A self-described crypto enthusiast told ESPN he is part of a group that orchestrated recent sex toy stunts that have disrupted at least three WNBA games in the past 10 days.

The man, who spoke on the condition of anonymity over videoconference Wednesday, said that the stunts were meant to market a crypto coin that his online community created. The WNBA and all its “controversy,” he said, made the league a logical target.

“It was more or less like an opportunistic approach to, you know, what is already trending,” he said. “Where is there already controversy and how do we intercept some of that attention?”

The man, who uses Lt. Daldo Raine as his username on X — a nod, he said, to the Brad Pitt character in the movie “Inglourious Basterds” — kept his camera off and refused to give his name or age during the call with ESPN. The group, he said, wants to reclaim the creative and community aspects of the crypto world.

“We wanted to really make memes funny again,” he said.

On Thursday, a league spokesperson declined to answer ESPN’s questions about the group that claimed responsibility or adjustments to arena security. USA Today first reported news of the group’s claim.

WNBPA executive director Terri Jackson told ESPN on Thursday that the players’ union requested an update from the league and was told the league was investigating claims that individuals were being incentivized to carry out the stunts.

The man told ESPN that the coin started trading July 28, the day before the first sex toy was thrown at a WNBA game. The coin’s transaction record on Dex Screener, a website that tracks real-time prices of cryptocurrencies, confirms that timeline.

Posts from the group’s Telegram community, which includes over 1,000 users, were reviewed by ESPN. They reveal inside and prior knowledge of that first incident, at the Atlanta Dream game against the Golden State Valkyries on July 29.

A link to a stream of the game was shared in the chat ahead of tipoff, and the community members celebrated their upcoming stunt and posted numerous derogatory comments about the WNBA. “We will soon buy the league,” a poster wrote under a time stamp of 7:13 p.m. Then, time-stamped at 7:30 p.m., Daldo shared a green sex toy meme with the caption, “Dildo warrior practicing his throw!” Hours later, the game was postponed in the fourth quarter after a green sex toy was thrown onto the court.

Since then, two people have been arrested in connection with the sex toy stunts in two cities. Delbert Carver, 23, of Marietta, Georgia, was arrested Aug. 1 for allegedly throwing a green sex toy onto the court at the end of the Dream’s home game against the Mercury. According to police records, Carver was detained after trying to flee and he confessed to throwing the first sex toy July 29 as well. He faces counts of disorderly conduct, public indecency/indecent exposure and criminal trespass, according to law enforcement records.

However, the man ESPN spoke to said that Carver was not affiliated with the group and was not the thrower of the sex toy July 29. He declined to say who threw the object.

Carver did not respond to multiple requests for comment from ESPN.

On Aug. 1, a green sex toy was thrown onto the court during a Chicago Sky-Valkyries game in Chicago.

Indiana Fever star Sophie Cunningham addressed the trend that night.

“Stop throwing dildos on the court,” Cunningham posted on X. “You’re going to hurt one of us.”

According to the man ESPN spoke to, the group planned other incidents on Tuesday night in four different arenas.

An 18-year-old man, Kaden Lopez, was arrested at PHX Arena in Phoenix during the Mercury-Connecticut Sun game. Court records say Lopez removed a green sex toy from his sweatshirt pocket, threw it and hit two spectators, including one minor. After the toss, he attempted to leave the building. An arena volunteer witnessed the incident, followed Lopez and tackled him.

The man ESPN spoke to provided Lopez’s name before his name was made public and said Lopez was part of the coordinated stunt. Lopez is charged with misdemeanor disorderly conduct and misdemeanor assault. A felony charge of public display of obscene material was dropped. Lopez was celebrated as a “hero” and “legend” in the group’s Telegram chat.

A WNBA spokesperson declined to answer ESPN’s questions about the arrest.

Also on Tuesday, video footage posted on X shows a green sex toy that was tossed from the stands at Barclays Center during the New York Liberty’s game against the Dallas Wings, but it failed to make it onto the court.

A sex toy was thrown onto the court in Los Angeles during a Sparks-Fever game Tuesday, appearing to hit Cunningham.

“We are working with arena personnel to identify the individual responsible and ensure appropriate action is taken,” the Sparks said in a statement.

Additionally, the man said, a sex toy was supposed to be thrown in Seattle at the Storm’s game against the Minnesota Lynx, but the thrower didn’t attempt it.

The WNBA issued a statement Aug. 2, after Carver was arrested.

“The safety and well-being of everyone in our arenas is a top priority for our league. Objects of any kind thrown onto the court or in the seating area can pose a safety risk for players, game officials, and fans. In line with WNBA Arena Security Standards, any fan who intentionally throws an object onto the court will be immediately ejected and face a minimum one-year ban in addition to being subject to arrest and prosecution by local authorities.”

On Thursday, Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve addressed the issue with reporters after practice.

“This has been going on for centuries, the sexualization of women. This is the latest version of that. And it’s not funny,” she said. “These people that are doing this should be held accountable. … They’re the problem and we need to take action.”

On Thursday night, another sex toy was thrown onto the court during the Dream-Sky game. It is not known if the incident was connected to the previous ones.

According to a value tracker on Forbes, the price of the coin, which “represents a bold movement in internet culture — giving holders a voice in a fun, fearless, and fast-growing community,” has spiked by approximately 300% in the past week.

According to Google Trends, there has been a 3,700% increase in U.S. search interest on “green dildo” since July 29.

One betting website created markets around the sex toy stunts, allowing users to bet on when another toss would happen and what color the dildo would be. According to ESPN’s source, multiple members of the community placed and won bets.

“There were several people who greased the bets quite heavily just because we knew what was going on,” the source said.

Dave Mason, brand manager of Panama-based online sportsbook BetOnline, said that when the second sex toy was also green, he started looking for who could be orchestrating the stunts. That’s how he found the crypto coin group.

“It’s part of the game when offering markets like these,” Mason said in an email exchange with ESPN. “We can either choose to offer them or not. We know people will have inside info and might bet.”

The crypto coin source told ESPN that the group was moving away from WNBA games and singled out an MLB game Wednesday night. During the Marlins-Astros game in Miami, a woman sitting behind home plate held a green sex toy.

“We’ve got lots of funny things planned,” the source said. “Of a less disruptive nature, but we want to keep people looking for us.”