Squirrel Dad Sends Legal Warning to Binance for Alleged Misuse of PNUT Branding

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As a researcher with a deep interest in the intersection of technology and animal rights, I find myself empathizing profoundly with Mark Longo, or Squirrel Dad, in his legal battle against Binance. His personal tragedy, losing Peanut, has not only been a poignant reminder of the fragility of life but also served as an unfortunate example of how quickly intellectual property can be exploited in the digital age.

Mark Longo, commonly referred to as “Squirrel Dad,” has filed a lawsuit against Binance, alleging they’ve used his intellectual property without permission, specifically images and trademarks associated with Peanut the Squirrel, which he owns.

The creature at hand, affectionately named “P’Nut,” is actually a male eastern grey squirrel that was saved by Longo back in 2017. He gained widespread popularity online through an influential Instagram account, “P.NUT Sanctuary,” which documented his mischievous activities.

Unfortunately, the tale of this creature took a turn for the worse on October 30, 2024, as the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation confiscated it from Longo’s residence and put it down following rabies tests.

Allegations Against Binance

In a post on the 16th of December, Longo publicly claimed that Binance had been using the PNUT trademark for their crypto services without obtaining his explicit consent in a letter he sent to them.

As an analyst, I’m reporting on a claim made by an animal rights advocate. He alleges that a crypto exchange, Binance, has illegally utilized his trademark, logos related to “Peanut the Squirrel,” and associated visuals. These assets have been in his possession since he first rescued the squirrel. The advocate is insisting that Binance cease this infringement, provide proof of compliance by December 17, and pledge not to repeat such violations in the future.

He argued that these actions caused the platform’s users to incorrectly link the meme coins branded as PNUT, which were being traded, with his conservation projects he was promoting.

If Binance does not follow the rules, Longo has the option to take legal action, potentially claiming compensation and penalties under the U.S. Copyright Act (up to $150,000 for willful infringement). At the time of this writing, Binance had not yet responded to the cease-and-desist notice.

Peanut-Themed Meme Tokens Suffer Different Fates

Earlier, Longo introduced the JUSTICE token on the Pump.fun platform following his criticism towards the crypto community, who he felt were exploiting his grief by minting the Peanut the Squirrel (PNUT) coin shortly after the beloved rodent’s demise.

Initially, PNUT’s total value surged past $1 billion when Binance started trading it alongside other meme coins. Conversely, JUSTICE saw a dramatic loss of over 99% of its initial $53.8 million market cap shortly after launch, due to allegations of intense selling pressure.

At the moment, one coin has increased by 34%, giving it a value of $373,026 per platform like CoinGecko. Conversely, PNUT experienced a decrease of 4.1% within the last day, but despite this dip, its market capitalization still exceeds $1 billion.

Following the setback experienced by JUSTICE, I observed the introduction of another coin, Justice for Peanut (JFP), which unfortunately faced a similar predicament. Within hours of its launch, it saw a significant 67% drop in price. Although its current price is nearly 70% below its peak of $0.001705, reached on December 13, 2024, the market value of its circulating supply currently stands at a more respectable $2.2 million.

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2024-12-16 14:24