Simply put
- Kevin Spacey has made his return to directing with “Holiguards Saga – The Portal of Forcal,” a science fiction film penned by Russian entrepreneur Vladimir “Lado” Okhotnikov.
- Okhotnikov, who co-founded the Ethereum DeFi app Forsage, is currently facing fraud allegations in the U.S. connected to a purported $300 million crypto Ponzi scheme.
- Inspired by Okhotnikov’s libertarian ideals, this film marks the first installment of a planned trilogy.
During the Venice Film Festival this past weekend, Kevin Spacey unveiled his latest project. It’s a multifaceted science fiction film featuring a script by a Russian man entangled in allegations surrounding a crypto Ponzi scheme targeting the U.S. government.
The movie, “Holiguards Saga – The Portal of Forcal,” is directed by Spacey and based on a screenplay by Vladimir “Lado” Okhotnikov, who co-founded the Ethereum-based finance app Forsage.
In 2022, the SEC filed a lawsuit against Forsage’s founders, which includes Okhotnikov, claiming they were involved in scamming investors for over $300 million, among other issues. Variety was the first to report on this connection.
The following year, the Justice Department charged Okhotnikov and his associates with orchestrating a “Global Ponzi and Pyramid Scheme,” a case that was highlighted as one of the first criminal fraud cases in the U.S. pertaining to a DeFi Ponzi scheme.
While the Justice Department defends Forsage as a sophisticated decentralized project, it more so relies on automatic fund transfers from new investors to older ones through smart contracts across Ethereum, Tron, and BNB chains.
The DOJ noted that over 80% of individuals who invested in the project ended up losing their money. Okhotnikov has consistently denied any intention to defraud customers.
In a YouTube video after the SEC announced its charges, Okhotnikov claimed that true scams can’t genuinely win people’s support.
No court date has been set in Okhotnikov’s ongoing legal issues. He reportedly resides in Dubai, evading jurisdiction.
This past weekend, the “Force Portal” cast and crew assembled in Venice for an elaborate gala to preview the film’s trailer. The event included a speech from Spacey and a theatrical performance featuring a line of Georgian dancers.
The trailer showcased actors such as Ilf Lundgren, Eric Roberts, and Tyree, highlighting the film’s narrative of an epic battle between two ancient supernatural factions, Horiguard and the Bureau of Statistics. This production marks Spacey’s first directorial effort since 2004, coming after a long hiatus from filmmaking following serious allegations in 2017, from which he was acquitted in 2023.
In a recent interview with Jerusalem Post, Okhotnikov mentioned that the film is partially inspired by his libertarian views, exploring the constant tension between conformity and personal freedom.
Currently, he is also focusing on a metaverse wellness initiative called Holiverse, which claims to create a virtual simulation of a user’s body within a day, integrating aspects like biohacking and personal development.
