Drake Accused of RICO Gambling and Stream-Boosting Scheme in New Lawsuit
Drake is facing a lawsuit alleging involvement in an illegal gambling operation and a scheme to inflate his streaming numbers.Summary
Drake is accused in a new class-action lawsuit of participating in a racketeering conspiracy involving the online casino Stake, which is alleged to be operating illegally in the United States. The lawsuit claims Drake, who has a $100 million endorsement deal with Stake, is complicit in an illegal gambling operation and is using the platform’s unregulated “tipping” system to fund bot farms in Australia that artificially boost his streaming numbers on platforms like Spotify. The plaintiffs, LaShawnna Ridley and Tiffany Hines, are seeking at least $5 million in damages, citing violations of the RICO Act and the Virginia Consumer Protection Act. This isn't the first legal challenge Stake and Drake have faced, with a previous Missouri complaint alleging misrepresentation of the platform as a harmless “social casino.” The lawsuit further alleges that the scheme aims to suppress authentic artists and distort music recommendation algorithms.
(Source：Pitchfork)