Cardano Founder Orders Audit Amid $600 Million ADA Allegations

Charles Hoskinson, the founder of Cardano and CEO of Input Output Global (IOG), has announced that an audit of IOG's ADA holdings is currently underway. This development comes in response to allegations that IOG improperly acquired $600 million in Cardano. Hoskinson has vehemently denied these accusations, asserting that IOG has never held 350 million unclaimed ADA tokens. He has vowed to release a detailed audit report and is considering legal action against those who have made false accusations.

The audit was first announced on May 19, following serious accusations made against Hoskinson and IOG. Some claimed that $600 million worth of Cardano’s native token, ADA, had been misused. These accusations caused significant concern within the Cardano community. It raised questions about how unclaimed ADA from the early days of the network was handled. The controversy intensified when several community members raised concerns about Charles Hoskinson’s role in the 2021 Allegra hard fork. Non-Fungible Token (NFT) artist Masato Alexander was among those who accused him of using a special cryptographic “genesis key” to rewrite the Cardano ledger. Alexander claimed this gave Hoskinson control over $619 million worth of ADA. These claims have sparked renewed debate about transparency and control within the Cardano ecosystem.

In response, Hoskinson firmly denied these claims. The founder stated that IOG did not assign itself any unclaimed ADA. Instead, he explained that rightful owners had already claimed most of the ADA in question. The remaining tokens, which had been unclaimed for over seven years, were donated to a local community organization. Hoskinson has denied the claims of altering the Cardano ledger. He reiterated that he is preparing to explain the situation in detail when the audit is released. In a recent X post, Hoskinson confirmed that he has received the first version of the audit report. However, he has requested more information and clarification in several parts of the report. He also confirmed that, as long as work continues without delays, the audit report will be ready by mid-August. Notably, this move comes as the leading blockchain platform expands its focus to develop a robust set of Layer-2 (L2) solutions.

Once the audit is complete, Charles Hoskinson will conduct a livestream to explain the report’s contents. He also plans to launch a website where people can read the audit and see records about how ADA was shared in the past. Hoskinson is also looking into legal action. He will meet with a defamation law firm to discuss taking action against individuals who have made false or damaging claims. By sharing the audit and taking these steps, Hoskinson hopes to rebuild trust in IOG and Cardano. The report is expected to clarify confusion about the company’s ADA holdings and address the community’s questions.

The audit report, which is expected to be completed by mid-August, aims to enhance transparency within the Cardano ecosystem. Hoskinson plans to provide a comprehensive interpretation of the report's findings through a live stream, ensuring that the community and stakeholders have a clear understanding of the audit's conclusions. This proactive approach is designed to foster greater investor confidence and address any lingering concerns about the management of ADA holdings. The allegations against IOG involve claims of ledger manipulation during the 2021 Allegra hard fork, with accusations that a "genesis key" was used to misappropriate $600 million in ADA. Hoskinson has denied these allegations, emphasizing that the remaining tokens have been donated to the Intersect organization. The release of the audit report is seen as a crucial step in restoring trust and credibility within the Cardano community.

Hoskinson's decision to release the audit report and consider legal action underscores his commitment to transparency and accountability. By addressing the allegations head-on and providing a detailed explanation of the audit findings, Hoskinson aims to dispel any doubts about IOG's handling of ADA holdings. This move is expected to have a positive impact on the Cardano ecosystem, as it demonstrates a proactive approach to addressing concerns and maintaining the integrity of the platform.