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The $ELIAS coin quickly attracted over 550 buyers, briefly reaching a market cap of $368,000 before crashing to $24,000 by the end of the week.
In a disturbing fusion of extremism and digital finance, crypto traders have launched a meme coin in “tribute” to Elias Rodriguez, the man accused of executing two Israeli Embassy staffers outside the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C.
The coin, dubbed $ELIAS, was launched on the Solana blockchain within just six hours of the shooting, which left 28-year-old Yaron Lischinsky and 26-year-old Sarah Milgrim dead.
The victims, who were on the verge of getting engaged in Jerusalem, were gunned down in cold blood as they exited a diplomatic event.
Surveillance footage reportedly shows Rodriguez firing nearly two dozen rounds at the couple, continuing to shoot even after they collapsed to the ground.
He was arrested shortly after the attack and allegedly shouted “Free, free Palestine!” as he was taken into custody.
Federal prosecutors have charged Rodriguez with two counts of first-degree murder, the murder of foreign officials, and multiple weapons offense
The $ELIAS coin quickly attracted over 550 buyers, briefly reaching a market cap of $368,000 before crashing to $24,000 by the end of the week.
The rapid rise and fall of the coin stunned observers—not just for its volatility, but for its grotesque glorification of an accused terrorist.
Critics say the coin’s existence underscores a dark trend: the exploitation of politically motivated violence for internet clout and quick profits.
The launch has sparked outrage across political and religious communities, with many calling for stronger regulation of digital currency markets to prevent the monetization of hate.
As the investigation into Rodriguez continues, his father—Eric Rodriguez, an anti-Trump activist and VA employee—has also come under scrutiny for having been honored by progressive Rep. Jesús “Chuy” García at President Trump’s joint address to Congress just months before the attack.
The convergence of radical ideology, tragic violence, and digital speculation in the form of $ELIAS is being condemned as a grotesque milestone in internet extremism.
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