194-Year-Old Jonathan the Tortoise Becomes Target of Elaborate Cryptocurrency Scam

TLDR

• An imposter X account masqueraded as Jonathan the tortoise’s veterinarian to announce a fabricated death
• Major publications including BBC, Daily Mail, and USA Today fell for the deception, which garnered 2 million views
• Cryptocurrency donations were being requested through the fraudulent account
• The governor of Saint Helena personally verified Jonathan was alive during a nighttime check
• Cryptocurrency scam losses reached an unprecedented $17 billion in 2025

An elaborate social media hoax declaring the death of the planet’s oldest living terrestrial animal transformed into a cryptocurrency fraud scheme that managed to deceive numerous prominent international news organizations.

Jonathan, a Seychelles giant tortoise aged 194 years who resides on Saint Helena island, became the subject of false death reports earlier this week following a deceptive X account that disseminated the fabricated news to millions of users.

The fraudulent profile adopted the name and credentials of Joe Hollins, Jonathan’s actual veterinary doctor. The account expressed being “heartbroken” while announcing that Jonathan had “passed away peacefully.”

Within a short timeframe, the message accumulated two million impressions. Multiple prestigious news organizations, including the BBC, Daily Mail, and USA Today, ran articles declaring Jonathan’s demise based solely on this account’s claims.

The reality: the authentic Joe Hollins maintains no presence on X whatsoever. He verified that the announcement was entirely fraudulent.

Investigation revealed the counterfeit account originated from Brazil rather than Saint Helena.

How the Truth Came Out

Nigel Phillips, Saint Helena’s governor, was preparing to retire for the evening when international messages began pouring in. He personally ventured outside during nighttime hours to inspect the tortoise’s condition firsthand.

Phillips discovered Jonathan precisely where expected — resting beneath a tree within his enclosure.

The Friends of the British Overseas Territories published an official statement highlighting that the fraudulent account had recently modified its username while actively requesting cryptocurrency contributions.

Guinness World Records acknowledged the news with a relieved “phew.”

Jonathan’s Condition

Notwithstanding the digital commotion, Jonathan maintains excellent health considering his advanced age. While he has experienced vision loss due to cataracts and no longer possesses his olfactory sense, his appetite remains robust and he continues to be physically active.

His residence at Plantation House, which serves as the governor’s official home, is shared with three companion tortoises: Emma, David, and Fredrik.

Throughout his remarkable lifespan, Jonathan has witnessed eight British monarchs, survived two global conflicts, and experienced the complete evolution of the digital era.

News organizations that initially published the death reports have subsequently issued retractions.

This deception represents a broader pattern of cryptocurrency fraud employing impersonation strategies. Blockchain analytics company Chainalysis documented that crypto scam losses achieved a record-breaking $17 billion throughout 2025.

Individual scam payments surged by 253% to an average of $2,764, fueled by artificial intelligence-enhanced impersonation techniques and progressively sophisticated criminal operations.

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