Spoiler Warning: This story contains plot details from “Bad Actor: A Hollywood Ponzi Scheme,” which premiered Thursday at Tribeca Festival.
Just how easy is it to get duped?
It’s the central question of “Bad Actor: A Hollywood Ponzi Scheme,” a documentary that premieres this week at Tribeca Festival and details aspiring movie star Zach Avery (aka Horwitz) who defrauded investors of out $227 million and pulled off the entertainment industry’s biggest Ponzi scheme. Nobody ever believes they’d be the ones dumb enough to ignore the red flags and fall prey to such a hoax. So then how exactly did Horwitz, a D-list actor with no notable credits, deceive so many people? Director Joslyn Jensen, who appears throughout the film while interviewing law enforcement, scam victims and people who know Horwitz, ultimately discovered it’s way easier than you’d think to get tricked.
After all, she didn’t actually direct the film.
Just how easy is it to get duped?
It’s the central question of “Bad Actor: A Hollywood Ponzi Scheme,” a documentary that premieres this week at Tribeca Festival and details aspiring movie star Zach Avery (aka Horwitz) who defrauded investors of out $227 million and pulled off the entertainment industry’s biggest Ponzi scheme. Nobody ever believes they’d be the ones dumb enough to ignore the red flags and fall prey to such a hoax. So then how exactly did Horwitz, a D-list actor with no notable credits, deceive so many people? Director Joslyn Jensen, who appears throughout the film while interviewing law enforcement, scam victims and people who know Horwitz, ultimately discovered it’s way easier than you’d think to get tricked.
After all, she didn’t actually direct the film.
- 6/7/2024
- by Rebecca Rubin
- Variety Film + TV
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