A large Ponzi scheme that collected between $300 million and $500 million from investors across Florida, Pennsylvania, and Ontario, Canada, was exposed by me.
I’ve filed a 22-page Motion to Dismiss to prove that the Goliath Ventures Ponzi Scheme has no legal standing to sue me, a New Zealand–based journalist, in a Florida court.
Goliath Ventures has raised hundreds of millions of dollars from the public without any legal authority to sell securities or solicit investments. The company appears to be using these illegally obtained funds not only to pursue lawsuits against critics like me, but also to make political donations and buy access to high-profile figures. Christopher Delgado and his associates have leveraged these funds to align themselves with influential names such as Mike Johnson, Ron DeSantis, Donald Trump, and Eric Trump, using photo opportunities and staged events to project legitimacy and influence.
Why I Filed the Motion to Dismiss
I am an independent journalist. I live in Christchurch, New Zealand, and I have no legal counsel. I’m representing myself because I can’t afford legal counsel. I don’t have corporate backing or deep pockets. What I do have is evidence, public information, and the courage to stand up to a company using the court system as a weapon to silence journalism.
Goliath Ventures Inc raised hundreds of millions of dollars claiming to offer investors 4% monthly returns (60% annually) on a minimum $100,000 USD investment with 0% risk from crypto investments. No proof of real trading, no verified financials, no external audits. Just promises. Anyone who understands finance knows those numbers are mathematically impossible with the 0% risk of loss assured.
When I questioned this publicly, Goliath Ventures didn’t respond with data or transparency—they responded with lies and lawyers.
They filed a lawsuit in Orange County, Florida, despite the fact that I’ve never lived, worked, or conducted business there. This is why I filed a Motion to Dismiss: because this entire lawsuit is yet another way for the company to lie and engage in deceit.
Why This Lawsuit Is another Scam
Florida has no jurisdiction over me. I don’t own property, have staff, or maintain any operations there. My work—every article, video, and post—was created in New Zealand for a global audience. Accessibility isn’t the same as targeting. Just because someone in Florida can watch a YouTube video doesn’t give them the right to haul a journalist into their courts.
And they didn’t even serve me correctly. Under the Hague Service Convention, international service must go through the New Zealand Ministry of Justice (the Central Authority). Instead, an unidentified man walked into a Christchurch business, dumped papers on a counter, and claimed I’d been “served.” No credentials, no authorization, no compliance.
This lawsuit isn’t about protecting a reputation—it’s about damage control and intimidation.
Who’s Behind Goliath Ventures Inc
At the center of all this is Christopher Delgado, the self-proclaimed founder and face of GOLIATH VENTURES INC. Delgado promotes himself as a visionary investor and philanthropist, but behind his party boy branding sits a company now being investigated by 6 US law enforcement agencies.
He’s the same individual accused by numerous former investors and insiders of operating what is obviously high-yield Ponzi investment scheme — promising impossible returns while using new investor money to sustain earlier payouts. Instead of answering questions or producing audited proof of his company’s activities, Delgado has turned to lawyers to silence critics, including me. This lawsuit isn’t just his defense; it’s his new advertisement campaign.
Subpoenas for My Private Data — Intimidation 101
Their tactics go beyond false filings. GOLIATH’s lawyers also submitted two separate requests to the Orange County Clerk, demanding access to my personal data from OpenAI and xAI (formerly Twitter). These subpoenas asked for my search history, communications, and internal records—something no civil court should ever entertain.
Even more concerning, the subpoenas included names of individuals they appear to believe have provided me information—people I’ve never publicly identified. They are grasping at straws, trying to guess who might be communicating with me, hoping to expose or intimidate anyone they think could be helping my investigation. That’s not a request for evidence; it’s a scare tactic.
Yes, anyone can file such subpoenas, but that doesn’t mean the court will grant them. These requests are baseless and intrusive, and they will be denied. Their purpose isn’t legal—it’s psychological. Filing them sends a signal: we’re watching you. That’s pure intimidation.
The $150,000 Bribe Offer
On October 16, 2025, attorney Oliver Birman from Perlman, Bajandas, Yevoli & Albright P.L. sent me a document titled “Response to Settlement Overture.”
