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@ShiLLin_ViLLian, the latest Twitter NFT community influencer, has received a rare Mutant Ape Yacht Club (MAYC) NFT worth $50k – for free! The gift comes from @machibigbrother, another member of the NFT community with a considerable following. News of the MAYC gift has split the NFT community, with many happy for the angry lizard pfp character, ShiLLin_ViLLian. For some, this gift has questionable motives and is morally wrong. However, others have pointed to a @ZachXBT thread in which he accuses @machibigbrother of various NFT scams, rug pulls, and embezzling over 22 thousand ETH.
The new owner of the rare MAYC NFT is Alex, known as ShiLLin_ViLLian. Alex has risen to NFT Twitter notoriety over the last few months and has even appeared on Farokh’s podcast, Rug Radio. He is often very vocal in Twitter Spaces, and his rowdy personality splits opinions. Now, with over 80 thousand Twitter followers, he is becoming more influential in the NFT community.
Following the gift of the MAYC NFT (#15327), the popular angry lizard ShiLLin_ViLLian has discussed the divide this has caused.
To clarify the situation, ShiLLin_ViLLian even ran a poll on what to do with the NFT. Interestingly, one-third (33.9%) said that ShiLLin_ViLLian should keep the NFT. However, 32% said they should burn it, and 24.2% said they should sell it. Only 10% said they should return it to Machi.
The NFT gift and its controversy have taken a toll on the new Twitter influencer, ShiLLin_ViLLian. They tweeted, “Taking a break from crypto Twitter after tonight. I didn’t think many people would be upset with this account accepting a gift.”
@Threadoor, another popular NFT influencer, announced their surprise at everyone celebrating the gift from Machi. They tweeted, “Everyone celebrating Machi giving @ShiLLin_ViLLian a mutant, but did y’all forget that Machi stole and rugged 22,000ETH+? I’ve seen comments saying Machi should be on the council. This is what is holding this space back.”
The accusations link back to a tweet and article by famous NFT Twitter detective ZachXBT in June. In one of his notoriously detailed investigations, he concluded that Machi had embezzled 22 thousand of ETH through rug pulls and schemes. Of course, this isn’t legally binding, and Machi denies the claims.
The situation is interesting and nuanced. Sending The MAYC NFT for free to the latest Twitter NFT influencer is nice, but there are certainly caveats that come with accepting this kind of gift, both legally and morally. For now, the jury is out on whether Machi is nefarious, and others have pointed out the good things he does in the space.
Finally, we can all agree that the Mutant Ape NFT is an excellent piece of art, and ShiLLin_ViLLian is lucky to own it.
All investment/financial opinions expressed by NFTevening.com are not recommendations.
This article is educational material.
As always, make your own research prior to making any kind of investment.
James is an English teacher and freelance writer with a passion for NFTs, football, film and technology.
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