Former Near Protocol manager accidentally displays confidential images

Former Near Protocol business development manager Andrew Krynin found himself at the center of a scandal after accidentally displaying explicit images during a public call. The incident sparked a strong reaction both within the blockchain platform’s community and on social media.

How did It happen?

During a live stream with Near Core author Cameron Dennis, Krynin mistakenly showed viewers two explicit images from his laptop. Realizing his mistake, he became flustered and mumbled, "The only thing I wanted to say… uh… damn it," before quickly turning off screen sharing.

The mishap, which occurred just before Valentine’s Day, quickly went viral on social media, with X users actively discussing the incident.

Near Protocol’s Reaction

The Near Protocol team responded quickly by publishing cybersecurity advice: "Key tip: Use one laptop for personal matters and a separate device for crypto and work. Protect your private keys and other data." Later, an official statement was released in which the company took "full responsibility" for the situation. The original video was removed from the platform.

Manager’s comments

After the incident, Krynin made two contradictory posts. In the first, he shared a crypto wallet address and asked users to share their meme coin profits: "If you made money on memes—share some! I need a big Valentine’s Day offering..."

Ten hours later, he apologized, but only to "the only person I could have hurt"—his girlfriend. At the end of the post, he added that having explicit photos on his laptop was not a sign of disrespect but rather of strong feelings.

What does the community think?

Opinions were divided: some took the situation humorously, while others focused on the contents of Krynin’s laptop.

Despite the scandal, the NEAR token rose by 6%, reaching $3.50. The incident’s impact on the project’s reputation remains uncertain, but the crypto community was anything but indifferent.