Hawk Tua Girl Speaks Out After Cryptocurrency Fallout

LOS ANGELES, CA — Haliey Welch, widely known as the “Hawk Tua Girl” following her viral online fame, has broken her silence regarding the collapse of her cryptocurrency project, $HAWK. Once soaring to a $490 million valuation, the coin plummeted nearly 95% in value, raising serious questions about its legitimacy and prompting a series of lawsuits from disgruntled investors.

Welch, 22, first gained notoriety in 2023 for her humorous and raunchy response to a street interview question about sex, quickly rising to fame on social media. In her latest address to fans, she expressed her regret over the financial fallout from the $HAWK meme coin, stating, “I feel really bad for all the people that got affected by it and it just didn’t go the way I planned.”

After launching on December 4, 2024, the $HAWK token initially surged but quickly crashed, causing substantial losses for investors. Records showed that a small group of wallets held 96% of the tokens soon after launch, raising suspicions of insider trading.

Welch maintains she did not have malicious intent, asserting that her involvement stemmed from the initial promise that half of the token’s profits would benefit charity. However, her reputation has come under fire as she faces accusations of a pump-and-dump scheme.

“I probably should have looked into [the project’s creators] a little bit more,” Welch admitted, explaining that she was attracted to the project for its charitable intentions. Despite receiving an upfront payment of $125,000 for her promotional efforts, she claims she never received the additional funds promised.

In the aftermath, Welch has stated her commitment to cooperating with legal teams representing affected investors and aims to resolve the situation transparently. “I am fully cooperating with and am committed to assisting the legal team representing the individuals impacted, as well as help uncover the truth,” she said in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter.

The project has also drawn the attention of notable figures like Mark Cuban, who defended Welch, suggesting that she may not have fully understood the complexities of cryptocurrency. “It wasn’t something she fully understood. But she trusted the people around her,” Cuban stated in an interview.

The fallout has not only affected her public persona but also her recent ventures, as her podcast, “Talk Tuah,” has gone dormant since the scandal erupted. Welch emphasized the need for accountability amid the ongoing backlash, claiming the turbulent journey has motivated her to assist those impacted by the crypto crash.

As the legal battle ensues, Welch has expressed her intentions to redirect her efforts towards charitable initiatives, including a donation of proceeds from future podcast episodes to support animals affected by recent wildfires in California. “We’re trying to sort out all the pieces to get everything figured out and make everything right,” she concluded in her video address.