 "Elon Musk speaks during a rally for Republican presidential nominee and former US president Donald Trump, at the site of the July assassination attempt against Trump, in Butler, Pennsylvania, US, October 5, 2024. Source: REUTERS.")
As the US votes for the new president, Tesla CEO and X owner - Elon Musk, was sued on Tuesday in a proposed class action by registered voters who signed his petition to support the Constitution for a chance to win his $1 million-a-day giveaway, and now claim it was a fraud.
Musk is a staunch supporter of Republican candidate Donald Trump in the election who is contesting against Democratic candidate Kamala Harris.
The complaint filed by a resident of Arizona, Jacqueline McAferty, in the Austin, Texas federal court. She alleged that Musk and his America PAC organisation falsely induced voters to sign by claiming they would choose winners randomly, though they were predetermined.
McAferty further alleged that the defendants profited from the giveaway by driving traffic and attention to Musk’s X social media platform, and by collecting personal information, including her name, address and phone number that they could sell.
McAferty sued Musk a day after a Philadelphia judge denied a request by that city’s district attorney Larry Krasner to end the giveaway, which Krasner called an illegal lottery.
That ruling was largely symbolic because Musk has no plans to give out more money following the 2024 US presidential election.
The world’s richest person opened the giveaway to voters in seven battleground states who signed a petition to support free speech and gun rights. Tuesday’s lawsuit seeks at least $5 million in damages for everyone who signed.
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More ShortsMusk is a Texas resident and his electric car company Tesla is based in Austin.
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With inputs from Reuters.