Here are some general information regarding Ponzi scams

1) They could use any "vehicle" to run the scam, most use "investments" as vehicle, like forex trading, livestock like palm estate, gold or agar wood. Scammers could also use "business" to launch their Ponzi, bottom line, as long as the return is a "transfer of wealth" from new investors to old investors. It is a Ponzi, if the profit comes from below:
a) new investors or
b) reinvested money from old investors)
2) There are 2 big things to lookout to spot a Ponzi,
a) They "always" successfully pay the "profit" to early investors without fail. They will make it look and seems believable to fish for more "buy in" investors.
b) They "always" have a method for investors to "reinvest" their earnings and to get "more profit" via re-investment, and would always discourage cash out.

most Ponzi can last to couple of years due to the above 2 points, as old investors keep pumping in their so called "profit" while looking for "new believers"

even if you are old investors and are able to take the profit and run and probably even get to afford a brand new car, don't forget about karma as black heart money need to pay back eventually. Because once the Ponzi pyramid is "built" we all know somehow there will be people get burn at the end when it collapse ..

the only one who win big is the scammer, old investors win small and most investors lose their hard earned savings

hope this helps clear some doubts