Comedian William Banks Goes Viral with Jail Escape Hoax

Comedian William Banks gained widespread attention after claiming to escape prison via a viral video on social media. Shortly thereafter, he initiated a spree of ‘rug pulling’ Solana meme coins.

Banks expressed to Decrypt that his aim was to be like Robinhood, intending to donate $50,000 from his proceeds to charities helping people in Palestine amidst the ongoing conflict in Gaza. He shared what appeared to be receipts for these donations on X.

In October, he faced charges in Westport, Connecticut, for allegedly stealing five yard signs featuring the Israeli flag, leading to his arrest, as confirmed by local authorities. Despite stating he faced eight months in prison, his name is not listed in Connecticut’s prison database.

> “I have terrible news. The state of Connecticut has sentenced me to 8 months in jail beginning on Nov 15,” Banks tweeted. “I always try to make the most out of my life, but today I face an overwhelming challenge.”

Despite his claims, Banks asserted he has been creating content from prison since November. He went viral with videos featuring content shot from a phone he supposedly smuggled in, showcasing activities like attempting to play football, annoy his cellmate, and avoid bullying from fellow inmates.

During this period, Banks received outreach from cryptocurrency enthusiasts trying to persuade him to create a token.

> “They were trying to make money off me being in jail,” Banks said. “So then I realized that I wanted to be a hero, like Robinhood.”

One contact was Jester, a meme coin marketer. While he claimed to help Banks launch four meme coins, Banks denies any direct collaboration. Jester maintained that he aimed to create a legitimate token with Banks.

Banks has gained a reputation for his eccentric comedic style, similar to Andy Kaufman, and has made controversial jokes about religion. His viral video, showcasing a faked jailbreak by crawling through a fence hole, garnered over 20.7 million views, with authorities confirming that there was no actual escape.

On the same day, he launched the White Moses (MOSES) meme coin, which saw a rapid price surge followed by a dramatic crash due to the initial sell-off. Following his antics, social media users accused him of promoting various tokens.

> “I don’t like crypto, I don’t like meme coins. I think there’s something sinister and twisted about all of it,” he admitted. However, he later stated that through these activities, he raised $50,000, which he donated to support Palestine.

> “Thank you to the crypto community for buying my pretend memecoin and helping me to raise $50,000 for the crisis in Gaza,” he tweeted, accompanied by receipts for the donations.

Despite his critics branding him a ‘scammer,’ many perceive him as a Robin Hood-like figure, with some praising his motives.

However, concerns were raised that his actions might detract from genuine support for Palestine. Critics highlighted the potential legal ramifications of such stunts, especially since rug pulls in crypto can have severe consequences.

> “I couldn’t care less about crypto investors losing out, and there isn’t a more worthy cause than Gaza,” remarked political podcaster Klonny Gosch.

Edited by Stacy Elliott