Ponzi scheme

noun

Pon·​zi scheme ˈpän-zē- How to pronounce Ponzi scheme (audio)
: an investment swindle in which some early investors are paid off with money put up by later ones in order to encourage more and bigger risks

Examples of Ponzi scheme in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Just as a Ponzi scheme collapses without sufficient cash inflows from new investors, Ponzi finance collapses without sufficient price appreciation for the asset being financed. Hersh Shefrin, Forbes.com, 31 Aug. 2025 Between 2023 and 2025, Carrasco-Ramirez is accused of persuading seven people to invest in a Ponzi scheme, deputies said. Daniella Segura, Sacbee.com, 25 Aug. 2025 Total losses by Marshall’s investors fall short of the multibillion-dollar Ponzi scheme masterminded by Bernie Madoff. Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 17 Aug. 2025 Kevin Lamarque | Reuters Two men have been indicted in New York on federal criminal charges in connection with a water vending machine Ponzi scheme that allegedly swindled investors out of more than $200 million, the Department of Justice said Thursday. Dan Mangan, CNBC, 14 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for Ponzi scheme

Word History

Etymology

Charles Ponzi †1949 American (Italian-born) swindler

First Known Use

1920, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Ponzi scheme was in 1920

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Cite this Entry

“Ponzi scheme.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Ponzi%20scheme. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.

Legal Definition

Ponzi scheme

noun
Pon·​zi scheme ˈpän-zē-ˌskēm How to pronounce Ponzi scheme (audio)
: an investment swindle in which early investors are paid with sums obtained from later ones in order to create the illusion of profitability
Etymology

Charles A. Ponzi (ca. 1882–1949), Italian-born American swindler

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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