Why did Joseph Maldonado-Passage, higher often known as Joe Unique from the viral Netflix docuseries “Tiger King,” debut a meme coin on Solana from jail earlier this week?
“I’m knee-deep in lawyer payments,” he informed Decrypt in an interview, claiming the endeavor can even profit kids by means of donations to a nonprofit referred to as Operation Smile.
The 62-year-old, who has lived behind bars for seven years, didn’t launch the meme coin himself. As an alternative, he stated his legal professionals helped him get “Official Tiger King” off the bottom, which started buying and selling underneath the ticker title EXOTIC on Monday.
Most movie star meme cash find yourself as flash within the pan. Their worth typically hinges on individuals’s consideration, which might fade shortly. Others find yourself marred by allegations of insider buying and selling. Unique stated he’s hopeful that his token doesn’t find yourself turning into one more instance.
“I pray to god that they don’t rug it and smash my fame,” the previous wildlife park proprietor stated. “I am hoping that folks will see that is legit and it has a goal.”
Movie star meme cash, whereas nothing new, reached a boiling level final 12 months, with names like Caitlyn Jenner, Jason Derulo, and Cardi B getting into the house. Hailey Welch, also referred to as “Hawk Tuah woman,” was amongst those who acquired caught flat-footed. Her coin, dubbed HAWK, grew to become a fiasco after it imploded. A spokesperson informed Decrypt she “had zero management over it.”
EXOTIC debuted on a little-known launchpad referred to as pumpkin.enjoyable. The meme coin’s market cap initially surged to $900,000 however has since fallen to simply over $100,000, in accordance with the crypto information supplier GeckoTerminal. It has lower than 900 holders in complete, per blockchain information.
The web site for Unique’s meme coin doesn’t reference the undertaking’s objective of contributing funds to Operation Smile. Nonetheless, it does say tokens might be donated to a “basis supporting tigers or animal well being” upon his launch from jail. On Friday, Unique’s account on X, previously often known as Twitter, stated it had already donated $1,000 to the nonprofit.
Unique says his legal professionals acquired behind the thought of launching a meme coin as a approach to showcase his dedication to charitable work. That’s a motive for him to be free, he stated, versus “sitting in right here, watching individuals do medication all day.”
Mission Smiles and Unique’s legal professionals didn’t reply to requests for remark from Decrypt.
Unique is presently being held at FMC Fort Price, an administrative safety heart, in accordance with the U.S. Federal Bureau of Prisons He routinely makes use of the phone to attach with the surface world, conserving followers up-to-date by way of podcasts and X Areas.
In relation to crypto, Unique has been capable of soak up loads, even studying from different inmates. Whereas aware of key phrases, his real-word expertise is admittedly restricted.
“There’s not loads to do all day apart from sit and discuss to individuals who know shit,” he stated. “I do loads from right here, however I don’t even know how you can arrange a pockets.”
In 2021, Joe Unique was resentenced to 21 years in federal jail, per the Related Press. He was convicted of a murder-for-hire scheme in opposition to animal welfare activist Carole Baskin, killing 5 tigers, promoting tiger cubs, and falsifying wildlife information.
Unique maintains his innocence, whereas additionally urgent U.S. President Donald Trump for a pardon on social media.
In 2021, an unofficial meme coin referred to as “Tiger King Coin” was launched as effectively. Unique stated he was entitled to obtain 1% of its provide, however by no means discovered who was behind the undertaking. He fears that coin could affect individuals’s perceptions of the one which simply launched.
Operation Smile, based in 1982, gives cleft lip and palate restore surgical procedures for kids the world over. Unique hopes his meme coin can in the end assist that initiative shifting ahead.
“Folks actually need to put money into it,” he stated. “I would love to have the ability to get it up there to the place I can repair 500 youngsters’ [faces] and pay my lawyer payments.”
Edited by Andrew Hayward
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