Brian Thompson’s murderer becomes the focus of “Deny, Defend, Depose” Crypto

A new memecoin called “Deny. Defend. Depose” was brought onto the market. The words are said to have been found on three bullet casings found Wednesday at the scene of the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in midtown Manhattan.

According to crypto trading website Dexscreener, the new coin was created just before midnight EST on December 4th, with a photo of the man police are looking for in connection with Thompson’s shooting as his profile picture.

Thompson was shot just before 7 a.m. Wednesday at the Hilton Midtown in what the New York Police Department (NYPD) said was likely “a premeditated, planned, targeted attack.” First responders rushed the CEO to Mount Sinai West Hospital after the attack, where he was pronounced dead at 7:12 a.m. ET. NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said Thompson was shot in both the back and right calf in the attack.

The Dexscreener exchange shows that as of 5:45 a.m. ET on Thursday, 802 people said “Deny. Defend. Depose coins worth $0.0479 each and a total market cap of $79,000.

Memecoins are a form of cryptocurrency that is typically created as a joke or joke, unlike more serious online currencies such as Bitcoin and Ethereum. However, occasionally memecoins can increase significantly in value, as was the case with Dogecoin, which has been promoted by celebrities such as Elon Musk and Snoop Dogg.

The new currency was created shortly after ABC News reported that police recovered three bullet casings with the words “deny,” “defend” and “depose” at the crime scene. The network cited “police sources” and Newsweek contacted Dexscreener and the NYPD by email and phone, respectively, outside of regular office hours on Thursday for comment.

A number of social media users have questioned whether the words reported on the bullet casings refer to a book with the title published by Professor Jay M. Feinman, an insurance law expert who formerly taught at Rutgers Law School became Postpone, Deny, Defend: Why Insurance Companies Won’t Pay Claims and What You Can Do About It.

The book argues that some companies in the insurance industry have actively rejected legitimate claims. Newsweek is unable to confirm any connection between the words allegedly written on the cartridge cases and the book. Feinman declined to comment when contacted by Newsweek on Thursday morning.

On Dexscreener, “Deny. Defend. Depose,” an image released by the NYPD of the alleged attacker wearing a hood and mask. The letters “DDD” and the words “DENY. DEFEND. DEPOSE” are displayed above the image.

One embedded in the profile

Surveillance footage captured by CNN showed a gunman on the sidewalk shooting Thompson multiple times from behind after he emerged from behind a parked car.

According to police, the attacker then got on an e-bike and rode to Central Park, which has limited surveillance camera coverage.

Police are offering a $10,000 reward for information leading to an arrest in the case.

Speaking to reporters, Detective Chief Joseph Kenny said: “The motive for this murder is currently unknown, but based on the evidence we have so far, it appears the victim was specifically targeted. But at this point we don’t know why.”

Update 12/5/24 8:30 a.m. ET: This story has been updated to note that Professor Jay M. Feinman declined to comment.