Hailey Welch Lawsuit 2026: Settlements, Payouts & Deadlines

Did you lose money on the Hawk Tuah memecoin? Then you probably want to know whether a payout is coming and when to file. Here is the short, honest answer. As of the latest court records and law firm pages I could verify, the Hailey Welch lawsuit has no announced settlement, no approved settlement fund and no claim deadline. The case is still in its early legal stages.

That matters because several websites suggest otherwise. Some publish firm payout figures and claim dates that no court has set. This guide separates what is confirmed from what is only alleged or guessed. You will also learn who is being sued, what the plaintiffs claim, how a payout would likely work, and what you can do today to protect your position.

Quick Snapshot: Hailey Welch Lawsuit at a Glance

Detail	Verified Information
Case name	In re $HAWK Token Securities Litigation
Court	U.S. District Court, Eastern District of New York
Case number	1:24-cv-08650
Token launch	December 4, 2024 (Solana)
Lead plaintiff firms	Burwick Law and Wolf Popper LLP
Settlement announced?	No, not in any source I could verify
Claim deadline?	None has been set
Case type	Civil securities and consumer fraud class action

Case Background

Hailey Welch Lawsuit Overview 2026

The Hailey Welch lawsuit is a federal class action filed on behalf of people who bought the $HAWK memecoin. Plaintiffs say the token was marketed through Welch’s fame, then collapsed within hours while insiders profited.

The case began in December 2024. At first, Welch was not a defendant. Plaintiffs’ lawyers sued the people who built and sold the token. In 2025, a federal magistrate judge allowed the plaintiffs to file an expanded complaint. That version added Welch herself, her manager, her company and several other parties.

In 2026, the case moved into the procedural phase. Court records show Welch was served in January 2026. Her side asked for more time to respond and requested a pre-motion conference. A conference took place on May 27, 2026. The court then said it would first decide a motion to transfer. If needed, it would set one briefing schedule for all defendants’ motions to dismiss.

In plain terms, the judge has not decided who is liable. No jury has heard evidence. Everything described below as wrongdoing is an allegation, not a finding.

What Is the Hailey Welch Lawsuit About?

The lawsuit is about whether the $HAWK token was sold through misleading promotion and without proper securities registration. Plaintiffs argue buyers were drawn in by Welch’s celebrity and by promised features that were never built.

According to Burwick Law’s description of the amended complaint, the token was promoted with ideas like podcast integration, gaming features and subscription tiers. The complaint says the underlying agreement contained no plan to build any of that.

The amended complaint lists six legal claims:

1. Sale of unregistered securities (Securities Act Sections 5 and 12(a)(1))
2. Common law fraud
3. Deceptive acts under New York General Business Law § 349
4. False advertising under New York General Business Law § 350
5. Breach of contract, including the implied covenant of good faith
6. Unjust enrichment

The plaintiffs ask for rescission or rescissory damages, compensatory and statutory damages, disgorgement of profits, and an injunction. Rescission means unwinding the purchase, so buyers could in theory get money back rather than just compensation.

Who Is Hailey Welch?

Hailey Welch, whose name appears in court filings as Haliey Welch, is a Tennessee native who became internet famous in June 2024. A street interview in Nashville went viral, and the “Hawk Tuah” nickname stuck.

She turned the attention into a business. She launched the Talk Tuah podcast, signed brand deals and built a large following on Instagram and X. By late 2024, she was reported to be 22 years old.

Her role in the memecoin is the heart of the dispute. Plaintiffs say she was the face of the project and a “critical component” of its promotional pipeline. Her representatives said early on that she was “totally siloed” from the project and had no control over it. Those are competing narratives, and a court will weigh them with evidence.

Spelling note: most news articles and search queries use “Hailey,” while the court documents use “Haliey.” Both refer to the same person.

Hawk Tuah Coin Collapse Timeline

The collapse happened fast, but the paper trail runs more than a year. Here are the verified milestones.

• July 18, 2024: The amended complaint says Memetic Labs and Welch’s company, 16 Minutes LLC, signed a “Meme Token Creation and Monetization Agreement.”
• December 4, 2024: $HAWK launches on Solana. Market cap surges to roughly $490 million, then falls more than 90% within hours.
• December 5, 2024: Observers flag wallet clusters holding most of the supply. Rug pull accusations spread.
• December 19, 2024: Burwick Law and Wolf Popper file the first federal class action in the Eastern District of New York.
• December 20, 2024: Welch posts on X that she is cooperating with the lawyers. She urges affected buyers to contact Burwick Law. (That post was later deleted.)
• 2025: The SEC closes its probe into Welch without action, according to her attorney. Wolf Popper and Burwick are appointed co-lead counsel.
• Late 2025: The court allows an amended complaint adding Welch, Meteora and others.
• January 2026: Welch is served with the amended complaint.
• May 27, 2026: Pre-motion conference. The court plans to decide a motion to transfer first.

