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 instructed Decrypt in an interview, claiming the endeavor will even profit youngsters by way of donations to a nonprofit known as Operation Smile.
The 62-year-old, who has lived behind bars for seven years, didn’t launch the meme coin himself. As a substitute, 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 movie star meme cash find yourself as flash within the pan. Their worth typically hinges on folks’s consideration, which might fade rapidly. 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 smash my status,” the previous wildlife park proprietor mentioned. “I am hoping that folks will see that is legit and it has a objective.”
Superstar 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 bought caught flat-footed. Her coin, dubbed HAWK, grew to become a fiasco after it imploded. A spokesperson instructed Decrypt she “had zero management over it.”
EXOTIC debuted on a little-known launchpad known as pumpkin.enjoyable. The meme coin’s market cap initially surged to $900,000 however has since fallen to only over $100,000, in line with the crypto information supplier GeckoTerminal. It has lower than 900 holders in whole, per blockchain information.
The web site for Unique’s meme coin doesn’t reference the undertaking’s aim of contributing funds to Operation Smile. Nevertheless, it does say tokens will likely 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 bought behind the thought of launching a meme coin as a technique to showcase his dedication to charitable work. That’s a purpose for him to be free, he mentioned, versus “sitting in right here, watching folks do medication all day.”
Challenge Smiles and Unique’s legal professionals didn’t reply to requests for remark from Decrypt.
Unique is at the moment being held at FMC Fort Price, an administrative safety heart, in line with the U.S. Federal Bureau of Prisons He routinely makes use of the phone to attach with the skin world, holding followers up-to-date by way of podcasts and X Areas.
In relation to crypto, Unique has been in a position to take in lots, even studying from different inmates. Whereas aware of key phrases, his real-word expertise is admittedly restricted.
“There’s not lots to do all day moreover sit and discuss to individuals who know shit,” he mentioned. “I do lots from right here, however I don’t even know methods 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 towards 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 known as “Tiger King Coin” was launched as nicely. 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 could affect folks’s perceptions of the one which simply launched.
Operation Smile, based in 1982, gives cleft lip and palate restore surgical procedures for youngsters the world over. Unique hopes his meme coin can finally assist that initiative transferring ahead.
“Individuals really want to put money into it,” he mentioned. “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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