The first "fake death Rashomon" in crypto history? The complete record of Zerebro co-founder Jeffy's fake death风波
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The first "fake death Rashomon" in crypto history? The complete record of Zerebro co-founder Jeffy's fake death风波
What is the truth behind the confusion?
Navigating Web3 tides with focused insightsBy KarenZ, Foresight News
This week in the crypto world, the "fake death" controversy surrounding Jeffy Yu, founder of the Zerebro project, has undoubtedly become the most contentious focal point.
From the initial rumors of "suicide" to the gradual exposure of the "fake death" truth, this incident has sparked intense debate—some denounce his alleged market manipulation, while others express sympathy, viewing it as a desperate act of survival under pressure.
Was this a meticulously orchestrated scam? Or an extreme portrayal of human struggle within the crypto ecosystem?
Act One: Death Livestream and the Legacy Coin Manifesto
The event began on May 4, 2025, when 22-year-old Jeffy Yu conducted a livestream on pump.fun. However, the stream ended in a shocking manner. Multiple community users claimed, "Jeffy Yu committed suicide during the livestream—he smoked a cigarette, then pointed a gun at his neck and pulled the trigger, after which the screen went dark."
The related video quickly spread across Twitter, instantly shrouding the crypto community in mourning. Yet, due to lack of official confirmation, some users began questioning whether the incident was merely a marketing stunt.
Prior to the livestream, Jeffy Yu had published an article about "Legacoin," which also drew significant attention. He introduced the concept of a "legacy memecoin"—a digital asset developers commit to buying but never selling, permanently locking it on the blockchain upon their death, thus achieving "eternal digital legacy."
On the same day as the livestream, a token named LLJEFFY launched on pump.fun.
Act Two: Obituary Released, Community Members Post Tributes
On May 5, the obituary platform Legacy published a notice announcing Jeffy Yu's passing, detailing his background: admitted to Stanford University’s computer science program at age 15, later studied at Northeastern University and Arizona State University; became a software engineer in Santa Cruz at 19; co-founded a company at 21 that reached an $800 million valuation within six months. The obituary stated Jeffy Yu was 22 at the time of death but did not specify the cause.
Community members widely believed this referred to the co-founder of Zerebro. Currently, both Jeffy Yu's official X account and Zerebro's official X account are inaccessible, leading many to believe he had truly passed away. Community members began posting tributes.
Act Three: Dead Man's Switch Activated, Truth Begins to Emerge
Naturally, I remained personally skeptical. One reason was that the Legacy platform allows users to pay for publishing obituaries.
Sure enough, while the community remained in grief, on May 6, a scheduled post appeared on Jeffy Yu’s Mirror account. It read, "If you're reading this, it's because my 72-hour dead man's switch has been triggered. At least physically, I am no longer among the living."
Jeffy Yu then half-jokingly added: "Or maybe it's just my ADHD acting up (oops, I'll update again once I suddenly realize 'oh shit,' assuming the token hasn't launched yet—that'd be awkward)."
He proceeded to introduce the core of the article—"Legacoin"—calling it his final artwork, codenamed LLJEFFY. He explicitly stated, "Legacoin is not an investment, nor a security—it does not meet the definition of a security, involves no advertising or speculation, and is entirely voluntary. I define it as the opposite of a security. I will use my earnings to buy tokens and then burn them." He mentioned that when the dead man's switch (DMS) activates, his relatives would receive instructions and funds. This mechanism aims to permanently lock the tokens on the blockchain, symbolizing an "eternal tomb in cyberspace."
Jeffy Yu openly expressed his deep disdain for money. He wrote, "I hate money. Money has never made me happy, and it never will make you happy." He viewed Legacoin as a "burning ritual," a physical manifestation of his hatred toward money. He also defined it as an "interactive performance art," a "living digital painting" collectively drawn by human souls worldwide—forever unfinished and perpetually being created.
At the same time, Jeffy Yu stated: "Once I became somewhat wealthy and famous online, everything meaningful collapsed—friends, family, romantic relationships, co-founders. Everything ceased to be pure."
The appearance of this article further deepened the mystery. Meanwhile, the LLJEFFY token surged sharply, briefly exceeding a $30 million market cap.
Act Four: Truth Revealed? Fake Death Sparks Outrage
Crypto KOL Irene Zhao commented, "I just asked someone who knows. He said jeff (Zerebro developer Jeffy Yu) faked his death. Okay, everyone, move along."
Subsequently, DeFi developer Daniele revealed that the Zerebro founder fabricated a false obituary, causing the entire community to mourn him. However, a recently leaked letter indicated this was a carefully planned "pseudo-death exit" strategy. In the letter, the Zerebro founder admitted this was the only way to escape ongoing harassment, blackmail, and threats.
