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Scammers exploited a forced rename to squat Steinberger’s GitHub and X accounts, fueling fake token claims.
Open-source AI assistant ClawdBot founder Peter Steinberger has said that he has never issued a token and that any crypto projects claiming his involvement are scams, after his GitHub and X accounts were taken over during a forced rename.
The incident has triggered a fresh wave of debate about meme coins built around viral tech projects and how attention around open-source software often spills into speculative trading without developer consent.
Founder Disavows Tokens as Scammers Exploit ClawdBot Name
Steinberger, who recently renamed the project Moltbot due to trademark issues, said an error during the rename process allowed crypto scammers to squat on his GitHub and X accounts.
In several posts on X, he asked crypto users to stop “harassing” him and said he is working with GitHub to recover access.
“I will never do a coin,” he wrote. “Any project that lists me as coin owner is a SCAM.”
He also added that he will not accept token-related fees and that such claims are damaging the project.
The situation unfolded as trading interest grew around CLAWD, a Solana-based meme coin launched via pump.fun, that some traders loosely tied to ClawdBot. Several crypto accounts promoted the token, while others pushed back.
On January 25, researcher Stitchdegen stressed that CLAWD is not an official token and confirmed Steinberger had denied any involvement in the project. Software developer Ozmen wrote on January 27 that similar scams hit many open-source projects once they gain visibility, advising founders to clearly state non-involvement and ignore the noise.
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However, not all reactions were sympathetic. Crypto trader Kotonono Tsumugi criticized Steinberger’s supposedly anti-crypto stance in a January 27 post, while meme coin enthusiast Latuche joked that the harassment would never fully stop. Meanwhile, tech commentator Robert Scoble said he has also turned down token requests, adding that there are other ways to fund projects that do not involve coins.
A Familiar Pattern in Meme Coin Speculation
The ClawdBot dispute follows a pattern seen across crypto, where viral ideas or public figures become raw material for fast-moving tokens. Earlier this month, AI-themed meme coin RALPH fell about 80% after a wallet linked to its developer sold roughly $300,000 in tokens, sparking a public argument over trust and alignment. In that case, the developer said he did not consent to the token’s creation, a claim that did little to calm traders.
Warnings from industry figures have also grown louder. On January 13, former Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao criticized traders for treating casual posts as investment signals and warned them that buying meme coins inspired by his jokes would likely lead to losses.
For Steinberger, the focus remains on software, not speculation. According to him, ClawdBot is a young hobby project with “sharp edges” that is meant to inspire builders, not generate financial pressure.
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