Family of Ex-OpenAI Researcher Turn to Crypto to Fund Disputed Death Probe
While the medical examiner ruled Suchir Balaji's death a suicide and found no evidence of foul play, Balaji's parents have rejected that conclusion, calling the scene 'staged' and have launched their own investigation into what they allege was a botched and allegedly covered-up probe.
Balaji, who had publicly criticized OpenAI for allegedly training ChatGPT on copyrighted material without permission, had been an outspoken figure in the AI ethics debate.
After his death, supporters in the crypto community rallied to the family's cause, seeing it as both a justice issue and a fight against institutional opacity.
In December, a family friend launched the Justice for Suchir (SUCHIR) token on the Bags.FM meme coin platform with a total supply of 999 million tokens.
The coin briefly peaked at $0.015 on December 29, according to CoinMarketCap, generating $5,000 for the family.
Like many meme coins, it has since crashed 99% from its all-time high.
OpenAI Whistleblower Found Dead in San Francisco Apartment in Apparent Suicide
That effort followed a January 2025 crypto fundraiser that brought in over $140,000 in Solana and other tokens.
'It was overwhelming because we are running out of resources,' Balaji's mother, Poornima Ramarao, told Decrypt. 'Funding through crypto is a great idea—it allows us to keep going when other options have stalled.'
The Solana wallet that received $140,000 hasn't received a donation since April, according to SolScan, but the wallet linked to the meme coin is still drawing funds.
Ramarao has apparently not been able to retain a lawyer who will take the case on contingency.
Parents of Dead OpenAI Whistleblower Sue San Francisco, Alleging Murder Cover-Up
One lawyer, who after racking up $25,000 in hourly fees, said he was 'too busy' to continue pursuing the case, Romarao said.
A second lawyer has charged her $60,0000 thus far. She said she spent another $115,000 on fees related to an investigation.
In February, 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.
'Very few investigators know how to get the truth out,' Ramarao said. 'This makes it more expensive.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
2 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Flight diverted after skateboard-waving drunk passenger yelled racial slurs, police say
A Los Angeles-bound flight was diverted to Colorado after a drunk passenger started yelling racist slurs while waving around a skateboard, police said. Breeze Airlines flight MX704 — flying from Norfolk, Virginia to Los Angeles — landed in Grand Junction Airport in Colorado around 11.15 a.m. Wednesday after an intoxicated male passenger 'became agitated, yelling racist slurs at airline staff while waving a skateboard,' Grand Junction Police said. Airline staff put the passenger in restraints twice but he was able to break free both times. He didn't physically assault anyone and no injuries were reported, police said. When the flight touched down, police were called to assist with an 'unruly passenger,' authorities said. The man was then taken into custody at the direction of the FBI and transported to the Mesa County Detention Facility. David Leroy Carter Jr., 46, of Los Angeles, was arrested, the FBI told The Independent. It's not immediately clear what charges he may face. The U.S. Attorney's Office for Colorado would announce the charges at an appropriate time, the agency said. The investigation into the incident is ongoing, according to police. The Independent has asked the FBI and the U.S. Attorney's Office for more information. 'The plane was met promptly by local law enforcement officers, who restrained and removed the passenger from the aircraft,' Breeze Airways said in a statement. The flight was delayed in Grand Junction while a new crew was brought in to fly the remaining passengers to LAX, the airline said. The passengers arrived at their final destination around 7.15 p.m. local time. This year, there have been reports of more than 1,000 unruly passengers, according to data from the Federal Aviation Administration. That figure marks a dramatic drop from 2021, when the FAA received a whopping 5,973 reports of unruly passengers.
