DANNY DE HEK
Scammers rely on silence. We make noise.
Welcome to the Avengers Anti-Fraud Alliance, led by Danny de Hek, a New Zealand investigative journalist whose work exposing scams, Ponzi schemes, MLMs and financial fraud has been featured by The New York Times, Bloomberg, The Guardian, ABC Australia, RNZ and others.
This podcast takes you inside real investigations.
We follow the money, identify the people behind fraudulent operations, examine corporate records, court documents, blockchain transactions, marketing material, leaked communications and digital evidence — then put what we find into the public record.
Some investigations begin with a victim contacting me. Others start with an anonymous tip, a suspicious Zoom meeting, a cryptocurrency wallet, a court filing, or an Avenger somewhere in the world saying: “Danny, you need to look at this.”
The Avengers Anti-Fraud Alliance brings together researchers, whistleblowers, victims and ordinary people who are tired of watching scammers operate without scrutiny.
Patreon helps fund that work and gives supporters a closer look behind the investigations — including updates, evidence, developing stories and material that doesn't always fit into a YouTube video.
I don't accept payment to remove investigations. I don't sell reputation management. And when someone I investigate disagrees with my reporting, I give them the opportunity to respond.
The objective is simple:
Investigate. Analyse. Expose. Protect.
If you're a victim, whistleblower or you've discovered something that deserves investigating, get in touch.
Scams thrive in darkness. The Avengers turn on the lights.
DANNY DE HEK
Jonathan Mason – Victim Or Promoter?
Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.
[Verse 1]
Four percent a month, that was the deal
Liquidity pools made the promise feel real
A hundred grand minimum, money wired in
Call it a joint venture, let the profits begin
Then another layer made the story feel safe
A report on the reserves put some trust in the place
One-fifteen percent, enough for every demand
But the numbers they reviewed came from Goliath’s own hands
And standing in the middle was a familiar name
Jonathan Mason had millions in the game
If he's risking his fortune, what could possibly go wrong?
That kind of confidence can carry people along
[Pre-Chorus]
Maybe he believed it
Maybe he was fooled
Maybe he trusted the people
Who were making all the rules
But when you're reassuring others
There's a question you can't ignore
What did you know?
And what did you check before?
[Chorus]
Victim or promoter?
Where does the evidence go?
Millions on the inside
But how much did you really know?
Goliath said the money was there
Enough to settle every claim
A few hundred million left over
That's what they said in Goliath's name
Victim or promoter?
I'm not here to decide
I'm following the documents
To see what's on the other side
[Verse 2]
September brought a withdrawal
Six hundred thousand on the line
One side says October
Mason says one day's the time
Then November came knocking
Seven hundred thousand remained
Prestige wanted out now
But this withdrawal wasn't the same
November seventeen
The distributions stopped
A forensic audit was the reason
But confidence never dropped
They promised proof was coming
Said the money would be paid
Then came a phone call
And another promise was made
[Verse 3]
Eric Clayman on the telephone
Investors wanted facts
Enough to cover everybody
That's how Reece recorded the chat
One hundred, two hundred million
Supposedly left when payments were through
Then Mason read the summary
And said that number wasn't true
Not smaller
Bigger.
“A few hundred million”
Was the correction that he made
“Other than that it looks accurate”
Those words remain today
[Chorus]
Victim or promoter?
Where does the evidence go?
Millions on the inside
But how much did you really know?
Goliath said the money was there
Enough to settle every claim
A few hundred million left over
That's what they said in Goliath's name
Victim or promoter?
I'm not here to decide
I'm following the documents
To see what's on the other side
[Bridge]
Christmas brought another story
Now an MSB caused the wait
Approved back in November
January was the date
January came and went
Now approval wasn't done
International wallets restricted
Another explanation had begun
Audit
Banking
Wallets
More delays
But every changing explanation
Still carried the same refrain
The money is there
You just can't have it today
[Verse 4]
Then Goliath came crashing down
And federal charges came
Hundreds of millions in the allegations
Delgado pleaded to his crimes
But guilt doesn't travel by association
That's not how evidence works
You don't convict another man
Because you know what Delgado did first
Now Mason wants sanctions
Says Prestige went too far
Says show me the evidence
That proves I knew what you say you are
That's a question worth answering
And I'll apply that standard too
But if you couldn't see the records
What made the promises true?
[Final Chorus]
Victim or promoter?
That's the question that remains
Were you trapped inside Goliath
Or helping strengthen its claims?
Three million of your own money
Seven million, your lawyers say
That could mean you were another victim
Who watched it all disappear away
But when investors needed answers
And asked if their money was secure
What evidence were you relying on
To tell them there was more?
Victim or promoter?
I won't manufacture blame
I'll follow every document
And put the evidence against the claims
[Outro]
No guilt by association
No innocence by association too
Just documents, dates and questions
And what the evidence can prove
A few hundred million left over...
“Other than that it looks accurate.”
So Jonathan Mason—
what did you know?
The Avengers Anti-Fraud Alliance is a community supporting independent investigations into scams, Ponzi schemes, MLMs, crypto fraud and the people behind them.
Led by New Zealand investigative journalist Danny de Hek, the Avengers help uncover information, connect victims, analyse evidence and expose schemes that deserve public scrutiny.
We investigate. We expose. We protect.
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