A Ponzi scheme (/ˈpɒnzi/, Italian: [ˈpontsi]) is a form of fraud that lures investors and pays profits to earlier investors with funds from more recent investors. Named after Italian businessman Charles Ponzi, the scheme leads victims to believe that profits are coming from legitimate business activity (e.g., product sales or successful investments), and they remain unaware that other investors are the source of funds. A Ponzi scheme can maintain the illusion of a sustainable business as long as new investors contribute new funds, and as long as most of the investors do not demand full repayment and still believe in the non-existent assets they are purported to own.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ponzi_scheme
ポンジ・スキーム(英: Ponzi scheme)は、投資詐欺の一種であり、そのなかでも「出資してもらった資金を運用し、その利益を出資者に(配当金などとして)還元する」などと嘘を語り、実際には資金運用を行わず、後から参加する出資者から新たに集めたお金(の大半)を、以前からの出資者に向けて“配当金”などと偽って渡すことで、あたかも資金運用によって利益が生まれその利益を出資者に配当しているかのように装うもののこと。
https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%83%9D%E3%83%B3%E3%82%B8%E3%83%BB%E3%82%B9%E3%82%AD%E3%83%BC%E3%83%A0