The Daily Beans — "Refried Beans | The Trump NFT Grift”

Episode Date: December 19, 2022 (Re-broadcasted December 20, 2025)
Hosts: Allison Gill ("AG") and Dana Goldberg ("DG")
Special Guest: Kurt Eichenwald, investigative journalist and business fraud expert
Theme: A progressive, snark-filled look at the Trump NFT scheme, legal news related to Trump associates and 1/6, and major headlines in politics and social justice.

Overview

This episode blends the usual roundup of key political and legal stories from late 2022—much of it centered around the Trump investigations, January 6th, and political fallout—with a featured interview breaking down the Trump NFT "trading card" scam. The headline is the deep dive with fraud expert Kurt Eichenwald, examining who is behind the Trump NFT enterprise, where the money’s flowing, and how it connects to broader Trump-world grift and criminality. The episode is peppered with humor, pointed commentary, and the usual "beans" banter.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Major Legal Developments (00:46 – 14:41)

• Fulton County Grand Jury Nears Its Final Report:

  • The special grand jury investigating Trump’s efforts to overturn Georgia's election is wrapping up and drafting final recommendations.
  • "The Atlanta area special grand jury has largely finished hearing witness testimony and has already begun writing its final report..." (11:02, AG)
  • Indictments may now be delayed thanks to testimony battles with high-profile Trump allies.
  • The process in Georgia is unique—special grand juries recommend but can’t indict directly.

• January 6th Criminal Referrals:

  • The congressional committee is meeting to vote on criminal referrals for Donald Trump.
  • AG announces live coverage on alternative social media ("Post") as a dig at Elon Musk.

• John Eastman, Jeffrey Clark, and DOJ Emails:

  • Newly unsealed court proceedings show that DOJ had early access to emails of key Trump lawyers and associates—from John Eastman to Jeffrey Clark—totaling over 130,000 documents.
  • "While the January 6th committee was battling back and forth with Eastman in court... the Department of Justice already had his Chapman University emails." (05:11, AG)
  • DOJ prioritized emails involving Congressman Scott Perry, not protected by privilege.
  • Jeffrey Clark’s memoir drafts, obtained by DOJ, potentially provide key evidence about Trump’s intent.

• Capitol Riot Defendant Plotted to Kill FBI Agents:

  • Edward Kelly, previously charged for J6 involvement, allegedly obtained a hit list of agents and discussed plans to assassinate them.
  • "We will mainly conduct recon missions and assassination missions. They put this shit in writing. It's unbelievable." (09:36, DG)
  • His lawyer quickly moved to withdraw from his case upon the conspiracy charges.

• Twitter Suspends Journalists Covering Elon Musk:

  • Journalists reporting on Musk’s actions are suspended and then reinstated after public backlash and a poll.
  • "It's a clear illustration that it is no longer a rules based company. ... The terms of service depend on his mood each day." (13:24, quoting Aaron Rupar)
  • Lynette Lopez’s suspension, Musk’s thin skin, and the lack of transparent rules are discussed.

• Musk, Kushner, And The Saudis at the World Cup:

  • The hosts point out the presence of Elon Musk and Jared Kushner together, both with significant Saudi connections.

2. The Trump NFT Grift: Interview with Kurt Eichenwald

Segment Begins: [17:18]

Background

• Trump’s announcement of digital “trading cards” (NFTs) raised eyebrows for looking like a late-night infomercial scam.
• Kurt Eichenwald, veteran fraud reporter, investigates the LLCs and shell structures behind the scheme for potential money laundering and fraud.

Eichenwald’s Findings (18:23 – 34:16)

• Shell Games & Shady Addresses:

  • The so-called creator behind the NFTs, “CIC Digital,” routes everything to a “UPS box in Utah” and then to a notorious brick house in Cheyenne, Wyoming.
    • "I already knew the address because it is renowned among corporate fraud guys as the place to go to find a story..." (21:18, Eichenwald)
  • That address is linked to “about 60 different criminal enterprises or groups accused of being criminal enterprises.”

• Complex Corporate Cover:

  • Ownership buried under “NFT International” and other entities “successfully hidden.”
  • Fine print protects these corporations from being sued, especially internationally.