Yahoo
2 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Udemy Launches AI-Powered Platform in Arabic, Fueling Skills Acceleration Across the Middle East
New expansion aims to empower over 300 million Arabic-speaking professionals with personalized, adaptive upskilling SAN FRANCISCO, August 14, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Udemy (Nasdaq: UDMY), a leading AI-powered skills acceleration platform, announced the recent launch of its platform in Arabic. This milestone reflects the global technology company's continued expansion across the Middle East, reinforcing Udemy's mission to empower learners and organizations worldwide with the skills they need to stay ahead in the age of AI. Spoken by more than 300 million people in various dialects, Arabic is one of the world's most widely used languages. The newly localized Udemy platform offers an enhanced user experience in Arabic, enabling organizations and professionals across the Middle East and North Africa region to upskill and reskill in high-growth, emerging roles. In the past year, over one million learners have enrolled in more than 7,000 Arabic-language courses from Udemy's Multi-Language Collection, covering a diverse range of topics from AI and cloud computing to communication and leadership. "At Udemy, we believe language should never be a barrier to professional growth," said Hugo Sarrazin, President and CEO of Udemy. "Localizing our platform in Arabic strengthens our ability to serve our growing customer base across the region with culturally relevant, high-quality reskilling experiences. With this launch, we're helping unlock new opportunities for workforce development, product innovation, and business growth throughout the Arabic-speaking world." "With Udemy's platform now available in Arabic, professionals in the region can seamlessly access high-quality, locally relevant learning experiences," said Dr. Ryan Ahmed, Udemy instructor, CEO of Stemplicity, and Assistant Professor at McMaster University. "This advancement not only removes language barriers but also empowers Arabic-speaking professionals and leaders to build critical skills with greater confidence, speed, and cultural resonance." Dr. Ahmed's course, Artificial Intelligence from Beginner to Professional, is available in Arabic to enterprise customers and learners on the Udemy platform. To access the Udemy platform in Arabic, visit About Udemy Udemy (Nasdaq: UDMY) is an AI-powered skills acceleration platform transforming how companies and individuals across the world build the capabilities needed to thrive in a rapidly evolving workplace. By combining on-demand, multi-language content with real-time innovation, Udemy delivers personalized experiences that empower organizations to scale workforce development and help individuals build the technical, business, and soft skills most relevant to their careers. Today, thousands of companies, including Ericsson, Samsung SDS America, On24, Tata Consultancy Services, The World Bank, and Volkswagen, rely on Udemy Business for its enterprise solutions to build agile, future-ready teams. Udemy is headquartered in San Francisco, with hubs across the United States, Australia, India, Ireland, Mexico, and Türkiye. View source version on Contacts Media Contact Risha TyagiSenior Global Corporate Communications Managerpress@
CBS News
4 minutes ago
- CBS News
Former Denver Nuggets mascot sues ownership group for disability discrimination
A former Denver Nuggets mascot is speaking out after filing a lawsuit against the team's ownership group, Kroenke Sports & Entertainment (KSE), alleging disability discrimination and an unlawful severance offer. Drake Solomon, who portrayed the Nuggets' mascot Rocky from 2021 until this past season, claims he was wrongfully terminated after undergoing double hip replacement surgery. His father had performed as Rocky for more than 30 years before Solomon took over the role. Solomon says the lawsuit is not only for himself, but also on behalf of other KSE employees who, since the 2023 passage of Colorado's POWR Act (Protecting Opportunities and Workers' Rights), have allegedly been offered similar unlawful agreements. "I was on the court at 2-weeks-old," Solomon told CBS Colorado. During the NBA team's 2023 championship run, Solomon says he was diagnosed with a painful bone condition that impacted his ability to perform. After notifying supervisors that he would need surgery, Solomon alleges the organization began tryouts for his replacement, citing a lack of confidence in his health. "It came to a point where I was on the court shooting a half-court shot with tears dripping down my face," Solomon recalled. "It's hard thinking about those times. I really wanted to bring the same energy." After surgery, Solomon says he felt ready to return but never got the chance. "For it to end this way, it feels like betrayal," Solomon said. "We were so loyal to them." Solomon says he was offered $20,000 and a non-disclosure agreement as part of his severance agreement. He refused. "It seemed sketchy to me," Solomon explained. "I wasn't going to sign that." Attorneys say the agreement violated nearly every provision of the POWR Act. Solomon believes other employees were offered similar deals. Despite everything, Solomon says he still loves the Nuggets and its fans. He's now seeking a trial in hopes of holding KSE accountable and protecting future employees. "Never wanted things to go down this way," Solomon said. "But there are things they could've handled better -- not just with me -- but with others as well." KSE has not responded to a request for comment.
