Home / Technology / Tortoise Scam: Jonathan Alive, Crypto Hoax Exposed
Tortoise Scam: Jonathan Alive, Crypto Hoax Exposed
2 Apr
Summary
- Jonathan, the world's oldest tortoise, was reportedly alive after a death hoax.
- A cryptocurrency scam used a fake veterinarian account on X/Twitter.
- The hoax falsely claimed Jonathan's death, causing trading spikes in a related meme coin.
Jonathan, the 193-year-old tortoise, has been confirmed alive, refuting a viral hoax that claimed his death. This deception originated from an X/Twitter account impersonating his veterinarian, falsely reporting the animal's passing on April Fools' Day. The fabricated news, amplified by a verified blue checkmark on the account, misled organizations like the BBC and Wikipedia.
Officials on Saint Helena, Jonathan's home island, quickly debunked the claims, issuing a statement confirming the tortoise is "very much alive and well." The involved X/Twitter account later admitted to the prank, which appears to have been financially motivated. Trading for a Jonathan the tortoise-themed Solana meme coin surged as the hoax spread, suggesting a deliberate attempt to manipulate the cryptocurrency market.
The account had previously altered its username and shared numerous posts about Jonathan and Saint Helena to establish credibility. Investigations suggest a history of cryptocurrency-related posts from the account, hinting at premeditation for the scam.
