Jumia Books Money Men: A Hot Startup, A Billion Dollar Fraud, A Fight for the Truth  by Dan McCrum

"Money Men: A Hot Startup, A Billion Dollar Fraud, A Fight for the Truth" by Dan McCrum is a gripping investigative account of the rise and fall of Wirecard, a German fintech company once valued at $30 billion, which was revealed to be a massive fraud. The book chronicles McCrum's six-year-long investigation as a Financial Times journalist that exposed Wirecard’s multi-billion dollar deception involving fake bank accounts, fabricated transactions, and fraudulent financial statements.

Key points about the book:

The story uncovers the sophisticated web of deceit behind Wirecard’s seemingly meteoric rise in the tech and finance world, a company that overtook giants like Commerzbank and Deutsche Bank in stock market valuation.

McCrum details the challenges he faced, including threats, attempts to discredit him, surveillance, hacking, and legal intimidation from Wirecard insiders desperate to keep the fraud hidden.

The narrative also explores key figures involved, such as Wirecard’s CEO Markus Braun and COO Jan Marsalek, the whistleblowers who risked everything to expose the truth, and the short sellers who bet against the company.

The book provides a real-time, inside look at how complex financial scams can operate undetected amid global markets until relentless investigative journalism and whistleblowing bring them to light.

Beyond the drama, "Money Men" critiques corporate culture, ethical failures, and regulatory shortcomings that allowed such fraud to flourish.

The story is a cautionary tale about skepticism, corporate accountability, and the importance of transparency and rigorous oversight in the financial and tech industries.