- Class-action lawsuit filed against Cristiano Ronaldo over losses from his Binance crypto promotion. Plaintiffs struggling to serve Ronaldo due to his elusive status and international residency.
- Motion seeks alternative service methods like email, Twitter and website publication. Tactics exploit Ronaldo’s verified social media and known legal representation.
- Creative service efforts highlight challenge of notifying famous, jet-setting defendant. Plaintiffs determined to officially bring Ronaldo into lawsuit over lucrative crypto partnership.
Binance users involved in a class-action lawsuit against soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo are taking unconventional steps to serve and notify him about the legal action.
Lawsuit Background
The class-action lawsuit stems from claims that Binance clients suffered losses due to Ronaldo’s promotion of the crypto exchange. The November 2022 filing in a Florida district court alleged Ronaldo unlawfully promoted, assisted and participated in the offer and sale of unregistered securities in coordination with Binance.
The suit cited Securities and Exchange Commission guidance warning celebrities they must disclose payments received for promoting cryptocurrencies. The complaint claims Ronaldo failed to make these disclosures.
In mid-2022, Binance entered a multiyear partnership with Ronaldo to announce a series of his NFT collections, with at least three tied to the exchange.
Motion Seeks Alternative Service Methods
A January 2023 motion filed by the plaintiffs argues for alternative service methods for Ronaldo due to difficulties using traditional channels.
The motion highlights uncertainty around Ronaldo’s Saudi Arabia address. It also claims Hague Conventions do not prohibit alternative service when a defendant’s address is unknown.
The proposed methods include email, Twitter and website publication. The motion argues this complies with international agreements and provides proper notice.
Plaintiffs created a website to share case materials. These would be sent to Ronaldo’s verified Twitter accounts and email addresses for attorneys involved in his other U.S. lawsuits.
Unconventional Tactics Reflect Challenge of Serving Ronaldo
The creative service tactics reflect the challenge of notifying an elusive, internationally known defendant like Ronaldo. They demonstrate the plaintiffs’ persistence and willingness to exploit Ronaldo’s social media presence and legal entanglements to ensure he receives information about the class action.
Whether these methods satisfy legal service requirements remains to be seen. But the motion shows the plaintiffs exploring every option to officially bring Ronaldo into the lawsuit stemming from his lucrative crypto promotion deal.
