The Curious Case of Crypto: BBC Pulls Controversial Documentary on Unverified Millionaire

The Tale of Hanad Hassan

It was a story that had all the makings of a fairy tale—20-year-old Hanad Hassan, a crypto trader from Birmingham, who allegedly transformed a mere $50 into a whopping $8 million in just one year. Titled The Crypto Millionaire, the documentary promised to unveil the secret sauce behind Hassan’s astonishing returns, a staggering 16,000,000%. However, the BBC hit the pause button on this cinematic gem right before its broadcast.

The Guardian Strikes

What could possibly bring a major news outlet to backpedal? Well, the Guardian did a little digging and raised a few red flags regarding the authenticity of Hassan’s claims. Questions about the show’s research came to light, including why the promotional materials failed to mention that Hassan’s coin, Orfano, was deactivated after a brief and turbulent life on the market.

The Mysterious Millionaire’s Journey

In dissecting Hassan’s whirlwind journey, the BBC had noted his impressive rise to wealth, claiming that he first turned his initial investment into $1 million by Q1 2021 before co-founding Orfano, described as a “special cryptocurrency” dedicated to charitable donations. However, the details of how he achieved the remaining $7 million are as elusive as a cat in a room full of rocking chairs. The network provided no clear timeline on how this financial miracle unfolded.

The Orfano Token: A Flash in the Pan?

According to Coinmarketcap, Orfano was launched on April 2, 2021, and came with a peculiar 6% tax on transactions. Of this, 2% was earmarked for charity, amounting to a reported donation of $200,000 over the project’s short lifespan. Yet, the price history of the token remained a ghost, raising skepticism among investors and enthusiasts on subreddit r/Orfano, who reported that the project started to fizzle out by September and ultimately folded in October.

The Closing Curtain

In a message to their beleaguered community, Hassan and co-founder Ahmed expressed their regret and the cessation of the project. “Things haven’t gone the way we had planned,” they lamented, revealing the harsh reality of what many suspected—the project’s demise was a conclusion written in the stars from the start. No fairy tale ending here, just a cautionary tale for aspiring traders.

So, what’s the lesson learned? Perhaps it’s a reminder that in the wild world of cryptocurrency, if it seems too good to be true, it probably is. Keep your wallets close and your skepticism closer.