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The BBC almost aired a documentary glorifying a cryptocurrency scammer
The BBC was set to air a programme about a "self-made crypto millionaire" on We Are England's "Bossing It" series, which featured entrepreneurs from across the country, on Wednesday night. However, the 30-minute feature, as well as an accompanying article on the BBC homepage that introduces the program's subject, were yanked hours before the 7:30 p.m. air time: Hanad Hassan, a 20-year-old from Birmingham, claimed he turned a $50 (£37) investment into $8 million (£5.9 million) in just nine months, a return of nearly 16,000,000 percent.
It's a startling statistic — and one that should prompt further investigation. However, the BBC overlooked some crucial and suspicious details. When The Guardian's media correspondent, Jim Watterson, expressed concerns about the programme, it was replaced with a different segment. The BBC also removed its glowing coverage of the subject.
WHAT IS THE PROBLEM WITH THIS CRYPTO SCAMMER? — Hassan, the program's subject, had created a cryptocurrency called OrfanoX. According to the article, he "wants to use his wealth to help people" and donated $270,000 of his profits to charitable organisations. The article, however, failed to mention that the coin was abruptly discontinued in October, causing confusion and outrage among investors who were left with nothing. Hassan claims it wasn't a rug pull, but if it looks, swims, and quacks like a duck...
The BBC article, titled "Birmingham's self-made crypto-millionaire giving back," shows Hassan's expensive apartment and describes how Hassan "decided he was going to become a millionaire while he was still a teenager." According to The Guardian, the corresponding documentary planned to show clips of Hassan distributing money to food banks.
OrfanoX claimed to give a 3 percent cut of every transaction to charity in order to "make the world a better place" and "bridge the gap between charity and the blockchain." However, the coin's philanthropic ethos did not appear to deter the founder from stealing everyone's money.
There is no shortage of crypto scams, but what makes this one stand out is that it almost got a puff piece on TV. Crypto bros with the right connections and a lot of confidence can prey on even the most established media. But, with ongoing fraud, environmental concerns, compromised decentralisation, and flashy swindlers plaguing the crypto space, now is not the time for sloppy reporting.
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By Crypto PiratesThe BBC was set to air a programme about a "self-made crypto millionaire" on We Are England's "Bossing It" series, which featured entrepreneurs from across the country, on Wednesday night. However, the 30-minute feature, as well as an accompanying article on the BBC homepage that introduces the program's subject, were yanked hours before the 7:30 p.m. air time: Hanad Hassan, a 20-year-old from Birmingham, claimed he turned a $50 (£37) investment into $8 million (£5.9 million) in just nine months, a return of nearly 16,000,000 percent.
It's a startling statistic — and one that should prompt further investigation. However, the BBC overlooked some crucial and suspicious details. When The Guardian's media correspondent, Jim Watterson, expressed concerns about the programme, it was replaced with a different segment. The BBC also removed its glowing coverage of the subject.
WHAT IS THE PROBLEM WITH THIS CRYPTO SCAMMER? — Hassan, the program's subject, had created a cryptocurrency called OrfanoX. According to the article, he "wants to use his wealth to help people" and donated $270,000 of his profits to charitable organisations. The article, however, failed to mention that the coin was abruptly discontinued in October, causing confusion and outrage among investors who were left with nothing. Hassan claims it wasn't a rug pull, but if it looks, swims, and quacks like a duck...
The BBC article, titled "Birmingham's self-made crypto-millionaire giving back," shows Hassan's expensive apartment and describes how Hassan "decided he was going to become a millionaire while he was still a teenager." According to The Guardian, the corresponding documentary planned to show clips of Hassan distributing money to food banks.
OrfanoX claimed to give a 3 percent cut of every transaction to charity in order to "make the world a better place" and "bridge the gap between charity and the blockchain." However, the coin's philanthropic ethos did not appear to deter the founder from stealing everyone's money.
There is no shortage of crypto scams, but what makes this one stand out is that it almost got a puff piece on TV. Crypto bros with the right connections and a lot of confidence can prey on even the most established media. But, with ongoing fraud, environmental concerns, compromised decentralisation, and flashy swindlers plaguing the crypto space, now is not the time for sloppy reporting.
Support us!