Crypto Group Claims Responsibility for WNBA ‘Sex Toy’ Pranks, Denies Links to Recent Arrests at Games
A cryptocurrency meme coin group has come forward claiming responsibility for a series of disruptive pranks involving neon green sex toys thrown onto WNBA courts during live games. The group, speaking to USA Today on the condition of anonymity, said the actions were part of a coordinated publicity stunt tied to the launch of their meme coin and emphasized that the intent was not to attack women’s sports.
According to a representative known only by their social media handle @Daldo_Raine, the pranks were designed to generate viral attention while challenging centralized power structures in the crypto space. The group launched their coin on July 28 and began orchestrating the sex toy disruptions at WNBA arenas shortly afterward. The neon green sex toys used in the pranks resemble the "green candle" symbol of rising prices commonly seen on trading charts, which the group says aligns with their project’s branding.
The first known incident took place on July 29 in Atlanta. Since then, there have been six documented occurrences of sex toys being thrown onto courts in various cities including Los Angeles, Phoenix, Chicago, and New York. The most recent happened on August 5 at Crypto.com Arena during a game between the Indiana Fever and Los Angeles Sparks. Fever guard Sophie Cunningham narrowly avoided being hit and later expressed her frustration on social media.
The WNBA has issued a statement underscoring the importance of safety at games. "Objects of any kind thrown onto the court or in the seating area can pose a safety risk for players, game officials, and fans," the league said. The WNBA’s Arena Security Standards dictate that any fan who intentionally throws objects onto the court will be immediately ejected, banned for a minimum one year, and subject to arrest and prosecution by local authorities.
Authorities have made arrests linked to some of these incidents. Phoenix police arrested 18-year-old Kaden Lopez after he allegedly struck a fan and a 9-year-old child with a sex toy at a Mercury game on August 5. Lopez reportedly told officers he participated after seeing the trend online and expressed regret for his actions. The crypto group has denied any affiliation with Lopez, as well as with Delbert Carver, a man arrested in Atlanta for a similar act.
A spokesperson for the group clarified that members have been instructed to avoid throwing objects unless they are certain it would not harm anyone. They also rejected the narrative that the stunts were motivated by a dislike of women’s sports. "Creating disruption at games happens in every sport," the spokesperson said. "We’ve seen it in the NFL, hockey, fans doing random things to create attention."
The group also explained their motivation from a crypto industry standpoint: "We knew that in order to get a voice in the space, we had to go out and do some viral stunts to save us from having to pay that influencer cabal, sacrifice our souls and the fate of the project, more or less."
The ongoing incidents have sparked discussions about fan conduct and security at sports events, highlighting the challenges leagues face in balancing entertainment, safety, and maintaining the spirit of the game amid unconventional disruptions. The WNBA continues to monitor the situation and enforce strict penalties for those who threaten the safety of participants and attendees.