A Solana memecoin linked to a false death report about Jonathan, the 193-year-old tortoise, reportedly jumped more than 6,000% before pulling back sharply after the hoax spread across X and other news outlets caught on. The token, called JONATHAN, was still trading at $0.00007998, according to reports.
Token Surge Followed The Hoax
The scam began with a post from an account pretending to be veterinarian Joe Hollins, the real doctor who has cared for Jonathan on Saint Helena, a British territory in the South Atlantic.
The fake post (below) claimed the tortoise had died and pushed users toward a Solana memecoin tied to the story. Some news outlets initially amplified the false death claim before it was debunked.
Thank you all for the outpouring of love for Jonathan as we mourn his passing. Over the years as his vet, one of my favorite memories was watching him slowly make his way across the lawn at Plantation House on warm afternoons, completely unbothered by the passage of time.
Even…
— Nanoracks (@nanoracks) April 1, 2026
It says Jonathan is still alive! Who are you?,
— Becky S. ?????? (??) (@BeckySpooner1) April 1, 2026
Both the Governor of Saint Helena, Nigel Phillips, and the real Joe Hollins subsequently confirmed that Jonathan was still alive.
The setup was simple and fast. A trusted identity was copied, a sad story was posted, and crypto was added to the mix before many users had time to check the facts.
A crypto news site reported that the false account was used to promote donations and token buying, turning a strange animal story into a short-lived trading frenzy.
The real Joe Hollins with Jonathan The Tortoise. Photograph: Saint Helena/PA
X Puts New Limits On Crypto Posts
The episode also drew a response from X. Nikita Bier, head of product at the platform, said the company was looking at new rules for users who mention crypto for the first time.
Under the plan he outlined, accounts could be locked and pushed through verification before posting. Bier said the goal was to strip away most of the reward scammers get from these schemes.
Yeah we’re aware.
We are in the process of implementing auto-locking + verification if a user posts about cryptocurrency for the first time in the history of their account.
This should kill 99% of the incentive, especially since Google isn’t doing shit to stop the phishing…
— Nikita Bier (@nikitabier) April 1, 2026
His remarks came as X faced another reminder of how quickly fake claims can move on the site. According to the report, the scam used phishing-style access and impersonation tactics that are already familiar in crypto fraud.
The difference here was the subject. Instead of a celebrity or politician, the hook was a tortoise known around the world for its age.
BTCUSD trading at $66,903 on the 24-hour chart: TradingView
A Familiar Scam Pattern
The Jonathan hoax was unusual in form, but not in method. Scammers often use anonymous or fake accounts to spread false promises and fake memecoins.
The report also pointed out that unauthorized tokens have been created around public figures before, including Sanae Takaichi and US President Donald Trump.
That pattern has a simple shape: grab attention, borrow trust, and add a token before the lie is exposed. In this case, the price spike was brief, the false death claim was exposed, and the tortoise at the center of it all remained alive.
Featured image from Gillian Moore/Alamy Stock Photo, chart from TradingView
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