Binance users are taking unconventional steps in their pursuit of soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo, who is entangled in a proposed class-action lawsuit over his promotion of the crypto exchange. The users filed a motion on January 16, 2024, seeking alternative channels to serve the elusive Ronaldo, including the use of X (formerly Twitter), amidst uncertainties about the soccer player’s current address in Saudi Arabia.
What does the lawsuit allege?
The class-action lawsuit stems from allegations of Binance clients. People are saying that they lost money because Cristiano Ronaldo promoted the crypto exchange. The filing in a Florida district court on November 27, 2023, claims that Ronaldo “promoted, assisted in, and/or actively participated in the offer and sale of unregistered securities in coordination with Binance.” This legal action raises concerns about Ronaldo’s compliance with U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission guidance, which warns celebrities to disclose payments received for promoting cryptocurrencies – a requirement that the complaint asserts Ronaldo failed to meet.
In light of traditional methods proving challenging, the motion for alternative service suggests using email, X, and website publication. The suggestion is that using email, X (formerly Twitter), and a dedicated website follows the rules everyone agreed upon globally and makes sure the soccer star gets enough information about the lawsuit, even if we don’t know exactly where he is.
To find Cristiano Ronaldo, who is currently in Saudi Arabia, the Binance users have taken an extra step by making a special website with all the information about their case. These materials will not only be sent to the verified Twitter accounts of Ronaldo but also to the email addresses of his domestic counsel involved in ongoing U.S. federal litigation. This approach aims to ensure that Ronaldo is informed of the legal proceedings against him, even in the absence of a confirmed address.
The Binance and Ronaldo partnership
Binance users are trying something different because it’s hard to sue a famous person like Ronaldo when we don’t know where he is. They’re saying that using different ways to reach him is okay, even if it’s not the usual way, especially when we don’t know where he lives. They believe it doesn’t break any rules from the Hague Conventions, which are international agreements about legal stuff.
According to the U.S. SEC, the lawsuit against Ronaldo serves as an example of how important it is for people to be open about things in the crypto industry. The complaint also alleges that Ronaldo failed to disclose payments received for promoting Binance. They started working together in 2022 to make special digital items called non-fungible tokens (NFTs). The partnership aimed to introduce a series of NFTs, with at least three collections tied to Binance.
The Binance users behind the class-action lawsuit are committed to pursuing their claims through innovative means. The use of X and email, coupled with a dedicated website, showcases their determination to overcome the challenges posed by Ronaldo’s elusive whereabouts. The outcome of this legal battle could have broader implications for the relationship between celebrities, cryptocurrency platforms, and the responsibility of public figures to disclose their financial interests.
