Ponzi Scheme Longevity Rules:

Encourage “reinvestment” of income. The less income the schemer pays out, the longer the scheme will last.

Moderate the amount stolen each year. If he steals a smaller amount each year, the scheme will last longer and he will likely be able to steal more money overall.

Discourage redemptions. Paying out principal to investors at a high rate will crash the scheme quickly. Therefore institute a large penalty for early redemptions or promise an even higher Rate of Return if the principal is reinvested instead of withdrawn.

The Rate of Return promised should be higher than alternatives but not so high that paying out income will quickly bankrupt the scheme.

Recruit new money. New money is key to maintaining a scheme for an extended period