The Ponzi Playbook

21: The AI Hitmaker: Michael Smith’s $10 Million Stream Scheme


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What if you could create thousands of songs using AI… and make millions off them without a single fan? That’s exactly what prosecutors say Michael Smith did.


In this episode of The Ponzi Playbook, Javier and Neal are joined by criminal defense attorney Elliot Abrams to unpack a case that’s not your typical Ponzi scheme—but definitely fraud-adjacent. We're talking about AI-generated music, armies of bots streaming tracks nonstop, and royalty checks that rival Mariah Carey’s Christmas classic.


About Elliot Abrams:

Elliot Abrams is a white-collar defense attorney and partner at Cheshire Parker Schneider Abrams. He represents clients in criminal cases, asset forfeiture, and professional licensing matters, as well as civil rights, NCAA, and government ethics investigations.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/esabrams

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The Ponzi PlaybookBy Neal McTighe and Javier Leiva

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