‘Hawk Tuah’ Star Haliey Welch Discusses HAWK Memecoin Collapse and Trauma

Internet personality Haliey Welch, who rose to fame through the “Hawk Tuah” meme, launched the Solana-based HAWK memecoin with Web3 platform OverHere on December 4, 2024. The token’s market capitalization briefly surged to about $400 million before plunging by more than 90%, prompting allegations of insider manipulation and highlighting the investment risks of crypto assets promoted by influencers.

In a March 2026 interview with Channel 5, Welch said the episode left her traumatized and exposed her to death threats. Her lawyer estimated that retail investors’ actual losses totaled about $200,000. Welch said she did not understand the token’s technology and held none of the funds raised. She was cleared of wrongdoing after cooperating with a U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation inquiry in 2025.