Who is Mario Nawfal, from cryptocurrency investor to "citizen journalism" in conservative circles?

Mario Nawfal has transitioned from a cryptocurrency investor to a conservative podcast host, recently interviewing close associates of Donald Trump and Belarusian autocrat Alexander Lukashenko. However, he is also facing accusations of misconduct. At just 30 years old, the Lebanese-Australian with over 2 million followers on X wears many hats, but his influence remains hard to gauge as experts contacted by AFP were unable to comment.

Nawfal is known for his participation in live broadcast channels discussing cryptocurrencies, especially following the collapse of the FTX exchange. His podcast "Roundtable" claims to be a "citizen journalism" platform that provides varied perspectives, although many interviews lack contradiction. His audience engages notably due to the presence of figures like Elon Musk and Robert Kennedy Jr.

However, Nawfal has faced accusations of misconduct, including a fine in 2015 for misleading promotions and allegations of "pump and dump" schemes in cryptocurrency by another creator, Christopher Zakrzewski. Additionally, multiple former business partners have claimed Nawfal owes them significant sums, which he denies, admitting only to mistakes and promising to repay.”

His podcast "Roundtable" claims to be a "citizen journalism" platform that provides varied perspectives, although many interviews lack contradiction. However, Nawfal has faced accusations of misconduct, including a fine in 2015 for misleading promotions and allegations of "pump and dump" schemes in cryptocurrency by another creator.