Drake is in some serious legal shit.

A federal class-action lawsuit filed under RICO — yes, that RICO, the one they use for organized crime — accuses the rapper of promoting illegal gambling through Stake.us and using the platform's money to inflate his Spotify streaming numbers with bots.

We've seen celebrity gambling partnerships before, but this is something else entirely.

The Quick Hit

• The suit: RICO class-action filed December 31, 2025, in Virginia federal court
• The defendants: Drake, Adin Ross, George Nguyen, and Stake.us
• The allegations: Illegal gambling operation, money laundering, streaming fraud
• The ask: At least $5 million in damages (could triple under RICO)

What They're Claiming

The lawsuit alleges that Stake.us is "an illegal online gambling platform" dressed up as a social casino to dodge U.S. gambling laws. Users play with "Stake Cash" that can be redeemed for cryptocurrency or gift cards — which, according to the plaintiffs, makes it real money gambling.

Drake has been a high-profile Stake promoter since 2022, reportedly earning around $100 million per year from the endorsement deal. The lawsuit says he didn't just promote the site — he actively participated in financial schemes through it.

The wildest allegation? The plaintiffs claim Drake, Adin Ross, and Nguyen used Stake's user-to-user "tipping" feature to move money between themselves, then used those funds to pay for bot farms and coordinated streaming manipulation to inflate Drake's music plays.

The Streaming Fraud Angle

According to the complaint, George Nguyen "interfaced with bot vendors, supervised coordinated amplification strategies, and integrated paid 'clipping' campaigns" using money transferred through Stake.

The lawsuit alleges Drake used Stake as "an unlimited and wholly unregulated money transmitter" to fund artificial streaming operations. If true, that's not just a gambling violation — that's fraud on Spotify and every other streaming platform.

This comes as sweepstakes casinos face mounting pressure across the country. California banned them January 1. Tennessee's AG ordered 38 platforms to cease operations. The walls are closing in.

Stake's Response

In an emailed statement, a Stake.us representative called the lawsuit "a nonsense claim" and said the company was "not concerned about this lawsuit."

They specifically denied having "a tipping function that could be used in this way."

As of publication, Drake hasn't publicly responded.

This Isn't Drake's Only Problem

This RICO case joins a growing pile of Stake-related lawsuits:

• October 27, 2025: Missouri lawsuit alleging illegal gambling promotion
• October 29, 2025: New Mexico lawsuit with similar claims
• Multiple state investigations ongoing

The pattern is clear: authorities are coming for sweepstakes casinos, and anyone who promoted them is getting caught in the crossfire.

Why RICO Matters

RICO isn't just any lawsuit. It's the federal racketeering statute designed to take down organized crime. If the plaintiffs can prove a "pattern of racketeering activity," they're entitled to triple damages.

That $5 million ask could become $15 million. And that's just for the named plaintiffs — a class action could include every Stake.us user who lost money.

The Statute of Anne lawsuit against FanDuel is one thing. A RICO case against Drake is another level entirely.

The Bottom Line

Drake bet big on Stake.us. A hundred million a year in endorsement money sounded great until the federal RICO lawsuit dropped.

Whether these allegations hold up in court is anyone's guess. But this lawsuit isn't going away quietly, and the sweepstakes casino industry just got its biggest celebrity liability yet.

If you've been using Stake.us, might be time to read the fine print on what happens to your funds if the company goes under. Just saying.