The letter claimed that someone had emailed GOLIATH on my behalf, offering to take down all my reporting for $150,000 in Bitcoin. I had never seen or heard of that individual. It was a fabricated story designed to make me look corrupt—and they used it as a pretext to try and pay me off.
Birman’s letter opened with this disclaimer: “CONFIDENTIAL SETTLEMENT COMMUNICATION PURSUANT TO FLA. STAT. § 90.408, FEDERAL RULE OF EVIDENCE 408, AND NEW ZEALAND EVIDENCE ACT 2006.” That heading made it appear legitimate while shielding the threats it contained from public scrutiny.
Here’s what the letter demanded:
“Depending on your willingness to agree to these demands, Goliath will entertain a monetary component in your favor….”
Translation: We’ll pay you to shut up.
I don’t want their stolen money! I don’t want to get sued by investors and have the $150,000 clawed back either.
What the Motion to Dismiss Really Says
For readers unfamiliar with legal language, here’s what it means in simple terms.
Jurisdiction: Florida’s courts can only make rulings over people who have meaningful connections there. I don’t. I live and work in New Zealand, 13,000 kilometres away. Expecting me to defend myself in Florida is like fining a New Zealander for something they said online in Christchurch.
Service: When someone sues across borders, the documents must go through the official international process. In this case, that’s the Hague Service Convention. Instead, I got a random delivery at a shop—zero legal validity.
Anti‑SLAPP Protections: These laws are built to protect people from corporations who file lawsuits just to shut them up. They let a judge throw out such cases quickly and make the aggressor pay costs.
In plain English, my 22‑page filing explains:
- Florida has no authority over me. I don’t live or operate there.
- I was never properly served. A man with papers isn’t a process server.
- My commentary is opinion, not defamation.
- This lawsuit is a SLAPP attack.
- GOLIATH may not even have standing to sue, since their Florida registration was closed.
Every claim is supported by law and sworn affidavits—written with no legal counsel, only research, evidence, and resolve.
Why This Matters
In 2023, Stephen Andrew James McCullah, an American entrepreneur best known for his involvement in LunaOne (formerly GALA-X / GXX) and other speculative blockchain projects, filed a defamation lawsuit against me in the New Zealand High Court (Christchurch Registry). The case, McCullah v De Hek [2023] NZHC 2230, was found to be a vexatious “gagging writ” — a textbook example of a Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation (SLAPP).
McCullah sought millions in damages and injunctions to suppress my YouTube videos and reporting about his ventures. The Court ruled that he had no genuine intention to proceed to trial, describing the claim as an abuse of process designed to stifle public commentary. The case was discontinued, and the Court awarded me indemnity costs of $27,500, formally recognising the proceeding as a vexatious attempt to silence investigative journalism.
That ruling showed how easily powerful figures misuse defamation law to silence critics. Now, GOLIATH is using the same playbook—this time on a global stage.
This case proves how corporations and their lawyers weaponize courts to punish journalists. They make the process the punishment. Instead of answering questions, they bury you in paperwork, hoping you’ll give up.
If they can intimidate one independent journalist into silence, others will think twice before exposing fraud. That’s why this fight matters—not just for me, but for anyone who values transparency and free speech.
Where Things Stand
The letter was explicitly labelled a “Confidential Settlement Communication” under Florida and federal evidence rules—giving it a veneer of legality while concealing threats beneath. This framing made an act of intimidation look like a formal negotiation.
At this point, I have no legal counsel, but I do have the facts. I’ve filed my Motion to Dismiss and submitted two affidavits proving I’ve never lived or worked in Florida and that I was never properly served. The filings are public record.
The “Response to Settlement Overture” letter and the subpoenas will also be published so everyone can judge for themselves. When you read them, you’ll see what this case really is: a performance meant to frighten, not a pursuit of justice.
Standing Up to Intimidation
I won’t hand over sources. I won’t take hush money. I won’t stop reporting. My Motion to Dismiss exposes the fraud behind this lawsuit, and the “Response to Settlement Overture” shows the manipulation behind their tactics. Together they paint a clear picture—a company, and its lawyers, desperate to silence criticism through fear.
They picked the wrong journalist.
