Haliey Welch and the Hawk Tuah Token
Haliey Welch, who gained notoriety as the “Hawk Tuah girl,” recently revealed that the FBI conducted a short investigation following the tumultuous launch of her memecoin, known as the Hawk Tuah (HAWK) token. During a recent episode of her podcast, “Talk Tuah,” aired on May 21, Welch recounted an alarming moment when FBI agents arrived at her grandmother’s residence, seeking to question her about the cryptocurrency launch, which has been labeled by various crypto analysts as an exit scam.
FBI Investigation Details
Welch described the chaotic scene:
“My grandmother called me, panicking, saying, ‘The FBI is here for you, what have you done?’ I ended up providing my phone to the investigators, who then interrogated me on a range of crypto-related topics.”
Fortunately for Welch, the FBI eventually cleared her of any involvement in wrongdoing. The SEC also reached out to her, leading to the temporary confiscation of her phone for a short investigation, from which she also emerged unscathed, as confirmed by her attorney James Sallah in March. He noted that the SEC concluded its inquiries without any findings against Welch or any financial penalties imposed.
Rise and Fall of the HAWK Token
Before the fallout from the HAWK token, Welch gained widespread attention for her candid remarks in a public interview that circulated widely on YouTube. The HAWK token, inspired by her viral catchphrase, made its debut in early December but plummeted by 90% in value shortly after its launch, allegedly due to rapid selling by insiders who had access during the launch.
Admitting to a lack of knowledge in the cryptocurrency realm, Welch took responsibility for her misjudgment in trusting the wrong individuals for the token’s promotion. She stated that a company, the name of which she cannot disclose due to legal constraints, was responsible for managing her social media account, where promotional videos for the memecoin were shared.
“I was sent lines to read for videos, but I had no idea about the underlying situation,”
she reflected.
Experience and Regrets
On the day of the HAWK launch, Welch recalled sensing that something was amiss when she was unexpectedly directed to participate in a livestream discussion with renowned YouTuber Coffeezilla.
“I learned too late that I should have been cautious; nobody informed me about who he was, and he thoroughly took me to task during the interview,”
she said, emphasizing her naivety.
Despite receiving a marketing fee for her participation, Welch clarified that she did not profit from the coin itself, lamenting that any earnings had already been spent on legal and PR expenses. She expressed regret for the trust placed in her by her followers, acknowledging:
“I feel terrible letting them down, especially since I should have known better. I got swept up in the excitement but didn’t have sufficient knowledge to be involved in something like this.”
Legal Actions from Investors
In December, amid the fallout from the HAWK token launch, a group of investors initiated legal action against the project’s creators, alleging that they promoted and sold HAWK as an unregistered security without involving Welch in the lawsuit.
