U.S. President Donald Trump promised to make America the cryptocurrency capital of the world and he’s been working to make good on that. This week, in what House Republicans dubbed “Crypto Week”, he pushed Congress to pass three major pieces of legislation championed by the industry.

Trump hasn’t always been a fan of crypto but after his sons caught on and tens of millions from the crypto industry poured into his re-election campaign, he’s gone all in. Now, he’s got multiple ventures but none as big as World Liberty Financial, the start-up that’s earned his family an estimated $500 million so far. 

But who is he striking these deals with? And why are some Democrats calling it all a “vehicle for corruption”? To untangle this complex web of policymaking, moneymaking and influence, we’re joined by Jacob Silverman, the co-author of “Easy Money: Cryptocurrency, Casino Capitalism, and the Golden Age of Fraud” and the host of The Naked Emperor, CBC Understood’s four part podcast series about the rise and fall of FTX CEO Sam Bankman Fried. 

For transcripts of Front Burner, please visit: https://www.cbc.ca/radio/frontburner/transcripts