Maybe I am missing something or am just naive, but isn't it fairly common for social media accounts of well-known figures to be taken over (hacked/phished/whatever) for the purpose of shilling some crypto scam? Launching a memecoin and then very quickly (30 min later, apparently) rugpulling seems like it would at least as likely fit that type of scam as it would being one where the public figure themselves is actually behind the scam.

Not making a claim as to what is actually true, just positing explanations. Heck, maybe plot twist: it is actually Eric Adams behind it, but the "account takeover" possibility was planned to serve as plausible deniability.

You know... like "an actor that's playing a dude, disguised as another dude" type thing.

Corrupt person engages in further corruption, shocked marks surprised to learn he hasn’t changed.

News at six.

Why not do it again, and again and again? Every alpha-generating tactic is legal when there's no enforcement.

I’d say this is more of a previously agreed upon payoff than a scam on people buying coins…

He must be desperate - the cheque from Bloomberg bounced.

And people wonder why Mamdani won, despite a massive propaganda campaign. There's a real demand for anti-corruption candidates, and occasionally it's possible to find someone who actually is, rather than simply an even worse grifter with better propaganda.

Note that the Trump administration exceptionally cancelled the prosecution of Adams for previous offences, enabling new offences: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c74nl3120k4o

I know it’s not right to blame the victim when someone gets scammed, but really.