mosesjgunner@gmail.comSAN ANTONIO – In a courtroom revelation that drew gasps from spectators, David Ramos admitted Wednesday that he orchestrated the theft of his stepson’s funeral donations, losing over $23,000 after falling victim to a cryptocurrency scam promoted by social media influencer Hawk Tuah.
Ramos, 34, pleaded guilty to wire fraud charges stemming from the elaborate phishing scheme that targeted his mother-in-law following the tragic accidental death of 10-year-old Gabriel García. The boy died from complications after being struck in the family’s driveway in what investigators confirmed was a devastating accident.
“I started with the usual meme coins,” Ramos told the court, describing how he created fake GoFundMe documents to deceive his mother-in-law, Rosa Mendez, 68. “But then I saw this girl on TikTok, Hawk Tuah, talking about her new token. She said it was guaranteed to moon. I put everything into it.”
Prosecutors revealed that within days of stealing the $23,457 in funeral donations, Ramos invested the entire amount in HawkGirl Token, only to lose it all in what crypto experts later identified as a classic “rug pull” scheme.
“He watched me fill out those forms,” Mrs. Mendez testified, her voice trembling. “He stood in my kitchen, helping me respond to what I thought was real GoFundMe paperwork, knowing he was stealing not just the funeral money, but my entire savings – all to gamble on some teenager’s internet token.”
The García family continues to endure harsh living conditions. Their kitchen still houses the same borrowed cooler that replaced their broken refrigerator months ago. “We survive on Bar-S hot dogs and Buddig turkey,” Patricia García said after the hearing. “The kids are sick of it, but every time I open that cooler, I remember how David chose some TikTok scammer over his own family.”
When pressed about the stolen funds, Ramos displayed little remorse. “The developers locked the liquidity pool and disappeared,” he explained, to visible confusion from the judge. “I thought since she was famous on social media, it had to be legitimate.”
District Attorney Maria Hernandez announced that as part of the plea agreement, Ramos will serve 8-12 years. “Mr. Ramos exploited a grieving family’s tragedy,” Hernandez stated. “He transformed their loss into a crypto gambling spree based on social media hype.”
For Patricia García, the plea brings some closure. “The accident was bad enough,” she said, wiping her eyes. “But to steal from your own family, to lose everything because some girl on TikTok told you to… I don’t even have words anymore.”
The García family still faces significant financial hardship, with outstanding funeral costs and mounting bills. The broken refrigerator serves as a daily reminder of their struggles, but Patricia remains resolute. “We’ll survive on Bar-S hot dogs and turkey if we have to,” she said. “At least now we know where the money went, even if it hurts to think about how stupid it all was.”
Ramos will be formally sentenced next month. His attorney indicated he hopes to make restitution, though he admitted “that might take some time, given that the HawkGirl Token developers have vanished completely.”
