This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
*Apple’s first original podcast, “Easy Money: The Charles Ponzi Story,” dives deep into the infamous fraudster behind the scheme that bears his name.
Hosted by investigative journalist Maya Lau and executive produced by Will Malnati, the show is a gripping blend of docudrama and historical reporting—with a twist of comedy, thanks to voice actor Sebastian Maniscalco as Ponzi himself.
Lau was drawn to the story not just for its shock value, but for its emotional and psychological layers. “A lot of people are drawn to scam stories, but very rarely do we get to see the person behind it and their humanity,” she said. “And Ponzi schemes are very much alive and well… with crypto and all these different ways that we can manipulate other people through money.”
Malnati echoed the sentiment, fascinated by Ponzi’s complexity. “He’s such a fascinating character… someone you want to root for at times and someone that you maybe don’t approve of at times,” he said. “It’s not so black and white. It’s very much in the gray area.”
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There’s nothing people crave more than easy money. ?@AppleTV’s Easy Money: The Charles Ponzi Story explores the rise and fall of the notorious scammer through narration by @mayalau and dramatic recreations starring @SebastianComedy.https://t.co/7Uzuun9yRa pic.twitter.com/CTTy0xKI5L
— Apple Podcasts (@ApplePodcasts) June 18, 2025
For Lau, investigating Ponzi wasn’t just about the man, but also his victims. “We make financial fraudsters out to be these monsters… but a lot of the time they are not waking up one morning deciding to ruin a bunch of people’s lives. They think that they have a business idea.”
She explained how easily a fraud like Ponzi’s can start. “I think that there’s a lot of belief in the U.S. of fake it till you make it, you know, just start doing something and you’ll figure it out as you go along. And that’s kind of how these things start.”
Lau continued, “They start digging themselves into a hole, thinking I’m going to accept money from one investor, and this other investor is asking me already to get paid out. OK, well, then… I’m going to take the money from over here and give it to the other investor. And that’s how a Ponzi scheme starts. That’s all it is, taking money from one person and giving it to another, but lying about the fact that you’re doing that.”
The psychology of the victims surprised her just as much. “You have FOMO (fear of missing out)… everyone’s hoping that they’re going to get in early on something that other people didn’t know about… people want to be part of something and want to feel like they’re doing something special.”
Blending scripted drama with documentary storytelling was a major creative risk for the team. “You have to make sure to kind of nail both formats, and they have to blend seamlessly with each other,” said Malnati. “It does blend seamlessly… it all feels like a nice, seamless ride that we’re taking you on.”
Easy Money — the insane true story of Charles Ponzi, the OG scammer who promised 50% returns in 45 days… and people actually believed him.
This is a docudrama — part investigative journalism, part scripted scenes — and yeah, I voice Ponzi. You’ll laugh, you’ll cringe, you’ll… pic.twitter.com/ilhks5y1mm
— Sebastian Maniscalco (@SebastianComedy) June 14, 2025
Casting Sebastian Maniscalco as Charles Ponzi gave the series a unique tone. “It felt like he was connecting on a personal level with this character,” said Malnati. “He hit it out of the park…[with] that kind of comedic salesmanship that he does so well and also blend it with a real intimate and organic, authentic Ponzi that we needed to see in order to enjoy listening to.”
In a time where scams are rampant—from crypto to influencers—Lau hopes listeners walk away with a new level of caution. “You have to trust people in your life… but that trust doesn’t necessarily relate to finances,” she warned. “Charm is not a substitute for doing your due diligence.”
Ultimately, “Easy Money” unearths not just the drama of Charles Ponzi’s scam, but the human impulses that allow such schemes to thrive.
“This story ended up being a fascinating tale of an immigrant… who got caught up in the dark side of money,” said Lau.
Watch our full conversation with Will and Maya via the clip below.
New episodes of “Easy Money: The Charles Ponzi Story” debut weekly on Mondays until July 28. Listen and follow on Apple Podcasts at http://apple.co/EasyMoney.
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