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Drake, Adin Ross, and Stake Sued in Virginia RICO Class Action Over Alleged Illegal Gambling, Bot-Driven Streams

The complaint claims Stake.us’s sweepstakes model disguised real-money wagering, enabling covert transfers tied to artificial plays of Drake’s music.

Overview

  • Filed Dec. 31 in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia by residents LaShawnna Ridley and Tiffany Hines.
  • Defendants are Drake, streamer Adin Ross, Australian national George Nguyen, Stake.us, and parent company Sweepstakes Limited.
  • Plaintiffs allege a dual-currency setup let users cash out “Stake Cash” despite marketing the site as a social casino without real-money gambling.
  • The complaint cites Stake’s user-to-user tipping feature and public transfers up to $100,000 as conduits to finance bot farms and amplification campaigns.
  • The suit seeks at least $5 million and injunctive relief for Virginia users who lost Stake Cash wagers within three years; related cases in Missouri and New Mexico are active, and no criminal charges have been reported.