You should update the first post with the link of this flag.
Supported.
Few words for the f*ck sakeWho is going to believe that Whirlwind is not aware of what is happening? I doubt they are not. I don't think there are any excuse left for them and this must assure that it was a rug pull eventually. Planned well.
I see the trick was to start with an aggressive approach. Create a situation where others will assume they have wealth to invest in the business and they have better idea and knowledge about privacy.
Ultimate Bitcoin Privacy - Discussion was where all it started to impress some forum members.
Then with this highly paying signature campaign with huge weekly budget, everyone was thinking finally a replacement for Chipmixer signature campaign. They were able to manipulate the entire forum [except few].
Whoever this person was, he knew about the forum very well. He must know a lot of us and how we behave. So he knew where were the holes.
[1.] No business ever wanted to escrow huge money. They saw in some situations few members suggested proof of bankroll [for gambling business though], but they found it useful for them. They sent $40k DAI to minerjones. It made everyone impressed! [The review campaign was a poorly execution though in terms of payment, it was showing you are getting paid huge but at the end you don't even get 1/5th of your expectation. Everyone was thinking they are going to get $100 but I saw many who has done very good job even got $15 to $30, they were unhappy, what a shame. Only I and one other guy got $100 if I am correct. Why I got $100, I know very well, may be some of you too]
[2.] A signature campaign with an unbelievable weekly budget [for a business which just started] to show that they are wealthy enough to market this product.
They figured that with small marketing budget, without showing any aggressiveness, starting just like any other business will not get the business noticed or at-least it will take longer time. There are already some established mixers, Chipmixer left an empty place just few weeks ago so to create a dominance very quickly, the only way was to create a hype around the forum. Show off that they have huge budget. They did well. Everyone thought this is the next Chipmixer who is going to stay in the business for the years to come and going to pay them maximum per week for wearing the signature.
Then this anonymity mining idea. Encourage customers to give them the coins and in return a healthy APR. Everyone started to forget that a business which is not making money, not having cash flow but spending for the last 5 months can not continue like this. It has to stop at some point.
Now it's difficult to assume if this anonymity idea was to collect the coins and rug pull at some point or it was genuine. Even if it was genuine then after continuing it for few months when they only had 500 or some transactions out of 10000 they targeted, they knew it's not going to work. Continuing the business and to reach the target is going to cost them a lot more money than that they already spent. From $6k to $10k weekly marketing budget if they go down to $1k weekly budget then it will lose all credibility of the showing off too.
Result was to let it continue as it is because they were not paying anyone any bitcoin but using the NOTES. Even extending it for one day may get them a good incoming that can boost the multisig wallet a little bit.
My concision: [1.] They had plan from the beginning to scam at some point. They knew which direction to take for that. Aggressive marketing, showing off wealth was just part of the plan. [2.] If they had genuine interest to establish the business then this aggressive marketing budget destroyed everything. It's now clear that they were not as rich as they were showing off. They had limited budget for marketing. When you have a limit then you need to spend in that limit or at some point you are empty.
But either way, it's a scam now. The intention is much clear.
I don't think eventually they lost anything. There are enough btc which is higher than the amount they invested[expense]. It's such pathetic that they did not even came to tell some words like we are not able to continue because the business is not in profit or such things. Cowards!
I suggest minerjones to come forward and compensate as much as he can using this $40k DAI. This is not whirlwind's money anymore, it's for the people who lost their hard earned money in this scam. This signature campaigners also need to support the flag and leave negative feedback as they are the main victim, if you are hoping for any miracle, then I am sorry, I do not see any, anymore now.
Sorry for the losses you all had. At least this should be a lesson for everyone. When a brand new business is coming and offering almost 1.5x higher than the ecosystem, then at least think before you give a support to them.
Last few months everywhere it was whirlwind. No one even heard the guy [I can not find his username] who was seeking help that he lost his money and whirlwind didn't even bothered to reply his email.