Haliey Welch Shifts Blame on Hawk Tuah Coin Following December’s HAWK Controversy
Haliey Welch, also known as “Hawk Tuah Girl,” is now distancing herself from last December’s failed HAWK memecoin — despite previously describing it as a fully compliant and fan-focused token she was proud to launch. In a recent episode of her Talk Tuah podcast, Welch stated that she was questioned by the FBI and had to hand over her phone to the SEC, but was ultimately “cleared” of any wrongdoing. “They went through my phone, so they cleared me. I was good to go,” she said. “I wish we knew then what we know now.” She also avoided direct responsibility, framing herself as an unwitting pawn: “I don’t have anything to hide.”
Welch’s latest remarks — stating she didn’t understand crypto and felt “sick” that fans trusted her — sharply contrast with her initial announcement in November 2024. At that time, she expressed excitement about being part of meme culture and mentioned having “learned so much” while collaborating with launch partners to bring $HAWK to fruition.
The token, which was launched on Solana, briefly reached a $491 million market cap before plummeting below $100 million within hours. Welch’s team claimed the project was legally compliant and backed by a Cayman foundation, with tokens meant to vest over three years.
Welch claims that user losses were initially estimated at $1.2 million, but the real figure is closer to $180,000. However, there are still 10,149 token holders according to Solscan, and many of those holders have not sold, meaning their losses have yet to be realized. The $180,000 figure does not account for those holders.
Commenters on her podcast remain skeptical. “She admits that she didn’t know anything about it but decided to endorse it anyway and promote it?” one comment noted. “You should have never attached yourself to something you didn’t understand,” another added. HAWK prices have declined 99% since their December peak, with a current market capitalization of just $104,000 as of Tuesday morning.
