Dean Norris, known for his memorable role as Hank Schrader on the television show Breaking Bad, recently revealed that his account on a social media platform was compromised to promote a fraudulent memecoin. In a video posted on January 26, Norris condemned the memecoin, named DEAN, describing it as a complete scam. He expressed his frustration towards critics on Reddit, who insulted him for an event over which he had no control.
The hackers shared various posts, including manipulated images of Norris allegedly endorsing the new cryptocurrency. One of the misleading posts featured a fake video of him claiming the token’s authenticity, suggesting it was legitimate. Speculation has arisen among some internet users that this video could have been produced using artificial intelligence technology or it was taken out of context from a paid promotional service where Norris participates.
Data from a blockchain analysis provider reveals that the memecoin skyrocketed to a valuation of approximately $8.43 million on its launch date, January 25, only to plummet below $60,000 shortly thereafter. This translates to a staggering drop of over 96% in value, causing considerable losses for uninformed investors.
In a subsequent message, Norris clarified that he does not operate a Telegram account and stated that he rarely utilizes social media. He was unaware of the hacking incident until he received notifications from concerned friends.
This incident marks the second time Norris’s online presence has been exploited for cryptocurrency schemes. Previously, in November, an investigative analysis linked account breaches involving Norris to a broader scam, which had victimized other high-profile accounts as well. Furthermore, the hacking situation follows rising trends in cryptocurrency endorsements, highlighted recently by a sudden surge in interest following a notable launch connected to a former political figure.
