Family of Former OpenAI Researcher Turns to Crypto to Fund Legal Battle Over Disputed Death

The family of late AI researcher and OpenAI whistleblower Suchir Balaji is leveraging the power of crypto to fight for answers following the tragic death of their son in 2024.

Balaji, who had been a vocal critic of OpenAI’s data practices and an active participant in AI ethics debates, was found dead in his apartment last November.

The investigation and medical examiners had ruled Balaji's death as a suicide, but Balaji's parents have rejected that conclusion.

Balaji's parents alleging that the scene looked staged, and has accused the local authorities of conducting an inadequate and possible covered-up investigation.

Galvanized by these concerns and the family’s lack of resources, the crypto community swiftly stepped in and tried to seek justice for the family.

In December 2024, a family friend launched the Justice for Suchir (SUCHIR) token on the Bags.FM memecoin platform with a total supply of 999 million tokens.

The coin peaked at $0.015 according to CoinMarketCap and generating $5,000 before experiencing a sharp decline typical of many meme coins.

This fundraising followed an earlier January 2025 crypto campaign that brought in more than $140,000 in Solana and other currencies, with supporters seeing the cause as emblematic of a broader fight for transparency and institutional accountability.

Legal Fight Faces Mounting Expenses

Despite the sizable financial support, Balaji’s mother, Poornima Ramarao, revealed that the legal battle and investigation had drained the family's financial resources.

The Solana wallet that amassed $140,000 hasn’t received any new donations since April, but the account linked to the meme coin is still drawing funds.

Ramarao revealed that she has struggled to retain legal counsel willing to take the case on contingency; one attorney, after charging $25,000, stepped away,saying he was too busy to continue the case.

While her second lawyer has billed her $60,000 thus far. She estimates an additional $115,000 has been spent on investigative fees alone.

In February, the family escalated their battle by filing a lawsuit against the City of San Francisco and the local police department, accusing them of withholding records and mishandling the investigation.

Ramarao lamented the difficulty and expense

“Very few investigators know how to get the truth out. This makes it more expensive.”