Introduction to my suit against Chime:
Claimant REDACTED ("REDACTED" or "Claimant") is a self represented litigant in arbitration matter title L**** v. Chime, case number 01-25-0005-2640. Claimant expresses his sincerest apologies for any errors he may have in this pleading to the readers, as a self represented litigant he expresses the readers loosely construe his position as not a member of the bar, thus not having the same capital and leverage as his opponents in the matter, including the industry contacts and assistance with research matters. Claimant has to his credit, researched and authored this after exhausting all other avenues to resolve this matter without any success. He brings these issues to the panel after exhausting them, and he does so in good faith, without malice, as he has tried to do so now for years. Chime is a member of companies engaged in fraudulent schemes that have direct ties to illegal gambling and money laundering including matters of national security and cyber security breaches, as a method to conceal the true source of the proceeds in these operations along with other interested parties who are not yet part of this arbitration, but are without a doubt engaged with the company wholly and knowledgeably engaged with criminal conduct in which the Claimant has diligently sought recourse and accountability by blowing the whistle on such conduct. He now brings this matter to the Panel in a civil action against the Respondents.
On September 21, 2025, Claimant discovered that his Chime account had been charged $4,810.06 across FIVE MERCHANTS, all engaged in illegal online gambling operations deliberately disguised through false Merchant Category Codes:
MERCHANT BREAKDOWN:
- Medium Rare N.V. (Curacao): $1,250.00 | Displayed MCC: 5999 (Misc) | Actual: Casino
- SweepStakes Ltd (Cyprus): $980.50 | Displayed MCC: 5816 (Digital) | Actual: Casino Gaming
- Pulsz: $875.00 | Displayed MCC: 5968 (Services) | Actual: Gambling Platform
- Cases.gg (Cyprus): $705.56 | Displayed MCC: 5815 (Digital) | Actual: Gambling/Betting
- Clash.gg (Cyprus): $999.00 | Displayed MCC: 5734 (Software) | Actual: Online Casino
TOTAL: $4,810.06
6. NATURE OF THE FRAUD: MCC MANIPULATION & MONEY LAUNDERING
These merchants employed a sophisticated fraud scheme:
a. MERCHANT CATEGORY CODE MANIPULATION:
- MCCs are standardized 4-digit codes identifying business type
- Proper gambling MCCs: 6211 (Legal), 7995 (Gambling), 7996 (Gambling general)
- Selected MCCs (5999, 5816, 5968, 5815, 5734): Designed to evade blocking
- Purpose: Bypass payment network fraud detection and bank compliance systems
b. MONEY LAUNDERING THROUGH PAYMENT NETWORKS:
- Illegal gambling operators cannot process directly
- Solution: Use false MCCs to appear as legitimate service providers
- Effect: Launder billions in gambling proceeds through U.S. banks
c. REGULATORY EVASION:
- UIGEA (31 U.S.C. § 5361 et seq.) prohibits processing gambling transactions
- False MCCs prevent UIGEA compliance procedures from triggering
- Banks cannot block transactions they don't identify as gambling-related
C. MERCHANT PREDATORY DESIGN & MARKETING
7. DOCUMENTED DARK PATTERNS & ADDICTIVE MECHANICS
Each merchant employed sophisticated predatory design mechanics:
PULSZ (Gambling Platform):
- Variable ratio reinforcement schedules
- Psychological "near-miss" effects designed to encourage continued play
- Daily bonuses creating habit formation
- Progressive betting systems encouraging increased stakes
- No spending limits; no mandatory cooling-off periods
- Targeting of financially vulnerable users
CASES.GG & CLASH.GG (Esports Betting/Loot Boxes):
- Loot box mechanics (gambling elements disguised as game progression)
- Esports betting falsely presented as skill-based competition
- Social proof mechanisms (leaderboards showing "winners")
- Achievement systems tied to spending
- Risk normalization through graduated stakes
MEDIUM RARE N.V. & SWEEPSTEAKS LTD (Online Casinos):
- Free-to-paid conversion mechanics
- Loss-chasing features designed to encourage recovery attempts
- Progressive reward schedules
- Influencer partnerships promoting "big wins"
- No age verification despite youth targeting
8. COORDINATED MARKETING CAMPAIGNS
The merchants deliberately targeted vulnerable populations through:
PLATFORM-SPECIFIC MARKETING:
- Discord: Private server communities offering "free" gambling with affiliate links
- Kick: Live streamers broadcasting gambling with sponsored partnerships
- YouTube: Casino tutorials and "winning strategies" content
- TikTok: Short-form gambling promotion targeting Gen Z audiences
- Instagram: Aesthetic casino imagery and "lifestyle" marketing
- Reddit: Community forums organizing gambling communities
- Twitter/X: Betting tips and social proof of "wins"
