On social media, many viewers were baffled after a viral video showed the ‘Hawk Tuah’ girl breaking her silence for the first time to address the truth behind a major cryptocurrency scandal.
In a leaked podcast, Hailey Welch, better known as the ‘Hawk Tuah girl,’ has finally spoken out after weeks of silence.
She had largely stayed out of the public eye following a major cryptocurrency scandal.
The rise and fall of $HAWK token
In late 2024, Welch expanded her brand into cryptocurrency. She promoted a new digital coin, “$HAWK token”, which was introduced as a long-term investment.
Initially, the token skyrocketed in value, reaching $490 million.
However, it soon collapsed, losing over 90% of its worth. Many investors lost millions, leading to lawsuits against the creators.
Welch was not named in the lawsuit but faced significant backlash.
Haliey Welch addresses controversy after weeks of silence
Welch first gained viral fame for her infamous “hawk tuah” interview. The clip brought her so much publicity that she was able to quit her job and launch a podcast, “Talk Tuah with Haliey Welch”.
A leaked episode of “Talk Tuah” featuring FaZe Clan founder Banks surfaced on social media. During the discussion, Welch became emotional while addressing the controversy.
She revealed that the $HAWK token was pitched to her as a “long-term coin” that would “change the way everybody thinks about crypto.”
Welch expressed regret, saying, “I feel really bad for all the people that got affected by it. It just didn’t go the way I planned.” She admitted her biggest mistake was trusting a “friend of a friend” who handled the crypto deal.
“I probably should have looked into him a little bit more,” Welch added. She also noted that his behavior on the launch day made her suspicious.
“It’s all gonna be OK,” Banks reassured her. Welch admitted she felt terrible for those affected. She explained that she trusted the wrong people, believing the project would revolutionize crypto.
In the footage, Welch described the biggest mistake as trusting a ‘friend of a friend’ to lead the project. She admitted she should have done more research. On launch day, she noticed red flags but ignored them.
Banks criticizes Welch’s team
FaZe Clan’s Banks, who appeared in the leaked episode, criticized Welch’s management team. He called out their handling of the situation, stating, “These were nonstarters, and we were told this episode would only ever see the light of day if we explicitly greenlit it.”
Banks urged Welch to “fire everybody,” adding, “Poor girl, it’s a wonder how she found herself in this position in the first place.”
Following the leaked episode, Banks criticized Welch’s management team. He accused them of mishandling opportunities and imposing unnecessary restrictions on the podcast’s release.
Additionally, Banks urged Welch to ‘fire everybody,’ expressing sympathy for her situation.
Despite the backlash, Welch seems determined to rebuild her brand. Whether she can regain public trust remains uncertain.
However, her return to “Talk Tuah” suggests she is ready to move forward from the scandal.