• Potential for Money Laundering:

  • The $99/card, with a cap of 100 per transaction, is structured to keep deals under the $10,000 reporting threshold.
  • Crypto payments further evade tracking:
    • "You can move $50 million in crypto and it doesn't automatically trigger the anti money laundering statutes." (24:14, Eichenwald)

• Trump’s History of Grift & Laundering:

  • Recollection of Trump’s prior money laundering with casino chips and a suitcase of cash.
    • "His first money laundering scheme was actually in the 1980s when, when Trump Castle was... heading toward bankruptcy... his dad's lawyer came in with a, literally a suitcase full of cash, bought a bunch of chips and left." (24:52, Eichenwald)

• Trump Loyalty and Apparatchiks:

  • Nick Luna (“the body man”) is running CIC—the same Trump world loyalist pattern.
  • "He gets a major payment upfront... all of them are structured the same way." (28:16, Eichenwald)

• Desperation and the Collapse of Trump’s Old Schemes:

  • Traditional Trump Organization channels for moving or laundering money (real estate, bank loans) are closing due to scrutiny and litigation.
  • Speculation: As Trump’s foreign backers realize he's unlikely to regain power, the stream of questionable money will dry up.
    • "I fully believe we will see a complete collapse of the Trump Organization within the next three or four years." (30:39, Eichenwald)
  • With legal and financial pressure mounting, he’s left peddling low-level grifts: NFTs, wine glasses, “Christmas wrapping paper.”

Fun & Notable Quotes

• "This is so wonderful. This is so delicious. ... There is joining them, the former President of the United States." (22:43, Eichenwald)
• "He's a con artist and a criminal. And he always has been." (25:40, Eichenwald)
• "Too much crime, too little time." (34:11, Eichenwald, on the many agencies investigating Trump-linked grifts)

3. Good News Segment & Listener Letters (34:31 – End)

• Listeners share heartwarming and quirky stories, pet photos, and a vintage letter to Santa from 1934.
• Dana and AG riff on everything from frog orgies to holiday trees with googly eyes, keeping the mood light and inclusive.
• Memorable listener moment:
  • Letter to Santa: "This will be about my last letter to you since I'm nine years of age. Loads of love..." (39:34)

Major Quotes (with Timestamps & Attribution)

• On DOJ’s early acquisition of Jan 6 emails:

  • "While the January 6th committee was battling back and forth with Eastman in court... the Department of Justice already had his Chapman University emails."
    — Allison Gill, 05:11

• On the NFT scam’s front companies:

  • "Once you start having multiple layers of entities, including some that are partnerships that can't be sued, my antenna go up."
    — Kurt Eichenwald, 18:53

• On cash transaction thresholds:

  • "You can move $50 million in crypto and it doesn't automatically trigger the anti money laundering statutes."
    — Eichenwald, 24:14

• On Trump’s conman legacy:

  • "He's a con artist and a criminal. And he always has been."
    — Eichenwald, 25:40

• On the future of Trump’s finances:

  • "I fully believe we will see a complete collapse of the Trump Organization within the next three or four years."
    — Eichenwald, 30:39

• On Twitter’s new “rules":

  • "It's a clear illustration that it is no longer a rules based company. ... The terms of service depend on his mood each day."
    — Quoting Aaron Rupar (journalist), 13:24

• On the endless grifts:

  • "Too much crime, too little time."
    — Eichenwald, 34:11

Important Timestamps

• [00:46] - Overview of news headlines
• [05:11] - DOJ’s secret collection of Trump-world emails
• [09:36] - Capitol rioter's plot to kill FBI agents
• [11:02] - Georgia Grand Jury winding down
• [13:24] - Twitter suspends journalists
• [17:18] - Introduction of Kurt Eichenwald
• [18:23] - Eichenwald’s deep-dive into the Trump NFT
• [24:14] - Money laundering via crypto explained
• [25:40] - Trump’s criminal legacy and anecdote
• [28:16] - Structure of Trump’s licensing grifts
• [30:39] - Prediction of Trump Org collapse
• [34:31] - Good News Segment

Tone and Style

• Signature "beans" blend of sharp-witted, deeply researched political commentary and irreverent, inclusive humor.
• Eichenwald brings a dry, investigative edge; the hosts counter with warmth, banter, and righteous frustration at continued Trump-era scandals.
• Notable for accessibility—listeners are encouraged to participate and share their own good news, keeping even dense legal subjects engaging and human.

Summary

This episode is a fast-paced, funny, and deeply informative look at Trump’s ongoing attempts to evade legal scrutiny and make money—this time through NFTs that are, in Eichenwald's words, “scuzzier than you think.” The show shines exposing the (potentially) criminal shell game behind Trump’s latest grift, ties it to his wider legacy of fraud, and places it in the broader context of 2022’s tumultuous legal and political news. Listeners walk away with a clear, often jaw-dropping understanding of how the grifters operate, why this latest scam fits the pattern—and a reminder to keep looking for miracles (and frog orgies) amid the madness.