Crypto Casino Stake.us Named in RICO Suit Involving Drake and Adin Ross

TLDR

• Drake, Adin Ross, and George Nguyen are accused of using Stake.us to facilitate streaming botting and transfer funds covertly.
• The lawsuit claims Stake’s tipping feature acted as an unregulated money transmitter outside any financial regulator’s oversight.
• Filed by Virginia users, the class action seeks to represent U.S. residents who purchased or wagered with Stake casino tokens.
• The complaint alleges violations of the RICO Act, often applied in organized crime cases involving fraud and money laundering.
• Plaintiffs demand over $5 million in damages and claim Stake.us misled users into real-money gambling under false pretenses.

Drake and streamer Adin Ross have been named in a class action lawsuit filed December 31, 2025, in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia. The filing accuses them and Australian national George Nguyen of using Stake.us to hide money transfers connected to artificial music streaming boosts. The plaintiffs allege the casino’s tipping feature served as an unregulated financial tool tied to a broader botting campaign.

Lawsuit Alleges Money Laundering via Crypto Casino

The complaint claims Stake.us was used as a front to disguise payments linked to music botting on streaming platforms. According to the lawsuit, Drake, Ross, and Nguyen transferred funds using the tipping system embedded within the Stake platform.

The filing refers to the tipping tool as an “unregulated money transmitter” operating outside regulatory oversight. Plaintiffs LaShawnna Ridley and Tiffany Hines filed the suit on behalf of all Virginia users of Stake.us. They also seek to represent all U.S. residents who engaged with the casino through token purchases and wagers.

The complaint reads, “Stake.us was created and marketed to U.S. customers as a ‘social casino’ that purportedly does not permit real money gambling.” However, the plaintiffs argue that Stake.us misrepresents its legality while exposing users to real financial risk. They claim the platform violated federal and Virginia gambling regulations by disguising transactions under the label of free play.

Botting Allegations and RICO Claims Against Defendants

Drake and Ross are accused of using Stake-provided promotional funds to place bets and shift money through internal tools. The suit claims these actions were done in cooperation with Nguyen to support streaming bot campaigns for Drake’s music.

The complaint labels the activity as a violation of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO). It describes Stake.us as a tool used to facilitate coordinated fraud. Plaintiffs allege that consumers were misled by the casino’s messaging and branding.

They assert the company created a false image of safe and legal gameplay to draw users. “Stake.us preys on consumers in Virginia and nationwide,” the complaint states. It cites deceptive promotion and addiction exposure as part of the platform’s core harm to users.

The lawsuit demands no less than $5 million in damages and requests a jury trial. It also seeks civil penalties against all defendants named in the case. The complaint claims the conduct caused long-term financial harm to impacted users.