Family sues trading app Robinhood over suicide
![](https://guardian.ng/wp-content/plugins/ventra-lazy-load/images/1x1.trans.gif)
(FILES) In this file photo illustration taken on January 28, 2021, shows the logos of video grame retail store GameStop and trading application Robinhood in a computer and on a mobile phone in Arlington, Virginia. – US Secretary Treasury Janet Yellen has requested a meeting with financial regulatory authorities to discuss recent market volatility following a social-media-fueled buying frenzy over shares in video game store GameStop and other stocks shorted by hedge funds. Yellen called for the meeting with the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Federal Reserve and the Commodities Futures Trading Commission, the Treasury said in a statement late February 2, 2021. (Photo by Olivier DOULIERY / AFP)
The family of a college student who killed himself after thinking he’d lost a fortune using Robinhood sued the free-trading app Monday.
A message left behind by Alex Kearns asked how it was that a 20-year-old with no income could get access to nearly $1 million of financial leverage using Robinhood, according to the suit filed in Silicon Valley, where the app is based.
“Robinhood’s website entices young, inexperienced users,” the suit contends.
“By marketing its online trading platform like a video game, it implied that trading stock and options was a fun way to make money, perhaps even to get rich.”
The suit accuses Robinhood of causing the Illinois man’s death along with unfair business practices and asks for unspecified damages.
In response to an AFP query, Robinhood said it was “devastated” by Kearns’ death last June and has since improved trading features along with guidance and education features for users.
“We remain committed to making Robinhood a place to learn and invest responsibly,” a spokesperson said.
Kearns was in his final year of high school when he opened a Robinhood account, according to the suit.
He used the app to start trading options in his freshman year of college, and a series of trades resulted in him finding his account was $730,000 in the red, the suit detailed.
“Tragically, Robinhood’s communications were completely misleading, because, in reality, Alex did not owe any money,” the lawsuit contended.
“He held options in his account that more than covered his obligation.”
The suit comes after traders who banded together over Reddit and other social media platforms in recent weeks used Robinhood to make massive share purchases of GameStop, AMC Entertainment and other struggling companies that wealthy investors had bet against.
The campaign, intended to make hedge funds and other large investors suffer, caused the share prices of these companies to soar and caught the attention securities regulators.
An app popular among retail investors whose stated goal is to “democratize finance for all,” Robinhood at one point limited trades on the most volatile stocks, before reversing course the next day.
![](https://guardian.ng/wp-content/themes/guardian2021/img/newsletter_icon.png)
Get the latest news delivered straight to your inbox every day of the week. Stay informed with the Guardian’s leading coverage of Nigerian and world news, business, technology and sports.
0 Comments
We will review and take appropriate action.