Drake Adin Ross DJ Akademiks Hit With Federal Racketeering Suit

April 24, 2026

Drake’s facing a New Jersey lawsuit accusing him, Adin Ross, and DJ Akademiks of running an illegal gambling scheme.

Drake is staring down another legal battle that’s piling on top of his already crowded court calendar.

A New Jersey resident just filed a federal lawsuit accusing the Toronto rapper, streamer Adin Ross, DJ Akademiks, and the Stake gambling platform of running an illegal scheme that’s been bleeding money from everyday people who thought they were just following celebrity endorsements.

Jason Nufio from Roselle, New Jersey, filed the complaint on April 22, and, according to court documents, he claims Stake violated state gambling laws while Drake, Ross, and Akademiks used their platforms to promote the site without disclosing their financial arrangements.

The lawsuit alleges that consumers lost real money while the celebrities faced zero actual risk because they were getting paid directly by the platform.

The filing goes deeper than just deceptive marketing. Nufio’s legal team is accusing DJ Akademiks of actively helping Drake artificially inflate his streaming numbers through bot networks.

The lawsuit states that Akademiks “knowingly and directly assisted Drake’s inflation of his streaming numbers through bot networks by publishing and promoting information that he knew to be false.”

It also claims Akademiks received payments through Stake’s tipping feature for his involvement in the scheme.

According to the court documents, the lawsuit claims that Stake’s virtual “gold coins” currency is basically a legal loophole designed to make illegal gambling look legitimate.

The filing describes it as “a fig leaf to superficially avoid the appearance of illegal gambling and afford Stake a veneer of deniability.” Nufio is seeking recovery of his gambling losses plus additional damages.

This New Jersey case follows similar lawsuits filed in Missouri, New Mexico, and Virginia, all targeting the same defendants over identical allegations.

The timing is significant because New Jersey passed legislation in August 2025 that made it illegal to participate in sweepstakes casinos while in the state.

The court documents show Nufio claiming that Drake and Ross “faced no genuine financial risk, while ordinary consumers who followed their lead and placed similar wages stood to lose real money.

They have inflicted harm on consumers across the State who have lost real money chasing gambling wins on the Stake platform.”

The lawsuit comes as Drake prepares to release his ninth studio album ICEMAN on May 15, adding another layer of distraction to what should be a major moment for his music career.

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