New Lawsuit in Virginia Revives Claims Against Drake, Adin Ross, and Stake

A fresh class-action lawsuit has been submitted to a federal court in the state of Virginia targeting Drake, streamer Adin Ross, and the online casino Stake. This time, the claims go beyond allegations of crypto casino promotion and focus on alleged financial schemes involving the platform’s internal “tipping” system, which plaintiffs say was used to move funds and bypass regulatory oversight.

The lawsuit was filed on behalf of Virginia residents who reportedly lost money on Stake over the past three years. The plaintiffs are seeking $5 million in damages and are pushing for a court injunction that would prohibit both the operation and advertising of the platform within the state. According to the complaint, Stake has been operating without a valid license, while the promotional involvement of Drake and Ross allegedly gave players a misleading sense that the service was lawful and regulated.

Allegations of money laundering

A separate section of the filing focuses on alleged money laundering activities. The plaintiffs claim that participants in the scheme used the tipping feature to transfer large amounts of cryptocurrency between accounts, effectively avoiding financial monitoring. The complaint also states that since 2022, these transfers were allegedly used to pay for bot services designed to artificially boost streaming numbers for Drake’s music.

Court documents reference specific examples, including cryptocurrency transfers totaling $100,000 between Drake and Adin Ross in 2023, as well as joint crypto giveaways conducted in 2024. According to the plaintiffs, these transactions were used to disguise payments for services or to withdraw gambling-related income without attracting regulatory attention.

Broader regulatory context

This is not the first case of its kind. Similar allegations were previously raised in Missouri, and Stake’s business model — particularly its use of a dual-currency system — continues to attract scrutiny from US regulators. The new Virginia lawsuit adds further pressure on the platform and its high-profile promoters as legal challenges around crypto gambling intensify across the country.