Previously in This Series on Goliath Ventures
- Glossy Promises, Shaky Contracts
Goliath Ventures Exposed – Glossy Promises, Shaky Contracts, and the Dark Reality of Guaranteed Returns
Where it all began: inflated promises of 60% returns backed by contracts that were flimsy at best. - The Compliance Illusion
Goliath Ventures Exposed Part 3: Christopher Delgado, Matt Burks, BlackBlock and the Compliance Illusion
The smoke-and-mirrors routine — how Burks and BlackBlock tried to pose as “independent” while being insiders. - The Smear Campaign Claim
Chris Lord Delgado Claims “Smear Campaign” – Goliath Ventures Exposed in My Full Response
Delgado’s pushback — calling legitimate questions a “smear campaign” while victims kept piling up. - The Bookkeeper’s Vanishing Act
The Bookkeeper’s Vanishing Act: Chris Delgado, Nadia Bringas, and Goliath Ventures
When the money trail grew hot, Bringas dissolved her company in Florida overnight and popped back up in Wyoming. - The Fake Audit
Pull Money While You Can! Goliath Ventures Ponzi Exposed by FAKE Audit. Florida Ponzi Scheme SCAM
A so-called “audit” that turned out to be nothing more than a Mailchimp blast with zero financial data. - The Missing FinCEN Registration
Goliath Ventures Inc (Christopher Delgado) and the Missing FinCEN Registration: Why It Matters
Digging into why a real investment firm would never operate without this registration — unless it was hiding. - Collapse and Clawbacks
Goliath Ventures Inc Florida Ponzi Collapse, Coming Clawbacks and Arrests
The unraveling accelerates: clawbacks loom, and indictments draw closer. - The Securities Question
The Unregistered Securities Problem: Why Goliath Ventures’ Contracts Are Likely Illegal
Breaking down why Goliath’s contracts were never legal in the first place — a fatal flaw in their setup. - What Real Funds Look Like
What Real Quant Funds Look Like Vs. Goliath Ventures, FL Ponzi Scam
Today’s deep dive: exposing how every part of Goliath’s structure collapses under scrutiny. - Stolen money, gifts, and uneconomical deals
Who Is Still Profiting From Goliath Ventures Inc, Orlando Ponzi? Don’t Drop The Soap.
Unusual developments connected to the Goliath Ventures Ponzi scheme, which is now imploding. - FBI Director Kash Patel, Ron DeSantis and even Andrew Tate
Goliath Ventures Ponzi: Verlin Sanciangco & My Liquidity Partner (MLP) Scam Rebranded.
Goliath Ventures Inc ponzi scheme has been running for a lot longer than most people realize. - I just got sued for telling the truth
Danny vs Goliath: New Zealand Journalist Sued by Christopher Delgado’s GOLIATH VENTURES INC.
I uncovered what I believe is a large-scale Ponzi scheme. - You now have 3 copyright strikes
Dirty Tactics: How GOLIATH VENTURES INC Is Abusing YouTube’s Copyright System to Silence Journalism.
Your channel (as well as YouTube channels associated with it) is scheduled to be terminated in 7 days. - Crypto Crash!
Crypto Prices Crash! GOLIATH VENTURES Investors Should Be Very Worried.
Questions Goliath Ventures Investors Should Be Asking - Filed a 22‑page Motion to Dismiss
Florida Orlando Ponzi Scheme Sues New Zealand Journalist, $150,000 Bribe Attempt. (this article)
This lawsuit isn’t about protecting a reputation—it’s about damage control and intimidation.
Disclaimer: How This Investigation Was Conducted
This investigation relies entirely on OSINT — Open Source Intelligence — meaning every claim made here is based on publicly available records, archived web pages, corporate filings, domain data, social media activity, and open blockchain transactions. No private data, hacking, or unlawful access methods were used. OSINT is a powerful and ethical tool for exposing scams without violating privacy laws or overstepping legal boundaries.
About the Author
Danny de Hek, also known as The Crypto Ponzi Scheme Avenger, is a New Zealand-based investigative journalist specializing in exposing crypto fraud, Ponzi schemes, and MLM scams. His work has been featured by Bloomberg, The New York Times, The Guardian Australia, ABC News Australia, and other international outlets.
Stop losing your future to financial parasites. Subscribe. Expose. Protect.
