Wanted to applaud you for being vulnerable, putting your work out there, and facing the tough answer, especially when it wasn't what you wanted to hear. Shows a lot of character.
You're assuming good faith when it's only about the grift. They don't care at all if it succeeds, it's only about what they can skim off the top. They're leeches, they bleed the host dry and move on to the next victim.
Really appreciate you bringing awareness and expressing concern on this, as it has the potential to abuse artists. Folks seem quick to handwave it away instead of taking the measured, thoughtful approach it deserves. Artists need to be protected first and foremost.
No one is coming to save us.