In a now-deleted post on X, Mark Longo, the owner of Peanut the Squirrel, has announced plans to sue PNUT holders for copyright infringement while launching his own meme coin.
Mark Longo’s Legal Threats Against PNUT Holders
Mark Longo has accused the PNUT community of profiting off his petβs story. In response, he has launched his own coin, JUSTICE, to protest and reclaim his narrative.
The Rise and Decline of $PNUT
The owner of Peanut, Mark Longo, has introduced his own coin named $JUSTICE (For Pnut and Fred) as an independent project, denouncing the original $PNUT. Currently, JUSTICE is experiencing a surge, reaching a $13 million market cap, while PNUT has been declining since its peak.
In a follow-up post on X, Longo threatened legal action against PNUT holders, accusing them of exploiting his story after New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) agents euthanized his pets, Peanut the squirrel and a raccoon named Fred, following an incident where Peanut bit an officer.
YOU USED MY STORY, MY SQUIRREL AND MY LIKENESS TO MAKE MILLIONS. How would you feel if NO ONE included your nonprofit, made millions, then offered a fraction of the money you made? You people are delusional. This is MY STORY AND YOU’RE USING IT.
Peanutβs Euthanasia Sparks Outcry
In late October, DEC agents seized Peanut and Fred from Longoβs home due to violations of state laws prohibiting the keeping of wild animals. Despite Longoβs claims that the animals were released into the wild, Peanutβs continued appearances in social media posts led to a raid by officials on Oct 30.
Tragically, both Peanut and Fred were euthanized on Nov. 1, after a bite from Peanut raised concerns about rabies. However, tests later confirmed that neither animal had the disease.
The euthanasia of Peanut, combined with the controversy surrounding the DECβs actions, sparked a widespread outcry. The incident gained further attention when Elon Musk tweeted in support of Peanut, turning the squirrel into a symbol of freedom and government overreach.
Squirrel_Dad Launches His Own Meme Coin
Following the euthanasia, the crypto community launched a meme coin called PNUT, inspired by Peanut the Squirrelβs internet fame. The tokenβs price surged following its Binance listing, driving widespread interest and speculation. However, it began to decline steadily afterward, with critics suggesting it may be another pump-and-dump scheme typical of the meme coin market.
Longo, who had built a loyal following for Peanut, expressed frustration at how the PNUT community used his petβs legacy for financial gain without offering him compensation.
In response to the overwhelming success of PNUT, Longo launched his own token dubbed JUSTICE as a way to assert control over his narrative and distance himself from the PNUT community. The token quickly gained attention, reaching a $13 million market cap, with its price soaring more than 50,000% in the 24 hours leading up to press time.
#CryptoAdoption #Web3Community