The Untold Truth Of Zach Avery

Hollywood is more than familiar with salacious scandals. From FBI investigations to arrests, there is a definite dark side to the movie industry. Yet sometimes scandals extend far beyond the typical A-listers. You probably have never heard of actor Zach Avery, because why would you? The star has only been in a handful of films since his debut in 2009 according to IMDb, with most early roles uncredited. Yet Avery made national headlines on April 7, 2021, when he got arrested for allegedly running a multi-million-dollar Ponzi scheme targeted toward Hollywood's filmmaking industry, according to People.

Perhaps Avery's anonymity was used to his advantage. Federal authorities have accused Avery of "defrauding investors out of more than $227 million" and fabricating licensing deals with Netflix, HBO, and other production companies. FBI agent John Verrastro stated that Avery allegedly used funds "for personal benefit" and to pay off previous investors. 

So who is Avery and what exactly was he arrested for? Keep scrolling to find out! 

Per Daily Mail UK, Avery is accused of "raising more than $690 million after falsely claiming to investors that he had movie licensing deals" with mega-producers HBO and Netflix. Allegedly, $227 million "put in by victims since at least 2015 is still yet to be repaid." Avery is further speculated to have "lied about owning the rights to include the 1989 Jean-Claude Van Damme action film Kickboxer" in a fabricated "thriving" film library for 1inMM. 

Avery also claimed to have expanded his film partnerships to distribute films in Australia and New Zealand. As reported by People, Avery allegedly sent a memo to investors promising "a return of up to 40 percent within a year." The FBI believed Avery "fabricated email correspondence with Netflix and HBO executives to justify delays" in profits. Avery is facing wire fraud charges and if convicted, he could serve up to 20 years in prison. 

In addition to 1inMM, Avery also co-founded LayJax Ventures. Avery described the angel fund as "a start-up investment company that provides founders with seed investments to start or grow their company while providing them with our unique network in order to help them succeed outside of simply writing a check" to Direct Submit. The firm invests in hospitality businesses as well as films, according to Business Wire ( via the Associated Press). Both ventures allegedly funded Avery's wealthy lifestyle. 

This may come as a surprise, but Zach Avery seemingly has an understanding of how the human mind works. That's because Avery "received a bachelor's degree in psychology from Indiana University," per his wedding announcement. And according to an August 2019 interview with Loud and Clear Reviews, Avery had a slew of odd jobs before entering Hollywood. Apparently, he was on track to become a professional football player before an injury broke his dreams while at Indiana University; yet reportedly after graduating, Avery "entered a Doctoral program at the Chicago School of Professional Psychology and learned about human behavior," where he also "had [his] own restaurant" at age 22, per Naluda Magazine. Avery later moved to Los Angeles to pursue an acting career while working as a door-to-door salesman. 

"I have always been extremely fascinated with psychology and sociology. Why people do the things that they do, what makes them tick," Avery explained. "I think the most rewarding part about this career is the life lessons that you learn by 'walking in someone else's shoes' for a role." He also admitted to Medium that the main lesson he learned in Hollywood was that there is "no fast track to success" but the "journey is worth it." The message behind his 1inMM company name is a quote that he lives by: "when odds in one in a million, be that one." 

So where else does Avery find inspiration for his career? Look no further than his family.