Seth Green\'s Stolen BAYC NFT: Community Urged to Avoid Purchase
In May 2025, actor Seth Green, known for his roles in "Robot Chicken," "Family Guy," and supporting Austin Powers, experienced a significant NFT theft. Green tweeted on May 18 that four of his nonfungible tokens (NFTs) were stolen, including Bored Ape Yacht Club (BAYC) 8398, Mutant Ape Yacht Club (MAYC) 992, and Doodle 7546.
This incident sparked a debate about NFT ownership and commercial rights. Green had been developing a show featuring his BAYC NFT, but the theft threw the project into question. Green, director of “Robot Chicken” and co-voice actor of “Family Guy,” noted that a person who goes by the pseudonym DarkWing84 had purchased his BAYC NFT.
The actor eventually paid a hefty sum – 165 Ether (ETH), valued at over $295,000 – to buy back the stolen BAYC NFT 8398. He is now able to use the NFT again. He paid a $260,000 ransom to recover his Bored Ape 8398.
Seth Green\'s experience highlights the risks associated with NFTs. American actor Seth Green lost four non-fungible tokens (NFTs) worth more than US$300,000 (S$405,000) in a phishing attack. One of the stolen NFTs, Bored Ape 8398, was particularly valuable due to its potential for commercial use.
This also isn\'t an isolated event. On Saturday, December 16, the NFT Trader marketplace was breached by hackers, resulting in the theft of dozens of ERC-721 tokens. Most notably, NFTs from the OpenSea platform have seen issues, with OpenSea coming under fire from some Bored Ape Yacht Club (BAYC) NFT holders as bad actors are exploiting the platform’s policies. Franklin, the sixth largest BAYC holder, has also been affected by thefts and exploits.
Legal experts have weighed in on the complexities of NFT ownership after a theft, particularly concerning commercial rights. Seth Green had to buy back one of his stolen NFTs after a hacker refused to return them.
The community is urged to be cautious and avoid purchasing NFTs known to be stolen. Checking the provenance and history of an NFT is crucial before any transaction.