World’s Oldest Tortoise Used in Crypto Scam After Fake Death Post Fooled Major Media

TLDR

• A fraudulent X account impersonated Jonathan the tortoise’s veterinarian and declared he had died.
• The deception successfully tricked the BBC, Daily Mail, and USA Today, amassing 2 million views.
• During the false announcements, the account was requesting cryptocurrency donations.
• The governor of Saint Helena ventured out overnight to personally verify Jonathan was safe and sound.
• 2025 set a record for crypto fraud, with losses totaling $17 billion.

(SeaPRwire) –   A deceptive social media announcement about the death of the world’s oldest land animal evolved into a cryptocurrency scheme that misled several of the planet’s most prominent news organizations.

Jonathan the Tortoise is alive and well

• He’s ~193 years old — the longest-living land animal on Earth

• A suspected crypto scammer went viral on April Fools Day pretending to be his vet

(via @BritishOverseas) pic.twitter.com/YiV4ZNK7i0

— Culture Crave (@CultureCrave) April 1, 2026

Jonathan, a 194-year-old Seychelles giant tortoise residing on Saint Helena island, was the subject of a false death report this week after a deceptive X account disseminated the story to a vast audience.

The account impersonated Joe Hollins, Jonathan’s actual veterinarian. It expressed being “heartbroken” to share the news that Jonathan had “passed away peacefully.”

The post rapidly gained two million views. Major outlets including the BBC, Daily Mail, and USA Today all ran stories announcing Jonathan’s death, relying on the fraudulent account.

The issue was that the genuine Joe Hollins does not operate an X account. He verified that the post was entirely false.

“Jonathan the tortoise is very much alive,” Hollins informed USA Today. “I believe on X the person purporting to be me is asking for crypto donations… it’s a con.”

Investigative efforts also revealed the fake account was operating from Brazil, not Saint Helena.

How the Truth Came Out

Saint Helena’s governor, Nigel Phillips, was preparing for bed when he began receiving a flood of messages from across the globe. He personally went to check on the tortoise in the dead of night.

Jonathan the Giant Tortoise’s death has been revealed to be a hoax, and the big guy is alive and well at the age of 193.

A crypto scammer created an account impersonating his caretaker and spread misinformation to several media outlets. pic.twitter.com/ybEonk8fDJ

— Pubity (@pubity) April 1, 2026

He discovered Jonathan precisely in his expected location—asleep beneath a tree in his enclosure.

“Jonathan is asleep under a tree in the paddock,” Phillips reported to The Guardian. He affirmed the animal was “very much alive.”

By Thursday morning, Phillips was making light of the situation on social media, quoting Mark Twain by saying the “report of my death was an exaggeration.”

The Friends of the British Overseas Territories also released an online statement, highlighting that the account had recently altered its username and was actively seeking cryptocurrency donations.

Guinness World Records reacted to the news with a succinct “phew.”

Jonathan’s Condition

Despite the online turmoil, Jonathan remains in good health considering his advanced age. He is blind due to cataracts and has no sense of smell, but he continues to eat well and remain active.

He lives at Plantation House, the governor’s official residence, with three other tortoises: Emma, David, and Fredrik.

Jonathan’s life has spanned eight British monarchs, two world wars, and the entire digital era.

The major news organizations that reported his death have since issued retractions.

This incident is indicative of a broader pattern of cryptocurrency fraud employing impersonation. Data from blockchain analytics company Chainalysis indicates that losses from crypto scams reached an unprecedented $17 billion in 2025.

The average payment in these scams increased by 253% to $2,764, a surge fueled by AI-driven impersonation and more complex criminal operations.