The crypto community has condemned the emergence of tokens linked to two recent tragedy. The murder of conservative US activist Charlie Kirk and stab wounds of Ukrainian refugee Irina Zaltzka.
Critics brand the move as “immoral” and “deprecating”, accusing the creator of exploiting grief and seeking public attention for profit.
How human losses fueled opportunistic codes
In the crypto market, the launch of new tokens following the headline making event is not new. For example, in the second half of 2024, the PNUT memecoin was created amid a public protest against the euthanasia of a squirrel called Peanuts.
Similarly, Elon Musk’s reference to himself as “The Dogefather” sparked a wave of Dogefather’s theme token launches. However, what sets the latest release apart is its direct connection to major human tragedy.
As reported by the BBC, 31-year-old Charlie Kirk was fatally shot around 12:20pm local time. This happened while talking during his “American Comeback Tour” at Utah Valley University. The event turned into chaos as news of his death spread.
Former US Presidents Joe Biden and Barack Obama, as well as several White House officials, have since expressed their sadness.
“Even the great and legendary, Charlie Kirk is dead. He didn’t understand the center of the youth of the United States better than Charlie or he didn’t have a better chance of it than Charlie.
– Whitehouse (@Whitehouse) September 10, 2025
Separately, Iryna Zarutska, a 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee who fled the war in her hometown, was stabbed to death on August 22nd by train. These deaths sparked national grief and political debate, but they also facilitated a wave of opportunistic token launches.
Dexscreener data shows that several “Charlie’s Justice” tokens appeared almost immediately after the news broke, warnings about unethical benefits in the crypto space.
Notably, some of these tokens had skyrocketed in value within hours, climbing tens of thousands of percent.
Starting the Charlie Token. Source: DexScreener
Similarly, several “Iryna’s Justice” tokens also appeared in September. The token frenzy gained even more traction after Musk’s $1 million donation pledge. This pumped some tokens.
However, the latest data showed that the meme coin crashed and was red at press time.
Starting Iryna Token. Source: DexScreener
Crypto’s Ethical Dilemma: Critics Blame “Token of Justice” as a Scam
The launch of the token has also attracted a lot of criticism from the market. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Crypto Rug Muncher labeled most of these tokens as scams.
“It’s silly to launch a fraud token to benefit from someone else’s death,” the post read.
Analysts have revealed that the biggest Charlie Token (contract: cskfv8ephqwiyqxnjwxhkzhcmuynwbkhfgrkzgdjpump) has already recorded considerable insider sales. Additionally, GMGN has also flagged the creation of over 700 new wallets connected to the token. This is a pattern that is generally related to the behavior of artificial bundles and other red flags.
Another analyst estimated that the developer behind Charlie and the Irina Token had already pocketed nearly $2 million from the launch, questioning the morality of profiting from tragedy like this.
“I think it’s the same Cabal that ran the Irina Token trying to run Charlie RN. If there’s morality, just leave the deal,” Market Watcher added.
This list shows the benefits of some CT KOLS made from $Charlie Kirk Coins
Profit from tragedy.
Take a closer look at who makes the money. pic.twitter.com/mom3nmt1lr
– MASTR (@mastrxyz) September 10, 2025
Nevertheless, X’s post reflects split sentiment. Some traders have defended purchasing tokens as a way to honor Kirk and Zaltoska.
“This is not just a coin, it’s a movement of justice. All trade is not just speculation, it’s a way to support Irina. Communities are coming together, volume is surged, and many people feel the mission deeply.
The rise of “Justice Tokens” reveals one of the most difficult questions facing the crypto industry. Here is a line between innovation, speculation, and humanity. For some, these tokens are framed as symbols of solidarity.
For others, they are nothing more than a cynical attempt to benefit from the grief surrounding the tragic deaths of Charlie Kirk and Irina Zaltoska. Until the industry takes into account this tension, debate about the morality of cryptography only intensifies.
The death of Charlie Kirk became the flashpoint for the code in which the “justice” token first appeared in Beincrypto.
