True (Stupid) Crime

“This is a film about cryptocurrency. It’s pretty stupid.” And as actor, author, and filmmaker Ben McKenzie will tell you, something that’s really stupid can also be really dangerous. McKenzie joined Grounded to talk about Everyone is Lying to You for Money, his film that dives into the deceitful world of cryptocurrency. It all started during the COVID-19 pandemic when a friend started telling Ben about investing in Bitcoin. McKenzie’s self-proclaimed obsession down the crypto rabbit hole ultimately led him to the U.S. Senate, where he testified before the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs (and where McKenzie came face-to-face with another guy you might recognize). We discuss the dangers of the unregulated system, the overlap between crypto and MAGA, and the crypto industry’s grasp on our political system. “This is the poison fruit from Citizens United,” McKenzie said. “This is corporations and oligarchs having all the power and regular people not having much of any. And it’s really scary. I mean, they spent $240 million in 2024. It’s just a staggering amount of money. And they threatened to do that again in ‘26 and ‘28.”