I hate to hear that you lost your money cryptostacey. You'll be fine and I hope you earn back that $500 quickly.
That being said, people like Trevon James used a position of influence to sway people into using a referral code, receiving commission on them, and profiting off of what was obviously a ponzi scheme. No he didn't hold a gun to anyone's head and make them invest but Charles Manson didn't directly kill anyone. There is something seriously wrong when people defend someone who profiting off of deception.