The estate of a 24-year-old business development employee who passed away in late 2023 has filed an amended federal complaint against the decentralized finance protocol UnshETH and its founders. The complaint accuses the founders of systematically failing to pay wages, fostering a toxic workplace environment that allegedly encouraged drug use, and retaliating against the worker when he sought compensation he was owed.
The 40-page amended complaint, shared with The Crypto Times via email, was filed on September 10, 2025, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida. It names Popcorn Technologies Ltd. and Ambidextrous Labs Inc., both doing business as UnshETH, along with co-founders Abinav J. “AJ” Narayanan, Adithya Balasubramanian (also known as Adithya Bala or “Wags”), and Yash Sinha as defendants.
The plaintiff, the Estate of Siddharth Mahesh Sundaram, also known as Sid, alleges violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), New York Labor Law, and related claims including breach of contract. Sid Sundaram died on November 28, 2023, from fentanyl poisoning, according to the complaint. The filing describes a young professional who joined UnshETH shortly after college in one of his first full-time roles and alleges that chronic non-payment of wages, extreme working hours, and a high-pressure environment contributed to severe mental and physical health decline in the months before his death.
“They ran a haphazard operation, with little regard for employment laws nor the wellbeing of their employees,” the complaint states in its introduction, describing the defendants as “quintessential crypto bad actors.”
The suit seeks unpaid wages, overtime, bonuses, expense reimbursements, liquidated damages, attorneys’ fees, and other relief. It also includes claims of retaliation under both federal and state law.
Unpaid Wages and Alleged Retaliation
According to the complaint, Sundaram began working for UnshETH in June 2023 after a two-week trial period. He was offered a $160,000 annual salary, 80% in cash and 20% in UnshETH tokens, plus a $100,000 annual bonus paid quarterly, along with expense reimbursement. He primarily worked from New York City but traveled frequently to Miami, where the corporate defendants maintained their principal places of business and where the individual defendants were based during much of the relevant period.
The complaint alleges that payments were chronically late or incomplete. By mid-November 2023, UnshETH allegedly owed Sundaram at least $34,669 in unpaid wages (including the token portion), $41,667 in unpaid bonuses, and $8,675 in unreimbursed business expenses — totaling approximately $85,011. The filing claims Sundaram worked extraordinarily long hours, often 14 to 16 hours per day, seven days a week from August through early November 2023, without overtime compensation.
When Sundaram raised concerns about non-payment, both for himself and other employees, the complaint alleges he faced verbal harassment, threats, and accusations of “blackmail.” Negotiations over a separation agreement broke down after defendants allegedly accused him of holding assets “hostage.” His employment was terminated around November 15, 2023.
The complaint further alleges that Bala and Sinha directed Sundaram to perform work for a related project called “Unstable,” a proposed lending protocol, without additional compensation.
Toxic Culture and Drug Use Allegations
One of the more striking sections of the amended complaint details what it describes as a normalized culture of drug use within UnshETH. It claims that Sinha recommended a drug dealer to Sundaram who “sells real sh*t” and provided him with “a one-time expense allowance of $500 for addy (Adderall).” Text messages cited in the filing allegedly show discussions of acquiring and using substances, including during work travel.
The complaint portrays a workplace where “partying and work were intertwined,” with business meetings often followed by nights at bars and clubs. It alleges that Sundaram’s mental and physical health deteriorated amid the non-payment disputes and the overall environment, leading him to rely more heavily on medications and substances.
Corporate Structure and Personal Liability Claims
The complaint seeks to hold the individual defendants personally liable by alleging that Popcorn Technologies and Ambidextrous Labs functioned as undercapitalized shell companies and alter egos of Bala, Sinha, and Narayanan. It claims the entities had no independent existence, commingled funds, and were used to avoid paying staff and liabilities.
Jurisdiction is asserted in Florida based on the companies’ principal places of business in Miami, the defendants’ residences and business activities there, and Sundaram’s work trips to the state. The filing notes that Bala maintained property and offices in Florida before allegedly relocating to Dubai in mid-2024 amid other allegations.
Public records and social media activity cited in the complaint show Bala and Sinha actively promoting UnshETH on X throughout 2023 and into early 2024, hosting Spaces events and participating in partnership announcements with projects including Arbitrum, Stader Labs, and DIA.
Legal Claims
The amended complaint brings 10 counts:
- Two counts under the FLSA and New York Labor Law for failure to pay minimum wage and overtime.
- Claims for failure to pay wages under NYLL § 193.
- Violations of wage notice and wage statement requirements under New York’s Wage Theft Prevention Act.
- Retaliation claims under both the FLSA and NYLL.
- Breach of contract.
- Alternative claims for quantum meruit and unjust enrichment.
The estate seeks declarations of willful violations, compensatory and liquidated damages, statutory damages, emotional distress damages, punitive damages where permitted, attorneys’ fees, costs, interest, and injunctive relief against further retaliation.
Background on UnshETH and Defendants
UnshETH positioned itself as a decentralized marketplace for liquid staking derivatives on Ethereum, aiming to promote competition among protocols and better distribute validators. The project raised over $3.3 million from investors including Soma Capital and ICONIQ Capital and marketed partnerships with established crypto names.
The individual defendants are described in the complaint as co-founders who exercised significant operational control. Bala is portrayed as the primary technical and partnership lead, while Sinha handled significant day-to-day communications with staff, including Sundaram. Narayanan is listed as a co-founder with less day-to-day involvement detailed in the early portions of the filing.
As of June 24, 2026, the UnshETH protocol remains technically operational but is functioning at a very low level of activity. Its website is still live, and the protocol continues to be tracked on DeFiLlama with a modest Total Value Locked (TVL) of approximately $133,690 on Ethereum. However, liquidity is thin, and usage appears minimal. The project’s official X account has been completely inactive since August 2024, with no updates or announcements from the team in over 18 months.
Limited Public Attention
Despite the detailed allegations and the involvement of a prominent DeFi protocol, the case has received minimal public attention. Court docket aggregators list the original complaint as filed on September 5, 2024. The amended version updates and expands the claims.
The tragic circumstances of Sundaram’s death, however, distinguish this matter from routine wage claims. The crypto industry has faced repeated scrutiny over employment practices, contractor misclassification, and workplace culture. High-profile failures and scandals have highlighted risks for young professionals entering fast-moving projects with limited formal HR infrastructure.
The UnshETH case, if the allegations are proven, would underscore challenges around timely compensation, overtime compliance, and the personal liability of founders when corporate entities are thinly capitalized.
As with any civil litigation, the claims remain allegations until adjudicated or settled. The estate is represented by Pryor Cashman LLP. The case is pending before the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida.
The Crypto Times reached out to UnshETH protocol and defendants but they have not yet responded to the comments.
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