‘Bacoin’ Developer Hits Oscar Mayer With Cease-and-Desist Letter

Oscar Mayer received a message from a 27-year-old IT worker saying “Hands off my Bacoin.”

Failing to acknowledge that Kirk Steel had developed a cryptocurrency in 2014 known as Bacoin created to be converted for strips of bacon, similar to how Oscar Mayer’s Bacoin is supposed to operate, Oscar Mayer launched what it refers to “the only leading authority to help lead bacon into the future of tomorrow- by creating a currency today.”

A recent Oscar Mayer YouTube video gives credit for Bacon’s invention to a “Keith Sizzle.”

It is still uncertain if Steele has a case against the food giant or not.

Sending a message to HelloWorld on Monday, the Bacoin promotion administration, Steele asked Oscar Mayer to get rid of comments of Bacoin given that it is an unauthorized use of his copyright work.

In a letter released on April 30, Steele explained that “Your work entitled Oscar Mayer Bacoin is essentially identical to the Work and clearly used the Work as its basis.” He ordered the company to stop its activity. He noted that if any response is not made within five days, he will take the necessary legal actions.

“My work has been publicly available since 2014 and this is a direct infringement on my ideas and their implementation,” Steele tweeted.

Steeled explained to Motherboard that he was particularly disturbed by the fact that Oscar Mayer’s advertisement is regarded as a gag.

According to Steele, his intention for Bacoin was to attract local Michigan meat company some publicity, however, the Oscar Mayer advertisement seems fake. He noted that he is not sure that there is any kind of blockchain behind the Oscar Mayer cryptocurrency.

There has been no comment from HelloWorld and Kraft Heinz owner of Oscar Mayer regarding the matter.

The topic is still up for discussion as to whether Oscar Mayer’s Bacoin is truly genuine.

According to the Bacoin website, the firm is releasing few Bacoins exchangeable for packs of Oscar Mayer Bacon.

But it seems Oscar Mayer is not too bothered over Steele’s complaint. He confirmed to Motherboard that if the company provides him a free year’s worth of bacon, he might likely let go of the complaint, given that he cannot cover the expenses of a lawyer to “go all the way with it.”

The complaint could attract more consumer attention if it goes any further.