In a significant legal development, global music superstar Drake has been implicated in a proposed class-action lawsuit filed in the United States. The lawsuit alleges that the Canadian rapper, along with others, used funds from an online gambling platform to manipulate and artificially boost the streaming numbers of his music.
The Core Allegations: A Scheme to Inflate Streams
The legal action, as reported by CBC News, centres on Stake.us, the U.S.-facing website of the Curacao-based online casino operator Stake. Drake, whose real name is Aubrey Graham, has been a prominent promoter of the platform on his social media channels. The statement of claim positions him "at the heart of the scheme," working in concert with social media influencer Adin Ross.
The plaintiffs allege that both Drake and Ross were paid to promote Stake by gambling with virtual currencies that were "surreptitiously" provided to them by the platform itself. The lawsuit further names George Nguyen as a defendant, suggesting he acted as a facilitator and operational broker in the alleged arrangement.
How the Alleged Fraud Worked
The court documents present a detailed mechanism. The plaintiffs contend that Stake.us operates as an illegal online gambling platform designed to bypass U.S. restrictions, especially after its parent site Stake.com was banned in the country. While marketed as a "social casino" without real-money gambling, the suit claims the site uses "Stake Cash," which can be redeemed for cryptocurrency or digital gift cards, thus functioning as real currency.
The alleged misuse stems from the platform's "tipping" function. The lawsuit states that Drake, Ross, and Nguyen used this feature to transfer money among themselves. A portion of these funds was then allegedly used to manipulate streaming platforms like Spotify to generate fraudulent plays for Drake's music catalogue.
Wider Impact and Legal Demands
The consequences of these actions, as alleged in the suit, are far-reaching. The documents state the trio's efforts were used "to create fraudulent streams of Drake's music," fabricating his popularity, distorting streaming playlists, and misleading royalty and recommendation algorithms.
This artificial inflation, the plaintiffs argue, "suppressed authentic artists and narrowed consumers' access to legitimate content" by undermining the integrity of curated music experiences. The class-action was filed on December 31, 2025, in a Virginia court on behalf of plaintiffs LaShawnna Ridley and Tiffany Hines, and names all users of Stake.us as part of the plaintiff class.
The legal team is demanding a jury trial and seeking at least USD 5 million in damages and legal fees. It is crucial to note that none of these allegations have been proven in court. Representatives for both Drake and Stake did not immediately respond to requests for comment from CBC News.
