Bitcoin core dev criticizes 'misleading' NFT auction of his code

Bitcoin Core developer criticized an NFT auction 

of his code, calling it "misleading" and stating that he did not authorize the auction or receive any payment for it

Bitcoin Core developer Luke Dashjr has publicly denounced the sellers behind an NFT auction for exploiting his name and code without his authorization or approval. 

Dashjr expressed his disapproval of the unauthorized use of his name and code, emphasizing that he had not been consulted or informed of the auction.

Luke Dashjr, one of the original core developers behind Bitcoin, has taken to social media to call out an auction site for misusing his name and code without his consent to create and sell a misleading Non-Fungible Token (NFT). 

Dashjr is not the first Bitcoin developer to have his name or work used in this way. On February 27th, he posted on Twitter that an NFT featuring a picture of code he wrote was sold at an auction site for 0.41 Bitcoin, which was roughly equivalent to $9,500 at the time of writing.

Dashjr clarified that he had not given his permission for his code or name to be used for this purpose, saying that "it was advertised as my code in the listing and displayed to the public for sale and profit." He continued, "Third parties are marketing my brand and my code for their own financial gain.

Dashjr went on to reveal that the winner of the auction eventually contacted him, and he had to inform them that he was not involved with the sale. He expressed his frustration at the situation, noting that he had not given his permission for his code or name to be used in this way.

Luke Dashjr asserted that the seller or auction site had attempted to bribe him into silence by offering him a donation of 90% of the auction proceeds, which he refused.

The public should be aware that the seller and/or auction site offered him a donation of 90% of the auction proceeds, should he choose to accept it. This appears to be a blatant attempt to either bribe him into silence or obtain his consent after the fact. 

He adamantly refused to accept such payment, as it would be at the expense of the public who are being misled. He declared that he would not accept any such 'donation'.

"Dashjr demands that the buyer receive a complete refund of the auction proceeds as a result of the misrepresentation and the buyer's confusion. He also claims that other Bitcoin developers have been offered generous donations in exchange for their cooperation, though he did not provide any further details."

Luke Dashjr, a prominent figure in the cryptocurrency space, recently spoke out against the misuse of his name to deceive the public for financial gain. "It's wrong," he said. "I do not consent to the use of my name or code for this grift. I want the public to be aware of where I stand."

This comes after OpenSea, a decentralized marketplace, reported that over 80% of NFTs minted using its tool were "plagiarized works, fake collections, and spam."

Dashjr was also the unfortunate victim of a hack in 2022 that cost him "basically" all his Bitcoin. The hackers gained access to his PGP (Pretty Good Privacy) key, a security method that uses two keys to gain access to encrypted information.

This incident sparked a heated debate around self-custody, which gained traction after the collapse of the crypto exchange FTX.

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