The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has dropped a civil fraud lawsuit against the founder of BitClout.

PANews reported on March 15 that, according to The Block, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has formally dismissed its civil enforcement lawsuit against BitClout and DeSo founder Nader Al-Naji and six other defendants, and prohibits them from filing the same lawsuit again, based on a joint agreement filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) initially sued Al-Naji in July 2024, accusing him of raising over $257 million by selling the native token of BitClout, a blockchain-based social media platform, through unregistered means, promising investors that the funds would not be used to compensate him personally. The SEC alleges that he used over $7 million for personal expenses, including paying rent for his Beverly Hills mansion and giving cash gifts to family members. Al-Naji's wife, mother, and several related entities were also named as co-defendants.