Solana co-founder faces lawsuit over alleged misuse of staked SOL

Stephen Akridge, co-founder of Solana (CRYPTO:SOL), has been sued by his ex-wife, Elisa Rossi, who accuses him of misappropriating millions of dollars in staking rewards from her SOL tokens.

Filed on December 24 in San Francisco Superior Court, the lawsuit alleges that Akridge secretly earned substantial staking rewards from SOL tokens Rossi claims are hers.

Rossi asserts that Akridge, leveraging his technical expertise, retained control over her Solana wallet despite their divorce agreement, which stipulated a division of their crypto assets.

According to the complaint, Akridge allowed Rossi wallet access to three accounts containing SOL tokens.

However, this arrangement allegedly enabled him to continue staking her assets and profiting without her consent until Rossi discovered the activity in May 2024.

The exact number of tokens and the total value involved remain undisclosed, but court documents confirm the sum exceeds $25,000. Rossi's legal team has requested portions of the lawsuit be sealed, citing the significant amounts at stake.

Solana's blockchain allows users to earn staking rewards by locking SOL tokens, which help validate transactions.

The rewards, given in additional SOL, have been a lucrative feature as the cryptocurrency gained over 80% in value this year, peaking at $263.

Rossi claims she confronted Akridge through numerous messages between May and December, demanding the return of her staking rewards.

“Good luck getting those staking rewards from me,” the suit alleges Akridge dismissed her requests, even mocking her efforts.

Akridge, currently the CEO of cybersecurity firm Cyber Grant, has not publicly responded to the allegations.

Requests for comment from Cyber Grant and inquiries regarding Akridge's legal representation have so far gone unanswered.

This legal dispute highlights ongoing challenges surrounding asset division and control in the cryptocurrency sector, particularly during personal and financial disputes.

At the time of reporting, the Solana price was $192.78.