BlockDAG Network Linked to Hidden Co-Founder Gurhan Kiziloz and Missing Presale Funds, According to ZachXBT

On October 29, 2025, blockchain investigator ZachXBT accused BlockDAG Network on X (formerly Twitter) of concealing its real co-founder and transferring away millions in presale funds. The claims center around Gurhan Kiziloz, a previously unmentioned figure whom ZachXBT alleges is the actual founder behind the project, operating behind the scenes while using front-facing representatives like Antony Turner as the public face.

The allegations were made in direct response to a BlockDAG Network tweet promoting the start of its so-called “Value Era”, a new phase in its ongoing presale campaign. According to ZachXBT, Kiziloz is allegedly funneling investor funds through Middle Eastern OTC (over-the-counter) brokers.

This isn’t the first time ZachXBT has called out BlockDAG — in August 2025, he publicly labeled the project a “fake project and investment scam” in response to LBank’s BDAG listing announcement.

Accusations Emerge Under BlockDAG’s “Value Era” Campaign

BlockDAG Network published a promotional tweet on October 28, 2025, declaring the start of its “Value Era” with three announcements: the end of all presale bonuses, the reveal of final tokenomics, and the announcement of a final presale end date. The post urged users to purchase the BDAG token at $0.0015 using a “TGE” promo code, marketing it as the last chance to secure “the best deal in BlockDAG history”.

A few hours later, ZachXBT responded publicly to the tweet:

ZachXBT’s reply included an image of Antony Turner, identified by the project as its CEO.

Additional commentary quickly followed. One user, @MonstaGunner, wrote, “Yeah, this shit is a scam. You just need to ask ChatGPT and it will tell you.”

ZachXBT replied to this message by stating:

Implying that on-chain data shows the project received funds in the low nine-figure range, likely between $100 million and $300 million.

ZachXBT later noted that BlockDAG Network had blocked his account and removed his initial reply from the post. When asked for evidence, he responded:

Background on Gurhan Kiziloz: Former Lanistar Founder Tied to Past Regulatory Warnings and Crypto Projects

Gurhan Kiziloz is a UK-based entrepreneur best known as the founder of Lanistar, a fintech startup that faced a 2020 FCA warning for offering financial services without authorization. He later appeared in the media as the head of Nexus International, a company active in gaming and entertainment ventures. Reports have also linked him to the promotion of short‑lived meme coins such as Big Eyes, Dogetti, and Poorcoin, many of which quickly lost value after launch.

ZachXBT alleges that Kiziloz is the real founder behind BlockDAG Network, secretly running operations while Antony Turner fronts the project. He claims Kiziloz moved presale funds through Middle Eastern OTC brokers and that his name is banned in BlockDAG’s Telegram group. Neither Kiziloz nor BlockDAG Network has issued a public response.

BlockDAG’s Presale, Token Claims, and Public Narrative

BlockDAG Network markets itself as a Layer-1 blockchain that integrates Proof-of-Work (PoW) and a Directed Acyclic Graph (DAG) to enhance scalability and transaction speed. The project claims to be developing mining devices and even a mobile-based mining app.

The BDAG token presale has been running for months and, according to publicly shared figures on third-party platforms and the project’s promotional material, has raised over $429 million with more than 27 billion BDAG sold. These numbers have not been independently verified through on-chain audit or by centralized exchanges.

Despite the considerable time since BlockDAG’s launch, there are no confirmed exchange listings for BDAG, and no third-party KYC verification of the team has been published.

The project also claims it has undergone audits by CertiK and Halborn. While summary documents exist, the full audit scopes and results have not been publicly published by the auditing firms themselves. Independent verification of funds custody, vesting contracts, or transparency reports is also unavailable at this time.