The "Hawthorne" scam relies heavily on the fabrication of a prestigious family dynasty to manufacture trust, utilizing generated personas such as Graham, Stephen, Russell, and Prescott Hawthorne to headline their fraudulent investment groups. These characters are presented as elite financial gurus or philanthropists, often backed by fictitious biographies and stolen stock images, to create a facade of generational wealth and exclusivity.
Our investigation into the Superior Star Prosperity Group and Kingsford Chase reveals that these names are merely front-end variables in a large-scale script; when one "Hawthorne" name becomes too associated with fraud online, the syndicate simply rotates to another (e.g., shifting from Russell to Prescott) while keeping the underlying scam infrastructure identical. Victims are often lured into WhatsApp and Signal groups under the pretense of joining a "VIP" inner circle led by one of these figures, where they are subjected to scripted "education" sessions.
These sessions are designed to establish the Hawthorne figure as a benevolent mentor who shares "insider" trading signals, effectively grooming victims to bypass their skepticism. The use of a consistent surname like Hawthorne allows the scammers to create a phantom corporate brand that sounds legitimate—like an old-money investment firm—while actually being a completely ephemeral digital construct that vanishes once enough funds have been harvested.
In short: No. This YouTube channel shows all the classic signs of a "get rich quick" scam. Here is why you should stay away:
Everything is "Fake": The videos don’t show real people or real offices. They use "stock footage," which is just generic clips of actors in suits that anyone can buy online. No one is actually talking to you or explaining how the business works.
It’s Brand New: The channel was only started a few weeks ago (November 2025). A real, successful investment company would have a long history and many people talking about it. This one appeared out of nowhere.
A Lot of "Fancy Talk" with No Facts: They use big, impressive words like "Legacy," "Hope," and "Innovation," but they never tell you where their office is located or if they are actually licensed by the government to handle your money.
Other Experts Are Sounding the Alarm: Other news and consumer watchdogs have already labeled this a scam. People who have used it reported that once they put their money in, they were unable to withdraw it.
Think of this as a "too good to be true" flyer left on your windshield. It looks shiny, but there is no real substance behind it. Do not give them your name, your phone number, or a single penny.
The modern financial scam has evolved into a clinical, multi-layered psychological operation. Groups operating under names like ElitePalace, Superior Star Prosperity Group, and Kingsford Chase are not investment firms—they are sophisticated syndicates using "walled garden" technology and "pig butchering" tactics to liquidate their targets' life savings.
Below is a comprehensive breakdown of how this syndicate operates, from the first WhatsApp message to the final wire transfer.
The "Hawthorne" scam relies heavily on fabricating a prestigious family dynasty to build trust. Utilizing generated personas such as Graham, Stephen, Russell, and Prescott Hawthorne—and associates like Marcus Hawthorne, Alec Merritt, and Tessa Marlowee—they head fraudulent investment groups.
These characters are presented as elite financial gurus or philanthropists, often backed by fictitious biographies and stolen stock images to create a facade of generational wealth. Investigation reveals that these names are merely front-end variables; when one "Hawthorne" persona is associated with fraud online, the syndicate simply rotates to another while keeping the underlying infrastructure intact. Victims are lured into WhatsApp and Signal groups under the pretense of joining a "VIP" inner circle. These sessions position the figurehead as a benevolent mentor who shares "insider" trading signals, effectively grooming victims to bypass their natural skepticism.
A core technical component of this fraud is the deployment of proprietary, rigged trading platforms such as Milase.com or the "Prescott Hawthorne Exchange." These platforms are simulated environments that do not connect to real cryptocurrency markets. Instead, they display manipulated charts and fake account balances to create the illusion of massive profits.
The backend of these websites gives the scammers total control to freeze accounts, adjust balances, and simulate "glitches" at will. Common tactics include:
The "House Money" Bait: Providing $700 in "test funds" that magically grow to $2,000+ in days to prove the system works.
Proprietary Assets: Promoting tokens like ELIX, CHX, or VLE that have no value outside the platform.
The Mirage of Wealth: Numbers on the screen inevitably go up, encouraging victims to liquidate their 401(k)s. However, these profits are entirely fictional. When a withdrawal is attempted, the platform triggers a "security freeze" or "audit," demanding further payments to unlock the account.
The primary recruitment tool is high-pressure social engineering within closed messaging groups managed by "assistants" (often using handles like Chloe). These assistants act as the primary groomers, bridging the gap between the distant "Professor" and the victim.
In these groups, planted accomplices known as "shills" post fake screenshots of massive successful withdrawals and thank-you messages to create a "fear of missing out" (FOMO). If a victim raises a question about legitimacy, they are swarmed by these shills or removed from the group. The assistants relentlessly push victims to migrate to Signal for "security," moving communication into a channel where disappearing messages can be used to erase evidence. They coach victims on how to lie to their banks about the purpose of wire transfers, providing "cover stories" regarding property or family to bypass anti-money laundering (AML) triggers.
Unlike typical crypto scams that rely on direct wallet-to-wallet transfers, this network utilizes a complex web of money mules and wire transfers to legitimize the theft and obfuscate the trail. Victims are instructed to send large sums of fiat currency (USD, GBP, EUR) via wire transfer to "off-site funds" or "customer service agents."
These recipients are actually money mules—individuals whose bank accounts are used to funnel stolen cash. The syndicate frequently changes these account details, claiming the switches are for "tax efficiency" or "corporate restructuring." Once the wire hits the mule's account, the funds are immediately converted into cryptocurrency and tumbled through mixers to break the chain of custody. This reliance on wire transfers allows scammers to target demographics less comfortable with on-ramping to crypto and adds a layer of false legitimacy. The "taxes" and "fees" demanded at the end (often 20-30% of the fake portfolio) are the final extraction attempt using these same mule channels before the scammers cut all contact.
Protect Yourself: If you are currently communicating with these individuals, do not confront them. Immediately screen-capture all messages, bank details for wire transfers, and platform balances. File a report with the FBI’s IC3.gov or your national cybercrime authority.