- Animoon: NFT project identified as rug pull scam defrauding investors.
- $6.3 million lost: Alleged fraudulent activities investigated by ZachXBT.
The NFT world has recently witnessed a major fraudulent case. Animoon, an NFT project that claimed to be a feature-rich play-to-earn (P2E) game, is now under scrutiny following allegations of fraudulent activities.
ZachXBT, infamous stealth, has detected Animoon rug pull. He revealed that the project’s founders, operating under the aliases maximadam_ and marc_blata, have swindled investors out of $6.3 million.
French authorities have launched a criminal inquiry into the enterprise, signaling their commitment to investigating the alleged scam. It is being carried out by the BRDA and managed by the Economic, Financial, and Commercial Affairs Section of the Public Prosecutor’s Office.
Allegations Mount Against NFT Animoon Founders
In early June, ZachXBT revealed on Twitter that Animoon had offered exclusive merchandise to token holders as part of its marketing strategy. The project promised Jordan sneakers to 100 holders, off-white shirts to another 100, and supreme shirts to 50. However, as time passed, the project team became more distant and provided fewer updates.
Further scrutiny revealed that Animoon had made false claims about signing a non-disclosure agreement with Pokémon. It is an act that amounted to plagiarism. Shortly after the NFT launch, the project’s team began working remotely and appearances in chats occurring only every 3-4 weeks.
During the investigation, ZachXBT discovered that the project’s founders were operating under pseudonyms. While maximadam_ presented himself as an “NFT specialist since 2013,” doubts emerged regarding the credibility and legitimacy of the team. Notably, both founders shared Instagram photos flaunting their wealth in Dubai, raising suspicions among investors.
Moreover, investigations unveiled that trading accounts on platforms like Binance and Kucoin had received gains totaling $6.3 million. Simultaneously, Animoon’s Twitter account was locked, the website went offline, and the discord general chat was disabled, leaving investors with limited avenues for recourse or communication.
French authorities’ involvement in pursuing a criminal inquiry underscores the seriousness of the allegations against Animoon. Their aim is to take appropriate legal action against those found responsible for deceiving investors.
The case of Animoon highlights the risks associated with the NFT market and underscores the importance of investors conducting thorough due diligence.
