Blab Crypto
Cole Villemains Spritehood NFT Launch Raises $750k Amid Past Controversies
On a quiet Sunday that could have been just another drop day, Cole Villemain, the former co‑founder of the Pudgy Penguins, unveiled Spritehood on the Robinhood Chain. The new collection—44,444 tokens priced at 17 ETH each—sold out in a matter of hours, netting roughly $750,000 for the project.
Villemain’s return to the NFT arena is anything but a clean break. In 2019 he ran a dropshipping business called eBoy Outlet, which was bombarded with customer complaints on Facebook and Instagram. Buyers claimed they never received orders or refunds, and after the pages were removed, Villemain said the venture collapsed amid COVID‑era supply‑chain disruptions and a lack of capital.
The controversy deepened in August 2021 when blockchain sleuth ZachXBT posted a tweet thread that tied Villemain to a series of questionable actions. The thread highlighted the eBoy Outlet complaints, his admission that he had promoted NFT projects for payment without disclosure, and an incident in which he promised a Fame Lady Squad NFT to a follower before listing the same NFT for sale on OpenSea. Villemain’s reply, quoted in the thread, was blunt: "I share NFT projects. It’s what I do. Was I paid a couple times? Yes. Do I regret those? Yes. Am I going to stop sharing NFT projects I like? No. Am I going to be more careful? Yes."
Before Pudgy Penguins, Villemain had launched an NFT series titled My Fucking Pickle. The project was short‑lived and later abandoned, a pattern that has drawn scrutiny from community members.
Pudgy Penguins themselves debuted on July 23, 2021, with 8,888 tokens sold at 0.03 ETH each. The initial mint raised roughly $800,000, and the collection eventually amassed $145 million in total trading volume on OpenSea. By early 2022, holders began voicing concerns about unfulfilled roadmap items, opaque treasury use, and a perceived lack of transparency. A viral thread from influencer 9x9x9eth alleged that the founding team, including Villemain, had emptied the treasury and offered to sell a 20 % stake for 4,000 ETH (about $12.9 million at the time). A Discord vote, organized by the community, ultimately removed Villemain from the project.
No formal legal action has been taken against Villemain over the treasury allegations, but the accusations have become part of his public record. In April 2022, Luca Netz acquired Pudgy Penguins for 750 ETH, and the collection has since been relaunched under new leadership.
Spritehood’s debut on the Robinhood Chain—a blockchain built by the trading platform of the same name—has drawn significant attention. On‑chain analysis by 0xlaplaced shows that the contract received 1.28 million ETH in total, not the 28 million ETH claimed in promotional coverage. The discrepancy underscores the need for careful verification of secondary market data.
Reactions to Villemain’s comeback are split. Some community members argue that the NFT ecosystem has matured and that past mistakes should not bar new projects. Others point to the eBoy Outlet complaints, undisclosed paid promotion, and the Pudgy Penguins treasury allegations as evidence of a repeated disregard for community trust.
As of now, Spritehood has sold out and the proceeds have been distributed according to the project’s stated terms. No court proceedings or regulatory investigations are publicly known. The broader question remains: will the market continue to support projects led by figures with a controversial history, or will community memory ultimately shape future participation?
Villemain’s return to the NFT arena is anything but a clean break. In 2019 he ran a dropshipping business called eBoy Outlet, which was bombarded with customer complaints on Facebook and Instagram. Buyers claimed they never received orders or refunds, and after the pages were removed, Villemain said the venture collapsed amid COVID‑era supply‑chain disruptions and a lack of capital.
The controversy deepened in August 2021 when blockchain sleuth ZachXBT posted a tweet thread that tied Villemain to a series of questionable actions. The thread highlighted the eBoy Outlet complaints, his admission that he had promoted NFT projects for payment without disclosure, and an incident in which he promised a Fame Lady Squad NFT to a follower before listing the same NFT for sale on OpenSea. Villemain’s reply, quoted in the thread, was blunt: "I share NFT projects. It’s what I do. Was I paid a couple times? Yes. Do I regret those? Yes. Am I going to stop sharing NFT projects I like? No. Am I going to be more careful? Yes."
Before Pudgy Penguins, Villemain had launched an NFT series titled My Fucking Pickle. The project was short‑lived and later abandoned, a pattern that has drawn scrutiny from community members.
Pudgy Penguins themselves debuted on July 23, 2021, with 8,888 tokens sold at 0.03 ETH each. The initial mint raised roughly $800,000, and the collection eventually amassed $145 million in total trading volume on OpenSea. By early 2022, holders began voicing concerns about unfulfilled roadmap items, opaque treasury use, and a perceived lack of transparency. A viral thread from influencer 9x9x9eth alleged that the founding team, including Villemain, had emptied the treasury and offered to sell a 20 % stake for 4,000 ETH (about $12.9 million at the time). A Discord vote, organized by the community, ultimately removed Villemain from the project.
No formal legal action has been taken against Villemain over the treasury allegations, but the accusations have become part of his public record. In April 2022, Luca Netz acquired Pudgy Penguins for 750 ETH, and the collection has since been relaunched under new leadership.
Spritehood’s debut on the Robinhood Chain—a blockchain built by the trading platform of the same name—has drawn significant attention. On‑chain analysis by 0xlaplaced shows that the contract received 1.28 million ETH in total, not the 28 million ETH claimed in promotional coverage. The discrepancy underscores the need for careful verification of secondary market data.
Reactions to Villemain’s comeback are split. Some community members argue that the NFT ecosystem has matured and that past mistakes should not bar new projects. Others point to the eBoy Outlet complaints, undisclosed paid promotion, and the Pudgy Penguins treasury allegations as evidence of a repeated disregard for community trust.
As of now, Spritehood has sold out and the proceeds have been distributed according to the project’s stated terms. No court proceedings or regulatory investigations are publicly known. The broader question remains: will the market continue to support projects led by figures with a controversial history, or will community memory ultimately shape future participation?
