Bitconned

Bitconned does a very good job of putting the crypto contradiction of trusting nobody but the least trustworthy on full display. All those sucker 'investors' who were told not to trust banks or the government instead put their full faith and credit into the hands of a drug addict's Potemkin company.

Even for those of us who have watched this play out again and again it is always shocking to see just how flimsy these scams are -- the clearly fake profiles and partnerships, quid-pro-quo promotion from unqualified celebrities, an idiotic and plagiarized business plan. Yet they managed to raise millions from the 'skeptical' masses who refuse to place any trust actual institutions with real assets.

The Centra scam really encapsulates the entire Crypto cycle quite well -- these flunkies raised money off the back of a man who predicted a collapse of the western financial system -- and of course it turns out the only financial institutions that collapsed were house of cards crypto companies he promoted.

How people keep falling for this I'll never understand.

Bitconned (2024) emerges as a captivating and insightful exploration of the Centra Tech crypto scam, a fraudulent scheme that captivated the cryptocurrency world and defrauded investors of millions of dollars. The film delves into the intricacies of the scam, revealing the mastermind behind the operation, Ray Trapani, and the elaborate deception he orchestrated.

Directed by Bryan Storkel, renowned for his compelling documentaries, Bitconned interweaves interviews with victims, former Centra Tech employees, and investigative journalists to paint a comprehensive picture of the scam. We witness how Trapani, fueled by a lifelong fascination with crime and a thirst for wealth, devised a sophisticated scheme that fooled investors worldwide.

The documentary exposes the intricate mechanics of the scam, highlighting the false promises, fake celebrity endorsements, and sophisticated technology used to manipulate investors. We see how Trapani and his associates exploited the unregulated nature of the cryptocurrency market to operate with impunity, raking in millions of dollars while leaving countless victims in financial ruin.

The documentary also delves into the psychology of the scam's participants, exploring the motivations that drove Trapani and his collaborators to commit such audacious fraud. It examines the allure of quick money, the desire for fame and status, and the willingness to bend ethical boundaries in the pursuit of financial gain.

Bitconned serves as a cautionary tale for those considering investing in cryptocurrencies, emphasizing the importance of due diligence, critical thinking, and skepticism when evaluating investment opportunities. It warns against falling prey to overly optimistic promises and unchecked greed, urging individuals to conduct thorough research and understand the risks involved before investing in any cryptocurrency venture.

This documentary is well-made entertainment.

It even does not fall into the Netflix-pitfall of wokeness and judgementalism. Viewers can form their own opinions, and those may vary. Kudos to that.

Is the fraudster telling the truth?

Is he still playing? Can he do anything else?

Is he a sociopath? What went wrong with him? Are his brothers criminals as well?

It's a story we're being told. Is it the real story?

I really want to hear the other guy's telling of it!

As if you have to be rich to travel the world.

You only have to be rich if you don't want to travel and experience the world but just go places, live luxuriously, and think that makes you a success.

Or maybe just a case of SDS.

The main character, whose name i dont really care about, some of his partners (not all) as well as his family seem to have no problem while talking about their malicious, greedy way to rip off others... alongside many unbelievably immoral statements this one shows what kind of people the "great" western economic and political system of greed and egoism brings out in people,"... i mean, there was this one guy, who was trying to invest (in centra), and then he gave me his password to his whole crypto account. He ment to send me his passcode to send the Centracoins to.... and he gave me his password. ... And i was in this moment like, " Holy shix, this guy just gave me his password. I logged in, couldn't help myself. I already had millions... this is like 100.000 sitting in his account... What do i do here?! And then i just transfered all to my account..."

This quote itself says everything about his character. You should see his cold, proud grin while saying it.

Btw: the money is still "gone" and this, well, i would call him "cold-hearted psychopath" seems to live a good life, planning new businesses ...

He just plays the game big players in our world, the rich and powerful out there always did and still do ... if it's about tax evasion, political corruption or this kind of fraud... it makes no difference. People who can't get enough, who wanna own more and more, if its money, power, control... are the same kind of misleaded individuals, who just dont get, what life is about.

I wouldnt wonder, if he felt good about this documentary and whats even worse, if quite a few young people out there find this way of life, full of manipulation, lies and betrayal attractive.

People will have a field day psychoanalysing the antagonist in this documentary - rarely do we get such clear insight into the mind of a cold-hearted fraudster. Ray Trapani is also an archetype representing those capable of ripping off other human beings without a flicker of emotion (and there's a higher than average representation of such people in the world of alt crypto) - it's fascinating to see such a disgusting example of humanity reveal himself for what he is. He's so disconnected from what it means to be human that he somehow thought it would be a good idea to show the world what a piece of garbage he is. This documentary is worth a watch simply to see that play out.