Why did Joseph Maldonado-Passage, higher referred to 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 advised Decrypt in an interview, claiming the endeavor will even profit kids via 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 mentioned his legal professionals helped him get “Official Tiger King” off the bottom, which started buying and selling below the ticker title EXOTIC on Monday.
Most superstar meme cash find yourself as flash within the pan. Their worth usually hinges on individuals’s consideration, which may fade shortly. Others find yourself marred by allegations of insider buying and selling. Unique mentioned he’s hopeful that his token doesn’t find yourself changing into yet one more instance.
“I pray to god that they don’t rug it and wreck my repute,” the previous wildlife park proprietor mentioned. “I am hoping that individuals will see that is legit and it has a objective.”
Celeb meme cash, whereas nothing new, reached a boiling level final yr, with names like Caitlyn Jenner, Jason Derulo, and Cardi B entering into the area. Hailey Welch, also called “Hawk Tuah lady,” was amongst those who acquired caught flat-footed. Her coin, dubbed HAWK, grew to become a fiasco after it imploded. A spokesperson advised 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 only over $100,000, in keeping with the crypto knowledge supplier GeckoTerminal. It has lower than 900 holders in whole, per blockchain knowledge.
The web site for Unique’s meme coin doesn’t reference the undertaking’s aim of contributing funds to Operation Smile. Nonetheless, it does say tokens shall be donated to a “basis supporting tigers or animal well being” upon his launch from jail. On Friday, Unique’s account on X, previously referred to as Twitter, mentioned it had already donated $1,000 to the nonprofit.
Unique says his legal professionals acquired behind the concept 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 mentioned, versus “sitting in right here, watching individuals do medicine all day.”
Venture Smiles and Unique’s legal professionals didn’t reply to requests for remark from Decrypt.
Unique is presently being held at FMC Fort Value, an administrative safety middle, in keeping 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 through podcasts and X Areas.
With regards to crypto, Unique has been in a position to take in rather a lot, even studying from different inmates. Whereas aware of key phrases, his real-word expertise is admittedly restricted.
“There’s not rather a lot to do all day moreover sit and discuss to individuals who know shit,” he mentioned. “I do rather a lot from right here, however I don’t even know the best way to 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 mentioned he was entitled to obtain 1% of its provide, however by no means came upon who was behind the undertaking. He fears that coin might affect individuals’s perceptions of the one which simply launched.
Operation Smile, based in 1982, offers cleft lip and palate restore surgical procedures for kids the world over. Unique hopes his meme coin can in the end assist that initiative transferring ahead.
“Folks really want to spend money on it,” he mentioned. “I would really like 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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