Musk May Be Sued After Lawyer Says $1 Million Winners ‘Not Picked By Random’

An attorney representing Elon Musk and the American PAC Political Action Committee told a Pennsylvania judge on Nov. 4 that the recipients of his clients' $1 million-a-day “gifts” were chosen based on their personal histories.

Chris Gober, a lawyer known for working with the US Republicans, said that this testimony shows the so-called gifts as a voter lottery.

Encouraging voters

Mook announced the program in early October, saying that a random registered voter in Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania or Wisconsin would be awarded $1 million each day leading up to the election.

However, according to Gober, the winners were “not chosen at random” and the money was not awarded. In a report from Forbes, Gober told Judge Angelo Fogletta:

“The recipients of the $1 million are not chosen by chance. We know exactly who will be declared the recipient of $1 million today and tomorrow.

According to CNN's Marshall Cohen court reporter on X.com, the main theme of the case stemmed from comments from Musk that eligible voters would be awarded the money “at random,” with many framing the program as a lottery or sweepstakes.

Pennsylvania District Attorney Larry Krasner, the DA who filed the lawsuit against Musk and America PAC, pointed out that this is similar to running an unregistered lottery. According to Forbes, Krasner is considering criminal charges.

Related: Cointelegraph's coverage of the 2024 United States presidential election

Criminal charges

Under US federal law, the maximum penalty for running an illegal lottery is usually a fine and up to one year in prison. But a bid to send the case to federal courts was rejected on Nov. 1, and federal laws don't necessarily apply.

It's unclear whether Musk or Pac of America members could face jail time on the charges. A closer look at Pennsylvania law states that running an illegal lottery is a misdemeanor and those caught under the law typically do not receive jail time.

America's PAC and the attorney representing Musk argued that there is no lottery starting soon. According to the report, the winners were selected on the basis of their stories and were subsequently awarded a million dollar prize for fulfilling contractual obligations and hired as spokespersons.

While Musk and America PAC are expected to face federal charges — both have reportedly received warnings from the U.S. Department of Justice — ties to former U.S. president and current candidate Donald Trump could provide some protection if the Republican wins. .

Trump and Musk have indicated that the tech mogul will contribute to the Department of Government Efficiency if the former president retakes the Oval Office in January.

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