Kevin Spacey's "Holiguards Saga" Faces Backlash Over Writer's Alleged Role in Massive Crypto Fraud

Kevin Spacey's Comeback Film Linked to Alleged Billion-Dollar Crypto Scam Mastermind

Veteran actor and director Kevin Spacey, after a period marred by serious allegations, is attempting a cinematic resurgence with his latest directorial venture. Premiering at the Venice Film Festival in 2025, the science-fiction action flick, titled "Holiguards Saga – The Portal of Force," marks Spacey's return to the director's chair after more than two decades. The film, which also features Spacey in a starring role alongside action stars Dolph Lundgren and Eric Roberts, and actor Tyrese Gibson, was unveiled with a trailer that has sparked considerable discussion within the industry.

A Controversial Penman Behind the Sci-Fi Spectacle

However, Spacey's chosen collaborators appear to be casting a long shadow over his comeback. The screenplay for "Holiguards Saga – The Portal of Force" was penned by Vladimir Okhotnikov, a Russian national also known by the moniker "Lado." Okhotnikov is reportedly a person of interest to U.S. authorities, implicated in what is alleged to be one of the world's most colossal cryptocurrency Ponzi schemes. Beyond his writing contributions, Okhotnikov also lent his presence to the film as an actor and served as a producer, further intertwining his fate with Spacey's ambitious project.

The Forsage Fallout: A Digital Pyramid Scheme Unraveled

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filed a lawsuit in 2022 against the founders of Forsage, including Okhotnikov, accusing them of orchestrating a fraudulent scheme. The allegations suggest that through the decentralized finance (DeFi) project Forsage, over $340 million was allegedly defrauded from investors. The following year, the Department of Justice (DOJ) formally charged Okhotnikov and his associates with operating a "global Ponzi and pyramid scheme." Federal prosecutors at the time hailed it as a landmark case, being the first criminal fraud prosecution in U.S. history specifically targeting a DeFi-based Ponzi scheme. The DOJ contended that Forsage, despite its marketing as a sophisticated and profitable decentralized matrix project, was in reality built upon smart contracts across Ethereum, Tron, and BNB Chain. These contracts, they argued, automatically siphoned funds from new investors to pay off earlier participants, a hallmark of fraudulent financial pyramids. The prosecution claimed that a staggering 80% of those who invested in Forsage ultimately lost their money.

Okhotnikov's Defense and Libertarian Ideals

Okhotnikov, however, has consistently refuted the claims of intentional deception. In a YouTube video released shortly after the SEC's announcement, he asserted that Forsage was not an outright scam, stating, "real scams can never win people's hearts." Currently residing in Dubai, Okhotnikov remains outside the immediate legal reach of U.S. authorities. In a recent interview with the Jerusalem Post, he revealed his involvement in writing the film, suggesting it was partly an expression of his libertarian worldview and an exploration of the perennial struggle between conformity and individual freedom. His current professional focus is on Holiverse, a metaverse health startup that purports to virtually simulate users' bodies, integrating biohacking, genetics, and personal development with the ambitious goal of potentially extending human lifespan.