Case Status and Allegations

Hailey Welch Class Action Lawsuit Status

The Hailey Welch class action is pending and unresolved. A “putative class” has been proposed, but I found no court order certifying it.

Class certification is a formal step. A judge must decide that the buyers share enough common legal and factual issues to proceed as a group. Until that happens, the case is technically brought by named plaintiffs on behalf of a proposed class.

Here is where things stand procedurally:

1. Complaint filed (done)
2. Co-lead counsel appointed (done)
3. Amended complaint adding Welch and others (done)
4. Service on defendants (done for Welch, with disputes over others)
5. Motion to transfer (pending as of the latest docket I could see)
6. Motions to dismiss (expected after the transfer ruling)
7. Discovery (not yet confirmed)
8. Class certification (not yet confirmed)
9. Settlement or trial (not yet reached)

Federal securities cases like this usually take years. Early pretrial fights over venue and dismissal often consume the first year or two after the amended complaint.

$HAWK Token Investors Lawsuit

The $HAWK token investors lawsuit covers people who bought the token. Retail buyers were the target of the sales campaign, and many were first-time crypto users who trusted Welch’s name.

Plaintiffs say these buyers lost money because of how the token was structured. The complaint describes a thin public float of about 3.3% of supply. It also describes 17% of supply allocated to insider wallets with no lockups.

Two class descriptions appear in public sources. The original Wolf Popper filing described purchasers from December 4, 2024 to the present. Burwick Law’s page for the amended complaint describes purchasers from November 26, 2024 through the present. The earlier start date likely reflects presale activity. Treat the amended definition as the more current one, and watch for any final wording from the court.

Defendants named in the amended complaint include:

• Alex Larson Schultz (“Doc Hollywood”), Solana Sweeper and Memetic Labs LLC
• overHere Limited and its founder Clinton So
• Tuah The Moon Foundation, a Cayman Islands entity
• Benjamin Chow and Meteora
• Dynamic Labs Limited
• Johnnie Forster (Welch’s manager)
• 16 Minutes LLC (Welch’s company)
• Haliey Welch
• Doe defendants 1 through 10

Hailey Welch Fraud Allegations

“Fraud” is a strong word, so precision matters. These are the plaintiffs’ claims, and no court has ruled on them.

1. Paid promotion. The complaint says Welch received $125,000 up front and was promised $200,000 more after hitting promotional milestones, for up to $325,000. Memetic Labs allegedly received a 50% lifetime profit share tied to trading. It also had access to Welch’s X account to post in her voice.

2. Misleading utility. Plaintiffs say buyers were told the token would connect to podcast perks, gaming and subscriptions. The agreement allegedly had no mechanism to build any of those.

3. Insider structure. The complaint alleges a pre-funded sniper wallet captured about half the public float in the first block after liquidity was added.

4. Liquidity removal. Insiders allegedly pulled around $1.27 million through Meteora’s platform. The complaint says the pool showed a “Permanently locked” badge even though insiders kept control.

5. Pattern claims. Plaintiffs say the same wallet clusters appeared in other token launches. Those are allegations too.

Several of these points came from on-chain analysis and an informant referenced in the amended complaint. Defendants have not accepted these claims. Welch’s side has consistently said she lacked control over the token.

Money, Deadlines and Eligibility

How to Join the Hailey Welch Lawsuit

You cannot sign up for a claim form today, because no settlement fund exists. But there are practical steps you can take now.

Step 1: Check whether you fit the class description. Did you buy $HAWK on or after November 26, 2024? Then you may be a putative class member.

Step 2: Collect your records. Save these now, because wallet histories can be hard to rebuild later:

• Your Solana wallet address
• Transaction signatures for each buy and sell
• Dates and USD values at the time of each trade
• Screenshots from Solscan or your wallet app
• Exchange or presale receipts, if any

Step 3: Contact class counsel. Both lead firms have intake pages. Burwick Law and Wolf Popper have each posted case information. Registering gets you updates.

Step 4: Do not rush into a third party. Be careful with sites that charge fees to “join” a crypto lawsuit.

