The Pomp Podcast
Ben Mezrich, Author of Bitcoin Billionaires: The Story of Bitcoin and the Future of Money
- Ben Mezrich discusses his background writing bestselling true-crime and tech narratives, including *Bringing Down the House* (MIT blackjack team, adapted as *21*) and *Accidental Billionaires* (Facebook founding, adapted as *The Social Network*).
- Bitcoin Billionaires* traces the Winklevoss twins' journey from Facebook settlement to becoming Bitcoin billionaires, following their conviction to invest over $10 million in Bitcoin despite extreme volatility and skepticism.
- The book explores the philosophical divide between libertarian-anarchist Bitcoin ideologies (Silk Road era) and mainstream institutional adoption pursued by figures like the twins, with Charlie Shrem caught between both worlds.
- Mezrich's research process involves deep immersion with subjects, multi-perspective interviews, court documents, and a two-stage approach: research followed by isolated writing phases.
- A Columbia-distributed *Bitcoin Billionaires* movie is in development, with Armie Hammer cast to reprise his Social Network role as the twins; no screenplay yet exists.
- Mezrich also authored *The 37th Parallel*, detailing UFO investigations and government secrecy; he believes extraterrestrial contact will occur within our lifetime as probe technology advances.