[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?

Support the show