Easy Money - by Ben McKenzie & Jacob Silverman

About the Book

"A famous actor and an experienced journalist present an entertaining debunking of cryptocurrency, from its initial promise of taking power from banks while providing quick riches to its current spectacular crash."--

Book Synopsis

INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

LONGLISTED FOR THE FINANCIAL TIMES BUSINESS BOOK OF THE YEAR

"A smart, savvy road map through the mayhem of the cryptocurrency madness." --RON CHERNOW, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Alexander Hamilton

From "one of the crypto industry's unlikely but most prominent critics" (Washington Post), an entertaining and well-researched account of the rise and fall of cryptocurrency.

Weaving together stories of average traders and victims, colorful crypto "visionaries," Hollywood's biggest true believers, anti-crypto whistleblowers, and government operatives, Easy Money is an on-the-ground look at a perfect storm of irresponsibility and criminal fraud.

Based on original reporting across the country and abroad, including interviews with Sam Bankman-Fried, Tether cofounder Brock Pierce, Celsius's Alex Mashinsky, and more, this honest look at cryptocurrency is more relevant than ever.

At the height of the pandemic, TV star Ben McKenzie 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 grandiose, utopian promises, and sure, a little bit of FOMO, McKenziedove 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?" With journalist Jacob Silverman, McKenzie brings the entertaining but terrifying truth to readers with Easy Money.

Review Quotes

"Easy Money is a deceptively ambitious project--at once a riveting account of the financial crime of the century, and a thoughtful meditation on the nature of democracy and what we owe each other." -- "Zachary Carter, author of The Price of Peace: Money, Democracy, and the Life of John Maynard Keynes"

"Easy Money is a smart, fast-paced, and timely exposé of corporate greed, fraud, and incompetence masquerading as genius. Simultaneously illuminating and infuriating, authors McKenzie and Silverman's page-turning book goes on a global journey to explain how crypto is the latest Ponzi scheme orchestrated to seduce and defraud the masses while benefitting the very few."-- "Wajahat Ali, author of Go Back to Where You Came From"

"Easy Money is the delightful story of how actor Ben McKenzie and journalist Jacob Silverman realized long before most of the rest of us that cryptocurrency was a scam, and set out to take it and all of its promoters down. One part travelogue and one part anatomy of a fraud, it's a must-read for anyone who wants to understand what the hell happened--and how human nature works when there's money to be made."-- "Bethany McLean, New York Times-bestselling author of The Smartest Guys in the Room and The Big Fail"

"Ben McKenzie takes us on an amazing journey, guiding us through the astounding story of how a bizarre cast of swindlers and scammers persuaded millions of people to take leave of their senses and part with trillions of dollars, only to put them into the surreal and illusory world of so called 'crypto assets' and watch them vanish into thin air. When it is all over, the last couple of years will prove to have been one of the strangest episodes in the history of money."-- "Liaquat Ahamed, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Lords of Finance"

"Ben McKenzie's Easy Money is a perfectly timed page-turner that gets to the heart of the fundamental scam that was (and is) the mania around cryptocurrency. It's a devastatingly well-told story of greed, con men, and endless gullibility. McKenzie goes down the rabbit hole, only to become a full-throated skeptic who then takes us along on his journey of enlightenment and discovery, proving once again that if something seems too good to be true, it probably is."-- "William D. Cohan New York Times bestselling author of Power Failure and House of Cards"

"If you're looking for a smart, savvy road map through the mayhem of the cryptocurrency madness, Easy Money is the guidebook for you. Ben McKenzie has given us a wry and knowing saga of his personal quest to expose the crypto charlatans, and his sleuthing uncovers a world of frauds, true believers, and opportunists that you won't soon forget."-- "Ron Chernow, Pulitzer Prize-winning and New York Times bestselling author of Alexander Hamilton and The House of Morgan"

"One of the golden rules of finance is never invest in something you don't understand. This book shows what happens when you ignore it."-- "Times of London"

"Superb . . . the terrible story of our economic times."-- "Julian Zelizer, coeditor of Myth America and professor of history and public affairs at Princeton University"

"The perfect guide to the recent bitcoin hysteria.... gripping."-- "Financial Times"

About the Author

Ben McKenzie is an actor, writer, and outspoken critic of cryptocurrency. Best known for his roles on The O.C. and Gotham, McKenzie holds a degree in economics from the University of Virginia. He co-authored Easy Money: Cryptocurrency, Casino Capitalism, and the Golden Age of Fraud, a sharp investigation into the crypto boom and its consequences. Beyond writing, McKenzie has testified before the U.S. Senate Banking Committee and directed the documentary Everyone Is Lying to You for Money, which premiered at SXSW London. His work combines storytelling and economic insight to expose financial fraud and advocate for consumer protection.
Jacob Silverman is a journalist and author specializing in technology, politics, and culture. His work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, and The Atlantic, among others. Silverman is the co-author of Easy Money: Cryptocurrency, Casino Capitalism, and the Golden Age of Fraud, a deep dive into the crypto industry's rise and the systemic risks it poses. Known for his incisive analysis of digital trends and financial technology, Silverman brings a critical perspective to the intersection of tech and society.