NEW EDEN — A massive in-game Ponzi scheme that saw a high-profile EVE Online corporation promising new players 400% returns on their “strategic investment tokens” has concluded with investigators revealing the mastermind made off with approximately $400 and what sources describe as “an extremely robust sense of personal satisfaction.”
The scam, which ran for seven months and involved roughly 3,000 players across seven nullsec alliances, promised a “revolutionary new economic model” backed by Fenris Creations. Players were asked to invest ISK in something called “The Cascade Protocol,” which allegedly generated returns by “leveraging dynamic synergies across quadrant markets.”
“This is the largest psychological operation in EVE’s history,” said the scammer, who has requested anonymity but did not provide any verification. “Three thousand people trusted me with their ISK, and I delivered on absolutely nothing. The efficiency ratio was unprecedented.”
Investigators say the scammer used proceeds to purchase one (1) PLEX, a significant quantity of convenience store energy drinks, and a third-generation Alpha clone. He claims the clone was “worth it.”
Fenris Creations declined to comment, though a spokesperson noted that “there have always been, and will always be, people trying to take advantage of others in New Eden. That’s kind of the point.” The corporation reportedly lost approximately 890 billion ISK across all victims, which converts to roughly $4,000 at current market rates.
“I invested 2 billion ISK because the website had a really professional color scheme,” said victim CaldariTrader99. “In retrospect, that should have been my first warning.”
