Lawsuit Seeks to Block Kalshi’s PokkeTrades Launch Amid Alabama‑Quassarte Leadership Dispute

A lawsuit filed on 30 October in Muscogee (Creek) Nation District Court seeks to stop Kalshi from launching PokkeTrades, a prediction market app developed with the Alabama‑Quassarte Tribal Town. Plaintiff Samuel Marshall Jr. argues the agreement was signed by a former tribal official who had no authority and that the tribal governing committee neither approved nor ratified the deal; Kalshi says a tribal council approved the partnership and a contract is in place.

What the complaint alleges

Marshall Jr.'s complaint names Kalshi, CEO and co‑founder Tarek Mansour, Wilson Yargee and Michael Stopp as defendants. It argues that Yargee did not have authority to enter the partnership because he was removed from office in 2021 when Marshall assumed leadership. The filing seeks an emergency restraining order to prevent PokkeTrades from launching this month and asks the court to order defendants to withdraw public statements about the tribe’s leadership and to recognise Marshall as the rightful chief.

The complaint includes allegations of fraud, false advertising and civil conspiracy, and seeks both compensatory and punitive damages. It also claims the announced partnership damaged the tribe’s reputation and commercial relationships and forced the chief’s administration to spend time and resources correcting public statements about who is authorised to represent the community.

Competing claims to tribal leadership

Both Samuel Marshall Jr. and Wilson Yargee assert they won a 2025 reelection. The Bureau of Indian Affairs recognises both men as chiefs while acknowledging the dispute is unresolved. Yargee rejects the claim that he was removed from office and maintains he had authority to negotiate with Kalshi.

Kalshi’s position

Kalshi rejects the plaintiffs’ account and says the partnership and contract are valid. Company spokeswoman Jacki McGavick told media that a tribal council had approved the partnership and that a signed agreement exists.

"A tribal council had approved the partnership and a signed contract is in place," said Jacki McGavick of Kalshi.

Reported impacts on the tribe

The complaint states the PokkeTrades announcement harmed existing business ties and resulted in the Alabama‑Quassarte Tribal Town being excluded from the National Congress of American Indians’ annual convention in Palm Springs. Marshall’s administration says it has had to expend resources correcting public records and communications about tribal representation following the partnership announcement.

Legal remedies sought

Plaintiffs ask the court for an emergency restraining order to stop the app’s launch, withdrawal of public statements by defendants regarding tribal leadership, recognition of Samuel Marshall Jr. as chief, and compensatory and punitive damages for alleged fraud, false advertising and civil conspiracy. The complaint names the Muscogee (Creek) Nation District Court as the forum for relief and lists Kalshi executives Mansour and Stopp and tribal representative Yargee among the defendants.

The case is now pending in Muscogee (Creek) Nation District Court; Kalshi has maintained publicly that its agreement with the Alabama‑Quassarte Tribal Town remains in force and that the company proceeded only after council approval.