The top prosecutor of Philadelphia in the US state of Pennsylvania has sued billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk over his money giveaway campaign linked to the upcoming presidential election.
Musk, who endorses Republican candidate Donald Trump, has been giving away one million dollars a day to a voter in one of seven battleground states who has signed a petition supporting freedom of speech and the right to bear arms.
The winner is chosen by lottery. The giveaways are to continue until Election Day on November 5.
The money is given through a political action committee that Musk set up to back Trump’s campaign.
US media report the Justice Department warned Musk that paying rewards for acts such as voter registration could violate federal law.
The Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office on Monday issued a statement describing the giveaways as “illegal lotteries.”
The statement said the district attorney filed a civil legal action under Pennsylvania law to have Musk and his political action committee stop awarding money.
It said the district attorney is charged with “protecting the public from interference with the integrity of elections.”
Pennsylvania is one of the main battleground states in the US presidential election.