My work exposing crypto fraud has been featured in:
- Bloomberg Documentary (2025): A 20-minute exposé on Ponzi schemes and crypto card fraud
- News.com.au (2025): Profiled as one of the leading scam-busters in Australasia
- OpIndia (2025): Cited for uncovering Pakistani software houses linked to drug trafficking, visa scams, and global financial fraud
- The Press / Stuff.co.nz (2023): Successfully defeated $3.85M gag lawsuit; court ruled it was a vexatious attempt to silence whistleblowing
- The Guardian Australia (2023): National warning on crypto MLMs affecting Aussie families
- ABC News Australia (2023): Investigation into Blockchain Global and its collapse
- The New York Times (2022): A full two-page feature on dismantling HyperVerse and its global network
- Radio New Zealand (2022): “The Kiwi YouTuber Taking Down Crypto Scammers From His Christchurch Home”
- Otago Daily Times (2022): A profile on my investigative work and the impact of crypto fraud in New Zealand
The truth doesn’t fear lawyers — only fraudsters do.
But Danny, you’re crying wolf again.
How can we trust, for example, that the person who demanded the $150,000 bribe wasn’t you? Why would someone use a Proton email address and Bitcoin if they weren’t worried about hiding their identity?
The burden is on you to prove that you’re not that person.
Sound familiar? I’m just reflecting your own journalistic style back at you. You’ve built your platform on assuming people are guilty until they prove themselves innocent. But that’s not how it works in America.
I’m saying this out of genuine concern for your safety. You’re playing with very powerful people here, and people really do kill over things like this. From what I’ve heard, they’ve already pinpointed your location in Christchurch. That means they’re tracking you.
Be very careful. I’m saying this as a bystander with no stake in any of this – but you’re not going to win. You’ll either end up in prison at best, or dead at worst.
Well, Concerned Citizen, fancy seeing you here — same ProtonMail address, same timing, same recycled intimidation tactics. You really should learn some new tricks.
You accuse me of being the one who offered myself a $150,000 bribe? That’s adorable. If I were trying to bribe myself, I’d at least have the decency to use my real email and spellcheck.
Also, if you’re genuinely “concerned for my safety,” you might want to rethink opening with “you’ll end up dead.” That’s less “concerned citizen” and more discount Bond villain with a ProtonMail account.
If this is your big strategy to silence me — anonymous threats, fake Bitcoin deals, and melodrama about “powerful people” — you’re running out of ideas faster than GOLIATH is running out of investor money.
But do keep writing, my mysterious correspondent. Every comment you post just helps me document this circus — and trust me, the audience is loving the show.
SMH… Danny your website requires an email address in order to post a comment. I didn’t use my own email address to protect my own privacy and anonymity (who in their right mind wouldn’t?). I just used the email address that you created when you attempted to bribe Goliath.
If we’re to echo your journalistic techniques, then yes… the onus is on you to prove to us that you didn’t ask for the bribe.
I don’t understand why you have to be so combative and sarcastic. Was genuinely trying to help you.
By the way, is it true that you were charged with threatening to kill back in the 90s? See, you’re crying wolf again. Nobody is threatening you here, there’s just looking out for your personal safety.
It’s almost as if… Danny’s attitude will be his downfall :(
“Concerned Citizen” seems to be one of Lord Delgados minions that is trying to deflect. This whole mess would go away if Goliath showed one shred of truth that they are trading any crypto and that the money is safe. If you go on LinkedIn and look at the profiles, it only sales people, a bookkeeper, and a pretend compliance person. Where are all the support staff? Where are all the financial analysts? Where are all the operational support roles that should be listed in a company of that size trading in that volume? Chris is creating his own downfall. If it’s legitimate, he could prove it in an instant. But he can’t and the walls are closing in.
Exactly. They keep calling it an “investment company,” yet there’s not a single trace of trading activity, no analysts, no infrastructure — just a few salespeople and a token “compliance officer” for decoration. If Goliath Ventures were legitimate, they could prove it in five minutes. Instead, they’re spending investor money on lawyers and intimidation tactics. The walls aren’t just closing in — they’ve already started cracking.
You can call me a shill or minion or whatever names you like, but it’s good to remember though, Beth – nobody is required to prove anything to De Hek or give him any information, about anything. Maybe that’s how they do it in socialist places like Canada and New Zealand, but the idea that an unwillingness to satisfy ransom demands is somehow an admission of guilt – ridiculous.
Well… get yourself knocked off then…. I tried my best.
