Is Jeffy Yu Alive? On-Chain Clues Suggest Zerebro Co-Founder Faked His Death

Jeffy Yu, the 22-year-old co-founder of the artificial intelligence (AI) crypto project Zerebro, is at the center of a growing controversy following reports that he may have faked his death. 

Initially believed to have committed suicide, Yu’s alleged passing triggered a massive surge in his legacy meme coin, LLJEFFY token. It skyrocketed to a market cap of around $105 million. However, mounting evidence suggests Yu may still be alive and actively involved in cryptocurrency transactions.

The Rise and Fall of Legacoin: Jeffy Yu’s Alleged Death and $105 Million Surge 

On May 4, a video surfaced on X (formerly Twitter) purportedly showing Yu taking his own life during a livestream on the Pump.fun platform. This prompted widespread shock in the crypto community. 

His now-deleted obituary was posted on the Legacy platform on May 6, and many tribute posts followed. That same day, a pre-scheduled article attributed to Yu was published. The article introduced the “Legacoin,” a new category of meme coins tied to legacy and permanence. 

Yu launched LLJEFFY as the first legacoin on the date of his alleged death.

“If you’re reading this, it’s because my 72 hour deadman’s switch triggered so i’m not here, at least physically or my adhd really got the best of me (oops, i’ll post an update when i have that ‘oh shit’ moment, embarrassing if the token isn’t live) this is a legacoin, my final art piece LLJEFFY,” the blog read.

The coin offers no promises or returns. It is described as “interactive performance art” where the trading activity on the blockchain reflects human emotions like fear, greed, and hope. Yu also expressed discontent with how wealth and fame led to the breakdown of meaningful relationships. 

“You only truly die when you’re forgotten How will you define your legacy?” Yu asked in his final blog.

After the blog went live, the associated token LLJEFFY surged in value. According to DEXScreener, its market capitalization reached approximately $105 million, marking an appreciation of 2,115%.

LLJEFFY Token Performance. Source: DEXScreener

Zerebro’s own token also saw a modest rise, pushing its market cap to $46.5 million. Nonetheless, the rise was fleeting. As of the latest data, LLJEFY has lost 96.19% of its value, with its current market cap at just $4.0 million. ZEREBRO has also faced a double-digit decline of 19.9%, according to CoinGecko data.

Is the Zerebro Co-Founder Still Alive? 

The rapid decline came as users started to post evidence that Yu was still alive and actively trading.

“Incredibly the ghost of the Zerebro dev is buying his “legacy coin” on his phantom wallet brings a whole new meaning to phantom wallet I guess,” a user noted.

On-chain analysis by X user Vee revealed that a wallet address (G5sjgjPdFdoz7hRa49yDobeSdqMooCmDwsCUERqLTfyr), allegedly linked to Yu, continued to be active after his reported passing.

“I’ve just noticed that one of Jeffy Yu’s addresses is dumping ZEREBRO, then sending USDC to the HTX exchange, and then that money is coming to Jeffy’s address that created LLJeffy,” Vee posted.

Moreover, Lookonchain revealed that a wallet, potentially associated with Yu, sold 35.55 million ZEREBRO for 8,572 SOL ($1.27 million). Following this, the wallet transferred 7,100 SOL ($1.06 million) to the developer wallet “G5sjgj” linked to LLJEFFY.

Further fueling suspicion, multiple sources, including crypto influencer Irene Zhao, cited insider knowledge claiming Yu faked his death. In addition, another user called Daniele posted a letter Yu allegedly sent to an early investor, admitting that he had created the video to move away from the public eye.

“Crypto just witnessed its first pseudocide exit strategy,” Daniele wrote.

In the letter, Yu shared that he had been harassed, blackmailed, and doxxed, leading him to fear for his safety. He outlined that stepping away openly would have negatively affected the value of his projects. Thus, he chose this route for his safety and peace.

“I have not profited from this situation; rather, the contrary, I have incurred substantial expenses in legal fees and related costs associated with this planned exit,” Yu wrote in the letter.

Jeffy Yu’s Alleged Letter. Source: X/Daniele

As of now, Yu’s whereabouts remain unconfirmed, and the crypto community continues to debate the implications of this unprecedented event.