Mark Longo, the man who became widely known through the Peanut the Squirrel saga, is now under renewed scrutiny from the crypto community over alleged involvement in multiple memecoin controversies. While he cultivated a public image as an animal lover harmed by government overreach, critics argue that his later token activity paints a far more complicated picture.
From viral outrage to token speculation
Public attention surged after New York State Department of Environmental Conservation agents raided Longo’s home on October 30, 2024, seizing Peanut the squirrel and Fred the raccoon, both of which were later euthanized. The emotional fallout quickly spread online and inspired a wave of Solana-based memecoins. One of them, PNUT, reportedly reached a $2.27 billion market capitalization at its peak and later secured listings on Coinbase and Binance.
Longo subsequently sent Binance a cease-and-desist letter, alleging trademark infringement tied to the exchange’s listing of PNUT. However, that move drew added attention because Longo himself has been promoting Peanut-themed tokens. According to the report, he pushed Justice for Peanut (JFP) in early December after previously launching JUSTICE in November.
On-chain concerns and community accusations
Blockchain analytics platform Bubblemaps flagged JUSTICE as a possible “cash grab”. The firm said wallet activity suggested strong signs of coordination, with one entity or a small group potentially controlling the relevant addresses. That structure, it argued, raised serious concerns for market participants.
Community criticism has been sharper still. An X user known as “Theodor von Meme” described Longo as a repeat scam figure within crypto and accused him of using Peanut’s death as a vehicle for profit through token launches, including JUSTICE. The report also linked Longo to earlier animal-themed coins, Ruby and Jewel, named after goats from his sanctuary. Some observers reportedly characterized those projects as rug pulls, though Longo had not publicly provided a full response to those claims by publication time.
Brand building, adult content, and monetization
Longo’s background has also fueled public fascination. Reports say he grew up in Greenwich, Connecticut, and graduated with an engineering degree before later building a presence on OnlyFans under the name “Squirrel Daddy.” Critics allege that Peanut’s online fame was used to funnel traffic toward that account and expand his personal brand.
Longo and his wife Daniela told the New York Post that they made $800,000 in one month on OnlyFans and used that income to buy a 350-acre property near Elmira, New York. Longo also acknowledged in media comments that Peanut’s internet fame had significantly benefited his adult-content business financially.
Taken together, the controversy centers on an apparent contradiction: Longo criticized others for profiting from Peanut’s death while facing accusations that he launched or promoted similarly themed memecoins for his own gain. That tension has kept his reputation deeply polarizing across crypto circles. The original report noted that Longo was contacted for comment, but no response had been received at the time of publication.