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Transfers from AssangeDAO’s address raise concerns of possible rug pulls, prompting scrutiny over transparency and financial practices.
Having launched in 2022, AssangeDAO quickly gained prominence for its affiliation with Julian Assange, an Australian hacktivist known for founding WikiLeaks, a platform dedicated to publishing classified information from anonymous sources.
With Assange facing extradition following a UK High Court ruling in 2021, supporters formed AssangeDAO, aiming to advocate for his release. The campaign raised over 17,400 ETH in crypto donations, including a contribution from Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin.
@VitalikButerin talk about @AssangeDAO
— Big Time | ❤️ Dragon Year (@bigbabon_) February 22, 2022
He is still support this dao, free Assange and justice for people.#dao #eth #assangedao pic.twitter.com/WEeJalTtJM
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However, recent on-chain transfers have cast doubt on AssangeDAO’s transparency. On Mar. 10 a 100 ETH transaction from AssangeDAO’s address sparked concerns of a potential “soft rug pull,” as the recipient of the funds appeared to be “directly linked to the decentralized autonomous organization,” analysts at SlowMist revealed in a recent blog post.
An analysis conducted jointly by SlowMist and RescuETH revealed that starting from 2022, AssangeDAO transferred the majority of its funds to various addresses, including several deposit addresses of crypto exchanges like Kraken and Coinbase. Additionally, the organization sent over 1,000 Ethereum (ETH) to multiple unknown smart contracts, disseminating the funds across multiple addresses.
SlowMist analysts emphasized the need for transparency within DAO operations, noting that the recent significant fund transfers “have raised many questions, particularly regarding the ultimate destination of the funds.”
The blockchain forensics firm notes that while the true intentions behind AssangeDAO “remain unknown,” investors are advised to exercise caution and conduct thorough due diligence before engaging with the organization. As of press time, AssangeDAO has not issued any public statements regarding the matter.
Read more: Assange DAO raises over $38m to help free Julian Assange