I made an article two days ago but now see Zerebro Founder Found Alive After Staged Suicide Hoax
The founder of crypto startup Zerebro, who was believed to have died by suicide during a livestream, has been found alive at his parents’ home in San Francisco.
Jeffy Yu, whose apparent death sparked viral eulogies, a commemorative cryptocurrency, and a wave of online mourning, was confronted by local reporters earlier this week confirming long-standing suspicions that the incident had been staged.
Shock Discovery Outside Family Home
Journalists from the San Francisco Standard located Yu outside his family residence on May 7, where he appeared visibly startled by their arrival.
According to the report, Yu admitted he would be “forced to move within the week” after being discovered.
The elaborate deception began on Sunday, when Yu appeared to take his own life during a livestream on the crypto platform Pump.fun.
The broadcast triggered a wave of tributes across social media and the rapid launch of a memecoin in his name.
Soon after, a digital obituary appeared online hailing Yu as a “visionary technologist” and a pioneer in AI-driven crypto culture.
However, the memorial page was abruptly taken down, fuelling speculation that the event had been orchestrated.
Suspicious Crypto Transactions Raise Doubts
Doubts about the legitimacy of Yu’s death grew as unusual activity was detected in cryptocurrency wallets linked to him. Blockchain analytics firm
Bubblemaps reported that over \$1.4 million in digital assets moved shortly after the livestream an unlikely occurrence if Yu were truly deceased.
At the same time, Yu’s social media accounts began posting what appeared to be scheduled farewell messages, referencing a so-called “deadman’s switch” a mechanism that sends automated messages upon a person’s death.
One particularly cryptic post announced the launch of $LLJEFFY, a token Yu described as his “final art piece” and “eternal grave in cyberspace.”
Claims of Harassment and Fleeing the Spotlight
Crypto personality Daniele Sestagalli, founder of the DeFi project Wonderland, later shared what he claimed was a private message from Yu, in which Yu described his actions as an escape from harassment and threats within the crypto community.
Yu himself has neither confirmed nor denied these claims.
When approached by reporters this week, he refused to comment on the hoax or allegations of financial gain from the incident.
According to The Standard, Yu appeared agitated and accused the media of putting him in danger.
“I’ve been harassed. If you can find me, other people can find me,” Yu reportedly told journalists, pleading for privacy.
Murky Past and Unverified Credentials
The controversy has also drawn attention to discrepancies in Yu’s personal biography.
He had previously claimed affiliations with Stanford University, Northeastern, and Arizona State University, and described himself as a software engineer based in Santa Cruz.
However, reporters were unable to verify these details, and the obituary published online echoed these claims without substantiation.
No Word from Authorities
As of now, no law enforcement agencies have issued public statements regarding the incident.
It remains unclear whether any official investigation is underway into the staged death or associated financial activity.
The case has left the crypto community divided with some condemning Yu’s actions as a dangerous hoax, while others express sympathy for what they believe may have been a desperate act to escape online harassment.
