Important point — many of these employees were “paid” at least half of their salary in the company’s own scrip, a shitcoin, and with extra social pressure to not covert to real money.

Isn’t that like any startup? Options in early stage companies are basically shitcoins, and you’re discouraged from selling them.

Knowing myself I probably asked if he got paid in real money or monopoly money, but I don't recall the answer. It's a friend of a friend I've spoken to a few times over the last ten years, and the last time was a little over a year ago (when we talked about his job, among other things).