Blitz Bureau
NEW DELHI: Tesla and SpaceX owner Elon Musk has been ordered by a US Federal judge to face a lawsuit from voters who accused him of defrauding them into signing a petition supporting the US Constitution for a chance to win his $1 million-a-day giveaway. The plaintiff alleged that winners were pre-selected, but Musk announced it as a lottery opportunity to win the prize, according to reports.
US District Judge Robert Pitman in Austin, Texas, held that the victim Jacqueline McAferty, an Arizona resident, has made a plausible claim in her proposed class action against Musk and his political action committee America PAC. McAferty further alleged America PAC illegally induced her to provide personal identifying information during a giveaway late in the 2024 election campaign.
McAferty alleged that Musk and America PAC encouraged voters in seven battleground states to sign his petition by promising a random selection of $1 million recipients, similar to a lottery, despite the voters having no chance of actually winning the money. Voters who signed were required to provide names, addresses, email addresses, and phone numbers, she said. As per multiple media reports, Musk’s lawyers and America PAC did not respond to requests for comment on the judgement. Musk established America PAC to back Republican candidate Donald Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign.
