Cristiano Ronaldo faces $1B class-action suit over Binance NFTs - ESPN

Portuguese soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo has been hit with class-action lawsuit seeking at least $1 billion in damages for his role in promoting cryptocurrency-related «non-fungible tokens,» or NFTs, issued by the beleaguered cryptocurrency exchange Binance.

The lawsuit filed in federal court in the Southern District of Florida Monday alleges that Ronaldo's promotion of Binance was «deceptive and unlawful.» Binance's partnership with high-profile figures like Ronaldo, the plaintiffs claim, led them into costly and unsafe investments.

— Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.)

«Evidence now reveals that Binance's fraud was only able to reach such heights through the offer and sale of unregistered securities, with the willing help and assistance of some of the wealthiest, powerful and recognized organizations and celebrities across the globe — just like Defendant Ronaldo,» the suit reads.

Representatives for Ronaldo declined to comment Thursday. Binance, the world's largest cryptocurrency exchange, did not immediately return requests for statement from The Associated Press.

Ronaldo launched his inaugural NFT «CR7» collection with Binance in November of last year, ahead of the 2022 World Cup. The NFTs — which had starting prices ranging from the equivalent of about $77 to $10,000 — featured seven animated statues depicting Ronaldo from iconic moments in his life, from bicycle-kick goals to his childhood in Portugal.

Monday's suit says that the promotional efforts of Ronaldo's Binance partnership were «incredibly successful» — alleging a 500% increase in online searches using the keyword «Binance» after the soccer star's NFTs was announced. The collection's premium-level NFTs sold out within the first week, the