The Justice Department warned Elon Musk that his $1 million giveaway could come with a prison sentence—and it appears he’s actually paying attention.

After receiving a warning from the Justice Department, Elon Musk has stopped his $1 million giveaway to swing voters from his super PAC.

The tech CEO pledged Saturday to give away the hefty sum each day to one registered voter in a battleground state who signed America PAC’s pro–First and Second Amendment pledge. Every day since then, a winner has been announced: three Pennsylvania voters and one North Carolina voter.

However, the move immediately raised legal questions, as it’s a federal crime to pay someone to register to vote, punishable by a fine of $10,000, five years in prison, or both. Experts were divided, with Musk’s plan falling into a legal gray area at best. Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro called the move “deeply concerning,” and author Stephen King accused Musk of “paying to register Republicans.”

  • @[email protected]
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    204 hours ago

    $10,000 fine on a $1,000,000 lottery is just a 1% tax. I’m surprised he even bothered to notice.

    • shastaxc
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      194 hours ago

      It was probably the 5 years in prison part that he cares about

      • @radioactivefunguy
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        24 hours ago

        If he stops it now, he’s not going to see prison or pay a dime…

        • @mycodesucks
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          53 hours ago

          Even if he doesn’t stop it now, he’s not going to see prison or pay a dime…

    • troed
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      42 hours ago

      I’m assuming there’s an additional risk of having to step down from any company he owns with federal contracts as well.