# Ponzi scheme

> English word · Noun

## Definitions
1. A fraudulent scheme where earlier investors are paid with the money taken from new investors, giving the impression that the scheme is a viable investment.

## Etymology
Named after con artist Charles Ponzi (1882–1949), who famously conducted such form of fraud in North America in the 1920s.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/ponzi-scheme