Roblox, the beloved children’s gaming platform, faces a possible money laundering issue. As per a new court filing, over 300 users are allegedly laundering money by buying fake in-game items with in-game currency. The proposal was submitted to a San Francisco federal court on Tuesday. Of course, the findings have shocked the gaming community. So, what’s actually happening?
Understanding the Roblox Money Laundering Controversy: What’s Actually Happening? Image: Getty Images
Roblox Faces Money Laundering Scandal: What You Need to Know
The potential Roblox money laundering scandal has left fans feeling confused. The case stems from a class-action lawsuit filed almost two years ago. Significantly, this case alleged that Roblox arbitrarily removed in-game items from players after they were sold. Additionally, the settlement document reveals that some users won’t receive a portion of the $7.5 million payout. This is because 311 accounts spent over $1,000 on suspicious in-game transactions. Ultimately the use of in-game currency to launder money has been a long-standing issue in the gaming community, with stolen credit cards used to buy virtual cash and sell it at discounted prices.
Chicago law firm Edelson PC filed a 2021 suit against Roblox on behalf of an anonymous under-18 girl who bought in-game items from another player. Roblox allegedly deleted these items arbitrarily, taking a 30% cut of the deal each time. The settlement requires court approval, but Roblox has agreed to pay affected users $7.5 million. However, the proposed settlement deems some Roblox users ineligible to receive any money due to their “suspicious” behavior. The court is expected to approve the deal in the coming months.
Roblox’s Response to the Allegations
Roblox disagrees with allegations of money laundering, according to spokesperson William Nevius. He stated the company will file a brief in response soon. Markedly, the gaming platform has measures in place to prevent money laundering, which isn’t the issue in the ongoing lawsuit. So, what’s actually happening? Well, Roblox allows users to sell Robux (the virtual currency used in the online gaming platform Roblox) back to the company when they reach 30,000. However, there’s a secondary market for buying and selling Robux, and this can lead to possible scams. Other games like Fortnite have also reported similar scams. Ultimately, Roblox said it took into account laws related to money laundering when structuring the company.
