A $10 sports bet helped trigger 13 felony charges against Kalshi in Utah
Utah filed 13 felony charges against Kalshi and named CEO Tarek Mansour and COO Luana Lopes Lara as co-defendants after an undercover state agent made 12 sports wagers totaling $114.87 on the platform. Prosecutors allege Kalshi promoted unlawful online gambling and profited from the bets; the executives received court summonses, not arrest warrants. Kalshi called the prosecution an overreach. The criminal case adds to a jurisdictional dispute over whether federal oversight of prediction markets preempts state gambling laws. The CFTC and federal government have sued Utah, while a federal judge previously rejected Kalshi’s preemption argument and 37 state attorneys general have backed Utah’s authority. A separate state civil suit seeks restrictions on Kalshi contracts and recovery of profits.
