Haliey Welch, widely known as the “Hawk Tuah Girl,” has disclosed that the FBI and SEC investigated her following the disastrous launch of a memecoin she promoted.
The Viral Sensation Turned Crypto Controversy
Welch first gained public attention in June 2024 after a street interview went viral on YouTube. Her famous “Hawk Tuah” catchphrase spread across social media, making her an overnight sensation. She then launched a merchandise line and a podcast called “Talk Tuah”. In December 2024, she got involved in the launch of the Hawk Tuah (HAWK) crypto token, which was based on her catchphrase.
The Memecoin’s Swift Decline
The HAWK token was launched on December 4, 2024, and briefly reached a market capitalization of $490 million. However, it almost immediately lost 90% of its value, with many crypto commentators calling it an exit scam. Blockchain analytics firm Bubble Maps alleged that insider wallets and snipers bought and dumped large amounts of the token at launch.
The FBI and SEC Investigations
Welch said in the May 21 episode of her “Talk Tuah” podcast that after the coin launch, the FBI showed up at her grandmother’s house to speak to her about the HAWK token. She handed over her phone to the FBI and was interrogated by agents. The SEC also asked for her phone and kept it for “two or three days” before clearing her. Her lawyer, James Sallah, told TMZ in March that the SEC closed the investigation without making any findings against Welch or seeking any monetary sanctions from her.
Welch’s Accountability and Admission
Welch admitted that she knew very little about crypto before the HAWK memecoin launch and “trusted the wrong people”. She claimed that a company, which she couldn’t name for legal reasons, controlled her X account and posted videos of her promoting the memecoin. She also said she was only paid a marketing fee and “did not make a dime from the coin itself,” which had been used to cover legal and public relations fees. Despite being cleared of legal wrongdoing, Welch took accountability, saying she let down her fans who invested in the coin.
A group of HAWK buyers sued the alleged creators of the token in December, claiming that Alex Schultz, the Tuah the Moon Foundation, the token launchpad Over here Limited, and its founder Clinton So promoted and sold HAWK as an unregistered security.
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