Stephen Akridge, a co-founder of the Solana blockchain, is facing legal action from his ex-wife, Elisa Rossi. She claims he used her Solana tokens to create significant staking rewards without her knowledge.
The San Francisco Superior Court filed the action, alleging that Akridge earned millions of dollars in staking rewards from Rossi’s Solana tokens. According to the case, their divorce agreement included a partition of their Solana holdings, but Rossi claims that Akridge used her lack of cryptocurrency competence to keep ownership of the tokens.
Rossi claims that Akridge gave her limited access to particular Solana accounts while secretly staking her tokens, garnering substantial gains for himself. She alleges she discovered the deceit in May 2024, several months after the alleged mistreatment began.
Staking, a popular feature in blockchain networks such as Solana, involves locking coins to confirm network transactions in exchange for rewards. Rossi claims that Akridge continued to stake her tokens, profiting from the process even after their divorce settlement.
Rossi’s court filings highlight the large sums involved, but the lawsuit does not mention the actual amount of tokens or the total value of the incentives. In her complaint, she accuses Akridge of breach of contract, unjust enrichment, and fraud.
The lawsuit also states that Rossi attempted to fix the issue directly by sending repeated communications to Akridge concerning the staking incentives. According to her, Akridge rejected her worries and mocked her efforts to reclaim the money.
This legal issue highlights the difficulties and potential risks of cryptocurrency ownership, especially in cases involving personal connections and financial obligations.
