Breaking: Trump Backed Movement Labs Faces Allegations Over Insider Token Deal

Boluwatife Adeyemi
May 15, 2025
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Breaking: Trump Backed Movement Labs Faces Allegations Over Insider Token Deal

Highlights

  • Movement Labs allegedly promised 10% of its MOVE token supply to early insiders.
  • These insiders include Zebec's CEO Sam Thapaliya who was promised these tokens during early funding rounds.
  • The MOVE token price has declined over 6% in the last 24 hours.

Movement Labs, which is backed by the Trump-linked World Liberty Financial (WLFI), is again facing backlash following allegations over a deal that the team made with early insiders. Documents show that the MOVE team failed to disclose this deal to investors, a move that could lead to accusations of misrepresentation. Amid this saga, the MOVE price has dropped over 6% in the last 24 hours.

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Movement Labs Accused Of Shady Deal With Early Insiders

According to the Journalist Sam Kessler, the crypto startup quietly promised early insiders access to up to 10% of the supply of the MOVE token. The journalist cited documents that CoinDesk obtained, noting that the team didn’t disclose this deal to investors.

The documents show that Movement Labs allocated a large portion of its token supply to two shadow advisers, including Zebec CEO Sam Thapaliya, during early funding rounds in 2023. Kessler revealed that some of the documents promised nearly $2 million annually in compensation.

The agreement also showed that the MOVE team agreed to allocate 5% of the token’s total supply to Thapaliya Trust for “marketing, market making, and exchange alignment.” Kessler alleges that Thapaliya later transferred this same amount to Web3Port, a Chinese firm that allegedly dumped $38 million worth of tokens after launch.

Interestingly, the Movement Labs allegedly gave Thapaliya another 2.5% of the MOVE token’s supply. Meanwhile, the team promised Vinit Parekh, another early adviser, 2.5% of the token’s supply for every $1 million that the team raised.

The MOVE token price is $0.2, down over 6% in the last 24 hours. This news comes just days after Coinbase suspended MOVE trading on its platform amid market manipulation allegations.

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Investment disclaimer: The content reflects the author’s personal views and current market conditions. Please conduct your own research before investing in cryptocurrencies, as neither the author nor the publication is responsible for any financial losses.
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Why Trust CoinGape

CoinGape has covered the cryptocurrency industry since 2017, aiming to provide informative insights Read more…to our readers. Our journal analysts bring years of experience in market analysis and blockchain technology to ensure factual accuracy and balanced reporting. By following our Editorial Policy, our writers verify every source, fact-check each story, rely on reputable sources, and attribute quotes and media correctly. We also follow a rigorous Review Methodology when evaluating exchanges and tools. From emerging blockchain projects and coin launches to industry events and technical developments, we cover all facets of the digital asset space with unwavering commitment to timely, relevant information.

About Author
About Author
Boluwatife Adeyemi is a well-experienced crypto news writer and editor who has covered topics that cut across several niches. His speed and alacrity in covering breaking updates are second to none. He has a knack for simplifying the most technical concepts and making them easy for crypto newbies to understand. Boluwatife is also a lawyer, who holds a law degree from the University of Ibadan. He also holds a certification in Digital Marketing. Away from writing, he is an avid basketball lover, a traveler, and a part-time degen.
Investment disclaimer: The content reflects the author’s personal views and current market conditions. Please conduct your own research before investing in cryptocurrencies, as neither the author nor the publication is responsible for any financial losses.
Ad Disclosure: This site may feature sponsored content and affiliate links. All advertisements are clearly labeled, and ad partners have no influence over our editorial content.