There’s a lot going on here.
Analyze This
In an incredibly detailed new investigation, a group of digital sleuths have accused YouTuber Jimmy “MrBeast” Donaldson of getting crypto-rich from numerous scams.
“A team of researchers has since conducted a more detailed analysis, uncovering connections to over 50 cryptocurrency wallets linked to MrBeast,” the analysts wrote on their website, Loock.io. “Their findings suggest a long history of insider trading, misleading investors, and using his influence to promote tokens, only to later dump them on the market.”
The Loock team is alleging, among other things, that Donaldson’s public relationships with crypto shills can be traced to his crypto activity to demonstrate that he was tipped off about projects before their value ballooned. Paired with his alleged participation in scammy crypto projects, MrBeast is said to have made $23 million worth of digital currencies — money he doesn’t need considering that he’s gotten ludicrously rich from his various businesses.
Behind the scam-busting Loock team are chain analysts Kasper Vanderloock, and others who go under the handles SomaXBT, hxnterson, angelfacepeanut, and rfparson. Together, the quartet have mapped Donaldson’s “hive of wallets” over a period of years, starting with his purchases of popular non-fungible tokens (NFTs) back in 2021, when those so-called “digital assets” still had value.
Context Clues
Though fascinating and clearly very deep, Gizmodo characterizes this “mapping out the Beast” as dense and difficult to parse even for those familiar with how crypto works.
And as Giz notes, the allegations aren’t exactly shocking given all the context about the 25-year-old YouTuber’s other alleged wrongdoing (Donaldson didn’t respond to Gizmodo‘s request for comment.)
This year, Donaldson has been accused of everything from misleading children into participating in his giveaways and making racist remarks when he was younger to fostering an unsafe and toxic workplace on the set of his “Beast Game” contest show.
If those other allegations against him hold up, these sprawling claims of crypto malfeasance would seem to make sense — if only one could make sense of the Loock team’s investigative methods.
More on accused crypto scammers: Crypto Bro and Alleged Fraudster Appointed Leader of a Tiny “Micronation” in Eastern Europe
Share This Article