Haliey Welch, widely recognized as the “Hawk Tuah” girl, has been cleared by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) following an investigation into her cryptocurrency venture, the $HAWK token. The SEC concluded its inquiry without imposing any charges or sanctions against Welch.
The decline of $HAWK token
In December 2024, Haliey Welch launched the $HAWK token on the Solana blockchain. The cryptocurrency experienced a meteoric rise, reaching a market capitalization of nearly $500 million, only to plummet by 95% within minutes. This rapid decline led to significant investor losses and prompted allegations of a pump-and-dump scheme.
Throughout the investigation, Haliey Welch maintained her innocence, asserting that she had been misled about the project’s execution. She expressed that the initiative was intended to be conducted properly, with plans to allocate half of the proceeds to charitable causes. Welch stated, “It was brought up to be a positive thing.”
Following months of cooperation with authorities, Welch expressed relief at the investigation’s closure. She stated, “For the past few months, I’ve been cooperating with all the authorities and attorneys, and finally, that work is complete.”
With the SEC’s decision, Welch faces no restrictions on future involvement in cryptocurrency or securities. Her attorney confirmed that there are no limitations on her future endeavors in these areas.
More from Haliey Welch
Looking ahead, Haliey Welch is set to relaunch her podcast, “Talk Tuah,” on April 8. The podcast will be produced independently by Welch’s company, 16 Minutes, and will be available in both audio and video formats.