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.
Episodes
I started looking at SHIFT AI because the pitch sounded simple: buy AI credits, access multiple AI tools through one platform, and potentially earn money from the growth of the ecosystem. But after reviewing Marty Hale’s presentations, SHIFT AI’s own opportunity material and the growing network of promoters, one question kept getting bigger: where is the money actually coming from?
THE INVESTIGATI...
[Verse 1]
Christopher sat beneath the lights,
Telling Channel 9 his side,
Darlene Jones asked the questions,
And the cameras opened wide.
Then came a number, nice and certain,
Like there wasn't room for doubt,
“99.9% of our investors are US,”
Well, the paperwork came out.
[Pre-Chorus]
Pack your bags, grab your passport,
Looks like Goliath travelled well,
From the b...
[Verse 1]
Twenty thousand channels glowing on the screen,
A hundred thousand movies, tell me what does that mean?
Sports from every corner, Hollywood on demand,
All for fifty dollars — now help me understand.
They tell the room it’s licensed, they tell the room it’s clean,
They flash another presentation, polished and pristine.
But I’ve investigated enough of these to...
[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
...
[INTRO — SPOKEN]
“If this comes down to litigation,
If it comes down to putting people in jail,
I think I’m talking to the person
They’ll be talking to.”
“That remains to be seen.”
[VERSE 1]
Twenty-five percent every month,
Media packages, easy money coming,
Anonymous hands behind the machine,
Nobody knows them, nobody’s se...
[Intro – Spoken]
Lamborghini.
Rolls-Royce.
G-Wagon.
Bentley.
Everybody's rich on Instagram.
There's just one little question...
Whose car is it anyway?
[Verse 1]
Pull up to the mansion, camera on the drive
Twenty-second reel says, "Look how rich I live my life"
Diamond on the wrist and the Lambo by the door
Same car in another influencer's reel the we...
[Verse 1]
It started with an email from a Kiwi like me,
Already burned once, looking for some certainty.
BG Wealth was behind him, money already gone,
Then Northcrest and NexusX came quietly along.
Five hundred dollars just to step through the door,
AI and Wall Street promising more.
A dashboard showed a profit, everything looked fine,
Then BonChat became the reason they shut him down onl...
[Intro]
Keep more.
Make more.
Live more.
That was the promise.
But somebody had to pay for it.
[Verse 1]
He talked about security,
He talked about a plan,
Real estate and collateral,
Put your future in his hands.
Ten percent every ninety days,
Guaranteed, they said,
Properties standing underneath it,
Nothing here to dread.
Retirement money, savings...
WHO GOT THE MONEY?
[Intro – Spoken, dark and restrained]
Four hundred and twenty-five million dollars.
More than thirteen hundred investors.
The SEC says it was a Ponzi scheme.
The CFTC traced three hundred and ninety-seven million.
And then they found another number.
One hundred and seventy-four million dollars...
Transferred to directors and staff.
So now there&...
[INTRO — SPOKEN / DARK]
A hundred percent return.
A hundred-million-dollar fund.
Big numbers. Big names. Big promises.
But I learned something from Goliath...
When the story sounds incredible,
you don't follow the story.
You follow the money.
[VERSE 1]
They came into the picture
when Goliath hit my screen,
Talking due diligence,
wanting to know what I...
[Verse 1]
A stranger landed in my Telegram,
Said, "Friend, I've got a better plan,"
Five hundred dollars, follow my trades,
Watch your little bankroll multiply in days.
He's got the screenshots, he's got the proof,
Another winning session coming through,
A licence framed up nice upon the wall,
But ask who issued it — no answer at all.
[Pre-Chorus – Robotic Voice]
Reg...
[INTRO — CHEESY CORPORATE ANNOUNCER]
Congratulations!
Are you a freelancer looking for work?
Are you a business looking for talent?
Are you looking to grow your sales?
Fantastic!
We have a funnel for that.
[MUSIC KICKS IN]
[VERSE 1]
Welcome to Recrutu,
Tell us who you are,
Worker or a business,
We’ll point you near or far.
Looking for...
[Verse 1]
They built another website overnight,
Put Wall Street pictures underneath the lights,
A shiny little logo, a certificate too,
A man you've never met says, “I've got something for you.”
“Don't worry about trading, we've got experts inside,
Just follow the signals, come along for the ride,
Deposit your crypto, we'll handle the rest,
Our artificial genius only pic...
[Intro]
Young, rich, everybody look at me
Rolex shining for the camera, naturally
Got another reel, got another mention
Everybody wants money and attention
[Chorus]
He wants money and attention
Flash cars lined up in every direction
Five hundred bucks to ten grand, that's the lesson
Ask another question, now we're starting the tension
Money and attention
Money and attention
[Verse 1]
Pull up to the mansion, gates open wide
Eight million dollars sitting polished inside
Lamborghini screaming down an Orlando road
Everybody watching thought they cracked the code
Private flights, bright lights, another VIP
Downtown headquarters dressed in luxury
If the man with your money lives better than kings
You stop asking questions about how much it brings
They weren...
[INTRO — SPOKEN / DISTORTED]
You sold them the dream.
Domes in the mountains.
Money every month.
Contracts on the table.
But when the dream disappeared...
We followed the paperwork.
[VERSE 1]
Forty percent when the money came in,
Before a single guest could even check in.
Contracts signed and promises made,
Six figures down for a future prepaid.
Sales...
Verse 1
They promised futures written in code,
An AI engine on the blockchain road.
Passive profits every single day,
But the evidence kept slipping away.
Webinars filled with polished dreams,
Luxury lifestyles, perfect streams.
"Trust the system," they would say,
But the blockchain told another way.
Pre-Chorus
Every wallet leaves a trail,
Every transaction tells a ta...
(Verse 1)
He pulled up slow in a Rolls-Royce Ghost,
Told the crowd, "I'm the one who makes the most."
Lamborghini, Bentley, Cadillac too,
Everybody thought, "That could be you."
Private jets and designer clothes,
Luxury living everywhere he goes.
Selfies taken... dreams on display...
But nobody stopped to ask that day...
(Pre-Chorus)
Who signed the loan?
Who paid the ...
Verse 1
Well I met a bloke online yesterday,
Said he'd found a brand new game to play.
"Just click Up, mate, or maybe Down,
We'll all be millionaires by Christmas now."
He flashed a chart, he flashed a smile,
Talked passive income all the while.
Said, "Luck's been replaced by strategy,"
I nearly spilled my cup of tea.
Pre-Chorus
Everybody's got tomorrow's news,
Everyb...
Intro (spoken)
Another website...
Another promise...
Another countdown...
Question...
Everything.
Verse 1
Something extraordinary...
Coming soon...
A brand-new future...
Under a different moon.
AI talking...
Money on the screen.
Big bold promises...
What do they really mean?
Pre-Chorus
Don't buy...
The fantasy.
Don't trust...
Wh...
Popular Podcasts
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by Audiochuck Media Company.
The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show. Clay Travis and Buck Sexton tackle the biggest stories in news, politics and current events with intelligence and humor. From the border crisis, to the madness of cancel culture and far-left missteps, Clay and Buck guide listeners through the latest headlines and hot topics with fun and entertaining conversations and opinions.
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
The World's Most Dangerous Morning Show, The Breakfast Club, With DJ Envy, Jess Hilarious, And Charlamagne Tha God!