The Hidden Cash guy, a.k.a. real estate guy Jason Buzi, released a statement Tuesday along with his co-conspirator Yan Budman, saying that their little game of hiding envelopes and other containers of cash for strangers to find is over. So it looks like those threats to stash bits of cash "across the planet" were empty.
Saying "this is difficult..." on the @HiddenCash Twitter account yesterday, Buzi and Budman went on to say...
What started as a fun project to bring a smile to people's faces, bring people together, and perhaps inspire them to pay it forward, took off beyond what we ever expected...Our events brought together hundreds of people at a time. Best of all, we got to hear so many inspiring stories about how Hidden Cash was making a positive difference in people's lives.
We saw a 14 year old girl in tears because the money she found would help her sick grandmother buy medicine. A man wrote that he gets depressed watching the TV news every night with his wife and son, but since we started, they have a reason to be happy while watching the news, seeing how people are coming together in a fun way.
Obviously there had to come a point when these guys who may be rich but who aren't, like, Koch Brothers rich realized they couldn't just keep giving away money, and that point has come. They say they considered the idea of bringing in sponsors as a way to make the project more sustainable, and they were "approached by several big names." But in the end, that didn't fit with their ethos, so they're ending "this phase" of their philanthropy project.
They conclude, "Although we are saying goodbye for now, and ending this phase of Hidden Cash, please stay tuned to [the Twitter account], as we hope to do more fun and giving things in the future."
The first Hidden Cash drop happened in San Francisco on May 22, which was followed up by others in Los Angeles, Bakersfield, San Diego, Fresno, Madrid, Berlin, and the UK. The final Hidden Cash hunt happened at Coney Island in New York, with Pez dispensers as cash containers, on August 3.
[Twitlonger]
[CBS 5]
Previously: Hidden Cash Guy Goes On CNN, Announces Plan To Leave Money Across The Planet
Photos: Hundreds Of People Tore Up A Whittier Park In Search Of Hidden Cash
