- Utah filed 13 felony counts and one misdemeanor against the platform and its co-founders.
- Prosecutors cite 12 sports wagers placed by an undercover investigator.
- The CFTC disputes state authority over federally regulated prediction markets.
Utah filed criminal charges against Kalshi and its two co-founders on October 28, escalating a dispute over prediction market regulation. Attorney General Derek Brown alleges the platform promoted illegal online gambling and accepted wagers from an undercover investigator. The case adds potential criminal penalties to an existing civil dispute over whether federal oversight overrides state gambling laws.
Kalshi Charges Follow Undercover Sports Betting Investigation
The filing names CEO Tarek Mansour and chief operating officer Luana Lopes Lara, along with the company. Prosecutors brought one second-degree felony count alleging a pattern of unlawful activity.
They also filed 12 third-degree felony counts of online gambling promotion and one misdemeanor count of general gambling promotion. These are allegations, and the defendants have not been convicted.
According to local reporting on the charging documents, an investigator opened an account in September using Utah credentials. He allegedly placed 12 sports wagers after confirming his location within the state.
The investigator risked $114.87 and recorded a net loss of $25.10, the Salt Lake Tribune reported. Prosecutors contend that transaction fees generated proceeds from unlawful activity.
Kalshi rejected the charges as political overreach and said it would challenge them in court. The company pointed to Arizona, where a federal injunction previously blocked a similar prosecution.
Kalshi Dispute Deepens Clash Over Federal Market Oversight
The criminal filing followed Utah’s October 20 civil lawsuit against the platform and two Susquehanna trading firms. That action challenged contracts linked to sports, elections and other events.
On October 27, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission sued Utah to block state enforcement against federally registered exchanges. The agency argues that Congress gave it exclusive authority over these derivatives markets.
Kalshi similarly maintains that federal commodities law governs its event contracts. Utah argues that federal registration does not exempt businesses from state gambling restrictions.
A federal judge rejected the platform’s effort to block Utah enforcement in August. The CFTC says it has also initiated proceedings against nine other states. The two executives received summonses to answer the charges in state court.
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