The former TV star on a crusade to take down 'stupid' cryptocurrency

Ben McKenzie, best known for his role as Ryan Atwood on the TV show The OC, has turned his considerable Hollywood fame to a new crusade: exposing what he calls the largest Ponzi scheme in history – cryptocurrency. The 47-year-old actor appeared before a US Senate committee on banking four years ago, playing the troubled teen from a wealthy family. However, his new focus has shifted from his iconic TV character to a critical look at the digital currency movement.

McKenzie, who studied economics at university, became a crypto cynic after seeing the volatility and deception in the market. He explains that he made a lucrative short bet against cryptocurrencies in 2022, which helped fund his documentary, Everyone Is Lying To You For Money. The film takes a comedic yet critical look at the cryptocurrency craze, featuring interviews with former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried and other crypto investors who lost money.

McKenzie argues that cryptocurrencies are not a solution to the problems caused by corporate power, but rather a risky gamble. He believes that transferring trust from the public sphere to the private sphere through decentralized currencies is a bad idea. Instead, he sees cryptocurrencies as good only for gambling and crime. The film also delves into the recent surge in Bitcoin's value as some politicians push for regulation, despite the actor's own warnings about the dangers of cryptocurrency.