Rapper Drake, streamer Adin Ross, and online casino Stake face a federal racketeering lawsuit alleging they operated an illegal gambling site while funneling proceeds to artificially inflate Drake’s music streams.
Two Virginia residents filed the class-action complaint December 31 in US District Court, accusing the defendants of violating federal RICO statutes through a conspiracy that masked illegal gambling as a legal “sweepstakes casino.”
The lawsuit alleges Drake and Ross livestreamed gambling sessions using house money while claiming to risk their own funds. Plaintiffs LaShawnna Ridley and Tiffany Hines claim the defendants then used Stake’s payment system to transfer money to bot farms that manipulated streaming numbers on platforms like Spotify.
“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,” the complaint states.
The lawsuit names a fourth defendant, Australian national George Nguyen, who allegedly coordinated bot operations and paid clipping services. The complaint cites a $100,000 transfer between Drake and Ross in 2023 and a $220,000 car Stake gave Ross days before filing.
Drake signed a deal with Stake in 2022 worth $100 million annually, according to the Financial Times. However, Drake ended the partnership in August 2025 after accusing the platform of blocking his withdrawals and calling Stake’s co-founder a “snake.”
This marks the second federal lawsuit against the trio. A Missouri man filed a similar class action in October, alleging that Stake operated an illegal gambling site. That case focused on gambling violations, while the Virginia lawsuit adds streaming fraud allegations.
The plaintiffs seek to represent Virginia residents who lost money gambling on Stake in the past three years. They demand treble damages under RICO, injunctive relief and disgorgement of profits.
Representatives for Drake, Ross and Stake did not respond to requests for comment. Ross previously dismissed the Missouri lawsuit as “bullshit” during a livestream.
Stake.us operates in 31 states using a “sweepstakes casino” model, where users buy virtual “Gold Coins” bundled with “Stake Cash” redeemable for real money. The Virginia complaint argues this violates state law prohibiting online gambling.
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