Untalented actor fakes his credentials and becomes astonishingly convincing architect of “affinity fraud” Ponzi scheme, claiming he invests in media rights for

Untalented actor fakes his credentials and becomes astonishingly convincing architect of “affinity fraud” Ponzi scheme, claiming he invests in media rights for streaming. Raises $690 million dollars over ~10 years, until it falls apart. > Like other accomplished swindlers, Horwitz excelled by knowing his audience... His difficulty showing emotion, a detriment onscreen, turned out to be useful in pitch meetings. Edgar Allan Poe, in an essay on swindling, noted the power of nonchalance—the kind of take-it-or-leave-it indifference that conveys credibility—and Horwitz often succeeded by convincing investors that he didn’t much care whether they bought in. “Remember Zach does not need any money from us,” one wrote to another in 2017.