Roaring Kitty X Account Hacked: Solana Memecoin $RKC Pumps to $12M Before Crash

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On May 11, 2026, the verified X account belonging to Keith Gill, widely known as Roaring Kitty (@TheRoaringKitty), was apparently taken over. The hackers used the dormant profile, which had been quiet for more than 16 months, to drop a link for a fresh Solana-based memecoin called Red Kitten Crew ($RKC) launched on Pump.fun. What happened next played out like many similar incidents we have seen before: fast hype, big money moving in, and then a sharp drop that left most late buyers holding heavy bags.

The detailed breakdown that first caught wide attention came from on-chain watcher @StarPlatinum whose thread laid out the full sequence from launch to the dump.

How the Incident Unfolded

Around 21:07 UTC the compromised account shared the Pump.fun contract address. The token’s description and image cleverly referenced Roaring Kitty’s branding, which helped create instant credibility in the eyes of many followers. In under 30 minutes the market cap shot up to roughly $12.24 million. Trading volume on PumpSwap crossed $10.5 million as traders rushed in.

Then the selling started. The price collapsed back toward the $2 million level, erasing almost $10 million in market value from the peak. On-chain data showed more than 80 wallets pulling out around $2.86 million during the height of the frenzy. Reports suggest the hackers themselves cleared over $500,000 in profit. Several early wallets that had sniped large portions right after launch dumped aggressively once retail FOMO kicked in hard.

The creator address on Pump.fun looked like a typical burner (starting with 1nc1nerator…), and fees went to an incinerator wallet. These are common signs in rushed launches designed for quick extraction.

Roaring Kitty’s Legacy and Why This Matters

Keith Gill rose to fame during the 2021 GameStop (GME) saga, where his detailed fundamental analysis and “diamond-handed” approach turned him into a symbol of retail investor power against Wall Street. His verified X account, with over 1.6 million followers, has historically moved markets significantly whenever he became active. This made it a high-value target for hackers.

The account had been largely silent for over 16 months. On May 11, 2026, it suddenly posted a Pump.fun link promoting the Solana memecoin $RKC (Red Kitten Crew). The post featured a cat-themed image with Pepe the Frog wearing Roaring Kitty’s signature red bandanna. This was a sharp departure from Gill’s usual style of GME-focused analysis, charts, or memes. Many in the GME community, particularly on Reddit’s r/Superstonk, immediately flagged the post as suspicious due to the abrupt change in tone and the unrelated Solana memecoin shill. The promotional posts were later deleted, consistent with account recovery.

GameStop stock itself saw a brief after-hours spike of around 12 percent amid the chaos before cooling off. This highlighted how deeply intertwined meme stock and memecoin narratives remain.

Risks Facing Influencer Accounts and Crypto Traders

This kind of breach is becoming far too common. Influencers and celebrities regularly fall victim to phishing, SIM swaps, or stolen credentials. In today’s crypto environment, where a single tweet can launch a token in seconds on platforms like Pump.fun, the opportunity for bad actors is huge and the time window is very short.

The $RKC incident also mirrors several recent Solana ecosystem exploits involving compromised social accounts, fake token promotions, and wallet-drainer campaigns. Similar tactics were reportedly seen during the Bonk.fun hack incident, where attackers allegedly abused trusted branding to target users during a fast-moving hype cycle.

Several warning signs were present but easy to miss in the heat of the moment:

• Long period of complete silence followed by sudden activity
• Promotion of a contract address with almost no additional context
• Use of familiar branding without any real confirmation from the actual owner

Community members and security researchers continue to stress the need for stronger habits. Using hardware security keys, keeping unique strong passwords, and double-checking any unexpected posts are basic but important steps. Platforms also need to think harder about protecting high-profile accounts.

What This Says About Today’s Memecoin Environment

The $RKC episode captures both sides of memecoins right now. The speed and liquidity are impressive. At the same time, it shows how quickly emotion and fear of missing out can lead to painful losses for those who jump in late. A few fast traders made money, but the majority who bought near the top took the hit.

Beyond the immediate financial damage, repeated incidents like this slowly chip away at confidence in social media as a reliable source for trading signals. When even the most respected names in retail investing can be impersonated so easily, everyone has to stay extra cautious.

Practical Tips to Protect Yourself

• Turn on strong two-factor authentication (preferably app or hardware based, not SMS)
• Treat any surprise coin promotion with heavy skepticism, even from verified accounts you follow
• Always cross-check important announcements through multiple independent channels
• Avoid clicking direct contract links without doing your own research first

As of now, Keith Gill has not made any official statement on other platforms. Most people in the community believe the account has been recovered. Still, the event stands as another clear warning: in crypto, even the biggest names and their audiences are only as safe as the weakest link in their security setup.