- KSI revived his crypto Twitter account and YouTuber ZachXBT accused him of past pump-and-dump schemes on tokens like XCAD and ERN.
- KSI claimed his contradictory tweets were accidental as he was new to crypto, but Coffeezilla argues this still resembles an illegal pump-and-dump.
- The controversy highlights the risks of influencers promoting crypto without sufficient disclosure, as KSI’s tweets affected prices whether the pumps were successful or not.
YouTuber KSI is facing pump-and-dump allegations from crypto investigators ZachXBT and Coffeezilla after reopening his old crypto-focused Twitter account. KSI claimed his contradictory tweets were accidental, but the investigators allege he deliberately pumped and dumped tokens.
Background on the Controversy
On February 14, KSI revived his old crypto-focused Twitter account which has about 371,000 followers. A few hours later, ZachXBT replied to KSI’s post, claiming the YouTuber would start shilling “garbage” again. ZachXBT shared screenshots of KSI tweeting about investing in XCAD Network before dumping $850,000 worth of XCAD tokens shortly after.
ZachXBT highlighted other alleged examples of this pump-and-dump behavior from 2021 as well. After KSI tweeted he was bullish on Ethernity Chain, blockchain data showed he sold around $350,000 worth of ERN tokens hours later.
KSI’s Explanation
YouTuber Coffeezilla published a follow-up video sharing KSI’s side of the story. KSI claims he still believes in XCAD and didn’t have malicious intent. He says he sold some XCAD to invest in the now-collapsed Terra Luna Classic.
KSI explained that he was new to crypto and excited at the time. He claims every time he tweeted something, the opposite would occur, so he started tweeting the opposite of what he was actually doing.
Coffeezilla’s Rebuttal
However, Coffeezilla argues that publicly stating one thing while privately doing the opposite is the definition of a pump-and-dump scheme. He doesn’t believe KSI was unaware his tweets would affect prices.
Coffeezilla argues that whether the alleged pumps were successful or not, KSI’s behavior resembles an illegal pump-and-dump operation.
The crypto investigators stand by their allegations that KSI deliberately pumped and dumped tokens for profit. KSI maintains it was accidental and he still believes in the projects. The controversy highlights the risks of influencers promoting crypto projects without sufficient disclosure.
