as in Ponzi scheme
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Recent Examples of pyramid scheme
For the Klan, Clarke and Tyler settled on a good old-fashioned American pyramid scheme.
—
Jody Mamone, Hartford Courant, 15 Aug. 2025
The Tuesday release highlighted an incident with Cambodian users urging people to enlist in a rent-a-scooter pyramid scheme with an initial text message generated by ChatGPT.
—Ashleigh Fields, The Hill, 6 Aug. 2025
These scammers lured their targets with various offers, from cryptocurrency investments to pyramid schemes, and operated mainly out of Southeast Asia.
—PC Magazine, 6 Aug. 2025
After regulators investigated the business for allegedly being a pyramid scheme, Raniere didn't admit wrongdoing but settled for $40,000.
—Jessica Sager, People.com, 19 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for pyramid scheme
Jody Mamone, Hartford Courant, 15 Aug. 2025
The Tuesday release highlighted an incident with Cambodian users urging people to enlist in a rent-a-scooter pyramid scheme with an initial text message generated by ChatGPT.
—Ashleigh Fields, The Hill, 6 Aug. 2025
These scammers lured their targets with various offers, from cryptocurrency investments to pyramid schemes, and operated mainly out of Southeast Asia.
—PC Magazine, 6 Aug. 2025
After regulators investigated the business for allegedly being a pyramid scheme, Raniere didn't admit wrongdoing but settled for $40,000.
—Jessica Sager, People.com, 19 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for pyramid scheme
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pyramid scheme
Noun
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Disgraced ex-San Antonio financial adviser Brooklynn Chandler Willy, accused of getting clients to invest in a massive Ponzi scheme, is negotiating a plea agreement in her two criminal cases to avoid a federal trial later this year.—
Patrick Danner,
San Antonio Express-News,
30 Jan. 2026
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Occupy Wall Street–inflected politics informed its plot, which follows a bunch of workers at the titular tower banding together to rob a Wall Street billionaire, played by Alan Alda, who burned their pensions in a Ponzi scheme.—
Nicholas Quah,
Vulture,
30 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The transfer shell game The problems compound when ICE transfers detainees without notice, a practice attorneys said is a kind of shell game designed to frustrate legal challenges.—
Ben Fenwick,
Oklahoma Watch,
13 Feb. 2026
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Cyrus, a beloved gay icon, was a smart choice and seemed ready to play along with Kenworthy’s shell game.—
Gil Kaufman,
Billboard,
27 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pyramid scheme.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pyramid%20scheme. Accessed 19 Feb. 2026.
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