The Consensus 2018 cryptocurrency conference has just finished and once again Monero’s Riccardo “Fluffy Pony” Spagni has found himself in the middle of controversy.
In 2017 he trailed a fake “major announcement” which led to accusations of a a pump and dump attempt, while this year he has drawn criticism after a picture emerged of him wearing a watch which costs more than $800,000. As he noted, “can’t wait to see what I do at Consensus 2019”.
Consensus 2017: “fluffypony is the worst! He made a video with a fake announcement! I hate him!”
Consensus 2018: “fluffypony is the worst! He wore an expensive watch! I hate him!”
Well I, for one, can’t wait to see what I do at Consensus 2019.
— Riccardo Spagni (@fluffypony) May 19, 2018
The watch in question is by Richard Mille and only 30 were ever created. Though its retail price was over $800,000, it did come with a free bike. When challenged that such purchases do not bring happiness, he responded that he had “been happy for a very, very long time” and that he had been collecting “fine timepieces for over a decade.”
I’ve been happy for a very, very long time. I’ve been collecting fine timepieces for over a decade. They have not made me any more or any less happy, my contentment has always been from within.
— Riccardo Spagni (@fluffypony) May 19, 2018
Perhaps the most surprising thing about the whole affair is how much Spagni has been willing to engage with those who do not approve of how he spends his money. On a Reddit thread dedicated to the photo he has repeatedly responded to those who have attacked him for his choice; as well as joking that he was actually modelling the upcoming Monero-enabled Ledger wallet.
When an angry Twitter correspondent claimed that Spagni was “shoving [his] wealth into the face of everyone by flashing an $800,000 watch” and that he should instead “do something positive with [his] wealth”, the Monero developer noted that he didn’t flash anything, and that his interlocutor knew very little about his life, including his philanthropic and charitable activity.
You have no clue what humanitarian efforts I make. I live in Africa, do you think the plight of animals and people around me goes ignored? Your ignorant judgement of me is the only thing that’s disgusting here – you would not know the value of that watch were it not for Twitter.
— Riccardo Spagni (@fluffypony) May 18, 2018
Nevertheless, even if the watch is not especially showy, it is still an usual show of wealth by Spagni. Usually, and primarily for the benefit of any tax officials who might be listening, he claims that he lost all of his private keys in a tragic boating accident.
Image From Shutterstock
