that regulators across the planet failed to step in. Their inaction is unforgivable as are the actions of those who touted this get rich quick scheme. This is a must read.

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