Would Previous Victims of Pyramid Schemes Reinvest on Them?

The economic theory does not support investments in Ponzi schemes (also known as Pyramid schemes) due to their fraudulent nature aimed at enriching a select few organizers. Nevertheless, despite this understanding, Ponzi schemes have exhibited a trend of increasing scale over time, challenging established knowledge and prompting further inquiry into the factors driving individuals to engage in such scams.

In the upcoming webinar, Matheus Moura (PhD candidate at FGV EBAPE) will present his research on investments in Ponzi schemes. Through a collaboration with the Securities and Exchange Commission (Comissão de Valores Mobiliários - CVM), Matheus conducted an experiment involving 1,377 participants to investigate the role of risk in Ponzi investments and reinvestments.

Furthermore, Matheus will discuss his personal experiences, encountered challenges, and academic achievements throughout his Master's and PhD studies at FGV EBAPE.

The meeting will be mediated by Prof. Ricardo Lopes Cardoso, Head of the MSc & PhD, who, at the end, will also present the program, talk about the selection process, and answer questions from interested candidates.