Protecting Intellectual Property: Mark Longo’s Legal Action Against Binance
Mark Longo, famous for his viral pet Peanut the Squirrel, recently issued a “cease and desist” letter to Binance for unauthorized use of his intellectual property.
Legal Action Taken
In his official letter, Longo’s legal team accused Binance of violating copyright laws and intellectual property rights by using images and stories associated with his animals without permission.
The letter specifically pointed out that Binance promoted the PNUT token on its platform using the name “Peanut the Squirrel,” the “PNUT” branding, and even a copyrighted image of Peanut wearing a cowboy hat, all of which are part of Longo’s intellectual property.
“As an initial matter, your use of the phrase PEANUT THE SQUIRREL, the term PNUT, and the PNUT Image is identical to our client’s PNUT Marks. That is to say, the PNUT Marks and the Infringing Marks impart the same commercial impression, making them legally identical.”
Longo warned Binance of potential legal action if his rights were not respected, emphasizing his commitment to protecting his creative work and holding infringing platforms accountable.
Binance has not yet responded to requests for comment on the issue.
PNUT Tokens Controversy
The legal dispute sheds light on the growing popularity and conflicts within the peanut-themed meme coin ecosystem.
Peanut the Squirrel gained fame during the US presidential election following Longo’s clash with New York’s Department of Environmental Conservation over the seizure of Peanut and a raccoon in his care, which sparked public outrage.
This incident led to the creation of several meme tokens, with PNUT being the most prominent. The digital asset was recently listed on Binance.
Longo’s recent post mentioned a “Justice for Peanut” (JFP) token, which he claims is the legitimate PNUT coin.
The ongoing dispute has impacted token prices, with PNUT experiencing a 5.6% drop and JFP seeing a 10% rise in the past 24 hours, according to CoinMarketCap data.
