Kumari Shreya
When discussing the actions of Centra Tech, one of the biggest topics addressed in Netflix’s ‘Bitconned’ was the organization’s very first CEO, Michael Edwards. However, when one looked closer into the identity of the man in question, whether or not he even existed became questionable. In fact, this was one of the many reasons that led many to look closer into the workings of Centra, especially when the name of Andrew Halayko came up in the whole situation.
Michael Edwards: The CEO of Centra
When Centra Tech was first established by Sam “Sorbee” Sharma and Ryan Trapani, along with the help of Robert Farkas, they released the names of their company’s executives on their website. Right on top of the organization’s hierarchy was the name of Michael Edwards, whose list of accomplishments was only surpassed by his apparent trust in Centra Tech’s idea for the world of cryptocurrency. In fact, the website claimed that Michael was actually an investor who had turned into the company’s CEO due to his faith in the concept.
Centra Tech’s website even linked to Michael Edward’s LinkedIn profile, which showcased him as someone with over two decades of experience in the banking industry. With an apparent Master of Business Administration degree from Harvard, Michael was seemingly affiliated with organizations like Wells Fargo and Chase as their vice president. He was apparently also an accomplished investor who was crucial to Centra Tech’s foundation.
Unfortunately, on August 25, 2017, Michael Edwards died in a tragic car accident, leaving behind his French bulldog named Stanley. Or so the announcement shared by Centra Tech claimed not long after the company came under more and more scrutiny from the investigators. Ray Trapani shared in the Netflix documentary that Michael Edwards was actually a fake person created by him and his partners in order to make their business seem more legitimate and not appear as if it was only being handled by young men. He went on to add how they had decided to google “old white guy” and used a picture from the image results, creating a link to Andrew Halayko.
Who is Andrew Halayko?
With a dramatic entry in the Netflix documentary, Andrew Halayko shared that it was actually his face that was used by Centra Tech founders for their fake CEO. The image that became synonymous with Centra Tech during its good and bad days was actually his face, even though he seemingly never had a connection with the organization. Though impressed by the imaginary man who shared his face, Andrew was more than comfortable in pointing out the lie that was created using his image.
It’s not an #ATS2022 without a night with a few current and former trainees!! I forgot how good this feels … @atscommunity pic.twitter.com/XMjmCevrqU
— Andrew Halayko (he/him) 🇺🇦🇨🇦 (@AndrewHalayko) May 17, 2022
In reality, Andrew is a man based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, who serves as a Professor at the University of Manitoba. In fact, he is an expert in lung biology and pathophysiology, with a special emphasis on cell and molecular pathways, along with other lung functions. He is actually focused on finding therapeutic ways to treat respiratory issues like asthma. A happy father and husband, Andrew was not even in the same country when Centra Tech was using his face to make millions.
Read More: Jacob Rensel: Where is Centra Investor Now?