Well, “Concerned Citizen,” that’s quite the meltdown. Nobody’s asking for ransom — just transparency. When a company claims to pay investors 4% per month and can’t show one shred of proof of legitimate trading, people deserve answers.
And as for “threats,” you might want to check your inbox — ProtonMail already disabled the account that sent those fake emails [stopdehek@proton.me] trying to frame me for a $150,000 bribe attempt. Nice try though.
The difference between us is simple: I work with facts and documentation. You hide behind throwaway emails and slogans.
Danny-boy you have officially bit-off more than you can chew! ‘Concerned Citizen’ is 100% on the ball. I think you’re a nutter who has grand intentions of becoming famous and wealthy but the way you’ve run your business is a joke. Watching by the sidelines (not unlike CC said) I am horrified at your tactics. You said you work 1 ONE UNO day per week – that is shameful for a man of your age. The rest of the time you make crazy videos. Give it a break and be real – this court case is going to ruin you – not financially because you don’t work and you’re poor, but as a man.
Oh look — Concerned Citizen 2!
Let me guess, Concerned Citizen 1 didn’t get enough attention, so you promoted yourself to a sequel.
Same email, same IP address, same recycled insults — you really are your own fan club.
You say I’ve “bitten off more than I can chew.” I’d say you’ve bitten off more than you can fake.
Creating duplicate comments under different names to sound like a crowd isn’t exactly the mark of an intellectual heavyweight.
You claim my work is a “joke” — funny, because it’s your comments that keep proving why I do what I do.
Every scammer I’ve ever exposed swore I was finished. Yet here I am — still standing, still exposing, still very much employed doing what you clearly can’t: telling the truth.
You might want to spend less time making fake accounts and more time making peace with reality.
— Danny de Hek
NYT Featured Investigative Journalist | OSINT | Cult Survivor | Exposing Scams, Ponzi Schemes & MLMs | Name & Shame the Bad Actors Behind the Lies
Danny-boy you have officially bit-off more than you can chew! ‘Concerned Citizen’ is 100% on the ball. I think you’re a nutter who has grand intentions of becoming famous and wealthy but the way you’ve run your business is a joke. Watching by the sidelines (not unlike CC said) I am horrified at your tactics. You said you work 1 ONE UNO day per week – that is shameful for a man of your age. The rest of the time you make crazy videos. Give it a break and be real – this court case is going to ruin you – not financially because you don’t work and you’re poor, but as a man.
Ah yes, Another Onlooker — otherwise known as “John Citizen, Concerned Citizen, Concerned Citizen 2, or Whatever-You’re-Calling-Yourself-Today.”
You’ve now managed to post the same rant under yet another alias.
I’m starting to think you’ve got more personalities than a Netflix drama.
You talk about me “biting off more than I can chew” — yet here you are, choking on your own obsession.
For someone supposedly “watching from the sidelines,” you sure spend a lot of time writing essays about me.
Let me help you out: I don’t make crazy videos — I make factual ones that expose frauds, Ponzi pushers, and fake “concerned citizens” who can’t even use their real names.
If that keeps you awake at night, maybe it’s time to look in the mirror instead of my comment section.
Anyway, thanks for the free publicity. The more you post, the more people come looking for the truth — and they’ll find it, right here.
— Danny de Hek
NYT Featured Investigative Journalist | OSINT | Cult Survivor | Exposing Scams, Ponzi Schemes & MLMs | Name & Shame the Bad Actors Behind the Lies
Lol Danny we are different people. I am Concerned Citizen 1. I have no idea who CC #2 is, but I 100% agree with him/her. Same IP, good one. That narrows it down to… what… 5000 devices?! Moron.
Ah, Concerned Citizen 1—or 2, or 3, I’ve lost count.
Every time I expose a scam, another “citizen” crawls out of the same Google Cloud server pretending to be a new voice of reason.
You can call it “5000 devices” if you like, but the writing style, timing, and obsession are the same—it’s one lonely keyboard doing laps.
You say we’re different people? Perfect—prove it.
Use your real name, real email, and stand behind your words the way I do mine. Until then, your “citizen collective” remains just one anonymous troll with a Wi-Fi connection.
— Danny de Hek
NYT Featured Investigative Journalist | OSINT | Cult Survivor | Exposing Scams, Ponzi Schemes & MLMs | Name & Shame the Bad Actors Behind the Lies