Justin Sun, the founder of the blockchain platform Tron, has once again landed in the spotlight, this time for reportedly influencing editorial decisions at CoinDesk. According to a Fortune report, Sun’s team objected to an article published by CoinDesk that covered Sun eating a banana from Maurizio Cattelan’s $6.2 million artwork, leading to alleged pressure from CoinDesk’s parent company, Bullish, to remove the piece.
The article, titled “I Watched Justin Sun Eat the World’s Most Expensive Banana. I Don’t Get It,” was published in late November. It discussed the peculiar incident, the cultural context of the banana artwork, and Sun’s ongoing legal challenges with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
Sources cited by Fortune claim that Sun’s team took issue with the article’s tone and sought to have it removed. Bullish, which acquired CoinDesk for $75 million in November 2023, reportedly pressured the media outlet to comply, prompting backlash from its editorial staff.
During a meeting last week, CoinDesk employees reportedly advocated for reinstating the article with an editor’s note for transparency.
While the article is no longer available on CoinDesk’s website, it remains accessible on other platforms like Yahoo News, where it was last updated on December 2.
The report raises concerns about the potential influence of corporate relationships on independent journalism. Notably, Tron is a key sponsor of CoinDesk’s flagship event series, Consensus, which could complicate editorial impartiality. CoinDesk’s article also highlighted Sun’s history of legal threats toward news outlets, particularly those reporting on allegations that Tron’s blockchain has been linked to illicit activities.
The controversy underscores a recurring challenge in crypto media, where financial sponsorships can blur the line between editorial independence and corporate interests. Neither Bullish CEO Tom Farley, CoinDesk’s editor-in-chief Kevin Reynolds, nor Justin Sun’s spokesperson has commented on Fortune’s findings.
Sun’s banana-eating stunt took place at an event in Hong Kong, where he removed the duct-taped banana from the wall, peeled it, and ate it in front of a small audience. The act, captured on video and widely shared online, elicited a mix of cheers and baffled reactions.
This isn’t the first time Sun has made headlines for his public antics. However, his actions this time intersect with broader discussions about the intersection of art, wealth, and digital assets, all of which Sun has leveraged to amplify his brand in the crypto world.
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