Actor Ben McKenzie is investigating the intersection of cryptocurrency and widespread financial fraud in his new documentary, 'Everyone Is Lying For You For Money,' according to hardresetmedia.com.
McKenzie, who transitioned from acting to investigative journalism, explores whether the crypto industry is built on a foundation of scams designed to enrich a few insiders at the expense of retail investors.
In El Salvador, McKenzie observed the reality of President Nayib Bukele’s 'bitcoin city' project. The report notes that while the government designated land for the crypto hub, local residents were offered low buyouts to vacate ancestral homes.
Despite the promise of a seamless digital economy, McKenzie found that street vendors in El Salvador continued to rely exclusively on cash. Similar issues appeared at a 2022 Miami crypto conference, where transactions often faced delays of up to 15 minutes.
The mechanics of deception
The documentary features interviews with figures central to recent crypto collapses. McKenzie sat with Alex Mashinsky, the founder of Celsius, who was sentenced to 12 years in federal prison in May 2025 for fraud involving customer deposits.
McKenzie also secured a conversation with disgraced FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried. The footage captures an anxious Bankman-Fried discussing 'effective altruism' while visibly reacting to a journalist's coffee mug.
According to hardresetmedia.com, a fraud expert in the film explains that fraudsters often do not view themselves as deviant, instead using narratives to reconcile their actions as normal members of society.
Promoters like Human Rights Foundation CEO Alex Gladstein have argued that crypto provides freedom from oppressive governments and high remittance fees. However, the documentary suggests these stories often mask a system where 'winners' are those with the power to exit before a crash.
High-profile figures such as Matt Damon and Kevin O’Leary are among those who joined the crypto trend. The report concludes that while the technology promises freedom, many investors are left with depleted savings as scammers use crypto to facilitate romance scams and insider trading.
