Stephen Akridge, a co-founder of Solana, is facing a lawsuit filed by his ex-wife, Elisa Rossi, who claims he withheld millions of dollars in cryptocurrency staking rewards during their divorce proceedings. Rossi, an Italian citizen residing in Rome, alleges that Akridge’s actions constitute fraud and breach of contract, as he retained control over substantial staking rewards that were rightfully hers under their divorce settlement.
The couple, who were married for nearly a decade before filing for divorce in 2023, reportedly accumulated significant wealth through Akridge’s involvement with Solana Labs, the company behind the Solana blockchain. Rossi asserts that while Akridge allowed her access to three crypto wallets as part of their divorce agreement, he directed the lucrative staking rewards to addresses he controlled, effectively keeping them for himself. This situation highlights the complexities and potential conflicts surrounding cryptocurrency ownership in divorce cases.
Rossi claims that she was unaware of the extent of Akridge’s actions until two months after their divorce was finalized in March 2024. She described the divorce as “acrimonious and prolonged,” and noted that Akridge took advantage of her limited knowledge about cryptocurrencies. In her lawsuit, she recounts multiple attempts to obtain her rightful share of the staking rewards, which were met with Akridge’s dismissive responses, including a mocking remark: “Good luck getting those staking rewards from me”
