Actor-turned-director Ben McKenzie delivers a blistering takedown of the crypto world with his feature documentary, Everyone Is Lying To You For Money, set to premiere at SXSW London in June.
The former Gotham and The O.C. star transforms his deep skepticism of digital currencies into a hard-hitting exposé on cryptocurrency’s most controversial figures and practices, shot over the span of three years in New York, London, Austin, El Salvador and Miami.
The film also details McKenzie's journey from actor to outspoken critic of crypto, a shift sparked during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Lockdowns led him down a crypto rabbit hole — one that ended with him testifying before the U.S. Senate Banking Committee.
The film features high-profile interviews and chilling foresight. It includes footage of FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried, recorded just months before his multi-count fraud and conspiracy indictment, as well as Celsius Network CEO Alex Mashinsky, filmed before his crypto lending platform collapsed, costing investors billions.
It also casts a critical eye on El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele, examining his nation’s bold — and divisive — embrace of Bitcoin as legal tender.
The documentary interviews victims, celebrities, and even a pseudonymous whistleblower, all adding layers of perspective on what McKenzie sees as an industry built on deception.
What began as a personal interest soon escalated into a public mission. McKenzie, who holds a degree in economics, found himself testifying to lawmakers about what he called “the largest Ponzi scheme in history.” This climactic moment in the film highlights the actor’s evolution into one of crypto’s most vocal critics — with receipts to back it up.
Though grounded in investigation and testimony, the documentary doesn’t shy away from satire. McKenzie describes Everyone Is Lying To You For Money as “a comedy that treats crypto and the creeps shilling it with the respect they deserve: zero.”
He openly reflects on the backlash he received in 2021 after publicly criticizing crypto, noting that many of those early online defenders are now under legal scrutiny.
The film is interwoven with glimpses of McKenzie’s home life in Brooklyn with his wife, actress Morena Baccarin, and their children — framing his crypto journey against the backdrop of family, fatherhood, and pandemic-era introspection.
As crypto scandals continue to dominate headlines, Everyone Is Lying To You For Money promises to offer not just commentary but confrontation. With Verve handling sales, the film is poised to stir debate at its June world premiere — and beyond.
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