In early 2025, entrepreneur Erik Bergman pledged $1 million to a water charity. It seemed like another example of his public dedication to philanthropy. Yet, a meticulously staged scam followed and cost him an additional $1.25 million. Bergman has chosen to speak about the ordeal openly instead of retreating in silence. He hopes his transparency can strip the stigma carried by financial loss and help others avoid the same fate.
Best known as the co-founder of Catena Media and, more recently, for his visible entrepreneurial presence online, Bergman received what looked like an opportunity to support Team Water. The initiative, aimed at building wells in Africa, appeared to have backing from YouTuber Jimmy Donaldson (MrBeast) and former NASA engineer Mark Rober.
Bergman pledged $1 million, believing the call to be genuine. This is a donation that MrBeast even shared on social media. Though, from there, things escalated. He was moved into what seemed like an exclusive WhatsApp group. The group included streamer Adin Ross, YouTuber Tobi Brown, and even executives connected with online gambling companies. The group bantered like old friends, conversations flowed casually, as well as the elaborate façade gained credibility by the day. What Bergman didn’t know was that every participant was a fiction.
The supposed celebrities in the chat revealed an exclusive opportunity for high-net-worth donors after building trust. This is access to a pre-launch Coinbase token. Bergman’s account says MrBeast personally introduced the deal. He framed it as a reward for major contributors to the charity.
Bergman wired $500,000, feeling the pressure of being among wealthy peers. He put in a further $750,000 when told the coin had already surged in value. Like American influencer supposedly texting from a United Kingdom phone number, red flags only appeared later. A call to Donaldson himself finally confirmed what he feared: the entire operation had been fraudulent.
