Former Pudgy Penguins Co-Founder Sells Out Spritehood NFTs

Pudgy Penguins was launched in July 2021 by Cole Villemain and three other college students, becoming one of the NFT boom’s best-known profile-picture collections. Villemain later left amid community criticism over unfulfilled product promises and fund management, before entrepreneur Luca Netz bought the brand for 750 ETH, then worth $2.5 million, in April 2022. His return on Robinhood Chain, which went live on July 1, 2026, tests both renewed NFT demand and investors’ willingness to look past his record.

Spritehood sold all 44,444 NFTs within 53 minutes, generating about $1.28 million for Villemain, according to reports on Aug. 14, 2026. The rapid sale contrasted with lingering disclosure concerns: as of Aug. 14, the project’s smart contract had not been source-code verified, limiting independent scrutiny of its functions, permissions and handling of funds. Combined with Villemain’s previous controversies, the omission prompted warnings from crypto community members about a possible cash grab and potential risks to buyers’ assets.