Shaquille O’Neal to pay $1.8 million to settle FTX investor lawsuit

Shaquille O’Neal has agreed to pay $1.8 million to settle claims that he misled investors by promoting the now-bankrupt crypto exchange FTX

Shaquille O’Neal has agreed to pay $1.8 million to settle claims that he misled investors by promoting the now-bankrupt crypto exchange FTX.

The retired NBA superstar, who once urged fans to trust the platform, will resolve the allegations without admitting wrongdoing. But the deal marks one of the first high-profile settlements in the legal reckoning over FTX’s collapse.

The proposed settlement, filed in Florida federal court, would end a class action lawsuit accusing O’Neal of presenting FTX as a trustworthy and legitimate investment tool — particularly at live events and in social media content — while allegedly helping drive adoption of unregistered securities.

The class includes anyone who deposited money into FTX or held its proprietary token, FTT, between May 2019 and late 2022.

If the overseeing judge approves the deal, O’Neal’s $1.8 million payout will cover all legal fees, notice and administration costs and payouts to eligible investors. The arrangement also includes a sweeping release from future liability, and a provision barring him from seeking reimbursement from the FTX bankruptcy estate.