Step 5: Ask about timing. Limitation periods can apply in securities cases. A lawyer can tell you whether yours is a concern.

In most U.S. class actions, members do not need to formally file anything until a settlement notice arrives. That notice then explains how to claim, object or opt out.

Hailey Welch Lawsuit Deadline 2026

There is no claim deadline in the Hailey Welch lawsuit right now. Courts only set claim deadlines after a settlement is reached and preliminarily approved.

Any article that lists a specific filing date, such as “November 2026,” is guessing. A real deadline would appear in a court-approved notice and on an official settlement website.

When a settlement does happen, expect these dates in the notice:

• Claim filing deadline: often 60 to 120 days after notice
• Opt-out deadline: the last day to exclude yourself and sue separately
• Objection deadline: the last day to challenge the deal
• Final fairness hearing: when the judge decides on final approval

A different kind of deadline may be worth knowing about: a lead plaintiff deadline. Those appear in some securities class actions, usually soon after filing. This case is past that stage, since co-lead counsel were already appointed.

Hailey Welch Settlement News

As of October 7, 2026, I could not find any announced settlement, term sheet or court approval in this case. The most recent docket details I could access show pretrial motion practice, not a deal.

Some websites say a settlement fund between $12 million and $18 million has been agreed. I could not verify that figure in court records or in the plaintiffs’ firms’ public statements. Treat it as unconfirmed.

Why would a settlement be difficult here?

• Many defendants. Each may have different insurance, assets and legal exposure.
• Offshore parties. One named defendant is a Cayman Islands foundation. The docket also shows a hearing about alternative service of process, which signals service challenges.
• Contested securities theory. Courts do not treat every memecoin as a security.
• Venue fight. A pending motion to transfer could change where the case is heard.

On the other hand, settlements often arrive after a judge rules on motions to dismiss. A partial ruling can push defendants to negotiate. Watch for that milestone.

Hailey Welch Lawsuit Payout Per Person

There is no payout figure yet, because there is no settlement. Anyone quoting “average payments” for this case is estimating.

Here is how payouts usually work in class settlements of this type:

1. A settlement fund is created.
2. Court-approved attorney fees, administration costs and service awards come out first. Fees are often a quarter to a third of the fund, but the judge decides.
3. A claims administrator verifies each claim.
4. The remaining money is split pro rata, based on each person’s recognized loss.

A hypothetical illustration only, not a prediction: Suppose a fund totals $10 million. After fees and costs, $7 million remains. If all valid claims total $35 million in recognized losses, each claimant would recover about 20 cents per dollar lost. Someone with a $1,000 loss would receive about $200.

Those numbers are invented to show the math. The real result depends on the final fund, total valid claims and the plan of allocation.

Factors that move your payout up or down:

• Fund size. Bigger settlements mean higher recovery rates.
• Number of claimants. More claims dilute each share.
• Your documented loss. Better records mean easier verification.
• Trading history. Selling at a profit may reduce your recognized loss.
• Rescission outcome. If a court orders rescission, recovery could be higher.

Also remember collectability. A judgment only helps if defendants have assets to pay it.

Who Qualifies for the Hailey Welch Lawsuit?

You likely qualify as a putative class member if you purchased $HAWK tokens during the proposed class period and suffered a loss. Under the amended complaint described by Burwick Law, that period runs from November 26, 2024 to the present.

Common situations:

• Bought at launch and held: likely a member.
• Bought and sold at a loss: likely a member, with losses calculated after sale proceeds.
• Bought on the presale: potentially included given the earlier class start date.
• Bought later at a much lower price: may be included by definition, though recovery could be small.
• Received tokens as a gift or airdrop: may not count as a purchase.
• Defendants and insiders: typically excluded.

The final class definition could change. Judges sometimes narrow or adjust it. Confirm with class counsel.

Defense, Updates and Counsel

Hailey Welch Legal Defense

Welch has not been found liable of anything. Her side has pushed back in public and in court.

Early on, her spokesperson said she was “totally siloed” from the project and had “zero control” over it. In 2025, her attorney, James Sallah, said the SEC closed its investigation “without making any findings” and without seeking monetary sanctions. Her representatives also said she severed ties with the LLC behind the token and would not promote it.

In court, her side has asked for extra time to answer and requested a pre-motion conference, which usually signals a planned motion to dismiss. Typical arguments in cases like this include:

• The token was not a security under the Howey test
• Welch did not control the token’s design or wallets
• Statements were opinion or puffery, not fraud
• Plaintiffs did not plead fraud with enough detail
• The case belongs in a different court

I cannot confirm which arguments Welch’s lawyers will actually make. The list above reflects common defenses, not her filed positions.

