In a surprising turn of events, Elon Musk is facing a proposed class action lawsuit filed by registered voters who participated in his controversial $1 million-a-day giveaway. The lawsuit, initiated by Arizona resident Jacqueline McAferty, claims that Musk and his America PAC organization misled voters into believing that the giveaway winners would be chosen randomly, while in fact, the outcomes were predetermined.
The complaint was lodged in federal court in Austin, Texas, where McAferty alleges that the defendants exploited the giveaway to garner attention for Musk’s X social media platform and to collect personal information from participants, including names, addresses, and phone numbers. This information could potentially be sold for profit.
This legal action comes on the heels of a recent ruling by a Philadelphia judge who denied a request from District Attorney Larry Krasner to halt the giveaway, which Krasner described as an illegal lottery. However, the ruling was largely symbolic as Musk has indicated he will not continue the giveaway beyond the upcoming U.S. presidential election.
Musk’s initiative targeted voters in seven key battleground states who signed a petition advocating for free speech and gun rights. The lawsuit seeks at least $5 million in damages for all individuals who signed up for the giveaway.
As the world’s richest individual and a prominent figure in the tech industry, Musk’s actions have drawn significant scrutiny. He has publicly supported Republican candidate Donald Trump in the presidential race against Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris.
The case is officially titled McAferty v. Musk et al., U.S. District Court, Western District of Texas, No. 24-01346. As this story develops, both Musk’s legal team and representatives for McAferty have yet to respond to requests for comment.
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