XYNQ and Cadenza Founders Turn Impersonation Fraud Into Startups

Leo Fakhrul of XYNQ and Reuel Williams of Cadenza each built a trust and safety startup after experiencing impersonation fraud, and both plan to extend their tools beyond music.
The Future of What Episode #308 —  Trust & Safety Spotlight: How Cadenza & XYNQ Turned Impersonation Into Innovation The Future of What Episode #308 —  Trust & Safety Spotlight: How Cadenza & XYNQ Turned Impersonation Into Innovation

XYNQ founder Leo Fakhrul and Cadenza founder Reuel Williams each built a startup in response to impersonation fraud they experienced firsthand. Both now aim to strengthen identity verification for creators across the entertainment industry.

Two founders, two fraud cases

Fakhrul’s label was flooded with AI-generated content of poor quality. Williams had a viral TikTok remix uploaded to streaming platforms without his consent.

Each turned the experience into a company designed to help others in similar situations.

What each startup is building

On Episode #308 of The Future of What podcast, Fakhrul describes XYNQ’s five-layer fraud protection system. It prioritizes three things:

  • Speed
  • Accuracy
  • Privacy protection

Williams discusses the input he is gathering from fellow creators, which is shaping the development of Cadenza.

Both founders plan to expand their technologies beyond the music industry into the wider entertainment sector, with the goal of protecting all classes of creators.

Upcoming webinar

XYNQ and Cadenza will present their trust and safety solutions in more depth on November 4 as part of the Tech Trendsetter Webinar Showcase Series.

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