Transcript Ep. 408 – Do Kwon of Terra: ‘It Was Never Really About Money or Fame or Success’

Laura Shin:

Hi, all. Ever since Terra Luna collapsed in this spring, there have been a number of questions about what happened exactly and how much culpability Terraform Labs co-founder Do Kwon has. Interest in his case ratcheted up in September when South Korea issued a warrant for his arrest. Do at the time did not turn himself in, and the former Singapore resident was reported to no longer be in the city-state. Even Interpol may now be on the hunt for him. I had assumed Do wouldn't talk to the media due to his court case, but he surprised me last week when he agreed to come on the show. I approached the interview with an open mind on whether Terra had been a fraud or not, meaning I tried to keep an open mind to both possibilities. My main intention was to reveal more information that could let legal experts decide those questions.

I divided the interview into a few main categories starting with his legal case, then probing him about various allegations that could potentially point to fraud, and then finally wrapping up with some questions for users and also about his personal situation. Given the time constraints I had on the investigative portion, I did the best I could, and during the interview I tried to push back if I felt he hadn't answered my question. As Do himself said in the interview, transparency and information are important, and I hope that this interview helps in the effort to understand exactly what happened with Terra Luna. Now, here's my conversation with Do.

Hi everyone. Welcome to Unchained, your no-hype resource for all things crypto. I'm your host, Laura Shin, author of The Cryptopians. I started covering crypto seven years ago, and as the senior editor of Forbes, was the first mainstream media reporter to cover cryptocurrency full time. This is the October 18, 2022 episode of Unchained.

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Today's guest is Do Kwon, co-founder of Terraform Labs. Welcome, Do.

Do Kwon:

Hi, Laura. Thanks for having me.

Laura Shin:

Thanks for agreeing to do this.