Investigative family of former OpenAI researcher resort to cryptocurrency in financing controversial death investigation
In a unique turn of events, the family of former OpenAI researcher Suchir Balaji, who was found dead in his San Francisco apartment in November 2024, is funding their legal battle against the City of San Francisco and the San Francisco Police Department (SFPD) with Solana-based meme coins.
The Justice for Suchir (SUCHIR) token was launched on the Solana-based meme coin platform Bags.FM in December 2024, with a total supply of 999 million tokens. The token briefly peaked at $0.015 on December 29, generating $5,000 for the family. However, since then, the SUCHIR token has crashed 99% from its all-time high.
The crypto fundraiser in January 2025 brought in over $140,000 in Solana and other tokens. However, the Solana wallet that received these donations hasn't received a contribution since April.
Balaji was an outspoken critic of OpenAI's data practices and a prominent voice in AI ethics. His death has fueled public skepticism about the official suicide ruling, with supporters in the crypto community rallying to the family's cause, seeing it as a justice issue and a fight against institutional opacity.
In February 2025, the family filed a lawsuit against the City of San Francisco and the SFPD, alleging that investigators withheld records and failed to investigate the case properly. The lawsuit remains active as of August 2025, with no breakthrough resolution or official reopening of the investigation reported.
Poornima Ramarao, Balaji's mother, has expressed frustration with legal representation, noting high fees charged by attorneys who have not delivered results. To date, one lawyer has racked up $25,000 in hourly fees, while another has charged $60,000, and she has spent another $115,000 on fees related to an investigation.
Despite these challenges, the family continues their fight for justice, shedding light on broader tensions related to researcher pressures, institutional trust, and the role of digital assets in legal advocacy.
[1] ABC News, "Family of former OpenAI researcher files lawsuit against SFPD, alleges botched investigation," February 2025.
[2] CoinMarketCap, "SUCHIR Token," accessed August 2025.
- The crypto community has rallied behind the family of the former OpenAI researcher, viewing their legal battle as a justice issue, and they are using a Solana-based meme coin, SUCHIR, to fund it.
- The SUCHIR token, launched on Bags.FM, had a total supply of 999 million tokens and peaked at $0.015 in December 2024, briefly generating $5,000 for the family, but it has since crashed 99%.
- In January 2025, the family's crypto fundraiser brought in over $140,000 in Solana and other tokens, but the Solana wallet that received these donations hasn't received a contribution since April.
- The family's lawsuit against the City of San Francisco and the SFPD, alleging improper investigation, remains active as of August 2025, with no breakthrough resolution or official reopening of the investigation reported.
- The general-news outlets like ABC News have reported on the family's lawsuit, and their struggle for justice highlights the broader tensions related to researcher pressures, institutional trust, and the role of digital assets in legal advocacy, including cases related to crime and justice.
