Cardano founder Charles Hoskinson expanded his response to allegations that Enter Output International (IOG) misappropriated over 318 million ADA from unredeemed pre-sale wallets, calling the scenario deeply private and damaging.
In a Could 18 submit on X, Hoskinson mirrored on the reputational toll of the allegations, noting that the incident has reshaped his view of his relationship with the Cardano group.
He added:
“For a decade, I’ve been on the entrance strains. To not be given the advantage of the doubt right here with out sturdy proof on the contrary means I don’t have the connection I assumed with some individuals.”
Hoskinson added that following the discharge of an exterior audit, he intends at hand management of his social media account to a media crew and reduce his direct engagement.
Authorized pushback and audit plans
Hoskinson first responded to the allegations on Could 7, saying that IOG could pursue authorized motion in opposition to these accusing him of redirecting unclaimed ADA from Cardano’s 2017 Token Technology Occasion.
In line with a social media thread by X consumer Masato Alexander, a December 2020 protocol replace launched a perform that reassigned ADA from unredeemed UTxOs to Cardano’s reserves.
Alexander alleged that the next Transfer Instantaneous Rewards (MIR) transaction diverted these funds with out transparency or notification to the unique voucher holders.
Hoskinson countered that buyers redeemed 99.8% of ADA vouchers. The remaining 0.2%, recovered underneath protocol guidelines after a seven-year window, was donated to Intersect, the Cardano trade coordination physique.
He added that an externally audited report would quickly doc the redemption historical past and crowdsale course of. Hoskinson additionally mentioned he would “ship letters to the related events demanding retractions and apologies.”
Alexander disputed the declare, citing a public assertion by Intersect’s interim government director that it obtained solely $7 million in 2024, far lower than the estimated $600 million worth of the disputed ADA. He additionally criticized the dearth of an in depth audit publicly tracing the fund flows.
Basis and Emurgo tackle governance course of
On Could 19, the Cardano Basis issued an announcement distancing itself from the operational points of ADA voucher redemption after 2021. The assertion added that whereas it obtained basic updates, it didn’t present detailed accounting.
The inspiration acknowledged:
“The trouble to find and assist remaining voucher holders has been led by the IO crew over the previous 4 years.”
The inspiration welcomed IOG’s pledge to launch a third-party audit and advisable that it embody all MIR transactions, balances, and any returns generated throughout fund administration.
Cardano’s business arm, Emurgo, additionally defended IOG’s efforts in a Could 19 submit. It mentioned the seven-year redemption course of concerned a number of campaigns, third-party investigations in Japan, and Know Your Buyer (KYC) verification.
Emurgo acknowledged:
“Whereas the overwhelming majority of the pre-sale ADA vouchers have been efficiently redeemed, there was a small proportion that had gone unredeemed.”
The corporate added that the Shelley arduous fork would have rendered unredeemed ADA unspendable, necessitating their motion to allow additional redemptions.
The agency additionally expressed concern over “extreme, unwarranted FUD,” saying accusations primarily based on restricted details brought on pointless hurt to the ecosystem. It echoed IOG’s name for an audit and urged the group to stay affected person.