According to Odaily, the Lifeboat Foundation, which claims to be dedicated to 'protecting humanity', has been associated with notable figures such as Jeffrey Epstein and Vitalik Buterin. Despite its claim of having a non-profit 501(c)(3) status, it has been on the automatic revocation list of the U.S. Internal Revenue Service since 2020. The foundation has been accepting cryptocurrency donations since 2013, with the first donation of 500 bitcoins coming from Brian Cartmell. It currently holds a significant amount of cryptocurrency and has not immediately converted it into legal tender.
Donors include Jaan Tallinn and Charlie Shrem, with a total of over 1100 bitcoins and 190 Ethereum received. At present, most donors are businesses hoping to improve their search engine rankings by displaying their names and links on the website. The foundation's handling of these donations and its tax status have raised questions, given its continued presence on the IRS's automatic revocation list.