Hawk Tuah Girl Spills: Memecoin Crash, Death Threats, and Chaos

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Hailey Welch, known as the “Hawk Tuah girl,” has finally decided to stop smiling through the chaos and talk about the fallout from the grand launch of the “HAWK” memecoin in 2024-the token she championed with the kind of enthusiasm that suggests she’s discovered a new coffee fuelled by adrenaline.

Summary

  • Hailey Welch was cleared of wrongdoing after promoting HAWK memecoin despite facing backlash and death threats.
  • The HAWK memecoin, valued at $490M, collapsed to $41M in hours, triggering legal action.
  • Despite FBI clearance, Welch faced emotional struggles and continued public criticism after the memecoin’s failure.

Despite cooperating fully with an FBI investigation that cleared her of wrongdoing, Welch faced a barrage of social backlash and personal distress following the memecoin’s collapse-the sort of online abuse that tastes like burnt toast and somehow calls it progress.

In December 2024, the HAWK memecoin burst onto the scene with the bravado of a reality-TV finale, quickly catapulting to a market capitalization of over $490 million. Within hours, the value nosedived, shedding more than 90% and leaving the market cap hovering around $41 million the next day. The episode was widely described as a rug pull, except rug pulls usually don’t come with a press conference and a chorus of memes blaming everyone but the person who reposted the hype.

Welch, who had publicly promoted the token, said that she was unaware of the technical details behind the launch and had no control over the funds. She added that the financial losses for investors were relatively small, estimating the total at around $200,000. However, the social and emotional toll was considerably larger-like stepping on a LEGO of public opinion, except the bricks are people’s feelings and the floor is lava.

Death threats and mental health struggles

Following the HAWK memecoin’s collapse, Welch received death threats and experienced heightened public scrutiny.

“I was starting to get death threats and everything else. People telling me I owe them all this money, and I’m like, ‘I didn’t do this,’” Welch explained.

She admitted that the backlash took a significant toll on her mental health, causing her to retreat from social media and attempt a low-profile life for months-a stunt as brave as it is exhausting when you’re trying to pretend you’re not living in a meme.

Welch’s lawyer emphasized that she had fully cooperated with the FBI investigation, which ultimately found no evidence of fraud or intentional wrongdoing on her part. Despite this, the public backlash persisted, with many in the crypto community blaming her for promoting the memecoin.

Legal action and public reactions

After the HAWK memecoin’s collapse, an investor lawsuit was filed against the team behind the launch. The lawsuit accused the entities of selling unregistered securities, but Welch was not named as a defendant. The legal action pointed to mismanagement and alleged fraudulent promotions surrounding the memecoin.

Despite Welch’s claims of being a victim, not all observers were sympathetic. Onchain investigator ZachXBT criticized her involvement in the project, stating,

“She starts posting about meme coins. The entirety of [crypto Twitter] tells her ‘do not launch a token.’ She launches a memecoin anyway, and after, she blames partners and disappears off social media, with followers losing funds.”

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2026-03-22 12:30