SQ INVESTOR ALERT: Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd LLP Files Class Action Lawsuit Against Block, Inc. and Announces Opportunity for Investors with Substantial Losses to Lead the Block Class Action Lawsuit

SAN DIEGO, Jan. 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd LLP announces that purchasers of Block, Inc. (NYSE: SQ) Class A common stock between February 26, 2020 and April 30, 2024, inclusive (the “Class Period”), have until March 18, 2025 to seek appointment as lead plaintiff of the Block class action lawsuit. Captioned Gonsalves v. Block, Inc., No. 25-00642 (N.D. Cal.), the Block class action lawsuit charges Block and certain of Block’s top executive officers with violations of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

If you suffered substantial losses and wish to serve as lead plaintiff of the Block class action lawsuit, please provide your information here:

https://www.rgrdlaw.com/cases-block-class-action-lawsuit-sq.html

You can also contact attorneys J.C. Sanchez or Jennifer N. Caringal of Robbins Geller by calling 800/449-4900 or via e-mail at info@rgrdlaw.com.

CASE ALLEGATIONS: Block is a financial technology conglomerate. Block’s inaugural product is Square, a financial services platform for small and medium-sized businesses. Block later launched Cash App (f/k/a “Square Cash”), a mobile payment service that allows users to transfer money using a mobile phone.

The Block class action lawsuit alleges that defendants throughout the Class Period made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (i) Block had engaged in widespread and years-long compliance lapses at Square and Cash App, including by failing to conduct basic due diligence regarding its customers’ identities or the nature of customer transactions so as to prevent the platforms from being used for illegal or illicit activities; (ii) Block had effectively created a haven for widespread illegal and illicit activities on its Square and Cash App platforms by imposing minimal obligations on customers seeking to open accounts, transact, and deposit or withdraw funds; encouraging the use of bitcoin; and pressuring Block’s banking partners to forgo ordinary know your customer due diligence activities; (iii) thousands of transactions on Square and Cash App were made in connection with a wide variety of illegal and illicit activities, including, inter alia, money laundering, child sexual abuse, sex trafficking, drug trafficking, terrorism financing, contract killings, and illicit payments to entities and persons subject to economic sanctions; (iv) Block allowed its customers to withdraw funds even after the accounts had been flagged for potentially illegal or illicit activities; (v) Block customers could open up multiple accounts using fake identities in order to engage in illegal or illicit activities; (vi) Block’s senior leadership and the Board of Directors had failed to correct identified compliance deficiencies despite numerous red flags, internal employee reports of deficiencies, and customer complaints; (vii) Block’s Cash App user metrics had been artificially inflated through the use of fake accounts and the ability of criminals and other bad actors to open multiple accounts; and (viii) as a result of the above, Block was subject to a material, undisclosed risk of its conduct being exposed, thereby exposing Block to reputational harm, adverse regulatory actions, the loss of business activity, and adverse impacts to Block’s operations and financial results.

On March 23, 2023, Hindenburg Research published a damaging exposé on Block titled: “Block: How Inflated User Metrics and ‘Frictionless’ Fraud Facilitation Enabled Insiders To Cash Out Over $1 Billion.” On this news, the price of Block Class A common stock fell nearly 15%.

Then, on August 3, 2023, Block disclosed that the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and the U.S. Department of Justice were investigating the allegations against Block and its employees contained in the Hindenburg Research report. On this news, the price of Block Class A common stock fell nearly 14%.

Thereafter, on February 16, 2024, NBC News reported that federal regulators were probing allegations by two whistleblowers that Cash App performed inadequate due diligence on its users – including “‘no effective procedure to establish the[ir] identity’” – opening the door to potential money laundering, terrorism financing, and other illegal and illicit activities. On this news, the price of Block Class A common stock fell more than 5%.

Finally, on May 1, 2024, NBC News reported that federal prosecutors were investigating Block due to allegations by a former employee that Block had engaged in widespread and years-long compliance lapses at its two main units, Square and Cash App. Reportedly, the employee had provided prosecutors with internal Block documents demonstrating that Block had failed to conduct basic due diligence on its customers, that Square had processed thousands of transactions involving countries subject to economic sanctions (including Cuba, Iran, Russia, and Venezuela), and that Block had processed multiple cryptocurrency transactions for terrorist groups. On this news, the price of Block Class A common stock fell more than 8%.

The plaintiff is represented by Robbins Geller, which has extensive experience in prosecuting investor class actions including actions involving financial fraud. You can view a copy of the complaint by clicking here.

THE LEAD PLAINTIFF PROCESS: The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 permits any investor who purchased Block Class A common stock during the Class Period to seek appointment as lead plaintiff in the Block class action lawsuit. A lead plaintiff is generally the movant with the greatest financial interest in the relief sought by the putative class who is also typical and adequate of the putative class. A lead plaintiff acts on behalf of all other class members in directing the Block class action lawsuit. The lead plaintiff can select a law firm of its choice to litigate the Block class action lawsuit. An investor’s ability to share in any potential future recovery of the Block class action lawsuit is not dependent upon serving as lead plaintiff.

ABOUT ROBBINS GELLER: Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd LLP is one of the world’s leading law firms representing investors in securities fraud cases. Our Firm has been #1 in the ISS Securities Class Action Services rankings for six out of the last ten years for securing the most monetary relief for investors. We recovered $6.6 billion for investors in securities-related class action cases – over $2.2 billion more than any other law firm in the last four years. With 200 lawyers in 10 offices, Robbins Geller is one of the largest plaintiffs’ firms in the world and the Firm’s attorneys have obtained many of the largest securities class action recoveries in history, including the largest securities class action recovery ever – $7.2 billion – in In re Enron Corp. Sec. Litig. Please visit the following page for more information:

https://www.rgrdlaw.com/services-litigation-securities-fraud.html

Past results do not guarantee future outcomes. 
Services may be performed by attorneys in any of our offices. 

Contact:
        Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd LLP
        J.C. Sanchez, Jennifer N. Caringal
        655 W. Broadway, Suite 1900, San Diego, CA 92101
        800-449-4900
        info@rgrdlaw.com