Michael Terpin, an American investor, entrepreneur and public relations executive. In 2013 he co-founded BitAngels, an investment network for blockchain technology startups and the first angel network for bitcoin and digital currency startups with 500 international investors. In 2014, Michael founded Transform Group, a bitcoin and blockchain marketing firm headquartered in San Juan, Puerto Rico. He also runs CoinAgenda, the leading conference series connecting mainstream investors with blockchain and cryptocurrency investors. In 2018, Michael sued AT&T for $23.8 million in compensatory damages and $200 million in punitive damages, claiming that the company failed to protect his cellphone data and leading to hackers stealing $24 million worth of cryptocurrency. He was a victim of SIM card swapping fraud, a method used to steal one’s phone numbers in order to access their crypto wallets.  In this episode of the B2B Lead Gen Podcast we discuss bitcoin, ethereum, blockchain, cryptocurrency, cold wallets and more. If you're looking to get up to speed on what's happening in the cryptocurrency investing world, listen to this episode. Podcast Show Notes (unedited speech to text transcript generated by Otter.ai) Michael Terpin 0:03Right now in the United States, you've got the IRS since 2014 have said that Bitcoin and most cryptocurrencies or property fincen has set its money and the ctfc has implied that as commodities, like gold, and so you have to have some agreement about what this is. Eric Schwartzman 0:29Welcome to the b2b lead gen podcast. Your weekly audio masterclass on converting leads to revenue. I'm your host Eric Schwartzman, author of the digital pivot. Let's do this. Our guest is Michael Terpin, an American investor, entrepreneur and public relations executive. In 2013. He co founded bid angels, an investment network for blockchain, blockchain technology startups and the first Angel network for Bitcoin and digital currency startups with 500 international investors. In 2014, Michael founded transform Group, a Bitcoin and blockchain marketing firm headquartered in San Juan, Puerto Rico. He also runs coin agenda, the leading conference series connecting mainstream investors, blockchain and cryptocurrency investors. In 2018, Michael sued at&t for 23 point 8 million in compensation in compensatory damages, and 20 and 200 million in punitive damages, claiming that the company failed to protect his cell phone data, and leading to hackers stealing 24 million worth of crisp cryptocurrency. He was a victim of SIM card swapping fraud, a method used to steal one's phone number in order to access their crypto wallets. Michael, welcome to the B2B Lead Generation Podcast. We got to start by ragging on AT&T for there's a bunch of questions I want to ask. But let me tell you my at&t story, it's not good. But I'll start with mine. So when I was 30 years old, I was recruited by a gaming company to which was based in Denver, I moved out there, we took it public on the NASDAQ exchange, raised about 10 million bucks, and spent it pretty, pretty quick, too. And about 18, I think was a Gosh, maybe 18 months into it. I was in an executive meeting, I was the head of marketing. And it was the CFO and the controller. And the controller says, You know, I don't think we have any problems. We got at least 2 million bucks left in the bank. And the CFS has actually, it's not quite 2 million anymore. It's more like one nine. And then this year was actually it's not really 1 million anymore. It's more like half a million. And I thought, Okay, time to start thinking about my next move. So I left the company moved back home, and I had this really killer pad. And I I subbed it to a friend of mine. And when she left, she never returned the cable box.