In the letter, Jeffy Yu wrote, "From February to March, I endured prolonged harassment and telecom fraud from a former partner. Now, I'm being targeted and blackmailed by another individual. I've continuously been a victim of online hate crimes, including frequent doxxing of my home address and phone number, severely endangering my personal safety. These acts are also laced with hate speech targeting my race, gender identity, and personal achievements."
Jeffy Yu admitted, "If I publicly announced my departure, the prices of ZEREBRO and OPAUM tokens would plummet, triggering even more severe consequences. When our token prices crashed over 90% in January, I already faced increased hostility. Retiring would only invite more doxxing or even potential physical attacks, as investors would suffer losses from the project's failure. By disappearing from platforms and community view, my safety would be greatly ensured, and I could escape extortion."
Jeffy Yu claimed he would henceforth focus entirely on music creation under anonymity, seeking only safety, peace, and creative freedom.
Of course, Jeffy Yu has informed his family and friends of the truth, expressed willingness to cooperate with law enforcement in any necessary capacity, and shut down all social media accounts to sever ties with the community. He also stated, "I did not profit from this. On the contrary, I incurred substantial legal fees and costs for this planned exit."
On the same day, Legacy疑似 deleted the announcement of Zerebro co-founder Jeffy Yu's death—the link now shows no information—further supporting the "fake death" claim.
After serious doubts emerged in the crypto community regarding Jeffy Yu's integrity, LLJEFFY rapidly dropped, falling to around $2.5 million before rebounding to $5.6 million.
In addition, according to Lookonchain monitoring, a wallet potentially linked to Jeffy Yu sold 35.55 million ZEREBRO tokens on May 7, receiving 8,572 SOL (approximately $1.27 million), then transferred 7,100 SOL (about $1.06 million) to the LLJEFFY developer wallet (address starting with G5sjgj).
Act Five: Crypto Community's Anger and Skepticism
Jeffy Yu's "fake death" incident not only severely damaged Zerebro's reputation but also cast uncertainty over LLJEFFY's future.
The crypto community's reaction has been complex and intense. On one hand, many are furious at Jeffy Yu, accusing him of deceiving community sentiment to evade responsibility—and possibly cashing out in the process. On the other hand, a small portion of users express sympathy for his situation and urge the community to reflect on the dangers of online harassment.
Meanwhile, Jeffy Yu's actions have sparked discussions about founders' responsibilities. His "fake death" may have protected himself and his family, but it also harmed investors and community members who trusted him. While cryptocurrency's anonymity and decentralization foster innovation, they also enable irresponsible behavior.
I previously noticed that Jeffy Yu had announced Zerebro’s new album would release by the end of May, hinting at a possible collaboration with Kanye West. Kanye West is a controversial musician who has frequently made headlines in recent years due to his music and erratic public behavior. Some community members questioned whether this was merely a publicity tactic for a new project. @nanostrategies asked, "How do we explain Jeffy Yu’s Kanye-like behavior? The most plausible explanation is drawing attention ahead of promoting his next music project."
Internal Conflict: From Co-Founders to Strangers
Zerebro was co-founded by Jeffy Yu and Tint. Tint previously noted that Blorm is the parent company of Zerebro, Blormmy (Solana AiFi agent), and opaium (AI music label).
As mentioned earlier, in what appears to be a scheduled article, Jeffy Yu stated, "Once I became somewhat wealthy and famous online, everything meaningful collapsed—friends, family, romantic relationships, co-founders." The term "co-founder" likely refers to Tint, suggesting their relationship had long been strained.
Based on my observation, Tint and Jeffy Yu had already parted ways prior to this. After the "fake death" incident, Blorm issued a public clarification: Tint and Jeffy Yu will now focus on their respective projects. Jeffy will no longer participate in Blorm or Blormmy; Tint will no longer engage in Zerebro-related projects or any other projects led by Jeffy or his affiliates, instead continuing independently to develop the Blorm and Blormmy ecosystems.
Conclusion
The Jeffy Yu "fake death" scandal acts like a multifaceted mirror, reflecting the complex ecology of the crypto community. For him personally, it may mark the beginning of escaping hardship and regaining freedom; for the broader crypto community, however, it serves as a sobering wake-up call. It reminds us that in pursuing innovation and wealth, we must confront human complexity, recognize the importance of responsibility, and urgently build a healthier community ecosystem. The ripple effects of this incident will continue to reverberate throughout the crypto world.
Although the authenticity of the letter exposed by Daniele appears high, within the chaotic fog of the crypto world, the full truth may forever remain slightly elusive.
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