To the editor — A guy from New Zealand talking about Ponzi schemes in cryptocurrency seems pretty distant from Yakima and events that happened a decade ago.
But the Nov. 11 New York Times article on Danny de Hek prompted me to search YouTube for his name.
His video on crypto Ponzi scheme victims who contemplate suicide hit home. Ponzi schemes all work the same, whether for crypto or forex trading.
Yakima experienced a painful and costly Ponzi scheme 10 years ago, and one of the major players in that scheme chose suicide as his option.
Many local victims still refuse to see that he was also a victim who bought into the same scheme. They lost money. He lost everything.
Many of those good churchgoing folks still struggle over their loss. Danny de Hek’s guest speaks directly to their loss and disillusionment.
Sadly, there will never be a resolution from the FBI or Washington State Patrol investigations. Worse, some of the churches involved have been as silent as the two law enforcement agencies.
Resolution for local victims may only come from learning from those who’ve survived what they experienced.
Please, for your own sake, watch, forgive and heal.
BEN ARNOLD
Yakima
