Finfluencer Promotions Are Getting Worse
The Plain Bagel 23:17
130,662 views · 5,258 likes Watch on YouTube ↗
00:00 - Intro
04:38 - Polymarket Scandal
07:58 - Sketchy Stock Promotions
12:31 - AI Promotions
14:13 - Research Paper
14:40 - How is this Legal?
17:10 - Penalties
19:54 - What Can Be Done
Today, we’re revisiting an issue of finfluencers promoting sketchy companies, and adding in the recent Polymarket scandal that’s come up.
Original investigation into YouTube stock promotions: https://youtu.be/-Q3g-6jFl2c
Voidzilla video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-L-EH5dryuU
WSJ Article:https://www.wsj.com/business/media/polymarket-social-media-bets-prediction-market-441cdeb5
Politico Article: https://www.politico.com/news/2026/06/05/polymarket-paid-political-influencers-00932789
Research Paper: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13504851.2025.2546061
Spreadsheet of promotional stock videos from original investigation: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1NgOmPul65qG_S7I774bc7YfFtL7cWsz6GtSabXhGKwQ/edit?usp=sharing
Whistleblower/complaint links
US SEC: https://www.sec.gov/submit-tip-or-complaint
Canada:
British Columbia: https://www.bcsc.bc.ca/report-to-us/about-the-whistleblower-program
Ontario: https://www.osc.ca/en/enforcement/osc-whistleblower-program?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=22843442618&gbraid=0AAAABATsC0UprtXTNAd_8B6LpV7xdXnwF&gclid=Cj0KCQjwsMLSBhD9ARIsAIpUTDoRVO91mNqzmsAt1_QFfLXxp1QTICqEaFho0YqqFu3HSG1lm60I2foaAiCMEALw_wcB
Alberta: https://www.asc.ca/en/enforcement/office-of-the-whistleblower
Quebec: https://lautorite.qc.ca/en/general-public/assistance-and-complaints/whistleblower-program
Saskatchewan: https://fcaa.saskatchewan.ca/apex/f?p=200:299:0::::CUR_GRP_ID:3365066&cs=1913E003773ABF20536A289E6519434C2
Manitoba: https://mbsecurities.ca/complaints-guidance/file-a-complaint/index.html
Nova Scotia: https://nssc.novascotia.ca/enforcement-proceedings-orders
New Brunswick: https://fcnb.ca/en/online-services/submit-a-complaint
PEI: https://www.princeedwardisland.ca/en/information/justice-and-public-safety/filing-a-complaint-with-securities
Newfoundland: https://www.gov.nl.ca/jps/whistleblower/
04:38 - Polymarket Scandal
07:58 - Sketchy Stock Promotions
12:31 - AI Promotions
14:13 - Research Paper
14:40 - How is this Legal?
17:10 - Penalties
19:54 - What Can Be Done
Today, we’re revisiting an issue of finfluencers promoting sketchy companies, and adding in the recent Polymarket scandal that’s come up.
Original investigation into YouTube stock promotions: https://youtu.be/-Q3g-6jFl2c
Voidzilla video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-L-EH5dryuU
WSJ Article:https://www.wsj.com/business/media/polymarket-social-media-bets-prediction-market-441cdeb5
Politico Article: https://www.politico.com/news/2026/06/05/polymarket-paid-political-influencers-00932789
Research Paper: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13504851.2025.2546061
Spreadsheet of promotional stock videos from original investigation: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1NgOmPul65qG_S7I774bc7YfFtL7cWsz6GtSabXhGKwQ/edit?usp=sharing
Whistleblower/complaint links
US SEC: https://www.sec.gov/submit-tip-or-complaint
Canada:
British Columbia: https://www.bcsc.bc.ca/report-to-us/about-the-whistleblower-program
Ontario: https://www.osc.ca/en/enforcement/osc-whistleblower-program?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=22843442618&gbraid=0AAAABATsC0UprtXTNAd_8B6LpV7xdXnwF&gclid=Cj0KCQjwsMLSBhD9ARIsAIpUTDoRVO91mNqzmsAt1_QFfLXxp1QTICqEaFho0YqqFu3HSG1lm60I2foaAiCMEALw_wcB
Alberta: https://www.asc.ca/en/enforcement/office-of-the-whistleblower
Quebec: https://lautorite.qc.ca/en/general-public/assistance-and-complaints/whistleblower-program
Saskatchewan: https://fcaa.saskatchewan.ca/apex/f?p=200:299:0::::CUR_GRP_ID:3365066&cs=1913E003773ABF20536A289E6519434C2
Manitoba: https://mbsecurities.ca/complaints-guidance/file-a-complaint/index.html
Nova Scotia: https://nssc.novascotia.ca/enforcement-proceedings-orders
New Brunswick: https://fcnb.ca/en/online-services/submit-a-complaint
PEI: https://www.princeedwardisland.ca/en/information/justice-and-public-safety/filing-a-complaint-with-securities
Newfoundland: https://www.gov.nl.ca/jps/whistleblower/
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