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Podcast Episode

And, This Is How Not To Invest In Crypto With Ben McKenzie

This is Gavin Newsom·iHeartPodcasts·1 September 2026·1h 8m

About this episode

Crypto skeptic, filmmaker, and  author Ben McKenzie joins the show for a deep dive into the world of cryptocurrency. From Bitcoin and Sam Bankman-Fried to Donald Trump’s recent embrace of crypto for his corruption efforts, Ben Mckenzie explains why he is and remains skeptical of cryptocurrency. He then considers whether there’s any hope for crypto regulation and whether this Congress is capable of doing it.   Ben’s documentary “Everyone is Lying to You for Money” is available to stream now through a collaboration with Eventive, a ticketing and streaming platform with a mission to make film festivals and independent film accessible.    00:00 Intro 00:17 A Big Day For Bitcoin 3:28 Why Ben Doesn’t Buy Crypto 8:00 The Question Sam Bankman-Fried Wouldn’t Answer 12:08 Trust The Dollar Or Trust The Code 14:20 Crypto 101 18:00 The Epstein Connection 22:10 El Salvador’s Crypto Experiment 27:02 Why Everyone Is Now Into Crypto 32:30 The Men Who Can’t Stop Losing With Crypto 41:34 How Should We Be Regulating Crypto? 47:45 Wall Street’s  Embrace Of Crypto 50:10 Trump’s Crypto Conversion, World Liberty Financial & Criminal Activity 58:55 Regulation Instead of Elimination 1:02:10 Will Studios Support An Anti-Crypto Film? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.