A class action lawsuit filed in federal court in Virginia accuses Drake and internet personalities Adin Ross and George Nguyen of promoting online gambling and using money from the platform to boost music streaming numbers.
The suit was filed by Virginia consumers LaShawnna Ridley and Tiffany Hines. The defendants have not publicly responded.
The lawsuit alleges the three men worked with the online gambling platform Stake to encourage users to gamble. According to Rolling Stone, the suit claims they worked with Stake to “prey upon consumers” and expose them to gambling addiction through promotions, giveaways, and live-streamed gambling.
Ridley and Hines said they were “influenced to participate” in what the lawsuit describes as a “predatorial gambling environment” after Drake promoted the platform.
The complaint also accuses the defendants of using Stake as a “money transfer conduit.” It alleges Drake, Ross and Nguyen used the platform’s tipping feature to move money among themselves, calling it “an unlimited and wholly unregulated money transmitter that appears to exist outside the oversight of any financial regulator.”
Per USA Today, the plaintiffs’ attorneys allege violations of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act and the Virginia Consumer Protection Act and are seeking damages and a jury trial.
The lawsuit further claims gambling funds were used to inflate streaming numbers for Drake’s music through “amplification campaigns.”
“At the heart of the scheme, Drake—acting directly and through willing and knowledgeable co-conspirators—has deployed automated bots and streaming farms to artificially inflate play counts of his music across major platforms, such as Spotify,” the suit states. “This manipulation has suppressed authentic artists and narrowed consumers’ access to legitimate content by undermining the integrity of curated experiences.”
The complaint alleges the conduct amounts to ongoing racketeering activity since 2022.
“Plaintiffs have been damaged by the false marketing manipulation and abuses of defendants Drake, Ross, and Nguyen, who participate in the marketing of Stake,” the lawsuit says.
The suit accuses the defendants of violating state consumer protection law and participating in a racketeering conspiracy. It identifies Nguyen as a “broker and operational facilitator,” alleging he handled cryptocurrency transactions and coordinated bot activity and paid social media campaigns.
The lawsuit seeks to represent Virginia residents who lost money gambling on Stake within the past three years, according to Rolling Stone.
It follows a similar class action lawsuit filed in October by a Missouri man against Drake, Ross, and Nguyen. That case was moved to federal court last month.