One more point is worth noting. The SEC closing its probe does not end private civil claims. Investors can still sue under their own rights.

Hailey Welch Lawsuit Latest Updates

Here is what I can confirm as the most recent public developments:

• Court focus: The judge plans to decide the motion to transfer before any motions to dismiss.
• Meteora’s defense: The court allowed Dynamic Labs Limited to file a motion to dismiss on behalf of Meteora.
• Service issues: A hearing on alternative service took place in April 2026.
• Welch’s status: She was served January 23, 2026, and has sought extensions and a pre-motion conference.
• Law firm updates: Burwick Law published an updated case summary in March 2026.

What to watch next:

1. The ruling on the motion to transfer
2. A new briefing schedule for motions to dismiss
3. Rulings on dismissal arguments
4. Discovery orders
5. Any class certification motion
6. Any mediation or settlement notice

For updates, check the docket for In re $HAWK Token Securities Litigation, No. 1:24-cv-08650 through PACER or free docket aggregators. Also check the case pages from Burwick Law and Wolf Popper.

Scam alert: If a site claims to be the “official Hailey Welch settlement portal” and asks for your wallet seed phrase, private key or an upfront fee, leave immediately. A real claims process will never ask for your seed phrase.

Hailey Welch Crypto Class Action Lawyers

Two firms lead the plaintiffs’ side: Burwick Law, PLLC and Wolf Popper LLP. Court filings and the firms’ own pages identify them as co-lead counsel. Burwick Law is based in New York and focuses on crypto and consumer fraud cases. Wolf Popper is a New York securities litigation firm.

How class action lawyers get paid:

• They typically work on contingency, so there is no upfront bill for class members.
• Fees come out of any settlement fund, and only with court approval.
• If the case loses, the lawyers generally get nothing.

Questions to ask before you sign anything:

• Is this firm class counsel, or just collecting leads?
• Will I be a named plaintiff or a passive class member?
• What happens if I want to opt out later?
• What fee terms apply if I hire you individually?

If you lost a large amount, a securities lawyer can explain whether pursuing an individual claim makes more sense than waiting for a class resolution.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there a Hailey Welch lawsuit settlement in 2026?

No settlement has been announced in the sources I could verify as of October 7, 2026.

What is the Hailey Welch lawsuit deadline?

There is no claim deadline, because deadlines are only set after a court-approved settlement.

How much will I get from the Hailey Welch lawsuit?

No payout amount exists yet. Your share would depend on the final fund, fees and your documented loss.

Is Hailey Welch being sued?

Yes. She was added as a defendant in the amended class action complaint filed in federal court in New York.

What court is the Hawk Tuah lawsuit in?

It is in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York, case number 1:24-cv-08650.

Who is suing Hailey Welch?

Investors who bought $HAWK, represented by Burwick Law and Wolf Popper LLP, are suing on behalf of a proposed class.

Did the SEC charge Hailey Welch?

No. Her attorney said the SEC closed its investigation without findings or monetary sanctions.

Is the Hailey Welch lawsuit a certified class action?

I found no confirmation of class certification, so it should be treated as a proposed class.

Who qualifies for the $HAWK token lawsuit?

People who purchased $HAWK during the proposed class period, starting November 26, 2024, and lost money are likely members.

Do I need a lawyer to join?

Not at this stage. Class members are generally represented by class counsel unless they opt out.

How do I prove my $HAWK losses?

Keep your wallet address, transaction signatures, trade dates and USD values from a blockchain explorer like Solscan.

Did Hailey Welch commit fraud?

That has not been decided. Fraud is an allegation in the complaint, and no court has ruled on it.

Conclusion

The Hailey Welch lawsuit is real, active and still unresolved. The strongest verified facts are these. A federal class action is pending in the Eastern District of New York. Welch is now a named defendant. The plaintiffs allege paid promotion, misleading promises and insider trading patterns. No court has found liability, certified a class or approved a settlement.

For $HAWK buyers, the practical path is simple. Save your transaction records today. Check the docket and the lead firms’ case pages for real updates. Ignore any claim of a firm deadline or a guaranteed payout, because those are not backed by court orders. And never share your seed phrase with anyone offering to “help you claim.”

If a settlement comes, the notice will tell you exactly what to do and by when. Until then, preparation is your best protection.