Haliey Welch, widely known as the Hawk Tuah girl, now faces new legal scrutiny after a federal class action lawsuit added her name to an ongoing case involving a failed Solana meme coin. The updated filing claims that Welch played a central role in a promotional effort that encouraged thousands of retail buyers to support a token that collapsed within minutes of trading. The lawsuit says the token’s design and marketing created conditions that helped insiders exit early with significant gains. Moreover, the filing links the token’s launch to a broader pattern of alleged rug-pull activity involving the same wallet clusters. New Filing Claims Welch Became a Key Player in the Launch The latest complaint says Welch earned up to $325,000 for the promotion. The filing claims she received $125,000 upfront and expected an additional $200,000 after meeting specific milestones. Besides this, the agreement allegedly placed her at the center of a full marketing funnel managed by Memetic Labs. The complaint says her involvement encouraged buyers who trusted her expanding online presence. Welch gained significant visibility in 2024 after a viral interview shaped her online identity. She later built a large audience and launched a successful podcast. The filing claims she used this momentum to promote the Hawk Tuah token as a new cultural product with subscription-style benefits. However, the lawsuit argues that the team never created the technology needed to support these claimed features. Lawsuit Alleges Token Collapsed as Insiders Exited Quickly The Hawk Tuah token reached a market cap near $490 million within minutes of trading. The price then dropped more than 90% shortly after launch. Hence, the complaint states that the crash occurred during a period when insiders sold large portions of their supply for more than $1.2 million. Additionally, investigators tracked the same wallet activity across earlier failed meme coins, including LIBRA , M3M3, AIAI, and a separate token tied to former political branding deals. Significantly, the filing links these patterns to similar timing and extraction methods across past collapses. Consequently, the new amendment names Welch, her manager Johnnie Forster, and her company 16 Minutes LLC as defendants. The complaint says Forster aligned Welch’s brand with the token’s rollout and promoted the launch himself. Moreover, the updated filing argues that 16 Minutes LLC negotiated the monetization agreement that supported the campaign. Legal Team Expands Case as Investigations Continue Burwick Law now seeks permission to proceed with new fraud allegations. The firm also requests expanded methods to reach the remaining defendants linked to the launch. Additionally, investigators continue to review related wallet flows tied to earlier meme coin failures.
