Show Notes
The world of cryptocurrencies is shaking. It might be just one domino-fall away from a complete crash, and that domino has a name. It’s called Tether. Tether is a crypto coin that holds up the entire cryptocurrency industry. There are over 70 billion Tethers in circulation and for every Tether that exists, a dollar should sit in a bank somewhere. But no one has seen the money it claims to have in the bank and now little-known company that specialises in financial detective work has offered a million dollar bounty to anyone who can find it.
The people who might have this information are as hard to pin down as the company’s accounts. But Bafta and Emmy winning reporter Aleks Krotoski is on the hunt for the people, the proof, and, oh yes: the million dollars. The Tether story is not just about crypto. It’s about power, accountability and trust - and how far we’ll go when we want to believe that something is real.
From the investigative team at Tortoise who brought you Sweet Bobby and Hoaxed, this is Real Money: The Hunt for Tether's Billions.
Launching Tuesday January 17th 2023. Follow the feed to find out first.
To listen and read to more of Tortoise's investigative journalism visit http://tortoisemedia.com/realmoney Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
More from Real Money
In the final episode of Real Money, Aleks revisits an earlier thread to see if it will take her to the end of Tether’s fairy tale and Nate Anderson’s million dollars.
Aleks comes face to face with the people behind Tether. New episodes drop every Tuesday.
Why does accountability in crypto matter? Bitcoin, the world's largest cryptocurrency is now influencing how nations are run. But not far behind is Tether - who still hasn't shown their hand. In this episode, Aleks visits El Salvador, the first country to make Bitcoin legal tender to find out what happens when a utopian dream comes to town.
As a bank, how do you know that money is really there? In episode three of Real Money Aleks meets the men who handle Tether’s cash.
Aleks Krotoski is in Puerto Rico tracking down a child actor from the 1990s ice hockey film The Mighty Ducks and following the online footsteps of an Italian plastic surgeon and a mysterious Dutch man with multiple names. The cast of Tether gets curiouser and curiouser as the hunt for the billions continues.