Tribal leadership dispute prompts lawsuit to block Kalshi app launch
Business1 min read
Samuel Marshall Jr. filed a lawsuit on 30 October in Muscogee (Creek) Nation District Court seeking to stop Kalshi from launching PokkeTrades, an app developed with the Alabama-Quassarte Tribal Town. The plaintiffs say Wilson Yargee lacked authority to sign the partnership agreement; Kalshi says the tribal council approved the deal and a signed contract is valid. Both Marshall and Yargee claim to have won the 2025 reelection, and the Bureau of Indian Affairs recognises both as chiefs while the dispute remains unresolved.
Samuel Marshall Jr. is seeking to block Kalshi's launch of PokkeTrades, a prediction-market app created with the Alabama-Quassarte Tribal Town, according to the lawsuit. Marshall Jr. filed the challenge in Muscogee (Creek) Nation District Court on 30 October.
Marshall's administration contends that Yargee lacked authority to make the deal and that the tribal governing committee has not approved or ratified it. Kalshi rejects those claims and says the agreement was signed and approved by a tribal council.
The lawsuit names Kalshi, its chief executive and co-founder Tarek Mansour, Yargee and Michael Stopp as defendants. It alleges fraud, false advertising and civil conspiracy, and seeks compensatory and punitive damages. The complaint alleges that the partnership harmed the tribe's reputation and commercial relationships. Marshall's administration says it spent time and resources correcting public statements about who could represent the community.
The complaint seeks an emergency restraining order against the app's launch. It calls for the defendants to withdraw public statements about tribal leadership and recognise Marshall as the rightful chief.