Controversial figure 'Hawk Tuah' resurfaces at Las Vegas poker event, raising eyebrows
Posted on: May 5, 2025, 07:23h.Last updated on: May 5, 2025, 07:26h.
Breaking News: Famous internet personality Hailey Welch, known as the "Hawk Tuah girl," steps back into the limelight at a Las Vegas poker tournament following months of controversy over her failed cryptocurrency, $HAWK.
After achieving fame from a viral street interview, Welch quickly moved on to a podcast and crypto ventures, including the infamous $HAWK coin. The meme-coin quickly soared in value, but it soon crashed, leading to claims of a "pump-and-dump" scheme orchestrated by insiders.
With 96% of the $HAWK supply controlled by insiders and the SEC launching an investigation, accusations swirled around Welch and her team. The SEC eventually closed the case without filing charges against Welch following a three-month hiatus.
Plunging Headfirst into Poker
On the eve of the Celebrity Poker Tour event at Aria, Las Vegas, questions arose about Welch's decision to participate so soon after the $HAWK disaster. When a reporter probed her about the controversy, Welch and her publicist seemed unfazed, with her publicist stating that she'd decline to answer the question.
Allegations of gambling high-stakes with money she didn't understand surfaced, with Welch responding candidly that she didn't really understand poker or crypto very well. When asked about her $HAWK coin, she admitted that she felt sorry for those who lost money and learned the hard way to be cautious when it comes to partnering with shady projects.
Feeling the heat, Welch ended up finishing fifth out of ten in the poker tournament, competing against the likes of Jose Canseco, Adrian Peterson, and internet personalities.
The $HAWK Downfall
From humble beginnings as a bedspring factory worker in Belfast, Tenn., Welch experienced an abrupt rise to internet stardom that led to merchandise sales, a popular podcast, and, unfortunately, a meme-coin debacle.
Initially skyrocketing to a market cap of nearly $500 million, $HAWK quickly fell off a cliff, depositing cryptocurrency users millions of dollars in the red. The crash generated allegations of insider manipulation and a cash grab, as the SEC launched an investigation into the affair.
Despite the SEC closing the case without filing charges against her, Welch's reputation remains tarnished by the controversy surrounding her cryptocurrency venture.
Sources:- The Wall Street Journal- CoinDesk- Bloomberg- Coffeezilla (Investigative YouTube Channel)
- Hailey Welch, popularly recognized as the 'Hawk Tuah girl', returned to the spotlight at a Las Vegas poker tournament, following months of scrutiny due to the $HAWK crypto drama.
- Following her viral street interview fame, Welch ventured into a podcast, crypto investments, and even a cryptocurrency named $HAWK.
- At the brink of the Celebrity Poker Tour event at Aria, Las Vegas, questions swirled around Welch's decision to participate so soon after the $HAWK controversy.
- Allegations of gambling with ununderstood funds and lack of understanding of poker and crypto emerged, but Welch admitted her missteps and expressed remorse for those who lost money in the $HAWK debacle.
- Competing against celebrities like Jose Canseco, Adrian Peterson, and other internet personalities, Welch ended up ranking fifth out of ten in the poker tournament.
- Despite the SEC closing the case without filing charges against Welch, the $HAWK controversy left a lasting impression on her reputation.
- Originating from humble beginnings as a bedspring factory worker in Belfast, Tenn., Welch saw a dramatic rise to internet stardom, resulting in merchandise sales, a podcast, and the meteoric rise and fall of the $HAWK meme-coin.
- The $HAWK coin, initially valued over $400 million in the market, plummeted rapidly, costing investors millions of dollars, leading to suspicions of insider manipulation and a cash grab, with the SEC launching an investigation into the matter.